9 Lower Body Workouts You Can Do at Home

While going to the gym on a daily basis might be a consistent and easy routine for some people, that might not be you! If you struggle to fit in a workout due to lack of time, lack of energy, decreased accessibility, or another reason, you might want suggestions for lower body workout routines at home that do not require a gym, dumbbells, or all the fancy equipment. 

However, if you have workout equipment at home, this will also be helpful in your workout routine. For instance, our Ski-Row Air and Ski-Row Air + PWR machines come with multiple lower body workouts and are a perfect at-home exercise option. This article will address the benefits, tips, and examples regarding lower body workouts at home with and without the use of equipment. 

For information regarding upper body workouts to combine with your lower body routine, see this link. 

What Are the Benefits of Lower Body Workouts?

Seventy-five percent of your muscles lie below the waist, showing how important it is to have strong lower body muscles. The lower body is used for multiple activities, including walking, running, jumping, biking, and climbing. 

Lower body workouts have many benefits, such as increasing circulation, supporting cardiovascular function, assisting with bone health, increasing sports and exercise performance, burning calories, supporting mental health, and building stronger muscles.        

What Are Some Tips Regarding Lower Body Workouts?

1. Do not forget to stretch and warm-up! This can be done through dynamic stretching to warm up the muscles and better prepare them for the workout.
   
2. Do not forget to stretch and cooldown! This can be done with static stretching in order to bring the body back to its core temperature after raising its temperature during the workout.
   
3. Supply your body with the proper nutrients and fluids before and after working out. Pre-workout nutrition and post-workout nutrition are both essential in order for your body to perform at its best not only during the workout but also before and after it.
   
4. Give yourself time and patience to build up to a stronger resistance in your lower body strength training routine. Do not expect to be perfect right away. You might have to start with fewer reps and increase as tolerated. Be patient with yourself!  

What Are Some Workout Sets I Can Follow?

If you like the idea of these exercises below but do not know what sets to follow when completing them, consider some of the following training ideas:

• Circuit training: Take a list of the below exercises and complete them one after the next with no rest in between. This keeps the heart rate raised while building muscle and burning more calories.

• Supersets: Take exercises from the list below that work the same group of muscles and do one exercise after the next. This heightens the intensity of the workout and aids in a higher calorie burn.

• Tri-sets: Take three exercises from the list below of either opposite muscle groups or the same muscle groups. Complete these exercises one after the next with no rest. This workout increases the build of muscles and aids in higher calorie burn.

• Pyramid training: This exercise works the muscles by increasing weight while lowering the number of reps for each set. If you do not have dumbbells, this training set is more challenging but not impossible. You can use water bottles of varying weight in replacement of the weights.

• Tabata strength training: Alternate 20 seconds of working with 10 seconds of rest for four minutes. Because of the high intensity of this exercise, your heart rate will be further worked and elevated.  

If I Do Not Own Any Machines, What Lower Body Workouts Can I Do at Home?

If you do not have any gym equipment or dumbbells, do not worry! There are many options for lower-body exercises you can do without any equipment at all. In the place of weights, you can also use two water bottles for some added resistance. Some examples include:

• Squat jumps 
• Walking single-leg straight-leg deadlift reach
• Side lunge
• Scissor box jump
• Single-leg hip raise
• Alternating drop lunge

Squat Jumps

1. Separate feet to hip-width.
2. Squat down, so your thighs are parallel to the floor, and jump.
3. Ensure that your knees bend at a 45-degree angle upon landing and hold this position for one second.
4. Repeat jump.
5. Complete for as many reps as chosen and increase reps as tolerated.

Walking Single-Leg Straight-Leg Deadlift Reach

1. Separate feet to hip-width with arms to either side of your thighs.
2. While your lower back remains in a naturally arched position, lift your right leg behind you, bend forward at the hips, and lower your torso until it is almost parallel with the ground while at the same time extending your opposite arm downward.
3. Go back to the position you started in, step forward twice, and repeat this movement with the other leg.
4. Complete for as many reps as chosen and increase reps as tolerated.  

