We all want a strong lean legs but have certain love-hate relationship with leg day.
Did you know that legs are the foundation of our body so it’s very important to make those legs stronger?
We should start incorporating more lower body strength workouts into our routine to help shape those legs, butt, hips, quads, hamstrings and glutes. We all want a fit and strong lower body since many of us women tend to accumulate more cellulite in those areas. By exercising those muscles paired with healthy eating habits and lots of hydration its possible to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Having strong lower body can also improve our activities specially those that require high amount of effort with our legs.
There are many exercises for lower body that we can choose. Try to incorporate those that require multiple muscle groups also called compound movements.
I will list some of my favorite lower body exercises that can be performed at home or at the gym. It requires the minimum equipment, make sure to have some dumbbells, kettle bells and/or resistance bands. If you don’t have any of those DON’T WORRY working out with your own bodyweight it’s as efficient as carrying some weight.
Make sure to modify any exercise you don’t fell confident in doing or if its too challenging. The harder the work, more results you will gain. Also, always make sure to check with your doctor or your healthcare provider before starting any routine.
My Favorite Lower Body Strength Training Workout:
- Dumbbell Lunge
- Dumbbell squat
- Deadlift
- Hip Thrust
- Side lunge
- Weight Step Up
- Side Leg Lift With Band
- Clambshell
Dumbbell lunge
- Stand with feet hip-distance apart with one dumbbell in each hand.
- Take a big step forward with the right leg, bending at the knee until the front thigh is about parallel to the floor.
- Push off through the right heel, engaging through the core, hamstrings, and glutes on the right side and bring the right leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat the exercise on the same leg several times before switching to the left side, or you can alternate sides with every rep.
Dumbbell Squat
- Start with feet slightly wider than your hip, resting one dumbbell on each shoulder.
- Drop the hips back and down as if you are reaching your glutes toward a chair behind you. Your body stays tall and strong facing forward.
- Your knees should be flat to the floor, press into your heels to lift your body back.
- Optional- For a more harder workout add your resistance bands just above the knees to add more resistance.
Deadlift
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, lighting bending your knees. Hold you weights with both hands shoulder-width apart.
- Hinge your hips, slightly bending your knees. Push your butt towards the back keeping you back and neck flat and your core engaged. You should always be looking in the direction your body is moving.
- Keep your weights as close as your legs as possible keeping always your core tight.
- Pause at the top squeezing your butt with your pelvic floor engaged.
Hip Thrust
- Place your upper back on the edge of a bench or chair, place your weights on your hips.
- Line your hips with the shoulders and squeeze your glutes. Keep your core engaged and tuck your chin so all the weight is focus on your body.
Side Lunge
- Take a step as big as you can lunging to one side with the side foot. Your body and foot should be looking forward. The knee will bend like the lunge keeping sending your hips to the back.
- Keep the other leg straight and your body tall.
- Push off the foot you did the lung and lift your body to bring yourself to the starting position.
- Repeat each side by stepping the foot out.
Weight Step Up
- Use a box or bench, holding each weight in one hand.
- Step into your box or bench with one foot, making sure you step the entire foot on the box or bench.
- Bring yourself up and control as you go down, your upper body should stay tall and your core engaged.
- Do alternating step ups.
- Optional- Don’t use weights or do static lunges with weights.
Side Leg Lift With Band
- Using your resistance band, place it above your ankles. Lay yourself on one of your sides.
- Keeping your legs straight, stack on top of each other, your toes pointing forward. Rest your head on one of your arms.
- Lift the top leg and lower with control.
- Repeat each leg.
- Optional- For a more challenging workout, add ankle weights to the exercise.
Clambshell
- Using your resistance band, place it above your knees. Lay yourself on one of your sides.
- Bend your knees 90 degrees, resting your head on one of your arms.
- Draw your knees towards your body, and a line with your butt. Your feet should stay together.
- Keeping your core engaged, raise one of your knee as high as you can while keeping your feet together. Your hips should stay on the floor.
- Hold for 3 seconds, squeezing your glutes and lower your knee with control.
- Repeat each side.
- Optional- For a more challenging add ankle weights to the exercise.
Remember it’s important to reach the level of fatigue to build strength and endurance. It should feel like the last 2 reps are impossible to accomplish. No matter how often you workout make sure when you do..to give all you’ve got!
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our Newsletter for weekly updates. You can also find us on social media for new ideas.
