Jumping (and learning how to jump higher) isn’t a skill reserved only for pro basketball players or high jumpers. Jumping, just like running, squatting, skipping, and throwing, is a fundamental human movement, explains Jack Coxall, CSCS. “Being able to jump — and jump correctly — is not only a great skill to have in the bag, […]
If you’ve been skipping your leg day warm-up, it may feel like you’re saving time that you can spend on a few extra reps. But by forgoing a lower body warm-up, you may actually be shortchanging your gains and increasing your risk for injury. A quick warm-up not only increases blood flow to the muscles […]
There is a dizzying number of exercises you can do to work your butt. Variations of squats and lunges are popular options, but you don’t want to overlook one particular group of booty builders: hip lift exercises. When executed using proper form, these kinds of exercises (also known as hip up exercises or hip extensions) target your glutes […]
Walking lunges inspire dread among gym goers for one simple reason: They’re hard. But fitness pros love them because they get results. “I always enjoy the groans from clients when they realize walking lunges are on the menu for the day,” says Tom Biggart, DPT, CSCS, owner of EBM Fitness Solutions. While the move itself is […]
If you want more power in your lower body or just want to build a bigger booty, your leg days should be focused on gluteus maximus exercises. After all, the gluteus maximus is the biggest muscle in the butt — and body. With the proper programming, you can build strength and increase mass, which will […]
Want better results in the posterior department? It’s time to start homing in on your butt muscles with glute isolation exercises. Sure, compound exercises like squats and lunges are the foundation of lower body strength, and they do strengthen your glutes (along with your core, quads, hamstrings, and calves). But if a better butt is […]
Whether you have lofty athletic goals like setting a marathon PR or want to be able to perform everyday, functional movements like climbing a flight of stairs efficiently and without pain, you need to work gluteus minimus exercises into your training plan. The gluteus minimus may be the smallest of the three major butt muscles, […]
Box jumps have reached a tipping point in the fitness world. Walk into any gym, HIIT studio, or CrossFit box, and you’ll inevitably find someone repeatedly hopping on and off a box, step, or bench. The lure of the box jump is understandable; they’re a challenging and fun plyometric exercise, which, when done correctly, not […]
The kettlebell swing is one of the best exercises around which you can program a circuit workout. The exercise targets the posterior chain and quickly raises your heart rate, making it a full-body strength and cardio exercise. But to reap the benefits of the kettlebell swing (and not get injured), you need to learn proper […]
Skater jumps — also known as skater hops, side skaters, and skater steps — are like the burpee version of side lunges, making them a staple move in many high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. As a plyometric exercise, skater jumps are a great cardio- and strength-building move; perform just a few reps and you’ll experience a […]