30 min Lower Body Burn

Hey, I'm Thomasine, your coach for today's leg burnout. We're going to hit the legs from every angle, quads, hamstrings, glutes, inner thighs, with a mix of strength work and a plyometric cardio to finish. All you need is one pair of heavier dumbbells, anywhere between 5 and 12 kilos, or grab whatever you have around you. Water bottles, books, rocks from the garden, or simply body weight. Before you start, I recommend you do the separate warm-up session linked in the description as we'll jump straight into the workout. We'll be going for 40 seconds on, 20 seconds rest. That's a guide, not the rule. With lighter weights, extend the time under tension and shorten the rest. If you're lifting heavy or need more rest, take it. We'll go through the first four exercises twice before the second block, then a burnout and a stretch. I will demonstrate everything as we go along, starting with straight leg dumbbell deadlift. Pick up your dumbbells and hold one in each hand in front of your thighs. Hinge at the hips. Letting the dumbbells slide down the front of your legs. And when you feel the pull deep in the hamstrings, drive the hips forward to stand back up, contracting your glutes when you get to the top. Also, tighten your core before you hinge every single rep and keep your back flat and a soft bend in your knees. We're just warming up, so keep it controlled. And only go as far as you can. Pause is coming up in five, four, three, two, one. Put your weights down as I show you the dumbbell squat with three widths. Hold the dumbbell at your chest with both hands. We're moving through narrow hip width and wide stance, rotating through them during the 40 seconds. Your turn. Keep your knees tracking over the toes at every width. Push them slightly out rather than letting them cave in. Chest up toward the sky, weight back through the heels. You don't have to stand up fully in between each squat as we're going for maximum time under tension. And we're moving through three widths because the legs aren't one muscle. Narrow targets the front of the thighs, hip width spreads the load evenly across the quads and glutes, and wide brings the inner thighs and glutes into the picture. You're covering all of it. And rest in five, four, three, two, one. I will now show you good mornings. Hold the one dumbbell at the top of your upper back with both hands, elbows pointing forward. Tighten your ears, stand tall with a soft bend in the knees. And hinge forwards. Your turn. You hinge forward at the hips, keeping the back completely flat. The movement comes from the hip joint, not the spine. Go until you feel the hamstring pull. Pause momentarily, then drive the hips forward to stand back up. Slow on the way down, a bit more power on the way back up. This might feel unfamiliar, and that usually means you are working something you don't often isolate. The back of the legs often need exactly this kind of targeted attention. You can always reduce the weighted load if ever needed. And your rest is in three, two, one, and relax. I will next show you alternating backward diagonal lunge. Hold the dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Step one foot back out at a diagonal. Think eight o'clock rather than straight behind you. Lower the back knee toward the floor and back up again before alternating. Let's go. And the front knee stays stacked over the ankle, your shoulders back, core tight. Resist the urge to lean too far forward over that front knee. Really push through the front heel to stand back up. And this diagonal changes the hip angle just enough to recruit the glute differently from a standard lunge. So really feel how the small detail makes a major difference. And your rest is in five, four, three, two, one. Shake out your legs. You have a longer rest now before we repeat this block one more time from the top. Have a sip of water, pad off your sweat. And in the second round, rather than speeding through, really connect mentally with the muscle you're working. It's this mind muscle connection where so much of your strength is actually built and it will help you to keep your form even when it starts to burn. All right. We are going again in about 10 seconds. So you can already pick up your dumbbells and prepare. We're off with straight leg dumbbell deadlift, hinging at the hips and letting your weights slide down your legs, slowly lowering down and adding more power to the way back up. The hamstring is one of the most under trained muscles people have yet. One of the most important for protecting the lower back and your knees. Every rep here is a direct investment in both. Keep going only a few more seconds. And pulls in five, four, three, two, one. Put down your weights. For the next one, you will only need one. In ten seconds, we move into the dumbbell squat with three different widths. Okay, getting ready, let's go. Hold the dumbbell in front of your chest with both hands and move through the narrow hip width and wide stance. You know the three widths now, use the familiarity to go deeper and slower on the way down, more dynamic and bouncy on the way up. Stay low all the way through. Only a few more seconds. Keep going and release in five, four, three, two, one. I will definitely be taking my break this time. Shake out your legs. Next up is good mornings again. So we will again need one weight. Pick up the weight now and get ready to hinge again at your hip with the weight at the top of your upper back, not over your neck. See if you can get just a little more length in the spine on the way down on this round. Keeping your back flat all the way through. Keep going. Contract your core, back and glutes, both on the way down and on your way up. And rest coming up in five, four, three, two, one. I hope you're feeling it like I am. Pad off any sweat, take a sip of water. We are off again. Last one of this block, backward diagonal lunge. Pick up your weight and join me. Make these reps count. Shoulders back, core tight, all the way down. Eight o'clock behind you, alternating feet. Let's go. You've got this. Show me a smile. Only ten more seconds to go in this block. You can do it. I'm shaking here with you. Keep breathing. Keep smiling. And release. Now rest for one full minute before we move on to block number two. Block two will consist of kneeling lean backs, wide stance squat with a pulse halfway, pistol squat and lateral lunge with a cheeky little bicep curl. So lots to look forward to. But for now, shake out your legs, hydrate, wipe