Lower body strength training sometimes feels like an overwhelming chore, particularly at this time of year. It's pretty out. No one wants to be cooped up in a sweaty weight room busting out parallel squats to muscle failure.
This week, I'll present a few options for taking your leg training outdoors -- to maximize your workout enjoyment. And I'll introduce a move that has impressed many of my clients in terms of challenge and results.
If you're tired of hoisting huge barbells for lower body training, it's time to mix it up. Outdoor training can add variety to your routine, but the problem has always been a lack of equipment suitable for use outside. For those with a good deal of lifting experience, not having weights to use can mean your work won't apply the stimulus needed for muscle growth.
If this scenario sounds familiar, know that there are plenty of options to maintain lower body strength while lifting nothing except your own body weight.
The first strategy is to lengthen your time under contraction. Instead of performing quick repetitions of body-weight squats or lunges, try counting down from six on the lowering phase. This subtle change will extend the time your muscles contract during each and every repetition and thus force the fibers to work harder.
Another great strategy for maximizing body-weight training effectiveness is taking advantage of ground reaction forces -- the force exerted by the ground upon a body in contact with it. Jumping, even in small doses, can really shove your muscles into overdrive because of what happens to them when you land and how they adapt to become stronger afterward. Each inch you open up between your feet and the ground means extra resistance will be applied to your muscles, bones, tendons -- everything -- upon landing.
After a set of 20 repetitions, you've done a power-packed workout that will challenge almost any body.
Finally, try a few exercises that you haven't done before. Movement patterns can become predictable and stale over time, so it's important to keep your body guessing with regard to your next training stimulus. This week's exercise is a great variation of the traditional back lunge that could take you to the next level.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips.
- Step back with the right foot as you would when doing a normal backward lunge.
- As you step back, position your right foot so that it's aligned with the left. Once your right foot is in this position, lunge down by bending the left knee.
- Lower yourself until the left knee approaches a 90-degree angle.
- Reverse the motion and stand back up while returning the right foot back to the starting position.
- Switch legs and repeat.
- Continue alternating legs as you perform this difficult lunge movement for two sets of 12 on each leg.
This movement will really challenge your balance initially, but you should be able to adjust as you become more comfortable. The Crossover Lunge will definitely engage the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteal group with each and every repetition. Enjoy!
Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
ActiveStyle on 05/12/2014