One of the Greater Burlington YMCA’s personal trainers, Sarah Gremelsbacker, has a go-to plan for her clients to help them create and stick to their fitness routine. She describes a great beginner-friendly workout split is upper body, lower body, and core—done on three separate days.
For a well-rounded lower body workout, it’s important to target the glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and hip muscles. Some exercises will hit multiple areas at once, while others focus more intentionally on one group. For each move, we’ll do 3 sets of 8–12 reps. Follow along with the video below.
1st Exercise: Squats
We’ll start with squats, using a plate under the heels. This helps anyone with limited ankle mobility get deeper while also emphasizing the quads. Hold the weight close to your chest and squat by bending your hips and knees together. Keep your chest up, back flat, and go to about parallel or slightly lower. Push up slowly, driving knees out over toes.
2nd Exercise: RDLs
Romanian deadlifts target hamstrings and glutes. Use a barbell or dumbbells, keeping the weight close to your legs. Unlock your knees, push hips back like closing a car door, and lower until you feel a hamstring stretch (about mid-shin). Keep your back flat, then drive through your heels to return to standing—you’ll feel your glutes engage here.
3rd Exercise: Step-Ups
Step-ups build single-leg strength and stability, ensuring both legs carry equal load. For today’s glute-biased version, place one foot firmly on a bench, shin perpendicular to the ground. Hinge slightly at the hips, tap the opposite foot lightly to the floor, and drive back up using only the working leg. Avoid pushing off with the back foot. If needed, lower the platform height until you can complete reps with good form.
4th Exercise: Abductor/Adductor Machine
These machines strengthen often-overlooked stabilizing muscles. For abductors, set the machine close, lock it, and press legs outward while keeping your lower back pressed into the seat. For adductors, adjust the machine outward, lock it, and bring your legs together, then slowly let them return to a full stretch.
5th Exercise: Calf Raises
Finish with standing calf raises. Place the balls of your feet on a raised surface (like a plate), holding onto something stable for balance. Lower your heels for a deep stretch, then press through the balls of your feet to lift as high as possible for a full contraction.
About Sarah:
Sarah Gremelsbacker is a certified personal trainer here at the YMCA who loves working one-on-one with clients to help them feel more comfortable in the gym, build strength, and grow their confidence. Strength training is her passion, and she enjoys teaching both strength and hypertrophy techniques. If you see her around the Y, feel free to say hi or ask her any questions!