bws workout

lower body
lower BODY WORKOUT
Table of contents

WEEKLY ROUTINE 3
lower body workout 4
Exercise 1: Barbell Back Squat 5
Exercise 2: Romanian Deadlift 6
Exercise 3: Bulgarian Split Squat 7
Shortcut Your Transformation! 8
Exercise 4 - OPTION 1: Glute Ham Raise 9
Exercise 4 - option 2: Swiss Ball Leg Curl 10
Exercise 5: Single Leg Calf Raise (Weighted) 11
Exercise 6: Seated Calf Raises 12
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD SCHEME 13
EXERCISE ALTERNATIVES 14
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 15
DISCLAIMER 16

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lower BODY WORKOUT
WEEKLY ROUTINE

This upper/lower split is designed to be performed 4x/week. The lower body workout featured in this
PDF can be used for one of the “lower” days. I will provide recommendations for the other “lower” day
as well.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

Upper Lower Rest Upper Lower Rest Rest

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lower body workout

Exercise Sets Reps Rest (m)

Barbell Back Squat 3-5 6-8 2-3

Romanian Deadlift 2-4 8-10 2

Bulgarian Split Squat 2-4 6-10 2

Glute Ham Raise (or Swiss 2-4 8-12 2

Ball Leg Curl Alternative)

Single Leg Calf Raises (Weighted) 2-4 6-10 1-2

Seated Calf Raises 2-4 10-15 1-2

Beginners should stay at the lower end of the sets range (e.g. 2-3 sets) whereas
more intermediate lifters can use the higher end of the range (e.g. 4 sets).

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Exercise 1: Barbell Back Squat
Working Muscles: Quadriceps, Glutes

STEP 1 (PLACEMENT)
Grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than
shoulder-width. Place the bar on your upper-back (traps)
by dipping under the bar. Raise your chest up and retract
your shoulder blades.

STEP 2 (UNRACK)
Unrack the bar, take 3 steps back, then adjust your
footing. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart or a
little wider. You can point your toes out slightly if this is
more comfortable. But play around with foot positioning
to find what’s comfortable for you.

STEP 3 (DESCENT)
Take a deep breath in and hold it. You want to use this
breath to brace your core (think about contracting your
abs how you would if someone were to punch your
stomach). Move your hips back while bending your knees
to squat down. Squat down until your thighs are at least
parallel to the ground. If you have the mobility to do so,
then you can go further below parallel.

STEP 4 (ASCENT)
Squat back up by pushing through your heels. Keep your
knees in line with your toes by thinking about “spreading
the floor apart” with your feet. Avoid creeping up on your
toes or collapsing your knees inward. Keep your lower
back neutral and your chest up. You can exhale as you
press up, or keep your breath held and then exhale at the
top position. Then repeat for more reps.

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Exercise 2: Romanian Deadlift

Working Muscles: Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back

STEP 1
Start with a conventional deadlift setup, but with your
feet a little closer than normal (around hip-width) and
toes pointed straight. I’d suggest picking up the bar from
a power rack such that you’re already standing in the
starting position.

STEP 2
Slowly bend over at your hips by pushing your butt back
while only slightly bending at the knees until the bar
reaches mid-shin height. Your back should be straight
and inline with your head. Ensure that your heels remain
planted on the ground.

STEP 3
While keeping your chest up, squeeze your glutes and
hamstrings to push your hips forward in order to lift the
weight up back to the starting position then repeat for
another rep. The bar should travel in a vertical path as
close as possible to your body.

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Exercise 3: Bulgarian Split Squat

Target Muscles: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings

STEP 1 (SETUP)
Grab a dumbbell in each hand and place your back foot
on the top of a bench or any elevated platform. Your front
foot can then be positioned based on what you want to
target. Take a shorter step forward if you want to target
the quads more, or a longer step forward if you want to
target the glutes more.

STEP 2 (DESCENT)
After you get your set up right, bend your front knee until
your thigh is at least parallel with the ground.

STEP 3 (ASCENT)
Push back up through your front foot. Your heel shouldn’t
raise off the floor and you want to keep your head, back,
and hips aligned throughout each rep. Your upper body
can lean forward slightly. Repeat for more reps.

Optional: For those struggling with balance, simply

get rid of the dumbbell in one hand and use that
free hand to hold onto something for balance.

