Mastering the Air Squat is a prerequisite for completing weighted squat exercises, and will have carry over benefits to all other lower body movements.
How to do it:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands by your side.
Sink down as if you’re sitting on a chair, pushing your weight through your heels so your knees are in line with your toes.
You can bring your arms in front of your chest to stablise yourself. Then stand back up to the starting position.
Plank Pulses
Performing a plank correctly involves contracting the glutes, quads, abdominals and lats with power to maintain a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders.
It’s used by everyone from professional athletes to fitness models to develop a strong and tight core.
Add in the pulses to work your calf muscles, and the humble plank is transformed in the Plank Pulse, one of the most challenging and valuable exercises in your toolbox.
How to do it:
Begin in a forearm plank position, with your back straight and your bum tucked in.
Keeping your forearms in position, pulse your body forward so that you are on the tips of your toes and your shoulders are almost above your wrists.
Pulse back to the starting position and repeat.
Medicine Ball Wood Chops
Rotational movements are sometimes overlooked in exercise programs, but their ability to build strong oblique muscles and whole-body stability is second to none.
This Medicine Ball Wood Chop combines rotation with a squat and overhead press, resulting in one of the most valuable exercises you could perform.
Although a Medicine Ball is preferred, this exercise can also be completed with a dumbbell (held sideways), kettlebell or anything else heavy.
How to do it:
This is a variation on the traditional wood chop. You will need a medicine ball or other heavy weight.
Begin standing, legs hips-width apart and holding the ball in front of your chest.
Raise the ball straight above your head, then back down as you squat and tap the ball on the ground to the right of your body.
Raise back up to the starting position then complete on the other side.
Bear Crawl
While kettlebells, dumbbells and medicine balls are useful tools when it comes to completing a well-rounded program, sometimes your own body is all you need.
Crawling exercises are used to build whole body strength, balance and coordination.
Additionally, the Bear Crawl is performed at speed to increase the amount of energy burned.
Regardless of your training goal, the Bear Crawl is a valuable inclusion to your program.
How to do it:
From a squatting position, your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, place both hands on the ground so your body forms a kind of table – resting on your toes, your knees hovering above the ground and your back flat.
From here, crawl forward on your hands and toes, with your feet and knees kicking out a little wider than your hands to generate speed.
Then push backwards on hands and toes to return to the start.
Arch Hold Swims
When it comes to body-weight training, exercises for the back can sometimes be overlooked. However, strengthening these muscles is important for shoulder health and promoting good posture.
Plus, Arch Hold Swims with a static extension of the hips and upper back strengthen the glutes and core.
The ‘swimming’ movements performed with the arms will have you feeling the burn in no time.
How to do it:
Take the superman position by lying on your belly and hovering your feet and arms slightly off the ground as you tense your abs and glutes.
From here, bring your hands toward your face, bending your elbows.
Then, straighten your arms so your hands sweep out on either side, before bringing them back to your face again and back up.
Ensure they are hovering for the entire movement.
You can find more of Bobby’s core-focussed workouts on Chris Hemsworth’s new fitness app Centr.
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