10 Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises to Forge Size and Strength Without the Gym

We’ve all listened to that guy in the gym who swears his leg workouts are as brutal as they come—how his hours of hamstring exercises, leg squats, and quad workouts leave him hobbling out of the gym and crippled with soreness for days after.

There’s a place for those workouts guaranteed to build brute strength and power—if you’re into bodybuilding, masochism, or building quads that can only be appreciated in a pair of short shorts. But if you’re looking to train your legs for strength, mobility, and functional movement, there’s no need to torture yourself with leg exercises made for Olympians.

In a sedentary world where we spend much of our time sitting behind desks and steering wheels, the emphasis should be on opening up our tight hips and mimicking the movements of daily life in order to prevent injuries and long-term ailments. This way, you'll create a stronger, more powerful lower body using just your body weight as resistance.

With these 10 leg workouts using body weight you'll be able to walk better, run faster, and hit your next big squat PR without your usual hip clicks. Add these to your next lower-body day or utilize them on their own the next time you want to ease off the heavy weight, you're in a time crunch, or traveling.

Related: These At-Home Leg Workouts Prove You Don't Need a Full Gym

Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises

1. Bodyweight Calf Raise

How to Do It

1. Stand with your toes on a block or step and hold onto something sturdy for support.

2. Raise your heels to come up on the balls of your feet, then lower your heels until you feel a stretch in your calves.

2. Knee Hug

Why It Works

This simple move stretches the hamstring and glute of your front leg, as well as the hip flexor of your back leg. It’s an effective stretch at the front of a lower-body workout.

How to Do It

1. Clasp your hands just below your right knee, to start.

2. Pull your knee to your chest while squeezing your left glute.

3. Return to the start position and repeat on the left side.

4. Continue alternating sides.

5. Performs 2 sets of 10 reps on each side.

3. Quadruped Rocking

Why It Works

This move is a combination of two familiar yoga poses—cow and child’s pose—and provides a great stretch for the quads and hips.

How to Do It

1. Get down on all fours and let your lower back sag, to start.

2. Push your hips back as far as you can, holding the lumbar arch.

3. You should feel a stretch in and around the hips.

4. Return to the starting position and repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps.

4. Single-Leg Glute Bridge

How to Do It

1. Lie on your back on the floor and bend both knees so that your feet rest on the floor close to your butt.

2. Brace your abs and raise one leg just below the point of your bent knee, straitening it with your toes pointed up.

3. Squeeze your glutes, bring your hips up, and drive the heel of the other foot into the floor.

4. Bridge up until your body is in a straight line.

Related: How to Do a Cossack Squat for Improved Strength and Mobility

5. Wall Sit

Why It Works

Wall sits are one of the simplest, most deceptively challenging bodyweight exercises you can do. They quickly and effectively challenge your quads and hips.

How to Do It

1. Stand a foot in front of a wall and sit down, back flat, as if you were sitting in an invisible chair.

2. Hold for anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes and repeat for 2 sets.

6. Lateral Lunge

Why It Works

Lateral movement is important in sports and everyday life, but too often we ignore it when training. The lateral lunge hits not only the quads and glutes but specifically targets your hamstrings.

How to Do It

1. Step out to the right, keeping your toes pointed straight ahead and feet flat, to start.

2. Squat down as low as possible only with your right leg, keeping your left leg straight.

3. Hold for two seconds.

4. Return to the starting position and repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps on each side.

7. Pistol Squat

How to Do It

1. To start, stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart.

2. Extend your arms and the free leg out in front of you.

3. Bend your working knee, hinging at hips, to lower into a squat.

4. Keeping your back straight and torso upright, as you try to touch your working hamstring to the calf.

5. Squeeze glutes and drive through heels to stand.

6. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps.

7. As you progress, stand on a flat surface and repeat the above steps.

8. Lateral Bound

Why It Works

This builds lateral power in your legs and challenges the hamstrings in a different way than traditional stretching exercises.

How to Do It

1. Stand on your right leg, with your left foot off the ground.

2. Squat slightly on your right leg and use your leg and glute to jump laterally (to the left).

3. Land on the opposite leg, maintaining balance.

4. Hold for three seconds.

5. Repeat on the other side.

6. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps on each leg.

9. Jump Squat

How to Do It

1. To start, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and squat down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor but no deeper.

2. Jump as high as you can.

3. Land with soft knees and begin the next rep.

4. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.

10. Split Squat

Why It Works

Split squats build lower-body power by increasing balance and strength throughout your legs.

How to Do It

1. Step out into a lunge with hands at your sides, to start.

2. Lower your hips by squatting back and down.

3. Without letting your back knee touch the floor, drive your weight back up with the front leg.

4. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps on each leg.

Related: Split Squat vs Lunge: Which Is Better for Gaining Size and Strength?