Benefits:

As a next progression from the stability ball chest press , the 1 arm chest press allows you to get your core even more involved. By not having a dumbbell in both hands, your body is forced to engage the core so that you don’t fall off the ball.

How To:

1) Sit on a stability ball with one dumbbell in hand
2) Roll forward until only the shoulders are on the ball
3) Start with the dumbbell just outside of your chest and palm forward
4) Press one arm straight up

**TRAINERS TIPS** Keep hips high at all times, keep core engaged

Benefits:

If your looking to get your heart rate up, build lean muscle and work on your upper back, than the high pull is the right move for you. This exercise is great for both men and women because it can either be utilized as a weight loss exercise or a muscle gain exercise. It involves using your entire body and your type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers, which are the hardest and strongest in the body.

How To:

1) Start with a bend in the hips and slight bend in the knees
2) The barbell should be just above your knees on your thighs
3) Starting with the hips, explosively drive upwards
4) The barbell should go in an upward pattern close to your body
5) Elbows shoot up straight to the side, barbell should finish just under your chin

Benefits:

The stability ball chest press is a way to take the typical bench press to the next level. By performing the exercise on a stability ball you are involving certain aspects of your body that wouldn’t typically be involved in a chest press. The core is getting more work than normal because it must be activated in order to maintain your balance on the ball. You will also be getting work in your glutes by raising your hips so that your body makes a flat line from knees to shoulders. When you feel like you are ready to progress from regular bench press, try this exercise.

How To:

1) Sit on stability ball and roll forward so that only shoulder blades are on the ball

Benefits:

If you are looking to target your entire abs than body folds are right for you. By lifting your shoulders and feet off the ground you are able to feel it all the way from your lower to upper abs. Body folds are also great because you are in constant tension by never letting your feet touch the ground and also working through a full range of motion. This exercise will also help to strengthen your lower back since your entire body is off the ground except for you butt. Hit about 20-25 of these and you will be burning up!

How To:

1) Begin sitting up with your knees pulled towards your chest

2) Simultaneously lower your upper body towards the ground while pressing your legs straight forward until they are extended

**TRAINERS TIPS** At the end of the movement you should have your upper body a few inches off the ground and your legs just a few inches off the ground

Benefits:

For everyone who spends the majority of their day seated (pretty much every American), the mini band is one of the best workout tools you can use. When you sit for long periods of time, the muscles in the front side of your hips (TFL) get short and tight. The TFL will eventually take over the majority of the work in walking and lead to your hips tilting forward. Your glutes (butt) are taken out of the equation, when in reality they should be one of the prime muscles used during walking.

The great benefit of mini bands is that they can easily target your glute medius, which is basically the top outside corner of your butt. Strengthening the glute medius will counter the negative effects caused by sitting for long periods of time.

How To:

1) Stand tall, wrap band around ankles, bend at hips and knees

2) Take a step forward with one leg as far as possible, bring back leg forward until legs together

3) Use opposing leg to take next step

**TRAINERS TIPS** Limit upper body movement, keep feet at shoulder width apart. For added resistance place another band right above your knees

Benefits: The barbell one arm row is a great way to challenge your back and core stability at the same time. The weight in this exercise comes at a different angles than when using a dumbbell, so you muscles will be challenged differently. By performing the single arm movement, the muscles in your core will be forced to work in order to stabilize.

How To:

1) Stand at the end of a barbell, with it flat on the ground by your side

2) Squat down by bending at the knees and hips, while keeping the back flat

3) Grab the barbell with one arm and elevate your upper body so it is at a 45-degree angle

4) Stabilize your core and row the head of the barbell towards the side of your ribs

**TRAINERS TIPS** Attempt to pinch shoulder blades together during the row. During the row, limit any elevation in the shoulder that is performing the work.

Benefits:

The alternating lunge jump is an excellent exercise that fits well with just about any workout. If you want to lose weight, increase power or increase your cardio endurance, all could benefit from the alternating lunge jumps. By performing consecutive jumps you will be incorporating both plyometric and cardiovascular training.

How To:

1) Walk into a lunge

2) At the bottom of the lunge, aggressively drive up jumping into the air

3) While in the air switch legs

Benefits:

The crossover split squat is another variation to a typical split squat that allows you to work other muscles and take the exercise to the next level. By getting into the crossover position you are placing the focus on the outside of your front leg and glutes, while also challenging the core to balance.

How To:

1) Get into a split squat stance with one leg in front of the other
2) With the back leg, move it over so that your legs are crossed
3) Perform a split squat lowering the back knee right behind your front heel
4) Complete all your reps before switching to the other leg

**TRAINERS TIPS** Keep your front knee facing forward and in line with your foot. Keep the shoulders and hips square, facing the front.

Benefits:

The high pull is an amazing exercise for people looking to lose weight, increased endurance and even gain muscle. It is an aggressive move that should be done with speed as the main concern. Since the high pull requires speed and total body involvement, it is great for getting the heart rate up fast. Done for a higher rep range (8-12) it is great for weight loss and done in a low rep range (2-6) it is great for building strength. It also challenges the shoulders and will lead to increased strength in your upper back area.

How To:

1) Start with a bend in the hips and slight bend in the knees
2) The dumbbells should be just above your knees on your thighs
3) Starting with the hips, explosively drive upwards
4) The dumbbells should go in an upward pattern close to your body
5) Elbows shoot up straight to the side, dumbbells should finish just under your chin

Benefits: The medicine ball chop is a great way to strengthen your pillar (core, shoulders, hips) while also allowing for a cardiovascular challenge. The chop will work your arms, hips and especially your core. With it being a total body movement you are working many muscle groups, which allows it to get your heart rate up easily. Performing the chop at an aggressive speed will turn this exercise into a total body cardio challenge. It is a great exercise to throw into a metabolic circuit at the start or finish of a workout.

How To:

1) Stand feet shoulder width apart, hands on medicine ball, arms fully extended up and at an angle

2) Squat keeping arms straight while crossing the body with the ball

3) Twist your upper body as you lower the ball across the opposite knee

4) Return back to the start by following the same movement pattern as on the way down

*Trainers Tip* During the squat pay attention to your knees and make sure they stay inline with your feet and down cave in or out. Twist only the upper body as you lower and raise the ball, the hips should be facing forward at all times.