Day 59 is legs, and it is the first leg day with no squat, no forward lunge and no hold: 14 calf raises, 10 cossack squats and 14 side-to-side lunges, 2 minutes of rest, 3 to 5 sets. Cossack squats are new - a wide stance, hands at the chest, sinking all the way down over one leg while the other leg stays straight and the foot turns up, then shifting to the other side. Ten is the total, 5 per side.
The cossack squat is the deep version of the side-to-side lunge, and putting them back to back is deliberate. The cossack goes as low as the hips allow, loading the bent leg through its full range while the straight leg gets a long stretch through the inner thigh and hamstring. The side-to-side lunges then repeat the sideways pattern at a shallower depth and higher tempo. Together they give the hips the sideways strength and mobility that keep the knees tracking straight over thousands of landings - the injury insurance of a running program, paid on a Wednesday.
Feet wide, toes forward. Sink toward the heel of the bent leg, keep that heel down and the chest up, and let the straight leg's toes lift toward the ceiling. Go only as deep as the heel stays planted. Shift across smoothly without standing up. Side-to-side lunges stay shallower and keep both feet flat. Calf raises as always.
Two sideways exercises and no squats in sight - the hips get the widest leg day of the program.
Make it Harder: Hold the bottom of each cossack squat for a 2-count before shifting across.
Make it Easier: Reduce the depth of the cossack squats to a half squat and hold a wall or chair for balance.
