Workout of the week: 15-min lower body strength workout

ALL LEVELS / lower body strength workout / 15 minutes

Equipment: Hack squat machine, barbell and leg extension machine  

Just as you don’t start constructing a house by the roof, workouts shouldn’t begin and end with upper body exercises. In a house, just like in a workout, it’s essential to have a solid foundation. Lower body workouts are the way to establish this foundation, promoting strength, stability and overall fitness. 

Start now with this lower body strength workout — a 3-exercises-only session, each to perform for 40 seconds with 20 seconds to rest. Complete 5 rounds and all added together will result in a 15-minute workout. 

1. Hack Squat
2. Deadlift
3. Leg extensions

Let’s start building your foundation! 

WORKOUT SETUP

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

5 rounds

1 – HACK SQUAT

40 sec on, 20 sec off

• Stand on the machine with the cushions over your shoulders.
• Adopt a foot stance similar to the one you use for regular squats.
• Engage your core so that you feel the cushion pushing against your body.
• This machine is perfect for helping you squat to great depth.
• Slowly descend until you feel like losing either core stability or the contact of your pelvis with the cushion.
• Repeat.

2 – DEADLIFT

40 sec on, 20 sec off

• Stand behind the bar with feet hip to shoulder-width apart. The feet should be close to the bar.
• From here, bend the knees slightly and push the hips back to bend down and grab the bar, keeping the back straight. Once you have the bar, keep the back straight, engage the core, and drive the hips forward and up, returning to standing. Keep the shoulder and core set through the movement.
• When you have a full hip extension, keep everything engaged as you slightly bend the knees and reverse the move to lower the bar (either back to the floor or a low hang position).
• Repeat. 

3 – LEG EXTENSIONS

40 sec on, 20 sec off

• Sit up straight on the leg extension machine.
• Adjust the pad so it sits on your lower leg and just above your feet.
• Extend your legs straight out in front of you, making sure you’re using your quads to power the movement.
• Then slowly lower them back to the starting position.
• Repeat.

Lower body strength workout: done! Find your next challenge here: