How To Build Great Legs!

Here was my leg workout a few days ago adding abs in between a few sets. Keep in mind this workout is not for beginners. I always go as heavy as possible when training legs to burn as many calories as possible while building shapely legs!

Squats: At the squat rack, start with the bar for your first set and add weight accordingly. When using the squat rack, make sure you straddle your legs when taking the bar off the rack. Squat down pushing your glutes back, keeping knees in line with ankles. 15 reps

Hanging Leg Raises: If your squat rack has a bar for pullups, do some hanging leg raises. Hold on to the bars and lift your legs straight up as high as possible. Lower slowly. This is a hard exercise to try at first, most people swing all over. Tighten your core and use controlled movements. 6-10 reps

Superset 3x

Seated leg Press: I always press heavier than my body weight with this one, but play with the weight because you may be surprised as to how much you can press. Knees in line with your ankles, avoid locking knees out at the top.

Straight Legged Deadlifts: You can hold on to a bar, I like to grab plates that have a grip that you can hold on to. Knees soft, lower from hips keeping an arch in mid-back. Keep your shoulders back for this exercise, you want to avoid hunching them! If you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then you are doing this right. If you don’t, you are most likely in a squat position. Make sure you stand all the way up as you are working your lower back as well with this exercise.

Superset 3x

Bench Step Ups: This exercise is hard, gets your heart rate up and using heavy weight with this one really burns! I held onto my 25lbs plates for this exercise. One leg at a time starting with the right leg, step up and stand straight, then step down with the right leg. Repeat with left side 8-12 reps.

V Tucks on bench: Sitting at the end of the bench, straighten legs and lower upper body towards bench. Bring knees and chest in together. Grasp the bench with your hands while doing this exercise and keep your back straight.

Superset 3x

Standing One Leg Hamstring Curl: I love this machine! If you are lucky to have this machine in your gym, use it. I like to focus on one hamstring at a time, and if you have knee problems, this machine seems to not aggravate it more. Focus on curling all the way up and slowly lowering down.

The Reptile: This is really just the plank on your hands and toes, but bringing your knee up to your elbow. I look over my shoulder at my knee so I can crunch my side even more when I bring it up to my elbow.

So this is it. I don’t add calves to my routine simply because I get a better workout for calves by skipping or running stairs. Have fun!

Thanks Angelique for a great workout! What did you think of Angelique’s leg workout routine? Share your comments below..!

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Warm up: Indoor row for 1k meters, (or run 800 meters at a slight incline if you don’t have access to a rower) and 3 sets of 30-45 second planks.

Leg Workout Routine:

- 20 Walking Lunges; Advanced – add 10-25 lb dumbbell weights
- 3 Dead Lifts; Advanced (or if ur goal is to build muscle) go max weights, and Beginners use the 45 lb or lighter bar.
- Burpees; Advanced do 20, Beginners do 10
- 10 Hyperextentions; Adv use a weighted medince ball
- Complete 4 cycles

- In this workout if your goal is to build more muscle, add heavy weights to lunges and on the dead lifts every set.  Make sure the weights are at your level of fitness and you have proper form on the dead lifts. Rest 3-5 minutes in between each cycle. Post weights, time and burpees per cycle!

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This lower body circuit workout focus’ on leg strength and endurance!

Warm up: 400 meters run (one lap around track)

Workout Routine:
-20 front squats; Men = 95 lbs, Women = 45 lbs
-20 sit ups
-20 walking lunges (each step is 1)
-20 lying leg lifts
-20 box jumps; Men = 24″, Women= 20″

- 4 rounds advanced, 2 rounds intermediate, 1 round beginner; post your time!

Cool down: quad and hamstring stretch

Thought for Today:  Dream… what is your dream?

