Lower Body Workout

Thursday, June 27, 2019

Lower Body Workout

This is a lower body workout focusing on the legs and glutes. You can do this one at home or at the gym with only a pair of dumbbells.

Hi friends! This is our Summer Shape Up upper body workout. I hope you love this one. For the full Summer Shape Up details, check out our free 4-week fitness plan here. If you’re not officially participating in the challenge, no worries! Just pin this workout for when you’re looking for an lower body workout, or add it into your routine on legs day.

Squat

Here’s what the workout looks like:

Lower body workout

Form cues and tips:

Single leg squat: Stand in front of a chair or a bench, with the chair or bench about 2-3 feet behind you. Make sure your feet are underneath your shoulders (hip width or slightly wider is good) and toes slightly turned out. Focus on sitting back, while keeping your chest lifted and a tight core. Inhale to lower to touch your booty to the chair, exhale to rise. (Modify: Stationary lunges holding dumbbells or bodyweight only.)

Jumping lunges: Start in lunge position, making sure your front knee doesn’t bend in front of the toe and keep your legs parallel to each other—like a train track, not a tightrope. Make sure to land with a soft knee and sink into your lunge before springing up. If the impact is too much, try quick and efficient lunges instead. (Low impact: walking lunges.)

Heavy goblet squat: Place your feet just under your shoulders with toes slightly angled out. Hold a HEAVY dumbbell under your chin, perpendicular to the floor. Keep your chest lifted and a core tight as you sink back and down into your squat. Pretend like there is a chair behind you, and you’re going to tap your booty to the chair. The weight should remain in your heels, and try to keep your elbows just under the bar with a nice wide grip.

Squat jumps: Get into a squat position (booty LOW and back), and touch the floor. Keep your abs engaged and chest lifted. Powering through your heels, spring up, reaching your arms towards the ceiling. Land with a soft knee. Repeat. (Low impact: regular bodyweight squats.)

Lateral lunges: Take a big step out with your left leg (holding one dumbbell), and that your left foot angles out 45 degrees. (Your right leg stays straight and strong; toes point forward.) Think about sinking your hips down and back into your lateral lunge as you keep your core tight and your chest lifted. Step back to center.

Weighted hip raises: Start on your back, with knees bent and feet pressing into the floor. Hold a dumbbell or flat weight just above your hip bones. Press your hips up towards the ceiling, and lower down to two inches above the floor. (Pregnant mamas: do 20 donkey kicks on each side instead.)

Burpees: Sit into your squat and bring both hands to the floor, firmly planting your entire hand. Walk or hop back to a plank position (push-up here optional), walk or hop your feet back to your hands, and jump vertically, raising your arms overhead. To modify, eliminate the jump and you can also place your hands on the wall or on a bench instead of on the floor to modify the plank.

For a quick video demo, check out my IG stories