The jump lunge is an advanced variation of a basic walking lunge exercise, bumping up the intensity by adding a jump. Not only is this an excellent cardiovascular exercise, but it also helps develop and improve lower body strength and power, as well as challenge dynamic stability and coordination.
Having problematic or lazy glutes? This one is for you.
This is a great exercise to develop power through the legs and shoulders especially for sports that require extension through multiple joints.
An advanced version of a standard lunge, this should only be attempted after a proper warm up and by those that can comfortably perform a kettlebell clean and press. By incorporating the overhead element, this exercise also targets the shoulders, triceps and lower back.
The Sumo Squat is a fresh take on the traditional squat. The Sumo tweaks the form slightly to engage and target the glutes and adductors (Inner Thighs) more specifically.
Do you want to feel your glutes? Good news! This exercise will do the trick! This an effective glute and leg strengthening exercise with a wee bit of balance thrown in for good measure. You’re about to see if you have one good side and one gumby side!
At first you will almost plonk down. The aim is to get better so that you can sit down in a controlled manner. As my mum says “Plonk is your for grandmother” hehe
This exercise is given it’s name as it’s like dragging another person to where they need to go.. odd that it’s a shallow grave.. but hey.. given the resistance and how potentially angry you might be in how much resistance they give you? The name stuck!
This exercise is a great way to learn what it feels like to create hip extension – which means you are shortening your glutes and contracting them! The versatility of the exercise can’t be ignored and it can be done in a variety of places! The edge of a bed, couch, bench.. it’s a fantastic way to wake up your butt!
This is an evolution of the Bench Bridge exercise. The evolution being that you now will be conducting the bridge with only one leg on the ground which is definitely an increase in challenge!
The good old wall sit. What a hate crime. I mean.. what a great exercise! Definitely an exercise to show your stamina for quads an glutes. This exercise can also be a great way to finish off those muscles in a superset.. as I said – a hate crime.
A front squat is a great way to get those quads firing!
A variation on your standard squat the bench squat is useful in determining the depth required for a full squat or for enhancing glute activation by ensuring users are squatting backwards in the movement.
A rack pull is actually a variation and partial movement of a deadlift. It is great for strengthening the back and also you can get a bit of glute work in there too which is no bad thing!
Neutral spine, shoulders in depression and flex your lats, pull bar into your knee, leg press the floor away. Keep your shins vertical and your butt poked back. Before your pull each rep insure you feel your lats tight and innervated to ensure they take the load.
This exercise is possible using a back extension machine or even over the edge of a leg press seat. The addition of the olympic bar provides further resistance.
To up the ante and intensity of the leg press – evolving to the single leg press makes for a great and challenging variation. You will lift drastically less weight due to halving the amount of muscles doing the exercise but it will feel like your single leg is doing twice as much! This exercise can be evolved further by the positioning of the foot on the plate. Lower will have more quad engagement and higher will be more glute and hamstring.
This piece of gym equipment is rarely used. Most people look at it not knowing exactly what to do with it so they just avoid it. Those who do use it are rarely using it for the correct reasons! However when there is an actual need and a purpose – it can be a very effective piece of equipment.
Walking Bar Bell lunges are a fantastic exercise for developing your legs and also working on your ability to stabilise your movement. There are two minor variations for this exercise – continuous and pausing. If you are doing continuous, as your step up and out of the lunge, your previously rear leg does not touch the ground until it has stepped out in front to be the forward leg. In a pausing variation, the lunger will step up and out of the lunge with the previously rear foot being brought alongside the other foot grounded where a pause will take place and then the lunge forward will take place. This pause allows for a reset or refocus for the next movement. If you get tired or feel unstable doing continuous walking lunges – you should default back to pausing after each lunge/rep.
The Bulgarian split squat is a version of a single-leg squat where the back leg is elevated on a bench or a sturdy chair. As a single-leg, unilateral squat, the exercise places a greater focus on the quadriceps than other, similar lower-body compound movements.