Oh man, I LOVE a good lower body workout. Leg day?! Sign me UP. Your lower body consists of some of your body’s largest muscle groups which makes it so fun to see how much weight you can lift. It allows me to really challenge myself and see how strong I am getting as I see my dumbbell weight increase throughout my training journey. A lot of lower body lifts can simultaneously raise your heart rate and fire up your muscles, which makes them really pack a punch and leaves me feeling really energized and accomplished when I am finished.
At home exercises for your lower body
There are SO many different ways you can train your lower body which always keeps leg day exciting and fun. Whether you just have a body weight option or you are in a fully equipped gym – you can still get an incredible workout in for that lower body.
My favorite muscle groups to train in my legs are my posterior chain muscle groups, specifically my glutes and hamstrings. There is something about that backside burn that keeps me coming back every week and ignites a lot of motivation for me in my workouts. When it comes to finding the best lower body exercises for women these ones just can’t be beat!
My favorite glute and hamstring workout
Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian Deadlift hits both your glutes and hamstrings at the same time. This is a must do exercise if you’ve been looking for workouts for flexibility.
My all time favorite tried and true exercise is always the Romanian deadlift! It has no impact and is totally knee friendly- but it does not lack in effectiveness. Almost immediately you will feel the tension build in your glutes and hamstrings. With this exercise, it is important to nail your form to get the most out of this movement and also to prevent injury.
Always keep your spine in neutral! You want to avoid any curvature in the spine and neck! You do this by keeping your core braced and tight. This will protect against lower back injuries as well as making sure the movement targets the correct muscle groups. As you come down with your weights, keep them close to your legs- you can visualize yourself using the dumbbells to “paint your legs” helping you keep them close to that body. Right when you feel tension (usually somewhere near your mid to lower shin) pause and hold there. Don’t keep moving past your tension point. Then slowly raise until you are at the starting position.
Glute Emphasis Step-Up
If you’ve been wanting a better booty focused workout this is the one to add to your routine!
Another one of my favorites is the glute emphasis step up. Truly one of the best glute exercises you can do, and your hamstrings won’t be forgotten about either! You want to start with your back leg angled behind you (keeping it straight) and your front foot planted on a step. Put all your body weight in your front foot and drive through that box, stepping up and bringing your back leg up and on the box as well. Repeat stepping back down to starting position.
Bulgarian Split Squat
I think it’s safe to say this is the most universally loved and equally hated exercise out there! I’m sure by now you’ve seen a million reels on instagram mocking it. But don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. To watch a great form-focused tutorial on setting up the perfect Bulgarian Split Squat check out this post on my Insta. (Don’t forget to drop me a follow while you’re there 😉)
The Bulgarian Split Squat burns SO good, and as far as bodyweight hamstring exercises go, it is so effective at targeting that as well as your glutes! It’s an awesome unilateral exercise that helps you train one leg at a time – correcting muscle imbalance, provides more of a progressive overload in your planted leg, and creates an intentional mind muscle connection.
Place your back foot on an elevated surface and your front foot a few feet away (below is a tip to get set up properly in this movement!). Slowly lower your body bringing your knees to 90 degrees. You can do this exercise with or without a weight!
The best part about all of these exercises is that they are all super simple to do either with a dedicated workout equipment, anything around your house you can turn into workout equipment, or for the last two workouts – just using bodyweight. To read about great DIY at-home workout equipment, check out my other blog post: At home Workouts with NO equipment.
I can’t wait for you to try out these 3 exercises on your next lower body day! They are guaranteed to bring that heat!! Let me know what you think – and if you want a good “marker” set a timer for a minute and see how many of each you can do. Repeat that test monthly to see how you are progressing!