A Lower Body Strength and Athleticism Workout, With Modifications
Oct 08, 2026
This lower body workout from week 51 of the Empowered Fitness Membership is one of my favorites so far, and I want to walk you through the whole thing.
Fair warning: it's an advanced one. By week 51, we've had a lot of time to build up to movements like these.
If you watch these videos and think "I could never do that," you might be surprised. Nobody starts here. The membership moves through four phases: Base, then Build, then Athletic, and then my signature Empowered Performance program. Each one runs about 12 weeks, and the program builds gradually from one phase to the next. By the time you get to a workout like this, your body is ready for it.
If you're curious what that foundation looks like, 5 Movement Fundamentals, 10 Ways to Explore Them is a good place to start.
Here's the full session, what I'm focusing on in each exercise, and how to modify it.
The workout at a glance
- Warm Up: 1-2 x 6-8 reps each side
- Sit to Double Broad Jump: 2 x 6
- Half Kneel Med Ball Throw: 2 x 6
- Hip Thrust: 5 x 6-8
- Front Squat: 3 x 8
- Staggered Squat with Lateral Cable Pull: 3 x 8-10 each side
- Side Plank Kickback: 3 x 8-10 each side
Warm up
The warm up is 1-2 sets of 6-8 reps each side, and you can follow along with the warm up playlist.
Power first
We start with power, while the nervous system is fresh.
Sit to Double Broad Jump: 2 x 6
From a seated position on a box, I'm trying to get off the ground as quickly as I can and go straight into a second jump. Watch my heels from the side on that second jump: they never touch the ground. That's my Achilles and calves working as a spring.
To modify: start with a single broad jump with a band, then a broad jump from standing, then add the second jump once landings feel controlled.
Half Kneel Med Ball Throw: 2 x 6
Starting in a half kneel, I'm slamming the med ball into the wall as hard as I can. Watch from behind as I rotate toward the wall: my right glute is driving a lot of that power. It's the hip throwing the ball, not just the rib cage and arms.
To modify: start with this chop that teaches the same push off from the glute for power.
If you want to understand how the hips and rib cage work together to create rotational power, I dig into that in Seashells, Slings, and Spiral Things.
The main lifts
Next come two main lifts: one hip dominant, one knee dominant.
Hip Thrust: 5 x 6-8
I start with the hip thrust because I find it really difficult and want to get it done. If you don’t have access to a machine, you can use a barbell or bodyweight version. If squats feel harder for you, flip the order.
To modify: use a barbell or bodyweight hip thrust if you don't have a machine, or you can do this variation that also works on thoracic mobility.
Front Squat: 3 x 8
I filmed this one from behind and couldn't resist analyzing my own movement, so I walk through what I see in the video. After coaching for 25 years, I'm still learning from my own body too.
To modify: any squat variation that works for you is fair game here. If you aren't quite ready for a barbell, here is a goblet squat tutorial.
If you want to look at your own squat the same way, Leaning Forward, Over-Tucking, and Butt Winking in a Squat walks through common squat patterns and what they can tell you.
The accessories
We finish with two accessories that put the hips and pelvis to work.
Staggered Squat with Lateral Cable Pull: 3 x 8-10 each side
The cable is on the working leg, so I have to push away from it and use my glute med to stabilize the pelvis. I drop all the way down to a dead stop and use a bit more of a hinge to target the hip that's working harder, while still getting my quads on board.
To modify: do it without the cable first, holding onto a support if you need it.
Side Plank Kickback: 3 x 8-10 each side
I'm loving this one, and it's the last drill of the day. In a side plank with a cable strapped to my leg (a band at the ankle works too), I push the floor away with my bottom leg using abduction, while my top leg drives hip extension with a lot of glute max.
To modify: I love this side plank with a banded hip shift!
Both of these accessories lean on the glute med and glute max. For more on getting those muscles working, check out Hack for More Glute Activation.
Build up to this workout
You're welcome to try this one as is. Or, if you want to build your base first and work up to a workout like this, come see where you fit inside the Empowered Fitness Membership.
Each phase prepares you for the next, so higher level athletic movements like these become something you work up to, not something you have to force.
Here's what one member shared from the Athletic phase:
"I've been exploring the Fitness Membership programming (doing Athletic phase) and my 58 year old body feels better than it did 20 years ago. I credit that to you and learning to breathe, stack, and move!"
Pam, personal trainer and Pilates instructor
Inside the membership, you'll find the full progression of workouts that build up to this one, along with a private community and monthly coaching calls.
