Get ready to fire up your legs and build serious strength with this 45-minute Lower Body Pyramid Workout + Cardio Blast ! We’re stacking 4 powerhouse lower body exercises with 3 bursts of standing cardio to sculpt, tone, and boost your endurance. As we move up and down the pyramid, you’ll push your muscles to the max, leaving you feeling stronger, energized, and accomplished by the end. Let’s do this and crush it together!
What is a Pyramid Workout?
In a pyramid workout, you gradually increase or decrease the number of reps in each set, creating a “pyramid” structure. You either start with a lower number of reps and work your way up, or begin with higher reps and decrease as you go. This method keeps your body guessing and provides a challenging, well-rounded workout.
Pyramid workouts are effective because they mix strength endurance and power, allowing you to build strength while also maintaining a higher heart rate. This can lead to better muscle growth, fat loss, and improved cardiovascular fitness. By gradually changing the rep scheme, the muscles are forced to adapt, which helps avoid plateaus and maximizes progress. Plus, they keep things interesting and prevent burnout!
In this 45-minute lower body pyramid workout, you'll alternate between 4 lower body strength moves and 3 standing cardio exercises, creating a balanced blend of strength and fat-burning cardio to challenge your body from every angle.
8 Benefits of Lower Body Strength Training
Builds Strong, Toned Muscles: Lower body strength training helps shape and tone your legs, glutes, and hips, contributing to a balanced, sculpted physique.
Increases Strength and Power: Strengthening your legs and glutes boosts your ability to perform everyday tasks like lifting, climbing stairs, or carrying children, groceries, making daily life easier.
Supports Joint Health: Strong muscles around the knees, hips, and ankles stabilize and protect your joints, helping to prevent injuries and reduce pain, especially in high-impact activities.
Enhances Athletic Performance: Whether you enjoy running, cycling, or sports, a strong lower body improves speed, agility, and endurance, allowing you to perform at a higher level.
Burns Calories and Boosts Metabolism: Lower body exercises engage large muscle groups, increasing your calorie burn during and after workouts, which supports fat loss and overall weight management.
Improves Balance and Stability: Strong leg and glute muscles enhance your balance, making you less prone to falls and helping with coordination in both workouts and daily movements.
Increases Bone Density: Lower body strength training is a weight-bearing exercise, which helps increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, particularly as you age.
Boosts Overall Health: Strengthening your lower body supports cardiovascular health, posture, and core strength, contributing to long-term well-being and a reduced risk of chronic conditions.
5 Reasons We Love a Pyramid Workout
Efficient Calorie Burn: The combination of higher reps and heavier weights (or increased effort) engages large muscle groups and keeps your heart rate elevated, leading to greater calorie burn.
Efficient Fat Loss: By incorporating high-repetition sets as the workout peaks, you increase your heart rate, promoting fat loss while building muscle.
Prevents Plateaus: By constantly changing the intensity and number of reps, pyramid workouts prevent your body from hitting a plateau, keeping your progress steady.
Enhanced Mental Focus: The structured format of a pyramid workout keeps you focused on each set and rep progression, helping improve your mental discipline and motivation.
Cardio and Strength Combo: When combined with cardio, pyramid workouts improve both cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength, providing a well-rounded workout.
Equipment for 45-Minute Lower Body Strength Workout with Cardio Blast
Heavy Pair of Dumbbells
I used 15-20 lbs
Workout Instructions
Your 45-Minute Lower Body Strength Workout with Cardio Blast looks like:
7 Exercises:
1. Weighted Alternating Squat Step Out
2 .Lateral Ladder Shuffle
3. Weighted Alternating Front Lunge
4. 3 Shuffle Lateral Jab Shuffle + Cross Body Pivot Jab
5. Weighted Stationary Low & Slow Alternating Lateral Lunge
6. 2 Jumping Jacks + 4 Count Speed bag (alternating sides)
7. Deadlift to Reverse Lunge (alternate legs)
5 Minute Warm Up
Build the Pyramid
Round 1/Exercise 1 for 30 seconds of work- Weighted Alternating Squat Step Out
Rest 30 seconds
Round 2 for 1 minute total work: 2, 30-second back-to-back sets:
30 seconds: Exercise 1-Weighted Alternating Squat Step Out
30 seconds: Exercise 2- Lateral Ladder Shuffle
Rest 30 seconds
Round 3 for 1.5 minute total work: 3, 30-second back-to-back sets
30 seconds: Exercise 1- Weighted Alternating Squat Step Out
30 seconds: Exercise 2- Lateral Ladder Shuffle
30 seconds: Exercise 3- Weighted Alternating Front Lunges
With the 4 additional exercises (4, 5, 6, 7) continue adding a new 30-second exercise to your pyramid, working for a total of 3.5 minutes.
When you build your pyramid with 7 exercises, rest for 1 minute.
