Let’s wrap up this at-home series with a challenging lower body workout. If you’re like me (40-plus) you’ve taken to a few machines for an effective leg workout. Over the years of heavy squats and leg presses taking their toll, however, I’ve resorted to smarter training. I do think a little at-home training can expose us to interesting and inventive ways to effectively train with what we have.
At-home leg training is particularly tricky without so many machines available in the gym. So let’s get creative. Like the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention.
At-Home Minimal leg Workout
Single leg calf raise
Use a two-by-four or any step and shoot for as many reps as you can get. Alternate legs without rest.
Make it harder: Go for as many reps each set as possible and as many sets until your reps fall below a specific number (5 or so).
Squat calf raise
Squat down where your thighs are resting on your calves and your heels are raised. Squat up and contract your calves in that squatted position.
Make it harder: If you’re up for it, superset the single leg and squat calf raises together.
Walking lunge
Choose a span of your driveway or yard and lunge away.
Make it harder: Carry a couple of dumbbells or filled gallon jugs while lunging.
Rear foot elevated Bulgarian split squat
Place your rear foot on a chair or bench and squat down with the front leg.
Make it harder: Perform one-and-a-half reps. Go down all the way, come up half way, then go down all the way, and finally come up all the way. That is one rep.
Wife or child squat
Pretty self-explanatory. Load your wife or child on your back and squat away.
Make it harder: After completing your “loaded” reps, drop the weight and keep going.
Exercise ball leg curl
Lie down on a mat with your calves resting on an exercise ball. Curl your legs up keeping your body straight from your knees to your chest. Form a 90 degree angle at your knees and then return to straighten your legs.
Make it harder: Hold the contraction for a count of five before slowly returning to the starting position.
You can get in a great lower body workout if you really stay strict and push yourself. Give these exercises a try and let me know how you do in the comments below.
Brad Borland 