off your sweat and take deep breaths to get your heart rate down and power up for the next block of exercises. Deep breaths, sighing it out, hydrating. And then we're going to do a little bit of a push up. the next block. I will begin showing you kneeling lean backs. You will probably want to fold your mat over like this if you're on a hard surface and kneel on the mat with knees about hip width apart, hands out in front, squeeze the glutes, brace the core and make sure the upper body is completely upright and aligned with your thighs. Join me now. We hinge backward from the knee joint, not your hips. The whole body moves as one straight unit. Go only as far as you can control then use the quads and core to pull yourself back upright. This truly builds real quad and knee strength, activates the entire front chain from torso to knee and stretches the hip flexor all at the same time. If it feels too easy, hold your dumbbell at the chest only if you can keep the straight line completely solid. Otherwise, join me with body weight. And your rest is already in five, four, three, two, one. You have a 20-second pause and I will show you the wide stance squat with a pulse halfway. You'll pick up your dumbbells, stand with your feet wide, toes turned out, one or both dumbbells hanging down between your legs. Join me now. The pause is already over. Lower into a squat then rise only halfway up. Pause there, pause back down, then drive all the way up to standing. Tuck in your pelvis and keep your shoulders back, chest proud toward the sky. Slow on the way down, pause halfway, power on the way up. Connecting with your glute muscles all the way through to get that mind-muscle connection. That halfway position is where most people cheat themselves. It's also where the most people cheat themselves. Most strength is built. So pause momentarily in it and feel the burn. Break is coming up in five, four, three, two, one. Put your weights down as I show you a body weight pistol squat. For this one, you will stand on one leg and slowly lower, extending the other leg straight down. Hold your hands out in front of you, hovering above the floor. Go as deep as you can control, then drive back up through the heel. Join me now if you haven't started already. And if you struggle to balance, hold your hands out in front of you or hold onto a wall or door frame to get that depth with control. Doing the pistol squat over an elevated surface also makes it easier to go deeper without having to lift the front leg as high. If it's still too demanding, keep the heel of the extended leg resting lightly on the floor in front of you for support. It takes the balance challenge down without losing the leg work. We will do the other side in the second round. Pause coming up in five, four, three, two, one. And as you rest, I will show you the next exercise, which is a lateral lunge with reach and bicep curl. So pick up one dumbbell, hold it in your hand, step wide out to one side into a lateral lunge, reach the dumbbell down toward the opposite foot, then push back into a one-legged bicep curl. Let's go. We'll only do one side for half the time before switching legs, so it goes very fast. Push back up to standing on that one leg. And as you rise, curl the dumbbell. Pull the dumbbell into a bicep curl at the top. Only a few more, and now switch legs and hands over to the other side of the mat. So you're reaching towards the other leg with the dumbbell in the other hand. This one asks a lot of you at once: stability, coordination, and full body strength. If the form starts to go, step the foot down between reps and reset rather than balancing. Quality of movement is priority. And your rest is coming up in five, four, three, two, one. You now have a 30-second rest before we go back to the top of block two again. Wipe off your sweat, hydrate, and prepare your folded mat for the kneeling lean backs. This next round is your final round of the exercise. So give it your all. You can do this in any position. tired thoughts you are the one who keeps choosing to show up you're the one waking up tomorrow enjoying the benefits of greater strength and conditioning that's being built right here right now so let's prepare we'll be moving for 30 seconds resting for 10 seconds just three exercises then we'll repeat the whole burnout round once more are you ready to sweat i sure am and first one is alternating jumping split squats i will demonstrate them right now starting in that lunge position you jump and switch your legs in the air landing softly in the opposite lunge so join me now if you haven't already timer is running stay low throughout the lower you are when you jump the harder the legs have to work keep it up keep the pace but if jumping isn't feeling right for you today do fast alternating lunges instead like this and the time is up so 10 seconds pause before we move on to your squat jumps all right we're already going again feet hip width apart jump into a squat then explode up into a wider squat as you land if you prefer reach both arms overhead as high as you can otherwise just keep them in front of you like me keep alternating between these wide and hip width squat stances this is where your cardiovascular system and the muscular system meet both are working that's exactly where adaptation happens and this is where you get stronger just a few more seconds and pause all right moving on to the next exercise we're going to be doing today we're going to jump into skaters where you bound from side to side on the mat rest is over so join me now you land on one foot and sweep the other leg behind reach the opposite arm down toward the landing foot keep it low keep it controlled and cover as much width as you can keep every landing soft simply walk it out into a side lunge if you prefer not to jump otherwise see if you can speed up try not to fall like me you've got this last few seconds now and after this you'll have a little break before we go into the last round before you are done and break there well done it's in these pauses that we truly connect our bodies so it's really important that we take them try to listen to what your body is communicating to you right now is something hurting do you have more to give adapt accordingly in this last burnout round take a few deep deep breaths and feel your heartbeat come back down before we go again okay ah getting ready it's time to jump again alternating split squats here we go changing over mid-air or stepping out into a lunge if you