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The 100 Rep Glute Bridge Challenge

by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 22, 2015

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Quads
Hamstrings

ACTIVATION

Complete 1 round of the circuit below.

CIRCUIT:
15 reps Glute Bridges
15 reps Table Top Bridge
10 reps each side Fire Hydrants

WORKOUT

You will first complete all 100 reps of the Glute Bridges before moving on to the supplemental circuit.

For the 100 rep Glute Bridge Challenge, the best you can do with a weight is 5 rounds of 20 reps so pick a weight that is challenging for at least 20 reps if not 10 or even 15. Rest 30-90 seconds between rounds of the Glute Bridges. Do not rest shorter or longer.

If you can’t complete 20 reps in a row, rest and then try again. Your goal is to get the 100 reps in as few sets as possible (aka 5 sets of 20 reps).

Rest 2-3 minutes after you finish the Glute Bridge Challenge then do 3-5 rounds of the supplemental circuit.

GLUTE BRIDGE CHALLENGE:
Pick as heavy a weight as possible and do the 100 reps. Record your weight, rest times and reps/sets. Try to beat that next time, upping the weight if you accomplish 5 sets of 20 reps. This only works if you choose a challenging weight. If you don’t get 5 sets of 20 reps and it takes you 6,7 or even 8 sets to get the 100, keep that weight next time and try again.
100 Reps Weighted Glute Bridges

CIRCUIT:
10-15 reps 3-Count 1/2 Squat, 1/2 Deadlift
8-12 reps Side to Curtsy Lunge
15-20 reps Reverse Hypers

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Quads
Hamstrings

NOTES:

After finishing the Glute Bridge Challenge, your glutes should be pretty smoked. While you want to challenge yourself with the exercises in the Supplemental Circuit, you don’t need to focus on using super heavy weights. Just use weights that challenge you for the reps selected.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Glute Bridges – To do the Basic Glute Bridge for reps, bend your knees and put your feet flat on the ground just close enough that you can graze your heels with your fingertips when you stretch your arms down by your side. Your feet should be about hip-width apart. If you put your feet further away from your glutes, you will engage more hamstring than if you keep your heels in closer to your glutes. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees so that only your upper arms are on the ground. Then drive up through your heels and upper back to lift your glutes off the ground. Drive your hips up as high as possible, squeezing the glutes hard. Keep your belly button drawn in so you don’t hyperextend your back. Focus and consciously squeeze your glutes at the top. Do not push backward off your heels. Make sure you are driving straight up and that your knees aren’t caving in. Squeeze your glutes for second or two at the top and lower all the way back down to the ground before repeating. Do not rush through the move. To make the move harder, hold longer at the top or even slow down the lower back down to the ground. A slower tempo means more time under tension and more work for your glutes.

Table Top Bridge – To do the Table Top Bridge, start seated on the ground with your feet flat on the ground in front of you and your hands on the ground behind you. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up as high as you can. Lean your head back and press your chest out as you bridge up. Really feel a nice stretch across your chest and shoulders. Keep your core tight as you bridge up. Try to create a “table” with your body. Drive your hips up as high as you can without hyperextending your low back. Really squeeze your glutes at the top. Hold for a few seconds at the top then lower back down and repeat. Keep the core engaged and even do a pelvic tilt at the top so that you engage your glutes without hyperextending your low back.

Fire Hydrants – To do Fire Hydrants, start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet. Then, keeping your arms straight and your foot flexed, raise your right leg out to the side. Keep your knee bent to 90 degrees as you raise and your ankle in line with your knee. Do not let your foot get above your knee or your knee go up above your foot. Your lower leg should stay in line and be parallel to the ground. Hold at the top then lower back down. Make sure to hold for 1-2 seconds. Do not rush through the lift. Make sure you do not bend your arms or lean away from the leg being raised just to get the leg up higher. Squeeze your butt and make sure you feel it activate. Range of motion isn’t important. Feeling the glute raise the leg and hold is all that matters. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Weighted Glute Bridges – To do the Weighted Glute Bridge, sit on the ground and roll or place the barbell over your hips. Then lie back and bend your knees with your heels close to your butt. Holding on to the barbell, drive your hips up and squeeze your glutes. Make sure you drive through your heels and upper back to lift straight up. Do not let your knees fall open and do not hyperextend your low back as you squeeze your glutes at the top. Hold for a second or two and lower back down. As you lift, you may find you want to press the barbell down and away onto your thighs to help you squeeze your glutes at the top and keep your core engaged. If you start to rush through, you aren’t completing quality reps and should rest. You need to hold at the top.

