Time: 60 minutes
Calories Burned: 400-600 (depending on intensity and fitness level)
Today we’re tackling the Lower Body Day. This workout is designed to hit your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves hard, with big compound lifts like the squat and deadlift leading the charge. These movements are not just about building massive legs, but about overall strength and power that translate to real-world performance.
Whether you’re new to lifting or you’ve been crushing the weights for years, I’ve got something for everyone. We’ll start with a proper warm-up to get the blood flowing and joints ready, then get into a workout that’ll leave your legs burning and your heart pumping. Let’s get into it.
For our upper body workout, click here. If you want more information about the upper body/lower body split, click here.
Warm-Up (10 Minutes)
Dynamic Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Material: None
Purpose: Get the blood flowing and loosen up your joints and muscles for the heavy lifting ahead.
Movements:
High Knees: 1 minute
Butt Kicks: 1 minute
Leg Swings (forward/backward and side-to-side): 1 minute per leg
Bodyweight Squats: 1 minute
Hip and Glute Activation (5 minutes)
Material: Resistance Band (optional)
Purpose: Fire up the glutes and hips to prevent injury and improve performance in your lifts.
Movements:
Glute Bridges: 20 reps
Lateral Band Walks: 1 minute each side
Hip Circles: 30 seconds each direction
Workout (50 Minutes)
1. Barbell Squat (Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings)
Material: Barbell, Squat Rack
Purpose: The king of all lower body exercises. Squats target your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, while also engaging your core and lower back.
Tip: Keep your chest up, back straight, and sit back into your hips as you descend. Drive through your heels on the way up.
Muscles Targeted: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Core
Experience Level | Sets | Reps |
Beginner | 3 | 10-12 |
Intermediate | 4 | 8-10 |
Advanced | 5 | 6-8 |
2. Deadlift (Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back)
Material: Barbell
Purpose: A total body powerhouse, the deadlift mainly targets your posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, lower back) while engaging your core and grip.
Tip: Keep the bar close to your shins, hinge at your hips, and engage your core before lifting. Push through your heels and squeeze your glutes at the top.
Muscles Targeted: Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back, Core
Experience Level | Sets | Reps |
Beginner | 3 | 8-10 |
Intermediate | 4 | 6-8 |
Advanced | 5 | 5-6 |
3. Bulgarian Split Squat (Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings)
Material: Dumbbells, Bench
Purpose: A single-leg movement that builds unilateral strength and stability, with a focus on the quads and glutes.
Tip: Keep your chest up and core tight as you lower down. Focus on pushing through the front heel to target your glutes and quads more effectively.
Muscles Targeted: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings
Experience Level | Sets | Reps (Per Leg) |
Beginner | 3 | 10-12 |
Intermediate | 4 | 8-10 |
Advanced | 4 | 6-8 |
4. Romanian Deadlift (Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back)
Material: Barbell (or Dumbbells for a variation)
Purpose: Targets your hamstrings and glutes, while also engaging your lower back. Great for developing the posterior chain.
Tip: Keep a slight bend in your knees and hinge at your hips. Lower the bar to just below your knees, keeping your back flat. Focus on the stretch in your hamstrings and squeeze your glutes as you come back up.
Muscles Targeted: Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back
Experience Level | Sets | Reps |
Beginner | 3 | 10-12 |
Intermediate | 4 | 8-10 |
Advanced | 4 | 6-8 |
5. Step-Ups (Quads, Glutes)
Material: Dumbbells, Bench or Box
Purpose: Step-ups are great for building strength and stability in the quads and glutes while also improving balance.
Tip: Use a bench or box that allows your knee to be at a 90-degree angle when stepping up. Focus on driving through your heel to engage the glutes.
Muscles Targeted: Quads, Glutes
Experience Level | Sets | Reps (Per Leg) |
Beginner | 3 | 12-15 |
Intermediate | 4 | 10-12 |
Advanced | 4 | 8-10 |
6. Calf Raises (Calves)
Material: Dumbbells or Barbell
Purpose: Don’t neglect your calves. This isolation exercise helps develop the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles for stronger, more defined lower legs.
Tip: Perform these with a slow and controlled tempo, focusing on a full range of motion—go all the way up onto your toes and slowly lower back down.
Muscles Targeted: Calves
Experience Level | Sets | Reps |
Beginner | 3 | 15-20 |
Intermediate | 4 | 12-15 |
Advanced | 5 | 10-12 |
Cooldown (5 Minutes)
Static Stretches (Lower Body Focus)
Material: None
Purpose: Cool down and stretch out the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves to improve flexibility and reduce muscle soreness.
Movements:
Quad Stretch (standing): 1 minute per leg
Hamstring Stretch (seated): 1 minute per leg
Glute Stretch (seated): 1 minute per side
Calf Stretch (standing): 1 minute per leg
Conclusion
There you have it! This 60-minute lower body workout hits all the major muscle groups, giving you the chance to lift heavy and build strength from the ground up. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced lifter, you’ll be walking out of the gym with legs on fire and calories torched. Remember to focus on form, progressively overload your lifts, and allow enough recovery time to maximize your results.
Now, go hit the weights, follow this plan, and let’s get those legs growing!
APOLLO SPORTS SOCIETY
At Apollo Sports Society, we believe that a healthy lifestyle begins with the right mindset and tools. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting out on your fitness journey, our strength training programs and workout plans can help you achieve your goals.
And to support your fitness journey, we also offer a range of high-quality fitness clothing and workout clothes, designed to help you look and feel your best while you train. Our clothing is not only stylish, but also functional, featuring breathable fabrics and supportive designs that can help you perform at your best.
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