Mandira Bedi’s legs workout ‘without weights’ deserves a place in your exercise routine — here’s why

Much like every time, her friends and followers were left mighty impressed, with Tannaz Irani commenting, “Wow you are one hell of a tough girl”, and Atul Kasbekar writing, “Look at you!”. A user also commented, “Feeling energised after this”. Take a look.

 

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A post shared by Mandira Bedi (@mandirabedi)

What are legs workouts without weights all about?

Functional exercises like squats and lunges, that directly impact the glutes, quads, hamstrings, core, are known to strengthen and lend stability to muscles from the waist down. In fact, they are considered to be the best leg exercises for their ability to build muscle and help burn fat. “Functional strength is the ability to move your body in different directions and with different ranges of motion. This type of strength is important for everyday activities and can help prevent injuries,” said Varun Rattan, co-founder, Varun Rattan, co-founder, The Body Science Academy.

According to Rattan, one of the key benefits of bodyweight exercises is that they can be done anywhere, anytime, without the need for any equipment. “This makes them a convenient option for people who don’t have access to a gym or who prefer to workout at home,” added Rattan.

Now, here’s a lowdown into what Bedi did. “These exercises require you to stabilise your body while performing different movements, which can help improve your balance and coordination over time,” Rattan told indianexpress.com.

He listed down the exercises as:

Step-ups

Step-ups are a great exercise for strengthening your legs, particularly your quads and glutes.
*To perform a step up, find a sturdy bench or box that is about knee height.
*Place one foot on the bench and step up onto it, bringing your other foot up to meet it.
*Step back down with the same foot you stepped up with and repeat on the other side.

Walking lunges

*With your feet shoulder-width apart, step forward and lower your body until your front knee is at a 90-degree angle.
*Push off with your front foot and bring your rear foot forward to meet it.
*Repeat on the other side.

Reverse lunge to knee drive

Rattan shared that the reverse lunge to knee drive works on your quads, glutes, core, and balance.
*Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
*Step back with one foot and lower your body until your back knee is hovering just above the ground.
*Push off with your back foot and bring it forward, driving your knee up towards your chest.
*Repeat on the other side. To make this exercise more challenging, perform the knee drive with a hop.

Do you do squats? (representative) (Source: Pexels)

Eccentric squats

“Eccentric squats are a fantastic exercise for building strength and stability in your legs,” said Rattan.
*To perform an eccentric squat, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
*Slowly lower yourself down into a squat position, taking about four seconds to do so.
*Hold the bottom position for two seconds before standing back up.

Jump squats

Jump squats can build explosive power in your legs.
*Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
*Lower yourself down into a squat position and then jump up explosively.
*Land softly and repeat.

Squat to cross-body crunch

The squat-to-cross-body crunch targets your legs and obliques.
*To perform this exercise, start by standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width.
*Lower yourself down into a squat position and as you stand back up, twist your torso to the left, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
*Repeat the squat movement and twist on the other side.

Glute bridge march

The glute bridge march is a great exercise for targeting your glutes and hamstrings.
*Start by lying supine with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips up towards the ceiling by pushing the floor with your feet.
*Squeeze your glutes at the top. Keeping your hips lifted, lift your left foot off the ground and bring your knee towards your chest.
*Bring the foot back down to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

“To make this exercise more challenging, you can perform the march with a resistance band around your thighs,” said Rattan.

He further mentioned that to get the most out of these leg-strengthening exercises, it’s important to incorporate them into a well-rounded workout routine. “A good place to start is by performing two to three sets of each exercise, with 10 to 15 repetitions per set. As you get stronger, you can increase the number of sets or add resistance to make the exercises more challenging,” said Rattan.

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