3-Count 1/2 Squat, 1/2 Deadlift – To do the ½ Squat, ½ Deadlift, start by standing on your right leg. Start to bend your right knee as you drive your left leg back and hinge over. Keep your back flat as you hinge over and sit your butt back. You are going to hinge over as you also squat down on your right leg. Try to touch the ground without rounding your low back. Make sure to sit back in your heel as you squat down. Once you’ve gone as low as you can, you will come back to standing. Try not to touch your left toe down between reps. Hinge back over, sitting your butt back as you bend your standing leg to squat down. Touch the ground and come back up. Go as low as you can each time. The more you bend your knee as you hinge over, the harder the move will be. Slow down the tempo of this move to make it harder. Take 3-5 seconds to squat down and then quickly pop back up to standing.

Side to Curtsy Lunge – Lunging with the left foot, step the left foot out toward “9″ on the clock. As you lunge out to the side, you are going to bend the left knee and sit your butt back. Keep your right leg straight. Both toes should be pointing straight ahead. Keep your left heel down as you sink into the lunge. Push your butt back and keep your chest up. Then drive back up to standing. If you need to, touch your foot down before moving into the Curtsy Lunge. If you don’t need to, move right into the Curtsy Lunge. After performing the Side Lunge, stand up and lunge back into a Curtsy Lunge with your left foot. Step your left foot back behind your right leg. You will reach your left foot back to about “5″ on the clock. Make sure you step far enough back (do not keep your left foot too close to your right) that you can bend both knees and sink down into a deep lunge. Keep your right heel down on the ground and your chest up. Then come back to standing. Make sure that you feel this lunge in the outside of your right butt cheek when you lunge back with the left leg. Then move back into a Side Lunge and repeat on the same side.

Reverse Hypers – Choose Bent or Straight. You can even switch it up each time you do the workout but stick with one the entire workout. To do the Bent-Knee Reverse Hypers (bottom), lie face down on a bench, box or table. Place your hips right on the edge of the bench and hold on to the bench or something in front of you. If your hips are too far on the bench, you are more likely to hyperextend your low back in an attempt to get your hips up higher. Place your heels together and bend your knees to about 90 degrees. Flex your feet. You can choose to turn your toes out to hit a slightly different aspect of your glutes as well. Then, with your knees bent, kick your heels up toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes to lift. You can sort of drive up and out a bit to really get your glutes to work. Make sure that you squeeze your glutes as you lift and don’t hyperextend your low back just to get up higher. Lift so that your quads are about parallel to the ground and lower back down. Only lift higher if you don’t feel your lower back take over. You want to focus on and make sure your glutes are working to lift NOT your low back. The most important part is that you feel your glutes tighten. Hold at the top for a second or two to feel your glutes work and then lower back down. You can also add weight to make this move harder. To do a Straight-Leg Reverse Hyper (top), you will set up like you are going to do the Bent-Knee Variation, however, you will keep your legs straight. Still place your heels together though. And you can also choose to turn your toes out to hit a slightly different aspect of your glutes. Then, keeping your legs straight, raise your heels up toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes as you lift. Lift till your legs are about parallel to the ground and lower back down. Only lift higher if you don’t feel your lower back take over. You want to focus on and make sure your glutes are working to lift NOT your low back. If you do feel your low back, make sure you are pressing your pelvic down into the bench as you squeeze your glutes to lift. Hold at the top and lower back down. Slow down the tempo or add weight to make the move more challenging.

The 20/20/20 Plank Cardio Blast

by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 13, 2015

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

ACTIVATION

Complete 2 rounds of the circuit below.

