In our Lean, Mean & Quarantined series, we’re giving you exercises you can do at home using everyday household items! Each blog will be focused on one individual muscle group, to give you a full-body workout – no equipment needed! |
Now it’s time to turn our attention to one of our favorite muscle groups – the legs! Ah yes, leg day is one of the most feared and revered elements of your weekly workout routine. And since not all gyms are open yet (or maybe you just prefer the comfort of your living room in jammies?), we’re giving you the best at-home leg workout around, using nothing but items you’ve already got lying around! So if you’re ready to get those yams yelping (and we darn well hope you are!), here comes the perfect leg day workout at home, like ever.
Goblet Squat
This classic squat technique just requires a medium weight, a place to stand, and the will to get DOWN! It targets the quads and glutes, some of the biggest muscles in your lower body.
What you’ll need: a gallon of milk or juice
- Hold the gallon of liquid at your chest with both hands
- Make sure your feet are just over hip-width apart
- Keeping your chest up, lower your body into a squat
- Try to get your butt below knee level
- Squeezing into your glutes, stand back up
- Repeat 3 sets of 5 reps
Romanian Deadlift
This one is a doozy! The Romanian Deadlift is one of the most powerful leg exercises you can do, accessing your hams, glutes, core, and even your upper back in the process. Like some other exercises in this series, you’ll need to create a barbell for this one.
What you’ll need: broomstick, rope, paint cans (water jugs will also work)
- Grasp the barbell with both hands, roughly shoulder-width apart
- With your feet hip-width apart, drop down slowly, keeping your legs locked straight
- Drop your upper body, bending at the waist, bringing the barbell down to about shin height
- Rest for a moment, then slowly return to starting position
- Repeat 3 sets of 10 reps
Step-Ups
These uplifting exercises are great for boosting both the glutes and hamstrings, plus, you’ll also get some core work in while you stabilize yourself. The trick is to find a stable, semi-soft surface about 1.5-2ft off the ground to step on.
What you’ll need: ottoman, wooden box, or workbench
- Stand directly behind the surface you plan to step on
- Keeping your chest up and right shin vertical, step up on top of the raised surface
- Bringing your body up, tap your left foot to the surface and step down again
- Repeat on the other side, for 3 sets of 15 steps
Calf Raises
No at-home leg day workout would be complete without some nice calf raises! This one’s easy and just requires a single stair to work off of. Is your place a single level? Just step outside and work off of the curb! You can add some weight to this one to really hear those calves start to sing!
What you’ll need: Single stair or curb, two 5-gallon water jugs
- With your feet hip-width apart, stand on the raised stair/curb
- Hang your heels off of the raised surface
- Slowly lower yourself down, remain there for a second
- Raise yourself up as high as you can, then slowly come back to starting position
- Repeat 10 times, for 3 sets
Pendulum Lunge
This is a tough one, designed to really work your glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Don’t be afraid to go all-in on the pendulum lunge, with a pretty big weight in your hands.
What you’ll need: a large bag of rice or large water jug
- Stand straight with feet hip-width apart, and your weight cradled in your hands, chest level
- Lunge forward with your right foot, place it down and immediately bring your left knee down as far as possible
- Slowly come back to starting position, and in one fluid motion, continue lunging back with the same right leg, bringing your right knee as low as possible
- Switch to alternative side and repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps
Well, you made it! Do that once a week and we guarantee you’ll be feeling the burn and seeing results! And if you want to get serious about hitting those fitness goals (especially from your living room) why not sign up for a 7-Day Free Trial with Studio SWEAT onDemand? We’ve got tons of onDemand leg-shredding workouts you can do anytime, anywhere. And with motivating trainers, a huge variety of classes, plus a worldwide community of members behind you, you’ll get legs of steel in no time!
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