Anyone who has been a member of the fitness community for any amount of time has probably been warned not to skip leg day. Then again, though, most of the people promoting leg day become a lot less enthusiastic once it actually comes time to do leg day. With the right lower-body workouts, however, leg day can be a fun and challenging exercise experience. Let’s take a look at five of the best lower body exercises for a fitter body!
1. Deadlifts
Deadlifts are by far the most intense exercise, but at the same time stand to provide a huge number of benefits not just to your lower body, but to your lower back as well. To do a deadlift, you’ll need a barbell, and depending on how much you’re lifting, a spotter in case things go awry.
2. Lunges
Lunges are an equally simple, yet equally effective exercise to squats. To do a lunge, take a step forward with one leg, bend your knee at a 90-degree angle, kneel with your opposite leg, return to your starting position, and repeat, alternating the primary leg you use to ensure that both legs are getting equal benefits. This exercise primarily targets your glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
3. Calf Raises
The beauty of calf raises is that they’re easy enough for just about anyone to do with no prior workout experience, so they’re a great addition to your leg day regimen. The movement for a calf raise is similar to standing on your tip-toes, so while not particularly intense, a large number of reps will help you build calf and ankle muscles over time.
4. Pistol Squats
Pistol squats are an extremely intense workout that require strength and dexterity. To do one, stand on one leg and squat, sticking the opposite leg straight out. Then, return to your starting position and repeat, alternating the primary leg with each rep.
5. Squats
Squats are one of the most basic leg day exercises, and work great both as a warmup and as a part of your core workout routine. The motion is extremely basic, simply moving to a position as if you were sitting in a chair and then standing back up. There’s no equipment required, and as simple as this motion is, it does wonders for your glutes and core muscles. If you haven’t already, we strongly recommend making them a part of your daily workout routine.
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