Workout of the week: 20-min lower body workout

ALL LEVELS / lower body workout / 20 minutes

Equipment: Barbell, dumbbells, weight plates & leg extension machine

Think of your lower body as the foundation of your life’s structure. Just as you can’t build a house starting from the roof, you can’t achieve a well-rounded physique without first establishing a solid lower body. That’s why people say “never skip leg day”.

Today, we bring you a lower body workout. That way, you’ll have no excuses to skip this day. It consists of 4 exercises, each with 12 reps, to be completed over 4 rounds. Throughout this training session, you’ll have 1-minute to rest between both exercises and rounds. All combined, this workout will take you 20 minutes to complete.

Barbell hip thrust
Dumbbell lunges
Goblet squat with plates
Leg extensions

Leg day, let’s go!

WORKOUT SETUP

4 exercises
12 reps each
4 rounds
1-min rest between rounds
1-min rest between exercises
20 minutes total
Equipment: Barbell, dumbbells, weight plates & leg extension machine

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

4 rounds

1 – BARBELL HIP THRUST

12 reps

Sit on the ground with a bench behind you, bending your knees, feet planted on the ground.
Hold a barbell and let it rest above your hips.
If possible, use a padded bar or slip something soft between the bar and your body. It will make the exercise more comfortable.
Lean back, so your shoulders are on the bench and position the bar above your hips.
Drive your hips up, lifting the bar. In the top position, your knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle, and your shoulders should be near the top of the bench, with your body forming a straight line between them.
Pause at the top of the lift and squeeze your glutes, then lower your hips slowly.

2 – DUMBBELL LUNGES

12 reps

Stand tall and hold the dumbbells by your shoulders.
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 full hip and knee extension.
Repeat.

3 – GOBLET SQUATS WITH PLATES

12 reps

Place two lightweight disks under each of your heels — this variation of the goblet squat will focus on your quads.
Stand tall and hold a dumbbell vertically, putting your hands below the top of the weight.
Place the dumbbell against your chest and keep it there throughout the whole movement.
Squat, keeping your core tight and back upright.
Get back up, pushing from the sole of your feet to help you.

4 – LEG EXTENSIONS

12 reps

Sit up straight on the leg extension machine.
Adjust the pad so it sits on your lower leg and just above your feet.
Extend your legs straight out in front of you, making sure you’re using your quads to power the movement.
Then slowly lower them back to the starting position.
Repeat.