Name: Playbook - Hannah Bower - W4/D1: Lower Body Foundational Fitness
Uploaded: 2024-01-18T19:28:17.905Z
Duration: 55 min
Description: W4/D1: Lower Body Foundational Fitness

HOLY QUADS. I hope Hannah is ready to pay for my wheelchair for the next 5days. So painful and so rewarding

Jennifer

I love how flexible this program is. I make the main exercises my mandatory exercise and then add whatever I want! Today I did clamshells and kneeling hip rotations instead of the plyos because my pelvic floor wasn’t feeling it, and it still was an excellent workout!

Brenna

This is the sweatiest I have been the entire program!!! Hit a PR too!

Loved this, quick question the B-stance RDL I struggled with the stance, on the video Hannah’s feet looked closer than hip width apart, a front view of this exercise would be great in future 😊 thanks

Jade

Sirma

Finally got to this one!💪
So freaking good!!! The finisher was tough!!! 🔥

Sumaiya

Gotta remember that I hate late night workouts! Lmfao!! But, better late than never. Goodnight!

Tiari

Athletes make it look easy, don’t they?
Doing Hannah’s workouts, I have more and more respect for her abilities. I’m literally dead after this one 😂 
But thank you, Hannah, for the gentle encouragement to push ourselves, but give grace when needed. I appreciate it! I am improving and so proud of myself.

Elizabeth

Jessica

Kiki

Jojo

Beatrice

Leigh-Ann

Is there a polite way to swear at you for this one?

Courtney

Made great progress today and was able to increase weight for many of the workouts. This was an awesome check-in workout!

Chelsea

Roxanne

Was making some gains with my squat. Great leg day as usual 🔥

Dedra

Felt much stronger on this workout compared to day 1 💪🏼

Jacee

Carol1

Really excited I was able to drop the modification for the Bulgarian SS this week and do them with weight/rotation!

Meghan

Getting stronger! 💪🏽 haven’t hit 225 on squats in years! Thanks Hannah! 🥹😍

Whitney

Not too sure why this felt more challenging than the first week 🫠. The finisher was just as brutal as I remember. 😅

Cleo

Loved challenging myself and increasing weight

Brianna

I looked at my husband and said “Hannah is 😜 “ his response “ your the one doing the workout, so that makes you crazy too” 😂😂😂😂 #teamhannahalways

Tamara

Christine

You know these days are not getting any easier lol. Trying to lift heavy dumbbells 2 different exercises in a row is 🥵 🥵

Bailey

Despite being tired today, I felt stronger going through the exercises. This was a sweat fest!

Shanele

Really proud of myself for lifting a bit heavier and pushing myself through today!

Ashley

So much improvement not only in increasing weight, but cardiovascular strength too!!🥳🤩🥹

Stephanie S

Loved this one :) (again) really trying to concentrate on not being afraid of it being a challenge! Such a mental game for me

Maddie

Yass!!! Fire! This was so much better than the first day! I am so curious to see how sore I get this time! I increased weight by so much from that first week but didn’t feel as destroyed. Just stronger! 🍑

Bekah

Diane Male

Today felt better then this workout the first week! Especially the squats! My back is pinching on my right side though so that’s not fun!

Emily Storm

Brittney Howell

LOVED! Felt stronger this time around. Your warm up routines really help with my lifts.

Sara Paterson

Brandi

Margaret 

BSS are my least favorite exercise… but I’m getting better thanks to this program!!

Kaitlin Hibbard

Dang that finisher is a killer! 💀💀💀

Nikki Ouk

Busy gym today so had very little weights to work with but used eccentric movements to push myself and did the best I could with what I had. Still leaving shaky and DRENCHED 😅

Morgan

That finisher at the end always gets me 🔥

Maegan Birdsong

Khola

🦒 legs!! Wobbling at the end! Loved it all Hannah!

Delaney

The gym was very busy and I started my cycle today so I modified my squats and used a dumbbell instead. Still a fantastic workout and very glad I did it!

