No Equipment Vacation Workouts — Lower-Body
I see you’re joining me for part two of my Vacation Workouts mini-series. If you missed it, make sure you check out the No Equipment Upper-Body Vacation Workout. Now let’s get to work on making those legs (and booty) swim suit ready with this no equipment necessary, quick lower-body workout. Plus I’m throwing in an ab workout you can do at the end of either the upper or lower body workouts or do it on it’s own for a third workout.
Like I said in the upper body workout post, if you have gym access, cool! If not, these workouts can be done literally anywhere you have a little bit of space—your hotel room, out on the balcony, a spot in the grass, or out on the beach. As always, I’ll give you the step-by-step if you need more guidance and the full workout will be down below.
So let’s get to work! Read on for your lower-body vacation workout.
Warm Up
This warm-up is the same one that we used at the start of the upper-body workout, we’ll use it again here and before the ab workout. The movements in this warm-up will get your blood pumping and your body moving so you can put in a good, high energy workout.
> ball touches (1:00)
Okay, for this day of vacation workouts, we’ll focus on lower body—do this one on a different day than your upper body workout. Just like that first workout, go into these two, 10 minute circuits after finishing the warm-up (above).
Alternate tapping your right and left foot on an object, you can use anything that’ll give you some height to tap your foot on. This one should be done at a relatively quick pace to get your heart rate going. You’ll do a minute of these “ball touches” between each of the other movements in this warm-up.
> air squats (15 reps) + ball touches (1:00)
Start upright with your feet at about shoulder width, feet turned slightly outward. Squat down so your thighs are parallel to the ground, keeping your back flat and knees behind your toes. Be sure to drive your knees outward so they don’t cave in when you squat. Keeping your weight on your heels, stand upright, squeezing your glutes at the top. Do this for 15 reps and then do another minute of ball touches.
> lunges (10/side) + ball touches (1:00)
Start upright, feet hip-width apart. Step back with one leg into a lunge, keeping your front knee behind your toes at a 90° angle. Anchor your weight into your front foot and step your back foot forward to meet upright at hip-width again. Do this for 10 reps, then switch to your other leg for 10 reps.
Do your minute of ball touches, then move on to the last warm-up exercise.
> 1/2 turkish get-ups (5/side) + ball touches (1:00)
Start out laying down with your left leg extended and right leg slightly bent. Your right arm should be upward, perpendicular to the ground (you can do this while holding something weighted) and should stay like this through the entire movement. Tighten your core to lift your upper-body and then lower back to the ground, keeping your left leg and right foot planted throughout. Do this for 5 reps, then switch arms and legs for 5 reps on the other side.
Finish the warm-up with one last minute of ball touches.
Lower Body Circuit
[10:00 amrap x2]
Just like the upper body circuit, this whole circuit should be done after the warm up and it’ll incorporate some of the movements you’ve already learned. For this one you’ll do two, 10 minute AMRAPs (as many rounds as possible—meaning you’ll do the prescribed reps for the first exercise, move on to the second and third, then start back at the first exercise, repeating this sequence for as many rounds as you can get in before the 10 minutes is up).
Round 1 [10:00 amrap]
Set your timer for 10 minutes and get started!
> jump squats (20 reps)
Start the same as your regular air squat, with feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down to bring your knees close to a 90° angle, thighs parallel to the ground, knees behind your toes. As you come up, use your legs to power yourself upward into a jump. Land with soft knees, and repeat for 20 reps.
> curtsey lunges (8/side)
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step one leg back diagonally, about a half-step past your standing leg as you lower into a lunge. Anchor into your front heel as you push back up to standing. Alternate legs for 8 reps on each side.
> wall sit + twists (10/side)
Find a wall to lean against and place your feet hip-width apart on the ground in front of you. Lower to a 90° bend in your knees. Knees should be aligned over your heels and thighs should be parallel to one another, make sure your knees aren’t caving in towards each other. Suck in your tummy and tuck your pelvis in so that your back is fully connecting with the wall. Once you’re in position, alternate twisting to the left, returning to center, then twisting to the right for 10 reps on each side.
> side lunges (8/side)
Start with your feet hip-width apart, then take a large step to the right with your right leg. Keep your left leg straight as you bend your right leg and push your butt backward. Keep your heart lifted through the movement. Anchor into your left leg as you raise yourself back to center. Repeat this for 8 reps on the right side before switching to the left side for 8 more reps.
