How do I Strengthen Legs Without Expensive Equipment or Going to the Gym?
With just a little floor space and your own body weight, you can strengthen your legs without expensive equipment or a gym membership. Legs contain many large muscles, most notably the thigh muscles (quadriceps), calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus), and the hamstrings (muscles at the back of the thigh). Some of these exercises target specific muscles; others, such as squats, target the entire leg.
Instructions
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Sit on the floor, leaning back on your elbows or hands. Bend one leg and keep foot flat on floor. Raise your other leg six to ten inches off the floor; hold for ten seconds. Raise leg another six to 10 inches and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Repeat with other leg.
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2
Stand with the balls of your feet on a low stool or step, with your heels hanging of the back. Hold onto a wall or chair for balance, if you need to. Slowly raise and lower yourself. Repeat 10 times.
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3
Stand with feet hip distance apart. Slowly lower yourself as though sitting. Keep your weight back; do not lean forward. Do not go lower than 90 degrees. Hold for 10 seconds. Rise. Repeat 10 times.
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4
Stand with your back against a wall. Your feet should be about six inches away from the base of the wall. Slowly lower yourself into a sitting position. Hold for 10 seconds, then rise. Repeat 10 times.
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Tips & Warnings
As the leg raises become easier to do, use ankle weights or add more repetitions.
As you progress, hold the leg raises and squats for longer times: 20, 30, or 60 seconds.
As you progress, increase the number of sets that you do. Do two to three repetitions of each exercise.
Check with your doctor or health care provider before beginning any exercise program.
If you feel pain while doing any of the exercises, stop doing the exercise. If the pain persists, consult your doctor or health care provider.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Leg doch mal die Beine hoch! image by mr.jay from Fotolia.com
