Strengthening the muscles in the lower body can help you in your everyday life- things like, your muscular stamina, lifting and carrying things, your posture, easing aches and pains caused by imbalances as well as strengthening your bones and reducing your risk of injury.
Exercises
Deadlift
Start standing with your feet hip-width apart and your weight (dumbbells, barbell, resistance band etc.) in your hands resting in front of you. Keeping the knees soft, bend at the hips and think about running the weight down the front of the legs, go as far as possible while maintaining a flat back (dependent on flexibility). Then return, brining the weight up the legs, squeezing the hamstrings and the glutes and maintaining that supported back.
Squat
Start with your feet just over hip width apart with toes pointing forward. Bend at the knees and the hips, moving the hips backwards as if going to sit on a seat. Keep the back straight and the core engaged. Squeeze the glutes (bum) as you drive back up to standing. This can be performed as a body weight exercise or if you want to add some more resistance- you can hold one dumbbell (goblet squat) at your chest with both hands, or hold one dumbbell in each hand.
Side lunge
Start standing with your feet parallel, step your right foot out as far as possible, bending at the right knee push you hips down and back, keeping your left leg straight. Then push through the right heel to bring the foot back to centre. And repeat on the other side.
Walking lunge
Just as it sounds! Start by taking a big step forward. Bend both knees and lower the torso straight down the middle until both your knees are at 90 degree angles (try not to bang your back knee on the floor)- this is a basic lunge. From here, push off the back foot and step it forward straight into another lunge on the other side (you can place your foot down at the point of standing first if you need to balance yourself). Keep repeating!
Glute bridge
Lie on your back with the soles of your feet on the floor (hip-width apart) and knees up. Tuck your pelvis under, then squeeze the glutes (bum) lifting the hips until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Then keep control as you lower down, rolling down the spine, and repeat. To make this harder, try placing a dumbbell across your hips and holding in place with your hands as you perform the movement.
Perform each of these exercises for 10-12 repetitions for 3 sets before moving on to the next exercise.
Watch the video to see both bodyweight and dumbbell versions of the exercises (other than the deadlift).
Enjoy!
