Tag Archives: shoulders

TRX Squat and Y Fly

Posted on by
Reply

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had a great holiday and now that 2019 is in full swing, I have a new Home Exercise of the Week for you to try.

I’m sure a lot of you have health and fitness new year’s resolutions so to help you out with that here’s a full body move called the TRX Squat and Y Fly.

The TRX Squat and Y Fly is going to work your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, and upper back.  The TRX is ideal for this exercise but if you don’t have one you could also use a band attached to a door.

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the TRX Squat and Y Fly.

  • grab the handles of the TRX and raise your arms up in to a Y shape keeping your arms fully extended
  • now step back until there is no slack on the TRX
  • keep your arms straight and lower them down in front until your hands are at shoulder height while at the same time leaning back and letting the TRX support your body weight (this will be your starting point)
  • keeping your arms extended, lower your body in to a squat while keeping your body weight on your heels
  • push up through your heels and as you come up out of the squat, raise your arms above your head in to the Y position pulling your body upright and squeezing your shoulders and upper back muscles
  • lower your arms back down to shoulder height while leaning back and repeat the movement for your desired amount of reps or time

So there you have the TRX Squat and Y Fly.  This is a fairly simple but very effective full body exercise.  Add this in to your full body routine to work multiple muscles and burn more calories.

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

See you next week with another new exercise!

Kettlebell Wood Chopper

Posted on by
Reply

Hey there, I have a new Home Exercise of the Week for you to try called the Kettlebell Wood Chopper.  This is a great full body exercise that primarily works your core (especially obliques), quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and shoulders.

If you don’t have a kettlebell you can also do this with a medicine ball, dumbbell, or any weighted object you have at home that is easy to hold on to.

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Kettlebell Wood Chopper.

  • stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed slightly outward
  • hold the kettlebell down in front of you
  • descend in to a squat while keeping your abs tight and twist to your left so the kettlebell is to the outside of your left leg
  • keep your weight on your heels throughout the squat
  • come up from the squat position while swinging the kettlebell up and diagonally to the right
  • at the top position make sure your feet are firmly planted and your upper body is twisted to the right
  • keep your abs engaged throughout the movement
  • keep your arms as straight as you can and lower the kettlebell back down and to the left as you squat
  • repeat for your desired amount or reps or time and then repeat for your right side

So there you have the Kettlebell Wood Chopper.  Add this exercise to your full body routine or as part of your ab routine.  Your obliques will thank you for 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!

Burpee Medicine Ball Overhead Toss

Posted on by
Reply

Hello, it’s time again for a new Home Exercise of the Week.  This week I have another variation of everyone’s favourite exercise…the burpee!  I call it the Burpee Medicine Ball Overhead Toss.

This variation of the burpee is going to give your core an extra challenge since you will be adding the instability of placing your hands on the ball when you’re in the full plank position.  As with other burpees, you will also be working your legs, shoulders, and arms.  The shoulders will get an extra workout as well with the overhead throw of the medicine ball.  And don’t forget the cardiovascular conditioning you will get when your heart is pumping hard during this exercise!

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Burpee Medicine Ball Overhead Toss.

  • crouch down and place a medicine ball down on the floor in front of you
  • keeping your hands on the ball and under your chest, jump your feet back until you are fully extended in a full plank position
  • keep your abs engaged to maintain your balance on the medicine ball
  • from this full plank position, jump your feet back up and underneath you then pick the ball up and stand up while trying to keep your back as straight as possible (like standing up from a squat)
  • once you are fully upright throw the medicine ball straight up over your head and then catch it on the way back down
  • lower the ball to the floor and repeat the movement for your desired amount of reps or time

So there you have the Burpee Medicine Ball Overhead Toss.  Add this fun variation of the burpee in to your full body routine and let the sweating begin!

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!

Triangle Jump

Posted on by
Reply

Hey, it’s Home Exercise of the Week time again and this week I have a cardiovascular and core exercise for you to try that I call the Triangle Jump.

The Triangle Jump is primarily a core exercise but you will also be working many other muscle groups including your shoulders, triceps, and legs.  This move is also kind of like a burpee which makes it a fairly intense cardiovascular exercise.  Your heart will be pumping and you will be sweating!

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Triangle Jump.

  • start in a full plank pushup position with your hands directly under your shoulders
  • engage your abs and glutes and keep your back straight
  • jump your feet forward so that they are tucked in underneath you
  • from this tucked position jump both feet back and out to the left at about a 45 degree angle
  • jump both feet back up to the middle and tucked in underneath you
  • now jump both feet back and out to the right at the same 45 degree angle
  • return to the middle and keep jumping side to side for your desired amount of reps or time
  • keep your abs and glutes flexed throughout the movement

So there you have the Triangle Jump.  It’s intense.  It will make you sweat.  Your muscles will be burning.  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!

TRX Power Pull

Posted on by
Reply

Hey there, it’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week.  This time I have a great TRX exercise for you to try called the TRX Power Pull.

The TRX Power Pull is a unilateral back exercise that targets your upper back muscles including the rear deltoids and trapezius.  You will also be working your biceps and obliques.  

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the TRX Power Pull.

  • grab one handle of the TRX with your right hand
  • keep your toes pointed forward towards the anchor point of the TRX and lean back until your right arm is fully extended
  • keep you right arm raised to shoulder height
  • from this extended arm position rotate your body to the left and reach behind you with your left arm
  • now rotate back to center while pulling your body up with your right arm
  • keep your right elbow high and in line with your upper back while reaching and tapping the TRX strap with your left arm
  • squeeze the muscles of the back at the top of this movement and then extend back out 
  • complete your desired amount of reps or time and then repeat the movement for the other side to finish your set

So there you have the TRX Power Pull.  It can be tricky to get the hand of this movement but once you do it’s fun and very effective.

Let me know how you do with this one in the comment section below and if you don’t have a TRX then I highly recommend getting one.  They can be used anywhere and there are tons of exercises you can do with it.

See you next week with another new exercise!