If you’ve found yourself stuck in a rut with your lower-body training, then a quick blast of intensity could be just the boost you need. This simple two-move combo hits your lower body from the front to the back with ruthless efficiency, while also building a stronger back, sending your heart and lungs into overdrive and stoking your metabolism.
Using a technique called an ‘escalating density ladder’, you’re going to set a timer for 10 minutes and begin repping away at your squats and deadlifts. Starting with one rep of each, then adding an additional rep to both, every new round. Your goal is to climb as far up the ladder as possible— then attempt to go higher next time.Rest as necessary to maintain rock-solid form, but keep chipping away.
1. Front Squat x 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… etc.
Clean a pair of dumbbells onto the front of your shoulders (A). From here, drop into a front squat, until your thighs pass parallel to the ground (B), before driving back up. Keep your core tight throughout and keep the reps explosive.
2. Dumbbell deadlift x 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… etc.
After your squats, drop your bells to the floor just outside your feet, hinging down to grip them with a flat back and neutral spine (A). Engage your lats and stand upright, ‘pushing the ground away’ with your feet, squeezing your glutes at the top (B). Your arms should be hanging straight throughout this movement, think of them as hooks.
