The muscles of your lower back are directly connected to those of your legs. Hence, it is essential to follow a leg routine as a part of your regular fitness regimen to strengthen the muscles of your lower back. And keep it working perfectly fine for you. Lower back ache is a common lifestyle problem that is quiet on the rise these days. It can happen due to various reasons – lifting very heavy weight, working at your desk for long hours, sitting on a non-ergonomically designed chair for prolonged time, and so many other factors. The secret lies in following a regular leg exercise routine at home to make your lower back muscles strong. Whether you want to do leg workout without dumbbells and other equipment, or with them is totally up to you.
So, do the following 10 leg exercises at home to #BeALittleMore health-conscious.
10 Leg Workout Exercises At Home To Strengthen Your Lower Back
1. Squat Jumps
- Stand with your feet a little more apart than the hip-width length
- Bend forward from your hips, bending your knees till they are parallel to the ground, and sit in the position of a squat
- Next, jump into the air as much as possible, so that your legs are straightened out, while keeping your hands by your side, chest lifted and back straight
- As you land back on the floor, repeat the same step again as many times as advised by your fitness expert
2. Bodyweight Squat
- Stand with your feet a little wider than the hip-width length, with arms by your side, palms in, and toes turned slightly outwards
- Keep your back flat and chest lifted as you push your hips back and then bend your knees to lower yourself and squat
- While doing this, bend your elbows and bring the palms together in front of your chest as if doing a ‘namaste’.
- Push back up into the air and squeeze your glutes at the top to complete one rep for these thigh exercises at home
3. Side Leg Raises
- Lie on one side with your legs straight out and stacked on top of one another
- You can rest your torso flat out on the mat or raise it with the support of your forearm
- Lift your top leg upwards and towards the ceiling gradually in a controlled movement. Ensure that you lift it from the buttocks and hips, and not from your lower back.
- Return to the position from where you had started to complete one rep
- Repeat as many times as recommended by your fitness coach for such outer and for such outer and inner thigh workouts
4. Glute Bridge
- Lie facing upwards with your knees bent with your feet apart at hip-width length
- Ensure that your lower back presses against the floor
- Next, lift your hips off the floor, squeezing your glutes after reaching the top
- Hold this position for a moment and then return your leg to the starting position to complete one rep for such quad exercises at home
5. Side Leg Raises
- Lie down on one side with legs straightened and kept on top of one another
- Use your forearm to prop up your torso or rest your torso straight out on the mat
- Lift the top leg gradually upwards and towards the ceiling, ensuring that your lift it from the buttocks and hips and not from the lower back
- Return to the starting position and repeat the same step with the other side
6. Reverse Lunges With Knee Lifts
- Stand with your feet wider apart than the shoulder-width length
- Use your left foot to step backwards, ensuring that you land on the ball of the foot
- While doing this, bend both your knees so that they create two 90-degree angles
- Return to the standing position
- While you do so, lift your left knee toward your chest
- Repeat the same with the other side
7. Good Morning
- Stand with your feet apart at hip-width length and arms behind your head
- Bend from the hips until your chest is parallel to the floor, maintaining a flat back and legs straight
- Return to the standing position from where you had started to complete one rep
8. Warrior Balance
- Stand and bring your right knee up to the height of your hip
- Bend the elbows to bring them by your shoulders, which is your starting position
- Bend forward from the hip till your torso is parallel to the ground and take your hands forwards while pushing your right leg behind you
- Pause for second before reversing the movements back to your original position to complete one rep
- Now, repeat the same with the other side like you do for such outer and inner thigh workouts
9. Plié Squat Calf Raises
- For these lower body workouts at home, stand with feet wider than shoulder-width length with your toes turned out, keeping your hands in front of your chest or on the hips
- Push yourself downwards till your thighs are parallel to the floor
- While maintaining the position, lift both the heel off the ground, holding this for 2 seconds
- Next, lower the heels back to the original position
10. Frog Pump
- For this thigh workout at home, lie down on the mat, facing upwards, knees bent and feet apart at hip-width length
- Get your feet together to let your legs take the shape of a diamond, which is your starting position
- Lift your buttocks off the mat while squeezing your glutes, maintaining a straight line with your knees
- Pause here for one or two seconds at the top
- Next, lower your hips back down to the original position to complete one rep
- This is one of the best leg exercises at home
5 Additional Tips For Strengthening Lower Back
- Maintain a regular fitness routine for your lower back muscles and to keep your spine strong
- Lifting weight, be it dumbbells or grocery bags, may lead to lower back pain. Hence, be careful while doing these activities
- Make sure to take adequate rest after prolonged bending while doing leg and calf exercises at home
- Keep your back straight for about an hour or two after waking up from a 7-hour sleep. At this time, your spin is fully hydrated and exerting excessive pressure on your spine may be harmful for it.
- Do hamstring stretching exercises to strengthen your lower back muscles and alleviate pain. Exerting pressure on the pelvis offers relief across the lower back.
The above leg workout at home and additional tips for lower back are sure to give you what you desire – healthy and toned legs and lower back. All you need to do is follow a strict fitness routine to see the results for yourself. Are there any other leg exercises that you do, which you would like to tell us about? Let us know in the comment section below.
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