Bodyweight Leg Exercises

Last Updated on June 11, 2026

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 20+ years as a functional health practitioner and trainer, it’s that you don’t need a gym full of machines to get results. Honestly, some of the best transformations I’ve seen – for myself and my clients – have come from simple bodyweight leg exercises.

I love these moves because they’re quick, effective, and you can do them anywhere. No excuses, no equipment, just your body. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by complicated routines or overwhelmed by workout plans, these exercises will feel like a breath of fresh air. They hit your thighs, hips, and glutes from every angle, helping you tighten, tone, and boost your metabolism naturally.

Here are my favorite bodyweight leg exercises and exactly how you can turn them into a complete workout.

 

 

10 Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises

 

These 10 leg exercises target every muscle in the legs from the waist down while also engaging your core. They’re proof that you don’t need weights to feel the burn.

 

Squats (basic)

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your back neutral and chest upright. Lower your butt back and down, as if sitting into an invisible chair. Go as low as you can without letting your knees extend past your toes. Hold for a count, then push back up through your heels to return to the starting position.

 

Lunge

Stand with one leg in front and the other behind you in a split stance. Lower your body down until your front knee is bent at about 90 degrees. Keep your chest tall and don’t let your front knee extend past your toes. Exhale and push back up to the start position. Switch sides to complete one set.

 

Curtsy Lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Cross one leg back behind you as you lower down into a curtsy. Keep your chest upright and hips square. Push up through your front heel to return to the start position, then repeat on the other side.

 

Side Lunge

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Shift your weight to one side, bending your knee and lowering your hips while keeping the other leg straight. Don’t let your knee go past your toes. Push back up through your heel to return to the center, then switch sides.

 

Glute Bridges

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet planted flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Squeeze your abs and glutes, then lift your hips up until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Slowly lower back down to the floor to complete one rep.

 

Donkey Kicks

Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keeping your knee bent, push one foot up toward the ceiling as high as you can without arching your back. Squeeze your glutes at the top. Lower your leg back down just short of the start position and repeat. Switch sides.

 

Fire Hydrants

Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keeping your hips square, lift one knee out to the side until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Hold for a moment, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.

 

Laying Leg Raises

Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and feet together. Place your hands by your sides or under your hips for support. Keeping your legs straight, lift them up toward the ceiling until they’re vertical. Slowly lower them back down without touching the floor to complete one rep.

 

Standing Leg Raises (front, back, or side)

Stand tall with your weight on one leg.

• Front: Lift the opposite leg straight out in front of you, keeping it as straight as possible.
• Back: Lift your leg straight back behind you without arching your back.
• Side: Lift your leg out to the side as high as you can while keeping your body upright.
  Return to the start position and repeat. Switch legs.

 

Calf Raises

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Exhale and lift your heels off the floor as high as you can, squeezing your calves. Hold for a second at the top, then slowly lower back down.

 

Pin the Bodyweight Leg Exercises to Pinterest so you’ll have them forever

 

How to Use These Bodyweight Leg Exercises In a Workout

 

Here’s exactly how I recommend turning these leg exercises into a full lower-body workout:

1. Warm up for 3–5 minutes (march in place, dynamic stretches, hip circles, walk on a treadmill).
2. Pick 5–6 exercises from the list above.
3. Do 12–15 reps per exercise (per leg where needed).
4. Rest 30–60 seconds between moves.
5. Repeat the circuit 2–3 times for a complete workout.

• Advanced Modification: Do 2 sets of 15 for all 10 exercises.
• Want a bigger challenge? Add pulses at the end of each move or slow the tempo down for more burn.
• Pro tip: If you’re short on time, run through the circuit once.

 

Tips for Better Results from the Bodyweight Leg Exercises

 

Here’s the thing… a targeted workout is just one piece of the puzzle. A full body training program and what you eat determines whether you see results quickly – or spin your wheels.

That’s why I always remind my clients:

• Eat for your metabolic type. When you fuel your body the right way, you’ll burn fat faster and recover better. If you don’t know your type yet, take my free Metabolic Type Quiz & training to find out.
• Pick the right training program for you. Not everyone should be doing the same type of workouts. If you’re not sure where to start, take my Program Style Quiz to see which program fits your goals and personality best.
• Stay consistent. Doing these exercises just once won’t change your body – but showing up 2–3 times a week will.

 

Bottom Line

You don’t need equipment to get toned legs and a lifted booty. These bodyweight leg exercises are simple, effective, and can be done anywhere. I love to do them at home when I’m watching a movie or when I’m traveling. Pair them with a nutrition plan based on your metabolic type and a program that fits your style, and your results will come even faster.

Take the Metabolic Type Quiz to unlock the foods that fuel your body best.

Then, take the Program Style Quiz to see which program is perfect for you.

As always it only works, if you work it.  So work it!  The results are SO worth it.

xo