Hey friends!

I’ve got an awesome workout to share with you today 🙂  Last week, I ended up subbing a  Total Strength class last minute and taught this workout.  It’s awesome because it gets you sweating and really does focus on many body parts, but the LEGS….oh the legs.  Let’s just say the next day you WILL be thanking me!

Total Body LEG Burner Workout

Equipment Needed:

• Dumbbells, a light set (5-8lbs) and preferably something a little heavier since we will be doing leg work (8-10lbs).
• A bench, coffee table, or chair (something you can step onto safely)

There are 3 sets of work with 4 exercises each.  You will go through each set of work a total of 3 times, the first time completing 21 reps, the second time completing 15 reps, and the third and final time completing 9 reps.

You should definitely feel fatigued by the end, but your form should not suffer.  We aren’t looking for muscle failure here, just fatigue.  This workout should take about an hour.

As always, make sure to do a good warm up to get your body ready to move, stretch out the end, and rest/drink water as needed.  Please talk to your doc if you’re making any major changes to your exercise routine 🙂

• Back Lunge with Shoulder Press:  Start with feet hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand.  Step back with one leg and lower that back knee towards the ground.  Abs should be braced and both legs should be at 90 degrees at the bottom of the move.  As you stand up out of the lunge, push through your back foot to transfer the weight to the front foot.  You should feel this in your glutes (booty).  While you are standing, rotate the arms so the your palms (and the dumbbells) are facing forward (away from your body) and push the dumbbells up to the ceiling.  Return to your starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
• Squat, Twist, Curl:  Feet should be outside the hips, toes slightly turned out with one dumbbell in each hand.  As you squat, focus on engaging the core and sitting the hips down and back.  Knees should be in line with your toes.  Twist the upper body and bring one dumbbell into the center of your legs (like the picture).  As you stand, rotate the upper body forward and bring the arms up into a bicep curl.  Repeat on the opposite side.
• Front Raise with a Rear Kick:  Hold one dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet right underneath your hips, abs braced and standing tall.  Maintain a slight bend in the elbow as you raise your arms forward just to shoulder height.  As you raise your arms, kick one leg behind you.  This move is not about kicking as high as you can, so focus on maintaining balance, your hips in a forward position, and stability. Repeat the exercise and kick the opposite leg.
• Crossbody Single Arm Snatch:  Feet are outside the hips, toes slightly turned out with one dumbbell in each hand.  Take the Right arm (and dumbbell) to the left knee, making sure to keep the chest lifted to avoid any rounding of the back.  Pull the dumbbell across the body and end with the dumbbell in the air on the Right side.  Repeat on the opposite side.
• Goblet Squat:  Begin with your feet outside your hips, toes slightly turned out, holding your dumbbell(s) away from your body at chest height.  Sit the hips down and back, keeping the knees in line with your toes as you squat.  Keep the weight in your heels and squeeze through the glutes as you stand up out of the move.
• Dumbbell Clean and Press:  Start with your feel just outside hips (not as wide as a squat).  Have a slight bend in the knees, and the dumbbells should be at about waist height.  Drive through the heels as you push the weights up overhead.  Make sure to brace the core and keep the weights in front of the body.  Do not arch your back at the top of the move.  Go back to the starting position and repeat.
• Leg Pass Through:  Feet are wide, similar to a squat position (toes slightly turned out).  Squat down as if you are sitting in a chair, keeping the chest lifted.  Rotate the weights between your legs, switching hands almost creating a “figure 8” shape.  Maintain good posture by staying active in the core and lifting through the chest.  One rotation on each side is a repetition.
• Squat with Overhead Press:  Feet are wide, toes slightly turned out, one dumbbell in each hand and arms are in a touchdown position.  Sit the hips down and back, knees tracking in line with the toes.  As you stand up, push through the heels and bring the weights overhead by straightening out the arms (but maintaining a slight bend in the elbows…never lock out the joints).  Return to the starting position and repeat.
• Push-Up Row:  Hold the dumbbells in each hand as you get into a plank or push-up position.  Hands should be right underneath your shoulders and feet are in line with your hips.  The body is in one long line.  Lower the body down into a push up so the chest is in line with the elbows.  Push the body away from the floor as you straighten the arms and bring one weight off the ground pulling the elbow back toward the rib cage.  Don’t let the hips wiggle, keep everything straight and in alignment.  If the hips wiggle, lower down to your knees for this exercise.  Repeat on the other side.
• Step Up with Knee Lift:  Find a sturdy surface to stand on (chair, bench, etc).  Place one foot completely on the elevated surface.  Drive into the foot on the elevated surface bringing the opposite knee up using your lower abdominals.  Gently lower yourself back down to the ground and repeat with the opposite leg.
• Dumbbell Sit-Up:  Begin by lying on your back, feet hip width apart on the ground, dumbbell in your hands overhead.  Pull the bellybutton towards the spine and lift the upper body off the ground while bringing the dumbbell forward over the knees.  Focus your eyes right in the center of your knees to maintain good spine alignment.  Gently lower yourself down back into starting position and repeat.
• Knee Crossover Mountain Climber:  Begin in plank or push-up position (hands under your shoulders, feet hip width apart, body in a long straight line.)  Take the knee across the body to the opposite elbow and try not to let your butt lift into the air.  The lower your knee is to the ground, the more you are going to work your lower abdominals.  Repeat on the opposite side.  If you find that you need a less intense option for this exercise, lower down onto your knees and take the knee to the same elbow (to the outside) rather than across.

Let me know if you give the workout a try!  I love feedback 🙂  AND I’m going to be completely honest in saying this is the first time I’ve created a picture collage-thing like this, so I know the photo quality isn’t 100%, but I promise I’m working on it!

Have a good day!