Start in a push-up position with your feet up on the ball.
Make sure that you engage your core and raise your hips so your back is flat before you begin.
Keep your back flat and try not to raise you hips as you draw your knees into your chest.
Extend both legs back out to the starting position and repeat.
This exercise is a good supplement to all those crunches, the Superman is a great way to strengthen your lower back and tone your glutes. All you need to do this exercise is your body weight, no equipment necessary.
1. Lie face down on your stomach with arms and legs extended. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
2. Keeping your arms and legs straight (but not locked), or placing hands behind head while keeping torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form an elongated “u” shape with your body — back arches and arms and legs lift several inches off the floor.
3. Hold for two to five seconds and lower back down to complete one.
Try to perform 10 reps for 3 sets. Have Fun!
Start with a standard high plank. Slowly bring your right knee toward the outside of your right elbow. You’ll be tempted to look back to see how close your knee is—don’t do it! It will make you round your shoulders and drop your hips. Just get it as close as you can without losing your form. Be sure to have your hands stacked underneath of your shoulders and keep that core engaged the entire time! Repeat on the other side. Perform 20 total reps alternating legs (10 on each side) on each side and complete 2-3 sets. Enjoy!
This one is a toughie at first to coordinate, but hits all the major muscle groups in one powerful move. Lie down, back to the mat, with knees bent. Hold a medicine ball on the ground with arms fully extended overhead. Pull the knees into the chest, preparing to use the weight of the ball (and the strength of your core!) to help catapult you to a controlled squat position, then standing. Next, slowly lower back into a squat, and ease back to the floor, butt first before lying back down. Don’t get too comfy though: The goal is to rock and roll for 10-12 reps.
This is a great exercise to help work on your speed and strength. Begin by standing on one foot, then step the opposite foot backwards into a reverse lunge. Powerfully push through the front foot and bring the opposite knee towards the chest. Quickly step back into a reverse lunge and repeat! Complete 10-12 reps on each side and try for 2-3 sets.
This is a fun battle rope exercise. It mimics the movement a grappler makes when they toss someone over their hip. Grab the rope so the ends are sticking out from between your thumb and index fingers and hold the ends down by your right hip. Pivot your torso to the left. During the pivot, flip the ropes over your hip as if you were throwing a grappling opponent to the ground. Pivot back and forth like this until time is up. Start off with 30 second intervals, breaking 20 seconds in between and completing 3 sets. Increase your time by 15 second intervals to challenge yourself!
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Start by doing a regular squat, then engage your core and jump up explosively. When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep. Land as quietly as possible, which requires control. Do two to three sets of 10 reps.
Make sure to use your whole foot to jump, not just your toes. Be sure to have your weight in your heels during the squat and transfer your weight to the toes during your jump, returning to the heels during the landing. Also, try not to let your shoulders lean out beyond your knees, as this can strain and injure your back.
This plank is a great way to work your obliques, arms and back! Come up into a side plank, being sure that the elbow you are posted up on is directly underneath of your shoulder and that you are pushing your hips up as high as you can. Place your non posted arm on the back of your head, twist down, squeezing your obliques and try to bring your elbow down to meet your hand that is on the ground. Try doing 2 sets of 30 seconds on each side!
Remember, this is a full body exercise. Even though it doesn’t look too hard, it will definitely engage every muscle group in your body! Always hinge at your hips and focus on NEVER letting your knees bend! It’s going to give you a great hamstring stretch too! Begin with both your hands and feet on the floor in an “A”, with your legs straight. Walk your hands out in front of you until you are in a plank, then take tiny steps to walk your feet back up to the original position. Keep “inchworming” along for 10 of these, then take a break! Want to make it a bit harder? Add in a push up or side plank while you’re extended out in the plank position!
This exercise is going to challenge you and push you to that next level. Be sure to squeeze your oblique as you crunch your leg up and in towards your arm, and make sure your core is engaged during the entirety of the exercise.
How to do it: Get in standard push up position. While you’re pushing up, bring your left knee to your left elbow. Return your left leg to the floor as you lower yourself. Repeat with your right leg. Try for a set of 10 reps, five with each leg!!
