Sure, squats are an superior train. However they don’t want a slot in each lower-body routine. In truth, having a leg exercise with out squats is useful for these occasions you’re actually not jazzed concerning the train, whether or not attributable to it feeling not-so-great in your physique, the will for extra selection in your routine, or the truth that you merely aren’t within the temper.

“It’s okay to not at all times have squats in your rotation,” Lauren Leavell, CPT, group health teacher at Lauren Leavell Health, tells SELF. There are a bunch of workout routines on the market that fill an analogous position, difficult the identical muscle tissues because the squat—specifically, your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

And we tapped Leavell to create a lower-body exercise that’s chock-full of ’em. First up is a reverse lunge, a stellar single-leg train that’ll particularly ignite your quads, whereas additionally firing up your glutes and hammies. Then, you’ll go proper right into a superset, or a stack of two workout routines that you simply full proper after the opposite, with out resting in between. Your superset will probably be made up of the Romanian deadlift—a basic hip hinge transfer that’s nice for concentrating on your bottom muscle tissues, together with your glutes, hamstrings, and again—and the lateral step-down to heel faucet, one other single-leg transfer that hits your quads and glutes. Lastly, you’ll end with a weighted glute bridge, which zeros in in your butt.

All in all, “that is going to actually burn out your decrease physique,” says Leavell. Bonus: It’ll additionally hit your abs. “Core work is coming by in each train,” Leavell says, significantly the single-leg strikes, since your midsection is what helps your physique keep stabilized and balanced whilst you maintain heavy weights and transfer your legs.

Lastly, as a result of this routine engages a few of the greatest muscle tissues in your physique, it’ll probably tax your coronary heart and lungs, providing you with a cardio increase, too. “For those who’re working constantly by this, not taking lengthy breaks, you will get your coronary heart charge up,” Leavell says. She suggests doing it as soon as per week, alongside an upper-body particular routine and a total-body exercise.

Earlier than leaping into this exercise, take a couple of minutes to heat up, doing strikes like head circles, shoulder rolls, spinal twists, butt kickers, and knee raises, Leavell says. Not solely can a superb warm-up increase blood circulate and prime your muscle tissues for train, it will probably additionally show you how to mentally join together with your physique and get a strong grasp on simply how exhausting to push your self on a given day. Finish with a cooldown too, which might help your physique progressively return to a relaxed state—and as soon as once more present you a second to mentally examine in together with your physique, in keeping with the American Council on Train. Leavell suggests strikes like windshield wipers, 90-90 stretch, butterfly stretch, and youngster’s pose to reap the advantages.

One fast notice: Whereas, like we talked about, it’s completely nice to skip squats on any of your lower-body exercise days should you simply aren’t feeling jazzed about them. However should you’re avoiding the transfer as a result of they’re painful or uncomfortable, it’s price checking in with a bodily therapist to know what is perhaps inflicting that and how one can work by it, Leavell says.

Sure, squats are an superior train. However they don’t want a slot in each lower-body routine. In truth, having a leg exercise with out squats is useful for these occasions you’re actually not jazzed concerning the train, whether or not attributable to it feeling not-so-great in your physique, the will for extra selection in your routine, or the truth that you merely aren’t within the temper.

“It’s okay to not at all times have squats in your rotation,” Lauren Leavell, CPT, group health teacher at Lauren Leavell Health, tells SELF. There are a bunch of workout routines on the market that fill an analogous position, difficult the identical muscle tissues because the squat—specifically, your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

And we tapped Leavell to create a lower-body exercise that’s chock-full of ’em. First up is a reverse lunge, a stellar single-leg train that’ll particularly ignite your quads, whereas additionally firing up your glutes and hammies. Then, you’ll go proper right into a superset, or a stack of two workout routines that you simply full proper after the opposite, with out resting in between. Your superset will probably be made up of the Romanian deadlift—a basic hip hinge transfer that’s nice for concentrating on your bottom muscle tissues, together with your glutes, hamstrings, and again—and the lateral step-down to heel faucet, one other single-leg transfer that hits your quads and glutes. Lastly, you’ll end with a weighted glute bridge, which zeros in in your butt.

All in all, “that is going to actually burn out your decrease physique,” says Leavell. Bonus: It’ll additionally hit your abs. “Core work is coming by in each train,” Leavell says, significantly the single-leg strikes, since your midsection is what helps your physique keep stabilized and balanced whilst you maintain heavy weights and transfer your legs.

Lastly, as a result of this routine engages a few of the greatest muscle tissues in your physique, it’ll probably tax your coronary heart and lungs, providing you with a cardio increase, too. “For those who’re working constantly by this, not taking lengthy breaks, you will get your coronary heart charge up,” Leavell says. She suggests doing it as soon as per week, alongside an upper-body particular routine and a total-body exercise.

Earlier than leaping into this exercise, take a couple of minutes to heat up, doing strikes like head circles, shoulder rolls, spinal twists, butt kickers, and knee raises, Leavell says. Not solely can a superb warm-up increase blood circulate and prime your muscle tissues for train, it will probably additionally show you how to mentally join together with your physique and get a strong grasp on simply how exhausting to push your self on a given day. Finish with a cooldown too, which might help your physique progressively return to a relaxed state—and as soon as once more present you a second to mentally examine in together with your physique, in keeping with the American Council on Train. Leavell suggests strikes like windshield wipers, 90-90 stretch, butterfly stretch, and youngster’s pose to reap the advantages.

One fast notice: Whereas, like we talked about, it’s completely nice to skip squats on any of your lower-body exercise days should you simply aren’t feeling jazzed about them. However should you’re avoiding the transfer as a result of they’re painful or uncomfortable, it’s price checking in with a bodily therapist to know what is perhaps inflicting that and how one can work by it, Leavell says.