6 effective leg press alternatives for you to try at-home || Dunnebells

You are loving your fitness routine but you’d love to find some effective leg press alternatives to try at home right? Especially when it is leg day and you want to workout without leaving your home, you can still get your lower body taken care of don’t worry.

This article will help you understand some of the best leg press alternatives. The leg press machine targets the quads, hamstrings and glutes. During this movement, you push away weight from your body using your legs. There are plenty of other ways to target and strengthen your legs and I will be showing you 6 alternatives that you’ll love.

What are the most effective leg press alternatives to opt for?

Here are the best leg press alternatives to help you stay in shape if you can’t head out to the gym for your regular regime:

1. BROAD JUMP

This exercise requires great power from your legs. To start the broad jump, keep both feet on the ground about shoulder-width apart. Next, take a squat position and in the same motion, swing your arms upward and forward, using the momentum from your arms to propel yourself forward with a jump. As you come down, try your best to land softly. A great way to do this is to try and land without making any noise. This will reduce the impact on your body, mainly your knee joints.

2. AIR SQUAT

An air squat is one of the best leg press alternatives and is also sometimes known as a bodyweight squat. The leg press and squat use the same muscles in your legs. To perform an air squat start with your feet shoulder-width apart pointing straight ahead. Look straight the entire time. Begin to squat down, moving your hips down and back. Your heels should stay planted on the ground and your lumbar curve should be maintained. Your hips will descend just below your knees before you squeeze your glutes and come back up to standing. Try your very best to avoid your knees buckling in as you perform the air squat.

3. BULGARIAN SPLIT-SQUAT

The Bulgarian split squat is a version of the single-leg squat where your back foot is elevated on a surface like a chair or a bench. This puts emphasis on the glute of your grounded leg. To perform a Bulgarian split-squat hold a set of weights in both hands and rest your foot backward on the surface of the bench or chair. This is your beginning position for this exercise. Bend both the knees at 90 degrees, keeping your front knee aligned with your ankle. Push into the heel of your grounded foot while pushing into the elevated toe to extend both legs to the initial standing position. You can perform this with or without weights, with weights will put your body under more tension and match the leg press machine movement more closely.

4. LATERAL LUNGE

A lateral lunge focuses on the side region of the glutes, where a majority of your hip stabilizing muscles exist. Start with your feet planted about shoulder-width apart. Keep your right foot on the ground and release the left foot. Next, take a huge step to your left side and transfer your weight into that leg. Use that. foot to push you back into the starting position. Switch legs so both sides get an equal amount of work.

5. WEIGHTED ALTERNATING LUNGE

One of the most popular leg press alternatives is a lunge because it strengthens all of your leg muscles as well as your glutes. When you add weight, you can raise your heart rate up which can assist with burning fat during your workout. To complete a weighted alternating lunge start by standing tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Take a large step forward and lower your body toward the floor.  Both legs should be bent at a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the lunge. Before you step, try and picture train tracks on the ground in front of you, you want to step slightly wider than the tracks. Push off the front leg to rise back up to start (it’s okay if you wobble), and repeat on the other side. This is one of the most popular leg press alternatives that you can opt for and do anywhere.

6. GOBLET SQUAT

The goblet squat is a great leg press alternative as it engages both your quads and your glutes (similar to the leg press machine). Another great benefit of the goblet squat is that it helps teach proper form for back or front squats too.

To complete a goblet squat hold the dumbbell or kettlebell (or anything heavy) with both your hands directly in front of your chest. Next, bend your knees while keeping the weight against your body until your elbows touch your knees. Drive your heels into the ground, squeeze your glutes and stand back up to your starting position. These are one of the most popular leg press alternatives because they are easy on your back vs. loading really heavy as your compress down.

So, here you have it. You don’t need a leg press. You now have 6 effective leg press alternatives to try at-home. It’s time to put your gear on and include these moves on your next leg day. Loving this article and looking for MORE alternatives? Check out this article from Fitness Volt covering 10 different leg press alternatives for you to try.

If you’d like access into my app to complete and track your leg press alternatives start your 7-day free trial today (no credit card required).

For tips like this every week, jump in the FREE community group here.

Are you ready to try something completely different when it comes to exercise for weight loss? Join me, one powerful group of women on one transformation adventure in the next 8-week program. Apply here. Spaces limited. 

Stay strong. Be the fire.