Your schedule is probably nuts — whose isn't? — so you might not be able to fit in all your to-do's, including getting to the gym. We get it, but if there's one body part you should try to make time for is your legs. They are, after all, taking you to and from work, and even helping you reach remote hiking spots on weekend getaways with friends and family.
Thinking "but with what time would I get in a workout for my legs?" No worries, these 10 exercises are easily done at home, on your lunch break, or at your local park before you meet your squad for a picnic. The best part is you don't have to do all ten at once, you can sprinkle them throughout your day, aiming for 20 to 30 minutes of leg work total. Sounds easy!
Follow along and master the form first, then add reps.
You don't need a fancy CrossFit box to do these, you can use a staircase or a sturdy chair to make these elevated step-ups your glutes' best friend.
As a trainer, I love gate swing squats, and I make all my clients do them in our training sessions. They are a great way to work your inner thighs in a dynamic manner. You will feel the burn, I promise.
Even if you don't have a slider at home, you can do these on a hard surface placing your foot on a towel, or on carpet using the slick side of a magazine. It's that easy to tone up your hips and glutes with this move.
The quickest way to increase the intensity of your squats is to add weight. Pick up a hand weight, a kettlebell, or a large can of olive oil (hey, it's healthy!) — whatever you have on hand to increase the resistance of the movement.
A jump squat is the upbeat cousin of the regular squat. Adding a plyometric move to this basic exercise will elevate it, quite literally. Using the arms to drive you up will also increase the cardio element of this fundamental fitness tool.
Skaters are one of my favorite booty-burner cardio moves. The more you bend into them, the better they will be.
Lifting your hips into a bridge while holding a block between your knees is a great way to train both your hips and knees into the proper alignment. It's vital for your hips, belly, and glutes that everything works together to lift and squeeze at the right time.
Looking for an additional challenge? The single-leg glute bridge is a great way to add a layer of intensity to a regular bridge.
These reverse lunges are a great and basic move that everyone needs to master in their workout routine. The backwards motion really puts tension into the hip flexors and hamstrings, making it a multilayered strength builder.
Half burpees, plank jumps, jump backs — whatever you call these, they are hard core belly and leg burners. They are half burpees because there is no push-up (you're welcome!), which means you can bang them out faster, right?