5 Minute Lower Body Workout At Home
Warm-up (30 seconds each):
- Jumping jacks: Get your heart rate up and blood flowing.
- High knees: Raise your knees up high in a running motion, but stay in place.
- Butt kicks: Run in place and kick your heels towards your glutes.
Workout (30 seconds on, 10 seconds rest – repeat 2 times each exercise):
- Squats: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly outward. Lower yourself down as if sitting in a chair, keeping your back straight and core engaged. Push back up to starting position.
- Lunges: Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles. Push back up to starting position and repeat with the other leg.
- Wall sits: Stand with your back flat against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart and slightly forward. Slide down the wall until your knees are bent at 90 degrees. Hold this position.
Cool-down (30 seconds each):
- Calf raises: Stand on the balls of your feet, then slowly lower back down to flat feet. Repeat.
- Hamstring stretch: Sit on the floor with one leg extended and the other bent, pulling your foot towards you. Lean forward from your hips, reaching for your toes. Repeat with the other leg.
- Quad stretch: Stand on one leg, holding the other foot behind your calf and gently pulling your heel towards your glutes. Hold, then repeat with the other leg.
Modification: If you find any exercise too difficult, you can modify it. For squats, you can perform them without going all the way down. For lunges, you can step forward less or hold onto a chair for balance.
Progression: Once you get comfortable with this routine, you can increase the difficulty by adding weights (water bottles or canned goods work well) or by doing more repetitions. You can also find many variations of these exercises online or in fitness apps.
Remember to listen to your body and take breaks when needed. It’s important to maintain proper form throughout the exercises to avoid injury.