Forget Squats – Build A Stronger Lower Body with These Unilateral Bodyweight Leg Exercises and Workout

Ask almost any fitness expert to name the best leg exercise, and they’ll probably say squats. This makes a lot of sense, given how effective squats are for building strength and muscle mass.

Squats are also a highly functional exercise. After all, it’s almost impossible to get through a day without doing them. Most people’s days start with a squat, i.e., getting out of bed. You also do a squat whenever you sit down and stand back up.

As a 30-year veteran personal trainer and former powerlifter, I am a huge fan of squats and believe they deserve their title “king of exercises.” However, I also acknowledge that squats aren’t suitable for everyone, and there may be times when other exercises are a better choice.

For example, squats can be hard on your lower back, and you need a power rack to do them safely. Some people also find resting and holding a barbell on their backs uncomfortable.

The good news is that squats are not compulsory, and you can develop strong, muscular legs without a barbell or squat rack.

How?

By training one leg at a time to make the most of your body weight.

Unilateral or single-leg exercises provide your muscles with plenty of overload while being kind to your spine. This isn’t just my opinion; research published on PubMed also supports the benefits of unilateral leg training (1, 2).

In this article, I share nine of my favorite single-leg exercises and provide a tried-and-tested bodyweight workout for you to try.

The Best Unilateral Bodyweight Leg Exercises

No gym, squat rack, or love for barbell squats? No problem! Train your lower body anywhere and anytime with these awesome unilateral bodyweight leg exercises.

1. Lunges

I often describe lunges as a semi-unliteral exercise. That’s because you use both legs, but one does more work than the other. In this case, it’s your front leg that must support the most weight – typically about 70%. This makes lunges an excellent exercise for beginners and high-rep training.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together and arms by your sides.
2. Take a big step forward.
3. Bend both legs and lower your rear knee down to within an inch of the floor.
4. Push off your front leg to return to the starting position.
5. Do your next rep leading with your other leg.
6. Alternate sides for the required number of reps.

Find more lunge variations in this in-depth guide.

2. Bulgarian Split Squats

Also known as rear foot-elevated split squats, Bulgarian split squats are another semi-unilateral exercise. However, they put more weight on your working leg than lunges, making them a bit more challenging. This is an excellent exercise for improving balance and hip mobility while targeting your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

Steps:

1. Stand with your back to an exercise bench, stool/chair, or step.
2. Bend one leg and place your foot on the platform behind you.
3. Hop forward into a split stance.
4. Bend your legs and lower your rear knee down to within an inch of the floor.
5. Stand back up and repeat.
6. Rest a moment, switch legs, and do the same number of reps on the other side.

3. Shrimp Squats

Shrimp squats are a true unilateral exercise, as you won’t be getting any help from your other leg. However, in terms of mobility, flexibility, and balance, they’re far less demanding than pistol squats, which we’ll cover later in this article. Another great thing about shrimp squats is that you can use your free hand for assistance if necessary.

Steps:

1. Stand in front of a handrail or pillar that you can use for balance or assistance as required.
2. Stand on one leg and pull your opposite foot into your butt.
3. Using your other arm for balance and assistance, bend your leg and squat down until your bent knee lightly touches the floor.
4. Drive your foot into the floor and stand up.
5. Continue for the prescribed number of reps and then switch sides.
6. Gradually wean yourself off the support until you can do this exercise unaided.

4. Single-Leg Box Squats

Single-leg squats, AKA pistols, are a very demanding exercise. However, doing them to a box makes them much more accessible as a) they stop you from failing backward if you lose your balance and b) provide a brief pause and rest between reps. This is another genuine unilateral leg exercise that will build muscle size and strength without weights.

Steps:

1. Stand with your back to a bench, chair, or low wall.
2. Shift your weight onto one leg and extend your opposite leg out in front with your heel off the ground.
3. Bend your supporting leg and descend until you are sat on your platform. Keep your other leg extended and off the ground.
4. Drive your foot into the floor and stand back up.
5. Continue for the prescribed number of reps and then switch sides.
6. Progress to a lower box as you get stronger, eventually weaning yourself off the entirely.

Related: How to Do Box Squats: Muscles Worked, Benefits, and Alternatives

5. Assisted Pistol Squats

Pistol squats are considered by many to be the ultimate unilateral leg exercise. However, they’re very challenging. This variation is a great stepping stone to that movement, providing an effective way to build strength and muscle mass even if your balance and flexibility aren’t quite up to the standard needed for successful pistol squats.  

Steps:

1. Attach a suspension trainer to a high anchor, e.g., TRX or gymnastic rings.
2. Hold the handles with your arms extended.
3. Shift your weight onto one leg and extend your opposite leg out in front with your heel off the ground.
4. Bend your supporting leg and descend until your hamstrings touch your calves. Use your arms for balance and assistance.
5. Drive your foot into the floor and stand back up.
6. Repeat for the required number of reps.
7. Switch sides and repeat.

