Lower Body Workouts Lower Body Strength, Stability, and Flexibility Workout By Paige Waehner, CPT Paige Waehner, CPT Facebook LinkedIn Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer"; and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." Learn about our editorial process Updated on February 03, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Heather Black, CPT Reviewed by Heather Black, CPT Heather Black, CPT is a NASM-certified personal trainer and owner of Heather Black Fitness & Nutrition where she offers remote and in-person training and nutrition coaching. Learn about our Review Board Print This workout helps to improve strength, flexibility, and balance and focuses primarily on the lower body. Having a strong, stable lower body can help you move with greater comfort throughout the day and can make simple movements (like lifting objects up from floor or getting up and down from the floor) a little bit easier. These movements are important at all stages of life, but can become more difficult with age if we don't take steps to maintain strength and flexibility. Precautions See your doctor if you have any injuries, illnesses or other medical conditions. How to Perform each exercise for the suggested length of time or number of reps, focusing on slow, controlled movements and good form.Beginners, do 1 set of each exercise. More advanced exercisers can do 1-3 sets, resting about 20-60 seconds between setsYou can also add weight for more intensity to some of the exercisesDo this workout 2-3 non-consecutive days a week. If your goal is to get up and down from the floor more easily, practice these step by step moves regularly to see how you're doing 1 Knee Lifts With a Med Ball Verywell / Ben Goldstein Hold a light medicine ball or weight straight up overhead. Lift the right knee up to waist level while bringing the arms down, touching the weight to the knee. Return to start and repeat on the left side. Alternate knees and repeat for 30-60 seconds. 2 Straight Leg Lifts Verywell / Ben Goldstein Stand next to a wall for balance if needed, shift the weight to one leg and lift the other leg straight up as high as you can, keeping the knee as straight as possible. Focus on squeezing the front of the thighs. Add a resistance band or ankle weight for more intensity if needed. Lower and repeat for 12 reps on each side. 3 Assisted Lunge Verywell / Ben Goldstein Stand in split stance, feet about 3 feet apart using a chair or wall for balance. Keeping torso straight, bend knees and lower body towards the floor without allowing front knee to bend over the toe (you should see the tip of your shoe). Push through the heel to come back up without locking the knees. Repeat for 1 set of 12 reps and then repeat the series with the other leg forward. 4 Back Extensions Verywell / Ben Goldstein Lie face down on a mat and place the hands behind the head. Contract the abs and keep them contracted throughout the exercise. Squeeze the back to lift the chest a few inches off the floor. Lower and repeat for 12 reps. 5 Bird Dog Verywell / Ben Goldstein On hands and knees, raise right arm and left leg up until level with the body, holding your balance and keeping torso tight. Lower and repeat, alternating sides for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps. 6 Wall Sit Hero Images / Getty Images Stand against a wall and slide down as low as you can, or until your thighs are parallel to the floor. If this is too difficult, stand up a bit and find an angle that engages your thighs. Make sure you put the weight in your heels and squeeze the glutes. Hold this position, keeping the weight in the heels for 30-60 seconds. 7 Assisted One Leg Squats Stand next to a wall or chair for balance, if needed. Shift the weight to one leg and lift the other off the ground or, for a modification, rest on the heel of the foot. Engage the abs and bend the knee of the standing leg into a one-legged squat, taking the hips back and attempting to keep the weight in the heels. You don't have to lower very far on this one, just a few inches. Stand and repeat for 12 reps on each side. 8 Chair Squat Stand in front of a chair and squat down, taking the arms out for balance if needed. Either sit all the way down on the chair and stand back up, or squat just until your butt touches the chair and stand up (harder). Repeat for 12 reps. 9 Wall Pushup Stand a few feet away from a wall or a high stair railing (as shown) and place hands on wall or rail so that they're just wider than the shoulders. Pull the abs in and, keeping back straight, bend elbows and lower body towards the wall/rail until elbows are at 90 degree angles. Push back to start and repeat for 1 set of 12 reps. 10 Quad Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Stand holding onto a chair or wall for balance if needed and lift one heel towards the glute, grabbing into the outside of the foot. Keep the knees together and gently pull the heel towards your butt to stretch the quads. For more of a stretch, squeeze the glute. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the other side. 11 Seated Hamstring Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Sit on the floor, a step or on a chair with one leg stretched out in front of you, the other bent. Sit up tall and then lean forward as far as you comfortably can, stretching the back of the leg. You can grab onto the thigh, calf, ankle or foot to pull you further into the stretch. Hold for 15-30 seconds and switch sides. 12 Seated Hip Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Sit in a chair and cross the left ankle over the right knee, pushing down on that left knee gently and feeling a stretch in the left side of the hip and glute. If you need a deeper stretch, you can lean into it. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the other side. By Paige Waehner, CPT Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer," and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit