Resistance Strong - Resistance Training Reinvented

Legs

 
Trap bar squat (Youtube)

Don't have a trap bar and plates ? You can come very close with resistance bands and a footplate. Handles are also helpful as you should be able to exert some serious force.

Zercher squat

Double up the band. Stand on the band, get into a deep squat and place the band in the crook of your elbows. Hold your hands together. Brace and stand up. At the bottom, the band will not give so much resistance - towards the top, a lot. Besides your legs, your core will get a lot of work.

The bands can be hard on the skin of your forearms. Use a standard EZ-curl bar to focus pain and suffering on your legs and glutes rather than your skin.

Unilateral leg press

Double up the band. Get your nekkid foot through both loops, hold the other end with the crook of your elbow (right leg / left arm). Support your arm with the other hand. Start with your leg bent, straighten your leg. Be mindful of your knees, as you get a bit of sideways loading. Consciously push out your knee to keep it from caving in. Be careful so the band won't slip off your foot and slap you.

Belt squat and donkey calf raise

The belt squat lets you put significant load on your quads and glutes without overloading your spine. Set up as shown in the video. Kneel down on the box, clip in to the band, then do the squats. Don't let your knees cave in.

With the same setup, you can do donkey calf raises. Carefully move your feet in, with the balls of your feet in line with the band. Lean on something for support, and do the calf raises. I like to superset them with belt squats.

Standing calf raise

Run the band under the foot plate or Band Box. Hold the ends with your hand, stand up, do the calf raises. Briefly hold the top position on each rep.

Stiff-legged deadlift

Run the band under the foot plate. Pick up the bands, stand up. Then do the deadlift movement. Your knees should keep their angle. Hinge at the hip and at the ankles. Keep your back straight !!! At the bottom you should feel a good stretch in your hamstrings, at the top you have to fight against the resistance of the band to straighten out. Always lower under control.

Hamstring isometrics

No band needed. See the video or my book for the exercise description.

  X squat

Use two bands - one band around your left shoulder to the right foot, the other band around your right shoulder to the left foot. Start in the squat position to step on the bands, then stand up. Be careful when you take off the bands so they don't slingshot your privates... Clench Fitness explains them well.

For me this movement does not give enough tension at the bottom position. I can stand up with an absurd amount of rubber (grey + orange bands combined), and my barbell squat really isn't that impressive. It should get more interesting if you are taller than me, or use shorter bands. You can also try this as a static hold for several minutes.

  Front squat

I can't do them (poor wrist and shoulder mobility), but maybe you are different ? Best done with a bar. Rocka.fit shows how they are done.

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