Name: Playbook - Luke Williford - W1 D4: Compound Movements (Lower)
Uploaded: 2021-01-18T11:49:47.081Z
Duration: 50 min
Description: W1 D4: Compound Movements (Lower)

Katherine Williford

This workout is designed to help introduce the STAPLES of lower body compound movements. 

Compound movements (think squats, bench press, deadlift) are exercises that use MULTIPLE joints. These type of exercises are CRITICAL when attempting to build muscle and strength, lose weight, even SLEEP better. 

Focus and get moving. 

🐆🐅

This is a warmup exercise intended to wake up the central nervous system and the lower body. 

One rep is shown in the video. 

Pulse in each of the stretches that this movement takes your through (the lunge stretch, the split stance hamstring stretch, and downward dog.

World’s Greatest Stretch

Laying on your back bring your feet back towards your but until they are flat on the ground. 

Then, using squeezing your glutes together, raise your hips up until your upper body is a straight line. 

Make sure to squeeze at the top, focusing on activating your glutes and hamstrings.

Bilateral Glute Bridge

While sitting on a raised surface as shown in the video, like a chair or a box, keep one leg at a 90 degree angle, while bringing the OPPOSITE leg’s ankle to rest on the knee/quad of the planted leg. 

Lean forward to increase the intensity of the stretch. Pulse slightly or hold for 30 seconds, then switch.

Reps shown are per leg

Seated Glute Stretch

Feet shoulder width apart, spine neutral, back straight. 

As you lower yourself down, push knees out, keep your chin tucked, chest up, and your weight pushing through the heels of your feet.

No need to lower yourself past 90 degrees (make a 90 degree angle between shin and thigh).

Bodyweight Squats

IMPORTANT: Squats warrant EXTENSIVE form training, and it is CRITICAL to perform them correctly. Here is a brief run down, but my “Insights” page will have a more thorough analysis of proper form. 

Wedge yourself into the bar, gripping it with your hands as close as possibly with it still being comfortable. This will generate tension throughout your upper body. 

Lift the bar up and off the rack, stepping back to space to perform the reps.

Place your feet at a comfortable distance apart, breathe in, and hold breath until back up to the top. This will keep your core strong and activated. 

Make sure to perform these reps SLOW with light weight to ensure correct technique. Unlearning BAD technique is almost impossible. So let’s get started with PROPER technique at LOW weight. 

Do NOT let your knees cave inwards, push them outwards throughout the movement. Keep your gaze slightly upwards to maintain proper alignment.

NO NEED to go BELOW 90 degrees.

Barbell Back Squats

Feet shoulder width apart, back neutral, CORE BRACED. 

Grip the handles to initiate tension between the bar and your body. 

Tuck you shoulder blades, and observe proper breathing technique, see my “Insights” page regarding breathe technique. 

Tuck your chin as well, try to keep your spine ALIGNED.

NOW, raise the bar by pushing your HIPS forward. This shouldn’t be a squat, as much as it is a hinge movement. So work on generating the movement via your hips firing as opposed to your quads pushing the bar up.

Trap Bar Deadlift

Load a barbell high up on your back, so it rests on your upper traps. Grip it firmly with hands as close as is comfortable. 

Only use weights that are manageable to load, which means that you can press it over your head and place it on your traps without messing up your shoulders. 

Once loaded correctly, step out and sink into your hips, feeling the stretch in your glutes quads and hip flexors. I like to make a 90 degree angle with my leg when I plant. Keep your planted knee in line with your foot. 

Don’t let your other knee hit the ground. 

To reload the weight, let it fall off your back in a controlled fashion OR press it back up and in front of you.

Walking Barbell Lunges

Gripping two dumbbells firmly, HINGE at your hips, pushing your butt back, allowing a STRETCH in your hamstrings. 

Keep you core braced and activated to ensure a protected lower back. Keep your spine aligned. 

As you explode back up, squeeze your glutes at the end.

Dumbbell RDL

Find a jump rope that feels comfortable and jump in a controlled fashion. Start slow until you feel you can increase the speed.

W1 D4: Compound Movements (Lower)

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