REBUILD - IN GYM

Day 11 - Lower Body

Warm Up

1. Glute Bridge Series (2 x 8 each)
2. Dead Bugs (2 x 20 total)
3. Bodyweight Squats (2 x 15)

4. Banded Monster Walks (2 x 30 yards)

Core Movement

1. Barbell or Trap Bar Deadlift (4 x 6-8)
2. Goblet Squats (4 x 10)
3. Dumbbell Split Squats (3 x 8 each)
4. Single Leg, Leg Press (3 x 8-10 each)
5. TRX/ Physioball Hamstring Curls (3 x 10)
6. Dumbbell Lunge - Pushbacks (3 x 16 total)

Finisher

1. Jump Rope x 2:00 minutes (2 sets)
2. Bicycle Crunches x 20 total (2 sets)

GLUTE BRIDGE Series

2 x 8 Each

For the two leg glute bridge, lay on your back. Bend your knees, make sure your legs are shoulder width apart. Dig your heels firmly into the ground and extend your hips upward toward the ceiling as far as you can. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings at the top of the contraction and then slowly release the hips going down to the ground.

For single leg, repeat same instructions with only one leg at a time attached to the ground. Opposite leg can be straight or bent, whatever is more comfortable.

DEAD BUGS

2 x 20 Total

Lay on your back. Extend both of your arms and legs straight up towards the ceiling from your body. Make sure you keep your lower back flush to the ground and engage your core. Slowly extend one leg and the OPPOSITE arm straight towards the ground. Exhale as you extend the opposite limbs. Return back to center and repeat on the other side.

Bodyweight squats

10 Reps Each Side

Set your feet shoulder width apart. Slowly hinge at the hips and push your booty backward while sinking into a squat. Make sure your heels stay firmly grounded and your knees stay stacked over your feet. As you apply force and drive back up, do not let your knees cave inward. Make sure your hips return fully forward back at the top of the movement and repeat.

Banded Monster Walks

2 x 30 Yards

Apply moderate resistance mini band around your ankles. Keeping your legs straight and toes pointed forward, begin moving laterally for 15 yards. Once you’ve reached the end, face the same way and move laterally back to your starting position. Really focus on keeping your lead foot closed and don’t let it open up.

Barbell or Trapbar Deadlift

4 x 6-8 Reps

The conventional deadlift is done with the barbell, but if a trap bar (hex bar) is available, I’d encourage you to use that instead. The trap bar keeps the weight more equally balanced on each side of you, saving your back more and allowing you to stand straight up with the weight rather than having to clear your knees with the traditional bar.

Approach the bar getting your feet shoulder width apart. Your grip will be just on the outside of your legs. Overhand grip with traditional bar and neutral grip with the trap bar. Make sure both feet are firmly planted into the ground, sit down into a hinged hip stance and slowly begin to lift the weight off of the ground keeping a neutral spine position the entire time. Once all the way to the top of the lift, hips should be completely closed forward and glutes being squeezed. Slowly begin to re open your hips and lower your body, returning the weight to the ground.

GOBLET SQUATS

4 x 10 Reps

This exercise can be done with a dumbbell or a kettlebell. Pick the weight up off of the ground and grip the weight like you would hold a goblet of wine. With the dumbbell grip the upper head and with the kettlebell make sure the handle is pointed downward and grip the sides of the main ball. Position the weight right in front of the sternum. Place feet shoulder width apart, and keep both heels firmly grounded. Slowly begin to hinge at the hips and sink into the squat making sure to maintain a neutral spine and that your knees are stacked over the toes. On the way back up, watch that knees don’t cave inward and once at the top of the movement, close the hips all the way forward squeezing the glutes. Repeat.

Dumbbell split squats

3 x 8 Reps Each

Select the appropriate weight and have a dumbbell in each hand. Get into a staggered stance with one foot forward. Try to line up the inside of your front foot in a straight line with the inside of your back foot. Strong chest, arms stay straight holding the weight, front foot’s heel and entire foot firmly planted in the ground. You will be on the ball of your back foot as well. Slowly sink down into a split squat to where your knee almost touches the ground and return to the starting position driving thru that front heel. Do all listed reps on one side before switching to the other side.

Single Leg, Leg Press

3 x 8-10 Reps

Find the leg press machine at the gym. Pick which leg that you want to work first and place that foot directly in the center of the platform. Make sure that foot/ leg is firmly driven and the heel is down into the platform. Un rack, grab onto the side handles and really focus on a slow eccentric decent until your knee is almost to your chest. Push the weight and platform back up to the starting position and repeat. Do all listed reps on one side first before switching to the other side.

TRX/Physioball HAmstring Curls

3 x 10 Reps

A TRX is the desired piece of equipment for this exercise, but if one is not available to you, then a physioball will suffice. For both pieces of equipment you will be laying on your back. For the TRX, dig both of your heels into the softer bottom handles. For the physioball, dig both heels firmly into the top of the ball. For both, keep your legs straight, dig those heels into the equipment, drive those hips upward and begin to curl your legs underneath you. The goal is to think heels, to butt. Squeezing your glutes and hamstrings the entire time. Once at the top of the movement slowly start to uncurl down to the starting position. Repeat.

Dumbbell Lunge - Pushbacks

3 x 16 Total Reps

This exercise can be done with both dumbbells and kettlebells. Select the appropriate weight and have a weight in each hand. Stand up straight, feet together and select which leg you want to start with. Lunge forward with that leg, land with a flat foot and sink into the lunge, absorb the force and then push backward back into that starting position. Make sure that your forward knee does not cave inward when pushing back up. You can do all one side first or alternate sides on this exercise, the choice is yours!

Jump Rope

2 x 2 Minutes

 Engage your abs, loosen your shoulders and turn therope only with your wrists, not the entire arms. Keep the upper body straight, knees slightly bent andjump on the balls of your feet. For a low impactexercise, focus on doing faster and smallerjumps. Breathe deeply and naturally, keeping a smooth and steady rhythm.

Bicycle Crunches

2 x 20 Reps Total

Lay on your back. Bend one knee and bring it up towards your chest. Wrap both hands behind your head. Take your opposite elbow and try to touch the knee that is bent by rotating your torso. The non-bent leg should be straight and off of the ground. Alternate rotating elbow to opposite bent knee.