The legs are the largest muscles in our body, so it’s no surprise that they take up a lot of space and need plenty of exercise. It can be difficult to build muscle at home, but these seven exercises will help you move in the right direction.
Lunges
Lunges are a great exercise for building leg muscles. They work the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, as well as your core. To do a lunge: Stand with feet hip-width apart, then step forward with one leg until it's bent at a 90-degree angle in front of you (the other leg should be extended behind). Lower yourself down into a squat position by bending both knees until they form an angle lower than 90 degrees but still higher than 45 degrees; keep your back straight and head up throughout this entire movement. Push off from your front foot to return to a standing position don't let it come off the ground then repeat on the other side before switching back again if desired! You can also add weight plates onto dumbbells held at chest level during this exercise if needed/desired!
Planks
Planks are a great way to build core strength and endurance. They also work your legs, which will help improve your overall fitness level. The plank is the simplest and most effective body-weight exercise you can do at home or in the gym. It's ideal for people who want to build leg muscle without weights or machines or those who simply don't have access to those things during their workouts.
Here's how: Lie face down on the floor with hands directly under shoulders and feet together with toes pointed straight back. Lift yourself up onto your forearms so that only the upper body remains in contact with the floor; keep your stomach firm while keeping your back flat throughout the entire set of repetitions. Hold this position for 30 seconds if newbie; increase the time as able as you progress through sets five times per week until reaching 60 seconds total hold time over several weeks' time frame but no longer than six months!
Squats
Squats are a great way to build leg muscles. To do a squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and back straight. Lower yourself down until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor or until they reach 90 degrees of flexion. Then push through your heels to return to starting position.
Squats can be performed using dumbbells or barbells as well as machines found in gyms--just make sure that whatever you use is not too heavy for you! Once you've mastered the basic squatting movement, try these variations:
- Dumbbell Lunge - Stand upright holding one dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with palms facing forward. Take a large step forward with one foot so that both feet are staggered; then lower yourself into a lunge position by bending both knees until they're almost touching the floor but without letting them touch it completely; return back up again by pushing off through both feet and standing upright again before repeating on another side. Barbell Squat - Place a barbell behind the head while standing upright against a rack.
Lunges with a dumbbell
- Hold a dumbbell in both hands and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Step forward with one leg while keeping the other back, then lower yourself until your front knee is bent 90 degrees. Push yourself back up to a standing position and repeat with the other leg.
- Don't drop the weight! Use your arms and shoulders to draw strength from them instead of relying on them alone; this will help protect against injury when you're doing lunges at home without supervision from a trainer or professional bodybuilder.
- Keep your back straight as possible don't hunch over and stop if you feel pain in any part of your body during this exercise. If that happens, try lowering the weight slightly until it feels better before continuing again at full speed for another set or two until it burns but doesn't strain yourself too much.
Walking lunges
Walking lunges are a great exercise for building leg strength and muscle. To do walking lunges:
- Stand with feet together, hands on hips or at your sides if you have trouble balancing on one leg while performing the exercise.
- Take a large step forward with your left foot, lowering into a lunge position with the left knee directly over the ankle and the right knee just behind the left heel.
- Push off from back leg to return to starting position, then repeat by stepping forward with right foot into another lunge.
Side-to-side jumps
Side-to-side jumps are a great way to strengthen your legs, especially the hamstrings and glutes. To do them, simply stand with feet together and lift one leg out to the side as high as possible while keeping the other foot on the ground. Repeat with the opposite leg in front of you on each rep.
- 3 sets of 20 reps (10 per side)
- Rest 1 minute between sets
You can do plenty of leg exercises at home to build muscle
You do not need a gym membership to build muscle. You can do plenty of leg exercises at home to build muscle, as well as other parts of your body. In fact, many people find it easier and more convenient to work out in their own homes because they don't have to worry about traveling or finding time during busy days. Here are some examples of leg exercises you can try:
- Squats - Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed forward or turned slightly outward. Lower yourself by bending both knees until your thighs are parallel with the floor then return slowly back up keeping weight on your heels and avoiding leaning forward at all times!
- Lunges - Start in a lunge position with right foot forward about two feet behind left foot; bend both knees until front thigh is parallel with floor then return slowly back up keeping weight on heels and avoiding leaning forward at all times!
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of leg exercises that you can do at home. They don't require much equipment and won't take up much time, so they're perfect if you have little space or are looking for something new to try out. If you want to build muscle fast, these seven exercises will help get your legs in shape in no time!
