Men's Health (UK)

Your second legs session will strengthen your core and defeat back pain

Your legs are your largest muscle group, so target them now for serious calorie burn. This will also boost testostero­ne levels, improving everything from your energy reserves to your skin. It’s worth the pain, in other words

- THURSDAY

01 \ BARBELL SQUAT 4 SETS OF 5 REPS

Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders and hold a bar across your back with an overhand grip ( A), pressing it into your traps. Slowly sit back into a squat, dropping your glutes and keeping your chest high. Lower until your hips and knees are aligned ( B). Drive your heels into the floor to push back up explosivel­y.

02 \ BARBELL GLUTE BRIDGE 4 SETS OF 8 REPS

Strong glutes will lower your injury risk, improve your posture and help you lift heavier. Sitting with a barbell across your hips, rest your upper back on a bench with your knees bent and your feet on the floor ( A). Drive your hips up, squeezing your glutes when they’re parallel to the ground ( B). Reverse the move, lowering until your glutes touch the floor.

03a\ DEFICIT REVERSE LUNGE 3 SETS OF 10 REPS PER LEG

Stand on a weight plate with a light dumbbell in each hand ( A). Keep your chest up and shoulders pinned back as you drop one knee to the floor ( B). Tense your core as you press back up with your leg on the plate, until both feet are again on the weight. Switch legs each rep.

03b\ DUMBBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFT 3 SETS OF 12 REPS

Step off the plate and hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs ( A). Keeping your back straight, push your glutes behind you and lower the dumbbells until they’re at your shins and you feel a stretch in your hamstrings ( B). Drive your hips forward to return to the start. Descend slowly and rise quickly.

04 \ DEAD BUG 4 SETS OF 8 REPS

Now, for your core-tightening finisher: on your back with your arms in the air, lift your thighs so they’re at 90 degrees to the floor, your knees bent ( A). Tense your abs as you slowly lower your left arm above your head and straighten your right leg along the floor ( B). Hold for one second, then return to the starting position before switching sides.

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