This power exercise trains the whole body to work in tandem in order to make the slam as powerful as possible. The emphasis in training with this exercise should be effectiveness rather than speed. It is much better for the efficacy of the exercise and your safety to use a NON-bouncing medicine ball as seen here.
This pushup variation is a bodyweight exercise like standard pushups, but adds focus on muscular strength and stability of the shoulder and obliques. To increase the challenge of this exercise you can use a Weight Vest
This exercise is more commonly found part of group exercise classes, but is just as effective on your own. It works the chest, arms, core, and legs effectively with only bodyweight. If an additional challenge is needed though, a Weight Vest is the best way.
This exercise is an excellent warm up exercise as it will engage the entire body to some degree during the process with a piece of equipment common to most gyms. As little as a 500m row will provide a more than adequate warm up for the rest of your workout. This is also a great cardio exercise as it will work your entire body for a long time without any of the impact of a long distance run.
This exercise strengthens the muscles of the shoulder, back, and arm in addition to training them to stabilize in line with your body. This exercise is done seated instead of standing so that the emphasis is on the shoulder and mitigates the risk to the posture. Make sure that you are using weights that you can control rather than trying to overdo the exertion level. If working out at home, Adjustable Dumbbells provide an economic way to train.
This exercise is one of the classic free weight exercises that increases the strength of the major back muscles and smaller muscles involved in stabilizing your shoulder and spine. This exercise uses a bench that is common in all gyms. While traditionally done with dumbbells, it can be done with a kettlebell or plate weight, though not recommended as their size will interfere with the range of movement of the exercise.
The Single Arm Iso Bench is a strength and stability exercise that primarily benefits the shoulders, but also benefits the chest and forearms. This exercise is more about time under load, so doing it in a controlled manner is more important than speed. In order to accommodate training progression, it is recommended to have Adjustable Dumbbells at home if not working out at a gym with a variety of weights available.
A multiple movement exercise for the purpose of training muscle groups to work together as part of functional whole body training. The arms, shoulders, chest, and core muscles all must take turns stabilizing the whole body and the core and legs have explosive movements as well. Due to the nature of this exercise using multiple movements, it is highly recommended to stick with lighter weights until your strength and stamina are matched up with your proficiency of the technique. Adjustable Dumbbells are a great economical way to ensure that you have multiple weights to work through with the same exercise.
Shoulder progression is a combination of two shoulder movements with weights to strengthen the small muscles that move and support the shoulder joint. These rotator cuff muscles are critical for your arm range of movement, stabilizing the joint during activities, and preventing overuse injuries. This should be done with lighter weights and done with a good amount of repetitions.
Thrusters are a very good exercise for training full body power generation. The exercise can be done with one or two weights with anything from a kettlebell to a sandbag used as the weight. The strength of the legs are primarily tasked during this exercise, but the core, paraspinals, and arms are also put to use during each repetition. The point of this exercise is to train the body to work together to generate power rather than muscles in isolation. This more accurately represents how the human body works in everyday life and in athletic events.
Kettlebell swings are a great full body exercise that trains power, stamina, and stability of almost all parts of the body. Legs and core are actively working while the shoulders and grip muscles are stabilizing the weight. Doing the exercise for longer periods of time leads to stamina development of even the non active muscles that are a part of the upward throw. Most gyms have a wide array of kettlebells available for use, but for those looking to workout at home, an adjustable kettlebell is the most practical and affordable option Adjustable Kettlebell
This video contains proper form for:
Kettlebell Swings
Single Arm Kettlebell Swings
The squat curl is one of the best whole body stability exercises that exist. You can use an upside kettlebell as seen in the video, but the exercise is versatile and can use a dumbbell, plate weight, sandbag, or heavy backpack. This exercise is not to be done fast as it is about maintaining stability with the legs while doing work with the arms. Being smooth and elongating the time under load for this exercise will lead to the greatest benefit for any athlete.
Plyo pushups are the power version of pushups that emphasize explosive movement. This will improve the core stability to some degree, but mostly improve the muscular power of the chest and arms. It doesn’t require any extra equipment but if you want to use weight for an extra challenge, a Weight Vest is the best option. This is an effective way to create diversity in your pushup training.
Pushups are great exercise that work the shoulders, chest, and core in the style of stamina, strength, and stability. They are a common staple in fitness tests from grade school to special operations. For an additional challenge you can add a Weight Vest to this exercise.
This video contains proper form for:
Traditional Pushups
Knee Pushups
Wide Grip Pushups
Diamond Pushups
Dips are a bodyweight exercise that can be done on any two bars about shoulder width apart. This exercise increases the muscular strength and endurance of the shoulders and arms quite a bit with just bodyweight. If needing an extra challenge, a Weight Vest or attaching plates to a weight belt can increase the resistance.
Squat jumps are a good way to practice lower body power generation when lacking the equipment for box jumps or space for standing long jumps. When done with intent for max height, this exercise can be just as effective at improving muscular strength of the legs as other jumping exercises while minimizing requirements for exercising. If an added challenge is desired, use a Weight Vest vest to increase the force required for the jump.
In terms of strengthening the shoulder, there is no avoiding the value of rotator cuff exercises. This particular exercise increases stability in and around the shoulder joint critical for the protection of the joint during most athletic activity. It involves active work on the way up with the pull, and negative resistance work on the way down in the controlled motion. A TRX can be found at this link.
