7 Of The Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises Ever

In today’s short video, I take a look at some of my favorite exercises ever to build strong legs using nothing but your own bodyweight.

For all of these exercises you don’t need any equipment at all, but you do need to work really hard in order to get the most out of the exercises.

Here are 7 of the best bodyweight exercises ever for super strong legs:

Snowboarder Jumps

bodyweight exercises for legs

Primary muscles worked: Quads

Secondary muscles worked: Hamstrings, glutes, calves, abs, lower back

How to do them: Start in a squat position with one hand touching the ground. Jump up as high as you can, rotating 180 degrees midair. Land back in a squat position, touching the ground with the opposite hand and repeat.

Watch a quick demonstration of snowboarder jumps at 0:30 in the video.

Side Lunges

bodyweight exercises for legs

Primary muscles worked: Hamstrings, quads, glutes

Secondary muscles worked: Calves, abs, lower back

How to do them: Stand straight with your legs wider than hip width apart. Bend one knee as far as you can while keeping the other leg straight to the side. Raise back up and repeat on the opposite side.

View side lunges in action at 0:38 in the video.

Tuck Jumps

bodyweight exercises for legs

Primary muscles worked: Quads, hamstrings, glutes

Secondary muscles worked: Lower back, abductors, abductors, Calves

How to do them: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Jump up as high as you can, tucking your knees into your chest. Land and repeat immediately.

Watch tuck jumps at 0:46 in the video.

Speed Skater Lunges

bodyweight exercises for legs

Primary muscles worked: Hamstrings, quads, glutes

Secondary muscles worked: Calves, abs, lower back

How to do them: Stand in a side lunge position with one leg bent parallel to the floor and the other leg straight to the side. Jump up explosively as you switch legs. Now the previously straight leg will be bent and the previously bent leg will be straight to the other side. Try and keep your core tight and stay as low as possible as you switch sides as fast as you can.

See speed skater jumps at 0:52 in the video.

Squat Jumps

bodyweight exercises for legs

Primary muscles worked: Quads

Secondary muscles worked: Hamstrings, glutes, calves, abs, lower back

How to do them: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself into a squat position with your thighs parallel to the floor, then jump up as explosively as you can. Land in a squat position and repeat.

Watch squat jumps at 1:00 in the video.

Jump Lunges

bodyweight exercises for legs

Primary muscles worked: Quads, glutes, outer thigh muscles

Secondary muscles worked: Hamstrings, adductors, inner thigh muscles, internal rotators

How to do them: Start in a lunge position with your knees touching or almost touching the floor.Jump up explosively and switch legs so that your rear leg is in the front and front leg is in the rear. Go fast!

Watch jump lunges at 1:09 in the video.

Pistols

bodyweight exercises for legs

Primary muscles worked: Quads, glutes

Secondary muscles worked: Hamstrings, adductors, internal rotators

How to do them: Stand on one leg, with the other leg straight in front of you. Lower yourself down on one leg while keeping your opposite leg off the ground. Raise back up to standing, then repeat on your other leg.

View full pistols at 1:16 in the video.

Can’t do a pistol yet? Check out these beginner modifications and how to work up to doing pistols using candlestick rolls.

Work hard!




















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4 thoughts on “7 Of The Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises Ever”

  1. Your vidoes are a great help when learning these exercises!
    Would you reccomend performing the above exercises in a 12 minute circuit (even though there are seven)?

    Reply

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