Lets be honest no physique is complete without having some sort of legs to show alongside it. You could have the greatest upper body that rivals Greek Gods… but if you have ‘chicken legs’, forget it…
And not having access to a gym doesn’t have to be the anchor that’s holding you back from having a symmetric and great physique that all guys will admire…
And it’s actually pretty simple to grow these bad boys.
So let’s get to it.
The Bodyweight squat
First off, before we even think of squatting, we need to have the correct stance, and form.
Because when we eventually add weight…
We don’t want to be squatting heavy with incorrect form/stance, because that’s an injury just waiting to happen…
So looking down at your feet, you should be standing about slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and you can either point your feet forward or a bit out (I personally point them forward).
It’s also important to NOT move your feet at all while performing any kind of squat, this’ll get you worrying about your feet placement.
I see it all the time, guys move their feet, and during the whole set they’re worried about their feet placement, over actually engaging their quads.
Now, after the feet placement, is form.
This is crucial, because even if you have good feet placement… it’ll all be in vain without good form.
Not to mention, having good form will save you from back pain, and future problems.
So as you squat, bend at the hips, back neutral, keeping your heels flat on the ground. Going down, you should reach the point where your legs are 90 degrees parallel to the ground.
Not to mention, having good form will save you from back pain, and future problems.
So as you squat, bend at the hips, back neutral, keeping your heels flat on the ground. Going down, you should reach the point where your legs are 90 degrees parallel to the ground.
If you’re more of an 'ass to grass’ person, just remember to keep the tension and quads engaged, even at the way bottom.
As you rise up again to starting position, keep your back straight and let your knees do all the work, going up and down.
Think of this as the “baseline” move for all other leg exercises… Once you nail this, everything else builds from it.
The Squat Hold
If you want to feel that deep, burning tension in your quads, the squat hold will get you there.
Perform the same setup as the regular squat, but instead of standing up immediately, pause at the bottom and hold the position.
Keep your arms extended in front of you for balance, and make sure your thighs stay parallel (or slightly below parallel) to the ground.
Hold for as long as you can — 30 to 60 seconds is a great start, and focus on maintaining perfect form. You’ll feel your legs shake, but that’s when you know you’re engaging your quads.
Close-stance squat
The close-stance squat shifts more tension onto your inner thighs and challenges your balance. Bring your feet closer together than usual and perform the same movement pattern as before.
Keep your core tight, descend just below parallel, and control the movement both down and up.
For an added challenge, elevate your heels slightly on a firm surface like a wood plank or stack of books. This creates more range of motion and isolates the quads even more.
Pistol squat
This is one of the toughest bodyweight leg exercises, and one of the most rewarding.
Begin standing tall with your arms extended forward for balance. Lift one leg straight out in front of you and keep it there as you slowly lower your body down on the opposite leg.
Keep your core braced and move slowly to stay balanced. Then push back up through your heel to return to standing.
If you can’t do a full pistol squat yet, no problem. You can progress by sitting briefly onto a low chair or bench as you descend, then standing back up without resting.
Another option is to hold onto a wall or countertop for balance until you build up the strength to do it free-standing.
Romanian deadlift
This one’s all about the hamstrings and glutes. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms straight in front of you as if holding a barbell.
Push your hips back, keeping your back flat and your neck in line with your spine. Lower your torso until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then squeeze your glutes as you return to standing.
For an extra challenge, perform the single-leg Romanian deadlift. Lift one leg behind you as you hinge forward, keeping your hips square and your balance steady.
It’s one of the best bodyweight moves for hamstring and glute development.
All in all…
You don’t need a squat rack, dumbbells, or machines to build powerful legs.
What matters most is consistency, intensity, and perfect form. These movements hit every major muscle in your lower body– quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves…
and with a few variations, you can progress indefinitely.
Here’s a quick circuit you can run if going to the gym might not be an option for you:
Stick with this routine, and you’ll not only notice stronger, leaner legs but also better overall athleticism and balance.
Remember, the best workout is the one you can do anywhere..
and this one leaves you with no excuses.
Here’s a quick video, where I go into more depth on these workouts, demonstrate how to properly execute them, PLUS extra workouts that you can also incorporate into your circuit