What exercise will help build strength in my legs without using a machine?

Peforming bodyweight exercises such as Squats, Lunges, and Romanian Deadlifts are a great way to initially build your leg strength.  However, there will come a point where you need to start adding additional resistance to increase your strength.

There are a variety of ways you can do this without requiring machines or joining a gym.  A set of dumbbells that allow you to quickly change the weight can be a great investment and provide a total body workout.  You can also wear a weighted vest to increase the resistance when peforming squats and lunges.  Even something as simple as holding one gallon milk containers filled with water or sand can provide additional resistance.

It is important to keep progression in mind when working through your program whether its adding additonal repititions or increasing the weight.  There will come a point when performing endless bodyweight repititions will not only become time consuming, but less effective as well.  At that point you will want to find creative wayts to add resistance to keep progessing.

A great exercise for developing leg strength without a machine is the stability ball wall squat. This exercise is excellent for strengthening the thighs and glutes. In addition, this exercise can be performed even if you have limited range of motion in your lower extremities (hips, knees, and/or ankles), and poor core strength (weak abdominals). To perform the exercise, stand with your back towards a wall with a stability ball placed in your mid-back between you and the wall. Place your feet shoulder width apart and pointing straight ahead. Next, slowly squat down, making sure to keep your back in contact with the stability ball and your feet and knees pointing straight ahead. Squat down only as far as can be safely controlled. Once at the bottom position, push through your heels and slowly rise up out of the squat position. Perform for the desired amount of repetitions, typically 12-20.

There are many great exercises that can build strength in your legs without using a machine. In fact, some of the most effective lower body exercises only use body weight as resistance. Those exercises include Bodyweight Squats, Lunges, Step Ups and one of my favorites - Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift.

To perform a Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift, start by standing with feet straight and hip-width apart. Lift chest, tuck chin and place hands on hips. As you squeeze your butt muscles, balance on one leg (bent 5 degrees at knee) and lift other leg directly beside it. Next, bend at your waist and reach opposite hand toward balance foot; hold two seconds. Finally, return to start position and repeat. Perform 12-20 repetitions.

Lunges are a great way to build strength, stability, and endurance in your legs without needing any equipment. The lunge offers thigh, glute, and calf strengthening and stability.

To perform a lunge, first stand erect and take a forward step with one leg allowing your knee to bend (ensure step is big enough so that the knee does not extend pass the toes), lowering your body into the lunge position. You want to ensure that your chest stays up, abs remain nice and tight, (for stabilizing, ensure that you continue to breathe) and your trail leg sustains its position with that knee bending also (this will cause you to come onto the toes of the rear foot). Once the forward leg is bent to where the thigh is parallel to the floor, return to a standing position by pushing evenly through the foot and repeat on the opposite leg. To increase difficulty you can perform these in a walking manner as opposed to standing in place.