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Exercises

Bodyweight exercises for runners: single-leg strength with no equipment

Published October 29, 2026

The best bodyweight exercises for runners are single-leg ones, because body weight on one leg is heavy enough to build strength: skater squats, pistol squats to a box and Cossack squats for the legs; single-leg glute bridges and Nordic hamstring curls for the back of the leg; single-leg calf raises and hops for the calves and ankles; and side planks, Copenhagen planks and push-ups for the trunk and upper body. Do two sessions a week, and make each move harder by slowing it down or moving to a harder version once you pass 15 reps.

  1. Skater Squat Quads, Glutes
  2. Pistol Squat Quads, Glutes
  3. Single-Leg Glute Bridge Glutes
  4. Nordic Hamstring Curl Hamstrings
  5. Single-Leg Calf Raise Calves
  6. Single-Leg Jump Quads, Glutes, Calves
  7. Side Plank Abs
  8. Copenhagen Plank Adductors, Abs

Squats and single-leg strength

Two-legged squats get easy fast, so they are a starting point, not the plan. Moving to one leg doubles the load without any weights, and the Cossack squat adds the side-to-side range running never trains.

Quads and glutes, both legs

Bodyweight Squat

Quads

The air squat is where beginners learn to squat deep with heels down before moving to one leg. Once 20 clean reps feel easy, it has done its job.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly, arms out in front for balance.
  2. Push your hips back and bend your knees, keeping your heels flat and your chest up.
  3. Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, deeper if your heels stay down.
  4. Drive through your whole foot to stand tall, then go straight into the next rep.

Cues

  • Heels glued to the floor
  • Knees over toes
  • Thighs to parallel or lower

Common mistakes

  • Knees caving in on the way up: push them out over your little toes.
  • Quarter squats to hit a rep count: a full-depth set of 12 beats a shallow set of 30.

Swap for: Reverse Lunge, Wall Sit, Jump Squat

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Quads and glutes, single leg

Skater Squat

Quads, Glutes

The skater squat puts all your weight on one leg through a deep bend, which is real strength work for a runner with no equipment. Lean the chest forward to share the work with the glute.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one foot and bend the other knee so that foot is behind you, arms straight out in front as a counterweight.
  2. Push your hips back and lean your chest forward as you bend the standing knee.
  3. Lower until the back knee is just above the floor.
  4. Drive through your standing foot to stand tall; sets are per leg.

Cues

  • Arms forward as the counterweight
  • Chest leans, back stays flat
  • Back knee to a folded towel

Common mistakes

  • Only going down a few inches: put a folded towel or cushion where your knee should land and touch it every rep.
  • Letting the standing knee collapse inward: track it over your toes, and slow the lowering if it wobbles.

Swap for: Pistol Squat, Reverse Lunge, Cossack Squat

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Quads and glutes, hardest single-leg squat

Pistol Squat

Quads, Glutes

Lowering to a box on one leg with the other held out front is the hardest squat you can do at home. The box sets the depth, so lower it as you get stronger.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one leg in front of a chair or box, the other leg straight out in front and arms reaching forward.
  2. Push your hips back and bend the standing knee, lowering slowly toward the seat.
  3. Touch the chair lightly, without sitting your weight down, and keep the front leg off the floor.
  4. Drive through the standing heel to stand all the way up; sets are per leg.

Cues

  • Touch the chair, don't sit
  • Reach forward to stay balanced
  • Lower the chair as you get stronger

Common mistakes

  • Dropping onto the seat and bouncing back up: control the lowering and barely touch, or raise the seat.
  • Heel popping up at the bottom: shift your weight to mid-foot and use a higher box until it stays down.

Swap for: Skater Squat, Reverse Lunge, Sissy Squat

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Adductors and quads, side to side

Cossack Squat

Quads, Adductors

Shifting into a deep side squat trains the adductors and the hip in a direction running never takes them. It is strength and mobility in one move.

