The 15 Best Leg Workouts You Can Do Absolutely Anywhere

LOWER BODY WORKOUTS are the fitness equivalent of eating your veggies (along with actually eating your veggies, of course). If you’ve spent any amount of time around workout culture or stepped foot in a gym, you’ve no doubt heard someone proclaim one of the few immutable fitness commandments: Don’t skip leg day.

Fitness aficionados insist so strongly that this slogan be followed to the letter because they know two things: One, it’s easier and more immediately gratifying to train the upper body mirror muscles—think chest, arms, and abs—making it far too easy for new trainees to get caught up in arms races, only to wind up with unbalanced, top-heavy physiques. Two, lower body workouts are exceedingly beneficial for your overall wellbeing. The biggest muscles in your body are located on your lower half, so it pays off to give them plenty of focused attention in your training split.

But not all leg day workouts should look exactly the same. While it’s important to dedicate training time to your lower body, not every session needs to start and end with heavy barbell exercises like back squats and deadlifts. Think of this as our subclause to the fitness commandments: leg day workouts don’t have to include weights. You can get your fix without hitting the rack or the platform and still be in good standing for your fitness plan—you don’t even have to report to the gym, if you’re not able to make it into the weight room. Home workouts using limited equipment or even just your bodyweight counts just a much.

You shouldn’t feel limited if you need to go gear-free, either. There are plenty of lower body training routines that you can take on without equipment. Instead of thinking of gear-free workouts as a last resort, consider the benefits of bodyweight leg day workouts you can do at home (and anywhere else, too).

Benefits of Leg Day Workouts Without Weights

You can still squat, lunge, and hinge without your weights—but when you’re unencumbered by barbells and other fixed loads, you’ll have an easier time working in multiple planes of movement, which is essential for a more well-rounded workout, enhancing your athleticism, and mimicking the actions you perform in real life outside your training plan. You’ll be able to jump and leap without the weights pulling you down, pushing the pace of your training and ratcheting up the aerobic challenge.

One key to training your legs sans weights is to swap those heavy loads for high volumes. By ramping up your rep counts, you’ll be able to challenge your lower body to gut through the extended sets and develop muscular endurance. Jack up your heart rate by setting a timer, working with different challenging protocols, and cutting down your rest time. And best of all, no squat rack or bench to use for rest might help you to break bad distracted workout habits.

But those perks aren’t even the best part of adopting a bodyweight regimen: You can do these workouts anywhere—your living room, a hotel suite, a park—as long as you have about six feet of floor space and an elevated surface (like a bed or box) handy. That makes these workouts the ultimate zero-excuse leg burners.

No-Weight Leg Workouts You Can Do at Home

7-Minute Leg Day Conditioning Blitz

Men’s Health Next Top Trainer winner Jah Washington uses this routine as a standalone workout to add a conditioning element to leg day. You’ll start with a quick warmup, then move straight into the session.

The Warmup

Hamstring Walkout to Lunge

30 seconds

The Workout

Block 1 – Bodyweight Squats

Complete 6 reps as quickly as possible in each 10 second round. Repeat for 5 total rounds.

Block 2 – Side Lunges

Complete 6 reps as quickly as possible in each 15 second round. Repeat for 5 total rounds.

Block 3 – Split Squats

Complete 6 reps as quickly as possible in each 20 second round. Repeat for 5 total rounds.

Block 4 – 6x6x6 Circuit

Complete 6 reps of pulse squats, jump squats, and high knees as quickly as possible in each 25 second round. Repeat for 5 total rounds.

The Super 6 Leg Day Finisher

Washington uses this routine as a standalone workout or a brutal finisher to end a leg day. Set a timer for 6 minutes. At the start of each minute, perform 6 reps of each movement, then rest for the time remaining. When the next minute begins, start with a fresh round of reps. Continue until the timer ends.

• Reverse Lunges
• Side Lunges
• High Knees
• Seal Jacks

MFLD

Yes, that MF stands for exactly what you think it does. Tough-talking trainer Bobby Maximus is here with a killer leg day session that will smash your lower body, sans weights.

Repeat for 10 rounds, resting as needed

• 10 Bulgarian Split Squats (right)
• 10 Bulgarian Split Squats (left)
• Bodyweight Squats

The 7-Minute Blitz Quad Blast

Do you have 10 minutes to train? You can do this gear-free workout from Washington and have time to spare.

The workout consists of three blocks, each of which features three separate exercises. You’ll perform each exercise for 20 seconds, then repeat for a total of two rounds. You’ll have a quick 30 seconds of rest at the end of the block—just enough time for Washington to introduce the next series before you go back to work.

Block 1

• Up-Down Squats
• Duck Walk
• Foot Fires

Block 2

• Reverse Lunges
• Side Lunges
• Broad Jump to Shuffle

Block 3

• Split Squats (L)
• Split Squats (R)
• Skater Lunges

The Do-Anywhere Leg Workout Challenge

If you’re ready for an extra bodyweight challenge, give this workout a try. You’ll perform each move for 10 minutes, which will test your lower body power and stamina for almost an hour. This one’s a killer.

Box Squat Jumps

Perform 10 box squat jumps every minute on the minute for 10 minutes. That means that you should set a time for 10 minutes, then do 1o reps every time a new minute starts. Rest during the remainder time for each period.

Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps

Exploding up on one leg can be tough for beginners, so it’s okay to try the jump-free version of the move instead. Perform five sets of 10 reps per side, every minute on the minute.

Box Squats

Set a timer for 10 minutes, then perform 30 box squat reps per minute, resting during any remaining time in each period.

Bulgarian Split Squats

If you subbed out the jumping version earlier, either repeat the exercise or think up an appropriate substitute, like performing 20 calf raises per minute. For the split squat crowd, try five sets of 15 reps per side, every minute on the minute.

