Leg Exercise Details

The following leg exercise details list will help you perform each exercise properly and with confidence.

Leg Exercise Details for the Squat: Squats can be performed with dumbbells or a barbell, in a wide stance or a hip width stance, on one leg or two legs, and stationary or with jumps.

Standard Squat

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart and hold a weighted barbell across your back
• Lower yourself into a squat position by engaging core, bending at the knees and hips until your thighs are parallel with the floor
• Keep your head up, back straight and knees aligned over your ankles and toes
• Pause for a moment at the bottom then push through your heels to raise back up to the starting position
• Perform 10-12 repetitions

One-Legged Squats

• Perform squat as indicated above, but hold dumbbells at your sides for balance and straighten one leg and lift off floor so you’re performing the squat on one leg
• Perform 10-12 repetitions per leg

Plie Squats

• Stand in a wide stance with feet greater than hip width apart, toes pointing out slightly, hands on a medicine ball at chest level
• Lower into a squat position until thighs are parallel with the floor
• Squeeze buttocks and raise to the start position
• Repeat for 12 repetitions

Bosu Squats with Medicine Ball

• Put a Bosu behind your heels, soft side up, and stand with feet in a standard squat position, hands on a medicine ball at chest level
• Lower into a squat position until buttocks touch the Bosu – this is lower than a 90° angle
• Squeeze buttocks and raise to the start position
• Repeat for 12 repetitions

Squat Jumps

• Start in a squat position with feet shoulder width apart – do not use weight
• Jump up as high as you can and land back in a full squat position
• Pulse once before beginning the next jump
• Repeat squat jumps continually until you’ve reached 12 repetitions

Leg Exerecise Details for the Lunge: Lunges can be performed with dumbbells or a barbell, stationary –stepping forward or stepping backward, traveling – stepping forward or backward, or with jumps.

Standard Lunge

• Stand with feet together, hands on barbell across your back
• Tighten core and step forward with right foot (approx. 1 ½ to 2 feet)
• Bend at the knees to lower left knee toward the floor – but do not touch – you should be in a forward lunge position with right leg forward and left leg back
• Keep torso engaged and right knee over ankle
• Stand up stepping right foot back to bring feet together
• Continue alternating lead leg until you have completed 20 lunges (10 per leg)

Walking Lunge

• Stand tall with feet together, hands on barbell across your back
• Tighten core and step forward with right foot (about 1 ½ – 2 feet forward)
• Lower left knee toward floor – but do not touch – you should be in a forward lunge position with right leg forward, left leg back
• Keep torso engaged and right knee over ankle
• Stand up stepping left foot forward to bring feet together
• Continue alternating lead leg as you walk forward until you have completed 20 lunges

Reverse Lunge & Lift

• Stand with knees slightly bent and hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides
• Engage your core, step back with right foot and lower into a lunge position (remember to keep left knee at a 90 degree angle and do not push past your toes)
• Push off right foot (back foot) to straighten right leg behind you while rising up on left leg to a standing position (with right leg raised to the rear)
• Squeeze glutes as you hold right leg up in the air behind you for a count of 2
• Return to starting position and repeat lunge & lift with left leg back
• Perform 10 repetitions per side

Jumping Scissor Lunges

• Start in a lunge position with right leg forward – do not use weight
• Jump up and switch legs to bring left leg forward and right leg back before landing in lunge position
• Continue jumping and switching lead legs for 12 repetitions per side or 30 seconds – whichever you can handle

Leg Exercise Details for Step Ups

• Stand in front of a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand
• Engage core, raise right knee and step up onto the bench with right foot, transferring all weight to right foot as you stand on one leg on the bench
• Tap left toe on bench before lowering left foot to the floor, transferring weight to left foot, then bringing right foot down to the floor
• Complete 10 repetitions rising up on right foot before switching to 10 repetitions rising up on left foot

Leg Exercise Details for the Crab Walk: crab walks can be performed with or without weights, if using weights, try a medicine ball at chest level.

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart, arms out in front for balance
• Lower into a squat position
• Engage core and step to the right maintaining squat position
• Transfer weight to right foot and step left foot beside right foot, still maintaining squat position
• Continue stepping right for 10 repetitions then switch to move left for 10 repetitions

Leg Exercise Details for Mountain Climbers: mountain climbers can be performed on the floor or with the use of a Bosu ball - hard side up.

• Start on the floor or with hands on a Bosu in a push-up position, rise up to a full push-up
• Keep hands firmly planted on the floor or on the hard side of a Bosu ball and jump right foot forward into a deep lunge position (knee under chest)
• Without pausing, jump left foot forward while moving right foot back to starting position
• Remember to keep hips down and core engaged
• Continue switching back and forth for 20 repetitions (10 per leg)

Remember that you don't have to perform all exercises in the leg exercise details list. Just choose one or two from each category and get started.

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The contents of this site are the opinions of Michele Tse unless otherwise noted. The information on this site is intended for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or nutritional advice or treatment. Please consult your health care practitioner before beginning any fitness program.