• Home
  • Store
  • Close to Home
  • Fitness
    • Cardio
    • Strength Training
  • Healthy Families
  • Weight Loss
  • Recipes
    • Veggie-palooza
    • Comfort Food Makeover
    • Detox
    • Easier Than Takeout
    • Fuel The Day Breakfasts
  • Media
    • In the News
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
  • Contact
    • Work With Me
  • Members
Jul 29 2014

Try-It Tuesday: Lower Body Strength Training Workout

by Marilyn McKenna

ballerinasAs much as I’d love to have the long, lean legs of a dancer, my body’s just not designed that way. My legs bulk up when I work ‘em hard. I’m in the middle of cycling season right now and by season’s end I’ll wind up looking more like Helga from the East German Cycling Team than any sort of delicate dancer. Ah, well.

The world would be a boring place if we all looked the same, I suppose.

Your legs are your powerhouse. They are the big, strong muscles that can drive metabolic burn and strength. Even though this is a strength training workout, it’s good cardio too because those large leg muscles put out a lot of energy.

Translation: you will sweat. (Psssssst, that’s a good thing!)

My trainer put together a lower body workout that should take 30-45 minutes to complete. The less rest you take between moves the better; it keeps your heart rate elevated and you burn more calories. There are 2 sets of 4 exercises each. Go through each set 2-3 times.

As always, only start an exercise program with the approval of your doctor.

For equipment you’ll need:

  • Bench or step
  • Dumbbells (8s or 10s for women, 15s or 25s for men)
  • Resistance band, if desired

Taryn’s Lower Body Strength Training Workout

Warm up: some type of cardio (jump rope, treadmill) for 2-3 minutes to get heart rate up. 

SET 1

Step Ups x 12 each leg – Use a bench or something that’s very sturdy.

lower-body-workout-1

Airplanes x 12 each leg – Regrettably I have never done this on a beach. Looks like so much more fun somehow.

lower-body-workout-2

Sumo Walks x 30-40 (walk sideways, with or without band just below your knees). Side note: if I tried to get away with the position shown in the photo below I’d get yelled at to get my butt down. Since Taryn’s not here, I’ll do it: get your butt down!

lower-body-workout-3

Side lunges x 12 each side – Use dumbbells to make it more challenging.

lower-body-workout-4

SET 2

Star Touches x 3 each leg – This is basically a single leg squat, but each rep is 5 touches down, making the shape of a star with your standing foot in the center. Not only is this great for your quads and glutes, it requires balance so it hits the smaller, ancillary muscles in your lower legs.

lower-body-workout-5

Bridges x 20 – Raise and lower your hips, squeezing your glutes.

lower-body-workout-6

Split Lunges with Leg on Bench x 12 each side – Use dumbbells to make it more challenging, but it tests your balance so be careful!

lower-body-workout-7

Squats x 20 – Squats are money! Do a jump at the top if you’re feeling super strong!

lower-body-workout-8

Whether you end up with the lithe legs of a dancer or not, if you do this lower body strength training workout twice a week you will get stronger, burn calories and build conditioning.

Working your lower body consistently gives you strength and stamina, to be sure. But it also makes you feel powerful and confident. Who couldn’t use a little bit of that?!

C’mon, we got this!

15
SHARES
FacebookTwitterSubscribePinterest
Tumblr
  • Signup for our email newsletter!

Filed Under: Fitness, Strength Training, Weight Loss

#ItMatters Store

  • 28 Days to Overcoming Food Addiction eBook $57.95
  • Eat Like It Matters Book $13.95

Recent Posts

  • Finding Second Gear

    Finding Second Gear

  • The easiest interval workout in the history of the universe

    The easiest interval workout in the history of the universe

  • Digging myself out of depression

    Digging myself out of depression

Copyright © 2015 Marilyn McKenna | Privacy Policy
You should always consult a doctor before changing your diet or starting a new exercise regimen.