Exercises For Longevity

Exercises For Longevity

If you’re looking for exercises to not only help you live a longer life but a healthier one, then this video is exactly what you need.

In this video I am going to share with you why explosive exercises are key to include, 5 moves to improve your functional strength and mobility and tell you how you can strengthen this key predictor of longevity!

If we want to live longer, we need to be strong, mobile and able to react quickly.

That means including not only the 5 strength moves I’ll share but also explosive exercises.

They help improve your functional full body strength and coordination.

And the 5th move in this video will help you strengthen these key muscles to improve this commonly ignored “secret” to living longer!

So let’s talk about being a freaking lean and strong rockstar till your final day on this planet.

Part of how we need to train and the moves we need to include come back to one basic principle…

Use it or lose it.

We need to train the movement patterns we want to maintain until the end.

But not every move has to be an exact replica of an everyday activity.

Being functionally strong means being able to control our joints through a full range of motion and react quickly, recruiting the correct muscles at the correct times.

That’s why we need to include a diversity of moves, tempos and even types of resistances while focusing on strengthening through the fullest range of motion we can.

It’s why it is key we not only slow down the tempo of some movements but actually even SPEED UP the tempo at times!

So…Why Explosive Moves Are Key:

As we get older, our risk for falls and factures increases.

And part of this is due to our inability to react quickly when we trip or stumble.

We need to maintain our mind-body connection so we can recruit the correct muscles quickly to respond and help us avoid injury.

This is why including some explosive and even jumping movements is so key.

By performing these moves that require speed, power and coordination, we can keep that mind-body connection strong so we can react quickly in everyday life!

These moves that are fast-paced and require more muscles to work together at once quickly, are a great way to improve our coordination in a controlled environment.

While I know explosive, jumping and coordination intensive moves can feel awkward and frustrating even at times, they are essential to include.

If you can’t do super high impact exercises due to injury, consider things like the agility ladder, med ball slams and throws, kettlebell swings or even other movements where you move quickly as if you were going to leave the ground like bodyweight squats coming up onto your toes!

But don’t avoid the moves that challenge your MIND and not just your body to respond.

This ability to recruit muscles quickly builds strength as well!

We have to remember that the more we use muscles, go through that full range of motion and really challenge ourselves, the more strength, mobility and power we will maintain!

Now what are 5 strength moves you should include along with that explosive power and coordination work?

Move #1: Step Ups

Step ups are not only a movement pattern many of us use every day, stepping up onto a curb or going up stairs, but they are a key compound move to include for functional leg strength and to keep our hips and knees healthy.

They are also a unilateral or one sided exercise, which makes them extra valuable as they can make sure we don’t perpetuate imbalances or overuse one side due to weakness or previous injury.

Now if you’re thinking, “Great….Step ups hurt my knees.”

Don’t stress.

While they can be blamed for knee pain, learning to control this movement pattern can actually help us AVOID knee pain as we get older…

Because if we can’t control knee flexion, we’re going to struggle sitting down to the toilet or going up stairs!

We need to learn how to correctly load our glutes and prevent our knees from caving in as we step up.

When you do the step up, think about your foot as a tripod, two points in the ball of the foot, one in the heel. Firmly press through all three points to move to standing on the box.

Focus on feeling that glute as you drive up to keep the knee in line and avoid it collapsing in.

If you find you struggle due to even previous injury, not only can you start with a lower box, but I’m going to share a video in the description that teaches you to do a top down version of this movement called the step down.

This variation is a bit more of a hip hinge to make it glute dominant, which may help you to start!

Move #2: Single Arm Anti-Rotational Row

The Single Arm Anti-Rotational Row is another great compound unilateral movement to include to target your back.

And it’s key we include lots of back exercises in our routines as we get older to not only avoid neck, shoulder and upper back aches and pains but also avoid that “old age” posture we can see developing.

Most of us spend far too much time hunched over our technology. And the longer we’ve spent at a desk job, the more this posture adds up with age.

So we want to include back exercises to help reverse this posture.

This row not only addresses that back strength but, because it works one side at a time, will help you correct any imbalances between sides to avoid injury.

And the anti-rotational aspect of this movement, you fighting the urge to let your body rotate open as you row, is also a great way to improve your core strength and stability.

Anti-rotational moves are essential for us as we get older as they help us avoid lower back and hip pain by improving our core stability!

So as you do this move, really make sure to keep your shoulders un-shrugged to engage your back, focusing on your shoulder blade moving toward your spine and then pretend as if you’re rowing up with both arms to get that core to work to avoid rotation!

You’ll feel your core working to avoid your hip on the side not rowing from dropping open toward the ground.

While I love doing this move from a suspension trainer, you can do it off a bar as well!

Move #3: Single Leg Deadlift

Lower back aches and pains can seemingly add up more and more as we get older. Picking something up off the ground can feel like a risky activity.

But that’s because we stop training this essential movement pattern – the hip hinge.

Deadlifts are so often demonized as we get older, but it is key we learn how to hinge correctly to use our glutes and hamstrings so we don’t overload our back when picking up boxes or lifting things off the ground!

Just like it is key we train that knee flexion during moves like step ups to keep our knees healthy.

That’s why I love the single leg deadlift.

This variation of the hip hinge not only helps you strengthen those glutes and hamstrings to protect your lower back, but also works to improve your balance and core stability.

And better balanced has been linked with longevity!

When you do this move, make sure to truly sit back as you hinge over. You aren’t just leaning forward. You’re thinking about pushing your butt back to touch the wall behind you as you then bow over.

Do not just round and reach forward or try to squat and bend your knee to sink lower!

If you struggle though with the full single leg variation and balance as it is a tough unilateral move, start with a slider or even an 80/20 variation.

And in the video description I’ll share a video with an in depth tutorial on form and modifications.

Move #4: Rotational Chest Press

You want to include pulling, pushing, squatting and hinging over the course of your workout routines.

And you want to include anti-rotational moves, like the row variation I mentioned, as well as rotational exercises to strengthen your core.

While anti-rotational moves help you avoid unwanted rotation of your spine to protect it, rotational moves help you learn to power rotation properly so you don’t overload your lower back.

And with this press variation, you’ll not only strengthen your core but also your chest, shoulders and triceps.

It’s also a unilateral move to help you stay mobile and strong while avoiding and correcting imbalances.

To do this move, you will want to use a staggered stance, with the foot back on the side that is pressing.

And while you are rotating open and then away, do not make this a bigger move than you need, letting your hand drift back and away from your chest as you rotate toward the anchor point of the band or cable.

You also don’t want to end up just rotating through your lower back.

Make sure you feel your obliques really working as you twist.

And don’t shrug your shoulder.

While you can reach out a bit at the end to work that serratus anterior, which is key to keeping your shoulders healthy, you don’t want to round forward.

Focus on that press coming off of the rotation!

This can even be a great accessory move if you are working to improve your push ups!

Move #5: Unilateral Farmer’s Carry

Now this move is one of the most essential and functional movements everyone should be doing at every age to live a long, healthy life.

Carries are such a key move to include as they work our grip strength and even our entire body.

And being able to carry heavy things is truly key if we want to be fully independent as we age!

With carries, you can include so many different variations to target a variety of muscles based on your needs and goals.

You can do bilateral carries, carrying weights on both sides to use heavier loads and challenge your legs even more.

Or you can do an overhead carry for more shoulder work.

You can even do a unilateral variation of any carry to work on that anti-rotational core strength.

When you do the unilateral carry, walk as if you are carrying a weight on both sides and avoid leaning! This is what gets you that anti-rotational or anti-flexion benefit and works those obliques to stabilize.

No matter which carry you include though, a carry variation is key to include not only because of the full body benefits and because we carry things in every day life but because of how important GRIP STRENGTH is to longevity.

Cori Hack: Grip Strength

Grip strength is a key indicator of life span and is believed to be an indispensable biomarker for older adults.

A stronger grip has been linked with better health!

Studies have shown that “grip strength is largely consistent as an explanation of concurrent overall strength, upper limb function, bone mineral density, fractures, falls, malnutrition, cognitive impairment, depression, sleep problems, diabetes, multimorbidity, and quality of life.

There is also evidence linking grip strength and all-cause and disease-specific mortality, future function, bone mineral density, fractures, cognition and depression, and problems associated with hospitalization.”

So do not ignore the importance of strengthening your grip if you want to live a long and healthy life!

Now that doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy a ton of fancy specialized tools to strengthen your grip.