CIRCUIT:
20 reps Glute Bridges
10 reps Table Top Bridges
10 reps per side Plank with Reach Back and Out

LOCOMOTION

After stretch and rolling, set a timer for 2-3 minutes and jog, backpedal, side shuffle, carioca, skip, do butt kickers and/or high knees. Move around at about 75% of your max effort to get your heart rate up and blood pumping.

WORKOUT

Set a timer for 20 second intervals. You will perform each exercise for 20 seconds and then rest 20 seconds between rounds. Do not rest between exercises. Once all five rounds are complete, rest 2-3 minutes between circuits. Beginners can even start with 3 or 4 rounds of a circuit.

CIRCUIT #1:
20 seconds Burpee Sit Thrus
20 seconds Plank Inchworms
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #2:
20 seconds Sled Fighting
20 seconds Plank Scorpions
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #3:
20 seconds Split Squat Jumps
20 seconds Plank Jacks
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #4:
20 seconds Towel Taz
20 seconds Advanced Bird Dogs
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #5:
20 seconds Sidewinders with Forward/Backward Walk
20 seconds Plank with Oblique Knee Tucks
20 seconds Rest

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

NOTES:

Do not rest between exercises and make sure you pick a variation of each move that allows you to work hard the entire 20 seconds.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Table Top Bridges – To do the Table Top Bridge, start seated on the ground with your feet flat on the ground in front of you and your hands on the ground behind you. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up as high as you can. Lean your head back and press your chest out as you bridge up. Really feel a nice stretch across your chest and shoulders. Keep your core tight as you bridge up. Try to create a “table” with your body. Drive your hips up as high as you can without hyperextending your low back. Really squeeze your glutes at the top. Hold for a few seconds at the top then lower back down and repeat. Keep the core engaged and even do a pelvic tilt at the top so that you engage your glutes without hyperextending your low back.

Plank with Reach Back and Out – To do the Plank with Reach Back and Out, set up in a Front Plank from your hands and toes with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. The wider your feet are, the more stable your base will be. To make the move harder, bring your feet in closer together. Beginners can do this move from their knees. From this Plank position, reach one hand back and across toward the opposite ankle, pushing your butt back and up toward the ceiling as you reach. After reaching back, come back forward, dropping your hips back into the Plank position as you reach forward and out toward the wall in front of you. Do not drop your hips too low and feel your low back engage. Keep your core tight and squeeze your glutes to protect your low back as you come back forward and reach out. You want to fully extend your hips and engage your glutes so you aren’t hyperextending your low back. Reach back and across again with the same hand before reaching back forward. Complete all reps on one side before switching. If you do this from your knees, sit back on your heels and reach back through your legs instead of toward one ankle. Then come back forward into the Plank position from your hands and knees, extending your hips forward as you reach out.

Burpee Sit Thrus – To do the Burpee Sit Thru, start standing with your feet together. Then bend down and place your hands on the ground as you jump your feet back into a Bull Dog position. Unlike the Basic Burpee, you won’t jump your feet back into a plank. You will want to jump your feet back so you are in more of a crawling position with your knees bent. From this bent-knee position, kick one leg under your body and through as you lift the opposite hand to “sit through.” Then bring the leg back under your body as you lower your hand back down and sit through on the other side. You will again kick the leg under your body and through as you lift your opposite hand. You want to rotate all the way through so you could actually sit if you lost your balance. Once you’ve performed a sit thru to both sides, jump your feet back into your hands and come to standing. Jump up off the ground at the top and then repeat the movement. Beginners may find they want to jump back into more of a plank position to make the sit thru easier. Advanced exercisers with more mobility will want to perform the sit thru from more of a bull dog hold starting position. AKA straighter legs makes the movement easier. Move quickly, rotating open and sitting all the way through on each sit thru. For a video of this move, check out this post on Burpees.