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Exercise 4 - OPTION 1: Glute Ham Raise
Muscles worked: lower back,
hamstrings, glutes

STEP 1 (SETUP)
Set up the foot plate such that your feet can
lay flat and your knees are positioned just
behind the pad when in the starting position.
The closer to the “thigh pad” you adjust the
foot plate, the harder the exercise will be. So if
you’re having a hard time, move the foot plate
further away to lessen the lever during the
movement.

STEP 2 (DESCENT)
Brace your core (“tighten” your abs) and
slowly lower your body in a controlled fashion
by contracting your hamstrings and glutes.
Your knees should gradually straighten while
keeping your head, back, and hips inline.
Descend either to parallel to the ground or
slightly below (depending on what you’re
capable of).

STEP 3 (ASCENT)
Ascend by contracting contracting your
hamstrings and glutes by bending at the knees
while keeping your upper body in a straight
line, and then repeat for more reps. Your
upper body should move as one unit. Avoid
excessive arching or rounding of the back – a
little bit is fine. If you’re feeling it more in your
lower back, then it’s an indication that your
hamstrings/glutes are weak and you should
regress the exercise either by adjusting the
footplate or starting with an alternative.

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Exercise 4 - option 2: Swiss Ball Leg Curl

Muscles worked: glutes and hamstrings

STEP 1 (SETUP)
Lay with your back on the ground with your
heels hip-width apart on a stability ball and
your hands placed out to your sides. Lift your
body into the air until your body is straight
and elevated in the air.

STEP 2 (CURL)
While keeping your core tight and body
straight, curl the ball towards your body by
bending your knees and lifting your hips into
the air by contracting your hamstrings. Ensure
you aren’t arching your back to compensate,
it should instead remain in a neutral (straight)
position.

STEP 3 (RETURN)
Straighten your legs to return the stability
back to the starting position then repeat for
another rep. Perform all reps in a slow and
controlled manner and keep your core and
hamstrings engaged throughout each rep.

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Exercise 5: Single Leg Calf Raise (Weighted)

Muscles worked: gastrocnemius and soleus

STEP 1 (SETUP)
Stand with the toes of one foot on an elevated platform
and a weight held in the opposite hand. Ideally, you
should be holding onto something for balance with your
free hand. Start with your heel touching the floor.

STEP 2 (RAISE)
By using your calves, lift directly straight up on your toes
as high as possible. Pause for half a second at the top
position.

STEP 3 (DESCENT)
Slowly lower your heel back down to the ground.
Pause for half a second at the bottom position before
performing another rep. If adding weight is too difficult
for you, perform them with just your bodyweight until
you gain the calf strength to add weight.

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Exercise 6: Seated Calf Raises

Muscles worked: soleus

Ideally you want to perform
these on a seated calf raise
machine. But if unable to
do so, use the following
tips. But the same general
guidelines apply for
whichever seated calf raise
variation you perform.

STEP 1 (SETUP)
If you don’t have access to aseated calf raise machine,
sit on a bench with two dumbbells placed on your thighs
and your toes elevated on weight plates or any elevated
platform. Your heels should be touching the ground.

STEP 2 (RAISE)
Raise both toes straight up as high as possible while
keeping the dumbbells on your thighs. Hold this top
position for half a second.

STEP 3 (DESCENT)
Lower your heels until they touch the ground, pause for
half a second, then repeat for another rep.

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PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD SCHEME
The scheme we will use is called a “double progression method”, and is as follows:

If the rep range provided is let’s say 6-8 reps, once you can comfortably perform 3 sets of 8
reps with a certain weight, increase the weight (e.g. 5 lbs) next week and try to perform 3
sets of 6 reps with this. If you fail, drop the weight down again but if you succeed then you
keep trying to improve until you get to 3 sets of 8 reps again with the heavier weight. At
this point you repeat the cycle by adding weight again and going back down to 6 reps.

You will be able to do this successfully and progress well by using this scheme. However, keep in mind
that the rate of your progressions will slow down overtime. So don’t be discouraged if eventually you’re
only able to progress by a rep or two each week (or simply able perform the same reps but with better
form).

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EXERCISE ALTERNATIVES
Here, I’ll suggest some alternatives for each exercise listed in the above workout so that you have
something to work with for your second lower body day during the week.
1) Barbell Back Squat
• Barbell front squat
• Leg press (decline)
• Goblet Squat
2) Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
• Conventional deadlift
• Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts
• Stiff-legged deadlifts
• Good mornings
3) Bulgarian Split Squat
• Forward OR reverse lunges
• Step-ups
4) Glute Ham Raise
• Swiss ball leg curls
• Nordic curls
• Lying machine leg curls

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