9 Calisthenics Leg Exercises Without Free Weights

There’s one question I’ve been asked ever since I got into calisthenics: can calisthenics build leg muscle? Calisthenics is undeniably great for upper body, but some people doubt that it can be enough to build lower body strength and muscle mass.
 
The truth is that bodyweight leg training can be more challenging than you assume.
You just need to think outside the box and move beyond basic squats.
 
Here’s exactly how I’d coach someone who was interested in training legs…using only bodyweight exercises.

Is It Difficult To Train Legs With Calisthenics?

If you’re not making progress with lower body strength using calisthenics, don’t be too quick to blame the calisthenics. A basic bodyweight squat will quickly become easy for someone who’s strong.

The trick is manipulating training variables to keep your training progressive, and there are lots of ways to do this without adding external weights.

How Can You Make Calisthenics Legs Exercises Harder?

Unilateral exercises
Single legged exercise mean each leg is moving more weight. Think split squats or pistols instead of squats

Range of motion
A deeper movement or an elevated set up can increase the challenge and the adaptation

Tempo and pauses
Slowing down the eccentric or adding a pause to remove momentum is another way to increase the challenge

Leverage
Changing your body position can make bodyweight exercises significantly more challenging

Explosive movement
Jumping and plyometrics movements train power which is a different quality to strength

Do You Need Weights If You Do Calisthenics?

No, you don’t necessarily need to train with weights if you already do calisthenics. Plenty of athletes have built impressive physiques and amazing strength without free weights at all. Of course, if your goal is maximal strength or you want to compete in powerlifting then you’ll need to use free weights. Bodyweight calisthenics can’t build that kind of top end max strength. But it definitely can improve strength and mass – including in your lower body.

How To Train Legs For Calisthenics Without Weights

Whenever someone asks me if you can train legs properly without weights, I ask them what they mean by train legs. Calisthenics can develop lower body strength, muscular endurance, single-led strength, balance, control, and mobility through active ranges.

But bodyweight training can’t replicate every possible strength goal. If you want to build maximal lower body strength or specific hypertrophy, then adding some external load from free weights or machines should be part of your plan.

The point I want to make is don’t write off calisthenics for leg training!

Best Calisthenics Leg Exercises

Bodyweight squat
Builds foundational lower-body strength and control

• Feet roughly shoulder width, natural squat stance
• Sit hips back and down while bending knees
• Pause at the bottom
• Drive through the whole foot to stand
  

Make it harder: slow the lowering phase and pause at the bottom.

Reverse lunge

Single-leg exercise to build single leg strength and balance

• Step one foot backwards
• Keep the chest tall
• Lower the back knee to the floor
• Bend the front leg
• Push through the front foot to stand
• Alternate sides

Make it harder: slow the lowering phase

Bulgarian split squat
More challenging variation of a unilateral leg movement

• Put rear foot on a bench or box
• Lean forward slightly
• Keep weight through front leg
• Lower with control
• Drive through front foot to return 

Make it harder: do you really want to? Pause at the bottom

Box step ups
Bring in more glute focus with an elevated surface

• Put one foot fully on top of the box
• Drive through that leg to stand tall on the box
• Control the descent
• Change sides
  

Make it harder: try lateral (sideways on) box steps ups or increase box height

Pistol squats
Classic advanced calisthenics movement for legs

• Stand on one leg
• Extend the other leg forwards
• Squat down, keeping the front leg elevated
• Stand back up without putting the foot down
  

Make it more accessible: box-assisted pistols or holding onto something for support.

Shrimp squat
Calisthenics style squat variation

• Stand on one leg
• Bend the other leg behind you and hold onto the foot or ankle
• Lower into a single leg squat
• Drive through the standing leg to stand
  

Make it more accessible: hold onto something with your other hand for support.

Nordic curls
One of my favourite hamstring focused bodyweight exercises

• Kneel with ankles secured under something (or ask someone to hold your feet)
• Keep your body in a straight line from knees, hips, and torso
• Slowly lower your torso towards the floor, keeping that straight line
• Use your hands to control the bottom range if necessary
• Raise back up to the start position
  

Make it more accessible: use your hands to control the descent and to give yourself a push back up.

Single leg glute bridge
Great bodyweight exercise for posterior chain

• Lie on your back, feet near your glutes
• Plant one foot, extend the other leg
• Drive the foot into the floor and lift the hips
• Aim to keep the hips even without dropping one side
• Lower with control
  

Make it harder: pause at the top and control the descent

Squat jump

Power is the combination of strength and speed. I like to add an explosive power move to my calisthenics lower body sessions, especially as more research is done into the link between muscle power and longevity.

• Lower into a controlled squat
• Drive through the floor and jump as high as you can
• Land softly
  

Other options: jump lunges, vertical jumps, broad jumps

People who think you can’t build lower body strength with calisthenics have made the mistake of thinking calisthenics is just easy bodyweight exercises. It’s not. You don’t need free weights to train your legs, you just need to know how to manipulate training variables like tempo, range of movement, and leverage to keep calisthenics challenging. This is how to master your bodyweight and build real functional strength.