5 Of My Top Exercises For A Strong Lower Body -

Here are 5 of my go-to exercises for strengthening the lower body. As all of these exercises require a fairly minimal amount of equipment, they can be done at home or the gym.

You can use these exercises individually, or can do all of them as a lower body workout.

#1) Kickstand Heel Elevated Squats

This squat variation really hones in on the quadriceps. The elevated heel allows for more forward knee tracking.

In this variation you will elevate your heel on a squat wedge, dumbbell, weight plate, or another stable surface. Make sure the surface you are using is VERY stable. I’m using a wheel chock.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a staggered stance squat position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Elevate the heel of your front foot on a stable surface. Be on the forefoot of your back foot.

Hold onto a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells (or a single dumbbell/kettlebell). Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are trying to crush something in your armpits.

While your heel will be elevated, aim to have as much of a tripod foot base as possible. Your weight should be on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the ground (and surface) for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the ground (and surface).

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now perform a squat and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.

Aim to do 75% or more of the work with the front/elevated side, and use the other leg as a kickstand of support.

Keep your torso in a relatively upright position, and focus on allowing your knee to track forward.

When you are performing the squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your legs. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#2) Kickstand RDL/Reverse Lunge Combo

This exercise combines a kickstand RDL and a reverse lunge. This is an awesome exercise for strengthening and building the hamstrings and glutes. This exercise is also great for teaching you how to decelerate.

Coaching Tips:

Start with your feet in a square stance. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

On the foot of the planted/working leg, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the ground for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the ground.

Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.

Now step backwards like you are going to do a reverse lunge, and simultaneously hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.

This ‘’lunging’’ side will serve as a “kickstand,” and should provide minimal assistance. Aim to do 75% or more of the work with the planted side.

When you are performing the hinges, pretend you are “pulling” your body back/down with your legs. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.

When you reach your full range (a range where YOU can maintain form/feels good), engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the ground and back to the top/starting position.

Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#3) Negative 1.5 Rep Hip Thrusts

This exercise strengthens the glutes, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability. In this exercise, you will be using a challenging negative 1.5 rep tempo, which I’ll describe below.

⁣⁣⁣ Make sure you can do this exercise proficiently with just bodyweight before you add any resistance.

Coaching Tips:

Set yourself up so your shoulder blade/upper back area, and upper arms are positioned on a bench, chair, or other stable surface. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

You should feel very stable on the surface.

If you are using weight, hold the weight on your hips. You may also use band resistance.

Place your feet so they are approximately hip width apart. Figure out what position works and feels best for you.

Bend your knees to roughly a 90 degree angle. Place your shins in a relatively vertical position.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now take 3-5 seconds and lower your hips to a range where you can maintain proper form. Once you get to the bottom position, use your glutes to lift your hips halfway to the top position, back to the bottom position, and finally, back to the top position (all at normal speed). This is one rep.

Press through the back portion of your feet. Don’t let your weight shift to your forefeet.

In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knees.

When you get to the top position, hold for a count or more and really squeeze your glutes.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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#4) Dumbbell Sway Squats

This exercise strengthens the adductors, quads, glutes, and hamstrings, improves hip controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability.

Coaching Tips:

Adopt your preferred foot width and positioning. Your feet will likely be significantly farther apart than during your regular squatting stance.

Perform a squat and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Maintain this depth for the duration of the exercise.

Grab onto a dumbbell (or other weighted object) with both hands. The weight should be in the center of your body, and between your legs. Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are trying to crush something in your armpits. This will help keep your arms and the weight from swinging.

While remaining in the squat stance, extend your one knee and press your body laterally, and transfer most of your weight to your opposite leg.

When you reach your end range, your leg should be in a squat position, and your knee should be in line with your toes. As for your other leg, your knee should be fully extended (or close to it).

On the planted/squatting side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the rep. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#5) Band Resisted Reverse Hypers

Band resisted reverse hypers are an awesome exercise for strengthening the glutes, and posterior core muscles. ⁣⁣

While I’m using a great home-workout set-up, you can also do these at the gym.

Coaching Tips:

Anchor a resistance band under a secure surface, and place the band around the back of your ankles.

Get into a prone position on your couch (or another stable surface). Your hip crease should be towards the edge of the surface. Figure out what position works and feels best for you. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Fully extend your knees, contract your quadriceps, and keep your legs and feet together.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now with complete control, and while keeping your knees, ankles, and feet in a fixed position, use your glutes and posterior core muscles and lift your hips and legs so your legs are roughly parallel to the floor. Avoid excessively arching your lower back, and move very smoothly.

In the top position, pause for a count and really contract your glutes and posterior core muscles.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend (a slight extension is ok), excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.