You know the drill, start from the top and do your jump squats, curtsey lunges, wall sit + twists, and side lunges for as many rounds as you can fit in until your 10 minutes are up!
Round 2 [10:00 amrap]
Take a short break and grab some water before you go on to round two. Ten more minutes and you’re done!
> single-leg bridges (10/side)
Lay on the ground with one leg bent, foot planted on the ground so that your knee is aligned over your heel. Cross your other leg over in a figure-four position. Tuck your shoulder blades underneath you, arms on the ground by your sides. Drive your hips up toward the sky, keeping your body straight. Hold and squeeze at the top, then lower back down to the ground. Repeat for 10 reps, then switch to the other side for 10 more.
> high-knee touches (10/side)
This is a variation from the ones you’ve been doing. You’ll need something higher (a chair would probably work) than you used in the warm-up so you can bring your knee up higher. Alternate bringing your knee up and tapping your feet on the top of the object of your choice for 10 reps per side.
> jump lunges (10/side)
Start in a lunge position. Using your front leg to propel yourself, jump upward in place as you switch your front and back legs and land back in a lunge position. Continue to alternate legs. Make sure when you’re landing into your lunge, your front knee doesn’t go past your front toes. You can also do this one stepping instead of jumping.
> hamstring forward bends (8/side)
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Transfer your weight onto one leg and hinge forward, bringing your fingertips to the ground as you sweep your other leg up behind you to end parallel to the ground. It helps to keep your eyes locked on one spot on the ground so you don’t lose your balance. Lower your leg back down as you stand up, repeat on the same side for 8 reps before switching to other leg for 8 reps.
Finish out your 10 minutes with as many rounds as you can of your single-leg bridges, high-knee touches, jump lunges, and hamstring forward bends.
Ab Circuit
[3 Rounds]
If you’re needing a little core burn-out, you can do one round of this at the end of either the upper or lower body workout. If you want to do this as a separate workout on another day, run through 3 rounds of this one after doing the usual warm-up.
> 1/2 turkish get-ups (3/side)
Don’t ya just love these by now? You know the drill: lay down, one leg extended, other leg bent and arm (same side as bent leg) up perpendicular to the ground. Keep this positioning and bring your upper body up, then lower back down. Finish 3 reps on one side, then the other.
> spiders (8/side)
Start in plank position, bring one knee up toward the elbow on the same side, then return back to plank. Repeat on the other side and continue alternating for 8 reps per side.
> in + outs (15 reps)
Start on the ground with your legs bent and lifted above the ground. Plant your hands at shoulder-width slightly behind your butt. Lean your upper body back as you extend and straighten your legs. Return back to the start, pulling your knees in toward your chest. Repeat for 15 reps.
> mountain climbers (10/side)
Start in a plank position. Bring one knee toward your chest, contracting your abs and tucking your tummy in. Switch legs and do the same. You can do this one continuously alternating legs, or resetting to the plank position each time before bringing your other leg up.
> russian twists (15/side)
In a seated position on the floor, lift your slightly bent legs a couple inches off the floor and lean your torso back. Twist to one side, keeping your shoulders and head aligned, return to center, then twist to the other side. Do this for 15 reps on each side.
> leg lifts (8 reps)
Laying down, place your arms either at your sides or underneath you, with your legs a few inches off the floor. Tighten your core to lift your legs until they’re perpendicular to the ground. Lift your legs straight upward to raise your butt off the ground, making sure not to bring your legs up toward your head. Lower your butt back down, then lower your legs to hover above the floor again without touching them down.
> hollow hold pulses (15 reps)
On the ground, extend and lift your legs as you lean your upper body back, extending your arms out in front of you with palms faced down. Pulse your arms up and down for 15 reps.
Take a short break when you finish this one, then repeat the whole ab workout two more times, for a total of three rounds.
And there you have it! All three equipment-free workouts you can take with you no matter where you are, so you can keep that summer body and feel great while you’re sipping on that third Mai Tai. Get the full write-ups for the lower body and ab workouts down below (and the upper body workout at the bottom of the page over here).
Enjoy your well-deserved vacation, and if you don’t end up working out while you’re away, no worries! Save these anyway because they’re great for at home workouts once you’re back too!