prefer not to jump but nonetheless keep your core tight to hold your upper body up don't lean too much over your front knee you've got this stronger than your mind tells you you are so keep going even when it hurts only a few more seconds and pause there that was your first exercise in your final burnout round next up is squat jumps timer's already running so show me how you're doing and I'll see you in the next round so show me your deepest hip width and wide stance squats of today remember to keep your knees out to the sides in line with your knees not letting them fall inwards as you lunge I'm in this with you literally shaking head to toe but you are what's keeping me going so stay with me last push now and five four three, two, one. Time's up. Take a few deep breaths before we go into our last exercise of today, skaters. Let's make it into the best one of today. Off we go. Skaters from side to side of the mat. See if you can jump even further to the side this time, even deeper in your single leg squat, even faster for these final seconds of today's workout. But remember to keep the landing soft and reach your hand out down to the opposite side. Last few seconds. Come on, you got this. I'm in it with you. And five, four, three, two, one. You are done. We are done. Give yourself a clap. That is the work done. However that felt heavy, shaky, strong, all of it, you stayed with it. And that is the whole point. Now we do something just as important. We let the body integrate what just shifted. So come down to the floor and lay on your back, legs relaxed and slightly apart, arms by your sides with palms facing up or somewhere on your body. The burn out you just did sends a clear stress signal to the body. This, what we're doing right now, sends an equally important signal that it's safe to recover. So take a deep inhale, and an even longer exhale. Keep repeating at your own pace. And notice how your pulse naturally reduces with every round of breathing. A long exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of you that repairs, rebuilds, and restores. And it's in that recovery state that your muscles repair and grow back stronger. So don't skip this part. This part of you that repairs, rebuilds, and restores. This part of the session. Notice your legs, the quads, the hamstrings, the calves, and let them be completely heavy, melting into the ground. There's nothing to hold, nothing to do, nowhere to be. The floor holds you. We so often move straight from training into the next thing without giving the nervous system that pulls to settle and integrate what it's just about. And these few minutes are that pause. Try not to skip them. And we continue that with a short stretch. If you want to join me, meet me in a seated position now. Bring the soles of your feet together in front of your pelvic area and let your knees fall out wide for a butterfly stretch. Hold your feet and let gravity draw the knees towards the floor. Fold gently forward if you want to deepen it further and breathe into your inner thighs. Feel them stretching out today's effort. And moving on to a seated spinal twist. Cross the right foot over the outside of the left knee, keeping both feet on the ground. Place your left elbow on the outside of the right knee. And gently rotate your torso to the ground. Keep the right looking over your right shoulder. Keep breathing. Now switch sides. Sit tall through the spine rather than collapsing into the twist. Length comes first, then the rotation. Only go as far as you can with a straight back. And now let's stretch out your quads. Sit up on your knees. Lunge your right foot forward as you draw the left heel toward the left glute. Holding the ankle. Keep the knees together and hips stacked forward. Feel the stretch in the front of your left glute and hip flexor. And staying in that position, let go of your ankle. Lean into your hip flexor and round your spine as you tuck the tailbone under to deepen the hip flexor stretch. Float your hands. Keep your hands out in front or gently rest them on your knee to support in rounding your spine. For a deeper stretch in your psoas muscles, lean forward even more as I'm doing here. And slowly uncurl your back to upright. Stretch out your right leg in front and lean over it with your upper body, making sure to fold at your hip with your back as straight as possible. Flex your front foot and feel your hamstrings stretching. Now slowly return back to an upright position. Switch sides, lunging with your left leg in front this time and grabbing hold of your right ankle behind you. Keep both sides of your hip level but lean forward into your hip if you want to go deeper also in the hip flexor. Keep breathing deeply. And now release the ankle, float your arms forward, tuck your tailbone under as you round your spine and shift your weight forward to get deep into that psoas muscle. And now straighten your leg out in front, flex the foot, straighten your back and hinge forward at the hips to stretch out your left hamstring. Breathe through any pain here. and finally let go of this as well stand back up keep your back straight as you bend at the hips and feel the hamstrings stretching at the back of your legs walk it out if you're still feeling tight and meet me in a standing position again thank you so much for joining me today and be proud of yourself for both carrying yourself through discomfort and calming your nervous system back down again carry that settled feeling with you into whatever's next on any journey using uber it helps to know you're getting into the right car pin verification adds an extra step to make sure your ride is your ride before the trip begins your app gives you a unique pin just tell it to your driver and they'll enter it in their app before the ride can start hey what's your pin 2538 that way you know you're in the right car taking the right trip and your driver the right passenger make sure your ride is your ride with pin verification from uber one more way uber is putting safety at every turn learn more on the uber app hank joined bj's wholesale club the day he became a father of 30 i coach football now coach hank saves up to 25 off grocery store prices 30 pounds of pasta three cases of protein bars 75 sports drinks and that's just pre-game he knows teamwork and bj's knows savings this is your home coach home of the save join for just 20 at bjs.com slash mesquite and save 10 cents per gallon for six months open soon limited time offer new members only bj's home of the save