If you’re new to resistance training, or short on time, the good news is you don’t need to spend hours in the gym to build strength.
“It’s all about consistency over intensity,” says certified personal trainer Felicia Hernandez, who works at Eden Health Club in Greenwood Village, Colorado.
“Over time, that’s what builds a body that feels grounded and supported.”
In fact, a 2025 study found five-minute workouts everyday for four weeks could improve both physical and mental wellbeing in inactive adults.
To help you build strength and improve mobility, Hernandez has put together a lower body workout that takes just five minutes to complete.
“These exercises strengthen and shape glutes, thighs, hips, and calves—using a sequence that flows, without using any equipment,” she explains.
The moves also focus on mobility and muscle activation. “This is key for both aesthetic goals and long-term healthy aging,” Hernandez adds.
You can do this equipment-free workout anywhere—at home, in the office or while traveling—which makes it accessible and sustainable.
The five-minute lower body workout
“We’re hitting five exercises in total, doing each for one minute,” explains Hernandez. “Go at your own pace, and move with control and purpose.
She recommends doing this routine three to five times a week, or using it as a warm-up for longer workouts or before walking.
Done consistently, this five-minute workout can help build stronger, more mobile legs from the comfort of your home.
The five exercises are:
- Squat to stand
- Glute bridge
- Wall sit
- Standing lateral leg raise
- Heel raise
1. Squat to stand
Time: 1min
- Stand with your feet just further than shoulder-width apart.
- Reach down and grab your toes or shins, bending your knees if needed.
- Keeping your hands in position, drop your hips towards your heels.
- Use your elbows to gently press your knees out and open the hips.
- Lift your hips and extend your legs.
- Stand all the way back up, releasing your hands and extending your arms overhead.
- Aim for 8-10 reps in 1 minute.
Benefits: Warms up hamstrings, inner thighs, and glutes. Great for posture and core alignment.
2. Glute bridge
Time: 1min
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart.
- Brace your core, press through your heels, and lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Lower your hips to the floor with control.
- Aim for 12–15 reps in 1 minute.
Benefits: Activates glutes while protecting the spine and rebuilds hip strength.
3. Wall sit
Time: 1min
- Stand against a wall and slide down until your knees are bent to 90°, with your knees directly above your feet.
- Keep your back flat to the wall, thighs parallel to the floor.
- Hold and breathe, keeping tension in your quads and core.
- Aim for 30-45 seconds and then rest until you reach 1 minute.
- Add a small pillow or yoga block between your knees and squeeze it for extra inner-thigh work.
Benefits: Strengthens quads, improves muscular endurance, trains mental resilience.
4. Standing lateral leg raise
Time: 1min
- Stand holding onto a chair or wall for support.
- Lift your right leg out to the right side.
- Avoid leaning—keep your torso upright.
- Squeeze your glutes, then lower and repeat.
- Aim for 10-12 per side in 1 minute.
Benefits: Targets side glutes (glute medius), outer thighs and improves hip stability.
5. Heel raise
Time: 1min
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Slowly lift your heels off the floor, rising onto the balls of your feet.
- Squeeze your calf muscles.
- Lower with control.
- Keep shoulders relaxed and core lightly engaged. Use a wall or chair for support if needed.
- Aim for 15-20 reps in 1 minute.
Benefits: Builds ankle stability, tones calves and boosts circulation.