With so much focus on arms and abs, even the biggest fitness enthusiast can forget about lower body strength. Many people rely on running to work out their legs and glutes, and while this can get you in great shape, you may still be surprised by how much more power your legs can give you if you really work them.
Bodyweight squats may seem simple enough, but variations and working the muscles to burnout can make even a marathon runner cry. This is because different forms and positions will engage a variety of muscle groups that are not normally used.
Still using our marathoner as an example, consider how the legs are engaged for this extreme endurance act. All the motion is on a single plane, and much of the power is limited to the feet and calves. In reality, the quads and glutes are worked out more through the action of the motion, rather than really exerting power from that point. This is one reason why it is common to see power runners, like sprinters, really focusing on the full potential of all the leg muscles, in order to get that explosive force.
Bodyweight Squats For Explosive Legs
The basic bodyweight squat replicates the action of sitting back into an invisible chair and dropping the glutes as low as they can go before pushing back upwards. Good form always puts the weight in the heels, so that the core as well as the quads and glutes are activated. The most basic training with this exercise is to try and complete as many as you can in a minute, and then rest for 15 seconds before doing it all over again.
Variations on the bodyweight squat can be simple, but are all equally intense. After lowering into the squat, exploding upwards into a tuck jump can give an added challenge and put some cardio into the mix as well.
For people who really want to focus on leg power, this exercise can also be performed on one leg at a time. Some people will use a plyo box or aerobics steps to maintain balance while performing the squat on one leg. Hardcore fitness addicts can make the move even more of a challenge by lifting the non-weight bearing leg as high as possible, and extending it straight out in front for an ab engaging hold.