The 20 Best Leg Exercises for Strength and Functional Mobility

The muscles in your legs — with the exception of your hamstrings — are slow-twitch dominant. That means they need to be exercised with a high training frequency, as do your lower back muscles and most of your gluteal muscles.

It can be difficult to work your legs in the gym that often, so it's well advised that you add some at-home training for your legs into your routine. Additionally, your lower body benefits from a variety of movements to practice the full range of motion of all of your joints in all directions.

The following leg exercises will build the full range of functional mobility in your lower body, and many of them will allow you to build strength, mass, and/or explosive power as well.

What Are the Best Exercises for Building Muscle and Mobility in Your Legs?

1. Prisoner Get-Up

The prisoner get-up is a lower-body and torso exercise that forces you to avoid using your arms to help you balance, thus building the ability to move and stabilize yourself with only the lower body and lower torso muscles.

How to perform a prisoner get-up

Place your hands behind your head with your palms against the back of your head. (This is where the exercise name comes from.) Keep your arms in this position for the entire exercise.
Kneel down on one knee and then down onto the other knee so that you’re in a full kneeling position.
Get back up onto one foot and then the other, ending in a deep squat.
Stand all the way up, as in a bodyweight squat.
Go back down into a full squat.

2. Bodyweight Squat

The bodyweight squat is your go-to squat variant for warming up and cooling down, or working out at home, at work, or while traveling. It works your quads and glutes, and — secondarily — your calves and lower back. And while you won’t build the kind of muscle mass that you can build with weighted squats, bodyweight squats allow you to go deep, focus on perfecting your form, and work your lower body throughout the day, grease the groove style.

How to perform a bodyweight squat

Stand with your feet hip width apart and pointed forward with your hands at your sides.
Slowly squat down until your butt goes slightly below your knees. As you squat, bring your arms up in front of your face or chest.
Reverse step 2, standing back up (but not quite to where your knees are locked) and dropping your arms back to your sides.

3. Jump Squat

Jump squats work the quadriceps and glutes — the same as other squat variants. However, by jumping explosively, you build power and engage the nervous system more heavily without as much muscular fatigue as a weighted squat.

This makes jump squats ideal either as a warm-up or as a less-fatiguing, power-focused squat variant on days when you know that you’re under-recovered. Because they build explosive power, they’re also great for athletes who have to jump as part of their sport, like basketball and volleyball players.

How to do a jump squat

Stand with your hands at your sides and your feet shoulder width apart.
Squat down until your thighs are at least horizontal and bring your arms in front of your chest.
Explode upward and jump straight up, swinging your arms down for extra power.

4. Bodyweight Deadlift

The bodyweight deadlift is identical to a barbell deadlift, with the exception that you’re not holding anything, so you’ll keep your hands behind your head. It works the same muscles as a weighted deadlift, but because the back extensors are slow-twitch dominant while the hamstrings are fast-twitch dominant, it works the lower back much more than the hamstrings. The gluteus maximus also gets some use in pushing the hips forward as you come up.

This exercise is ideal for people who want a low-intensity, lower-back workout, can’t deadlift safely, or want a minimally-fatiguing way to practice proper deadlift form.

How to perform a bodyweight deadlift

Stand with your hands behind your head, one over the other, with your palms facing your head and your elbows out to the sides. Your feet should be 4–6 inches apart.
Push your hips back and bend forward at the waist while bending your knees only slightly. (Note that for your first repetition, you may actually want to let your arms hang down just to test how low you’re going. Your hands should go low enough that you would be able to pick up a barbell if there was one there.)
Pause at the bottom of each rep before slowly returning to the starting position.
Watch your knees throughout this exercise. Don’t let them pass over your feet.

5. ISO Split Squat

The split squat is an iso-lateral squat variant that takes advantage of bilateral deficit — the phenomenon whereby you have more strength and power when moving asymmetrically — while building balance and working the sides of your butt and thighs more effectively than more symmetrical squat variants.

An isometric hold allows you to focus on the bottom of the movement, which is both the most difficult part and the position that most emphasizes the glutes.

How to perform an isometric split squat

Stand with one foot in front of the other. (Your feet should be as far apart as if you had taken a long step, or were doing lunges.)
Hold your arms out to your sides for balance. If you have great balance, you can put your hands on your hips instead.
Squat down, as in a deep lunge, so that your back knee hovers just above the ground.
Hold this position for as long as possible.

6. Single-Leg Hip Lift

Hip lifts are an excellent exercise for your quads, gluteus maximus, and spinal erectors of the lower back. The single-leg hip lift adds an extra element of balance and brings the gluteus medius — at the sides of your butt — into play as well, while taking advantage of bilateral deficit to give you more power.

How to do a right single-leg hip lift

Lay on your back with your knees bent and your arms out to the side, angled slightly toward your legs.
Lift your right leg into the air, keeping the knee bent.
Thrust your hips forward to lift your butt off of the floor, hold for a second, and slowly return to the ground.

7. Lateral Lunge

Lateral lunges are an excellent muscle-building or warm-up exercise that works the sides of the quadriceps and the sides of the butt, as well as stretches the inner thighs for greater leg flexibility. Performed at a rapid pace, lateral lunges also provide a mild cardio workout that can raise your core body temperature, effectively acting as a general warm-up as well as a leg-specific warmup.

How to do a right lateral lunge

Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides.
Step your right leg far out to the right side.
Bend your right knee so that your thigh is almost parallel to the ground. At the same time, bring your left arm across your body.
Reverse step 3, and then step 2.

Perform lateral lunges in an alternating fashion: right, left, right, left.

8. Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge works largely the same muscles as other lunge variants, but gives greater involvement to the hamstrings. It’s also a somewhat unintuitive movement that forces your brain to coordinate your body in new ways.

How to do a right reverse lunge

Stand with your feet 4–6 inches apart.
Step your right leg out to the side, keeping your foot pointed forward, and bend your left knee.
Bring your body down and rest your left arm lightly on your left knee, keeping your hands clasped.
Slowly come back to the starting position.

9. Jump Lunge

Jump lunges offer many of the same benefits as jump squats, but with an added element of asymmetry. As such, they also work the gluteus medius (the sides of the butt) and the sides of the thighs, along with testing your balance more. Because they’re iso-lateral, jump lunges also benefit from bilateral deficit.

How to do a jump lunge

Go into a right lunge: right foot forward and left foot back with your knee on the ground. Have your right arm up in front of your chest and your left arm back.
Jump up explosively, pushing off of your right heel and the ball of your left foot, and land in a left lunge position, swinging your arms so that your right arm is up in front and your left arm is back.
Jump up explosively again, pushing off your left heel and the ball of your right foot, landing in a right lunge position.

10. Lateral Bound

The lateral bound is a jumping movement that provides a modest explosive workout for the quadriceps and calves. More than anything, however, this leg exercise builds your balance by practicing hopping from one foot to the other. Done quickly enough, it also acts as a mild cardio workout and an overall warm-up.

How to do a lateral bound

Start in a normal standing position.
Lift your left leg into the air and tuck it behind your right leg. Swing your right arm behind you and cross your left arm over your right hip.
Using only your right leg, jump as far as you can to the left and land on your left foot with your right leg tucked behind your body and your arm positions reversed.
Using only your left leg, jump as far as you can to the right and land on your right foot with your left leg tucked behind your body and your arm positions reversed.

Once you’ve started this exercise, keep your arms moving the whole time to balance yourself and try to never be standing on both feet at once.

11. Quadruped Hip Extension

The quadruped hip extension is a functional mobility exercise that improves your ability to move your hips and legs backward, behind your body. This is useful for running, climbing, lunging, other lifestyle activities, and a variety of sports.

How to do a right quadruped hip extension

Start out kneeling on your hands and knees. (You’ll probably want your knees on some kind of mat or pad for comfort.)
Lift your right leg slightly off of the floor.
Push your right leg back and swing your hips back and up, pushing the bottom of your right foot up toward the ceiling behind yourself.
Reverse step 3.
(Optional) Reverse step 2, resting your leg for a moment before the next repetition.

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12. Banded Side Step to Back Step

The banded side step to back step is a leg and hip mobility exercise that combines the banded side step and the banded back step, effectively building your ability to move your legs and hips in most directions against resistance.

How to do a right banded side step to back step

Put a short loop resistance band around your thighs and stand with your legs just far enough apart to keep the resistance band tight.
Step right with your right foot as far as you can, then step right with your left foot so that your feet are the same distance apart that they were to begin with.
Step back with your right foot as far as you can, then step back with your left foot so that your feet are the same distance apart that they were to begin with.

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13. Farmer-Loaded ISO Split Squat

Once you’re able to comfortably hold an ISO split squat for 30 seconds or more, loaded ISO split squats are the next progression. By holding a pair of weights in your hands, you add resistance and allow yourself to build muscle in your quads, calves, lower back, and glutes, all while continuing to improve your balance.

How to perform a farmer-loaded isometric split squat

Hold a matched pair of dumbbells or kettlebells in your hands and allow them to hang at your sides.
Stand with one foot in front of the other. (Your feet should be as far apart as if you had taken a long step, or were doing lunges.)
Hold your arms out to your sides for balance. If you have great balance, you can put your hands on your hips instead.
Squat down, as in a deep lunge, so that your back knee hovers just above the ground.
Hold this position for as long as possible.

Note that it is very likely that the weights will hang low enough to touch the ground during this exercise. To allow yourself to squat lower, you may have to hold them higher, as in a dumbbell or kettlebell shrug.

14. Kettlebell Offset Squat

The kettlebell offset squat is an iso-lateral (in a sense) squat variant, where your leg position is symmetrical, but the weight that you’re holding is not. It works your quads and glutes like any squat does, but forces your back and abs to work harder to stabilize your body. It's also taxing on one arm while it holds the weight. As such, it uses more than half your muscles in one way or another.

How to do a right kettlebell offset squat

Hold a kettlebell in your right hand, right in front of — and resting against — your right shoulder. Stand with your feet hip width apart and your left arm extended straight forward.
Squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground, keeping your arms held in place.
Come back up until your knees are straight but not locked.

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15. Kettlebell Sumo Squat

Kettlebell squats are an easy way to perform weighted squats at home, but the range of motion can be limited by the kettlebell hitting the floor. The sumo squat avoids this by having you hold the kettlebell up rather than dangling between your legs, so that your quads, back, and glutes can be exercised through most of their range of motion.

How to do a kettlebell sumo squat

Hold a kettlebell upside down, with your palms under either side of it.
Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width.
Squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground.
Stand back up, squeezing your butt and thighs as you do.

16. Kettlebell Deadlift

Deadlifts are one of the best exercises that you can do for your lower back and hamstrings. The kettlebell version can’t go as heavy as a barbell deadlift, but it’s easy to do at home for higher reps and doesn’t risk scraping a barbell against your leg. Since deadlifts are so fatiguing, this is a great exercise to do throughout the day, grease the groove style.

How to do a kettlebell deadlift

Place a kettlebell onto the floor and stand with your feet on either side of it.
Bend your legs slightly and push your hips back to grab the kettlebell with both hands.
Straighten your legs and back (without locking your knees) and stand up straight.
Reverse steps 2 and 3, setting the kettlebell on the floor (but not taking your hands off of it) before the next rep.

17. Kettlebell Offset ISO Split Squat

The kettlebell offset ISO split squat is very similar to the farmer’s loaded ISO split squat. The difference here is that you’ll be holding just one kettlebell in front of your shoulder, as in the kettlebell offset squat.

How to perform a kettlebell ISO split squat on the right side

Hold a kettlebell in your right hand, right in front of — and resting against — your right shoulder. Keep your left arm extended straight forward.
Stand with your left foot in front of your right. Your feet should be as far apart as if you had taken a long step, or were doing lunges.
Squat down, as in a deep lunge, so that your right knee hovers just above the ground.
Hold this position for as long as possible.

18. Kettlebell Offset Lateral Lunge

The kettlebell offset lateral lunge adds another level of resistance and asymmetry to the lateral lunge by adding an asymmetrically-loaded weight held at shoulder level. Unlike the banded lateral lunge, this resistance is primarily felt in the upper body rather than the lower body.

How to perform kettlebell offset lateral lunges (right side hold, lunging both sides)

Hold a kettlebell in your right hand, right in front of — and resting against — your right shoulder. Keep your left arm extended straight forward.
Stand with your feet hip width apart.
Step to the right as far as you can with your right leg and bend your right knee, going into as deep of a side lunge as you can. Move your left arm as needed to maintain your balance.
Reverse step 3 and return to your starting position from step 2.
Step to the left as far as you can with your left leg and bend your left knee, going into as deep of a side lunge as you can. Move your left arm as needed to maintain your balance.
Reverse step 5, going back to your starting position from step 2.

19. Single-Leg Kettlebell Deadlift

The kettlebell deadlift is the most practical deadlift variant to perform at home. The single-leg, single-arm kettlebell deadlift adds an extra layer of balance challenge to it, working not only your back, legs, glutes, and one arm, but also training your brain to keep your body balanced.

How to do a single-leg kettlebell deadlift

Stand with your feet hip width apart and place a kettlebell in front of your left foot. Place your right hand on your hip.
Bend your right knee slightly and bend forward at the waist, lifting your left leg and swinging it back behind your body. Bend forward and grab the kettlebell with your left hand.
Slowly bring your torso upright, swinging your left leg forward so that it’s just next to your right foot, but still hovering above the ground.
Bend your right knee, bend forward at the waist again, and swing your left leg back again, once more bringing the kettlebell back down until it’s hovering just above the ground where it started.

20. Two-Kettlebell Racked Squat

The two-kettlebell racked squat is a squat variant that also works your arms by having them hold a pair of kettlebells in front of your shoulders. Effectively, it’s a front squat that you can perform at home or at the gym with a pair of matched kettlebells, working your quads, glutes, back, arms, and shoulders.

How to do a two-kettlebell racked squat

Hold a matched pair of kettlebells in front of — and resting against — your shoulders. (This is the same position as the “kettlebell offset” exercises described earlier, just with both hands.)
Stand with your feet hip width apart and pointed forward (or angled just slightly outward).
Slowly squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground.
Come back up slightly more quickly than you dropped down, until your knees are straight but not locked.

John Fawkes

John Fawkes helps people develop the systems, psychology and game plan they need to get their minds and bodies into peak condition. For more info, go to https://johnfawkes.com.