Kayla Itsines's 4-Week No-Equipment Workout Plan Weeks 1 and 3: Legs

For the leg strength workout in Kayla Itsines's no-equipment workout plan, you'll target your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core. Not only do these exercises torch calories, but they will also strengthen your leg muscles and help power you through everyday activities. Watch Kayla demonstrate each exercise in the video above, and read how to perform each move below. For the full workout plan for weeks one and three, visit Kayla Itsines's 4-Week No-Equipment Workout Plan Weeks 1 and 3.

4-Week No-Equipment Workout Plan Weeks 1 and 3: Legs

Complete as many laps of the exercises as possible during each seven-minute circuit, ensuring you maintain proper form. Perform each circuit back to back with one minute of rest in between (start with circuit one, rest for a minute, continue on to circuit two). For beginners, rest for 20 seconds in between each exercise in the circuit. Do each circuit once for 14 minutes of work, or repeat for 28 minutes of work.

Before each workout, start with a dynamic warmup to activate your muscles and get your blood flowing. Then, finish each workout with a cooldown — we like this 10-minute stretching routine.

Circuit 1: 7 Minutes

Pop Squat:

• Plant both feet together on the floor. This is your starting position.
• Push through your heels and propel your body upwards into the air, extending your legs beneath you. Reposition your legs to land in a sumo squat position with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart, ensuring that you maintain "soft" knees to prevent injury.
• Bend your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor, ensuring that your back remains within a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips.
• Push through your heels and propel your body upwards into the air, extending your legs beneath you. Reposition your legs to land in the starting position.
• Repeat for 15 reps.

Reverse Lunge and Knee-Up:

• Stand with your feet together. Take a controlled lunge (or large step) backward with your left foot.
• As you lunge back with your left foot, drive your left arm forward to maintain your balance.
• Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor and your right knee is positioned directly over your ankle. Keep your left knee bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor. Your left heel should be lifted.
• From the ground, drive your left knee up, coming into a standing position with your left leg lifted at a 90-degree angle. Simultaneously drive your right arm up to maintain your balance.
• If it's too hard to come into the knee drive from the lunge, step your left foot in to meet your right, then raise your left knee up.
• This is considered one rep.
• Complete 12 reps on each leg (24 total).

Plank Jacks:

• Begin in plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in one straight line, and your feet together.
• Like the motion of a jumping jack, jump your legs wide and then back together. Jump as quickly as you want, but keep your pelvis steady and don't let your booty rise toward the ceiling.
• Do a total of 24 jumping jacks.

Straight-Leg Jackknife:

• Lie on your back on a yoga mat. Extend both legs and engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine. This is your starting position.
• While keeping your legs extended, slowly raise your legs upwards until they form a 90-degree angle with your hips. At the same time, bring your arms forward and upward towards your feet, slowly lifting your head, shoulder blades and torso off the mat.
• Slowly lower your arms and legs to return to the starting position, but without lowering your feet to the floor.
  Repeat for 15 reps.

Circuit 2: 7 Minutes

Sumo Squat Pulse:

• Plant both feet on the floor further than hip-width apart. Point both feet slightly outward. This is your starting position.
• Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your back remains within a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips. This is called full squat position.
• Push through your heels and extend your legs slightly.
• Bend your knees again to return to full squat position. Continue this pulse action for 30 reps.

Single-Leg Glute Bridge:

• Lie on your back, and place your hands on the floor for stability as you bend one leg and lift the other leg off the ground.
• Pressing your heel into the floor, lift your pelvis up, keeping your body in a stiff bridge position. Hold for two seconds.
• Slowly lower your body to the floor. This counts as one rep.
• Complete 12 reps on each side (24 total).

Scissors:

• Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that your hips and knees are together. Imprint your spine into the mat and bring your legs into tabletop position, ensuring that your knees are stacked over your hips, your toes are pointed, and your shins are parallel to (in line with) the floor. Rest your hands gently on your knees.
• Set your T-zone. Tuck your chin into your chest and draw your ribs to your hips to elevate your head, shoulder blades and upper back off the mat, ensuring that your T-zone remains set to prevent the "doming" of your abdominals. At the same time, extend your arms by your sides with palms facing down, ensuring that your arms are parallel to (in line with) the floor. This is your starting position.
• Reset your T-zone. Lower your right leg towards the mat as far as you can while maintaining an imprinted spine.
• Elevate your right leg to return to the starting position.
• Lower your left leg towards the mat as far as you can while maintaining an imprinted spine.
• Elevate your left leg to return to the starting position. Continue alternating between right and left for 30 reps.

Alternating Lateral Lunge:

• Start with your feet directly under your hips. Step your right foot wide to the side coming into a lunge with your left fingers touching your right foot. Your right knee shouldn't go beyond your right toes. Keep your chest lifted and your weight in your heels.
• Push into your right foot to return to standing, then lunge sideways to the left to complete one rep.
• Complete two sets of 12 on each side (24 total).