If your goal is perfect pins, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re at a beginner, advanced or intermediate fitness level, get ready to strengthen and tone those leg muscles at home with this 10 minute legs workout…
Plenty of us strive for strong, lean and toned legs, but not many of us have time for a lengthy leg day workout. Luckily, doing a quick legs workout still offers a range of benefits. If you’re short on time, you’ll love this 10 minute legs workout, complete with three different variations for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
Which 10 minute legs workout is right for me?
Wondering which level is right for you? For those who have never tried leg-strengthening exercises before, or if you’ve taken a long break from fitness, we recommend starting with the beginner circuit, before gradually building up to the higher difficulties.
If you have been including leg day workouts in your fitness regime for a few months, try out the intermediate circuit to continue your strength-training journey. Or, if you’re a practiced pro when it comes to building those leg muscles, skip straight to the advanced circuit at the end of the page.
Before trying any of these leg-strengthening circuits, be sure to complete a thorough warm-up. Then, at the end of your workout, do a cool-down and stretch to prevent any muscle soreness the next day.
10 minute legs workout: BEGINNER CIRCUIT
An entry-level, no-kit leg circuit that’s suitable for fitness beginners.
What to do: Warm up properly, then try this dynamic circuit three times with 20 seconds’ rest in between each exercise.
1. Squat to reach (1 reps)
- With your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, arms down by your sides and back straight, perform a simple squat.
- Hold, then power up through your feet, straighten your legs and raise your arms above your head, keeping your eyes forward.
- Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times.
2. Alternating split deadlift (10 reps on each side)
- Stand with your arms by your sides, then step forward with your left leg.
- Keeping a slight bend in both knees, lean over your leading leg and extend your arms down, making sure to lean from your hips and keep your spine straight.
- Return to the start and repeat on the right side. Do 20 reps, 10 on each side.
3. Lunge to flye (10 reps on each side)
- Stand with your arms down in front of your body, palms in.
- Step forward with your left leg, bend both knees and perform a lunge, spreading your arms wide, palms forwards. Keep your eyes front and back straight throughout.
- Step back into a standing position and repeat on the right. Do 10 reps on each side.
4. Lying lateral leg raises (8-15 reps each side)
Benefits: Great for the sides of your stomach as well as your bum and thighs.
- Lie on your right side, with hips stacked and your head propped up by your right hand (a).
- Keeping your body in a straight line and your toes pointing forward, raise your left leg, making sure you don’t roll your pelvis as you move (b).
- Pause, then lower your leg to complete one rep. Aim to do eight to 15 reps on each side.
Quick tip: Use an ankle weight on your top leg to increase the effort.
10 minute legs workout: INTERMEDIATE CIRCUIT
A revved-up 10 minute legs workout, great for intermediates.
What to do: Do exercise 1a immediately followed by 1b – that’s one superset. Perform superset 1 three times, resting for 30 seconds between each set. Rest for one minute, then move on to do the same with superset 2. You’ll need a Step or bench and dumbbells.
1a. Box jump (12 reps)
Benefits: A total body workout, great for your co-ordination and balance too.
- Stand just less than a foot away from your Step or box, feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides, knees slightly bent (a).
- Looking straight ahead, jump on to the Step, using your arms to power you (b). Hold for a count of one (c), then jump back down to complete one rep.
- Bend your knees slightly as you land. Aim to do 12 reps.
Quick tip: To increase the difficulty – and the benefits – incrementally increase the step height.
1b. One-leg squat (6 reps on each leg)
Benefits: Great for your balance and co-ordination, as well as strengthening the muscles that stabilise your knees and ankles.
- Supporting your weight on your right foot, raise your left heel behind you (a).
- Extending your arms in front of you for extra stability and focusing straight ahead, bend your right knee to lower yourself smoothly into a squat, making sure to keep your arms level and without curving your back (b). Keep your working knee in line with your foot. Return to an upright position to complete one rep.