Moves like carries are essential to include, but even the other moves listed here will all promote muscle growth and even grip strength.

The rows will challenge your grip as will the deadlifts and step ups, especially as you add loads.

So don’t stress grip isolation moves but exercises that force you to carry loads while also helping you build functional full body strength!

Use these 5 moves to build lean muscle and improve your grip strength so you can live a long, healthy and independent life!

And don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with moves that test your coordination and work not only your body but brain as well! Being able to react quickly is key.

For more tips to use these moves, don’t forget to check the video description.

And remember, mobility work is also key as we get older. Check out my Flexibility Secrets To Make You Feel Younger next!

STUDIES:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6778477/

https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.17626

OTHER LINKS:

More on Step Downs: https://redefiningstrength.com/hate-step-ups-try-this-move-instead/

Deadlift tips: https://redefiningstrength.com/the-best-deadlift-exercise-you-arent-doing/ 

The Most UNDERRATED Bodyweight Core Exercise

The Most UNDERRATED Bodyweight Core Exercise

If you are looking for an amazing core exercise to work your abs, obliques, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, adductors, serratus anterior and back, that requires no equipment so you can do it anywhere, then you’re going to love this video!

In this video I’ll show you one of my favorite bodyweight rotational core exercises and how to modify it based on your fitness level. And at the end of the video, I’ll even share a great quick bodyweight core burner to do using it!

Hey guys it’s Cori from redefining strength where we help you feel, look and move your best at any and every age. 

And building a strong core is essential to not only help us look amazing but also avoid common aches and pains especially as we get older.

Of course diet is also key if you are trying to lose that stubborn fat around your middle, which I’ll touch on later. 

But when we talk about building a strong core, we’re talking about strengthening everything between your shoulders and your knees, down your front side and your back side.

Which is why I love this amazing bodyweight plank variation which will help improve your shoulder and hip stability while strengthening your abs and obliques to control rotation!

And at the end I’ll share a great 5 minute burner using this move you can add on to the end of your lifting or cardio session!

It’s the perfect finisher to your lifting session or cardio workout.

So what is this fabulous move you can do anywhere?

It’s the Mountain Climber Turkish Bridge!

This move is deceptively hard, and can help you improve your shoulder, scapular, spinal and hip mobility. It truly works your entire core through rotation.

It’s a great move to improve your stability as you transition from both hands to a single arm.

Just remember every move is earned.

If you find that, even with these cues, you’re struggling to maintain proper form and feel the correct muscles working,

You don’t want to feel or you start to feel your lower back, neck or shoulder aching in a bad way, you check out the modifications I’ll discuss next.

To do this move you’ll want to set up in that high plank position with your feet about hip-width apart and your hands under your shoulders.

As you even set up, you want to be conscious of the muscles you’re engaging. Feel the sides of your back engage to support your shoulder.

Feel your quads flex as you drive back through your heels slightly in that plank position.

Focus on engaging your abs to brace.

Draw one knee up and across toward the opposite elbow. When you pull that knee across, focus on your abs even flexing to tuck. Don’t just tuck your knee in repeating the movement.

Even focus on engaging your back so you don’t shift forward.

Then kick the leg slightly back out, so your knee is about back in line with your planted leg, although you’ll keep that knee bent.

From here, twist that leg back and over toward the ground behind you as you lift the arm on the same side as that leg up toward the ceiling.

You’ll feel your obliques working as you twist.

And you want to feel the muscles around your rib cage working and the side of your back engaged to stabilize that standing shoulder.

Pivot onto the heel of that planted leg, feeling the hamstring and glute work. You’ll also really feel the glute of the bent leg.

Do not let your hips drop as you move into this single arm posterior plank, which also looks similar to a step in the Turkish Get Up.

Reach your top hand up toward the ceiling and pause to assess what you feel working.

Then lift that bent leg and lower that raised hand down, rotating back to face the ground. Make sure your standing hand is still under your shoulder and that your shoulders aren’t shrugged.

Do not put that raised leg down if you can avoid it.

Keeping it lifted as your rotate closed and move straight to pulling the knee in across your body will engage your adductor or inner thigh on your planted leg even more.

Repeat the move, moving at a controlled pace while assessing what you feel working!

This move, while it will improve your core stability, is challenging, partly because you are supporting your weight on one arm.

