Lower Body Exercises
You can get an effective lower body workout without a gym or very little equipment.
A successful strength training program does not require heavy weights and industrial-sized equipment to produce results. Instead, you can produce substantial resistance levels to build muscle and burn fat using lighter weights, resistance bands, and body weight. All you need is an effective workout plan.
Below are 5-lower body exercises that will get you chiseled and toned using light equipment and your body weight.
Rules to Help Guide You
We incorporate compound movements in our routines to assist in building strength faster and more effectively.
Compound movements allow muscles to work in tandem, giving our muscles more stimulated growth.
In our workout programs, we will perform compound exercises that combine two or more activities into one overall repetition to stimulate even more muscles. (For example, a dumbbell forward lunges to shoulder presses).
We should use adequate resistance to work our muscle(s) enough to fatigue and prevent us from continuing.
Fatiguing the targeted muscles rapidly while maintaining proper form is our best opportunity to obtain growth.
Keep Rest Periods Short
We will require more extended rest periods based on our fitness capacity.
NASM says muscle building (hypertrophy) improves with shorter rest periods, from 0 to 60 seconds. However, load, volume, and fitness may require extended rest periods.
We must focus on overloading our weight resistance progressively.
If we have a limited amount of equipment to achieve this, don’t worry. Below are examples.
Every Week
Increase the tempo of work time under tension (or TuT). TuT is when our muscles are under pressure while performing resistance exercises, increasing the stress time on the target muscles while working through each movement phase. Increase the number of reps you perform. Increase the number of sets of each exercise.
Here are the 8-lower-body exercises to start building the body you have always wanted.
SUMO SQUAT: Quadriceps, hip abductors, hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes, calves, erector spinae of the lower back
Level: Intermediate
Equipment Needed: Dumbbells or kettlebells.
STATIONARY LUNGE: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, hips, and calves.
Level: Beginner
Equipment Needed: Two dumbbells or no weights.
SIDESTEP SQUAT: Quadriceps, hip adductors, and gluteus maximus.
Level: Beginner
Equipment Needed: Two dumbbells or no weights.
DB DEADLIFTS: Full body hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, lower back muscles, erector spinae, core, abs, shoulders trapezius, and upper back
Level: Intermediate
Equipment Needed: Two Dumbbells or a resistance band.
STANDING CALF RAISE ON ELEVATED SURFACE: Gastrocnemius
Level: Beginner
Equipment Needed: One or two dumbbells, one or two kettlebells, or no weights.
AGILITY LADDER DRILL: Gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, gastrocnemius, and soleus.
Level: Intermediate.
Equipment Needed: Agility ladder.
3×12 reps | Sumo Squat
3×12 reps | Stationary Lunge
3×12 reps | Sidestep Squat
3×12 reps | DB Deadlift
3×12 reps | Standing Calf Raise on Elevated Surface
Agility Drill |Run the ladder X3
Before beginning any fitness program, you must check with your doctor to reduce and avoid injury. By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk. endlesssummerfitness.com will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain due to our fitness program, online fitness videos, or information shared on our website. This includes emails, videos, and text.