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Strength at home

Ankle weight leg workout: knees, hips and glutes at home

Do this 2 or 3 times a week with a day between. Learn every move with no weight until 10 slow reps are easy, then strap on the lightest cuff you have, about 0.5 to 1 kg. Lift for a count of 3 and lower for 5, holding a support for the standing moves. Put the weights on and take them off sitting down, and take them off before the balance work. The order follows the Otago home exercise booklet and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' knee programme; the rounds are our editorial choice.

25 minBeginner11 movesA bench or box · Something with weight · A wallHip flexors · Quads · Hamstrings · Hip abductors · Glutes · Calves
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Warm-up, no weights

  1. Standing march1 to 2 min
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoHolding a counterEasier: Seated marchHarder: Standing band hip flexion

Strength, ankle weights on

2 rounds · Rest 60 s

  1. Seated knee extension (chair)10 each leg, up for 3, down for 5
    Beginner · Quads · 3D demoIf your kneecap hurts, work only in the bent-knee halfEasier: Quad set (static quads)Harder: Leg extension
  2. Standing hamstring curl10 each leg, holding up to 5 s at the top
    Beginner · Hamstrings, Calves · 3D demoHold a chair or wall; thighs side by sideHarder: Slider hamstring curl
  3. Wall side leg lift (standing side kick at the wall)Up to 10 each leg, up for 3, down for 5
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes, Abs · 3D demoToes forward, body upright, a hand on the wallHarder: Lateral band walk, band at the feet
  4. Straight-leg raise10 each leg
    Beginner · Quads, Hip flexors, Abs · 3D demoTighten the thigh first; lift to the height of the other kneeEasier: Quad set (static quads)Harder: Leg extension
  5. Side-lying leg raise10 to 12 each side
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes · 3D demoWith the weight only once 3 sets of 15 are easy without it and your waist stays stillEasier: Lateral band walkHarder: Lateral band walk, band at the feet
  6. Glute kickback (quadruped hip extension)10 to 12 each side
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoThigh stops level with your back; no archingEasier: Glute bridgeHarder: Standing cable glute kickback

Weights off

  1. Slow calf raise10 to 20
    Beginner · Calves · 3D demoUp for 3, down for 5, holding a counterEasier: Seated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise)Harder: Standing dumbbell calf raise
  2. Single-leg stand3 holds of 5 to 10 s each leg, building to 30 s
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoFingertips on the counterEasier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walkHarder: Single-leg reach matrix

Cool-down

  1. Standing quad stretch30 s each side
    Beginner · Quads, Hip flexors · 3D demoA hand on a wallEasier: Side-lying quad stretch with a strapHarder: Couch stretch
  2. Wall calf stretch (gastrocnemius)30 s each side
    Beginner · Calves · 3D demoEasier: Seated calf stretch with a towelHarder: Heel-on-step calf and hamstring stretch

Tips

  • Go from 2 rounds to 3 when 2 feel easy, then add reps, then about 0.5 kg at a time.
  • Don't walk or run in ankle weights: take them off before you walk about.
  • Stop for sharp pain, swelling, or a knee that locks or gives way.
  • After a knee operation, add the weights only once your team allows resisted straightening.
  • With pain on the outside of the hip, leave out the side-lying leg raise while it hurts at night, and keep the weight off the side lifts.
  • A cuff shouldn't leave deep marks, pins and needles or numbness: loosen it or pad it.
  • Stop and get medical help for chest pain or pressure, unusual breathlessness, dizziness or fainting.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

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Questions people ask

How long does the ankle weight leg workout: knees, hips and glutes at home take?

About 25 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A bench or box, Something with weight, A wall. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 9 of its 11 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.