As the weather warms up, many of us want to spend all our free time outside logging miles. But in order to be faster and more powerful on the road (and track and trails), it’s important to strength train—Best Fitness Trackers lower body.
“It’s no secret that powerful legs equal powerful runs and faster speeds,” says Amber Rees, senior trainer at Barry’s in New York City and cofounder of the Simple Steps to Boost Your Speed. Plus, lower-body strength training will improve your legs’ resiliency during long runs and help prevent injuries.
That’s why Rees created the following dumbbell leg workout. Ideally, you should add strength workouts to your routine two to three times a week. “If you don’t have a leg day in your routine, add this into your weekly plan. It may be tough, but you certainly won’t regret it when you tackle your next long run,” she says.
specifically focusing on your: Perform each exercise for 50 seconds, then rest 10 seconds before moving into the next exercise. Performing the exercises once through takes 8 minutes. Rees recommends performing them as a circuit, two to three times through for a total of 16 or 24 minutes.
You’ll need two dumbbells to complete this circuit. An exercise mat is optional. Each move is demonstrated by Rees in the video above so you can master the proper form.
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Squat
Stand with feet just wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly out, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (palms facing toward body). Send your hips back as if you’re sitting back into an invisible chair. Bend knees to lower down as far as possible with chest lifted in a controlled movement. Keep lower back neutral. Press through heels to stand back up to starting position. Repeat.
Deadlift
Stand with feet hip- to shoulder-width apart, a microbend in knees, shoulders back, and chest proud, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (palms facing toward body). Slowly send your hips back to hinge from the hips while keeping your back straight, abs tight, and chest lifted. At the same time, rotate hands inward so that your palms face your legs. Engage hamstrings and glutes to resist the downward pull of gravity as the weight lowers toward to the floor. Lower as far as you can until you feel a pull along the backs of legs. Push hips forward to come back up to standing, as you rotate hands outward to starting position. Repeat.
⬇️ Perform the following three combo exercises all on the right side, then go back and repeat on the left side. ⬇️
Sumo Squat to Forward Lunge
Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out about 45 degrees, holding dumbbells at shoulders. Send your hips back as if you’re sitting back into an invisible chair. Bend knees to lower down as far as possible with chest lifted in a controlled movement. Keep lower back neutral. Press through heels to stand back up to starting position. Immediately rotate your body to the right and perform a lunge by bending both knees to create a 90-degree angle with your legs. Push up through right heel and return to standing. Repeat.
Backward Lunge to Kickstand Deadlift
Turn to the right, standing tall with both feet facing forward and holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (palms facing toward body). Take a big step back onto the ball of your left foot—keep the heel off the ground. Bend both knees until the right thigh is parallel to the ground and the right knee is hovering just above the ground, legs forming 90-degree angles. Push through the right heel to return to standing, but bring left foot to balance behind your planted right foot, like a kickstand. Then, reach hands toward floor, focusing on hinging from the hips to perform a deadlift. Repeat.
Side Lunge to Forward Lunge
With both feet forward, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (palms facing toward body), take a wide step to the right with right foot. Bend your right knee as you send hips back and shift your weight over your right foot to drop into a side lunge. Keep chest lifted and left leg straight. Return to standing. Turn to the right and perform a lunge by bending both knees to create a 90-degree angle with your legs. Push up through right heel and return to standing. Repeat.
