10-Minute Lower-Body Workout With Bryant Johnson

This video is part of the 30-Day Couch-to-Fit Challenge designed to help you improve strength, cardio, balance and flexibility. Start the challenge here: aarp.org/CouchToFit

Try this easy lower-body workout from late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s trainer, Bryant Johnson, to build strength and tone muscles in your own home.

Key takeaways

• Follow Bryant Johnson’s expert guidance for safe, effective lower-body exercises you can do at home.
• Enhance balance, strength and mobility with routines that require only household items— no gym needed.
• Progress at your own pace using modifications, making this workout accessible for all fitness levels.

Summary

A 10-minute lower body workout is one of the most effective ways to build strength, improve balance and keep your muscles toned — no fancy gym equipment required. Fitness expert Bryant Johnson, renowned for training the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, leads you through easy lower-body exercises you can do at home using everyday items like water bottles for added resistance. Start with a proper warm-up to get your heart rate up, then progress through squats, lunges and leg extensions, finishing with calf raises to target all the major muscle groups in your lower body.

Bryant Johnson’s approach focuses on form, gradual progression and safe modifications, making these routines accessible for all fitness levels. By following his guidance and performing each movement at your own pace, you’ll not only boost muscle strength but also support joint function, core stability and overall mobility — ideal for anyone looking to stay active and independent. For a comprehensive fitness boost, add this lower-body workout to your regular exercise routine and explore the full Couch-to-Fit Challenge for increased energy and confidence.

The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Full Transcript:

[0:00:00] [AARP’s GET MOVING! Wherever You Are]

[0:00:03] [10-MINUTE LOWER BODY WORKOUT WITH Fitness Expert Bryant Johnson]

[0:00:06] >> Bryant Johnson: Hi, I’m Bryant Johnson,

[0:00:08] personal trainer and bestselling author.

[0:00:11] Today, we’re going to do a 10-minute lower-body workout.

[0:00:15] Feel free to follow along using any weights that you may have,

[0:00:18] but I will be using ...

[0:00:20] I’ll be using these various water bottles that I’ll be doing.

[0:00:23] Feel free at any time to go at your own pace,

[0:00:26] rewind, pause, forward and just repeat.

[0:00:30] Before I have any of my clients or myself do any type of strength training workout,

[0:00:35] I like to make sure that they warm up the body.

[0:00:38] And that warm-up can be anything from walking on a treadmill,

[0:00:41] walking in place, dancing to your favorite song,

[0:00:44] anything that’s going to get that heart rate up.

[0:00:47] I want you to do it for about five minutes.

[0:00:49] Once you’ve done that, then give me some light stretching.

[0:00:51] Once you’ve done all of that, then you’re ready to begin.

[0:00:55] So I’ve done all of that, so now let’s start off.

[0:00:58] The first exercise I will have everyone do is going to be the squat.

[0:01:02] What I want you to do is take the chair.

[0:01:05] We’re going to slide to the very end of the chair.

[0:01:07] Now I’m going to sit upright straight,

[0:01:09] feet are going to be about shoulder-width apart.

[0:01:12] My hands are actually going to come forward as I stand up,

[0:01:14] giving me something like a counterbalance.

[0:01:16] All right? So I’m going to come up here, back down.

[0:01:22] Here, back down.

[0:01:24] What we’re going to do is work in two sets of everything,

[0:01:28] 10 repetitions.

[0:01:29] And remember, sometimes I count funny, so don’t pay attention so much to my count,

[0:01:34] but what I want you to do is just keep moving.

[0:01:37] So now I think I’m going to do three more.

[0:01:40] Good. Here’s two.

[0:01:43] Good. And one more.

[0:01:46] Good. Relax.

[0:01:47] Now the next thing I want you to do. We’re going to do it one more time.

[0:01:50] Except this time, I’m going to grab this gallon of water.

[0:01:54] This gallon of water is going to weigh about 8 pounds.

[0:01:56] So if you have a 10-pound dumbbell, this will be perfect.

[0:02:00] Once again, grab this water.

[0:02:02] I want you hold it, cradle it tight to the body.

[0:02:05] Now what I want you to do,

[0:02:07] same thing, up and down 10 times.

[0:02:10] Up, down. Once.

[0:02:14] Two.

[0:02:16] Three.

[0:02:18] Keep those abs tight.

[0:02:19] Four,

[0:02:21] and five.

[0:02:23] Here is six,

[0:02:26] seven,

[0:02:29] eight,

[0:02:32] nine

[0:02:34] and 10.

[0:02:35] I’m going to take this gallon of water,

[0:02:37] I’m going to set it right over here to the side,

[0:02:39] ’cause I’m going to drink it later.

[0:02:41] Remember, when you’re doing any type of lower-body workout,

[0:02:45] these are your biggest, densest muscles.

[0:02:47] So your heart has to pump harder

[0:02:50] just to get the blood flowing through the body.

[0:02:52] Next exercise we’re going to do, the lunge.

[0:02:56] First I’m going to do without any weight.

[0:02:58] I’m going to turn the chair a little bit to the side

[0:03:00] so you see a better angle that I’m at.

[0:03:03]Going to have my left leg, it’s going to go forward,

[0:03:06] right leg is going to back.

[0:03:07] What people have a tendency to do is put their legs in tandem,

[0:03:11] in line.

[0:03:12] I’m going to widen them out a little bit. Give me a better base support.

[0:03:17] I’m going to keep this chair here

[0:03:18] for safety, stability, balance.

[0:03:21] I want you to concentrate on bending the rear leg,

[0:03:25] making sure the rear leg is what’s going down.

[0:03:28] Upper body is tight, abs are tight.

[0:03:30] Ballerina style, down.

[0:03:33] One,

[0:03:34] two.

[0:03:35] Good. Three. I know.

[0:03:38] Four,

[0:03:40] five,

[0:03:42] six, seven.

[0:03:44] Remember, this is just here.

[0:03:46] Eight,

[0:03:47] nine

[0:03:49] and 10.

[0:03:51] Well, now we have the left leg forward.

[0:03:54] Let’s switch.

[0:03:55] Right leg forward, left leg is back.

[0:03:59] Focus on the rear leg bending.

[0:04:02] Tight form.

[0:04:05] One,

[0:04:06] two,

[0:04:08] three,

[0:04:10] four,

[0:04:12] five,

[0:04:14] six,

[0:04:16] seven,

[0:04:18] eight,

[0:04:19] nine,

[0:04:22] 10.

[0:04:23] Now if that was easy, you want little extra challenge,

[0:04:30] grab this.

[0:04:31] This weighs about 3 pounds. This is about 50 ounces of water.

[0:04:35] So give or take 3 pounds, 3-pound dumbbell.

[0:04:38] All I want you to do, grab it, hold it right here.

[0:04:42] Left leg is forward, right leg is back,

[0:04:46] standing tall.

[0:04:47] Down.

[0:04:48] One,

[0:04:50] two,

[0:04:52] three, four.

[0:04:54] I’m looking down, checking my form.

[0:04:56] Five, six.

[0:04:58] Sometimes people try to do this.

[0:05:00] No.

[0:05:02] Eight,

[0:05:04] nine, 10.

[0:05:07] Good, relax.

[0:05:09] Switch.

[0:05:11] I know, going to be a little more challenging.

[0:05:13] Doesn’t matter, you can still hold it in the same hand

[0:05:15] because we still going to go down.

[0:05:17] Right leg is forward,

[0:05:20] left leg is back.

[0:05:21] And take it down.

[0:05:23] One,

[0:05:25] two, three.

[0:05:27] I don’t need you to go way down here. No.

[0:05:32] Good.

[0:05:34] Six,

[0:05:35] seven,

[0:05:37] eight,

[0:05:39] nine, 10.

[0:05:41] Good job, everybody. Excellent, excellent.

[0:05:44] All right, next exercise.

[0:05:47] Going to position the chair right back here.

[0:05:51] We’re going to sit down.

[0:05:55] Going to be a leg extension.

[0:05:57] We’re going to sit upright in the chair as so.

[0:05:59] Movement is going to be, watch,

[0:06:01] leg comes up,

[0:06:03] extend it out,

[0:06:05] don’t point the toe, pull that toe back,

[0:06:07] here, bend it, back down.

[0:06:11] OK, watch again.

[0:06:13] Up, extend,

[0:06:15] pull that toe back,

[0:06:16] bend, back down.

[0:06:19] Up, extend,

[0:06:21] bend, back down.

[0:06:23] Up, extend,

[0:06:25] bend, back down.

[0:06:27] Up, extend,

[0:06:28] bend, back down.

[0:06:30] Up, extend,

[0:06:32] bend, back down.

[0:06:34] Up, extend,

[0:06:36] bend, back down.

[0:06:37] Up, extend,

[0:06:39] bend, back down.

[0:06:41] Two more.

[0:06:42] Extend,

[0:06:43] bend, back down.

[0:06:44] One more. Up, extend, bend, back down.

[0:06:49] Works the quadricep, really focused on the quadricep,

[0:06:52] a little bit at the lower ab,

[0:06:54] while also the iliopsoas muscle running right along there.

[0:06:58] Switch legs.

[0:06:59] Remember, this is only going to be a 10-minute workout.

[0:07:03] All right, so here we go.

[0:07:04] Left leg up, extend,

[0:07:08] pull that toe back,

[0:07:09] bend, back down.

[0:07:11] Up, extend,

[0:07:13] bend, back down.

[0:07:15] Up, extend,

[0:07:16] bend, back down.

[0:07:18] Up, extend, bend.

[0:07:21] Take your time.

[0:07:22] Up, extend,

[0:07:24] bend, back down.

[0:07:26] Up, extend,

[0:07:27] bend, back down.

[0:07:29] Let’s go, four more.

[0:07:30] Up, extend,

[0:07:31] bend, back down.

[0:07:33] Three. Up, extend, bend.

[0:07:37] Two more.

[0:07:38] Up, extend,

[0:07:40] bend, back down.

[0:07:41] One.

[0:07:42] Up, extend,

[0:07:44] bend, back down.

[0:07:46] Relax. How are you feeling?

[0:07:48] Everything’s good? Go like this.

[0:07:50] Give a little bit of air.

[0:07:52] All right, now we’re going to make it a little more challenging now.

[0:07:55] Remember that gallon of water sat over here,

[0:07:58] sat over here just for a moment.

[0:08:00] We got to get it.

[0:08:01] We’re going to set it right here. Add a little extra weight to it.

[0:08:05] Watch the movement here. Hold here.

[0:08:08] Up, extend,

[0:08:10] pull that toe back, bend, back down.

[0:08:13] Got it?

[0:08:14] Up, extend,

[0:08:15] bend, back down.

[0:08:17] Up, extend,

[0:08:19] bend, back down.

[0:08:20] Up, extend,

[0:08:22] bend, back down.

[0:08:23] Up, extend, bend.

[0:08:25] I think that’s five more to go, right? Up, extend, bend.

[0:08:28] OK, four more.

[0:08:30] Up, extend, bend.

[0:08:32] OK, three.

[0:08:33] Up, extend, bend.

[0:08:36] Two. Up, extend, bend.

[0:08:39] One. Up, extend, bend.

[0:08:42] Relax. Switch.

[0:08:45] Grab it here.

[0:08:47] Wipe the perspiration from your forehead as I am.

[0:08:50] Here, up, extend,

[0:08:53] bend, back down.

[0:08:55] Up, extend,

[0:08:57] bend, back down.

[0:08:58] Up, extend,

[0:09:00] bend, back.

[0:09:01] Up, extend,

[0:09:03] bend, back down.

[0:09:05] Up, extend, bend.

[0:09:07] Five.

[0:09:08] Up, extend, bend.

[0:09:11] Four.

[0:09:12] Up, extend, bend.

[0:09:14] Three.

[0:09:15] Up, extend, bend. Peace.

[0:09:19] Up, extend, bend.

[0:09:21] Last one is the best one.

[0:09:23] Up, extend,

[0:09:25] bend, back down.

[0:09:27] Put this gallon of water down to the side.

[0:09:30] Shake it up.

[0:09:31] Don’t even shake it up, just stand up.

[0:09:34] Shake the legs out a little bit, nice and easy.

[0:09:36] OK, last exercise I want you to do,

[0:09:39] I want you to grab it here, turn it around.

[0:09:42] Just going to do some calves, toe raises, right?

[0:09:45] Here for balance, look upright, stand.

[0:09:48] And up.

[0:09:50] Hold here for a moment. Down.

[0:09:53] Up, down.

[0:09:55] Up,

[0:09:56] down.

[0:09:57] Up,

[0:09:59] down.

[0:10:00] Up, down.

[0:10:02] I think I got five more, I don’t know.

[0:10:04] Good. Four.

[0:10:06] Good. Three.

[0:10:08] Good. Two.

[0:10:11] Good. One.

[0:10:13] Good. And relax. All right, shake it out a little bit.

[0:10:16] All right, as with all, so, one set without weight,

[0:10:20] one set with weight.

[0:10:21] I want you to do,

[0:10:23] grab your 3-pound weight.

[0:10:25] Nah, too light.

[0:10:30] Grab your 8 pounds of water.

[0:10:33] Here, last time is the best time.

[0:10:35] Just for balance, control.

[0:10:38] Up, down.

[0:10:40] Up, two.

[0:10:43] Up, three.

[0:10:45] Up, four.

[0:10:48] Up, five.

[0:10:50] Up, six.

[0:10:52] Up, seven.

[0:10:55] Up, eight.

[0:10:57] Up, nine.

[0:10:59] Up, and 10.

[0:11:02] Set it back down.

[0:11:03] Everyone,

[0:11:05] that is what you have, a 10-minute lower-body workout.

[0:11:10] [AARP Real Possibilities]