Leg day is also the toughest day of the week. It takes high volume, high reps with heavy weight, and mental toughness to get through a true leg routine that gets results. This also means that time becomes a factor.
When we are pressed for time we tend to skip the hard stuff. We will fit in our chest and arm workouts since these are the show muscles and skimp on the legs. This is a huge mistake and it can be fixed. You can still get a solid leg workout in 20 minutes.
With the right routine you can blast the legs in a short amount of time. There are four primary areas of the legs that need to be hit hard; the quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves. The key to a good leg routine is to use exercises that hit all those areas so no muscle fiber is left untapped. Front squats, deadlifts, walking lunges and calf raises are the perfect moves to do just that. Just stay focused and give it your all with this highly efficient, 20-minute leg workout.
Dumbbell Single Leg Reverse Deadlift
So far we’ve trained your quads mostly but no leg workout is complete without the posterior chain training. The single leg reverse deadlifts will really stretch those hamstrings. To perform the exercise, take a dumbbell in one hand (or two dumbbells in both hands) and kick one leg back while bending forward with the weight. Keep your back arched and your active knee locked throughout the movement. Let those hams stretch as much as you can.
Squat
Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Extend arms out so that they are parallel with the ground. Flex your knees and hips while sitting back with your hips as if you were going to sit in a chair. Keep your chest and shoulders upright and back straight. Go as far down as your flexibility allows. Reverse the motion, driving your weight through your heels until you return to the starting position.
Hip Raise
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your arms down by your sides or out at a 45-degree angle. Engage your core and squeeze your gluten while raising your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold at the top for 5 counts before lowering your body back to the starting position.
Elevated Hip Raises
The final exercise will work on your glutes and help you strengthen your lower back. We’ll use a variation with feet elevated on a bench (or a chair) to do the raises. Focus on contracting your glutes throughout the movement and work on that hip thrust..
Sumo Squat
Stand with feet a bit wider than your hips, feet turned out slightly. Place arms in a prayer position. Flex your knees and hips while sitting back with your hips as if you were going to sit in a chair. Keep your chest and shoulders upright and back straight. Go as far down as your flexibility allows. Reverse the motion, driving your weight through your heels until you return to the starting position.
The Workout
So the complete workout is as follows:
squats – 3×10
Hip Raise – 3×12 each leg
Dumbbell single leg reverse deadlift – 3×10 each leg
Elevated hip raises – 4×10
Sumo Squat – 4×10
Rest 60 seconds or less between sets.