How to do it

  1. Take a very wide stance, about twice the width of your shoulders, with the toes turned out a little.
  2. Bend your right knee and sit your hips down toward your right heel, letting the left leg straighten with the toes pointing up.
  3. Sink as deep as you can with the right foot flat and your chest lifted.
  4. Press the floor away with the right foot to return to the middle, then sit to the left.

Cues

  • Sit down, not forward
  • Flat foot on the bent side
  • Long leg stays straight

Common mistakes

  • Folding the chest down to the knee to get lower: hold a light weight out in front as a counterbalance instead.
  • Rushing from side to side: stop in the middle for a breath between reps.

Swap for: Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Kettlebell Lateral Lunge, Balance Board Lateral Squat

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Glutes and hamstrings

The back of the leg is the hardest part to load without equipment. A single-leg bridge and a Nordic curl, with your ankles under a couch or held by a partner, solve it.

Glutes and hamstrings, single leg

Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Glutes

On one leg, a bridge trains the glute properly with no weight, and a light kettlebell on the working hip is the next step when 15 reps get easy. Hold the top for two seconds to make the hamstrings work too.

How to do it

  1. On your back, plant one foot flat and the other leg lifted; rest a light kettlebell on the working hip if you have one.
  2. Press the planted heel down and raise your hips until your body is straight from knee to shoulder.
  3. Lower slowly and finish the set before switching.

Cues

  • Push through the heel
  • Hips level
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Letting one hip drop: lower the height until both stay level.

Swap for: Donkey Kick, Dumbbell Glute Bridge, Clamshell

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Hamstrings, slow lowering

Nordic Hamstring Curl

Hamstrings

The Nordic curl loads the hamstrings harder than any other bodyweight move, through the lengthening action they do at the end of each leg swing. Even three slow reps are a hard set.

How to do it

  1. Kneel on a cushion with your ankles pinned under a couch, or held by a partner, and your body upright from knees to head.
  2. Squeeze your glutes and lower your torso forward as slowly as you can, bending only at the knees.
  3. When your hamstrings can't hold you, catch yourself with your hands on the floor.
  4. Push off the floor lightly and pull with your hamstrings to come back up to kneeling.

Cues

  • Hips stay open, no folding
  • Lower as slowly as possible
  • Hands catch, then help up

Common mistakes

  • Bending at the hips to make the lowering easier: keep a straight line from knees to shoulders.
  • Flopping to the floor after a few inches: fight it the whole way down; the slow lowering is the rep.

Swap for: Single-Leg RDL, Band Good Morning, Superman

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Calves, ankles and hops

Calf raises on one leg off a stair load the calf and Achilles through full range, and short hops train them to rebound. Together they build the spring in your stride.

Calves and Achilles, single leg

Single-Leg Calf Raise

Calves

One leg off a stair doubles the load on each calf compared with a two-legged raise. Go all the way down and all the way up.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one foot with the other lifted just off the floor, arms by your sides; hold a dumbbell in each hand once body weight is easy.
  2. Rise onto the ball of your foot as high as you can and hold for a second.
  3. Lower your heel to the floor over two seconds.
  4. Finish all reps on one leg, then switch; sets are per leg.

Cues

  • Rise as high as you can
  • Pause at the top
  • Two seconds down

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing through the reps: pause for a beat at the top of each one.
  • Rolling onto the outside of the foot: keep your weight over the big toe.

Swap for: Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise, Kettlebell Calf Raise, Standing Calf Raise

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Ankle stiffness, single-leg hops

Single-Leg Jump

Quads, Glutes, Calves

Hopping on one foot trains the calf and ankle to rebound off the ground quickly, the way they do at faster paces. Keep the ground contact short and quiet.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one foot with your knee slightly bent.
  2. Hop up off that foot and land on the same foot.
  3. Stabilize, then hop again; switch legs after the set.

Cues

  • Land quiet
  • Knee over toes

Common mistakes

  • Knee folding inward on landing: hop lower until it stays in line with your foot.

Swap for: Skater Hop, Single-Leg Box Jump

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Side-to-side power

Skater Hop

Glutes, Quads, Abductors

Bounding sideways from one leg to the other trains the hips to produce and absorb force in a lateral direction, useful for trails and turns. Stick each landing for a beat.

How to do it

  1. Stand on your right leg with a slight bend in the knee.
  2. Push off sideways and land on your left foot, letting your right leg swing behind you.
  3. Stick the landing, then bound back to the right.

Cues

  • Stick each landing
  • Push sideways, not up

Common mistakes

  • Taking off before you are balanced: pause for a beat on each landing.

Swap for: Lateral Box Jump, Single-Leg Jump

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Explosive leg power

Jump Squat

Quads, Glutes

The jump squat adds speed to the squat pattern. Keep the sets short so every jump is fast; once they slow down, the set is over.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width and your arms ready.
  2. Dip into a quarter to half squat, then jump straight up, swinging your arms.
  3. Land softly with bent knees and reset before the next jump.

Cues

  • Soft, quiet landing
  • Reset between reps

Common mistakes

  • Landing stiff-legged: let the hips and knees bend to absorb the landing.

Swap for: Box Jump, Bodyweight Squat

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Trunk and upper body

Side planks and Copenhagen planks train the side of the trunk and the inner thigh that steady you on one leg. Push-ups cover the upper body in one move.

Obliques, side hold

Side Plank

Abs

The side plank holds the trunk level against gravity, the same job it does on every single-leg landing. Lift the top leg to make it harder without holding longer.

How to do it

  1. Lie on one side with your elbow under your shoulder and your legs stacked.
  2. Lift your hips until your body is straight from head to feet.
  3. Hold, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Hips high
  • Stacked feet
  • Elbow under shoulder

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop toward the floor as the hold goes on.
  • Rolling the chest forward or back.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Plank, Copenhagen Plank

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Adductors and obliques, side hold

Copenhagen Plank

Adductors, Abs

With your top leg on a chair, the Copenhagen plank trains the inner thigh and side of the trunk together. It is one of the few ways to load the adductors at home.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your side next to a flat bench or sturdy chair, propped on your bottom forearm with the elbow under your shoulder.
  2. Lay your straight top leg on the seat so the inside of your foot and ankle rest on it; tuck the bottom leg under it or let it rest on the floor.
  3. Press the top foot down into the seat and raise your hips until your body runs in one line from head to feet.
  4. Hold for the set's time or lower and raise your hips for reps, then turn over and do the other side.

Cues

  • Push the seat away with your top foot
  • Hips stacked, not rolled back
  • Breathe while you hold

Common mistakes

  • Starting with the foot on the seat before you can hold a side plank: rest your knee there instead until 30-second holds feel solid.
  • Hips drifting backward so the plank turns into a pike: keep your hips in line with your shoulders.

Swap for: Band Hip Adduction, Cossack Squat, Balance Board Lateral Squat

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Chest, shoulders and triceps

Push-Up

Chest

Push-ups keep the upper body from being ignored and train a straight-body plank at the same time. Elevate the hands to make them easier, the feet to make them harder.

How to do it

  1. Set your hands slightly wider than your shoulders with your body straight from head to heels.
  2. Lower until your chest nearly touches the floor, elbows at about 45 degrees.
  3. Press back up to straight arms.

Cues

  • One straight line
  • Elbows angled back

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows straight out: tuck them toward your ribs.

Swap for: Kneeling Push-Up, Incline Push-Up, Push-Up Plus

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

New to strength work, two days at home

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets26 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You run three or four times a week, have never done strength training, and have only a stair and some floor space.

One routine done twice gives 26 sets a week across legs, calves, trunk and upper body. Starting with the easier two-legged and supported versions at 2 to 3 reps in reserve lets your tendons adapt before you load single-leg moves.

Bodyweight basics
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Bodyweight Squat 3 × 12–20 3 1 min
Single-Leg Glute BridgePer leg. 3 × 8–12 2 1 min
Single-Leg Calf RaisePer leg. 3 × 8–15 2 1 min
Side PlankSeconds per side. 2 × 20–40 2 45 s
Push-Up 2 × 5–12 2 75 s
How to run it
Run easy first, then do this twice a week with two or more days in between; it fits in 25 minutes.
How to progress
Add reps until you reach the top of each range with 2 reps left. Then move up a version: squat to skater squat, bridge with a 2-second hold, push-ups with hands one step lower.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Experienced runner, harder bodyweight work

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets29 a week
  • Per workout~40 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You already handle single-leg squats and want two harder sessions that still need no equipment.

Day A has 14 sets and Day B has 15, about 29 a week. The single-leg strength moves run close to failure, 1 to 2 reps in reserve, because with no added weight the only way to load them is harder versions and fewer reps left.

Day A: Pistol and Nordic
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Single-Leg JumpHops per leg. 3 × 6–10 3 1 min
Pistol SquatPer leg. Lower the box as you progress. 4 × 4–8 1 90 s
Nordic Hamstring CurlLower as slowly as you can. 3 × 3–6 1 2 min
Single-Leg Calf RaisePer leg. 2 × 12–20 1 1 min
Copenhagen PlankSeconds per side. 2 × 20–30 2 1 min

Open Day A: Pistol and Nordic in the session builder

Day B: Skater and side to side
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Skater HopPer side. 3 × 6–8 3 1 min
Skater SquatPer leg. 4 × 6–10 1 90 s
Cossack SquatPer side. 3 × 6–8 2 75 s
Single-Leg Glute BridgePer leg. 2 s hold at the top. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Push-Up 2 × 10–20 1 75 s

Open Day B: Skater and side to side in the session builder

How to run it
Put Day A after an easy run and Day B two or three days later. Keep the Nordic curls at least two days before a workout or long run, since the hamstrings can be sore for a day or two after them.
How to progress
When a move reaches the top of its range at 1 to 2 reps in reserve, go to a harder version: a lower box for pistols, a slower 4-second lowering for skater squats, a lower catch point for Nordics. Add hops before adding height.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Travel or race week, 15 minutes

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You are on the road or in the last weeks before a race, with a hotel room and no time, and want to keep your strength ticking over.

Ten sets across the legs, calves and trunk, once or twice a week, holds strength for several weeks. Everything stops 2 to 3 reps short so you finish fresher than you started.

Hotel room session
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Jump Squat 2 × 4–6 3 1 min
Skater SquatPer leg. 2 × 6–8 3 1 min
Single-Leg Glute BridgePer leg. 2 × 8–10 3 45 s
Single-Leg Calf RaisePer leg. 2 × 10–12 3 45 s
Side PlankSeconds per side. 2 × 20–30 3 45 s
How to run it
Do it after an easy run. In race week, do one session four or five days out and skip the jumps.
How to progress
There is no progression here. Keep the reps the same and leave the sessions feeling easy; the gains come back when the full plan does.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

Can you build strength for running with only body weight?

Yes, if most of the work is on one leg. A skater squat or pistol squat puts your full body weight on one leg, which is a real strength load. Two-legged squats and lunges for high reps mostly train endurance you already have from running.

How do I train my body for running without a gym?

Run most days, and add two bodyweight strength sessions a week: one single-leg squat, one hamstring or glute move, single-leg calf raises, a side plank and push-ups. Progress by moving to harder versions.

How many times a week should runners do bodyweight exercises?

Two sessions a week works best for most runners. Once a week keeps strength during race season or travel. More than three adds fatigue without much extra gain.

Are plyometrics good for runners?

Short hops and jumps train the calves and ankles to rebound quickly, which is part of what makes faster running efficient. Keep sets short, 4 to 10 contacts, and do them first in a session.

What is a 30-minute bodyweight workout for runners?

Warm up with 2 minutes of hops, then 3 sets each of skater squats, single-leg glute bridges and single-leg calf raises, and 2 sets each of side planks and push-ups. Rest 60 seconds between sets.