Tag Archives: home exercise

Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup

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Hey there, it’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week. This week I have an upper body exercise to show you called the Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup.

This is a great exercise to work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. I’m using a weighted medicine ball for this exercise but if you don’t have one you can use any medium sized ball like a soccer or volleyball. The uneven position targets the muscles from different angles, challenges the core, and increases the intensity for one side. If you find this exercise a little too challenging from the full pushup position, you can drop down to your knees to complete your reps.

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup.

  • start in a full pushup position with your hands wider than your shoulders and in line with your chest with one hand on the ball and one on the floor
  • descend towards the floor while engaging your abs and glutes (this will keep your back nice and straight)
  • try to get as close to the floor as you can and once you feel a good stretch in your chest muscles, push back up to the starting position without locking your elbows
  • from this top position push the ball underneath and across your body to the other hand and now you will repeat the movement for that side while keeping your abs and glutes engaged
  • if this is too challenging from the full pushup position drop down to your knees to complete your reps but just make sure to keep your hips down

So there you have the Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup. Try adding this exercise to your upper body or full body routine to add an extra challenge and to hit those muscles a little differently. 

Let me know how you do with this one in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you next week with another new exercise!

 

Equalizer Bar Pushup Mountain Climber Twist

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Hey there, it’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week. This week I have an upper body and core exercise to show you called the Equalizer Bar Pushup Mountain Climber Twist.

This is a great exercise to work your chest, shoulders, triceps, upper and lower abdominals, and obliques. I’m using an Equalizer Bar for this video demonstration but if you don’t have one, you can also do this exercise without it or use a step or bench to elevate your upper body. The elevation of the upper body gives your knee a little more clearance to raise up and twist and the Equalizer Bar allows you to go a little deeper in the pushup.

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Equalizer Bar Pushup Mountain Climber Twist.

  • place the Equalizer Bar on it’s side on the floor
  • place your hands on the bar at the highest elevation and get in to a full plank position
  • keep your hands in line with your chest and keep your abs tight
  • lower your body until you feel a deep stretch in your chest while keeping your elbows flared out at about a 45 degree angle
  • push back up until your arms are almost straight but don’t lock them out at the top
  • from this top position, drive your right knee forward and then twist it underneath you towards your left side
  • return to the middle and then bring your right foot back to the starting position
  • perform another pushup and then drive your left knee forward and twist it underneath you towards your right side
  • return to the middle and bring your left foot back to the starting position
  • repeat the movements for your desired amount of reps or time

So there you have the Equalizer Bar Pushup Mountain Climber Twist. Multi-joint movements are always great for building overall strength, conditioning, and for calorie burning so try adding this exercise to your upper body or full body routine. If you have trouble doing a full pushup, you can also do a modified pushup from your knees and then just raise your body up on your toes to perform the mountain climber twist.

Let me know how you do with this one in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you next week with another new exercise!

Reverse Lunge Kettlebell Pass

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Hey there, it’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week!  This week I have a dynamic lower body exercise for you called the Reverse Lunge Kettlebell Pass.  

The Reverse Lunge Kettlebell Pass will target your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes and will also work on your coordination and balance.  Passing the kettlebell underneath your front leg will keep you in the lunge position longer which will work the muscles more and your coordination and balance will come in to play when passing the weight underneath your leg.  You can also do this exercise with a medicine ball or dumbbell but the kettlebell is the easiest to hold on to.

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Reverse Lunge Kettlebell Pass.

  • stand tall with the kettlebell hanging from your left hand at your side
  • take a big step back with your left leg and descend in to a lunge position
  • keep your back straight and remain as upright as possible
  • lower in to the lunge position until your legs are at 90 degree angles
  • from this bottom position, pass the kettlebell underneath your right leg and in to your right hand
  • push up through your right heel and return to the starting position
  • the kettlebell is now in your right hand hanging at your side
  • now take a big step back with your right leg and descend in to the lunge
  • pass the kettlebell underneath your left leg and in to your left hand
  • return to the starting position and repeat from side to side until you complete your desired reps or time
  • one thing to be aware of here is that there is a tendency to lean forward in the lunge position when passing the weight underneath your leg.  It’s important to remain as upright as possible throughout the exercise

So there you have the Reverse Lunge Kettlebell Pass.  It’s a fun variation of the lunge and can add a little extra challenge to your workouts and help build some balance and coordination.

Let me know how you do with this one in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you next week with another new exercise! 

TRX Tricep Extension

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Hey there, it’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week.  I have a great TRX exercise for you that’s going to really target your tricep muscles.  It’s called the TRX Tricep Extension.  I should warn you though that your triceps could be quite sore the next day and you may have trouble washing your hair!

If you don’t have a TRX Suspension Trainer (I highly recommend getting one) you can also do this exercise on a table at home.  For a demo of that, check out this video:  How To: Triceps Extensions Using a Table

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the TRX Tricep Extension.

  • attach your TRX to a door at home, a tree outside, or a soccer net at a park like you see in the video
  • depending on your fitness level, bring your feet close to the anchor point to make this exercise more challenging or keep your feet further away from the anchor point to make it easier
  • keep your hands and elbows close together and raise your arms up until your upper arms are parallel or slightly above parallel to the ground
  • shift your body weight through your arms and in to the handles of the straps so that there is constant tension throughout the exercise
  • bend at the elbows and let your body fall forward in a controlled manner until your hands are back and above your head
  • keeping your elbows close together, push out through the palms of your hands and raise your body back up until your arms are fully extended
  • squeeze the tricep muscles when your arms are fully extended and then repeat the movement for your desired amount of reps or time
  • maintain tight flexed abs throughout the exercise

So there you have the TRX Tricep Extension!  You may have trouble washing your hair after but it will be worth it.

Let me know how you do with this one in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you next week with another new exercise!

Single Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

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Hey there, it’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week!  This week’s exercise is called a Single Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift and it’s a great lower body exercise that will target your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back as well as working on balance and the stabilizer muscles of the ankle.

If you don’t have dumbbells, you can use any heavy object that is easy to hold on to or you can even do this without added weights and use your own body weight.

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Single Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift.

  • grab on to a pair of dumbbells and hold them at your side while standing tall
  • lift your left foot off the floor and slightly bend your right knee
  • keep your back straight, your shoulders back, and bend at the waist to descend in to the deadlift
  • maintain the same slight bend in the right knee throughout the movement and let the weights hang freely from your arms
  • push your hips back while bending down and push your right knee outward to keep it from caving in
  • lower your upper body towards the floor until you feel a good stretch in the back of your right leg
  • squeeze your glutes and come back up to the starting position until you are standing nice and tall
  • keep your left foot off the floor as much as you can throughout your set unless you need to re-balance yourself
  • complete for your desired amount of reps or time and then repeat for your left leg

So there you have the Single Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift.  Add this in to your lower or full body routine and in time you will feel stronger and have more balance.

Let me know how you like this exercise in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you next week with another new exercise!