Here is your weekly workout focusing this week on lower body strength. Complete 6-8 reps of each exercise for 3-4 sets. Ensure that you using enough weight that if you reach 8 reps you shouldn’t feel like you are able to do many more. Complete all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next exercise.
Barbell Squat
Ensure that the J hooks of the squat rack are positioned around your armpit height and step under the bar. Place the bar across your trap muscles and lift the bar out of the hooks by standing up tall. Take a step back from the rack to ensure that you have enough room to complete the movement. Start by reaching your hips backwards like you are reaching your butt back towards an imaginary chair behind you. Keep your weight evenly distributed throughout your feet. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor or a 90 degree bend at the knee (not everyone will be able to get this initially and that’s okay, if you don’t have it yet just ensure you are focusing on range of motion when you practice your squatting movements). Ensure that you keep your chest high as you drop down into position. At the bottom of the movement, drive through your feet evenly and stand back up to your start position.
Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Take the barbell in both hands to the front of your body. With your feet about hip width apart, stand tall with a slight bend in the knee. Drive your hips backwards keeping your leg straight. Keep your spine neutral as you push your hips backwards and avoid rounding the spine or in the shoulders. The bottom range of motion will vary for everyone, but most people will want to stop just below their knees (if you have perfect form and want to go further go for it). At the bottom of the movement squeeze the glutes and drive the hips forward to stand back up and return to the start position.
Barbell Reverse Lunge
Begin by setting up the bar at a height where you can step under the bar and position the bar across your back (traps). Once under the bar you can lift the bar and step out from the rack. Begin with your feet together and step one foot back behind you. Bending both your front and your back knee lower into the lunge. Your goal is to achieve a 90 degree angle at both your front and your back knee. At the bottom of the movement drive through both feet (front and back) and return to the standing position. Alternate legs completing the desired number of reps on both legs.
Barbell Hip Thrust
On a bench ensure that you position just under your shoulder blades on a bench behind you. Ensure that you are using 45 lbs plates or bumper plates for this movement so that you are able to easily roll the bar over your legs to your hips. Position your feet in a position so that when your hips are fully extended your knees are over top of your hips. Beginning from the bottom of the movement your butt will be close to the floor. Squeeze through the glues and extend through the hips to generate a table top position at the top of the movement. Keep your feet flat on the floor throughout the movement. At the top of the movement squeeze the glutes and then slowly lower your hips back to the start position in a controlled manner.
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