That’s why it is key we know how to modify to build up and recruit the correct muscles.

My favorite way to modify this move is off a bench because it allows you to do the exact same complete movement without variation to more easily build up.

The incline reduces the resistance on your upper body, which can allow you to engage everything correctly while maintaining proper form.

As you progress with the movement, you can slowly lower the incline working from a bench down to maybe a step or block before the ground. Just make sure each progression is earned.

If you have wrist issues, you may also find using an incline helpful as you can then perform this move off of your forearm.

Another option off the ground is to keep your wrist in a neutral position by gripping a dumbbell.

Just make sure that dumbbell will not move.

And because it’s key we’re creative to make sure we’re always meeting ourselves where we are at, if you don’t have an incline, you can also modify this move and reduce the strain on both your upper body, abs and hamstrings by performing the move from a bent knee position.

With this modification, you’ll start in a bulldog position with your knees under your hips. You’ll perform the same knee tuck and rotation open, BUT your knees will stay bent and you’ll be in more of a tabletop position.

Make sure that, while your hips may slightly drop in the rotation, you pause to really engage those glutes and extend your hips in the bridge for a second before rotating back closed!

Remember that at times we need to regress to progress to get the most benefit from a move.

Now how can you include this in a quick burner workout?

I love doing intervals over reps for moves like this because it allows us to focus on what we feel working and not rush to complete the reps.

A quick interval circuit with 30 seconds of work per move or side and 2 rounds through can be a great way to end a workout.

Use an anti-rotational move, a more glute-focused move and even an ab intensive move to complement this amazing rotational exercise.

WORKOUT:
30 seconds Bird Dog Plank
30 seconds per side Mountain Climber Turkish Bridge
30 seconds Reverse Crunch
30 seconds Frog Bridge

BONUS: Stubborn Belly Fat Tips

Adding in this amazing burner once or twice a week for a progression may be a great way to improve your core strength and stability. But you can’t ignore the importance of your diet if you want to reveal those lean, defined abs.

Next check out my Meal Plan To Lose Stubborn Belly Fat video with a full day of eating!

–> Check Out The Video Here

 

Can’t Do Push ups? Try These 2 Tips

Can’t Do Push ups? Try These 2 Tips

Often when we can’t do a move like push ups, we think that there is just muscle weakness we need to address.

So we start doing more strength work for those muscles like our chest or maybe shoulders or triceps.

But even doing this strength work, we can feel like we’re getting no where.

It’s because bodyweight exercises like the push ups are about muscular coordination not just strength. It’s about that mind-body connection.

The correct muscles, recruited in the correct order, to the correct extents.

It’s like an orchestra playing together…you don’t want one instrument playing too fast or too loud. Everything has to work together to make the song sound fabulous.

This is why improving your push ups is about more than just strength. You need not only your chest, shoulders and triceps working together but also your abs engaged correctly so you move efficiently as one unit and even your quads and glutes engaged to create that tension through your body.

It’s full body control and coordination.

Which is why I mentioned the importance of your BACK when it comes to push ups.

I’ve had clients with killer bench presses that can’t bust out 5 push ups in a row.

And I found out this “secret” when actually retraining myself to do push ups properly years ago.

I thought I rocked at push ups. I could bust out 20 easily from my toes.

And then…I saw a video of myself actually doing them.

I realized my push ups were FUUUUGLY.

So I put my ego away and regressed them till I could perform them with perfect form.

I had to modify off an incline to start to feel the correct muscles working, otherwise other areas would compensate.

No wonder I’d had some shoulder and neck aches over the last few months! I was overusing muscles not meant to carry the load.

And what hurt my ego even worse than modifying was the fact that push ups now felt HARDER! I couldn’t do near as many in a row!

It’s because the correct muscles were actually working.

When we first get everything engaged and working correctly, moves can actually feel HARDER as we retrain those movement and recruitment patterns.

As I built back I then realized the missing piece to a powerful press up was my upper back and scapular control.

Yes.

Core strength is key – the push up is a moving plank.

But the often overlooked area of our body that is so essential to that powerful push is our upper back and the ability for our shoulder blades to move correctly.

When you set up for a push up, you should be engaging your back to unshrug your shoulders with your hands outside your chest. You will even feel your shoulder blades slightly pulled forward as you press the ground away.