Emily Pokrywka

Shelby

First day of cycle. Didn’t pull anything this time! Was able to do heavier squats. Did one dumbbell this time on the Bulgarian twists. The lunges still kicked my butt. 🥵🥵

Taylor

This workout should look familiar ☺️

The goal and purpose of revisiting a workout is to get a measuring stick of progress.

Can you, lift a little heavier? If not, can you get better range of motion, more depth, better and smoother tempo? Can you manage the rep range better?

There’s so many ways of improving!

For this workout you will need a barbell (optional) and a pair of medium to heavy dumbbells. 

Rules of thumb for all workouts: 

1. when in doubt on form, check the tutorials listed above this workout in the highlight.

2. Weights used in the demonstrations are for demonstration purposes, please challenge yourself with the weights that you choose.

This is a warmup to help get our posterior chain mobile and ready to squat.

Reps are up to YOU. Perform each movement for however long you feel your body needs it!

Recommended time; 30-45 seconds OR for however long feels good 

Modifications: limit range of motion, remove the circles and perform forward and backward rocks 

Form:
-Start in a kneeling lunge with your ribs stacked over your pelvis
-tilt your hips forward and gently begin to push your weight into your front foot. 
-once you hit a forward leaning lunge position that feels good to you, place your hand on your knee
-begin to circle your knee forward with your hips
-you will feel this in your ankle, knee, and hip flexors
-as your knee circles towards you, sit your hips back
-play around with alternating which way you circle your knee.

Forward Leaning Knee, Ankle, Hip Circles

Recommended time: 30-45 seconds OR however long feels good.  
Equipment modifications: can hold onto a band, ledge, pole, or table leg.  
Modifications: can perform without holding onto a ledge, limit range of motion, limit depth 
Substitutions: seated butterfly stretch 
Form:  - Start in a deep frog squat in front of a stable surface - Glutes are low, feet are flat on the ground, toes pointed forward, knees pointing outward, chest is tall with your ribs stacked over your pelvis - Grab onto your surface and begin to rock your weight from one foot to the the next - As you rock lean your weight into your side-body and lat muscles creating a big stretch from your armpit to your hip - Rock for as long as feels good

Frog Rocks

Recommended reps: 30
Can add booty band, or light weights 

Modifications: limit range of motion, squat to chair 
Form: 
-Start standing in front of your bar or weights. - Depending on your hip anatomy, your feet will be anywhere front shoulder width apart or slightly wider than shoulder width.   - Toes are straight ahead or slightly turned out, but never inward - Think about ribcage stacked over pelvis keeping a tall chest.. Knees are aligned over your ankles. 
- Begin to squat by hinging at the hips while you bend your knees. - Think about shifting your hips and glutes to the back wall and about shifting your weight into your heals, do not let your weight come forward to your toes. - Continue to press knees away from each other. Think about spreading the ground apart between your feet. - Lower until hips are parallel with the ground or as far as range of motion allows - As you stand, continue to keep your knees from falling inward, you can think about allowing your knees to push outward a bit. - You want to move in one solid flow. Chest + hips raise at the same time!
- Keep chin and head neutral throughout (no tucking or arching your chin), keep upper chest tall and neutral (no rounding)

Bodyweight Squat

Squat Warmup

*weights Hannah use are for demonstration purposes, please appropriately challenge yourself* 

Progressive overload goal: increase weights! We’re dropping in volume to focus on weight!

Warmup set 1: 8-10 reps 
Warmup set 2: 6-8 reps 
Warmup set 3: 5-6
Active sets: 3 ( 4-6 )

Modifications: limit weight, limit range of motion, squat to chair 
Substitutions: dumbbell goblet squat 

Form: (for more in depth see tutorials video) 
- Start standing in front of your bar or weights. - Depending on your hip anatomy, your feet will be anywhere front shoulder width apart or slightly wider than shoulder width.   -Toes are straight ahead or slightly turned out, but never inward -Think about ribcage stacked over pelvis keeping a tall chest.. Knees are aligned over your ankles.  - Begin to squat by hinging at the hips while you bend your knees. - Think about shifting your hips and glutes to the back wall and about shifting your weight into your heals, do not let your weight come forward to your toes. -Continue to press knees away from each other. Think about spreading the ground apart between your feet. -Lower until hips are parallel with the ground or as far as range of motion allows - As you stand, continue to keep your knees from falling inward, you can think about allowing your knees to push outward a bit. -You want to move in one solid flow. Chest + hips raise at the same time!
-Keep chin and head neutral throughout (no tucking or arching your chin), keep upper chest tall and neutral (no rounding)

Squat

You will need a bench (or stable surface) and a pair of dumbbells for this superset.

