Welcome to Day 5 of our Free 5-Day Workout Challenge!

This strength routine targets all the major muscles in your lower body and has an added Pilates core finisher at the end to make this a great routine to help you get your 2023 off to a fantastic start. 

** Workout Highlights **

• 42 minutes, 3/5 difficulty
• 2 rounds of lower body strength
  • repeat each exercise twice
  • 40 seconds on // 15 seconds off
• Pilates core finisher
  • no repeats
  • 30 seconds on // 10 seconds off
• Warm-up, cool-down, and modifications included
• Two water breaks

This 42-minute workout has a 6-minute warm-up and cool-down. We have two lower body strength sections of 9 minutes each that are separated by water breaks. Each lower body section has five exercises that we will repeat twice. We will work for 40 seconds and then rest for 15 seconds. Then we roll into the Pilates core finisher, about 5 minutes long (30 seconds on // 10 seconds off), before cooling down with lower body stretches. The weights I used in this routine varied between 10 and 30 pounds (4.54 and 13.61 kg). I only mention my weights as a reference for you and not as a guideline. 

Choose the weights that feel right for you based on the level of difficulty you want. You can make this routine a 2/5 or a 5/5 based on your chosen weights. The weights I used made this routine a level 3/5 difficulty. Please select a weight that is challenging but also allows you to move through a full range of motion with proper form and technique.

Since there is a short Pilates portion, I want to mention the "rib-to-hip connection." Engage your abdominals to bring your ribs closer to your hips or pelvis without rounding or arching your spine. When the ribs and hips are "connected," you are in a neutral spine position. Keep your spine straight, chest up, and rib cage down. This may feel awkward and like your body is working in opposition, but that is normal. So, take your time; practice makes perfect!

Note: This workout is part of our Free 5-Day Workout Challenge, but it can also be enjoyed as a standalone routine. Enjoying these workouts? Keep the momentum going with our new 4-Week FB Strong Round 3 program to gain strength and feel great. 

The Workout

Warm-Up
35 seconds each (6 minutes)

• Boxer Shuffle
• Hamstring Scoops
• Lateral Lunge
• Trunk Rotations w Knee
• Leg Swings - R
• Leg Swings - L
• Squats
• Cross Ankle Slaps
• Quick Hamstring Curls
• Jumping Jacks

Workout

I included the weight I used as a reference only.

Lower Body Strength Round 1
40 seconds on // 15 seconds off (9 minutes)
Repeat each exercise twice (back-to-back)

• L>R Deadlift (20 lbs, 9.07 kg)
• R>L Deadlift (20 lbs, 9.07 kg)
• Sumo Squat (20 lbs, 9.07 kg)
• Calf Raises (parallel) (10 lbs., 4.54 kg)
• Wall Sit (10 lbs., 4.54 kg)

**Water Break**

Lower Body Strength Round 2
40 seconds on // 15 seconds off (9 minutes)
Repeat each exercise twice (back-to-back)

• Goblet Squat (20 lbs, 9.07 kg)
• Reverse Lunge – R (10 lbs., 4.54 kg)
• Reverse Lunge – L (10 lbs., 4.54 kg)
• Calf Raises (turn out) (10 lbs., 4.54 kg)
• Deadlifts (30 lbs, 13.61 kg)

** Water Break**

Pilates Core Finisher
30 seconds on // 10 seconds off (5 minutes)
One time each

• Bear Position
• Diamond Toe Taps + Static Curl Up
• Side Oblique Crunch - L
• Side Oblique Crunch - R
• Diamond Roll-Ups
• Fallen Triangle Hip Dips - R
• Fallen Triangle Hip Dips - L
• Boat Pose

Cool-Down
35 seconds each (6 minutes)

• Adductors - R
• Adductors - L
• Quads - R
• Quads - L
• Hamstring - R
• Hamstring - L
• Hip Flexor - R
• Hip Flexor - L
• Piriformis - R
• Piriformis - L
• Seated Forward Flexion

Thank you for working out with me! I hope you are enjoying this wokout challenge. 

Happy Exercising!