Side Lunge

1. Stand so your feet are two shoulder-widths apart. 
2. Push your hips back and left while leaving your right leg straight.
3. Bend your left knee and lower your body downward so your left thigh is parallel to the floor. 
4. Stay in this position for two seconds with feet flat on the floor, then stand back to the starting position. 
5. Repeat on the opposite side for as many repetitions as possible and increase reps at tolerated.

Scissor Box Jump

1. Leave your right foot on the floor while placing the left one on a box
2. Jump upward and swap leg positions while in the air. 
3. Once you reach the floor, take a pause before switching to the other side
4. Repeat for as many reps as chosen and increase reps as possible 

Single-Leg Hip Raise

1. Lie on the ground while facing the ceiling.
2. Place arms to the side in 45-degree angles while extending your right leg straight in the air at the level of your left thigh and keeping your left foot bent and resting on the floor.
3. Squeeze glute muscles and raise your hips so that your lower back is elevated.
4. Hold this position for a beat, then go back to the starting position.
5. Repeat on both legs for as many reps as you choose and increase reps as tolerated.

Alternating Drop Lunge

1. Position yourself so that your feet are hip-width apart and your hands are placed on your hips.
2. Square out your shoulder and ensure that your chest and eyes are upward.
3. Cross the right leg behind your left leg, bend your knees, and lower your body so that your left thigh is almost in line with the floor.
4. Go back to the starting position and repeat this move on the opposite side. 
5. Repeat for as many reps as you choose and increase reps as tolerated.

What Are Some Lower Body Exercises I Can Do With the Ski-Row Air and Ski-Row Air + PWR Machines?

Since we went over exercises involving no equipment, here are some suggestions for lower-body exercises with the Ski-Row Air and Ski-Row Air + PWR machines.  

• Alternating reverse lunges
• Plyo jump
• Staggered leg skiing

Alternating Reverse Lunges

This exercise targets not only every muscle of your body, but also improves your balance. The steps can be seen here as well as below:

1. Face the rowing machine and grab the handles with both hands.
2. Step back with one leg into a lung and pull both handles to either side of your body.
3. Stand back up to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
4. Increase the number of reps per side depending on your body’s ability. 

Plyo Jump

This exercise works your lower body as you perform a ski-jumping movement that resembles typical skiing. The steps are as follows: 

1. Face the machine and grab both handles with either hand.
2. Bend both knees in a squat as you pull the handles to either side of your body.
3. Stand from your squat position and jump with both feet at the same time. extending your arms straight and forward above your head.
4. Repeat for as many reps as you feel capable and increase the number of reps as able.  

Staggered Leg Skiing

This exercise is similar to the plyo jump, but works your forward leg more than your back leg. The steps are as follows: 

1. Stand towards the machine and grasp handles with both hands.
2. Put one foot 12 inches in front of the other foot and pull handles to either side of your body while bending at the knees (just as you would in traditional skiing).
3. Extend arms back to the starting position while straightening the legs.
4. Repeat on the opposite side while completing as many reps as you feel capable. 
5. Increase the number of reps as tolerated.  

Summing it Up

There are many lower body exercises available at home, both without gym equipment and with certain machines, such as the Ski-Air Row or Ski-Row Air + PWR. While you might be lacking a workout routine due to lack of time or accessibility, boredom, or lack of knowledge about which exercises to participate in, you have many options and examples after reading this article. Hopefully, this will give you a fresh start to your workout routine as well as make it a little more fun! 

Lower body exercises not only come with an array of health benefits, but they will also leave you feeling good about what you have been able to accomplish. Do not forget the importance of drinking lots of water, eating the correct nourishing foods, warming up before the exercise and cooling down after, and being patient with yourself when it comes to building up your momentum. It might take time, but you are strong and capable! 

 

Sources:

Best Lower Body Workouts 

The 15 Best Leg Workouts Without Weights That Men Can Do At Home

How Many Sets You Should Be Doing in Your Workouts