Boost your lower body and core strength with these single-leg moves. This unilateral leg workout lets you focus more load on each leg individually—no extra weights or fancy gym gear required. In about 30 minutes, you’ll hit your hips, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and quads.
Single-leg exercises are a must in your routine because they’re super functional. Think about it—how often do you use both legs equally in daily life? Walking, running, climbing stairs—it’s all about single-leg stability. These exercises mimic those movements, building functional strength and cutting injury risk. Plus, they expose muscle imbalances. If one leg’s weaker, you’ll notice immediately.
Working one leg at a time increases the load on that leg, sparking muscle growth. It’s like lifting heavier—without the extra weight.
If you spot imbalances and need to strengthen one side, try these moves:
- Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs): Great for balance and strengthening your posterior chain.
- Single-Leg Squats (Pistol Squats or Easier Variations): Demands serious balance and control.
- Single-Leg Step-Ups: Builds stability and power in your quads and glutes.
- Single-Leg Balance Holds: Just stand on one leg, holding for time, then progress to trickier versions.
These exercises sharpen balance and stability by making you rely on one leg. They also fire up those smaller stabilizing muscles (key for joint balance) and engage more core muscles than two-legged moves.
Why Single-Leg Training Rocks:
- Better Balance & Stability: Challenges coordination, boosting athletic performance.
- Fixes Muscle Imbalances: Highlights and corrects strength gaps between legs.
- More Core Work: Your core kicks in to keep you steady.
- Real-Life Strength: Mimics everyday movements, making daily tasks easier.
- Injury Prevention: Strengthens stabilizers, lowering injury risk.
- Greater Muscle Activation: Often works the target leg harder than two-legged exercises.
So, if you want stronger legs, better balance, and a sneaky core burn, single-leg isolation exercises are the way to go. And you can do them all at home—no equipment needed.
Workout Breakdown
Strengthen your lower body and core with these single-leg moves.
This is a full lower-body strength workout—no squat rack or barbell required. Modifications are included, making it great for beginners and advanced athletes alike.
For best results, do 1-2 lower-body strength sessions weekly, with 48–72 hours of rest between workouts for recovery. Warm up properly with hip mobility drills or knee-strengthening moves. If squats or lunges bother your knees, try these alternatives.
What You’ll Need:
- Medium-to-heavy dumbbells (5–25 lbs, based on your level). I used 15–20 lbs.
- Optional: Yoga block (or stacked books) and a step/bench.
How to Do It:
Follow along with my guided Unilateral Leg Day on YouTube—I’m Lindsey Bomgren, your certified trainer.
The Workout:
- 3 Circuits (2 single-leg strength moves + 1 burnout move per circuit).
- Timed Intervals: 30 sec work, 15 sec rest (do as many reps as possible).
- Repeat Each Circuit x4 Sets (2 sets right leg, then 2 sets left leg).
- Burnout Move: After Set 2 (right leg) and Set 4 (left leg).
Circuit 1:
- 80/20 Squat (Heel Elevated)
- Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, core.
- How-To: Stand with right heel on a block, left heel down. Hold dumbbells by your sides. Squat down (like sitting in a chair), knees at 90 degrees. Press through heels to stand.
- Easier: Keep both heels down; shift 80% of weight to one leg. Hold one dumbbell at your chest.
- Front Foot Elevated Reverse Lunge + Side Squat
- Targets: Glutes, quads (especially VMO), core.
- How-To: Right heel on a block. Step left foot back into a lunge, then return to stand. Step left foot out into a squat. Push back up, then repeat.
- Easier: Skip the elevation—do it with both feet flat.
Burnout: Front Foot Elevated Lunge Hold + Explosive Knee Drive
Circuit 2:
- Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (Bulgarian Lunge)
- Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, core.
- How-To: Left foot on a bench behind you, right foot forward. Lower until front thigh is parallel to the floor, then drive up through your front heel.
- Easier: Do a regular split squat or reverse lunge (back foot on the ground).
- Rear Foot Elevated Single-Leg Deadlift
- Targets: Hamstrings, core, glutes.
- How-To: Left foot on bench behind you, slight bend in right knee. Hinge at hips, lower dumbbell down your front leg, then stand tall.
- Easier: Staggered deadlift—keep back foot down, 80% weight on front heel.
Burnout: Uneven Suitcase Swing
Circuit 3:
- Lateral Lunge + Knee Drive
- Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, core.
- How-To: Step right leg out into a side lunge, left leg straight. Push off right foot to stand, driving right knee up to balance on left leg.
- Easier: Skip the knee drive—just tap your foot in.
- Single-Leg Glute Bridge
- Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hips.
- How-To: Lie on back, right foot on a block, left leg extended. Lift hips up, squeeze glutes, then lower slowly.
- Easier: Staggered stance—left foot down, right foot slightly forward, toes up.
Burnout: Kneeling Hip Thrust + Adductor Kickout