Plank Inchworms – To do the Inchworm Plank, set up in a Plank on your forearms and toes with your elbows under your shoulders and your body in a nice straight line down to your heels. Your feet should be only an inch or two apart. Begin to walk your feet in toward your head, keeping your legs straight as you take very small steps forward. Your butt should go up in the air as you walk your feet in and you should feel a stretch down your triceps and lats as you pike up. Try not to round your back as you walk your feet in. Walk in as far as you mobility allows. Beginners will then walk back out, taking small steps while keeping their legs straight. Walking their feet back out, they will return to a Forearm Front Plank with their shoulders over their elbows. More advanced exercisers will jump both feet back out instead of walking back out. If you jump back out, do not let your hips sag toward the ground as you return to the forearm plank. Also make sure that when you jump back out, you return to a perfect Forearm Front Plank Keep your core engaged as you walk in and out.

Sled Fighting – To do Sled Fighting, pick out a square or rectangle of space. Move the sled forward a few steps. Then turn the sled. The move it diagonally. Then rotate it around and move the other direction. Pivot the sled, push and pull, moving it only a few steps in each direction. Keep your movements quick and short around the space. Be careful though pulling it straight back. You will want to move in angles or straight ahead. For a video of Sled Fighting, check out this post on Sled Exercises.

Plank Scorpions – To do Plank Scorpions, set up in a plank position from your forearms. You can do this from either your knees or your toes. Whichever you do, make sure your body is in a nice straight line from your head to your heels or knees. Engage your core and line up your elbows under your shoulders. Bend one leg to 90 degrees with your foot up toward the ceiling. Then kick your foot back over yourself toward the ground on your other side. Rotate your foot over with your core while keeping your hips up and your elbows on the ground. Do not let your butt go way up in the air as you rotate either. Then come back to a front plank and place that foot back down onto the ground. Bend the other knee to 90 degrees with your foot up toward the ceiling. With the knee bent, twist the other foot back over behind you. Alternate kicks behind you until all reps are complete. Feel your abs working to help you twist and kick the foot behind you. You do not actually need to touch your foot down behind. Just focus on rotating without your hips sagging or your butt going up in the air.

Split Squat Jumps – To do Split Squat Jumps, step one foot backward into a lunge. Sink into a deep lunge, bending both knees as if kneeling down to the ground. Then jump up and as you jump, switch into a lunge on the other side. Sink down into the lunge on the other side once you land and then explode back up and while jumping switch back into a lunge on the first side. Beginners may need to do quick step back lunges instead of jumping to switch. The lower you go in the lunge and the quicker you jump and switch, the harder the move will be.

Plank Jacks – To do Plank Jacks, start at the top of a push up with your hands under your shoulders and your feet together. Your body should be in a nice straight line from your head to your heels. Brace your abs then jump your feet out wide to each side as if doing a Jumping Jack. Quickly jump them back in together. Repeat, jumping them back out. Keep your core engaged as you jump your feet in and out. Do not let your butt go up in the air or your hips sag as you jump your feet out wide and then back together. Beginners may need to start by stepping one foot at a time out wide and then back together.

Towel Taz – Check out this post on the Towel Taz for a few different variations you can do.
Advanced Bird Dogs – To do the Advanced Bird Dog, set up in the high plank position from your hands and toes with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about hip-width apart. If you bring your feet closer together, you will make the move more challenging. Lift your opposite leg and arm up as if you are reaching forward and backward toward each wall. Keep your core engaged and squeeze your glutes as you lift the leg and arm. Do not let your body rotate open or your hips sag toward the ground. Do not let your butt go up toward the ceiling. Keep a nice straight line as you lift. Hold for a second or two at the top and then lower back down and repeat on the same side or alternate sides. You can also perform a longer hold to make the move more challenging. To regress the move, you can do the Basic Bird Dog from your knees or you can simply lift only your arm or your leg instead of raising the arm and the leg at the same time.

Sidewinders with Forward/Backward Walk – To do Sidewinders with a Forward/Backward Walk, hold a handle of the rope in each hand. Make sure to step in toward the anchor point. You want slack in the rope. The more slack you have, the harder the move will be. Then with your arms relaxed and hands about shoulder-width apart, rotate your core, pulling your arms to the right. Then rotate to the left and pull your arms and the rope to the left. Use your core to pull the ropes from side to side. You should use your entire core, even using your glutes to power the movement. You won’t fully pivot your feet but you will rotate all the way from your shoulders down to your ankles. Pull powerfully and quickly from side to side creating waves as far down as possible until all reps are complete. As you perform the Sidewinder movement, pulling the rope from side to side, begin to walk forward and backward taking big steps forward and out to the side and then backward. For a video of the move check out these Battling Ropes Moves.

