12 Squat Variations + Lower Body AMRAP Workout

12 Squat Variations + Lower Body AMRAP Workout
my motto, when in doubt squat it out! so if you’re looking to mix up your lower body routine try incorporating these 12 squat variations which you can turn into a lower body amarp workout. If you saw my recent instagram post you know that life wasn’t all roses and butterflies in the Bomgren household this week. But I’m overwhelmed by the response I’ve received on this Instagram post. Seriously, people genuinely do care, I just adore all of my Instgram followers who left such kind messages, thank you! And secondly, there are so many women wrestling with silent battles. We can find so much beauty in brokenness by just being kind. You never know what silent battle the woman next to you on the treadmill or at the coffee shop is fighting — just give her a smile, a compliment, it will go a long way! Anyways, I hope to expand more on this in future blog posts when I’m ready, but I need some time to ‘just be’ right now. In fact, for the first time since I launched in July 2015 I actually considered not posting my standard Friday workout blog. But the type-A personality in me took over and well here I am sipping a brew dr. kombucha {clear mind flavor is my fav} at Whole Foods writing this post. That said, I’m jetting off to Cali for the weekend for Lori Harder’s Bliss Project so I’m taking some time away for me and not sure when I’ll be posting next week, but I’ll be back in action later next week. So when I’m feeling a little unmotivated or in need of a little workout inspiration, like I was this week, my motto is, ‘when in doubt, squat it out.’ Which brings me to this post on 12 squat variations + lower body amrap workout. the workout: lower body amrap workout complete 10 repetitions per exercise. repeat entire squat circuit as many rounds as possible {amrap} in 20 minutes. you can do this entire workout with just your bodyweight or you can add dumbbells to challenge your strength on exercises such as: air squat, squat jump, squat + inner thigh leg sweep, squat + donkey kick, sumo squat, surrender squat. Air squat Jump squat Pliè squat with heels lifted Pliè squat + criss cross jack Chair squat Squat + inner thigh leg sweep Frog Squat pliè squat + oblique crunch Squat + donkey kick Squat + knee drops Sumo squat Surrender squat air squat Start with feet a little bit wider than hip-width distance apart, weight in your heels, chest lifted. As you inhale, lower down keeping the weight in your heels and chest lifted. As you exhale, drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes and hamstring to stand back up. make it harder: add weight by holding one heavy dumbbell at your chest making this a goblet squat. jump squat Start with feet a little bit wider than hip-width distance apart, weight in your heels, chest lifted. As you inhale, lower down keeping the weight in your heels and chest lifted. As you exhale, explode up, leaving the ground, squeezing your glutes and hamstring to explode up. Land softly on your toes, with bent knees. make it harder: add weight and make this a weighted-jump squat by holding one dumbbell at your chest, or one dumbbell in each hand at your sides. pliè squat with heels lifted Step into a wide second position or pliè squat with heels turned slightly in and toes turned slightly out. Act as if you are sliding your back down a wall and lower into a wide second position, pliè squat. Pushing your knees away from your body as you lower into a squat; keeping your shoulders stacked over your hips, core tight, and butt tucked in. Return to the starting positing, squeezing your inner thighs together as you stand back up. make it harder: lift your heels up off the ground, transferring the weight to the balls of your feet. pliè squat + criss cross jack Start at the bottom of your wide second position, pliè squat. Explode up, squeezing the glutes and hamstrings while drawing the inner thighs together, to land at the top of your jack with legs crossed. You are crossing the legs for inner thigh engagement. Alternate crossing the right foot in front of the left foot and vice versa. chair squat Begin with feet together; thighs and ankles to touch. As you inhale, lower down keeping the weight in your heels and chest lifted. Squeeze your knees together on the way down for inner thigh engagement. As you exhale, drive through your heels, squeezing your inner thighs, glutes and hamstring to stand back up. Option to put your arms above your head, biceps by ears, to help keep a flat back and lifted chest. make it harder: lift your heels up off the ground, transferring the weight to the balls of your feet; this will make this more of a quad-strengthening exercise versus a glute-strengthening exercise. squat + inner thigh leg sweep Start with feet a little bit wider than hip-width distance apart, weight in your heels, chest lifted. As you inhale, lower down keeping the weight in your heels and chest lifted. As you exhale, drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes and hamstring to stand back up. When you get to the top sweep on leg across your body, engaging the inner thigh of the leg you’re sweeping. Alternate sweeping legs with each repetition. make it harder: add weight by holding one dumbbell at your chest. frog squat Start with feet a little bit wider than hip-width distance apart, weight in your heels. Hinge over at the waist and place your elbows inside your knees; keeping a flat back, neck in line with your spine. As you inhale, lower down keeping the weight in your heels with a flat back. As you exhale, drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes and hamstring to stand back up. make it harder: the slower you perform each repetition, the harder this exercise is. pliè squat + oblique crunch Step into a wide second position or pliè squat with heels turned slightly in and toes turned slightly out. Act as if you are sliding your back down a wall and lower into a wide second position, pliè squat. Pushing your knees away from your body as you lower into a squat; keeping your shoulders stacked over your hips, core tight, and butt tucked in. Return to the starting positing, squeezing your inner thighs together as you stand back up. Once you get to the top of your pliè squat, transfer your weight onto one standing leg. Balance on standing leg with a small, micro-bend in your standing leg. Pull the knee of your floating leg toward your elbow performing a standing, side oblique crunch. Return back to the starting position of the pliè squat and repeat the entire motion, alternating standing leg and oblique crunch on each side. squat + donkey kick Start with feet a little bit wider than hip-width distance apart, weight in your heels, chest lifted. As you inhale, lower down keeping the weight in your heels and chest lifted. As you exhale, drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes and hamstring to stand back up. As you stand up kick one leg straight behind you, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings. Repeat this motion, alternating legs that you kick behind you. make it harder: add weight by holding one heavy dumbbell at your chest. squat + knee drops Start with feet a little bit wider than hip-width distance apart, weight in your heels, chest lifted. As you inhale, lower down into a squat position, keeping the weight in your heels and chest lifted. Hold this low squat position, then alternate dropping your right and left knee to the ground. As you drop your knee towards the ground, transfer the weight from heel to ball of foot. If this is uncomfortable for your knees, you can take this to a full lunge. So it would be a squat + alternating lunge sequence. make it harder: stay as low as you can, keeping your legs engaged the entire time. sumo squat Step into a wide sumo squat position with heels turned slightly in and toes turned slightly out. As you inhale, act as if you are sliding your back down a wall and lower into a sumo squat; keeping your weight in your heels and chest lifted. As you exhale, stand up engaging your inner thighs together while squeezing the glutes and hamstrings. make it harder: add weight by holding one heavy dumbbell at your chest or one dumbbell in each hand in front of you. surrender squat Kneeling, step forward with right leg, knee bent and foot flat on floor. Then Straighten right leg while stepping left leg forward and come into standing position. As you come up to standing, exhale, squeezing the glutes and hamstrings. Then step back with left foot, bending right knee and bringing left knee to floor. Step right leg back to return to starting position. make it harder: add weight by holding one dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. lower body amrap workout complete 10 repetitions per exercise. repeat entire squat circuit as many rounds as possible {amrap} in 20 minutes. Air squat Jump squat Pliè squat with heels lifted Pliè squat + criss cross jack Chair squat Squat + inner thigh leg sweep Frog Squat pliè squat + oblique crunch Squat + donkey kick Squat + knee drops Sumo squat Surrender squat pin this workout Original article and pictures take http://www.nourishmovelove.com/12-squat-variations-lower-body-amrap-workout/ site