When my students say on Friday that their legs are still recovering from Wednesday's Cardio TRX class, you know it was a doozy.
Lunges, kick lunges, one-legged hip hinges, sumo squats, sumo jump squats, hamstring curls, etc. - and then repeat for good measure. So it went last week.
The TRX can be just as much of a butt-kicker to your lower half as your upper half - proving, yet again, that you don't need a big Smith machine or leg press machine to sculpt tighter, stronger legs and Badass.
Here's the routine from Wednesday. If you don't have a TRX, you can adapt by using dumbbells for some of these. Plan on a fast-paced walk, jog or cycle the day after powering through this one - your tight leg muscles will need the stretch and movement!
Warmup: 20 jumping jacks, 10 squat jacks, 30 seconds of high knees running in place, 30 seconds of mountain climbers
Circuit 1
- 20 In and Out Squats: Holding the TRX straps tight and standing back in a squat position, squat with feet close together. Come up, step right foot to the side and squat wide. Step back to the narrow-feet position, squat, and come up. Step left foot to the side and squat wide. That's one rep - yes, just one. :)
- 16 one-legged squats on each leg
- 16 Jump Squats
- 20 Sumo Squats: Feet wide apart, angled at 45 degrees out, as you go straight down and up - squeezing the glutes and inner thighs as you come up slowly.
- 16 Sumo Jump Squats: Same as the Sumo position, but quickly jump up and down, landing softly on the feet
- 16 TRX Lunges (or reverse lunges with one foot on a bench) and Pushups on each leg: Put one foot in the TRX strap and turn away from the strap, lunging down with the foot suspended. After 16 reps, come down to the floor and do 16 wide-grip pushups.
Cardio Burst: 10 Burpees, 20 Jacks, 10 Squat Jacks
Circuit 2
- Lunge Drill: 20 lunges with the right foot forward, 20 second hold at the bottom, followed by 16 lunge-kicks. Repeat on the left side.
- 20 Hip Hinge/Heel Lifts: Start with right foot planted on the floor, left leg back and toe pointed and off the floor. Slowly hinge at the hip, chest coming down as your left leg lifts; slowly hinge back down, feeling the hamstrings as you would in a deadlift. Do 20 reps, then hold forward in the hinge position as you bend the left leg to 90 degrees and push the heels up to the ceiling for 16 reps. Repeat on the left leg.
- 20 TRX Hamstring Curls
Cardio Burst: Mountain climbers for 30 seconds, high knees for 30 seconds, 10 burpees
**Repeat both circuits one more time and get in a very good stretch!
Coming up: The Badass CEO's Favorites, Summer Edition...and the 'secret' to hitting your target weight is, simply, math.