Plank with Oblique Knee Tucks – To do the Plank with Oblique Knee Tucks, set up in a Front Plank from your forearms and toes (advanced) or knees (beginner). Stack your elbows under your shoulders and maintain a nice straight line from your head to your knees or toes. From the Front Plank, rotate into a right Side Plank. Keep your bottom hip up and your shoulder stacked above your elbow. As you move into the Side Plank, reach your left hand up and forward over your head. Lift your top leg up and then bring your elbow and knee together. Stay balanced and keep your bottom hip up. Reach both back out again and then rotate back forward into a Front Plank. Switch to a Side Plank on the other side. Again reach the leg and hand out and then bring them together. Keep alternating sides until all reps are complete. Make sure you keep your hips up, but also don’t let your butt go up in the air as you move through the series.

The 15-Minute Bodyweight Core Blast

by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 6, 2015

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Quads
Hips/Glutes
Lats/Back
Chest
Shoulders/Traps

WORKOUT

Set timer for 1 minute. Perform each exercise for 1 minute then move quickly to the next exercise. Complete 3 rounds (4 if you have an extra minute or two). Rest only as needed between rounds of the circuit.

CIRCUIT:
1 minute Crawling
1 minute Superman Banana
1 minute Downward Dog Abs
1 minute Rocking Chair Abs

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Quads
Hips/Glutes
Lats/Back
Chest
Shoulders/Traps

NOTES:

Choose the hardest variation of each move that you can, but make sure you don’t need to rest during the minute of work. You will get the most out of this workout if you can keep moving quickly the entire time. Focus on feeling your entire core working during the movements.

If you feel your low back, regress the movement and maybe even swap it out and work on the Pelvic Tilt instead.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Crawling – Check out these Crawling Variations and options.

Superman Banana – To do the Superman Banana, lie face down on the ground and reach your hands overhead with your legs out straight behind you. Then, squeezing your glutes, lift your chest and legs up off the ground. Try to get your chest up as high as you can and your quads up off the ground if possible. You should feel this in your back and glutes. This is the Basic Superman. Keeping your arms and lower legs up off the ground, roll over onto your back. Try not to push off with your hands or feet as you roll. You may need to use your arms just a little especially if you are a beginner, but the goal is to roll without pushing off. Once on your back, keep your belly button drawn in toward your spine and your legs and arms up off the ground. Your neck and head should be in a neutral position. This is “Banana.” Beginners may find they need to lift their legs up higher toward the ceiling or bend their knees to keep their low back against the ground and their abs engaged.

Downward Dog Abs – With this move, stay on one side for a few and then switch to the other side, but make sure to work both sides during the minute. To do Downward Dog Abs, set up in Downward Dog. Start in the high plank position. Then push your butt back and up toward the ceiling as you press your chest back toward your legs between your straight arms. Focus on getting your back flat and a nice straight line from the heels of your hands up to your tailbone. You want your arms to be in line with your torso (aka your biceps by the ears). Push your butt back and up as you hold the downward dog position and try to drive your heels down toward the ground. Do not walk your hands in too close to your feet as you hold just to try to get your heels down. Then raise your right leg up in the air, kicking your heel up toward the ceiling. Drive your right knee in toward your chest. As you drive your knee forward, shift your weight forward into a front plank. Try to get your body in a nice straight line and your shoulders over your arms. Then kick your right heel back up toward the ceiling and move back into Downward Dog. You can then switch sides or you can perform another knee drive with the right, bringing your knee in toward your opposite elbow or the outside of the same elbow. Once you’ve done a few knee drives on one side, switch sides. Changing the angle of the knee drive, hits your core from different angles!

