Workout of the week: 18-min lower body workout

ALL LEVELS / lower body workout / 18 minutes

Equipment: Barbell & gym mat

Last week we had an upper body workout, and we promised this week we would bring a lower body workout: here it is! There are plenty of good reasons to never skip a leg day: it improves mobility, strengthens your lower body, and builds endurance. Plus, it can make your glutes look good.

All good reasons for you to try this lower body workout? A workout with 2 groups, each with 3 exercises that you’ll perform for 45 seconds — you get 15 seconds to rest between exercises. You must complete 3 rounds of the first group before moving on to the second group. All combined, this workout will take you 18 minutes to complete.

1st group

Barbell squat
Squat hold
Squat jump

2nd group

Barbell deadlift
Lunge
Lunge jump

It’s time to strengthen your lower body!

WORKOUT SETUP

2 groups
3 exercises in each group
45 sec on, 15 sec off
3 rounds
18 minutes total
Equipment: Barbell & gym mat

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

3 rounds

1st GROUP

1 – BARBELL SQUAT

45 sec on, 15 sec off

Start in a standing position with the barbell in a rack position (barbell resting loosely in palms, upper arm horizontal).
Begin the movement by squatting down, and keeping the back straight.
Aim to drop the hips just below the knees while maintaining balance and control of the bar.
Return to the start position and repeat for reps or time.

2 – SQUAT HOLD

45 sec on, 15 sec off

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, and feet turned out slightly for comfort. Engage the core and set the shoulders.
Raise the arms in front of the chest and slowly squat down, pushing the knees outwards, so they remain over the toes.
Squat until the hip crease is below knee level, and keep the arms in front for balance and stability.
Hold this position for a while, ensuring you continue to breathe comfortably.

3 – SQUAT JUMP

45 sec on, 15 sec off

Find some space and stand with feet hip-width apart. Engage the core and set the shoulders slightly, ready for movement.
Quickly bend the knees and hips (to about a ¼ squat position) as you move the arms backwards. Keep the knees over the toes throughout this part.
As soon as you hit the lowest spot, rapidly extend the hips and drive the arms up to straighten the body and perform a small jump.
Keep the core tight and remain balanced as you land, allowing the knees and hips to bend slightly to absorb the force.
Reset the body and repeat.

2nd GROUP

1 – BARBELL DEADLIFT

45 sec on, 15 sec off

Stand behind the bar with feet hip to shoulder-width apart. The feet should be close to the bar.
From here, bend the knees slightly and push the hips back to bend down and grab the bar, keeping the back straight. Once you have the bar, keep the back straight, engage the core, and drive the hips forward and up, returning to standing. Keep the shoulder and core set through the movement.
When you have a full hip extension, keep everything engaged as you slightly bend the knees and reverse the move to lower the bar (either back to the floor or a low hang position).
Repeat.

2 – LUNGE

45 sec on, 15 sec off

Stand tall and engage your core.
Step your right leg forward, keeping the heel down.
Raise the heel of the left leg.
Then, lower the torso until the back knee touches the ground, with a total hip and knee extension.
Repeat with the other leg.

3 – LUNGE JUMP

45 sec on, 15 sec off

Stand with feet hip-width apart, core engaged, and shoulders set
Jump straight up and split the legs into a lunge, allowing the back knee to drop close to the floor. Keep the core engaged and the torso upright. Use the arms in opposition to the legs to counterbalance the movement (if necessary).
As soon as you hit the lowest point, explosively jump upwards and split the legs on the other side. Maintain your balance and position throughout the movement.