Deconstruct your pyramid by starting at the top of your pyramid and repeating the 3.5 minute set (7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
Rest 30
Remove Exercise 1 and perform exercises 7-2 for 30 seconds each, for a total of 3 minutes of work
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat the pattern by eliminating the exercise at the bottom of the pyramid, reducing your total work each time.
Resting 30 seconds at the end of the work round.
At end of workout, cool down and stretch for 5 minutes
1. Weighted Alternating Squat Step-Out
Targets: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, adductors, abductors, inner thighs
How to Do an Alternating Squat Step-Out
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your chest lifted, shoulders back, and core engaged.
Lower your body into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if you’re sitting in a chair. Keep your weight on your heels and your back straight. Make sure your knees don’t go beyond your toes.
From the squat position, step your right foot out to the side, making your stance wider. Keep your squat position while stepping out.
Step your right leg back to the starting position and stand tall.
Now, step your left foot out to the side, widening your stance.
Step it back to the starting position.
Continue alternating steps out with each foot while staying in the squat position.
2. Lateral Ladder Shuffle
Targets: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abductors, adductors, core
How to Do an Lateral Ladder Shuffle
Begin in an athletic stance, with your chest up, core engaged, and knees slightly bent. Your arms should be in a ready position to help with balance.
Quickly step into the imaginary box with your inside foot while staying low.
Follow immediately with your outside foot stepping into the same "box".
Continue moving laterally through each rung of the ladder by leading with your inside foot first, then the outside foot.
Keep your movements fast and controlled. Focus on light, quick steps, staying on the balls of your feet.
Use your arms to help with momentum and balance, as you would when running.
Once you reach the end of the "ladder", reverse the movement by shuffling back to the starting position, or turn around and repeat the drill.
3. Alternating Front Lunge
Targets: Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, core
How to Do an Alternating Front Lunge
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, shoulders back, and core engaged.
Take a step forward with your right leg, landing on your heel first. Keep your torso upright and maintain your balance.
Bend both knees to lower your body toward the ground. Your right thigh should be parallel to the floor, with your right knee directly above your ankle. Your left knee should lower toward the floor but should not touch it. Both knees should be at about 90-degree angles.
Push through the heel of your right foot to return to the standing position, bringing your right foot back to meet your left.
Immediately step forward with your left leg and repeat the same motion.
4. Lateral Shuffle with Punch & Pivot Punch
Targets: Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, shoulders, chest, arms, core and obliques
How to Do a Lateral Shuffle with Punch & Pivot Punch
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
Engage your core and maintain good posture.
Take 2–3 quick lateral steps to one side, leading with one foot and bringing the other foot to come close but not touching-while also punching with the outside arm. Keep your body low and light on your feet, maintaining a slight bend in your knees.
After the 3 punches, pivot on your back foot while rotating your hips and torso 90 degrees to the side, throwing a strong final punch (pivot punch) with the opposite arm.
After the pivot punch, return to your starting position and perform the lateral shuffle to the opposite side.
Repeat the sequence on the other side.
5. Stationary Alternating Lateral Lunge
Targets: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, adductors, core
How to Do a Stationary Alternating Lateral Lunge
Stand tall with your feet wider than hip-width apart, feet facing forward and core engaged.
Bend your right leg while keeping your left leg straight. Keep your toes should point forward on both feet.
Keep your torso upright and core engages.
Push your hips back, lowering your body into a lunge position. Your left leg should remain straight, and your right thigh should be parallel to the ground (or as low as comfortable).
Push through your right heel to return to the starting position, while staying low.
Switch Sides and repeat back and forth
6.Jumping Jack x 2 + Speed Bag x 4
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, core, shoulders, biceps, triceps
How to Do a Jumping Jack x 2 + Speed Bag x 4
Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides.
Jump up while spreading your legs shoulder-width apart and raising your arms overhead.
Jump back to the starting position with your feet together and arms at your sides.
Repeat: Perform one more jumping jack.
After your second jumping jack, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and fists up as if you're boxing.
Start by making small, rapid punches in a circular motion as if you're hitting a speed bag for 4 counts/rotations.
Repeat the 2 jumping jacks
Turn toward the other side and repeat the speed bag x 4 counts/rotations
7.Deadlift to Alternating Reverse Lunge
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, back, core, lower back, hip flexors
How to Do an Deadlift to Alternating Reverse Lunge
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in each hand in front of your thighs. Your arms should be fully extended and squeezed tight to your sides.
With a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest expanded. Lower the weights along the outside of your legs while pushing your hips back.
Keep your core tight throughout the movement to protect your lower back.
When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, push through your heels to return to a standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top.
From the standing position, take a step back with your right foot, lowering your body into a reverse lunge. Make sure your left knee does not extend past your toes.
Keep your chest lifted and your core engaged as you lower your right knee toward the ground.
Return to standing and perform another deadlift
Return to standing take a step back with your left foot, lowering your body into a reverse lunge. Make sure your left knee does not extend past your toes.
Keep your chest lifted and your core engaged as you lower your right left knee toward the ground.
Repeat the deadlift and pattern.
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