When you’re just getting started in the gym, it’s important to nail down the basics first. You don’t need crazy complex exercises to see great results. You just need to start with some foundational movements, perform them with proper form, and challenge yourself by using more weight for those moves over time (also called progressive overload.) 

Today, we are hitting a workout for gym beginners This lower body workout keeps it simple so you can nail down the basic movement patterns and see great progress in your quads (front of your thighs), glutes (your backside), and hamstrings (back of your thighs.)

Let’s get to it! 

Equipment

• Dumbbells
• Cable Station
• Exercise Mat (or other soft surface to do core work)
• Gym machines (seated leg curl and leg extension)

Exercise Terms to Know

• Rep: the performance of the exercise motion once, from the initial lifting portion all the way
• Set: the performance of an exercise for the prescribed number of repetitions before stopping to rest. Please rest for 20 seconds to 1 minute between each set.
• *Next to each exercise you will see the reps and sets listed like this: # of Sets x # of Reps
• Superset: Perform 2 exercises one after the other without rest in between. After you perform both exercises, then you rest for 20 seconds to 1 minute.

The Workout

1. Dumbbell Squat - 3x10
2. Dumbbell Goblet Squat - 3x12
3. Cable Glute Kickback - 3x12
4. Machine Seated Leg Curl superset with Machine Leg Extension - 3x10
5. Dumbbell Glute Bridge - 3x20

Exercise Instructions

Dumbbell Squat

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides and stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Activate the core to protect your back and help you stabilize throughout the movement. (Pretend someone is about to punch you in the stomach and harden the abs.) Hold this core activation throughout the movement.
3. Push your hips back behind you and bend your knees to descend into the squat. Keep the chest up and a neutral spine (meaning don't allow the back to become overly arched as you squat.) Be sure to keep your knees in line with your toes as you descend. Don't let the knees cave inward.
4. When your thighs are about parallel to the floor, drive through the heels to push your body back up to the starting position.

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

1. Ensure that your feet are set shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold one end of a dumbbell between both hands underneath your chin.
3. Push your hips back behind you and bend your knees to descend into the squat. Keep the chest up and a neutral spine (meaning don't allow the back to become overly arched as you squat.) Be sure to keep your knees in line with your toes as you descend. Don't let the knees cave inward.
4. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your chest up throughout the movement.
5. Drive through your heels to come back up to the starting position.

Cable Glute Kickback

1. Set up the pulley of the cable station at the lowest available setting.
2. Wrap an ankle strap around your ankle and attach it to the pulley. 
3. Face the cable station with a slight bend in your knees. You can hold onto the station for support but be careful not to grasp the moving chords. 
4. Activate the core to protect your back and stabilize your body. 
5. With a flat back, use the glutes to bring your attached foot back behind you in an arc like motion. 
6. Squeeze the glutes and then slowly bring your leg back down to the starting position.
7. Complete all reps on one side and then perform the reps on the opposite side.

Machine Seated Leg Curl

1. Adjust the machine’s backrest so that, when you’re seated, your knees line up with the pivot point. (This is the point at which the bottom part of the machine bends.) 
2. Adjust the thigh pad so that it rests against the top of your thighs, holding them in place.
3. Adjust the ankle pad so that it is just above the achilles tendon.
4. Sit on the machine with your back against the backrest.
5. Adjust the starting position so that your legs are extended out in front of you with a slight bend at the knee. Don’t fully lock out the knees.
6. Grasp the handles and curl the lower legs downward as far as you can.
7. With control, slowly return to the starting position.

Machine Seated Leg Extension

1. Adjust the machine so that the foot pad is resting right above the ankle. 
2. Adjust the back of the machine (forward or backward) so that when you're seated, your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. 
3. Hold onto the handles on either side of the seat as you use your quads (the muscle on the front of your thighs) to lift the foot pad until your legs are fully extended. Do not lock out the knees.
4. Slowly lower your feet back to the starting position.

Dumbbell Glute Bridge

1.  Lie on your back on an exercise mat. Bend your knees and move your feet towards your body so that your ankles are just under your knees. Place a dumbbell on your lap, holding it in place with both hands. 
2. Using your glutes, thrust upward until your thighs form a straight line with your torso and your knees form a 90 degree angle. 
3. Squeeze the glutes and slowly return to the starting position.

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