We don’t mean to brag, but we NEVER skip a leg day. Lucky for you, we don’t like to gatekeep, so we’ll let you in on a few of our best lower body exercises. No equipment? No problem. All you need is your body weight.
First Up: Basic Lunges
This one might seem obvious, but don’t sleep on lunges. They may seem simple, but lunges are one of the most efficient lower body exercises – activating several different muscle groups simultaneously (your core, hips, quads, hamstrings, and calves). Lunges are also a test of your stability balance, which will both come in handy on the Tough Mudder course when you’re dodging Pitfall’s secret sinkholes and shimmying across Widow’s Peak.
Start your warm-up or finish your cool-down with this lower-body-burner.
- Level Up: If basic lunges don’t have you feeling the burn, level up by adding some weight or pushing for distance. After a quarter to a half mile, we promise you’ll be feeling the BURN.
Second: Hit the Squats
Squats are one of the most diverse and versatile lower body exercises. In just one movement, you can give your legs a complete workout and strengthen your core at the same time. If it starts getting repetitive, switch up your workout by trying a new squat variation. You don’t even need to be at the gym, you can easily add a little movement to your day in between daily chores, running errands, or whenever you find a spare minute.
- Level Up: Ready to take things to the next level? Add in a little cardio by jumping in between each squat.
Next Up: Calf Raises
This one’s for all you endurance junkies. Calf raises are an easy way to build power, calf strength and stamina. Over time, they can also help improve your speed and explosiveness off the start line. Strengthening your calves and ankles can also help to prevent injury.
- Level Up: Try doing one leg at a time for a little extra challenge.
All that said…
Building your lower body takes time, patience and discipline. But, we promise all your hard work will come in clutch when it comes time to stack the miles at your next Tough Mudder event.
See you at the start line after you master the best lower body exercises!
