Hi Love!

It’s officially my favorite day of the week - LEG DAY! 

I absolutely love training legs. I love the look of a woman with a strong, muscular, curvy lower body and I love being able to lift heavy.

Your quads and hamstrings are huge muscle groups so it’s important not to neglect them! I hit lower body 3x per week and really focus on lifting challenging weights for 8-12 reps. This rep range is best for hypertrophy, which basically means that this range is optimal for building muscle size. 

Benefits of Unilateral Movements

This training session contains several unilateral movements. Unilateral movements are those that focus on just one side of your body at a time. Examples include a single arm lateral raise, a concentration curl, and a dumbbell step up. 

There are 2 main benefits to incorporating unilateral movements:

1. Preventing and Treating Muscle Imbalances Between Sides

It’s very common for people to have a stronger and weaker side. Maybe you can bicep curl a 12 lb dumbbell for 15 reps with your right arm but your left can only handle 12 reps at this weight. This is an imbalance. When you perform barbell curls with this imbalance, it’s likely that your stronger side is doing more of the work to complete the movement. 

Performing unilateral movements requires that the weaker and stronger sides do the same movement for the same reps with the same load to even out your strength and restore balance.

2. Keeping Intensity High with Less Equipment

If your goal is to build muscle but you’re working out from home, unilateral movements are a must for making the workout intense enough. This is because these large muscles need heavy weights and most people don’t have dumbbells heavier than 30-35 lb at home. 

Unilateral movements are very helpful here. Think of it this way... You can do a squat (using both legs at the same time) while holding 25 lb dumbbells in each hand OR you can do a lunge (one leg performing the work) while holding 25 lb dumbbells in each hand.

You’ve essentially doubled the work load of each leg by performing the lunge instead of the squat. That's a greater challenge to the leg muscles, which will result in higher intensity and greater progress. 

Let's get into the workout!

The Workout

1. Goblet Split Squat 4x10 4/0/1 tempo + 10 reps bodyweight only
2. Skater Squat 4x12
3. Dumbbell Deadlift superset with Dumbbell Swing 4x12 each
4. Reverse Lunges superset with Wall Sit 4x10 and 45 seconds
5. Dumbbell Walking Lunges AMRAP in 3 minutes

Exercise Instructions

Goblet Split Squat with a 4/0/1 Tempo

1. Bring one foot back behind you and plant the toes only on the floor. 
2. Hold a dumbbell the long way between two hands. The dumbbell should be at about chest height.
3. Slowly bend the front knee to lower yourself into the squat. This should take about 4 seconds for the 4/0/1 tempo. The back knee should drop toward the floor. 
4. Push back up to the starting position, maintaining this staggered stance. This should take about 1 second for the 4/0/1 tempo. 
5. Repeat for 10 reps. Then perform 10 bodyweight split squats immediately after. (Instructions below.)

Bodyweight Split Squat

1. Bring one foot back behind you and plant the toes only on the floor. 
2. Clasp your hands in front of you or place your hands on your hips.
3. Bend the front knee to lower yourself into the squat. The back knee should drop toward the floor. 
4. Push back up to the starting position, maintaining this staggered stance.
5. Repeat for 10 reps. Then switch sides.

Skater Squat

1. With a dumbbell between two hands in front of you or a pair of dumbbells on your shoulders, drive one leg back into a reverse lunge. 
2. Allow your shin to graze the floor.
3. Once your shin touches the floor, use the opposite leg to push your body back up to the starting position.

Dumbbell Deadlift

1. With a neutral grip, hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Keep your back straight and maintain a slight bend in your knees. 
2. Push your hips backward and bend forward, while maintaining the bend in your legs. Your arms should be out in front of you. 
3. Once you feel the stretch in your hamstrings, thrust your hips forward to bring yourself back to the starting position.

Dumbbell Swing

1. Start with your legs shoulder width or slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
2. Hold the center of a single dumbbell with both hands at arms length in front of you.
3. Bring your hips back and bend the knees in a partial squat, allowing the dumbbell to swing between your legs. Do not allow your back to hunch forward in this position. 
4. Extend the hips and legs quickly to bring the dumbbell up over your head, keeping your arms straight as you do so. 

Reverse Lunge

1. Hold dumbbells in both hands at your sides.
2. Bring one leg back behind your body, planting your toes only on the floor. 
3. Bend the front knee to lower yourself into the squat. The back knee should drop toward the floor. 
4. Push back up to the starting position, bringing the back leg forward as you do so.
5. Repeat for prescribed number of reps. Then switch sides.

Wall Sit

1. Start with your back fully against a wall. 
2. Slide down the wall until your thighs are about parallel to the floor. Your knees should be at about 90 degrees. Don’t allow the knees to pass your toes.
3. Hold this position for 45 seconds.

Dumbbell Walking Lunges

1. Hold dumbbells in both hands at your sides.
2. Bring one leg forward, bending the knee as you do so. 
3. Lower yourself into the lunge so that your back knee lowers toward the floor. Do not allow your knee to pass your toes. Keep your chest up as you perform the movement.
4. Push back up to the starting position using the front leg. 
5. Repeat the movement with the other side. Perform as many reps as possible in 3 minutes total to fully burn out the leg muscles.

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