AT HOME LEG WORKOUT- Focusing on Quads and Glutes

Hey ya'll! Happy Thursday!:)

So today I want to share with you the leg workout I did yesterday! You can do this at a gym or at your house, and it does require equipment. I really want to create an INTENSE no equipment whatsoever workout that you can take with you anywhere- to the living room, the gym, or on vacation! It annoys me so much how people make "no equipment needed" workouts, but then end up using some sort of weight or resistance bands. No. I want to make one that is so effective there is not even a need for any of that!

Anyways, for the workout!

The equipment I used included:

• Barbell (dumbbells or any other kind of weight works too, in fact only one exercise uses this so don't be afraid to use no weight at all!)
• Resistance Band (I used what I call "mini bands," just the small circle bands)
• Bench (or any kind chair, ottoman, etc.)

And that's all!

Side note, for the "Resistance Band Pull Throughs" you will need to attach the band to some sort of a pole or even close the band in a door. I personally used one of the legs of my squat rack, but I know not everyone will have one of those! You really will want to make sure the band is secure, as you will be pulling it will all the force of your glutes. Another GREAT variation of this exercise is a Kettlebell Swing- it is essentially the same movement, and you can perform it with just one dumbbell or kettlebell!!

WARM UP: Jump Squats and Glute Activation (this is too "wake up" your glutes so you get the most out of your workout! This is really critical on leg day!). I did some banded lateral walks, kickbacks, and air squats.

EXERCISE ONE:

Bulgarian Split Squats

4 sets of 10 reps (on each leg)

SUPERSET ONE:

12 High Step Ups (each leg)

30 second Wall Sit

3 sets

SUPERSET TWO:

20 Resistance Band Pull Throughs (or Kettlebell/ Dumbbell Swings)

50 Resistance Band Side Steps (in squat position, 25 each side)

3 sets

BURNOUT:

30 Frog Pumps

30 Reverse Hyperextensions

5 minutes

And that's all! This workout took me 40 minutes :) Yes, only 40 minutes! Please don't you ever think you have to spend hours in the gym, if anything it could only hurt your progress more than help! I weightlift 30 to 60 minutes each day (I also run three times per week), except on my REST DAY. Please make sure you have at least one rest day per week, your body needs it! But if you are just starting, or trying to make working out a habit, START SMALL!! There is no need to workout for an hour everyday, or even a half hour. There are so many HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts that are so effective! So start small, but keep challenging yourself and increasing the amount of time you workout!

Okay okay I am done with that rant (for now ;)), so I want to explain the workout! Especially for those of you who are new to fitness and aren't familiar with the names of the workouts.

First of all, a Rep is how many times you do an exercise in a row. A Set is how many times you perform those reps. For example, 5 sets of 10 reps of squats means you would do 10 squats, 5 times.

Always make sure you warm up really good, and on leg days do your glute activation, especially -but not only- if you want to grow your glutes! Most of us spend WAY too much time sitting on our rear, and the muscles and nerves basically "turn off" and go dead. Wake those babies up before working them!

I almost always do heavy compound movements for my first exercise. This is because I want to complete my heaviest movements when I am fresh on energy, and keeps you safe. A Bulgarian Split Squat is similar to a lunge, but your back leg is raised on a bench or chair of some sort. You can even perform just basic Split Squats with no equipment; it's similar to a stationary lunge. I performed these with a barbell, but dumbbells or even bodyweight works great! To really make your muscles work, you can add a jump at the end of each rep.

The first superset in this workout starts with 12 High Step Ups. This is very simple and requires no weight! I usually will add dumbbells, but because I wanted to use a higher bench, I just went with my bodyweight, and trust me there was still definitely a burn! I did 12 on the right, 12 on the left, and then went straight into a 30 second Wall Sit. After the 30 seconds, I went directly back into the Step Ups with no rest. I completed this superset 3 times.

The second superset puts more emphasis on the glutes, as the first one was mostly quads. Again I did these exercises back to back with no rest. Start off by performing 20 RB Pull Throughs, or Kettlebell/ Dumbbell Swings. Then slide a mini resistance band around your ankles and get into a squat- now walk side to side 50 times, or 25 on each leg (however you like to count;)).

Now for the burnout! This is a little different, as you go back and forth between the two exercises (both only bodyweight!) for 5 minutes, instead of a certain number of sets. Complete 30 Frog Pumps and then 30 Reverse Hyperextensions, for a whole 5 minutes. You can do this! A "Frog Pump" is like a regular glute bridge, however the bottoms of your feet are touching so that your ankles are on the ground. This can be kind of awkward but don't worry! People will live. "Reverse Hyperextensions" are where you lay on your stomach, and lift both legs up (or alternate lifting legs one at a time). You should feel this in your glutes, and make sure your spine is in alignment by keeping your head neutral and looking at the ground, not up.

I hope you guys try this workout! Let me know what you think of it, and I'll be working on some more workouts that are very easy to do at home with little to no equipment!!

Until then,

Hannah