Then as you lower down in the push up, your shoulder blades should draw together toward your spine, engaging your upper back. This allows you to efficiently load your chest and support your shoulders to then power the press back up while maintaining that perfectly straight line with your body.

As you press back up, your shoulder blades should move away from your spine.

This movement of those shoulder blades is key to help you achieve that full push up from your toes while also helping you avoid neck, upper back and shoulder aches and pains.

Here are the two moves I’ve found so essential to activate your upper back to improve your muscle coordination and movement efficiency so you CAN do push ups.

First is the Scapular Wall Hold.

Honestly, this move is a must do whether you want to improve your push ups or simply your posture.

This isometric is a great way to learn how to engage your upper back to support and stabilize your shoulders while even stretching out your chest.

It’s key to include simply because you’re doing a ton of pressing work even as you’re building up those push ups.

With this move you’re using the resistance of leaning back into the wall to challenge you to engage your upper back.

But you want to think about keeping your shoulders locked down with the sides of your back as you draw your shoulder blades toward your spine to open up your chest.

Don’t arch your lower back or try to walk out further from the wall to try to advance it.

Really just focus on the engagement of your upper back coming from you mentally trying to engage those muscles harder as you draw your shoulder blades together.

Just be conscious your shoulders don’t elevate as you do.

But this stabilized position is a great way to learn how to engage that upper back to power your press.

It will even help you learn how to get that proper engagement to start the push up at the top so your shoulders aren’t shrugged and your elbows don’t want to flare out into that T position during the press back up. 

Second is the Scapular Push Up To Dolphin.

By doing this scapular stability work from a plank position, you get the added benefit of core work, which is so key for the push up from your toes as well.

This is the perfect time to train that set up in the plank, driving back through your heels to create the tension up your legs.

Like you would for the push up, you want to unshrug your shoulders when you set up from the plank off your forearms, pressing to even almost drive the ground away with your elbows.

Holding that straight line with your body, you’ll pinch your shoulder blades together without shrugging.

This is the same movement of those shoulder blades as when you lower down in the push up. You’ll then press the ground away to separate your shoulders kind of like they would separate as you push back up in the push up.

Then at the top, lift your butt up and extend your shoulders to push back into almost a downward dog position from your forearms. This is a great spinal mobility drill, but the real bonus is learning how to re-engage your upper back when moving back into plank for the scapular push up.

This engagement helps you learn to really support your shoulders with your back to power your push ups!

If you find you struggle with this move to start as it is easy to try and cheat and drop your hips to think you’re making the scapular movement bigger than it is, you may want to modify off an incline.

Like I had to, you sometimes need to regress to progress and take ego out of it.

If you’re still finding yourself not able to engage things optimally from an incline, you may even want to perform a single arm scapular push up off the wall to start.

This does take some of the core work out of it, but it can be key if you do have any imbalances or a previous injury on one side. It makes sure both sides are working correctly without one taking over.

It can even be a great variation to mix things up in your activation work!

I recommend including both of these moves as part of your activation series in your warm up before any push up work or even your upper body workouts that include pressing.

Include them for 1-2 rounds of 10-15 reps each.

They help you make sure you’re able to engage your chest, shoulders and triceps efficiently.

And for not only form cues, but how I modified the push up to rebuild for picture perfect push ups, check out my Can’t Do Push Ups, Just Do This video.

How To Build Muscle Faster Without Weights

How To Build Muscle Faster Without Weights

You need weights to build muscle.

False.

You don’t.

While adding heavier loads can make it easy to create that progression and challenge your muscles to improve your muscle hypertrophy or muscle gains, you don’t need weights to build some killer functional strength and get lean and strong.

As long as you create that challenge in your workouts so your muscles have to adapt and grow to conquer what you’re asking them to do, you’re going to see results – whether that challenge involves adding weight or not.

I bring this up because I got a number of questions on my Weight Training For Fat Loss video about whether or not it was possible to see amazing results from your training using just bodyweight moves.

And the answer is yes!

You can see amazing results and build muscle using only your own bodyweight.

Whether you want to gain muscle just to gain muscle and strength or you want to gain muscle to help with the fat loss process, increasing your metabolic rate, you can adjust other training variables and strategically design your bodyweight workouts to create progression.