Rocking Chair Abs – To do Rocking Chair Abs, start half-kneeling with your back knee slightly turned out and your hips extended and glutes squeezed. Your chest should be up nice and tall. Then sit your butt back and round your back as you tuck and roll onto your back. As your roll back, switch the leg crossed underneath so that when you roll back up you can come to a half-kneeling position on the other side. Use your arms for momentum only if needed. Less arm swing makes the move tougher. Less momentum in the roll makes the move harder. Do not touch your hands down to help you come back up to half-kneeling. Keep alternating sides, squeezing your glutes at the top. Press your chest out and half-kneel nice and tall at the top. Beginners may need to use their hand just a little or even regress this and instead do either Donkey Kicks, Fire Hydrants or even Glute Bridges.

The Resistance Band Desk Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 2, 2015

***If you have some extra time at your desk before or after doing this workout, roll out any tight areas you can with a tennis ball or roller if you have it.

WARM UP
Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

WORKOUT

Set a timer for 15-20 minutes. Complete as many rounds of the circuit below as you can in that time. Rest only as needed.

CIRCUIT:
10-15 reps Band Seesaw
10-15 reps Band Rows
10-15 reps Band Hip Hinges
10-15 reps Band Twists

COOL DOWN
Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

NOTES:

If you don’t have 15 minutes at one time, try just doing a round, or even one exercise, every time you get up from your desk. Pick a rep range that allows you to keep moving.

If you have to rest a lot during the circuit, you won’t get as much out of the 15 minutes. Try to keep moving the entire time.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

See these 1 5 Resistance Band Moves To Do At Your Desk for pictures and descriptions of all the moves.

The Kettlebell Back and Butt Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Feb 20, 2015

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Quads
Hamstrings

ACTIVATION

Complete 1 round of the circuit below.

CIRCUIT:
20 reps Glute Bridge
10 reps per side Fire Hydrants
5 reps per side Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge
15 reps Scapular Push Ups

WORKOUT

Complete 3-5 rounds of each superset. Rest up to 1 minute between rounds and then up to 2 minutes between supersets.

SUPERSET #1:
8-12 reps per side Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift
8-12 reps per side Single Arm Kettlebell Rows

SUPERSET #2:
8-12 reps per side Racked Reverse Lunge
8-12 reps per side Renegade Rows

FINISHER:

Set a timer for 30 seconds of work 30 seconds of rest. Use as heavy a weight as possible while maintaining perfect form throughout the 30 seconds. Complete 5-8 rounds of the exercise below.

EXERCISE:
Kettlebell Swings

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Quads
Hamstrings

NOTES:

Try to go up in weight as you get used to the movements even if it means lowering your reps. Also, for the swings, make sure your form is correct before going up in weight. You want to really focus on the hip hinge.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Glute Bridge – Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the ground just close enough that you can graze your heels with your fingertips when you stretch your arms down by your side. Your feet should be about hip-width apart. If you put your feet further away from your glutes, you will engage more hamstring than if you keep your heels in closer to your glutes. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees so that only your upper arms are on the ground. Then drive up through your heels and upper back to lift your glutes off the ground. Drive your hips up as high as possible, squeezing the glutes hard. Keep your belly button drawn in so you don’t hyperextend your back. Focus and consciously squeeze your glutes at the top. Do not push backward off your heels. Make sure you are driving straight up and that your knees aren’t caving in. Squeeze your glutes for second or two at the top and lower all the way back down to the ground before repeating. Do not rush through the move. To make the move harder, hold longer at the top or even slow down the lower back down to the ground. A slower tempo means more time under tension and more work for your glutes.

Fire Hydrants – Place your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Flex your feet. Then raise one leg out to the side, keeping the knee bent to 90 degrees. Lift it as high as you can while keeping your arms straight. Try to not let the foot get higher than the knee or the knee get higher than the foot. Really squeeze the butt cheek as you lift. Hold for a second or two at the top. Lower down and then repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge – Set up on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet and lift up onto your hands and toes. Then lift your right hand and bring your left leg through and place your left foot flat on the ground. Rotate your hips up toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes to lift them up as high as you can. While your lift your hips, reach your right hand down toward the ground, rotating your chest toward the floor. Feel your glutes working to keep BOTH hips up, while you reach your hand down. We have a tendency when we rotate to drop the hip on the side we are rotating toward. Make sure both hips stay up as high as possible. You should feel a nice rotation and stretch through your spine. You are twisting almost like someone wringing out a towel. Then drop your hips and step your foot back through while placing your hand back down on the ground. Step through and rotate to the other side, bridging your hips up as high as you can as you reach toward the ground.

