Good leg exercises that don't require machines.

[canoscan]

After trying to use my terrible leg extension/ leg curl/ bench press thing I realized that Leg Extensions suck and they hurt my knees, and also that my legs are too long for my bench. I was going to try squats, but I still need to get a rack. Any exercises I could use to workout my legs that don't require painful machines?

 

[bluenun]

Before I bought some squat racks I used to clean the weight from the ground upto my clavicles and front squat.

I still front squat with the racks as I train alone and I also prefer them to back squats which can have a tendencey to give you big glutes.

For hamstrings I do stiff leg straight leg deadlifts.

 

[AlbertaBeef]

What we did in High School was get a buddy and drive to a parking lot and take turns pushing the car until you just about pass out. If the guy pushing gets too much momentum the the steerer must push the brakes.

 

[prince Albert]

Front squat
hack squat (barbell behind the legs)
step ups holding dumbells
lunges
stiff leg deadlift
glute ham raise

 

[Big Al]

High step ups are almost as good as squats. Get a block or stack of plates about 12-18" high. Get a barbell that's loaded to 1/3-1/4 of your squat weight. With the weight across your back as if you were squatting (you should be able to clean this kind of weight without too much difficulty), simply step up on the block and come back down. You can either do all of your reps with one leg before switching to the other or you can alternate legs.

I personally love doing very heavy step ups on a 6-8" block. It's a good alternative to doing heavy partial squats, and I don't get the pain in my elbows from trying to unrack 800-900lbs.

Here's a very good article along with illustrated instructions on the step up:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md44.htm

 

[9cyclops9]

One-legged squats with your bodyweight. Once you can do that (and I'd be willing to bet any 500+ lb squatter you know can't), add weight.

 

[Straight8]

I have tried a lot and I think the best exercise I've done has to be...I don't know what to call it but what me and my friends used to do was, We stacked these rubber mats about 4-4.5 feet high and then we would get into knee bend position and jump up and onto the mats from standing right in front of them. every day we did this my legs would burn like I ran 5 miles and we would do this for only about 30 minutes. I'm sure it strengths the legs a little but we did it for kick boxing to gain more flexibility and reaction speed with the legs.It does allow you to jump very high after a while and gives your legs great tone.

 

[pullups]

One-legged squats with your bodyweight. Once you can do that (and I'd be willing to bet any 500+ lb squatter you know can't), add weight.

you sure man? I mean im almost definite that i can squat 500, but even when i was in high school i could do those....we had to do them for football

 

[9cyclops9]

What I mean is it's a different kind of strength than squatting 500 lbs. You have to work at it to be able to do it, and just because you can squat 500lbs with two legs doesn't mean you can squat your bodyweight with one.

 

[pullups]

yea i guess thats true, the hardest part for me was trying to balance myself