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My Fave Way to… Build Strong, Lean Legs

Boost your lower body with these three can’t-fail sculpting strategies.

by Sommer Robertson-Abiad
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Sara Fennell
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My Fave Way to… Build Strong, Lean Legs

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Sara Fennell

IFBB Figure Pro Sara Fennell Sexy legs secret: Circuit training with plyometrics  Why it’s her fave: “Circuits are one of the best ways to target all of your lower body at once—and adding in some plyometrics helps to increase the fat burn!” Sara’s Plyo Circuit WorkoutExercise 1: Jump Squat Sets: 4 Reps: 10Exercise 2: Jump Lunge Sets: 4 Reps: 20Exercise 3: Mountain Climber Sets: 4 Reps: 20Exercise 4: Lateral Bench Jump Sets: 4 Reps: 10Exercise 5: Burpee Sets: 4 Reps: 10 l Start with 10–15 minutes of light cardio to warm up the muscles and joints.l Do all exercises back-to-back with no rest. Once complete, break for one minute, then repeat until you have completed a total of four sets of each move.

2 of 3

Raylene Bartolacci

Nutrition and Wellness Consultant Raylene Bartolacci Sexy legs secret: Squat intervals Why it’s her fave: “I do this move as a high-intensity interval, doing as many reps as I can for 60 seconds, then resting for 15 seconds before moving on to another body part. I do these intervals three times in total.”  How to do it:• Stand holding both arms straight out in front of your body at shoulder height, parallel to the floor. Raise your right leg off the floor and hold it there. • Push your hips back and squat down, lowering your body as far as you can. • Pause briefly, then stand back to starting position. Repeat for one minute. Rest 15 seconds, then do two more sets.  Tip: “Sit back as if  lowering yourself into a chair with one leg lifted. If you need a point of reference for how far down to go, use an exercise ball, but touch your glutes only briefly before driving back up to standing again.”

3 of 3

Juliana Malacarne

IFBB Physique Pro Juliana Malacarne Sexy legs secret: Go heavy with traditional moves  Why it’s her fave: “Building a strong base is very important. I like to incorporate basic movements such as the barbell squat, stationary lunge, and leg press, which help activate the most muscle.” Juliana’s Leg Workout Exercise 1: Leg Extension Sets: 3 Reps: 20Exercise 2: Barbell Squat Sets: 6 Reps: 15, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8Exercise 3: Leg Press Sets: 4 Reps: 12Exercise 4: Smith Machine Reverse Lunge Sets: 4 Reps: 15, 12, 10, 10Exercise 5: Leg Press Sets: 4 Reps: 12Exercise 6: Deadlift Sets: 3 Reps: 12Exercise 7: Unilateral Leg Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 12, 12, 10, 10 Warm up on the bike or treadmill for five minutes, then stretch for five minutes before -starting this workout.  

Back to intro

IFBB Figure Pro Sara Fennell

 

Sexy legs secret: Circuit training with plyometrics 

 

Why it’s her fave: “Circuits are one of the best ways to target all of your lower body at once—and adding in some plyometrics helps to increase the fat burn!”

 

Sara’s Plyo Circuit Workout

Exercise 1: Jump Squat Sets: 4 Reps: 10

Exercise 2: Jump Lunge Sets: 4 Reps: 20

Exercise 3: Mountain Climber Sets: 4 Reps: 20

Exercise 4: Lateral Bench Jump Sets: 4 Reps: 10

Exercise 5: Burpee Sets: 4 Reps: 10

 

l Start with 10–15 minutes of light cardio to warm up the muscles and joints.

l Do all exercises back-to-back with no rest. Once complete, break for one minute, then repeat until you have completed a total of four sets of each move.

Nutrition and Wellness Consultant Raylene Bartolacci

 

Sexy legs secret: Squat intervals

 

Why it’s her fave: “I do this move as a high-intensity interval, doing as many reps as I can for 60 seconds, then resting for 15 seconds before moving on to another body part. I do these intervals three times in total.” 

 

How to do it:

• Stand holding both arms straight out in front of your body at shoulder height, parallel to the floor. Raise your right leg off the floor and hold it there. 

• Push your hips back and squat down, lowering your body as far as you can. 

• Pause briefly, then stand back to starting position. Repeat for one minute. Rest 15 seconds, then do two more sets. 

 

Tip: “Sit back as if  lowering yourself into a chair with one leg lifted. If you need a point of reference for how far down to go, use an exercise ball, but touch your glutes only briefly before driving back up to standing again.”

IFBB Physique Pro Juliana Malacarne

 

Sexy legs secret: Go heavy with traditional moves 

 

Why it’s her fave: “Building a strong base is very important. I like to incorporate basic movements such as the barbell squat, stationary lunge, and leg press, which help activate the most muscle.”

 

Juliana’s Leg Workout

 

Exercise 1: Leg Extension Sets: 3 Reps: 20

Exercise 2: Barbell Squat Sets: 6 Reps: 15, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8

Exercise 3: Leg Press Sets: 4 Reps: 12

Exercise 4: Smith Machine Reverse Lunge Sets: 4 Reps: 15, 12, 10, 10

Exercise 5: Leg Press Sets: 4 Reps: 12

Exercise 6: Deadlift Sets: 3 Reps: 12

Exercise 7: Unilateral Leg Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 12, 12, 10, 10

 

Warm up on the bike or treadmill for five minutes, then stretch for five minutes before -starting this workout. 

 
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Written by Sommer Robertson-Abiad
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