Spring Leg Burner
To celebrate spring and the lovely weather it brings, I’ve got a no equipment leg workout for you today–perfect for doing outside!
Today is an exciting day because madre, my stepdad and little brother are coming to spend the weekend with us. (I’m trying to convince them to bring nana, too. Fingers crossed it works.) We have some fun things planned, like Easter egg dying, s’mores on the beach, and a Sunday feast here. My nana gave me the recipe for her famous egg dish and her creme brûlée French toast, so I can’t wait to make them!
I have a conference call this morning and am going to clean up around here and get things ready for weekend fun.
Now let’s get to the details of that leg workout!
(tank: lululemon // shorts: lululemon)
This workout combines some of my favorite exercises to strengthen your entire lower body, cardio blasts to increase your heart rate (and torch calories), plus some bonus core work from the balancing exercises. I hope you love it! It’s a great one to combine with your cardio today, and is something you could do at home with your own bodyweight; no extra equipment needed. You’ll warm up for 5-7 minutes with moderate cardio, and complete these exercises in a circuit, moving quickly from one to the next. As always, check with a doctor before making any fitness change and honor your body. Modify as needed.
No Equipment Leg Workout Form Cues
1. Clock lunges: start with your feet together and a nice, tall posture. Take one huge step to the right, making sure to angle your foot out 45 degrees. Sink your hips back and down into your lateral lunge. Step that same foot back to center. Next, you’ll perform a front lunge with the same leg. Step it forward, keeping your feet hip distance, and sink into your lunge, with a lifted chest and tight core. Exhale, squeeze to rise and step back to center. Finally, you’ll complete a reverse lunge. Step your right foot behind you, and sink into a lunge, with your front thigh bending to try and bring it parallel to the floor. Step back to center. These three lunges are considered one rep.
2. Single side jumping lunges: instead of switching legs, you’ll jump lunge on one side for 30 seconds and 30 seconds on the other side. Make sure to land with a soft knee and sink into your lunge before springing up. If the impact is too much, try quick and efficient lunges on one side for 30 seconds before switching to the other side.
3. Plie squat: step your feet our wide (under your shoulders) and angle your toes out 45 degrees. Keep your chest up, shoulders down, and core braced, as you sink your hips down. Try to get them parallel to the floor. Squeeze every muscle in your legs to come up, and avoid locking out your knees at the top of the movement.
4. Frogger jumps: stay in the same position and bring your hands down to touch the floor (keep your chest up). Jump up, and land, touching the floor. Do as many as you can in 1 minute.
5. Leg raise combo: step one foot back and gently tap it on the floor. Keep both hips facing forward, and bring your hands to your hips or to a wall or chair for extra balance. Engage your glutes to lift your leg off the floor, as high as it will go. Gently tap back down, and lift. You’ll do 20 of these before holding the highest point and completing 20 pulses at the top. Next, hold your leg high and draw tiny circles (20 of them) with your foot. Static hold your leg up at its highest position for 20 seconds. Complete on the other side.
Hope you enjoy it!
What’s your workout looking like today? What’s going on this weekend??
Hope you have a lovely morning <3
xoxo
Gina
All photos by Danny Chan
24 Comments
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“Work out you can do any time any where” … Words I’ll never trust again lol that was good fitnessista!
hahaha!!
this is a good one!
This looks good and sweaty! I love bodyweight leg workouts when I’m running a lot because they strengthen without making me crazy sore (like I am right now!)
Pinning this one! I am always looking for GOOD at home, no equipment needed workouts.
Gracias!
I just did one of your HIIT barre burners two nights ago, and I’m STILL sore! Can’t wait to give this one a try as well. 🙂
Always, Anita
This is probably a strange question, but one I have not figured out & has bugged. How do you do squats especially plie squats effectively when you have one leg much shorter than the other? What is the proper way to them?
No lunge for me, just 1 squat to get in the car to come see you! Otw! ????
Thursdays are actually my rest days so I have been working on the blog and cleaning up around the house. Exciting things!
Leg workouts are y favorite so thanks for sharing!
That looks like a great workout. I am going on a trip in two weeks. I think I will take that one with me, because I don’t need any equipment. Thanks
Um, any chance your nana will share her magic egg dish recipe?? otherwise I suppose you could just post pics and I’ll live vicariously through you. Have a happy easter weekend! My husband I plan on taking the boat out on the lake for fishing (well he’ll be fishing, I’ll be laying out and reading reading my kindle haha)
This looks like a great workout. I’ll have to try it this weekend.
Hope you have a great Easter!
I have yet another OTF question for you – do you end up insatiably hungry after an orange theory workout? I burned 600 calories, but then end up negating them by eating all day. Also, would you do orange theory one day and then weights the next or just cardio since there are weights in class?
Ooh this looks like a great workout. I want to try it! Hope you have fun with the family! Smores sound *amazing*!
Frog jumps are a new favorite! Good stuff! 🙂
OMG can you send me those recipes!!! We are bummed we’re not going back this weekend. But I’m going to attempt some sticky buns 😉
Yes!! And come over for brunch- we’d love to see you!
Great exercises and pictures!
You’ve raved about the famous egg casserole so many times in the past…such a teaser! Will your nana let you share the recipe? Hope so!
yes! i will post it on monday when i have pretty pics to go with it 🙂
What mods would you recommend for first trimester? I’m 9 weeks today. Thanks!
you should be fine throughout the first trimester as long as your doc said it’s ok to continue. if it feels weird/off, skip it. i would also avoid any crazy impact, exercises that have a risk of falling/trauma to the belly, and anything like scuba diving. after your first tri, avoid exercises on your back and stomach
xoxo
Thanks! Yeah definitely not a scuba diver! Though we do live on our own island.. lol
Yeah I did one round and felt a little queasy. So I sat down and think maybe later will try another round.
Thanks again!
D
Loved this workout – I just made it to the end and worked up a good sweat. Thank you!