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Warm up: jog 400 meters, 20 burpees, 20 push ups, 20 air squats

Workout Routine:

- Barbell Squat (your body weight) and Dead Lift (your body weight)

- Do as many Squats as you can until you fail (count the reps) then do as many Dead lifts as you can until failure. (count the reps)

- 10 Burpees

- Add your two totals for the Squats and Dead Lifts and that is your score for the fist round. Complete 5 Rounds.

- Beginners; cut the weight in half and compete 3-4 rounds.

- Take as much time as you need between rounds and exercises. This is not a timed workout, you are trying to get the max score. You will complete 5 rounds and add the total. Post your total and the weight you used!

Word for Today is Wellness: What are your keys to Wellness?

httpvp://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8C2B34572E7CC12

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Warm up: 5 minutes of moderate cardio on either; treadmill, elliptical or bike.

Workout Routine:

- Do one exercise after another, resting 30 seconds between exercises. Do 15 reps of each exercise and try to go through the circuit 4 times.

- Dumbbell squat/shoulder presses 15 reps
- Medicine Ball Diagonal Chops. Do 15 reps on one side and then 15 reps on the other.
- Alternating dumbbell lunges. Make sure you do 15 reps on each leg (i.e. lunge right, lunge left is one rep)
- Squat Jumps 15 jumps
- Stability Ball Hamstring Curls 15 reps
- Mountain climbers – 30 seconds as fast as you can

Shari is a real life Transformation Success Story who knows how to coach you, motivate you, encourage you, and provide the guidance and resources you need to achieve your best body! You can find Shari on her blog, Twitter or Facebook pages.

Word for today – Happiness

“Happiness belongs to the self-sufficient.” – Aristotle

httpvp://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=07C05948719D1CAD

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Warm up: 10 minute jump rope

Workout:

- Tabata Pullups (use bands if needed) in 20 seconds do as many reps as possible and then take 10 seconds break. Do a total of 8 rounds. Switch up your grip each round. Ex: overhand grip, underhand grip, overhand grip, underhand grip and repeat. Total of 4 minutes.

- 10 Burpees

- Tabata Deadlifts (Men 135 lbs, women 65 lbs) Do as many as you can for 20 seconds, then take 10 seconds rest, continue for 4 minutes.

- Want to score your workout? Scoring – what ever your lowest rep in any of the eight rounds is that will be your high score. So if in one of the rounds you only do 5 reps then that will be your score for the workout. Post your times!

httpvp://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E86B98C0EE2F8BB1

*What is Tabata?

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Workout:

- front squats 5-5-5-5-5 (bar in front)
- 1 minute plank
- back squats 5-5-5-5-5 (bar in back)
- 1 minute plank
- In this workout you will do 5 sets of 5 squats on each

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Warm up: 15 minutes on elliptical machine or stair master, 2 sets of 25 push ups

Workout:

- 40 walking lunges
- 20 superman  back extensions
- 20 mountain climbers
- side planks; 30 seconds on each side
- complete 4 rounds for time, post your time!

“Clark Kent is who I am, Superman is what I can do” - Superman (the movie) quote

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Warm up: run 800 meters (2 laps around track), 25 mountain climbers

Workout:

- dead lifts 10 reps; Men 175 – 225 lbs, Women 75 – 125 lbs, Beginners 65 lbs

- full sit ups to stand 10 reps; either hook your feet or have a partner hold your feet, start on your back, go into a sit up and stand up for full hip flexion. Optional – use a medicine ball

- 5 rounds for time, post your time!

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Warm up: 400 meter run, 2 sets of 25 crunches 

Workout:
- 50 air squats
- 50 box jumps; Adv 24 inches, Beg 6-12 inches
- 50 back squats; Men 95 lbs, Women 45 lbs
- 50 front squats; Men 95 lbs, Women 45 lbs
- 50 walking lunges (25 on each leg with dumbbells) ; Men 60 lbs, Women 20 lbs
- Do each exercise for time.  Take a 2 minute break in between and post time for each station.

“I’m a track star running thru life, chasing my dream.” – 50 Cent quote

httpvp://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=2E368BDBCC66B077

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