Walking Lunges

Walking Lunges

 

Walking lunges is an exercise that should be a part of everyone’s leg routine, because it is so relative to our everyday lives.

Main Muscles: Hamstrings, Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps

Key Points:

– Keep your chest high, back straight and core tight

– Take a lunge long enough to get your heel further forward than your back knee without over stretching yourself

– Tap your back knee to the floor without resting

– Keep your chest behind your knee and push your heel through the floor to drive yourself back up, bringing your feet together

– Alternate legs

Kettle Bell Pull Through Plank

Kettle Bell Pull Through Plank

 

This is an intermediate level exercise that is great for core stability. The example in the video is done with a kettle bell, but realistically you can also use a dumbbell, powerbag, or something similar.

Main Muscles: Core

Key Points:

– Keep your back straight, hips up and core tight throughout the set

– Begin with the KB on the outside of your left shoulder

– Reach across your chest with the right arm and pull the KB across your body to the outside of your right shoulder

– Use your hands and feet to walk sideways until the KB is once again outside of your left shoulder and repeat

– Train both sides evenly

Skull Crushers

Skull Crushers

 

Skull Crushers

One of the most commonly used triceps exercises in just about every gym in the world (not without good reason), skull crushers will tone and/or add mass to your arms. I recommend working within 6 to 12 reps for size, or 12+ reps for toning, but don’t expect to burn fat from the back of your arms by doing triceps exercises. It doesn’t work like that, unfortunately. Weight loss is done through maintaining a healthy diet!

Main Muscles: Triceps (long head)

Key Points:

– Hold the bar with hands shoulders width apart and palms facing away from your body

– Using a slow, controlled movement, lower the bar to your forehead while bending only at the elbows

  Squeeze hard on triceps as your extend your arms

– Keep your back relatively flat against the back throughout

– Use full range of motion

Elevated Side DB Lunges

Elevated Side DB Lunges

 

Bootybuilding at it’s best. If you’re looking to build amazing glutes then incorporate this advanced movement into your leg day routine.

Main Muscles: Gluteus Maximus & Medius, Hamstrings, Adductors, Quadriceps

Key Points:

– Keep your chest high, ass out & back straight

– Begin with both feet on the box, so that you can lunge laterally onto the floor

– Lock the knee on the stationary leg and keep the foot flat on the box

– Keep your back arched and chest up when reaching for the floor

– Push through the heel on the lunging leg to drive yourself back up on to the box

– Train both sides evenly

Elevated Short Step Lunges

Elevated Short Step Lunges

Use this exercise to build amazing quadriceps! Word of advice: The higher the box, the more quad engagement you will experience.

Main Muscles: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteus Maximus

Key Points:

– Keep your chest up, back arched and core tight

– Begin standing with both feet on the box, so that you can lunge off of it onto the floor

– Lunge so that your back knee lines up with your leading heel

– Keeping your bodyweight on your leading heel and your back arched, take your chest towards your thigh until you feel your quadriceps engage

– Push your heel through the floor to drive yourself back on to the box

– Train both sides evenly

Elevated Reverse DB Lunges

Elevated Reverse DB Lunges

 

Lunging from an elevated surface on to the floor allows for a deeper lunge, which means more engagement for the gluteus muscles.

Main Muscles: Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings, Quadriceps

Key Points:

– Keep your chest up, back straight and core tight

– Begin standing with both feet on the box, so that you can lunge backwards onto the floor

– Bend the toes of your back foot and tap your knee to the floor without resting

– Push the heel on your front leg through the box to drive yourself upwards

– Train both sides evenly