This video will help you get strong and fit with a few minutes and a couple of dumbbells.
This video will help you get strong and fit with a few minutes and a couple of dumbbells.
Kym from Prevention.com
The 5 Fitness Moves Everyone Should Do
Whether you work out at home or in a gym, these movements are at the heart of dozens of exercises—so here’s how to do them right. Proper form makes them safe, not to mention more effective. Mix and match the variations to create a routine that works for your fitness level, then change it up as you get fitter!
PULLING
Pulling movements are crucial for everyone, but especially those who sit a lot—that overstretches back muscles and overtightens chest and core muscles. Do two pulling move for every one pushing exercise (below) to combat weakness and pain.
LEARN IT
The low row can be done on a cable machine or with exercise bands. Sit tall, leaning back very slightly, with your chest proud. Extend your feet and anchor the band around them. Take one band in each hand, choking up or down to create more or less resistance. Exhale to drive your elbows back about 45 degrees. Visualize an upside-down triangle on your back with its base running across your shoulders and its point right where your lower back starts; squeeze the point as you pull the band back.
GORILLA ROW
Take a wide stance, with a kettlebell and a foam block or another stabilizer between and slightly in front of your feet. Hinge at your hips, as if doing a wide-legged dead lift, until you reach the handle of the kettlebell. Stabilize yourself with one hand on the block as you exhale to row the kettlebell up, aiming to pull the weight to your hip bone. Inhale to return the weight to its starting position. Be sure to perform the move equally on both sides.
PUSHING
These movements use the muscles partnering those that engage in pulling movements. Because these muscles have a tendency to become tight or overactive, it’s helpful to focus less on “working” them than on stretching them out.
LEARN IT
Pushing a weight over your head is no joke. A great way to get started is with a kettlebell bridge chest press. Lie with knees bent and feet hip width apart. Hold a weight in each hand, elbows out to your sides and below your shoulders. Lift your butt to create a straight line with your body from knees to upper back. Then straighten your arms so the weights meet over your chest. Bend your elbows to lower yourself again.
LEVEL UP
WINDMILL
Start in a half-kneeling position, knees a bit wider than hip width, left foot forward. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and push it straight overhead toward the ceiling. At the same time, reach your right hand or elbow toward the floor just in front of your right knee, almost as if you were performing a crunch on that side. Pull your left thighbone back, driving it straight behind you (similar to a hip hinge), and watch the weight as you move to ensure that it is pushing toward the ceiling the whole time. Inhale on the way down and exhale while you engage your glutes to return to your starting position.
WHAT WEIGHT SHOULD YOU USE?
Start with a weight that feels challenging for the amount of sets and reps you’re doing. If you can complete all your sets and reps without much fatigue, it’s probably too light. If you are at home and don’t have heavier weights, try adding a pause in the middle of the movement or increasing the tempo to up the difficulty.
SQUAT
With a squat, you need to flex and extend your hips, knees, and ankles while keeping your spine stable. Your trunk can lean forward as your hips shift back and down, but try to avoid letting your chest fall forward and your pelvis turn under. Think about keeping your chest lifted as you sit down.
LEARN IT
Sit down and stand back up—literally! Find a chair with a flat seat that you can sit in comfortably with your feet on the floor. Then stand with your feet shoulder width apart (or a bit wider depending on what’s comfortable for your body) and about a foot’s length away from the chair. Now simply sit down and stand back up, making sure your knees follow your toes as you go down—don’t let them fall inward.
LEVEL UP
GOBLET SQUAT
Put the chair aside and do the same movement without any aid. Try to create at least a 90-degree angle at your knees if you can, and keep your back stable and your chest proud. Add a weight or try a pause at the bottom to fire up even more muscles and solidify your form. Are your knees tracking over your toes? Are you as low as you can go without compensating in your spine?
PLANK
The queen of core exercises, the plank, strengthens your core muscles by forcing you to employ them to stabilize your body. Since you’re using your whole midsection, front and back, it helps prevent back pain. Plus, a plank fires up your glutes!
LEARN IT
Get on your hands and knees, hands or elbows on the mat directly under your shoulders. Then step one foot back at a time until your body is in one long line. To make sure your form is on point, think about pushing the floor away, lifting your ribs to the ceiling, squeezing your glutes under, pulling your hamstrings (but not your butt!) to the ceiling, and pushing your heels back. On every inhale, expand your ribs out to the side, and on every exhale, pull your belly button toward your spine.
LEVEL UP
SIDE PLANK
Lie on your side and place your hand or elbow directly under your shoulder. Lift your hips off the floor so you create a long diagonal line. Make an effort not to sink into your shoulder; use your core to stay up off the floor, and avoid rotating your body toward the ceiling or the floor—stay sideways! Be sure to switch sides, and know that it’s normal for one side to feel stronger than the other.
HIP HINGE
This is a crucial movement for staying strong and pain-free throughout life. It looks as if you’re just leaning over, but pay careful attention to where you bend and how stable you’re able to keep your back.
LEARN IT
The good morning is the perfect intro to the hip hinge. Stand with your feet parallel and about hip or shoulder width apart. Keeping your spine stable, inhale as you hinge (or bend) at the hip, shooting your rear toward the wall behind you until your upper body falls in line with your hips. You should feel a nice stretching sensation in your hamstrings (backs of the thighs) at the bottom. Exhale as you engage your glutes to return to your original standing position.
LEVEL UP
THE DEAD LIFT
This is a great way to add strength training to the hip hinge. Start in the bottom position with a heavy weight in front of you. Fill your belly with air to create tension in your core; grab the weight and push the floor away as you pull up, engaging your glutes to bring you to a standing position. Return the weight to the floor with the same hip-hinge movement.