Meet the unilateral walking lunge - the Bulgarian split squat's evil twin sister. Let me tell you something - she is HUMBLING. She has given me a run for my money the last couple weeks. But she's worth it. I've seen huge strength gains in my legs and glutes from incorporating these! 

This is the exact leg day workout I have been using to absolutely torch my hamstrings and glutes these past few weeks. You're welcome. ;) We are lifting heavy, heavy, heavy! (But, as always, our first priority is lifting with good form.)

The number of reps and the size of your weights should always be determined by your personal fitness goals. For me, the goal is continue to add muscle. When focusing on muscle size, we want to keep the number of repetitions per set between 6 to 12 reps. Weights should be heavy enough that you can complete the whole set with good form and still have just about 2 reps left in the tank. Not a whole lot more or less than that.

Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself! 

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being 'wildly easy' and 10 being 'I'm training for the Olympics / can't bend over the next day / why on earth did I do this to myself,' we want the difficulty level to be a 7-8. If you're rating this workout difficulty lower than that you need to bump up those weights, sista! Don't kill the messenger. You're stronger than you believe! So PUSH.

The Workout

1. Unilateral Walking Lunges 3x10
2. DB Deadlift 4x10
3. Cable Pull Through 4x12
4. Single Leg Cable Deadlift 3x12
5. Machine leg curl 3x10 

Exercise Instructions

Unilateral Walking Lunges

1. Stand with feet hip width apart and your arms fully extended, holding dumbbells at your sides.
2. Keep your core engaged and your chest upright as you take one large step forward with your right leg.
3. Bend your knees as you lower into the lunge. Your front knee should stop at about a 90 degree angle and your left knee should be nearly touching the floor. Try not to let the knee go past the toes. 
4. Drive through your front heel to stand back up and bring the back leg forward to return to the starting position. 
5. Continue lunging forward with the same leg for the desired number of reps before switching to the other side. 

Dumbbell Deadlift

1. Stand and hold two dumbbells with palms facing in (a neutral grip.) You want to have a slight bend in your knees.
2. With your back straight and core activated to protect the spine, push the glutes backward. Imagine someone has a rope around your waist and is pulling your hips backward.
3. As the hips move back, your upper body should bend over (again, with the back still straight.)
4. Continue pushing the hips backward until you feel the stretch through the back of your thighs. 
5. Return to the starting position by bringing the hips forward until they are fully extended again. 

Cable Pull Through

1. Set up the cable machine with the rope attachment on the lowest height setting. 
2. Hold the rope attachment between your legs while facing away from the cable machine. Arms should be fully extended in front of your thighs. Your back should be flat.
3. Push your hips backward as you would in a deadlift, allowing the rope to pull towards the cable machine. Keep the back flat throughout the movement, bending forward as the hips move backward. 
4. Using your glutes, pull the rope forward and up between your legs, extending the hips. Return to the starting position. 

Single Leg Cable Deadlift

1. Set up the cable machine with the single handle attachment at the lowest height setting.
2. Hold the handle with your right arm at full extension in front of your body. 
3. Keep your abdominals activated throughout the entire movement. 
4. While keeping the left knee just slightly bent, bend at the hips to move your glutes back behind you. Again, imagine someone has a rope around your waist and is pulling it backwards. 
5. Keep the back flat throughout the movement, bending forward as the hips move backward. The right leg should come off the ground as you bend. The handle should move closer to the cable machine.
6. When you feel the stretch in the back of your thigh, return to the starting position by extending the hips. You can hold onto something lightly for balance if needed.

Machine 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.

Are you ready to build a strong feminine physique you can keep for life?

Girl, it sounds like it’s time to apply for Emily Cramer Fitness 1:1 Coaching!

My 1:1 coaching program is for you if:

✔ You want to build lean, feminine muscle without your workout or nutrition program taking over your whole life. You want something sustainable and realistic so you don't just keep starting and stopping.

✔ You want help learning how to eat and workout for your goals and how to consistently execute on these healthy habits

✔ You've been struggling with all or nothing thinking. You're tired of feeling like you need to do everything perfectly in order to see progress.

✔ You want to radiate confidence and strength - not just look fit, but feel it too!

✔ You want to make changes surrounded by women who get you, get your goals, and make fitness fun.

Not convinced it could work for you? Take a look at my Client Success Stories.

I look forward to coaching you! 

To Your Good Health & Success,

Music: Promotion

Musician: AlexGuz