The more you enjoy your weight room routine, the better your chances of making your fitness plan stick. To help you do just that, we’re introducing our all-time fave exercises—and from the input you’ve given us, we’re pretty sure you love them as much as we do. Taking into account the feedback you’ve given us, we combed the pages of Energy for the crème de la crème, then put them together in one convenient place. Read on to discover which moves made your best-of list, and why.
Our fave leg exercises:
Exercise: Plié dumbbell squatss
Why: In a recent survey conducted by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) on which moves fitness pros prize the most, the squat scored top spot. We chose its close cousin, the plié, because you get all the leg-defining benefits of a squat plus it targets the inner thighs.
How to: While holding one dumbbell straight down in front of you with both hands, stand in a ballet-like plié with your feet turned out. Squat down and up. Repeat.
Exercise: Bench step-ups
How to: Step up on a bench, step or stair with one leg. Repeat. Be sure your knee doesn’t lean past your foot as you step up. For an even greater challenge, hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Our fave butt exercises
Exercise: Downward dog with YogaButt ball
Why: This time-tested mind-body pose simultaneously strengthens the upper body, stretches typically tight hamstrings and encourages deep, energizing breath work. The YogaButt ball firms legs, abs and glutes. (For ball, go to www.yogafit.com, or use a lightly weighted medicine ball.)
How to: Position yourself on your hands and knees on a yoga mat with the YogaButt ball between your thighs, just above the knees. Tuck your toes under, lift your hips toward the sky and walk your hands forward until you’ve created a V shape with your body. Don’t let go of the ball; it should still be between your legs. Press your heels into the floor as you push your palms forward and into the floor, fingers spread wide. Allow your chest, head and neck to sink into the floor. Tilt your pelvis to the sky and breathe into your back. Continue squeezing the ball between your legs—hold for 10 deep breaths.
Exercise: Bridge on ball with knee bends
Why: The bridge tightens the glutes and backs of the legs; doing it on a ball works stabilizing muscles like the core.
How to: Lie face up with calves on the ball, knees straight and arms beside you. Lift your buttocks off the floor, then bend and straighten your knees as you slowly roll the ball in and out. Repeat.
Our fave ab exercises
Exercise: Modified yoga plank
Why: It’s a yoga-style strengthener that targets pretty much everything: abs, core, legs and upper body.
How to: Lie face down and press forearms into mat with elbows bent. Clasp your hands together. Stretch your legs out straight and curl your toes under. Tighten your abdominals and lift body off floor, balancing on your forearms and toes. Make sure your hips form a straight line with your shoulders. Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds and breathe gently. Slowly lower to mat.
Exercise: Crunches on ball
Why: Like the fitness pros who responded to ACE’s survey, we also gave this move high marks because it firms ab muscles, challenges the core and helps reduce back pain.
How to: Lie face up on the ball with low back supported, hands behind head or crossed over chest and legs bent, feet shoulder-width apart on floor. For less intensity place hips below knees, or to make this exercise harder, keep back supported on ball, but align hips and knees. Begin abdominal crunch by focusing on bringing bottom of ribcage toward hips. Repeat.
Our fave back exercises
Exercise: Hyperextensions on ball (low back)
Why: Back extensions are a must for rounding out any ab-training workout. Performing them on a ball increases range of motion and works stabilizers more than on the floor.
How to:Lie face down on ball with feet shoulder-width apart and hands resting beside hips or behind head. Lift chest off ball. Slowly lower and repeat.
Exercise:Seated cable rows
Why: It’s a super-time-saver. The seated row targets a whole slew of back muscles in one shot.
How to: Adjust the weight then sit on the platform with your knees bent and grasp the cable attachment. Straighten your lower back and slightly bend your knees. Although your torso will be leaning forward to start this exercise, do not round your back. Pull the cable attachment to your waist by pulling your shoulders back and pushing your chest forward during contraction. Do not force the weight backward by throwing your body back at the waist. Pull weight back by retracting shoulder blades. Return until your arms are extended and your shoulders are stretched forward to your starting position. Repeat.