- Aim to complete 6 reps on each leg.
Quick tip: Don’t let your head dip as you squat – grab some dumbbells if you want to push yourself.
2a. Dumbbell lunge (12 reps alternating sides)
Benefits: The lunge will hit all parts of your thighs and challenge your stability.
- Take a dumbbell in each hand and stand straight, core engaged, with your arms by your sides, palms facing in (a).
- Keeping your torso upright, lunge forward with your right leg and lower your body until the knee of your rear leg is close to the floor (b). Don’t let your front knee extend beyond your foot.
- Extend the hip and knee of your right leg and return to standing to complete one rep. Aim to do 6 reps on each side.
Quick tip: As you lunge, your lead knee should point in the same direction as your foot.
2b. Side step-up (6 reps each side)
Benefits: Challenge your gluteals from a new angle by introducing your inner-thigh muscles.
- Stand right side on to a Step, about a foot away from it.
- Dynamically step up (a), leading with your right leg, pushing up through your whole foot and keeping your body straight. As you do so, power your left knee up to waist height (b).
- Step down to the same side to complete one rep. Stand on the other side of the Step to repeat on the other side. Aim to do 6 reps on each side.
Quick tip: Hold some dumbbells to work your upper body too.
10 minute legs workout: ADVANCED CIRCUIT
An intense 10 minute legs workout, perfect for exercise devotees.
What to do: After a warm-up, do this circuit twice, resting for one minute in between. You’ll need dumbbells and a gym ball.
1. Jumping jacks (20 reps)
- Stand with your feet together, hands by your sides and knees slightly bent.
- Engage your abdominals and keep your eyes looking forwards.
- Simultaneously jump and separate your legs, swinging your arms upward and touching them overhead.
2. Squat and push (20 reps)
Benefits: This squat challenges your quadriceps, gluteals, hamstrings, arms and shoulders.
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell close to your chest with both hands (a).
- Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor and simultaneously push your arms straight out to shoulder height (b). Keep your focus forwards, core braced and your knees in line with your toes.
- Drive up through your heels to a standing position to complete one rep. Aim to do eight to 15 reps.
Quick tip: Don’t round your back as you squat – maintain a straight spine throughout.
3. Dumbbell side lunge and touch (20 reps alternating)
Benefits: This exercise will work your inner thighs, hamstrings and quadriceps as well as your core.
- Holding dumbbells, stand straight, focus forwards, with your arms in front of your body, palms facing backwards (a).
- Activating your core, take a big side lunge with your left leg, keeping both feet facing forward.
- Keeping your back flat, lean forward from your hips and lower the weights towards your left foot (b). Push off your left foot to return to the start position. Repeat on the other side.
- Aim to do four to eight reps on each side.
Quick tip: Keep your heels flat on the floor throughout the exercise.
4. Dumbbell lunge (20 reps alternating)
Benefits: The lunge will hit all parts of your thighs and challenge your stability.
- Take a dumbbell in each hand and stand straight, core engaged, with your arms by your sides, palms facing in (a).
- Keeping your torso upright, lunge forward with your right leg and lower your body until the knee of your rear leg is close to the floor (b). Don’t let your front knee extend beyond your foot.
- Extend the hip and knee of your right leg and return to standing to complete one rep. Aim to do eight to 15 reps.
Quick tip: As you lunge, your lead knee should point in the same direction as your foot.
5. Gym ball leg curl (20 reps)
Benefits: Uses your own body weight to challenge your hamstrings.
- Lie flat on your back with your lower legs on a gym ball, feet together. Your hands should be next to your hips.
- In a smooth movement, push your hips up so your body is in a straight line (a), then pull your heels towards you, rolling the ball towards your bum (b).
- Pause, then roll the ball back until your body is back in a straight line. Aim to do eight to 15 reps.
Quick tip: Make sure your shoulders stay flat on the mat.
