Janet Layug's Favorite Glute and Leg Exercises

The leg muscles make up a significant portion of our body mass. Having well developed legs not only rounds out your look; it also makes a noticeable difference in your strength, power, and speed. But the lower body can be a stubborn group for many people because they’re made up of so many different muscle groups. It can be easy to overlook muscle groups in the lower body, causing you to miss out on getting the most out of your leg day workouts. Fortunately, Ms. Bikini Olympia Champion and Cellucor Athlete Janet Layug gave us the scoop on her favorite glute and leg exercises for a complete lower body workout.

Janet’s Favorite Glute and Leg Exercises

Walking Lunges

Set x Reps: 4 x 10 (each leg)
Recommended weight: 5-to-15-pound (dumbbells)

• Focus on keeping your knees behind your toes
• Remember to push through your heels as you come back up, that will target the glutes more effectively

Curtsy Lunges

• A variation of lunges that will help to target different angels of the glutes and lateral leg muscles
• Keep your weight back and drive through your heels

Banded Jump Squats

Sets x Reps: 4 x 15

• Using bands will help to add resistance
• This is one of my favorite power movements that will not only engage the legs and glutes but help you burn a ton of calories

Elevated Kettlebell Squats

Sets x Reps: 4 x 12
Recommended weight: 15-to-25-pounds (kettlebell)

• Make sure to keep a wide stance on this movement
• The elevation will help give you a deeper range of motion to target the legs and glutes

Step-Up Kick Backs

• A tweak to your average step-up
• The key to this is squeezing your glutes at the top as you kick back

Sled Push

• Stay low and drive through your legs
• This is another power movement and a great form of low impact cardio
• Sled pushes force you to use all lower body muscle groups

Front Squat

• This is a squat variant that focuses heavily on the quads
• With this movement it’s important to keep a good posture and a strong core

Romanian Deadlift

Goblet Squat

• A cousin to the front squat, this will definitely have you feeling the burn throughout your entire lower body
• Keep a good posture and a strong core on this movement

Lateral Step-Ups

Sets x Reps: 3 x 20

• This is a great plyometric/agility movement that will get your heart rate going
• I love to finish off leg day with this exercise and really feel the burn
  
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