Beginner Bodyweight Exercises – Lower Body

Donkey Kick Quad Set

Start on your hands and knees, keeping your back straight and your core engaged. Keeping a ninety degree bend in your knee, hinge at the hip and bring that knee out to the side, squeezing through the glute. Return the knee back to the ground.

Next, keeping that same knee bent, take your leg up behind you, pushing your heel towards the ceiling so your foot stays flexed. Squeeze through the glute while keeping the core tight. Return the knee back to the ground.

Next, straighten the same leg, flexing through the quad and the foot and bring it out to the side of your body. Squeezing through the hip and the flute, make small pulses up and down. Return the knee to the ground.

Finally, keeping the leg straight once again, flexing through the foot and the quad, raise your heel up toward the ceiling, squeezing through the glute.

Jumping Jacks

Start in a standing position with hands down by your side, feet together.

As you jump out with your feet, begin to raise the arms overhead in an arc, squeezing through the shoulders. Knees should still be slightly bent as you land to absorb the shock. To return to standing, jump the feet back in and lower the arms in one movement.

Leap Frogs

Begin in a high plank position, tailbone tucked under, pushing up through the shoulder blades, core engaged.

Shifting the weight into the hands, jump both feet forward at once, tucking the knees to the chest, engaging the core, and landing on the toes of your feet. Reverse this movement to complete one rep.

Wall Sit

Find a wall that you can lean against. Place your back flat on the wall, core tight, quads squeezing, and lower yourself into a floating chair position, ninety degree angle of the knees. Hold.

Step Ups

Place one foot up on a bench, chair, stair, or whatever else you have available.

Push into the elevated foot, straightening the leg, bringing your back leg off of the floor. Lower down slowly to place the foot back on the ground.

Split Squat

Start by placing one foot back on a bench, chair, stair, or whatever else you have available. Keep the toes of the back foot tucked. Hop the other leg out into a wide stance, so that when you bend into the front knee, it stays in line with the ankle.

Make sure your torso is straight up and down, not leaning forward, and then begin to bend into the front knee until you come down to a ninety degree angle. You should feel work in the front quad and a stretch in the back hip flexor. Press through the front leg to reverse the movement.

Isolation Lunge

Start with a wide stance, feet hips distance apart. Turn on to the toes of the back foot and keep your shoulders back.

Begin to bend into the front and back knee evenly, lowering down until the front knee is at a ninety degree angle. You should feel work in the front quad and a stretch in the back hip flexor. Push through the feet to return to standing.

Glute Bridge

Start by laying on your back, making sure to push your lower back into the floor. Knees are bent and heels are close to your butt.

Slowly roll the spine up, squeezing through the back of your legs, glutes, and core, pushing up through your heels and hips. Slowly, reverse this movement, coming down vertebra by vertebra.

One Leg Glute Bridge

Start by laying on the floor, pressing your lower back down. One foot is planted and knee bent, the other extends out at a 45 degree angle, foot flexed.

Pushing through your heel, squeeze the back of your legs, glutes, and core to raise your hips up. Slowly, lower down, reversing the movement.

Bodyweight Squat

 

Start in a standing position, feet wider than hip distance apart, feet slightly turned outward. Begin to lower your hips, pushing your butt back behind you, as if you were sitting in a chair. Keep your knees behind your toes. The weight stays in your heels, chest is high, back is straight. Hands come out in front for a counter balance. Push through the heels and hips to return to standing.

Yogi Squat

Come into a low squat, feet wider than the hips, toes turned outwards. Trying to reach your glutes down to the ground, keep your chest high. Bring your elbows to the inside of your knees to help push them apart, opening up your inner thighs. Hold.

Froggy Leg Lift

Begin on the ground on your stomach, forearms supporting your upper body off the ground. Bring the soles of your feet together in a diamond shape. Squeezing through your glutes and your feet, lift up slightly to bring the knees off of the ground. Slowly lower down to complete the exercise.