Legs Outdoor Workout

This workout is performed with a resistance band and bodyweight.

Single Leg Standing Hip Abduction with Band

Jumping Banded Squats

Jumping Lunges

Runner's Reach with hop

Jumping Skaters

The following is a leg workout performed using two dumbbells. Each of the following combinations begin with a strength training exercise and end with a bodyweight functional training exercise.

DB Neutral Grip Squat: 3 sets, 15 reps, recommended weight: 5lb-30lb DBs

Hold both DBs with neutral (hammer) grip at your shoulders. Holding weight higher on your torso like this makes this exercise use more of your postural muscles in the mid and lower back. It may be harder to keep proper form (keeping a straight back) with the weights kept up in this position. If so, you can drop the weights to your sides or try with lower weight.

After performing the DB Neutral Grip Squat, perform the Jumping Squat exercise with no break time in between.

Jumping Squat: 3 sets, 10 reps, bodyweight

The goal of performing the weighted squat directly before the jumping squat is to fatigue your legs and core and force you to try to keep the form in an explosive manner. Attempt to get your thighs parallel with the ground and then come up from the squat position quickly, while trying to keep your back straight and attempt to get some air!

DB Reverse Lunges with Front Foot Elevated: 3 sets, 12 reps, recommended weight 5lb - 30lb DBs

Performing one leg at a time rather than alternating legs with this exercise can help with your ability to concentrate on activating the muscles you are trying to focus on. It also fatigues the legs a bit more since the your muscles are staying under tension, rather than switching with each rep. Alternating legs is a great variation too and has many benefits but for this workout we are performing one leg at a time. Keeping the front foot elevated allows us to get a little greater range of motion (back knee isn't worried about hitting the ground) and can help focus our attention on our front leg. Attempt to keep your weight in the middle of your front foot throughout as much of the range of motion of the exercise as you can. Your back thigh should be perpendicular to the ground as you travel down, trying to get your front thigh parallel with the ground at the bottom of the range of motion.

After performing the Reverse Lunges, perform the Jumping Lunges with no break time in between.

Jumping Lunges: 3 sets, 12 reps, bodyweight

From standing, jump into the lunge position, then jump into the opposite lunge position. Attempt to land both feet at the same time (not front foot landing before back foot), drop down until your front thigh is parallel with the ground and back thigh is perpendicular to ground and then jump into opposite lunge position.

Lateral Alternating Reaching Lunge: 3 sets, 12 reps, recommended weight 5lb - 30lb DBs

Begin standing, holding both dumbbells to your sides. Step laterally bending the knee of the leg in the direction you've stepped. Lean forward in the direction of bending leg while keeping your back straight. Dumbbells should straddle this leg and foot, and most of your weight should be on this leg. The other leg should be straight throughout the range of motion. Drive up through the middle of the foot that is bearing the weight, trying to activate your glute and keep your spine straight!

After performing the Lateral Alternating Reaching Lunge, perform the Skaters with no break time in between.

Skaters: 3 sets, 12 reps, bodyweight

Begin by bending both knees, jump to one side planting the foot of the side on the ground without placing the other foot on the ground. The other leg should go to the side of the planted leg helping keeping balance as your upper body is leaning in the opposite direction of the way you jumped. Bend the knee of the planted leg and drive yourself to the other side.

DB Drinking Bird (DB single leg DL) : 3 sets, 12 reps, recommended weight 5lb - 30lb DBs

Begin standing with both DBs to your side. Lean forward and kick one leg back while trying to keep a straight line from your shoulders to the heel of the foot your kicking up behind you. Once you've reached parallel to the ground with your upper body and kicked back leg begin to bring yourself back upright while keeping this straight line. Focus on activating the glute and hamstring of the leg that is planted while keeping the isometric contraction through your postural muscles to keep your back straight. Try doing this all while balancing is quite difficult!

After performing the DB Drinking Bird, perform the DB Deadlifts with no break time in between.

DB Deadlift: 3 sets, 15 reps, recommended weight 5lb - 30lb DBs

Begin standing with both DBs to your side. Lean forward, focusing on sticking your butt out, while keeping your spine straight. The knees should bend slightly but we are trying to hinge at the hips, constantly sticking our butt out further. Range of motion of this exercise is dependent on flexibility and strength but the back should never go past parallel with the ground.

After performing the DB Deadlift, perform the Runner's Reach with no break time in between.

Runner's Reach: 3 sets, 10 reps, bodyweight

This exercise is similar to the Drinking bird but we are focusing more on power. Lean forward, kicking your back leg behind you but bending both knees and using your arms to help the rotation of this exercise like when we run. Go down slow into this loaded position and then attempt to explode up like you're accelerating at the beginning of a race but we are going up rather than forward. Try to use your glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core simultaneously to come up and jump off the ground!