6. Pistol Squats

If you’ve mastered the preceding exercises, you are probably ready to try pistol squats. This is arguably the most challenging unilateral bodyweight leg exercise, so don’t worry if you cannot do it quite yet. Persevere, and you’ll not only build muscles and strength but also develop incredible balance and mobility. They also look pretty cool!

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
2. Shift your weight over onto one leg.
3. Bend your supporting knee and squat down. Simultaneously extend your opposite legs and arms out in front of you as a counterbalance.
4. Descend until your hamstrings touch your calf.
5. Drive your foot into the floor and stand up.
6. Continue for the desired number of reps, and then swap sides.
7. Do the same number of reps on your opposite leg.

Related: How to Do the Pistol Squat For Jacked Legs

7. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

Most single-leg exercises work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus simultaneously. However, if your knees are bending, your quads are probably working harder than your hammies. Single-leg RDLs flip the script and emphasize your hamstrings instead.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
2. Bend your supporting leg slightly.
3. Hinging from the hips, lean forward and reach down toward the floor. Simultaneously extend your non-weight-bearing leg out behind you.
4. Return to standing and then repeat.
5. Switch legs and do the same number of reps on the opposite leg.
6. Do this exercise next to a wall or handrail and use it for balance if required.

8. Single-Leg Hip Thrust

Single-leg hip thrusts are another great way to target your glutes and hamstrings. They require zero balance, which makes them ideal for beginners and anyone who struggles with standing on one leg. As such, they’re an excellent alternative to single-leg Romanian deadlifts.

Steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back resting against a sturdy bench.
2. Bend your legs and place your feet flat on the floor.
3. Lift one leg and drive the other foot into the floor.
4. Raise your hips until they’re fully extended.
5. Lower your butt back to the floor and continue for the desired number of reps.
6. Switch sides and repeat.
7. No bench? Just do this exercise while lying on the floor.

9. Single-Leg Standing Calf Raise

You can’t have a balanced leg workout without training your calves! In my experience, single-leg can raises are as effective as bilateral calf raises done with a machine. This exercise is a great way to improve ankle stability and, as such, can help ward off injuries like sprained ankles.

Steps:

1. Stand with one foot on the edge of a sturdy step, using your arms for balance as required.
2. Lower your heel toward the floor until you feel a deep stretch in your calf.
3. Rise up as high as possible on your tiptoes.
4. Alternate between these two positions for the desired number of reps.
5. Swap legs and repeat.

Bodyweight Unilateral Leg Workout

While you could randomly select from the exercises listed above, you’ll get better results by following a more structured routine. Do this workout 2-3 times per week to build leg strength and mass without weights.

But before you begin, spend a few minutes warming up so your muscles and joints are ready for what you are about to do.

Begin your warm-up with 5-10 minutes of easy cardio, e.g., jumping rope, jogging, or brisk walking, followed by dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for your main joints and muscles. Finish your warm-up with a couple of low-rep sets of the first 1-2 exercises.

Ready? Then let’s get to work!

	Exercise	Reps/Sets	Recovery
1	Shrimp squat	3-4 x 8-12 per leg	60 seconds
2	Single-leg Romanian deadlift	3-4 x 12-15 per leg	60 seconds
3	Bulgarian split squat	3-4 x 8-12 per leg	60 seconds
4	Single-leg hip thrust	3-4 x 12-20 per leg	60 seconds
5	Lunges*	1 x 50 per leg	60 seconds
6	Single-leg calf raise	3-4 x 12-20 per leg	30 seconds

*Do alternating lunges until you have accumulated 50 reps per leg. Take breaks if needed, but try to complete all 50 reps in as few sets as possible.

Closing Thoughts

Calisthenics or bodyweight training is ideal for home exercisers and anyone who wants a practical, no-frills workout they can do anywhere and anytime. However, most calisthenic exercisers focus on their upper bodies by doing endless sets of push-ups and pull-ups. This is a mistake, given that close to 50% of your muscle mass is in your legs.

The good news is that you don’t need any equipment to build strong, muscular legs, and barbell back squats are NOT compulsory!

Use these exercises and workout in this article to develop the lower body of your dreams. All you need is some space, dedication, and determination.

Related: Front Squat vs. Back Squat – Which One Should You Do?

References:

1. Liao KF, Nassis GP, Bishop C, Yang W, Bian C, Li YM. Effects of unilateral vs. bilateral resistance training interventions on measures of strength, jump, linear and change of direction speed: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Sport. 2022 Sep;39(3):485-497. doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2022.107024. Epub 2021 Jul 3. PMID: 35959319; PMCID: PMC9331349.
2. Eliassen W, Saeterbakken AH, van den Tillaar R. Comparison of Bilateral and Unilateral Squat Exercises on Barbell Kinematics and Muscle Activation. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2018 Aug;13(5):871-881. PMID: 30276019; PMCID: PMC6159498.

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