That’s why I wanted to share some amazing ways to design your bodyweight workouts and use bodyweight moves to help you build muscle efficiently whether you’re training at home, training while on the road traveling or even just looking for a way to stay on track with your workouts and goals during the holidays!

Just remember with all of these you want to design a clear progression you repeat for a few weeks in a row.

Randomly stringing things together won’t help you create that clear progression and build you need to see results.

While you may get sore from constantly doing new things, and I know that can make you FEEL like you’re getting results, you aren’t creating that challenge that builds upon previous weeks to truly create that muscle growth!

Soreness truly isn’t an indicator that we worked hard enough or that we are going to get better results faster.

Honestly seeking to constantly be sore may be holding you back from actually achieving the muscle gains you want…and may actually mean that something is off in your recovery and nutrition.

Once we start focusing instead on tracking our progress in our workout routines to see increases in our performance each session, we ultimately will see better muscle gains, be sore less and even see our body composition improve overall.

So if you are training with just bodyweight and want to gain more muscle, one great way to start improving your results is to increase your training density.

(Want a workout program designed for the tools you have and goals you want to hit? Check out my Dynamic Strength App!)

Using Density Training Workout Designs can help you get better results and actually spend less time training to fit your busy schedule.

#1: Use Density Training Workout Designs.

Now you may be thinking what is training density even?

Training density is the volume of work in a specific time frame.

You can change training density by adding in more volume (so more reps and sets of moves) or by adjusting the time frame for the work you have planned out.

Too often though, especially when we don’t have weights to challenge us, we simply do MORE. We add in more moves, more reps and sets.

But this can lead to wasted volume and very inefficient and long workouts.

Because it isn’t just the volume, but the quality of that volume that matters.

Instead of doing more, we can adjust the timeframe we have to complete a certain amount of work, even trying to increase volume within those time limits so it doesn’t just get out of control.

That’s where Density Intervals and Density Sets can be great designs to use for bodyweight training.

Both of these have time limits where your goal is to increase volume within those boundaries, doing more reps and sets, while also using more challenging movements.

Density Intervals are work intervals under 1 minute that can be laid out as compound sets, so moves back to back for a single muscle group or area, trisets (3 moves done back to back before any rest) or circuits.

With Density intervals, especially when using bodyweight, you often want to work the same area in back to back intervals either adjusting tempos, types of movements or even ranges of motion, before moving on to a different muscle group.

You may do something like a bodyweight squat followed by squat pulses. Or a wall sit followed by bodyweight squats. Or bodyweight squats followed by front lunges.

But you are creating more training density by increasing the amount of work you’re doing for an area in a set amount of time while even using other training variables to create that challenge.

Density Sets also are about increasing the volume of work done in a set amount of time while progressing moves in other ways.

With this design, you may set a timeframe of work from 5-25 minutes and cycle through different moves in that time, either focusing in on one area of the body or even alternating upper and lower or anterior/posterior movements based on your progression and specific goals for the workout.

When using 5-15 minutes, often 1-3 moves works best per set. With 20+ timed sets, you can consider even 4-5 done back to back.

When you do moves that work the same area back to back, you will find that area will become more fatigued more quickly and cause you to have to modify as you go through over resting.

If you alternate areas worked, you will find that allows you to rest without actually resting. Pairing a push up with a single leg deadlift, allows your chest, shoulders and triceps to rest as your hamstring and glutes work.

With Density Sets, you want to think fewer reps per round but increasing the amount of work done by performing more rounds in the time.

The reason you want to think even just 5 reps per move before moving to the next exercise is so that you can use harder variations while making sure each rep is quality.

You can actually end up doing more reps with the harder variation during your workout this way than if you tried to do more reps in a row!

And that training volume with a harder variation means you’re challenging your muscles even more!

We have to remember that as much as increasing our training density can be a great way to create the challenge we need, and volume we need to build muscle, we want each rep to be quality to also get better results faster!

#2: Consider Other Training Variables.

Then whether you use a Density Training Design or even strategically use circuits or compound sets or any other workout design, you don’t want to ignore the importance of adjusting other training variables to make moves challenging.

Adding weights is such an easy training variable to adjust, which is so often why we default back to it.

But when you have your own bodyweight, you can be creative with how you design progression.

You can play with tempos of moves, slowing down moves, speeding them up or even performing isometrics or holds. You can even use more than one tempo with a single move.

