Exercises:
Bosu Ball Squat: Use bosu with ball side down. Stand by a wall so you can easily find your balance on the ball, with feet positioned slightly in front of the midline of the ball. Squat down with chest up, butt back, and core tight to maintain balance. This one works butt and legs for sure, but definitely tests the stability of your entire body, which is great for a warmup.
TRX Single Leg Balance Lunge: Adjust TRX straps to about mid-length. Stand back from anchor point with a handle in each hand. Balance on one leg, reaching the other leg back like you are doing a lunge. This move really challenges your core because you do not actually let the lunging leg touch the ground. When lunging, front knee should not go past the front toe and your torso should remain fairly upright. Stand up tall, then reach the same leg back again, repeating all reps on one leg before finishing on the other side.
Zig Zag Lunges: Here is a fun spin on walking lunges. Start standing tall, but instead of lunging straight ahead, step that front foot out in front but to the side. Pivot your back foot to remain in line with the front foot and lunge down. Remember front knee should not go past toes and the torso should remain fairly upright. Achieve this by dropping the back knee first, and letting the front knee follow. Then let the back foot come forward into a standing position. Now step to the opposite side, far out front. Pivot the back foot and repeat the movement, alternating sides until reps are completed. Like a regular lunge, this targets the legs and butt, but unique to the zig zag pattern, you will feel it more in your inner and outer thighs (adductors and abductors).
Weighted Split Lunge: Holding weights in each hand, step one leg back onto box, maintaining balance. Front leg should be positioned way ahead of the box. It will feel like a stretch, but when you lunge, that front knee should be positioned directly over the foot. If you are not starting wide enough, the knee will go past the toe and that position is not ideal for your body. Lower body slowly, really testing that balance. Drop the weights if you need to.
Box Jumps: Set up a box at appropriate height. I promise you, you can jump higher than you think, so go ahead and try it. I usually start standing at the top of the box and jumping down to get a good sense of my body awareness for the jump. Simply use the power in your legs and maybe a little arm movement to jump up high and land on the box. You can jump back down or step down, whatever you are more comfortable with.
Box Squats: Set up a low box in a squat rack. Bar should be across back. Keep your chest up, booty back, but pelvis still tucked by keeping abs tight. Keep knees from going past toes, and they shouldn’t move inwards. Slowly sit back onto the box. Pause for a brief second while keeping the body engaged. From that low position, really work those quads, abs and hip flexors to stand up tall again. This one really targets the quads and challenges the body in a different way than traditional squats.
Seated Single Leg Jump Squat: Start balancing on one leg in front of a box. Control your body as your leg bends and your butt sits on the box, then your leg explodes upwards into a jump. Your resting leg should remain in front of the body, and your core will really be helping to stabilize your body and jump up. You should not be shifting from side to side as you sit, or falling uncontrolled onto the box. Repeat all reps on one leg before moving to the next. This one really works power in the quads and challenges the core and obliques.
Goblet Squat Hold with Lunge: Wow this one burns!! Hold a dumbbell like a goblet right at your chest. Sit in a squat with chest up and butt back, you will be holding this position for basically the entire movement. Then reach one leg back into a lunge, knee hitting the floor. Squeeze the quads and hold abs tight to bring the leg back up into the holding goblet squat. Then repeat that movement on the opposite side, alternating legs until all reps are completed.
Weighted Lunge to Step Up: Start standing in front of a box with dumbbells in each hand. Reach that working leg back into a lunge, keeping torso upright and bending both legs. Then move that same working leg right onto the bench for a step up. Return to standing position and repeat all reps on one side before finishing on the other side. This one really burns in the quad, and challenges the core too as you manipulate the body from backwards to upwards movements.
There were a lot of new ones in today’s workout that included multiple movements in one. Be sure to
Amber Launstein 