BARBELL HACK SQUAT

Works: Quads

  • Stand in front of a barbell with your feet hip width and your toes pointed slightly outward.
  • Squat down and grab the barbell behind you with an overhand grip just outside your hips.
  • Return to standing, pushing through your heels, until the barbell reaches the top of your hamstrings.
  • Squat and lower barbell to midcalf, then stand.
  • Perform three sets of 20, 16, and 12 reps, increasing the amount of weight with each set by 10%.

Tip: Be sure to keep your head and chest always facing forward.

 

INVERTED LEG PRESS

Works: Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings

  • Lie faceup on a bench under a Smith machine barbell (with safety arms engaged) with your hips in line with bar. Place the arch or middle of your feet on the bar with your feet hip width.
  • Push upward to release the bar catch and lower bar until your upper thighs slightly contact your abs.
  • Press upward using your glutes and hamstrings until your legs are straight, without locking your knees.
  • Perform three sets of 20, 16, and 12 reps, increasing the amount of weight with each set by 10%.

Tip: Push through heels without locking knees. Always have a spotter for this move.

 

DUMBBELL DEADLIFT AND RAISE

Works: Hamstrings, Calves

  • Hold dumbbells with your palms facing sides of your thighs, feet 12 inches apart, and knees soft (not locked).
  • Lower the dumbbells to ankle height, feeling the stretch along your hamstrings.
  • Slowly stand up from the deadlift until you are upright, then rise onto the balls of your feet flexing your calves.
  • Return heels to floor. That’s one rep.
  • Do three sets of 16, 12, then 10 reps, increasing the amount of weight with each set by 10%.

Tip: Push through your Heels to rise from Deadlift.

 

SKI STEP

Works: Hips, Glutes, Quads

  • Stand under a barbell rack, with the barbell just below your trapezius and across shoulder blade, feet together.
  • Lift bar off the rack and take three steps back. Step to the rear with your right leg until your left knee is at a 90-degree angle.
  • Step your right foot back alongside your left and repeat the step back with your left leg.
  • Perform two sets of 20 continuous reps.

Tip: You can hop slightly when traNsitioning to boost your burn.

 

GOOD MORNING

Works: Lower Back, Glutes, Hamstrings

  • Stand under a barbell rack, with the barbell across your shoulder blades and your feet hip-width apart.
  • Lift the bar off the rack and take three steps back. Slowly lean forward, pushing glutes to the rear.
  • Stop movement when your torso is parallel to floor, keeping your head forward and abs engaged.
  • Slowly rise upward, pushing through your heels until your torso is almost erect in standing position.
  • Perform two sets of 15 slow, controlled reps.

 

KETTLEBELL OFFSET SLIDER LUNGE

Works: Core, Entire Leg

  • Keep your left foot on the floor and place your right foot beside it on a slider.
  • Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell at your right shoulder with your upper arm parallel to the floor.
  • Slide your right leg to the rear into a lunge position until your right knee is a few inches from the floor.
  • Slide your right foot back alongside left, keeping your heel off the slider.
  • Perform two sets of 20, then one set of 16 reps. Repeat on opposite side.

Tip: Keep moving—don’t pause at top or bottom of movement.

 

PROWLER SLED RUN

Works: Legs, Explosive Power

  • Start by gripping the bars of a sled slightly under shoulder height with palms inward.
  • Place your left leg forward and right leg to the rear in a sprinter position.
  • Drive knees forward pushing off balls of your feet to propel the sled forward.
  • For strength, use heavier weight: Do four rounds of 10–15 yards with one minute’s rest. For conditioning, use lighter weight: Do six rounds of 20–25 yards with 30 seconds’ rest.