Nothing like a good challenge to mix up your training routines a bit. In today’s blog, I outline 5 movements that you can easily incorporate into your current exercise sessions. You won’t need much equipment to complete. It’s important to keep things fresh and provide you with a good challenge whilst hitting some fundamental positions and movement patterns.
Let’s dive right in.
Bulgarian Split Squat
I love this exercise, so if I’ve trained you chances are you’ve experienced this exercise or a variation at some point. It provides the body with a single-leg strength challenge so great for balance and for development of the important posterior chain muscles (glutes, hamstrings) that most people sit on all day.
Body Curl
This exercise is a challenge and a half! If you can’t do any standard leg curls on a ball or with some sliders don’t even think about doing it. It provides another great challenge to your hamstring (think cramp city when doing it) and your glutes and hitting the core in a different position to what you may be used to. Only thing with this exercise is you may need to access some sliders or Valslides (they’re a great piece of equipment to own for home-based training) if you don’t have any you can always use a towel for hardwood or some coasters for a carpet.
Skater Squats
Another challenging single leg exercise that will humble you is the skater squat. To start, use a weight to help counterbalance the movement and also a cushion for your backside knee. This movement trains most of the lower body muscles and you’ll most likely hate it enough to never want to try it after your first attempt.
V-Sit Overhead Press – 1 Arm DB
Talk about an exercise that’ll make you shake from start to finish. Can’t go too heavy on this one. A great exercise to challenge core stability whilst also working on your shoulders and pressing strength.
Plank Walkout w/Leg Lift – Feet Elevated
If you thought a superman plank was hard, this is the next level. It challenges all aspects of your core as well as shoulder stability. Don’t expect to get many repetitions with this one before sweating profusely!
Bonus: Lateral Windmill:
Anyone who knows me knows I like a good mobility challenge. Enter the lateral windmill. Another great movement that gets you out of the sagittal plane. This requires plenty of core strength, shoulder and thoracic spine mobility and stability. Enjoy!
If your someone who likes a challenge, give some of these a try and hate me later.
Yours in a challenging yourself to be better every day.
Yudi