This 20-Minute Bodyweight Lower-Body Workout Will Leave Your Legs And Glutes Shaking

by admin /
Fitness woman doing deep squat exercise on studio background for a bodyweight lower-body workout

The beauty of bodyweight workouts? You can do them any time, anywhere. So next time you’re traveling or simply stuck with limited equipment access, give this lower-body blaster of a workout a go.

The moves ahead are a mix of dynamic leg and glute exercises that hit the lower-body muscle groups from all angles. It’s important when training the lower body, and your whole body in general, to move in different planes, says personal trainer, Ariel Belgrave. For example, in an air squat, you are primarily moving in the sagittal plane, or forward and backward. In the speed skaters or lateral lunges, you are moving in the frontal plane, or side to side. Moving more three-dimensionally helps reduce your risk of injury and make it easier to move and function day to day (even when you’re, say, carrying groceries).

Meet the expert: Ariel Belgrave, Certified Personal Trainer, is the creator of The L.E.A.N. Program fitness and nutrition coaching and the program creator behind the Women’s Health 28-Day Workout Challenge.

Another perk of the bodyweight lower-body workout here is that it’s totally scaleable. Need more rest and recovery? Only do the first three sets, then keep coming back to the workout as you get stronger. Need more challenge? Hold light to medium dumbbells during the lunge patterns, and hold a weight across your hips in the glute bridge. Get ready for a serious lower-body burn – and follow along with Belgrave.

Your 20-Minute Bodyweight Lower-Body Workout

Time: 20 minutes | Equipment: None | Good for: Lower body

Instructions: Warm up with 30 seconds of marching and 30 seconds of air squats (shown below). Then, perform as many reps as possible (AMRAP) of each move for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of rest. Repeat the workout exercises for a total of 4 rounds.

READ MORE: The Best 28-Day Workout Challenge To Get Stronger All Over Using Only Dumbbells

1. Warm-Up: Marching

How to:

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at sides.
  2. Lift one knee to hip height, swinging opposite arm at the same time.
  3. Return raised foot to ground and repeat on other side. Continue alternating.

2. Warm-Up: Air Squat

How to:

  1. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, arms at sides.
  2. Lower into a squat, stopping when glutes are in line with knees.
  3. Drive through heels to return to standing. That’s one rep.

READ MORE: Get Fit Anywhere With This Resistance Band Workout

3. Speed Skaters

How to:

  1. Start standing with feet hip-width part.
  2. Jump to the right and, as you land, cross left leg behind you, landing on your right leg with a bent knee, left toes gently touching ground.
  3. Quickly hop to left and repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.

4. Curtsy Lunge

How to:

  1. Start standing with feet wider than hips and hands clasped in front of chest.
  2. Step left foot back, while keeping both hip bones facing forward, and plant it outside of right leg, heel high.
  3. Keeping torso upright, squeeze inner thighs together and lower down until back knee hovers above floor.
  4. Press down into right heel to return to start position. Press through heels to return to standing. Switch sides and repeat. That’s 1 rep.

Pro tip: Hold a dumbbell at chest height to increase the intensity.

READ MORE: Try This Upper-Body Dumbbell Strength Workout For Serious Arm Sculpting

5. Alternating Lateral Lunge

How to:

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart.
  2. Take a big step to the side with right leg, then bend right knee and push hips back and lower until your right knee is bent 90 degrees. The left leg should be extended.
  3. Drive through right heel to return back to start. Repeat on left side. That’s one rep.

6. Fire Hydrant

How to:

  1. Start on all fours with shoulders over wrists, hips over knees, and toes planted on the floor.
  2. Keeping right leg bent to 90 degrees, engage core and squeeze through outer right glutes to lift right knee out to the right, until upper leg is parallel to floor (or as close as possible).
  3. Slowly and with control, return leg to starting position. That’s one rep. Perform reps for 20 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.

Pro tip: Aim to distribute your weight evenly through each hand, avoiding sinking into your right side when working the left leg and vice versa. If you want an extra push, you can add resistance bands.

READ MORE: You Can Sculpt Your Whole Body With This One R199 Piece Of Equipment

7. Glute Bridge

How to:

  1. Lie on back with feet flat against the floor and knees bent, arms at sides.
  2. Squeeze glutes and lift hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders.
  3. Pause at the top, then lower back down to starting position. That’s one rep.

This article by Jacqueline Andriakos was originally published on Women’s Health US.

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