Calisthenics has always been one of the best ways to build a strong, flexible and well-proportioned body for sports and recreation – but what about a calisthenic leg workout? 

 

Can you effectively target the leg muscles and force them to grow with calisthenics exercises?

 

Of course, you can. 

 

Like many people who train calisthenics – all muscles can be stimulated to grow with the correct bodybuilding and calisthenics leg workout. In this edition of BuffScrolls, we are going to break down how you can create a calisthenic leg workout and which exercises will be the best bang for your buck! 

 

Be sure to leave a comment below if you found this helpful. Enjoy the gains! 

 

Calisthenic Leg Workout

Personally, I find calisthenics to be one of the best ways to train the legs. If you can incorporate all the essential elements to a functional leg training program, weight training can be a secondary accessory style of training. 

 

Let’s take a look at the best calisthenic leg exercises that you can use to build a complete leg workout. 

 

Calisthenic Leg Workout: Our Top 5 Exercises for Growth

1. Heel-Elevated Cyclist Squat

This exercise is traditionally performed with a barbell but you can certainly still complete it with bodyweight only. The main key here is to ensure that you are maintaining a slow tempo speed – this will allow your muscles to still be stimulated through hypertrophy. 

TRAINER NOTE: Include pause-reps for optimal strength performance. For information on how to complete pause-reps checkout our BuffScrolls pause-rep article. 

 

2. Walking Lunges

Walking lunges are one of the most fundamental exercises to any calisthenic leg workout. They target the large muscles of the lower extremities like the quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings while taking the muscles through a wide range of motion. Complete this exercise with high reps and moderate movement speed. You may also want to add variability to your training program with some explosive lunges or drop lunges. 

 

3. Horse Stance

Isometric exercises are not as glorious as some other explosive exercises like box jumps or heavy squats but they certainly have their place in calisthenic leg workouts. Not only have isometric exercises been shown to help promote strength, but they also have healing properties. 

 

A 2014 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science showed that a 5-week strength training program with isometrics was able to promote strength and reduce pain in the knee – especially in subjects who had osteoarthritics. 

 

 

In summary, take care of your knees, grow stronger and develop more functional strength with isometric calisthenic leg workouts like the horse stance and wall sit. 

 

4. Calf Raises and Duck Walks

Calf strength is always left behind with the bros who just want massive quads. Don’t be that guy, train your calves – not only will they help you to develop more explosive strength for sports, but they also help to balance your calisthenic leg workout. This allows you to feel more stable during physical activity – especially in sports where you need to jump and change direction. 

TRAINER NOTE: Duck walks are a great exercise to develop strength in the tibialis anterior muscle. Check out the video below for more information on how to perform this exercise correctly. 

 

5. Plyometric Jumps

Jumping exercises are by far the greatest calisthenic leg workout. They help to develop explosive power which translates speed and strength sports like basketball, football, track and hockey. 

 

Want to incorporate plyometric exercises into your training program? Take your game to the next level and Check out our sport training programs here. 

Calisthenics Leg Workout Training Methods

Training with the best exercises is never a bad idea, but in order to optimize your calisthenic leg workout, you need to have a basic understanding of training methods and training principles. 

 

Method #1 – Use Tempo

Tempo training is a training principle that allows weight lifters to monitor the amount of time each muscle is under tension – specific to a particular exercise. Training tempo uses 4 numbers to describe the amount of time your muscles are moving through a range of motion during your calisthenic leg workout. 

 

For more information on how to understand tempo training take a look at our guest post on anabolicbodies.com. Follow this link for the full article. 

 

Method #2 – Don’t Forget About Glutes

Glutes are by far the most powerful muscles in the body but we always focus on the quads – which in most cases is to an athlete’s downfall. Ensure that you are using basic exercises like the dirty dog/ fire hydrant, kickbacks and ensuring your hips are open and mobile. 

Mobile hips will allow you to build strength in the glutes without getting the classic “tight hips” that comes along with jump training and calisthenic leg workouts. 

 

Method #3 – Strengthen the Feet

Your feet are the connection to every exercise you complete in a calisthenic leg workout. Ensuring that your feet are strong, have a balanced weight distribution and your arches are healthy is key to your success as an athlete. 

 

Not sure how to strengthen the feet? Our customized strength programs are built to meet the needs of any athlete and the demands of their sport. Check out our strength programs and start outperforming the competition.

Method #4 – Rehab and Rest

Ice, compress, rest and use NSAIDS when needed. Don’t be a glory lifter. Your workouts should always be followed by a complete and wholesome meal balanced with complex carbohydrates, lean protein sources and a plethora of fruit and vegetables.

Whole foods will help to reduce inflammation and speed recovery. 

For information on how and when to use ice check out our BuffScrolls edition on When to Use Ice here. 

 

Calisthenics Leg Workout [FREE EXERCISE PROGRAM]

Here at BuffScrolls, we like to provide our readers with the best information available – but we also treat our readers to free workout content. Below you will find 2 basic calisthenic leg workouts (feel free to download the images and give them a try). 

 

Notes:

• Pay attention to reps and sets – these determine your intensity
• Rest properly – 2-3 workouts a week is plenty
• Eat wholesome food – this will help your body to recover and build the muscle properly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading another edition of BUFFSCROLLS! If you enjoyed this article be sure to comment below and share this information with your gym buddies.