Happy hump day. We’re already half way through the week and it’s flying by for me. Is it for anyone else too? Today I’m sharing a lower body gym workout.
You’ll perform each exercise for 12 res x 4 sets. Rest for 1 minute between each set to give your body a bit of time to recover. As for what weight you should use, pick one where you’ll be challenged but still able to maintain proper form for each rep. If you’re can’t, pick a lower weight. Proper form should be your number one priority.
Just in case you’re not familiar with any of the exercises, I’ve listed a description of them below. If you’re looking for more workouts, check out my workouts page or my Pinterest account where I share all kinds of workouts, recipes, and other healthy living content.
Leg press
Sit down in the leg press machine. Place your feet hip width’s apart so that your knees are over top of your toes. Release the safety and push your feet away from your body using your glutes and quads. Once your legs are fully extended, slowly bring your feet back towards yourself, once again using your leg muscles to stay in control of the speed. Repeat. At the end of the set rest the platform on the safety again.
Dumbbell squat
With feet hip width apart and dumbbells in your hands at your sides, use the glutes to lower your hips back and down while bending at the knees and ankles. Once you’ve reached the lowest position you can without leaning forward too much or letting the knees collapse in, return to a standing position, again using your glutes to propel yourself.
Alternating lunges
Stand with feet hip width apart. Step forward with one foot so that the forward leg’s thigh is parallel to the ground, and the back leg’s shin is parallel to the ground. The back knee shouldn’t touch the floor. Use your quads and glutes to step the front foot back towards your back foot and end by standing straight up with feet hip width apart again. For the second lunge step forward with the other foot.
Dumbbell deadlift
With a dumbbell in each hand. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Slowly bend forward at the hips, letting your arms hang down and keeping your back straight. Using your glutes, lift your torso back up to the starting standing position.
Fire hydrants
On your hands and knees with hands directly below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips, move your knee away from the floor and your body so that your thigh is close to parallel to the floor and at a 90 degree angle to your torso. Lower your knee back down to the ground in the starting position. Repeat.
High knees
Starting in a standing position, quickly bring your left knee up in front of you as high as you can. Step back down and repeat with your right leg. Repeat.
Clam shells
Lay on your side on the floor with your hips bent at a 45 degree angle and your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. With your legs stacked on top of one another, slowly lift your top knee up while keeping the top heal on the bottom heal. Then lower your knee back down. Make sure to use your glutes do the movement. Once one side is done flip over so the top leg is on the bottom and repeat with the second leg.
Donkey kicks
Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keeping your knee bent, lift your left leg so that your knee is parallel to the floor and the bottom of your foot is parallel to the ceiling. Lower you leg back down and repeat with the right leg.
Bench hops
With your hands on top of a bench, stand on one side of it. Hop your feet to the other side while keeping your hands on the bench for support. Repeat by hopping to the other side of the bench and returning to the original position.
Curtsy lunges
Similar to alternating lunges, instead of stepping straight back with your left leg, you place your left foot behind you and to the right, so that it crosses behind you and return to standing. Repeat with your right foot stepping back and to the left.
What’s your favorite lower body exercise to do at the gym?
As always, talk to your doctor before beginning to workout. Honor your body and modify this workout as needed for you.