The pandemic really did turn all of us into couch potatoes, didn’t it? Well, you are not to be blamed. With the offices shifted to our homes (read bedrooms) and the gyms effectively shut during the lockdown, you didn’t have much of a choice either. Now, what’s done is done and given that it’s been almost a year since the pandemic started, it’s time that we take charge and start working on our fitness! And might we suggest that you start by focusing on lower body workout to undo the damage that we have done to our bodies during the lockdown.
Also, it is winter which means it’s the best time to workout. And now that we have made an effective case here, let’s cut to the chase and start you with a set of lower body exercises that’ll keep you covered. Scroll through:
15 Lower Body Exercises You Need To Try
From working your hamstrings to your glutes, here are 15 lower body workouts that will help you with that much-needed burn!
Lateral Lunge With Balance
One of the best leg exercises out there, this one helps you focus on the lateral movements which are often looked over in lower body workouts:
- Stand with your feet apart (consider your hip-width the ideal distance here).
- With your right leg first, take a big step in the side, push your hips back, bend the right knee and then with the help of your arms pull it into your chest.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Also Read: Best Exercises for Increasing Height
Curtsy Lunge
A great lower body exercise with weights, curtsy lunges help your work on your glute muscles and outer thighs.
- Stand with your feet apart (consider your hip-width the ideal distance here).
- For weights, go for 2*2 dumbbells.
- Hold dumbbells in both hands and keep them parallel to your torso.
- Now start with your right leg, take a big step so as to cross your left side from behind.
- Now lower your hips and bend your knees until the left thigh comes parallel to the floor.
- Return back to your normal position and repeat on the left side. Remember to keep your tight and shoulders and hips square.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Reverse Lunge
This is a great option if you want to do your lower body exercises at home and help you focus on your glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
- Stand with your feet apart (consider your hip-width the ideal distance here). Hold dumbbells in both hands keeping them on your sides.
- Start on the right side, step back on your right, lower your hips and bend both knees until they are bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Lay pressure on your left leg to stand up. Repeat on the other side.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Sumo Squat
This lower body workout, helps you work on your inner thighs.
- Stand with your feet apart (consider your shoulder-width the ideal distance here). Hold a dumbbell in front of your hips.
- Now hold your core tight, start bending your knees, and lower down in the squat position. Make sure that your back is straight.
- You need to keep going down until your hips go a little lower than the knees. Pause for a couple of seconds. Now lay pressure on your heels to go up.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Pistol Squats
A great lower body exercise for women, pistol squats will help your work on your quads.
- Stand with your feet apart (consider your hip-width the ideal distance here).
- Now stand on your left leg while extending your right leg forward and go down in a squat until your right leg is parallel with the ground.
- Now lay pressure on your left leg to come up. Repeat on the right side.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Lateral Step Out Squat
This lower body bodyweight exercise will leave a nice, satisfying burn in your glutes and thighs.
- Wrap a resistance band around your calves and just below your knees.
- Stand up straight with your core tight. Clasp your hands together in front of the chest. Now, start from the right leg, take a big step to the right, and now go down squatting until your thigh comes parallel to the ground.
- Stay for a couple of moments and then apply pressure on your heels to go back.
- Repeat on the left side.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Duck Walks
One of the coolest picks from the list of lower body exercises, this one works wonders for your quads and glutes.
- Stand with your feet apart (consider your shoulder-width the ideal distance here).
- Now cross your hands in a way that they are in front of your chest and touching the shoulders.
- Keep your core tight, back straight, and slowly go down and stop at a half squat position.
- Focus on the hips to keep them stable and then start with the right knee, lower it down towards the ground and then do the same with your left knee in a way that both your knees are flat on the ground.
- Now get up with your right knee first, followed by the left, and return to the half-squat position.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Isometric Calf Raise
This lower body exercise is perhaps the easiest and most effective exercise for your calves.
- Stand with your feet apart (consider your shoulder-width the ideal distance here).
- Hold a pair of dumbbells and let your hands hand by your sides.
- Now keeping your core tight and the rest of your body straight, lift up your toes so that you are just standing on the tips.
