Fit Tip: Lower Body Home Workout

The other day we covered an upper body workout, so today it’s a lower body one you can do at home, designed for use with cables you will find on many home gym systems.

To make this more challenging, I’ve included cardio between sets so you have an active recovery (meaning you will work on burning calories and improving your endurance while your muscles rest.) If you have a cardio machine (treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical machine, etc.) you can use that. If not, jog in place for the specified amount of time.

Remember, it’s more important to have proper form than to go heavy on the weights.

Here are directions for the exercises:

Dumbbell Squats

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward.
• Hold dumbbells at your sides palms facing in.
• Lower your body as far as you can by bending your knees and pushing your hips back. Your weight should be in your heels and your knees should be behind your toes.
• Keep your chest up and slowly return to the start position.

Leg Extensions

• Sit in the seat and hook your feet under the padded bar.
• Extend your legs out, keeping them the same height as your hips, making sure you stay seated (don’t lift your butt off the chair!).
• Slowly lower the weight until your feet are back in line with your knees.

Standing Leg Kickback with Cable

• Put the strap around your ankle and attach it to the cable.
• Step one to two feet away from the pulley, bend at a 45 degree angle so all the work is being done by your glutes, and place your hands on the frame for balance.
• Engage your core, slightly bend your knees and kick your left leg back, keeping it in a straight line with your back. Remember, you don’t want to arch your back.
• Hold for one second, then return it to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Standing Hip Adduction with Cable

• Stand in front of a cable machine facing forward.
• Put the strap around your right ankle and attach it to the cable. With your left hand hold on to the frame for stability.
• Engage your core, keeping the leg straight, move your right leg inward and in front of your balancing leg by using the inner thing to adduct the hip. Stop when your right foot’s heel is in front of your left foot’s toes.
• Hold for one second, then return it to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Standing Dumbbell Calf Raises

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward. Hold dumbbells at your sides palms facing in.
• Place the balls of your feet on a weight plate or exercise step with your heels touching the floor.
• Raise your heels off the floor while you contract your muscles.
• Slowly return to the start position.

Hang in there! We will all get through the coronavirus together…at a safe social distance.

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