Weighted Step ups primarily work your quadriceps, the muscles in the front of your thighs, and involve both your knee and hip joints. However, other muscles involved include your glutes, calves and hamstrings, which assist in the movement.

• Grab a barbell and put it on your shoulders or a pair of dumbbells of the same weight and keep your palms facing inwards towards your legs. Don't go too heavy on the weight if it's your first time trying this exercise.
• Put your right foot up on a weight bench or platform. Then step up on it by extending your hip and right knee. Try and breathe out during this movement and remember to keep your back straight as you step up. 
• Go ahead and step back down with your left leg and then return to the initial starting position. That is one set complete, for the next one simply repeat the exercise but start with your left leg instead. 
• You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps for each leg. Don't forget to take a little 45-60 second breather between each set as you'll probably need it.

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Stationary lunges work several muscle groups at once. The targeted muscles include the glutes in your hips and butt along with the hamstrings and quadriceps in your thighs. The calf muscles in your lower legs, your abdominal muscles and your back muscles act as stabilizers during this exercise. Lunges also help your body burn calories for weight loss.

  Directions:

• While holding dumbbells to your sides, stand tall with your feet hip distance apart then take a large step backward with one foot. This is your start position.
• Lower the back knee to a 90 degree angle so both knees are bent then press up to start position and repeat.  You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps for each leg

Getting the form correct in the stationary lunge is very important. It is the foundation for all lunge variations. Some other types of lunges are side lunges, walking lunges, dumbbell lunges, reverse lunges, twist lunges and curtsy lunges. 

The main muscles lunges target are your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. Did you know the hamstrings were a group of muscles? There are actually four muscles in this group and it includes: the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris muscles (short head and long head). 

If you are looking for some other ways to workout your hamstring muscles try a few of these exercises: deadlift, Romanian deadlift, kettlebell swing, glute bridge or hex bar deadlift.

It's easy for the hamstrings to get tight, a few stretches to try are: hurdler hamstring stretch, standing hamstring stretch (both legs or one leg at a time) or the towel hamstring stretch.

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Bulgarian split squats work the glute muscles as well as the upper leg muscles. The target muscle is the quadriceps with the gluteus maximus, soleus and adductor magnus working to assist.

 Instructions: 

1. Find yourself a step, bench or any other contraption that you can rest a foot on, it needs to be about knee height 
2. Get into a forward lunge position with torso upright, core braced and hips square to your body
3. With your back foot elevated on the bench, your leading leg should be half a metreor so in front of the bench  
4. Lower until your front thigh is almost horizontal, keeping your knee in line with your foot. Don’t let your front knee travel beyond your toes
5. Drive up through your front heel back to the starting position, again keeping your movements measured.
6. Complete three to four sets of 10-15 repetitions on each leg 

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The Romanian deadlift is a very effective and great muscle building exercise which works both on your lower back muscles, but more significantly and primary used muscles when it comes to this exercise, are your hamstrings.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell at thigh level. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart.
• Keeping your back straight, bend at your waist and sit your hips back to lower the bar.
• Keep the bar close to your shins and lower as far as your flexibility allows.
• Forcefully contract your glutes to extend at your hips and stand up. You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps.

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A barbell squat is a push-type, compound exercise which works primarily your quadriceps, but also trains your glutes, hamstrings, and calves, as well as muscles in your lower back. 

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart and toes facing in front of you. Place the barbell on your shoulders, below the trapezius muscles (NOT on your neck!).
• Keeping your back flat, slowly lower your body, bending at the knees and the hips. Stop when your legs form a 90 degree angle. Do not let your knees go forwards past your toes.
• Slowly push through your heels to return to the starting position, contracting the thigh muscles. You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps.

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