Our fave shoulder exercises
Exercise: Combination front and side raises with tube
Why: This combo shoulder shaper boasts two moves in one. Lightweight, portable tubing makes it a do-anywhere-anytime exercise.
How to: Start by standing straight with your knees soft. Secure one end of the band under both feet, adjusting the length for your strength level (shorter length for more intensity, longer for less intensity). Grip one handle with your right hand, palm down and elbow slightly bent. Slowly lift the handle to the front, up to shoulder height. With the elbow still bent, lower to the starting position, then lift band to right side, up to shoulder height. Lower slowly. Lift to the front and side counts as one repetition. Repeat on left side.
Exercise: Seated bent-over rear delts
Why: Bad posture or slumping over a computer all day can round the shoulders forward. This move will strengthen the rear deltoids to improve posture and help you sit and stand taller.
How to: Sit on the edge of a bench and lean over toward your knees. Place the dumbbells end to end next to your shoelaces. Raise the weights, parallel to floor, making sure they stay in line with shoulders. You should be able to see them out of the corner or your eye, in your peripheral view. Keep range of motion consistent and control weights throughout movement.
Our fave arm exercises
Exercise: Hammer dumbbell curls (biceps)
Why: Most people get stuck in a rut with biceps exercises; performing hammer curls is an easy way to add variety.
How to: Grasp a pair of dumbbells and hold them by your sides with palms facing in. Curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows at your sides and palms facing you. Do not swing weights. Return to starting position.
Exercise: One-arm triceps cable extensions
Why: Working one side of the body at a time—called unilateral training—lets you get super-focused on the targeted muscle(s). Plus, you’re less stable during single-limb exercises, so you challenge core stabilizers twice as much.
How to: Attach a handle on the top cable hook of a cable machine. Stand sideways to the cable stack and grasp the handle with your outside arm, keeping your elbow to your side. Extend your arm straight, without locking your elbow. Do not let your elbow leave your side or try to swing weight down. Return slowly to starting position.
Our fave chest exercises
Exercise: Decline push-ups on ball
Why: Push-ups are yet another ACE-survey notable. Doing them in a decline position on a ball increases results because you vary how you train the pectorals and also build core strength.
How to: Put your feet on a stability ball. Place your hands on the floor in a push-up position. Slowly lower into push-up, then return to the top of the movement. Do not arch your back. If you find this exercise too difficult on a ball, try it first with feet on a bench.
Exercise: Two-count dumbbell chest presses
Why: Doing thi classic chest exercise at a slower, two-count pace lets you perfect your technique for extra safety and more noticeable improvements.
How to: Lie on your back on a straight bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows so each dumbbell is just above your shoulders and upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push dumbbells toward the ceiling, stopping halfway before full extension. Hold for one second. Continue pressing dumbbells up until your arms reach full extension. Lower the weight halfway to your starting point. Hold for one second. Return back to starting position and repeat.
Weight basics
The amount of weight you lift and the reps you do depend on your fitness level and goals. Most people train for muscle strength and endurance. "Training to develop strength uses heavy weights for fewer repetitions to reach muscle failure," explains Shirley S. Archer, J.D., M.A., author of The Everything Weight Training Book (Adams Media Corporation, 2002). "Training to develop endurance is achieved by lifting lighter weights for more repetitions." Archer says performing eight to 12 reps strikes a good balance between strength and endurance training. But don’t pick a number and leave it at that. The load you lift must feel challenging without being overwhelming, Archer says. Bust plateaus and boost results by occasionally varying weight and reps so your program includes higher rep/lower weight workouts as well as lower rep/higher weight ones.
ACE surveyJust what are the exercises ACE survey respondents favor the most? See below.
1. Squats
2. Running
3. Ab exercises
4. Lunges
5. Walking
6. Push-ups
7. Yoga