You can slow down the lower down of a push up, add in a push up hold at the mid-point of a push up, speed up the movement making it explosive even leaving the ground. Or you could combine a slow lower down, hold and then quick press back up!

You can change your base of support or the stability of a move, trying a unilateral variation, or single sided variation, of a basic bilateral, or two-sided, move – like a single arm plank over a basic high plank.

You could even take this a step further and instead of staying on one side in the unilateral move, alternate sides. You could take that single arm plank hold and turn it into a plank with punch so you’re having to avoid rotation now with movement!

Even slight adjustments in that base of support can impact things, going from a basic bodyweight squat to a split squat.

And from there you can adjust the challenge by adding in even more movement going to that full front lunge.

You could even vary the range of motion on that, limiting the range of motion with pulses in that split squat position or placing that back foot up on a bench for a balance lunge. You can even change how you increase the range of motion by instead putting your front foot up on a step over raising the back leg.

And there are more training variables you can adjust on top of adjusting how you include these in your workouts.

Even going back to those density intervals, you could do an interval of split squats followed by split squat pulses.

Or do a fast split squat followed by a slow split squat with a hold.

The great part is all of these can change how you’re challenging your body to build that lean muscle!

Because progression can be even implementing the same but different at times!

To get those creative juices flowing so you get out of only thinking about challenging yourself by adding weight, it can be fun to play a game where you take one basic move, say a squat, and run through all of the options available.

You can then select the movement variation that matches your needs and goals for that workout and progression, saving the others to even use in your next workout series to keep creating a challenge for your body in new ways…

But you’ll be amazed by how many ways you can actually challenge yourself with those basic bodyweight exercises and even have fun and keep your training fresh while doing so!

And with playing this game with movements to see how you can manipulate training variables to create that progression, you not only want to consider compound and hybrid exercises you can include that work more muscle groups at once, but also how you can better use isolation exercises in your training routines.

#3: Use Isolation Moves Strategically.

Studies have shown that, especially for stubborn muscles, isolation exercises or exercises that really focus in on one specific muscle, can be so key.

With compound moves, you are only as strong as your weakest link, which may prevent you from fully working an area as much as needed.

With isolation moves, there is really only one link working so you can make sure it is working to the max.

But, especially when we don’t have loads to progress things, or target those muscles, it can be hard to find a way to use isolation moves that is also time efficient.

Yet also because we don’t have loads, isolation moves can be even more key to include.

They can help us fully fatigue areas, and create more time under tension even for those muscles during our training, to make sure we’re challenging our body in ways that our muscles are forced to adapt.

That is why pairing an isolation move right AFTER a compound exercise can be super helpful when training with only bodyweight.

While you’ve targeted those large muscle groups and more muscles with a more challenging compound move first, you can then hone in on any stubborn areas right after to fully fatigue the muscle with that more isolated exercise.

Try a get up lunge to work your legs then further target your quads and isolate them with a lean back.

Or do a regular push up followed by a Tricep Push Up or dip off a bench to then isolate and further fatigue those triceps.

You will even find doing this changes how you feel that more compound exercise in subsequent rounds of your workout!

But instead of just putting a burner at the end or some isolation work set out in your workout like you may do with weights, use those isolation moves as almost a way to post-exhaust an area.

Or potentially for a larger, stronger muscle like your glutes, even consider some pre-fatigue work, including isolation exercises before the compound move so you better feel that muscle engaging and fully working.

The more we feel a muscle activate and work, the more we are truly able to improve the muscle gains for that muscle!

These 3 tips are a great place to start adjusting your bodyweight training to see results. And while we need to challenge our muscles if we want to create adaptation and growth, we can’t ignore the importance of also adjusting our diet to match!

Don’t forget the importance of your nutrition!

Especially if we want to avoid gaining a ton of unwanted fat in the process of gaining muscle, we need to dial in our macros and calories to complement our training. Check out my video about building muscle and losing fat at the same time. I’ve included the link in the video description as a great next video to watch.

Because, while many of us have been told it isn’t possible, we can achieve amazing body recomp if we dial in our macros to match our workouts and embrace that results take time!

–> Gain Muscle Without Gaining Fat

The Most Underrated Cardio Exercise

The Most Underrated Cardio Exercise

Want a great move to include in your bodyweight interval cardio workouts that isn’t jumping, but will for sure get your blood pumping?

