TRAINING2XL’s Top 3 Favourite Lower Body Exercises

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I try not to play favourites when it comes to exercises, but I can’t help myself with these three. Each of these movements is a staple piece in the programming I write for my athletes, as well as myself. They focus on important movement through major joints and they prioritize major muscle groups in the lower extremities. The big three are - Goblet Squats, RDL’s, and Split Squat (special shoutout to the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat).

If you follow me on Instagram (@training2xl) you’re probably sick of watching my morning movement videos that normally include one of these three movements or a variation of them. Over the years, I’ve had some awesome conversations with other coaches, trainers and movement lovers about some of these movement patterns whether it’s about how to use the movements in a program, or how to cue them up. Being repetitive with these movements is very intentional - it’s because these basic movement patterns are proven to develop strength and resilience in the lower body. There may not be anything overly fancy about them, but they sure do work!

Side Note: It’s incredibly beneficial to record yourself throughout your training to be able to observe how you move. Many times the exercise may feel good, but in reality there may be some areas of opportunity that you would normally be able to feel unless you watched it yourself.

Okay, enough of me typing, it’s time to hop into my TOP 3 Favourite Lower Body Exercises for both athletes in sport and for the athletes in life:

1. Goblet Squat (BILATERAL KNEE-DOMINANT)

The squat is an important movement pattern to develop strength in the glutes and quads which contributes to speed, power, and everyday performance. The Goblet Squat is an all-encompassing lower body exercise that takes a lot of core strength and stabilization through the spine, as well recruiting major muscles in the lower body. The Goblet Squat is a great variation because it's front-loaded, forcing you to use maintain a braced core to keep the torso upright as you sit the hips down and away from the resistance. 

CUES + SET-UP

  • Lock DB to the chest

  • Corkscrew feet to the floor

  • Feet hip to shoulder width (very dependent on the individual) with toes anchored at 11 and 1 on a clock

  • Brace core - tense as if someone is about the punch you in the stomach

  • Sit hips back like you’re sitting into a low chair

  • Knees track in line with middle toes

NOTE: Stance is based on preference. I always recommend to start with feet just outside hip to shoulder distance with toes pointed at 11 and 1 on a clock. If you feel more comfortable with a wider or narrower stance, do what feels best!

VARIATIONS

  • Sumo Stance Goblet Squat

  • Landmine Squat

  • BB Front Squat

2. RDL (BILATERAL HIP-DOMINANT)

RDL's aka the Romanian Deadlift are a deadlift variation that starts and ends at the hips. This is an excellent exercise for strengthening the posterior chain (think: back of the body) and complimenting all the squats that were just discussed. Hamstring strength is incredibly important for both athletes in sport and athletes in life for preventing injury and developing more resilience in the body around the joints. RDL's are also a key contributor to developing a strong posture and pull strength.

CUES + SET-UP

  • Draw shoulders down and away from ears

  • Squeeze tennis balls between the armpits

  • Push butt back to the wall behind

  • Micro-bend in the knees

  • Paint the front of the legs with the weight

  • Feet anchored with weight slightly shifting back into heels

  • Maintain flat back

VARIATIONS

  • DB RDL

  • BB RDL

  • SL RDL

  • Split Stance RDL

3. Split Squats (UNILATERAL KNEE-DOMINANT)

Unilateral movements are ones that isolate one side of the body more than the other. These are incredibly important to incorporate for strength in the lower body, especially because as humans we are rarely in a bilateral stance. Building up strength around the ankles, knees and hips are not just important if you're playing a sport, but also for everyday life. Stabilization also plays a critical role in performing these exercises properly so it’s important to move through them at a steady tempo and ensure that you are working from a solid base of support. Split Squats can be done (and be challenging) just using your own bodyweight so ensure you’ve built a strong foundation before progressing.

Side Note: There is a difference between split squats and lunges - split squats are from an anchored base of support that does not change, and lunges incorporate movement into the position (stepping into the lunge position and returning back to standing).

CUES + SET-UP

  • Start with feet hip to shoulder distance apart and then step directly back

  • Draw shoulders down and away from ears

  • Brace core like you’re about to be tickled in the stomach

  • Drive weight through the front heel

  • Knees track in line with toes

  • Slight lean forward of the chest

  • Create 90 degree angles with knees

VARIATIONS

  • Bodyweight Split Squats

  • DB Split Squats

  • Offset Loaded Split Squats

  • BB Split Squats

  • Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats (truly a love-hate relationship)

Well, there you have it - my top 3 favourite lower body exercises. Are they basic? Yes. Simple? Absolutely, as they should be! We should not feel the need to reinvent the wheel with every training session - focus on building strength through the foundational movement patterns and progressively overload when appropriate.

Do the simple things.

Do them well.

Do them often.

If you have any questions or want to chat more about movements, feel free to drop me a note HERE!

Happy Training Team 👊🏼

 
Alena LucianiComment