Reps are per side 
Recommended reps: 6-8
Recommended weight: medium to heavy 

Equipment substitutions: bench, sofa, ottoman, stacked plates, chair, stair 
Modifications: lower height of your surface, limit range of motion, remove weight and perform bodyweight, remove twist   Movement Substitutions: b-stance squat, stationary forward lunge, single leg squat (to chair) 
Form:
-Start standing in front of your steady and safe surface.
- Pick up one of your feet and place the foot on top of an elevated surface, it may be helpful to have toes tucked under. Can be helpful to hold onto a bench, wall, or rack during this part
- Think about standing tall with your ribs stacked over your pelvis, and your grounded foot is firmly planted with toes pointing forward or even slightly outward, but never inward
- Hold your weight either down by your side or up by your shoulder(s) (front racked)
- Begin the split squat by hinging your hips and glutes to the back wall at the same time you bend your standing leg you will begin to twist your entire torso. You will internally twist your opposite shoulder of your standing leg toward your hip. 
- Even though you are twisting your torso, your chest remains tall, chin and spine neutral, you can hinge forward at the chest.
- Core is properly engaged at this time to manage any abdominal pressure you may have
- As you begin to lower, you will Lower until knees are 90 degrees or as far as range of motion allows especially as your torso twists internally.
- Do not let your knee fall inward on the way down, bottom of the rep, or as you press to standing. Knee can push slightly outward as you stand
-Push through your front leg to come back up at the same time you will begin to untwist your upper body back to square shoulders and square hips.
*  Work both sides

Internal Rotation Bulgarian Split Squat

Reps are per side
Recommended reps: 8-10
Recommended weight: medium to heavy 

Modifications: lower weight, perform as bodyweight, hold onto a surface, limit range of motion, place more weight onto your back foot 
substitutions : Bulgarian split squat, single leg Romanian deadlift, romanian deadlift 
Form: - start standing with your chest tall, think about ribs stacking over your pelvis, and feet hip width distance apart, like you would a standard squat  - Take one foot and slightly place it backwards a few inches behind you - keep the majority of your weight distributed throughout your front foot.  - Toes point forward or slightly outward, but never inward - hold your weight in the opposite hand of your forward foot - Begin to perform a deadlift by hinging at the hips (think about pushing your glutes and hips toward the back of the room) - Keep your spine and chin neutral at this time (no arching or rounding of the back and no ducking and lifting of the chin) - use your back leg for as much or as little support as you need - Lower until the weight is mid-shin level or until you feel engagement in your glute and hamstring - Unhinge by pushing your glutes forward so that they are underneath your ribcage once again.

B-Stance RDL

Internal Bulgarian Split Squat ss B-Stance RDL

You will need an optional stability ball (modifications included if you don’t have one) and a medium to heavy dumbbell

Recommended reps: 8-10

Equipment modifications; cable machine, hamstring curl machine, laying on your stomach and curling a band, dumbbell, kettlebell 
Substitutions: glute bridge walk outs, can also perform your curl in any direction (laying on your back with a stability ball or foam roller), a seated hamstring curl machine, a prone (laying on stomach) hamstring curl machine, or with a band/dumbbell 
Form: -Start laying on your back and place your feet on your stability ball -Appropriately engage your core and glutes as you drive your heels downward to lift your hips as high as you can -Keep your hips still and stable -From your glute bridge position, curl your heels towards your glutes as far as range of motion allows -Extend your knees back to starting position keeping your hips high -repeat

Hamstring Curl

Recommended Reps:8-10

Equipment substations: remove ball and perform body weight

Modification/ substations: lay on your back and perform toe touches, perform only lower body lower downs

Form:
-start laying on your back with the stability ball between your ankles and your arms reached outstretched
-appropriately engage your core to begin to lift the ball by raising your legs to be upright in the air
-reach your hands forward to grab the ball from between your ankle to between your hands
-lower your hands and your legs down at the same time so that the ball is outstretched overhead
-repeat the v-up in reverse to hand the ball from your hands to your ankle.

