Bodyweight exercises are one of the easier ways to tone the lower body compared to weight lifting and resistance training. However, that does not mean bodyweight exercises are any less effective than weight and resistance training to tone the lower body.
Bodyweight workouts essentially mean working out using one’s bodyweight and gravity. To strengthen and tone the lower body, unilateral moves or single leg exercises can be quite effective. They also help in correcting any muscle imbalance.
Bodyweight Exercises to Tone Lower Body
We have designed a list of the six best and most effective bodyweight exercises women can include in their workout regime to tone their lower body:
1) Single Leg Glute Bridge
This bodyweight exercise helps tone the lower body by maintaining constant tension in the hips and legs. A single leg glute bridge also helps in strengthening the lower body along with enhancing posture.
How to do it?
Start off by lying on the ground with your back flat, hands by the sides, knees bent, and soles of the feet pressed onto the ground.
With an engaged core and lower back pressed onto the ground, raise your left foot off the ground, and extend it upward while driving your hips towards the ceiling. Slowly bring your hips and legs to the starting position. Swap sides, and repeat.
2) Air Jump Squat
Squats are one of the most popular and efficient exercises you can do to tone the lower body, and the same goes for air jump squats. There are several weighted versions of squats you can include in your workout routine for an added challenge.
How to do it?
Start off in a standing position with your feet apart slightly wider than hip width. Bring your body to the squat position by hinging forward at the hips and bending your knees. Jump high in the air, and extend your legs before landing back gently and assuming the squat position. Repeat.
3) Reverse Lunge to Knee Lift
The amalgamation of the knee lifts and reverse lunges can help to significantly tone the lower body along with strengthening and building muscular endurance.
How to do it?
Start off by standing with your feet shoulder-distance apart before stepping backward with your right foot. Bringing your knee to the ground while landing the ball on your right foot to create a 90-degree angle.
Simultaneously, bend your front foot to create a 90-degree angle. Drive through your left heel to assume a standing position, and bring the right knee towards the chest. Swap sides, and repeat.
4) Pistol Squat
Pistol squats can help tone the lower body by targeting the legs and hip muscles along with building balance.
How to do it?
Start off in a standing position with your feet together, lifting one leg off the ground and extending it to the front. Hinge down at your hips, and bend the other leg by the knee to assume the squat position.
Straighten your arms in front at shoulder height for better balance. Push through your heel to bring your body to the starting position. Swap sides. and repeat.
5) Fire Hydrant
Fire hydrant is one of the most efficient exercises to tone the lower body. This exercise also helps tone the inner thighs more than any other exercise.
How to do it?
Start off by assuming the tabletop position on the ground on all fours with your core engaged. While keeping your knees bent, raise your left knee off the ground on its side and upwards.
Bring the left knee back to the floor, and repeat. Swap sides, and repeat. Make sure to keep your core engaged and back erect throughout the exercise.
6) Plank Jumping Jack
In addition to toning the body, plank jumping jacks also help in building core strength.
How to do it?
Assume the standard plank position on the ground with your core engaged, shoulders above the wrists, and back upright. Start with the movement of the jumping jack by jumping your legs sideward and bringing them back to the standard position. Repeat.
Bottom Line
The aforementioned exercises are some of the best bodyweight workouts to tone the body. These exercises also provide other benefits, such as strengthening the lower body, correcting muscle imbalance, toning muscles, building muscular endurance, improving stamina, and more.
You can start the above exercises with some warm-up routine to train your body. For quicker results, you can also couple the aforementioned workouts with strength training exercises. To tone your body, you must also work on reducing the overall fat percentage.