Want a full-body core intensive move you can utilize in so many different ways?

Ready for a move you can modify to match your fitness level and progress when ready?

Then you’ll love this amazing bodyweight cardio move that will target your shoulders, arms, abs, obliques and even quads –

The Tabletop Crawl!

But wait?! Babies crawl…isn’t crawling easy?!

HECK NO!

This crawl will not only challenge your body but also your mind and coordination.

Unlike the Baby Crawl, your knees are going to hover off the ground.

And with the Tabletop Crawl, unlike the Bear Crawl, you want to focus on keeping your butt down and knees just a few inches off the ground.

You also want to focus on that contralateral movement pattern, or opposite arm and leg working together. This is a great way to improve your coordination, especially for movements like running!

While you can focus on moving faster only and allow a bit more rotation of your core as you crawl, you can also use this move to work on that anti-rotational core strength.

And then you can crawl in every direction using this tabletop or bulldog position, even mixing things up by adding in rotational moves like the Sit Thru, holds or even other crawl variations to the flow!

All of these things make this crawling variation a killer cardio move.

 

So how do you do the basic Tabletop Crawl?

Start on your hands and knees with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Starting out or to modify this move if you get out of sync as you go through this move, you can always come back to crawling on your hands and knees.

Tuck your toes under and then lift up onto the balls of your feet and hands so your knees hover just a few inches off the ground.

To start with the crawl forward, step forward with one hand and, as you do, step the opposite foot forward, bringing your knee in. Start with small steps and focus on keeping your hips still as you step.

Then step the other hand forward and other foot.

Think small steps as you brace your abs and keep your knees close to the ground. You can continue taking steps forward in this way with the opposite arm and leg moving together or you can reverse your direction and crawl backward.

When you crawl backward, be conscious of taking small steps, especially to start. This requires a bit more upper body strength than the forward crawl oddly enough and often we get more spread out, as we have a tendency to reach further back with our feet when crawling backward, placing more load on our upper body.

As you step one foot back, remember to step back with the opposite hand.

Using this basic forward/backward crawl, you can then add in occasional holds, or even a Sit Thru on each end of the length you’re crawling in. You can also add in little jacks or side to side hops if you want. Or you can even turn over to add in a crab crawl with this tabletop crawl.

You can also use this same crawling position to move LATERALLY.

How do you do the Lateral Tabletop Crawl?

The lateral crawl is a great move to improve your coordination and you may find the movement pattern a bit more challenging to start.

And if you’re thinking I’m too old for this move, you’re wrong! As we get older, including moves that work on our coordination and neuromuscular efficiency are even more key!

They keep us functional strong!

While you can make the lateral crawl an ipsilateral or same side working together movement, it is a great contralateral move.

To do the lateral crawl as a contralateral movement pattern with the opposite hand and foot working together, set up with your hands together under your chest and feet and knees about shoulder-width part.

Then step one hand out wide to the side so your hands are about shoulder-width apart as you step the opposite foot in toward the other. As your hands move apart, your feet move together.

Then to continue laterally, your foot on the same side as the hand you just moved will step to the side as you bring the opposite hand in to meet your other hand.

Move slowly to start keeping your knees hovering just off the ground. You can move as many steps as desired across the space you have then come back the other direction.

Focus on keeping your hips still as you move side to side.

Modifying The Basic Crawl:

While you can always go down to your hands and knees, to start, another way to modify this move that is often a bit more comfortable for the knees if your surface isn’t padded, is to use an incline.

For lateral crawls, you can use a bench as your incline and move along the length of it.

For forward/backward crawls, stairs actually work best as you can place your hands up on a higher step and crawl up a step at a time!

While often we will cheat and modify by allowing our butt to go up in the air during the basic crawl off the ground, we want to recognize this changes how we are activating muscles and will not give us the same ab or quad benefit that the basic tabletop or bulldog position does.

So using an incline can help us really master that positioning!

SUMMARY:

Crawling can be a great way to improve our coordination and our conditioning. It is a great move to include in an interval workout even with traditional moves we love like burpees, if we want to include jumping. It will work our entire core and get our blood pumping.

Try a fun Sit Thru crawling variation in this workout below:

–> 5 Cardio Moves For Fat Loss Workout