At-Home Leg Workouts: Feel Strong and Confident This Summer

Is the weather warm where you are? Do you have a holiday in the sun coming up? With heat and sunshine comes the need for shorter and lighter clothing. If you’re worried about dawning those shorts and swimsuit, our coaches have some confidence-building at-home leg workouts for you to try.

We want you to feel beautiful, strong and confident baring more skin if you choose to do so. Do these three workouts a few times per week (i.e. one every other day) to tone, strengthen and sculpt your body, leaving you feeling sweaty, satisfied and ready to rock that summer wardrobe.

Workout #1: Leg burner

This workout includes some high-cardio movements like dynamic squats and high knees. Keep a timer nearby to keep track of the timed exercises (i.e. 90° isometric squats and high knees). Complete three rounds of the following:

1. Dynamic squats – 10 repetitions: Stand straight with your shoulders above your hips, feet hip-width apart, and toes turned slightly turned out. Quickly drop your hips back and down with your knees behind your toes, hips, and ankles in a line. Drive your weight into your heels to explosively jump up to center and then land softly back in the start position.

2. Deep squats – 10 repetitions: Stand straight with your shoulders above your hips, feet hip-width apart and toes slightly turned out. Drop your hips back and down, keeping your knees behind your toes at all times, hips and ankles in a line so that your knees don’t collapse inward. Drop your hips as low as possible, then drive weight into your heels to stand back up to start position.

3. 90° isometric squats  – 20 seconds: Stand straight with your shoulders above your hips, feet hip-width apart and toes slightly turned out. Drop your hips back and down, keeping your knees behind your toes at all times. Lower until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Hold for the desired amount of time (e.g. 20 seconds). Drive weight into your heels to stand back up to start position

4. High knees – 20 seconds: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, look straight ahead and raise your hands up to hip height. Quickly jump from one foot to the other on the spot, lifting your knees as high as possible. Land softly on the balls of your feet.

5. Forward lunges – 10 repetitions: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart then step forward with one leg, bending your knee to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front knee is positioned directly above the ankle. Drive through the heel of your lead foot and push off to return to start position

6. Back lunges – 10 repetitions: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and step backward with one leg, bending your knee to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front knee is directly above the ankle. Drive through the heel of your lead foot and push off your rear foot to return to start position.

Workout #2: Leg and booty blast

This workout is all about the glutes, but you’ll hit important legs muscles as well. Complete three rounds of the following exercises — again, keeping your timer nearby to keep track of the timed rounds:

1. Skaters slow – 20 seconds: Begin with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Jump sideways to the left, landing on your left leg while keeping the right leg up off the floor. Reverse direction to the right.

2. Curtsy lunge – 10 repetitions: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step backward with the right leg, placing the toes down to the left of the left leg, bending the knee in line with the left ankle. Descend until the rear knee nearly touches the floor and the front knee is directly above your ankle. Drive through the heel of your lead foot and push off the rear foot to return back to start position.

3. Glute bridge – 10 repetitions: Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the floor. Press weight into the heels to raise your hips. Lift your hips until the body forms a straight line from the shoulders to the knees, squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower your hips back down to return to start position.

4. Glute bridge isometric – 20 seconds: Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the floor. Press weight into the heels to raise your hips. Lift your hips until the body forms a straight line from the shoulders to the knees. Squeeze your glutes at the top and hold for the recommended time (i.e. 20 seconds).

5. Glute bridge – 10 repetitions: Repeat 10 repetitions of glute bridges.

6. Step-ups – 10 repetitions: Place your right foot on an elevated platform. Drive your weight into your heel to step up onto the platform. Bring your left foot onto the platform to come to a  standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower your right foot back down to the floor and follow with the left foot back, coming to start position.

7. Sumo squat – 10 repetitions: Stand straight with your shoulders positioned above the hips, feet wider than shoulder-width apart, and toes slightly turned out. Drop your hips back and down with your knees behind your toes. Drop your hip crease below parallel, then squeeze your glutes and press through your heels to come back to start position.

Workout #3: Strong legs

The third routine of this at-home leg workouts series is all about building power and strength. Do three rounds of the following exercises, being sure to engage your core throughout the movements:

1. Vertical jumps – 20 seconds: Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart. Jump up and point your toes. Land softly with a soft bend in the knees to absorb shock.

2. Romanian deadlift – 10 repetitions (alternating sides): Begin standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Ground your weight into your right foot to create a stable base. Lead with your chest and lower your torso while raising your left leg behind you until your body is parallel to the floor. Drive your weight into your heel and slowly return to start position.

3. Prisoner get-ups – 10 repetitions: Start by kneeling on the floor and either place your hands lightly behind the head. One leg at a time, place your right foot on the ground and press into the heel to stand up with the left foot to follow. Return to start position by stepping your right foot behind, dropping your right knee to the floor and then the left. Complete half of the repetitions before switching your lead leg.

4. 3-point lunges – 10 repetitions: Start standing tall with your feet hip-width apart. Lunge the right foot forward, then return back to standing. Lunge your right foot out to a side lunge, then come back to center. Finish the 3-point lunge by lunging the right foot back to a back lunge. Finish half of the repetitions before switching to the other side.

5. Bob and weave – 20 seconds: Start with your feet wider than hip-width apart, arms tight to body and hands by your chin. Move your head in a “V” motion by bending the knees and pushing the hips back to bring the body into a squat position. Keep your torso upright as you bob the body over to the right and weave back over to the left.

Correct form over speed

Do these two or all three of these short, confidence-boosting at-home leg workouts during the week, resting the legs for at least one day in between. Remember, proper form is of utmost importance. Move at a speed that allows you to execute each exercise properly while also providing a challenge.

Amplify your results and feel empowered to wear what makes you feel amazing all summer long by signing up for 8fit Pro.