Clare Barks' Lower Body Workout

10 Minutes

Before you start the muscle workout it is important to warm up your body and get the blood flowing. Perform 10 minutes of steady-state cardio, e.g. running machine, cycling machine or the stair master.

Begin with the barbell supported on top of the traps. The chest should be up and the head facing forward. Adopt a hip-width stance with the feet turned out as needed. Descend by bending the knees, keeping your head up and back straight at all times.

Lie with your upper back supported on a bench and your feet planted on the floor in front of you. Hold a barbell across your hips. Lower your hips down so your glutes almost come in contact with the floor. Pressing through your heels and squeezing your glutes, return the barbell to the start position.

For this exercise you will need to use a leg extension machine. First choose your weight and sit on the machine with your legs under the pad (feet pointed forward) and the hands holding the side bars. Using your quadriceps, extend your legs to the maximum as you exhale. Slowly lower the weight back to the original position as you inhale.

Place the heels of your feet underneath a heavy barbell in order to hold them down. Then lower your up body down from your knees until you reach the floor.

Lift as high as you can onto your toes and lower your heels down as much as your ankle flexibility allows. Push evenly through the entire width of your foot.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet close to your bottom. Engage your core as you curl your elbows towards your knees in a controlled manner. Slowly lower, and repeat.

Hang from a pull-up bar, engage your core, bring your knees to your chest, then lower slowly.