- Hold for 30 seconds and then go down.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Single Leg Deadlift
An advanced version of one of the best leg exercises, single-leg deadlifts will work your glutes and hamstrings and improve your balance.
- Hold dumbbells in both your hands.
- Now, while standing on your left leg lift the right one and extend it towards the backside and go forward until your torso comes parallel to the ground.
- With your hands hanging forward, let the dumbbells go straight down until they can almost touch the ground.
- Lay pressure on the left heel to return to your position and repeat on the opposite side.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Mountain Climbers
Fun and easy, mountain climbers not only help you with a lower body burn but also help you work on your core.
- Go down on the floor in a plank position so that both your palms and heels are touching the ground.
- Now bend your right knee forward so that it comes near to your right hand, followed by extending the left knee towards the knee hand.
- Do that in a fast motion so that it appears like you are trying to run with your hands and heels on the ground.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Hip Lifts
This is an amazing exercise that is sure to leave your glutes as well as core on fire:
- Start with your hands and knee on the ground.
- Now take a mini band, and put one of its ends around your left knee and another around your right toe.
- Now keeping your back straight and the abs tight, kick back your left leg until it’s straight and then bring it back. Repeat on the other side.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Glute Bridge With A Resistance Band
With a great focus on your glutes, this happens to be one of the best lower body exercises for women.
- Wrap your resistance band around your thighs. Now lie on your back in a way that your legs are bent with your toes on the floor and knees facing the sky.
- For an estimate, your toes should be at a distance where your hands when lying on your side can easily touch them.
- Now focus on your core, tighten it, lay pressure on the heels and raise your hips.
- Pause for a few seconds and force your knees apart by laying pressure on the band.
- Softly return to the ground and repeat.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Hamstring Curls With A Stability Ball
This lower back exercise works wonders on the back of your things.
- Lie on your back, keep your arms on the sides, and rest the feet on a stability ball (make sure that your legs are at an angle of 45 degrees).
- Now lay pressure on your arms and upper back so as to lift up your hips.
- Now start bending your knees in a way that you are rolling the ball towards your back and then roll it back to the original position. Repeat.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Hip Thrusts With A Stability Ball
A great lower back exercise, this one turns up the heat on both your glutes and core:
- Now, just like you have to rest the lower body on a stability ball in Hamstring curls, in this case, your upper body has to rest on that ball.
- Basically, your upper back has to lie on the stability ball and your arms have to be on your head with your elbows parallel to the shoulders.
- In the starting positions, your hips need to hover above the mat, in a manner that your knees are bent and thighs and torso lie in a V position. Now lift your hips towards the sky until your thighs are parallel to the ground, hold, and return.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Suitcase Deadlifts
Now that’s one fun name, right? Well, it is also a really fun exercise to do as well!
- Stand with your feet apart (consider your shoulder-width the ideal distance here).
- Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and clench your right hand in a fist. Now keeping your abs tight and back straight, bend forward in a manner that the weight in your hand almost touches the ground and kneed bend a little. Do it until the back is parallel to the floor
- Now lay pressure on the heels and return to the starting position. Give your glutes a squeeze and repeat.
- Do it 3*10 times increase repetitions over time taking it up to 4*12 sets.
Also Read: Quotes on Periods
FAQs
Your muscles once trained need to rest for the workout to properly work its magic. Thus, it is advisable that you do a lower body workout for not more than 2-3 days in a week. This, in fact, holds true for all the muscles in your body.
Light to medium dumbbells (depending on the move) work best for lower body exercises. Thus, for engaging in squats, lunges and similar exercises, you can opt for dumbbells weighing 3 kgs each. However, you can increase the weight for your deadlifts.
While doing your lower body workouts, always ensure that your core is held tight and that your back is straight. Remember, posture is everything. Also, if you are a beginner then take advice from a professional.
For losing weight, you need to get in a calorie deficit diet. Thus, while a lower body workout will not ensure weight loss it would certainly ensure a toned lower body.
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So fam, all set to get moving and werk it with our list of lower body exercises?
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