This eight-move lower body workout builds strength in your legs and tones your core

If you're running low on workout motivation or inspiration, this may be your sign to find a workout that's quick and effective. This lower body routine requires minimal equipment, is suitable for home or the gym, and will develop strength in your legs and core muscles.

All you will need for this routine is one of the best resistance bands to train with. This affordable form of equipment is a type of rubber exercise band that adds resistance to a normal bodyweight workout. They can be used to strengthen your muscles without weight and they help to tone your full body.

This workout includes some banded exercises with some bodyweight exercises but it's up to you if you want to include a band or not in this session. Once you've got your choice of equipment to hand, you are ready to use this eight-move routine from fitness instructor, Nona Bayat. There are four exercises for targeting your legs and glutes and another four exercises designed to engage your core and ab muscles.

 

Watch Nona Bayat's Eight-Move Leg and Core Routine

You may have heard the resistance bands vs weights debate before and have questioned whether or not bands are a waste of your time. Workout bands strengthen and build muscle in the same way that weights would. They provide a level of resistance for your muscles to push against. 

When you buy a set of bands there are often varying levels of resistances included in the set. This helps you to focus on progressive overload, this method is when you gradually increase the load (or number of reps) that you typically train with in order to challenge your muscles and promote muscle growth.

Bayat's workout has set reps and times attached to each exercise but you are free to play around with this workout and tailor it to your own fitness abilities. Check out each step of this session below:

• 3 Leg taps : 3x30 sec
• Side to sides : 3x30 sec
• Jump squats : 3x20 reps
• In & outs jump to squat : 3x15 reps
• Mountain climbers : 3x1 min
• In & outs : 3x10 reps
• Alt in & outs : 3x12 reps
• Dead bug crunches : 3x12 reps
  

There are high-intensity elements to this workout that you will notice when performing moves like jumps squats and mountain climbers. This will elevate your heart rate and the higher your heart rate is the more chance you have of working out in your fat-burning heart rate zone. When this occurs, your body uses fat stores for energy instead of sugars and carbs which will lead to fat loss.

If you enjoy this type of workout and would like to further your muscle growth and strength gains then you should consider adding high-intensity resistance training into your fitness regime.