Following nationwide gym closures, workout warriors have taken their gym routines outdoors or inside their homes. And while they may not feel as challenging as their usual gym regimen, we’re here to change that with these giant sets – guaranteed to make your new workouts more challenging and satisfying than ever before. This advanced training technique can be used for any body part or muscle group. But here, we’ll be using it for a leg blowout. Four (or more) exercises are performed back to back, in sequence, with no breaks in between.
While it may sound similar to circuit training and share some of the fat-burning and cardiovascular benefits, there is a main key difference. The exercises performed in a giant set all target the same body part. This makes it possible to overload the muscle with limited equipment, if any at all, available to use. Ready to give it a try? Reach for our Vital Performance™ PRE and keep scrolling for the full how-to.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: THE WARM UP
Begin by warming up for 10 minutes. This can be done with a light run, skipping at home or climbing stairs in your apartment building.
GIANT SETS: THE WORKOUT
All the exercises in this giant set are unilateral. Be sure to start each individual set with the same working leg. All four moves will be performed in a row before taking a break. This giant set can be repeated three to four times for a full leg workout.
Advanced trainees who have a home gym may use dumbbells or barbells for added resistance. Those who don’t have equipment can always make their own. If you have a backpack, you can load it up with household items to increase the difficulty of the exercises below.
EXERCISE 1: Bulgarian Split Squat
15 reps per leg
- Stand away from a bench/chair and lift your right foot back to rest toes on top of the bench. That's your starting position.
- With arms at your sides, lower your (back) right knee until it has almost reached the ground while breathing in.
- Stand back up to the starting position, focusing on pushing through the heel of your left (front) foot while breathing out. (The working leg is the front leg.) That is one rep.
EXERCISE 2: Single-Leg Pistol Squat
15 reps per leg
- Assume a seated position on a bench/chair. Lift right leg up a few inches from the ground. That is your starting position.
- Pushing through the left heel, stand up while breathing out, keeping the right leg off the ground.
- Slowly lower back down to seated position keeping the right leg lifted in the air while breathing in. That is one rep.
EXERCISE 3: Stationary Lunge
15 reps per leg
- Stand with your feet side by side. Take a large step forward with your left leg. This is your starting position.
- Lower until the right knee almost touches the ground and your left thigh is parallel to the ground, while breathing in.
- Pushing through the heel of your left foot, stand back up to the starting position while breathing out. That is one rep.
EXERCISE 4: Step-Up
15 reps per leg
- Stand in front of a bench/chair with arms at your sides and left foot resting flat on the elevated surface. Ensure that the heel of the left foot is entirely on the bench chair. That is your starting position.
- Pushing through the heel of the left foot while breathing out, rise up so that both the left and right leg are straight. The right foot will be behind you and not resting on the bench.
- Pause and lower back to the starting position while breathing in. That is one rep.
- You made it! Now that you’ve finished your sweat session, it’s time to catch your breath, cool down and stretch.