Alternating One-Leg Box Squats

The finale is simple, but tough to complete without shaky legs: 10 straight minutes of alternating one-leg box squats. Focus on the slow eccentric lowering movement, then spring back up. Good luck walking the next day.

The Quad Killer Workout

This quick circuit is designed to obliterate your quads. Perform each move for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds — that’s 1 round. Perform 3 to 5 rounds for a full workout, resting for 30 seconds after each round.

• Quick toes
• Run in place with short, quick steps, putting your weight on the front of your foot with each step.

• Duck Lunge (R)
• Hinge at the hips to crouch low, with your right leg forward. Step your left leg forward and back, keeping your right foot squarely planted.

• Duck Lunge (L)
• Hinge at the hips to crouch low, with your left leg forward. Step your right leg forward and back, keeping your right foot squarely planted.

• Low Split Switch
• Hinge at the hips and crouch low. Jump into a lunge with your left leg forward, pause for a beat, then jump to switch to the opposite leg position.

Lethal Lower Body Superset

There’s just one move for this workout, but the volume makes it a doozy. Perform 10 Bulgarian split squats with your right foot forward, then switch to 10 reps with your left foot forward. Complete these reps every minute on the minute (EMOM) for 10 minutes.

Lower Body Lunge Fest

This 15-minute burner won’t just work your legs — the routine also pushes your cardio conditioning. Don’t underestimate these simple moves, either. After 3 or 4 minutes, your legs will be screaming for relief. Perform each move for 5 minutes, then move immediately to the next. To really challenge yourself, try 2 rounds, back to back.

• Walking Lunges – 5 minutes
• Lateral Walks – 5 minutes
• Bear Crawls – 5 minutes

Sore Legs, No Equipment

Bobby Maximus’ bodyweight workout is simple, but it won’t be easy. It’s just two moves—but the descending ladder structure means you’ll do a ton of reps.

• 20 Lunges, right and left leg
• Wall Sit – 30 seconds

• 19 Lunges, right and left leg
• Wall Sit, 30 seconds

Continue down the ladder until you reach 1 lunge per leg. Finish with one last 30 second wall sit. Good luck walking the next day.

Lower Body Finishers

You don’t need a blood restriction band to take on these four one-move finishers—just try them with your bodyweight. Start a timer for 5 minutes, and repeat the movements as directed to close out your leg day with a killer challenge.

Split Squat

Repeat for 5 minutes

• 30 seconds on right leg
• 30 seconds on left leg

Constant Tension Squat

Repeat for 5 minutes

• 40 seconds of reps
• 20 second hold

Shoulders Elevated Hip Thrust

Repeat for 5 Minutes

• 20 seconds of reps
• 10 seconds of hold

Calf Raise

Repeat for 5 minutes

• 20 seconds of reps
• 10 seconds of hold

Elevated Lunge Series

All you need is a short platform for this lunge routine. Start a timer for 10 minutes, switching variations at the 5-minute mark.

• Reverse Lunge from Deficit
• Start on the platform and lunge back, alternating between legs.

• Forward Lunge from Step
• Step forward and lunge down, pressing hard off the ground using your quads to step back to the platform.

Single-Leg Walkout Series

Repeat this flow from trainer Andy Speer for 3 to 5 reps for each leg. You can use it as a warmup series for a leg day or full-body training day, or as a standalone exercise to boost your mobility.

• Start in a single-leg deadlift
• Reach both hands to the floor and walk out to plank.
• Hop the back foot in.
• Stand up, keeping the knee up and foot elevated.
• Perform a single-leg toe touch.
• Finish with a reverse lunge.

Running Lunge and Step-Up Circuit

Want to be a better runner? You’ll need to work on your form. If you want to improve your mechanics, strengthen your glutes and hip flexors, and boost your mobility, try this two-move circuit.

Start a timer for 12 minutes. Perform the Runner’s Lunge for 50 seconds on one leg, rest for 10 seconds, then switch to the other. After 6 minutes, switch to the Running Step-up, working with the same splits on each leg.

• Runner’s Lunge
• Step back into a rear lunge. Once you get to the bottom of the movement, press off the floor and drive your knee straight up, tucking your knee to your chest and working your opposite arm up. Add a hop to make it a more powerful move.

• Running Step-Up
• Step up onto an elevated surface with one foot. Drive the other leg straight up to your chest. Step down to finish the move.

12-Minute Bodyweight Muscle Burner

You’ll work more than just your legs here—but your lower body will be challenged during this do-it-all muscle burner. Finish 4 rounds of the non-stop action challenge for a super-quick workout challenge.

• Side Plank (R) – 30 seconds
• Side Plank (L) – 30 seconds
• Pushup – 30 seconds
• Spider Lunge with Rotation – 30 seconds
• Squat Hop to Plank – 30 seconds
• Lateral Lunge Jump – 30 seconds

Home Workout From Hell

Another full body workout with major leg moves, this home workout will burn like a run through hell. Every minute has a different protocol of exercises, so just when you start to flame out, you switch up the set to stay engaged. It only takes 5 minutes—if you can even last that long.

Minute 1

As many rounds as possible

• Squat – 6 reps
• Skater Jump – 6 reps

Minute 2

As many rounds as possible

• Pushup – 15 seconds
• Superman – 15 seconds

Minute 3

• Running Step-Up to Reverse Lunge (L)

Minute 4

• Running Step-Up to Reverse Lunge (R)

Minute 5

Flow non-stop

• Mountain Climber – 5 seconds
• Side Planks – 5 seconds

Brett Williams, NASM

Brett Williams, a fitness editor at Men’s Health, is a NASM-CPT certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter who splits his workout time between strength and conditioning training, martial arts, and running. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.