MARCH '20 GLUTES AND LEGS CHALLENGE (4 WEEKS)

Estimated time: ~35 mins +10 cool down (haven’t actually timed it yet but it also depends on how slow or fast you are doing the exercises)
Frequency: do it 3 times a week
Equipment: yoga mat, ankle weights, dumbbells, resistance bands, a chair… Optional: weighted bag, kettle-bell and barbell only as options.

WARM UP: 20 jumping squats, 30 jumping jacks, 30 body weight squats
Rest 30 seconds

SET 1

• 1 minute/15 bouncing squat to a curtsy holding weight, left side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 1 minute/15 bouncing squat to a curtsy holding weight, right side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 1 minute/20 kickbacks with ankle weight, left side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 1 minute/20 kickbacks with ankle weight, right side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 1 minute 30 leg circles with ankle weight, left side (reverse halfway)
• Rest 30 seconds
• 1 minute 30 leg circles with ankle weight, right side (reverse halfway)
• Rest 30 seconds
• 1 minute/20 jumping squats
• Rest 30 seconds

See the moves and some instructions here: https://youtu.be/CSLh_Pt5Mio

SET 2

• 20 side-side crab walks (with low difficulty resistance band)
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 clam shells (each side, with low difficulty resistance band)
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 kick back + 10 pulses (each side, with ankle weights)
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 donkey kicks (each side, with ankle weights)
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 jumping squats
• Rest 60 seconds

See the moves and some instructions here: https://youtu.be/O2Ul1Rwtaws

SET 3 (see photo)

• 30 seconds wall sit/squat
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 standing side leg raise with ankle weight/resistance band, right side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 standing side leg raise with ankle weight/resistance band, left side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 single leg dead lift holding dumbbells, right side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 single leg dead lift holding dumbbells, left side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 chair squats
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 Kettle bell/dumbbells/barbell Romanian Dead lift
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 single Bulgarian split squat, right side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 single Bulgarian split squats, left side
• Rest 30 seconds
• 20 fire hydrants (each side, with ankle weights)
• Rest 30 seconds
• 30 weighted bridges
• Rest 30 seconds
• 10 jumping squats
  WORKOUT COMPLETE!

It’s recommended to do a post-workout stretch. Here’s a 10 min one: https://youtu.be/Ji9vKgfWK88

• You can make your own schedule, adapted to how fit you are.
• Do your best but adjust to your lifestyle as needed. If you can’t do them all in one take, pause when necessary, just try to finish it. If you are a beginner and can’t do them with those weights yet, do them with smaller ones or without and add them when you feel up to it.
• Each week increase the weight for dumbbells and the difficulty for the resistance bands.
• Don’t do them too fast and don’t do them too slow. Think about the muscle you are trying to use and concentrate on it. Feel it!
• If it’s too easy, you need to add more weight.
• For each exercise involving your booty, finish the move with a squeeze (it makes wonders for that bubble butt). So squat, get up, squeeze for 1-2 seconds and repeat.
• The same for other exercises… at the peek of the move, squeeze and hold the pose for 1-2 seconds and then release/return in a controlled matter.
• It’s very important to concentrate on your posture. This way, you won’t hurt yourself and the exercises will have the desired effect. If you don’t know how, there are tons of movies on YouTube showing how. Or just ask me. 😊


An example of progressively adding weight:
Week 1: no ankle weights, low difficulty resistance band, 1 kg dumbbells (use together for dead lifts, bridges etc)
Week 2: 1kg ankle weights, medium difficulty resistance band, 1 kg dumbbells (use together for dead lifts, bridges etc).
Week 3: 2kg ankle weights, high difficulty resistance band, 2 kg dumbbells (use together for dead lifts), 5kg weighted bag for bridges, 12kg kettle bell for dead lifts (if possible)
Week 4: 2kg ankle weights, high or very high difficulty resistance band, 3 kg dumbbells (use together for dead lifts), 5kg weighted bag for bridges, 12kg kettle bell for dead lifts (if possible) and if you think you are up to it, after you are done with all 3 sets, do them once more. 😊

I hope many will join me.
Looking forward to reading your updates.

Let’s do this!