You don’t need a leg press or a squat rack to get your lower body burning.
All you need is 10 minutes and a little bit of floor space.
Today’s quad and glute workout covers everything — squats, lunges, sumo variations, and calf raises. It’s a full glute workout AND a quads workout at home, all rolled into one.
Just follow along with each exercise for 30 seconds and you’re good to go!
Regular Squats
Let’s start this quad and glute workout with a move you probably already know.
But just because it’s familiar doesn’t mean there’s nothing to work on.
Form is everything here, so take this first minute to really dial it in before things pick up.
How to perform:
- Come all the way down into your squat position, angling your body slightly forward.
- Press through your heels to come back up.
- Keep your knees slightly bent at the top of the movement.
- Ensure you are not hinging or thrusting your hips forward as you reach the top.
Squats with Rise
Now we’re building on that squat by adding a little something extra at the top.
You’ll feel your calves get involved here too — it’s a simple add-on that makes a big difference.
How to perform:
- Come down into your squat.
- Rise all the way up, stretching your legs and coming completely up onto your toes.
- Lower yourself back down to the starting position.
Squat Hold
No more moving up and down. For this one, you’re staying put.
Thirty seconds might not sound like a lot, but your quads will have something to say about that.
Just breathe and hold your ground.
How to perform:
- Lower into a squat position and hold there for 30 seconds.
- Hold your arms out in front of you.
- Keep your chest lifted and remember to breathe.
Side Lunges
Time to switch directions and challenge your legs from side to side.
This is a great glute focused leg day move because you’re loading into one hip at a time.
If your chest starts dropping forward, that’s your cue to reset.
How to perform:
- Stand with your legs nice and wide.
- Sit back into your lunge on one side, putting your weight into your heel.
- Press up through your heel and glute.
- Alternate to the other side.
- Keep your chest lifted the entire time and do not let it drop.
Reverse Lunges
Here’s where your glutes really start to do the heavy lifting in this workout.
The key with reverse lunges is where you carry your weight — get that right, and you’ll feel the difference immediately.
You’ll spend 30 seconds per leg, so find the position that really lights things up.
How to perform:
- Choose one leg to start with and step back into a lunge.
- Angle your body slightly forward to keep the tension on your glute.
- Press up through your front heel.
- Stay slightly forward at the top and avoid thrusting your hips forward.
- Continue going down and up for 30 seconds before switching legs.
Reverse Lunge with Kickback
Still with the reverse lunges, but now you’re adding a glute squeeze at the bottom.
There are a few moving parts to this one, so don’t rush it.
Think of it as four clear positions — hit each one before moving to the next.
How to perform:
- Step back into a reverse lunge.
- At the bottom of the lunge, press up in your front heel and squeeze your back glute to pop the back leg up into a kickback.
- Bring the back leg down into the lunge position again.
- Return back to the center standing position.
- Repeat on the other leg, ensuring you hit each position clearly: lunge, kick back, lunge, and center.
Regular Sumo Squats
Time to widen your stance for this next section of the full glute workout.
Sumo squats shift the focus compared to your regular squat, so it’ll feel different even though you’re still squatting.
You’ll be in this wider position for a few rounds, so get comfortable here.
How to perform:
- Stand with your legs a little wider than a regular squat stance.
- Point your toes out diagonally.
- Come all the way down into the squat.
- Press up through your glutes to return to the top.
Sumo Squat with Pulse
Same stance, but now you’re holding at the bottom for an extra pulse before coming back up.
That little pause keeps your muscles working longer — and yeah, you’ll feel it.
How to perform:
- Keep the same wide stance with your toes pointed diagonally.
- Come down into your sumo squat.
- Perform a small pulse at the bottom.
- Rise back up to the top.
Sumo Squat with Rise
Last sumo variation, and this one brings your calves back into the picture.
Three sumo squat rounds back to back — if your legs are starting to shake, that means your quads and glutes are doing their job.
How to perform:
- Maintain your sumo squat stance and come down.
- Rise all the way up to the top, coming completely up onto your toes.
- Stretch your legs out at the top so you feel it in your calves.
Curtsy Lunge to Narrow Squat
Ever done a curtsy lunge before? If not, this one might feel a little awkward at first — and that’s totally fine.
It’s a combo move, so there’s some coordination involved.
Once you find your rhythm, though, it’s one of those good leg and glute workouts moves that hits muscles you didn’t even know you had.
How to perform:
- Step one leg back on a diagonal to come down into a curtsy lunge, sitting into your front heel.
- Step through the center into a narrow squat position, keeping the weight in your heels.
- Step the other leg back on a diagonal into a curtsy lunge on the other side.
- Return to the center narrow squat.
Squat Inner Thigh Lift
We’re adding some inner thigh work to your quads workout at home now.
You’ll combine a squat with a cross-body kick, and the goal is to really feel that squeeze on the inside of your leg.
Have fun with this one — it’s more dynamic than it sounds.
How to perform:
- Perform a standard squat.
- As you come up, cross one leg over and pretend you are kicking a soccer ball, leading with your heel to the ceiling.
- Feel the squeeze in your inner thigh.
- Come back down into a squat and repeat on the other leg.
Squat Outer Thigh Lift
Same concept as the last exercise, but you’re switching to the outer thigh.
Together, these two moves make sure you’re not just working the front and back of your legs — you’re hitting every angle.
How to perform:
- Perform a standard squat.
- As you come up, lift one leg straight out to the side.
- Ensure the inside of your foot is facing the floor and the outside of that thigh is facing the ceiling.
Calf Raises
Almost there!
This one gives your quads and glutes a little breather while your calves take center stage.
It’s all about control here — slow and steady wins this round.
How to perform:
- Position your legs however you prefer (close together in a first position or out wide).
- Raise up onto your tippy-toes all the way.
- Control the movement on the way down, spending as much time at the top as you can.
- Spend as little time at the bottom as possible, just letting your heels tap the floor before rising again.
Squat Jumps
Last exercise — time to burn it out.
This quad workout for women finishes with a bang, so give it whatever you’ve got left.
Go at your own pace, but try to push through to the end. You’ve earned this one!
How to perform:
- Lower into a squat position.
- Jump up explosively from the bottom of the squat.
- Take these as slow as you need to, but try to ensure you get the jumps in to burn it out.
Article Medically reviewed by
I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.
