LIFE+ Blog

Step 1:

Place a towel at the bottom off your bag. This is to create a liner of padding.

• Use a workout bag, backpack, or luggage (something with a handle to grab onto)
• The bigger the bag, the heavier it can be.

Step 2:

Fill your bag with household items.

• Books/notebooks/binders
• Soda/Water/
• Anything that has weight but will not break.
• I suggest smaller items so it is easier to manipulate the desired weight.

Step 3:

Weigh your bag, make sure it’s the desired weight for your goals.

• As you can see, I’m not that strong, so only 24lbs for me!
• You can always use multiple bags if you need more weight.

Following are some exercises focusing on leg strength.

SQUATS

• Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Place bag on shoulders behind your neck and hold with both hands.
• Bend your knees and lower your body towards the floor to perform a squat.
• Keep your back straight and hinge at the hips.
• Return to standing position

FORWARD (90/90) LUNGE

• Start by standing with feet shoulder-width-apart holding a workout bag in each hand.
• Take a step forward and allow your front knee to bend into a lunge position 90 degrees. Your back knee may bend as well to 90 degrees.
• Push mostly from the front knee directly into the ground to return back to starting position.

REVERSE LUNGE

• Start by standing with feet shoulder-width-apart holding a workout bag in each hand.
• Take a step backward and allow your front knee to bend into a lunge position
• Keep your back straight and hinge at the hips.
• Your back knee should be straight.
• Push mostly from the front knee directly into the ground, squeeze your gluts and keep your core tight to return back to starting position.

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT (RDL)

• Start by standing with feet shoulder-width-apart with a slight bend in both knees holding a workout bag in both hands.
• Begin to hinge at the hips to lower the bag down
• When you feel a pulling sensation in the hamstrings, squeeze your gluts and drive your hips forward to return to a standing position
• Maintain an abdominal brace the entire time.

STEP UPS

• Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart holding weighted bag in each hand
• Step up onto stable surface with one leg driving down through the middle of your foot
• Bring opposite leg up to 90 degrees then lower yourself back down
• Maintain abdominal brace each repetition.

GLUTE THRUSTER

• Both feet on the floor
• Place upper back/shoulders on a raised stable surface.
• Place weighted bag across your hips
• Lower your hips down and then squeeze your glutes to raise your hips back to neutral
• Maintain proper abdominal brace with each repetition.

HEEL RAISES

• Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart holding weighted bag in each hand
• Toes should be pointed straight ahead.
• Raise up on your toes as you lift your heels off the ground (make sure you don’t roll onto the outside of your feet.
• Lower yourself down to starting position.