The common stereotype about calisthenics athletes is that their legs are a serious weakness. While there are challenges in loading your legs properly using just your body weight, it is no excuse for having chicken legs. Especially when you realize that there are tons of calisthenic leg workouts you can use to build strength and mass in your lower body.
In this guide, we will go over the best calisthenics leg workout to target every muscle in your lower body. After that, we will go over some other calisthenics leg exercises that you can add to your calisthenic leg workout depending on your needs.
Calisthenics Leg Workout: Exercise By Exercise
Our leg calisthenics workout focuses on basic compound movements to get the most bang for your buck and build a solid base of muscle. On top of that, we also focus on some unilateral leg exercises to build some strength and technique as well.
Most of these exercises require no equipment but getting some basic calisthenics equipment may add some versatility to your workouts.
Bodyweight Squats
Bodyweight squats are a basic but effective exercise that targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
3 x 15-20 reps
How To Do Bodyweight Squats:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly outwards.
Keep your chest up, back straight and core engaged.
Lower yourself down by bending your knees and hips, as if you are sitting down on a chair. Make sure your knees are in line with your toes and don’t let them cave inward.
Keep your weight on your heels and push through them to return to the starting position.
Squeeze your glutes at the top to fully engage your posterior chain.
Repeat for reps.
Walking Lunges
Walking lunges are a great exercise for targeting your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while also improving your balance and coordination.
3 x 12-15 reps
How To Do Walking Lunges:
Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart.
Step forward with your right leg, bending both knees to lower yourself down until your left knee is almost touching the ground.
Keep your front knee in line with your toes and your back knee hovering just above the ground.
Push through your front heel to stand up and step forward with your left leg to repeat the lunge on the other side.
Continue alternating legs and lunging forward until you complete the desired number of reps.
Split Squats
Split squats target the same muscles as lunges but with more emphasis on the quads. This exercise also challenges your stability and balance.
3 x 12-15 reps (each leg)
How To Do Split Squats:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and take a big step forward with your right leg.
Keeping your chest up, back straight and core engaged, lower yourself down by bending both knees until your back knee is just above the ground.
Make sure your front knee is in line with your toes and doesn’t cave inward.
Push through your front heel to stand up and repeat the split squat on the same leg for the desired number of reps before switching to the other leg.
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)
Single-leg RDLs are a great exercise for targeting your hamstrings and glutes while also improving your balance and stability.
3 x 12-15 reps (each leg)
How To Do Single Leg RDLs:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and arms by your sides.
Lift your right leg off the ground and hinge at the hips, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
Lower your upper body down towards the ground as you lift your right leg straight back behind you.
Keep your left knee slightly bent and your right foot flexed.
Stop when your upper body and right leg are parallel to the ground or until you feel a stretch in your hamstring.
Squeeze your glutes and push through your left heel to return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps before switching to the other leg.
Glute Bridges
Glute bridges are a simple yet effective exercise that targets your glutes and hamstrings.
3 x 15-20 reps
How To Do Glute Bridges:
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground and arms by your sides.
Push through your heels and lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Squeeze your glutes at the top and hold for a few seconds. 4. Lower your hips back down to the ground and repeat for reps.
Calf Raises:
Calf raises are a great exercise for targeting your calf muscles.
3 x 20-25 reps
How To Do Calf Raises:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hands on your hips or a wall for support.
Raise up onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as you can.
Lower your heels back down to the ground and repeat for reps.
The Full Calisthenics Leg Workout
Now that you know how to do each exercise, we can put it all together and do the full routine. This routine can be done once or twice a week or even be incorporated into your regular lower body routine. As with any workout, you should listen to your body and warm up before you get started.
Bodyweight squats: 3 x 15-20 reps
Walking lunges: 3 x 12-15 reps
Split squats: 3 x 12-15 reps (each leg)
Single leg RDLs: 3 x 12-15 reps (each leg)
Glute bridges: 3 x 15-20 reps
Calf raises: 3 x 20-25 reps
Other Calisthenics Leg Exercises
While the routine we designed is the best for most people, there are tons of other calisthenic leg exercises you can try in your routine. Keep in mind that some of these are more advanced, so take your time and build up your strength so you can do these with the proper form.
Pistol Squats:
Pistol squats are a challenging exercise that targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while also improving your balance and mobility.
How To Do Pistol Squats:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms extended in front of you.
Lift your right leg off the ground and hold it out in front of you.
Lower your body down as if you are sitting down on a chair while keeping your right leg straight.
Keep your chest up, back straight and core engaged.
Lower yourself as far as you can while keeping your balance.
Push through your left heel to stand back up and repeat on the same leg for the desired number of reps before switching to the other leg.
Skater Squats
Skater squats are a great exercise for targeting your quads and improving your balance and coordination.
How To Do Skater Squats:
Stand on your left leg with your right foot hovering just above the ground.
Lower your body down by bending your left knee and pushing your hips back.
Keep your right leg straight and lift it up as you lower yourself down.
Lower yourself down as far as you can while keeping your balance.
Push through your left heel to stand back up and repeat on the same leg for the desired number of reps before switching to the other leg.
Bodyweight Sissy Squats
Bodyweight sissy squats are a great exercise for targeting your quads while also improving your knee stability and mobility.
How To Do Bodyweight Sissy Squats:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed straight ahead.
Lean back slightly and lift your heels off the ground.
Lower your body down as far as you can by bending your knees and pushing your hips forward.
Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
Push through your toes to stand back up and repeat for reps.
Nordic Curls
Nordic curls are a challenging exercise that targets your hamstrings while also improving your knee stability and mobility.
How To Do Nordic Curls:
Kneel on the ground with your feet anchored under something stable.
Cross your arms over your chest and lower your upper body down toward the ground as slowly as possible.
Once you can no longer control the descent, use your hands to catch yourself and push back up to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Can You Build Legs With Calisthenics?
You can build legs with proper calisthenics training, but you have to understand that it will likely be harder for you if you were to use weights. As one of the larger muscle groups, most beginners will already be able to move their body weight using their leg strength. This makes it harder to properly load the legs for muscle growth.
There are more advanced calisthenic leg exercises like the pistol squat that are actually challenging. The issue is that the pistol, like so many other calisthenic leg exercises, requires advanced mobility that most people do not have.
Compare this to a leg extension or leg press, where anyone can get on and load their legs easily with enough weight to gain muscle.
So you can gain muscle and strength in your legs using calisthenics but it will just take extra effort to build mobility and master the exercises.
Final Thoughts
Calisthenics is a viable option for growing your legs. There is a large selection of exercises using can using your body weight and little to no equipment that will produce a pair of strong, defined legs.
Just stay consistent and develop the right mobility. Soon enough, you will be moving on and progressing to some of the more advanced calisthenics leg exercises.
Other Calisthenics Workouts
FAQs
Are sissy squats bad for your knees?
Daniel Mesa, CPT, is a trusted fitness expert and founder of FitDominium. With his extensive experience and commitment to helping others, Daniel is the go-to source for reliable fitness advice and recommendations.