Adding the right workout moves to your exercise routine can make all the difference in how you look and feel by the end of it. For those who want to tone up, get healthy or simply mix things up, here are 10 workout moves that’ll whip you into shape this season.
Workout moves that target multiple muscles at once are called compound exercises. These are amazing time savers and will help build more strength and burn more calories. A Short Plank Twist works your shoulders and shoulder stabilizers, obliques, transverse abdominals and your glutes. Pick up the pace during the exercise and it also becomes great cardio!
Execution: Get down on all fours with your shoulders over your wrists. Tuck your toes and lift your body so your knees are a few inches off the ground. Twist hips to the right and kick your left leg underneath you and to the right as you lift your right arm off the ground. Return to the initial position and repeat on the opposing side.
Bringing mobility into your workout moves is essential to your overall health, whether you sit at a desk or stand on your feet for a living. A great exercise to incorporate would be the Spider Lunge. Not only does this provide a good stretch through the groin, but it improves mobility in the lower back area, hip and hamstrings, increases ankle mobility and activates the hamstrings and glutes.
Execution: Get into the plank position, with your hands under your shoulders and your back flat. Bring your right foot to the outside of the right hand and land with a flat foot. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other side.
When workout moves target one main area of the body they are called isolation exercises. The Barbell Hip Thrust works mainly the glutes while also indirectly targeting the hamstrings, quads and calves. If you are looking to specifically build on that booty, then this is the exercise for you. For this move, you’re going to need a barbell.
Execution: Start in a supine position (front of body facing up) with your back on a bench and roll a barbell up to the crease of your hips. Drive both feet into the floor and squeeze your glutes while bringing your hips up. Lower your hips back to the starting position and repeat.
Since workout moves to improve the derriere are in such high demand, here is another exercise that targets mainly the glutes and the hamstrings. All you need is a bench to help support your back.
Execution: Lie with your upper back resting on a bench and your feet flat on the floor in front of you. Dip your hips and then explosively thrust your hips upward, allowing your feet to leave the floor. Land with control and allow your hips to dip again before repeating.
Squats are great compound workout moves that target the quadriceps, glutes, and calves. This 4-3-1 Sumo Dumbbell Squat is a great variation that is performed with a dumbbell, a wider than normal stance (like a sumo) and a specific tempo, hence the 4-3-1.
The first number indicates how long you should take to lower the weight, the second number indicates the pause time at the midpoint of the exercise and the third number indicates how fast you should lift the weight and return to the starting position.
Execute: Start with a slight forward lean of the torso, maintaining it throughout the exercise. Next, hold the dumbbell at waist height and flare your feet out slightly, keeping your weight on your heels. Maintaining the position, start the squat by lowering the weight for 4 seconds until you reach the bottom, pause for 3 seconds and lift the weight back up into the starting position in 1 second and repeat.
Using one side at a time, Seated Leg Curls are isolated workout moves that can work to strengthen your upper legs. You will need a strength training machine for this exercise.
Execution: Sit down on the leg curl machine with one of your legs rested on top of the curling pad and the other off to the side. While keeping your upper body still and the other leg in place, slowly curl the pad down as far as possible, squeezing your quads and hamstrings. Hold for a moment when you feel the stretch and return to the starting position to repeat.
Plyometric workout moves are used to help gain muscle mass and get fast, firm and powerful muscles. The Frog Jumps get your heart rate up and help build cardio fitness and muscle endurance. It will also help you burn calories during your workout and offer an afterburner effect, meaning you’ll burn more calories in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Execution: Sit back with your feet in a wide stance and your toes turned out at an angle. Jump forward and up, land on your toes and squat. Jump back, return to the starting position and repeat.
For great back strength and size, rowing workout moves are essentially some of the best. Unfortunately, most people have a bad technique and body mechanics that eliminate any of the benefits. This Quadruped Row helps dial your horizontal pulling technique for maximum effectiveness and teaches you proper form so you can reap all the benefits from your workout. You will need weights for this exercise.
Execution: Start on all fours with a weight near your right hand. Pick up the weight and, using your upper back and shoulders, perform a row, pulling the weight up towards the right side of your ribs. Your elbow should be hugged close to your body when the row is at the top, and your forearm in line with your waist.
Lower the weight back down and straighten your right arm with the weight, while simultaneously raising a straight left arm and reaching until it is in line with your ear. Try to keep the shoulders pressed down and your neck long throughout.
Essential workout moves usually include exercises that work the body in different movements and motions. Lateral Lunges are a great addition to any routine and bring the body into the frontal motion (side-to-side) which can help with overall health and the execution of more advanced movements.
Execution: Stand with your feet together and hands clasped in front of your chest. Take a large step out to the right, immediately lowering into a lunge, sinking hips back and bending right knee to track directly in line with the right foot. Keep the left leg straight but not locked, with both feet pointing forward. Push off the right foot next to left, and return to the starting position.
This workout move exercises to isolate the upper-inner aspect of the chest. On standard dumbbell flyes, the tension on the pecs at the top, where the inner pecs would come into play, is greatly reduced because the dumbbells are no longer being moved against gravity. With the Leaning One-Arm Dumbbell Flyes, it utilizes gravity to hit those inner fibres.
Execution: Take a dumbbell in one hand and place the opposite hand on a secure structure like a power rack or squat rack. Lean out at about a 45 degree angle away from the rack and let the hand with the dumbbell hang to the floor. Raise the dumbbell in an upward fashion, squeezing the pecs at the top of the movement, and repeat for reps.
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