July 30th Lower Body Circuit

Sorry this is going up late, it's been a long day. The only equipment you should need for this one are 5-10 lb weights and either a towel or paper plate depending on what kind of floor you're working out on.

1) Reverse Lunge - Begin with your feet on the floor, shoulder width apart. In each hand grab a weight and let them hang at your sides. Reach one of your feet to your rear as if you were taking a step backwards. Bring leg back to starting position and repeat with your other leg. Repeat 10-15 times.

2) Plie Squats - Begin in a wide stance with toes out at a comfortable angle. Your knees will need to stay aligned with your toes, so don't go out too far. To add weight you can hold dumbbells on the upper thighs, a single dumbbell in front or a barbell on the shoulders or behind the head. Bend the knees and lower down into a squat, keeping knees in line with toes, abs contracted and back straight. Only go down as low as you can without compromising your flexibility or your balance. Push back to start without locking the knees. Repeat 12-15 times.

3) Stiff Legged Deadlift with Weights - Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. With back flat, shoulders back and abs in, tip from the hips and lower upper body as far as your flexibility allows. Raise up, squeezing your glutes. Keep the bar or weight close to legs throughout the movement. Can be done with barbell or dumbbells. Repeat 10-15 times.

4) Single Leg Slide - Stand on either a towel (if on hard floor) or paper plate (if on carpet) with feet wide and hands on hips. Keep weight in heels as you pull left foot toward right. Return to starting position and repeat 10 times. Switch legs and repeat again.

5) Wall Sits - Stand in front of a wall (about 2 feet in front of it) and lean against it. Slide down until your knees are at about 90 degree angles and hold, keeping the abs contracted, for 20-60 seconds. Come back to start and repeat, holding the squat at different angles to work the lower body in different ways. To add intensity, hold weights or squeeze a ball between the knees. Repeat 10 times.

6) Calf Raises - Stand holding weights in both hands, feet about shoulder width apart. Transfer weight to right foot and lift left foot 2-3 inches off the ground. Move weight to toes of right foot and raise right heel off the floor. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then return heel to floor. Repeat 10 times each side.

7) Straight Leg Hip Extensions - Start on floor on all fours. Raise right leg straight out behind you until it is level with your hips. Hold for 2-3 seconds, and lower letting toes lightly touch the floor. Repeat 10 times each leg.

8) Side Lying Leg Lift - Lying on your side on a mat, have one arm bent and resting underneath your head. Your other arm should be in front of your body palm facing down on the mat. Legs should both be straight, with your bottom leg touching the mat, and your top leg about 1 foot above the bottom leg. Once in this position, bring your bottom leg off the mat up to meet your top leg. Hold for 2 seconds and return both legs together to the mat to complete one rep. Repeat 10-12 times laying on each side.

9) Lying Adduction - Start this exercise by lying on your side on a mat. Your hands should be resting out in front of you, your left leg straight and resting behind the body, your right leg crossed over it and bent at the knee; foot resting in front of the body. Begin by lifting the straight leg up about 2 inches off the ground. Hold for 2 seconds and release. Return to start position and switch legs to complete one full rep. Repeat 10-12 times on each side.

10) Squat Thrusts - Stand with feet about hip-width apart and squat to the floor, placing your hands on the floor in front of you. In an explosive movement, jump the feet out behind you so that you're in a pushup position, on the hands and toes with the body in a straight line. Immediately jump the feet back to start, stand up and repeat for 10-15 reps or for 30-60 seconds.

Repeat entire circuit one more time!