Ball V-Ups

Recommend reps: 8-10
Recommended weight: medium to heavy 

Equipment substitutions: dumbbells, kettlebell, band, landmine barbell 
Modifications: sumo deadlift, goblet squat 
Form:  -Start with feet wider than hip width and toes pointed slightly out, initially start with your ribs stacked over your pelvis -hinge forward at the hips to have a forward lean (this will help target glutes) -squat down to grab your weight(s), keep your glute and hips low  -maintaining your hinge position, extend your knees as you push through your squat  -appropriately manage core pressure while in the hinge position  - Reach full extension with your legs  - Keeping a flat back lower weights to the ground

Prisoner Squat

Triset: Hamstring Curl, Ball V-Ups, Prisoner Squat

Recommended reps per side for reverse lunge: 8-10
Recommended time for jump lunges: 30 seconds 

Modifications: remove weight on lunges and remove jump (turn into step) on jump lunges 

Form:
- Start in a standing position. chest tall, ribs stacked over pelvis, and feet firmly planted on the ground 
-Keep your chest tall and hold dumbbells at your shoulders (front racked) or by your sides (suitcase) - Step a few inches back by firmly planting your foot on the ground first and then begin to bend your knees down until both are at 90 degrees -it is okay to lean forward in a hinge motion, this will isolate your glute -toes and knees can point forward or slightly outward, but they cannot fall inward  -Press through your glutes and keep your torso tall as you push back to standing -Complete desired reps then go into your jumping lunges
-you will perform lunge as stated before, except instead of stepping forward you will explode off the ground and switch your feet in the air

Finisher: Reverse Lunge into Jumping Lunges

W4/D1: Lower Body Foundational Fitness

Tylar

Dani

Excited to start! I have been wanting something like this for awhile but didn’t know how excited I really was intil it was offered!

Mandatory Viewing, Please Watch All Videos

Hi Hannah, how do I join your foundational challenge Facebook page ?

Holly

Sooo excited to learn more about why and how to do these movements! I think it's going to be a fun twist to mindset mondays and can't wait to learn more!

Excited to learn pull-ups too! Didn’t know that was part of this. Tried to learn those on my own for 8wks and made barely any progress

Foundational Fitness Coming May 15th

Very helpful. I appreciate the explanation of increasing weight and why. 
Thank you.

Jenny

Great info!! I can’t wait to get started. Hopefully I don’t max out my weights otherwise I’ll be upgrading the home gym

Cristine

What If I Don’t Have A Barbell/Pull-Up Bar

Brittanee

Anything will be overload for me! Been like a month since I’ve been in the gym due to injury so … lightweight! And not Ronnie Coleman lightweight 😂

Dani Pasano

Progressive Overload

Yes! This is helping so much and is exactly what I'm needing.

Nargis

Andrea

Squat Tutorials + Equipment Substitution

Great to really get the technique correct, I’ve always been worried about injuries with deadlifts and hence avoided with any weights

Kayhlia

I legit wanted to “like” that multiple times haha

Deadlift Tutorial + Equipment Substitution

Your lovely to really explain all these things everyone else Ive come across DOES NOT they automatically assume you know all these different things

Uff tough stuff, but great for the core engagement

Briana

Pull-Up Tutorials + Equipment Substitution

Amazing modifications when standard workouts just expect you to do the full push up 🙄🤯 thank you!!

Roslyn

That was sooo helpful with all the ideas & variations! Makes this seem so much more attainable!

Push-up Tutorial

Before: 
Squat, 84
Deadlift, 84
Pull-up/row, a couple at level 7 on bar rack
Pushup, eccentric from hight box at gym
After
Squat, 94
Deadlift, 144
Pull-up/row, 7 reps at level 11 on bar rack (4 levels lower!)
Pushup, 8 on the floor, not to the floor yet, bit didn't need my knee!

