Lower Body Day

A full hour below the belt — squat it, hinge it, stand on one leg and finish with legs that know they trained.

Strength & conditioning
Mixed ability
60 min
Works for 6–20
1 instructor
Effort 4/5
Gym floor
strength
lower-body
gym
dumbbells
legs

The ClassPlans programming teamLevel 3 group-fitness qualified · 10+ yrs teaching

Kit: Two dumbbells per member spanning 5–15kg (a light and a heavy pair between neighbours works), one mat each, benches or sturdy boxes for step-ups and box squats — one per 3–4 members.

Warm-up10 min

Legs Online

Tempo 3-1-1 all nightRPE 3

Setup: Mats in rows facing you, bells parked, benches spread along one wall ready for the squat block.

How it works: Three minutes raising: march, easy squats, side-steps, heel raises. Three minutes mobilising: hip circles, deep squat hold with elbows prying knees out, ankle rocks against the wall, leg swings holding a bench. Four minutes rehearsing tonight's shapes empty-handed at tonight's tempo — three seconds down, one pause, drive up: six squats, six hinges, four step-ups per side, one 20-second single-leg stand each side.

What to say

“Ankles first — if heels lift in the deep squat, that member box-squats tonight, decided now.”
“Rehearse the tempo, not just the shape: three down, pause, drive.”
“Single-leg stands are the preview — wobbling now is fine, it tells us where tonight's work is.”

Easier

All rehearsal to comfortable depth; hold the bench for the single-leg stands.

Harder

Rehearsal squats with a light bell held at the chest.

Workout14 min

Squat Block

4 × 8 @ 3-1-1 · 90s staggerRPE 7 by set four

Setup: Split the room: mat rows squat free, bench crew box-squats to a bench topped with a folded mat for height. Heavier bells shared between neighbours, staggered sets.

How it works: Four sets of eight goblet squats at 3-1-1 tempo, 90 seconds between sets — neighbours alternate so the rest polices itself. Set one is a weight-finder: two honest reps left in the tank at rep eight or the bell changes. You walk the rows all block, cueing depth by feel and checking every box squat touches soft and stands tall.

Common mistakes

Chasing depth past the heels — the moment heels lift, raise the target, not the stakes.
Letting rest evaporate — staggered pairs keep the 90 seconds honest.

Rounds: 4 sets

What to say

“Heels heavy, big toe glued down, knees tracking over the middle toes.”
“Elbows inside the knees at the bottom — prise yourself open.”
“Box squats kiss the bench, no sitting, no plopping — touch and drive.”
“Two reps in the tank at rep eight, every set — that is the weight rule tonight.”

Easier

Box squat to a higher target; bodyweight with arms reaching forward as the counterweight.

Harder

Heavier bell and a three-second pause in the hole on the last two reps.

Workout14 min

Hinge Block

4 × 8 @ 3-1-1 · 90s staggerRPE 7 by set four

Setup: Everyone back to mats, both bells out. Room turns side-on to you — hinges are coached from the side or not at all.

How it works: Romanian deadlifts, four sets of eight at 3-1-1: bells slide down the thighs, hips push back, bells to mid-shin or wherever the hamstrings shout, stand and squeeze. Ninety seconds between sets, staggered with a neighbour. Between sets two and three, everyone does one 20-second hamstring breather — standing hinge hold at half depth, feeling exactly where the work lives.

Common mistakes

Turning the hinge into a squat — if knees drift forward, park the bells and rehearse with hips to the wall.

Rounds: 4 sets

What to say

“Bells stay shrink-wrapped to the legs — daylight between bell and thigh is leverage lost.”
“Soft knees, hips back — the knees stay put while the hips travel.”
“Long spine, proud chest — lower until the hamstrings say when, that is your depth.”
“Stand fully and squeeze the glutes — the top is a finish, not a bounce.”

Easier

One bell, both hands, to knee height only; hands slide down the thighs as a depth guide.

Harder

Heavier bells; last set single-leg RDLs, five per side, fingertips on the wall for balance.

The rest of this class plan is free — along with 3 more this week.

ClassPlans programming team

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