5-Minute Leg Workout
- Time
- 5:00
- Level
- All levels
- Equipment
- None. A wall for the wall sit.
Legs are your biggest muscles, so five minutes of leg work gets your heart rate up faster than almost anything else.
Expect the last minute to burn.
Bodyweight squats
Sit back and down. Knees follow the toes, chest up.
0:40
Next: Reverse lunges
The routine
- 40s
Bodyweight squats
Sit back and down. Knees follow the toes, chest up.
Easier: Squat to a chair.
- 40s
Reverse lunges
Step back, lower the back knee toward the floor, alternate legs.
Easier: Hold a chair for balance.
- 15s
Rest
Breathe. Shake out whatever just worked.
- 40s
Wall sit
Back on the wall, thighs as close to parallel as you can.
Easier: Sit higher up the wall.
- 30s
Good mornings
Hands on hips, soft knees. Hinge forward with a flat back, stand tall.
- 40s
Side lunges
Step wide, sit into one hip, the other leg straight. Alternate.
- 15s
Rest
Breathe. Shake out whatever just worked.
- 30s
Calf raises
Slow up, slower down. Hold a wall if you need it.
- 30s
Squat pulses
Stay low in the squat and pulse an inch up and down.
Easier: Regular squats.
- 20s
Squat jumps or fast squats
Explode up, land softly. Or just squat as fast as is clean.
Tips
- Knees can go past your toes. That's normal. What matters is they point the same way as your toes.
Questions
Is a 5-minute leg workout effective?
For a beginner, very. For someone already training legs, use it as a finisher or on days you'd otherwise skip.
Can I do this every day?
Every other day is better for leg strength. On the days in between, try the glute workout or a stretch.
Got another five minutes?
Why five minutes at a time works: movement snacks.