I cannot believe how much progress I've made! Tbc

I didn’t get to finish the program in the 6 weeks but wanted to do my buy out anyway! Definitely improvements! Next time I do this I’m hoping to be in a gym because I’d love to see how much progress I could make with the right weights and equipment!

Optional Buy-In

So amazing! Love how well you walk through every movement and the mobility exercises at the beginning. As a newbie, this is all so helpful 🫶

Keara

giraffe legs at an all time high right now 😅😅💪🏼

Elise

W1/D1: Lower Body Foundational Fitness

I always underestimate slowing things down!

Carina

W1/D2: Upper Body Foundational Fitness

Had to skip a few exercises because my chest isn’t ready ! But felt good to lift heavier today

Made this a little more hitt like today with reducing weight and rest times! Loved it!

W1/D3 Full Body Foundational Fitness

Excited to get back to running! Loved this part last time!

Run before weights this session. Cooked! 🥵

Simone Fisher

This is always a mental battle on the way back up for me. BUT my paces increased 😈 my fav kind of progress!

Katie

W1/D4 Optional Cardio Foundational Fitness

First day back after a cruise, lots of food, and a terrible cold! Thankful for a guided program to get me back into routine

I’m finding a lot of weak points in myself. I LOVE THIS PROGRAM. Getting so strong!

W2/D1: Lower Body Foundational Fitness

Another great one …. Loving the variety in this program

Helena

Cynthia Contreras

W2/D2: Upper Body Foundational Fitness

Still recovering after vacation and illness. Had to add extra rests in this one. Hopefully can redo when feeling back to normal

All I have to say is WOW…. If I don’t have a six pack tomorrow after that core finisher I’ll be shocked 😂😂😂

W2/D3 Full Body Foundational Fitness

Would love slightly further but great workout 😊 thanks 🙏

W2/D4 Optional Cardio Foundational Fitness

I have been lifting for a couple years and this is the first time I have ever heard of progressive overload as something other than increasing weight. This changed my entire perspective. Thank you guys for sharing this. I feel a lot better about my workouts now.

I really needed to hear these. Thank you.

That was me the other way wanting to go harder at the glute bridge and didn't go my way 🤣🤣🤣 ate the humble pie and went back to usual weights

Progressive Overload: How to challenge yourself & get better

Still recovering from sickness. But besides that I still highly underestimated this workout.

Audrey

Dayna

W3/D1 Lower Body Foundational Fitness

Boy oh boy did this prove much harder than I expected …. Still struggling with my eccentric pull ups…. But I was able to do the first set on the bar without having to move down to the ground

W3/D2 Upper Body Foundational Fitness

Aaarrrgggghhh, those push presses, that finisher 🥵 I'm so dead.

Nicole Loewen

Thought my arms were going to give out at the end 😂

W3/D3 Full Body Foundational Fitness

I impressed myself with this one! Loved the circuit style. Kept my mind engaged and focused.

Not a runner so these are tough but a great challenge!

W3/D4 Optional Cardio Functional Fitness

a good way to start another week. been feeling stronger than I ever have 💪🏼

Loved the burn out at the end and the core!! 🔥

Jessi

I did NOT want to workout today…. I tried 3 different times today before I finally committed and did the workout! But I completed it and I’m happy I did

W4/D2: Upper Body Foundational Fitness

Took a small break because of an injury… but felt so good to get back at it!

I feel getting stronger and this is priceless.

Just as enjoyable this week as week 1
Enjoying the feeling of having better form and muscle control little by little

W4/D3 Full Body Foundational Fitness

I love seeing myself increase my easy-hard speeds!

Still tough but I could hold a higher intensity each round for the whole thing?

W4/D4 Optional Cardio Foundational Fitness

This was brutal after so long! Was legit a kick in the rear 🔥🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌🙌
The b-stance and Bulgarian split squat killed me! 🫠🫠🫠 Could have dropped weights but what's the fun in that 🫠🫠

W4/D1: Lower Body Foundational Fitness

Community

More workouts from Hannah Bower