Scapular Push Ups – Set up in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your feet together as if you are going to do a push up. Your body should be in a nice straight line from head to your heels. Then, without bending your elbows, press your chest out and pinch your shoulder blades together. Do not tuck your chin or allow your hips to drop toward the ground. Your elbows should not bend. You are not doing a push up. You are simply pinching your shoulder blades together. This move has a very small range of motion. All you are doing is pinching your shoulder blades together and then relaxing or even rounding your back up out of it (round your back at the top is another variation but can be very useful for correcting certain push up problems). If done right the Scapular Push Up should be felt in your back as well as your core.

Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift – Hold a kettlebell in each hand down by your sides. Stand on your right leg with your knee slightly bent and your left toe lightly touching the ground. Then lift your left leg back toward the wall behind you as you hinge over, keeping your back flat. As you hinge over, drop the kettlebells down and back. Do not reach them toward the ground and let your back round. Only lower them as far as you can without rounding or “squatting.” Your standing knee should be soft but isn’t going to bend extra as you hinge over. Make sure that as you hinge over you sit back in your heel and then drive through your heel to come back up to standing. You want to feel your hamstring and glute work.

Single Arm Kettlebell Rows – You can simply hinge over or you can hinge over and place your hand on your leg or a table, chair, bench or box. Keep your knees slightly bent. You can stand with your legs together or in a staggered stance. Hinge over, pushing your butt back. Your back should stay nice and flat as you lean forward. Extend the arm with the kettlebell down by your side. Place your other hand on the bench for support. Do not let your arm with the kettlebell rotate your body. Keep your back flat and don’t reach. Then row the kettlebell up toward your chest, keeping your arm in tight to your body. Drive the elbow up to the ceiling, rowing the bell in right below your pec. Do not shrug your shoulder. Then slowly lower the bell back down. Do not let your back round or reach to try to get the bell closer to the ground as you lower. Complete all reps on one side before switching. If you don’t have a heavier weight, but need more of a challenge, slow down the tempo of your reps.

Racked Reverse Lunge – Stand with your feet together. Rack the kettlebell on one side of your body. To rack the kettlebell, you will put your hand through the handle, settling the handle low on your hand. You will let the bell rest on the back of your forearm. Then grip the handle and pull your arm in toward your chest. Do not let your elbow flare up too much toward your shoulder, but just enough to prevent the kettlebell from rolling forward off your arm. Then with the kettlebell in the racked position, lunge the opposite leg backward and sink down into a deep lunge. You want to almost touch your back knee to the ground. Keep your chest up nice and tall as you lunge back. To come back up to standing, drive off your front heel. Bring your back foot forward and stand up nice and tall. Complete all reps on one side and then switch to the other leg. To advance the move, rack the kettlebell on the same side as the leg that lunges backward. Make sure you do not lean forward or to the side. Keep your torso up nice and tall. Beginners may not want to lunge as low to begin and will use a lighter weight if they even use any.

Renegade Rows – For this move you will need two kettlebells. Set them on the ground just outside your chest. Set up in a high plank position with each hand on a kettlebell handle. Beginners may need to do this from their knees while more advanced exercisers will do this on their toes. If you are doing this on your toes, set your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. A wider stance will make the move easier by making it easier to balance. Once in the plank, row one kettlebell up toward your chest, driving your elbow up toward the ceiling. Row the bell all the way up to your chest just below your pec. Keep your core tight and squeeze your glutes. Do not let your hips go up toward the ceiling or rotate to the side. After rowing the weight up to your chest, lower the weight back down and then row up on the other side. Keep alternating until all reps are complete.

Kettlebell Swings – For a complete guide to the Kettlebell Swing, click here.