Using a TRX this focuses on using bodyweight to train for muscular endurance and stability. This exercise benefits the core, the shoulders, and the chest. The important factor in this is to keep the core engaged so that the body doesn’t wobble during movement. A TRX can be found with this link.
The sled push is a very effective power exercise for the legs as it forces people to move more weight against gravity and friction over distance. This really promotes the leg muscles to be able to generate continuous force which is required for any sport that requires you to move from point to point. Pick a weight that requires constant push to keep going, but not so much weight that it stops after each movement.
This tennis court sprint requires powerful launches in both a forward sprint and a rapid backpedal. This sprint should be done with a maximum par time for 40 seconds. If you can easily make this time, drop the par time by 2 sec intervals. For an added challenge this sprint can be done while wearing a Weight Vest
Side planks target the stability of the obliques as part of core muscular endurance. These muscles are often overlooked, but should be part of any balanced workout routine.
From the standard plank or pushup rest position, there are a number of ways to train stability. All of these variations will increase stability in the shoulders and the core. Should the exercise require an additional challenge, a Weight Vest can be used for an additional challenge.
This video contains proper form for:
Shoulder Taps
Plank Walks
Sandbag Drags
Freaky Planks
This exercise really pushes whole body power generation to the max. Legs, core, and arms will all be put to use to make the ball fly. Using a bouncing medicine ball, put full force into every throw so that it bounces back to you in one bounce off the ground without you having to bend over awkwardly.
Since velocity of the ball is more important than anything, a lighter ball is recommended. 4-8lbs is ideal. A recommended ball can be found here: Medicine Ball
This is a tennis derived exercise, but it carries great benefit to all other athletes and people trying to improve their fitness. Using a doubles alley of a tennis court is the ideal size, but you can do this same exercise at home with two pieces of tape/wood 4.5ft apart. The important part is being able to balance upon landing without falling over or taking any adjustment steps. This strengthens the legs and core for both power generation and stability around joints and overall balance. If an additional challenge is needed, do this exercise while wearing a Weight Vest with adjustable weight.
This stability exercise is especially beneficial for competition shooters, but is helpful for anyone trying to improve the muscular endurance of their core and paraspinal muscles. This leads to increased stability as the cable/resistance band will pull constantly, and you have to keep it stable in one place.
V-Ups are a core exercise that focuses on muscular endurance, but can lean more toward strength and stability since activation energy is much higher per repetition in this particular exercise.
This is a more challenging exercise that really does require the activation of all core muscles. By always balancing on only the butt and moving both the upper and lower body up and down, the stability of the core is constantly being activated. In addition the muscular endurance of the whole muscle group is being addressed at the same time.
This video contains correct form for:
Atomic Situps
Atomic Situps (beginner)
This core exercise develops muscular endurance and stability primarily of the lower back, but also helps the glutes, hamstrings, paraspinal muscles, and activates the rest of the core. This exercise can be done to great effect with just bodyweight, but can also be done with weight after a certain level of fitness is reached.
This video contains proper form for:
Bodyweight Bridge
Single-Leg Bridge
Bench Bridge
Most gyms have this apparatus that can be used for various exercises. In regards to core exercise though, the arms braced on the sides while raising either the knees up to the chest or legs parallel to the ground. This core exercise focuses on muscular endurance of the abdominals and the stability of the shoulders and core.
This video contains proper form for:
Knee Raises
Straight Leg Raises
Leg lifts are core exercise that target the lower abdominals and hip flexors. It will improve the muscular endurance of these muscle groups
This core exercise is all about core stability. It requires the activation of the core to balance and then perform the actual rotation action. This can be done with or without a held plate weight/medicine ball. The emphasis without a weight is to rotate as fast as possible while maintaining balance. The emphasis with a weight is to maintain balance with the added weight changing your center of gravity.
Mountain climbers are a dynamic core exercise that train muscular endurance and power with abdominal muscles. Also helps with developing stability strength with the abdominals and shoulders. This exercise should always be done in a fixed time interval. To increase the challenge, you can add a Weight Vest while training.
Flutter kicks are a great training exercise for the muscular endurance of the abdominals and hip flexors. They primarily target the lower abdominals which means that they target the muscles that people care about aesthetically and are imperative for activities such as running, swimming, and stability during dynamic movements for other sports.
This video contains proper form for:
Flutter Kicks
Scissor Kicks
Planks are a simple core stability exercise that will improve the muscular endurance of the abdominal muscles and some shoulders. They can be done with or without weight for added challenges once time alone isn’t enough of a challenge.
Air squats are good for building leg/glute strength and endurance without additional weights. The full range of motion of the bodyweight activity helps with mobility as well as functional lower body strength. For an additional challenge, you can add a Weight Vest while doing this exercise.
Burpees are one of the overall best bodyweight exercises as they train muscular strength, endurance, balance, and power. Especially when working with limited time, burpees can provide an excellent workout. Of the ways to increase their challenge, increasing reps is the best. If you want to add resistance, a Weight Vest is the safest option.
This video contains proper form for:
Traditional burpees
Single-leg burpees
Burpee Long Jump
Usually thought of as a basic exercise from grade school PE class, Jumping Jacks are actually a great exercise for active rest and quick twitch training when mixed into workouts. When done alone for time, it can be a very good exercise for muscular endurance. For an added challenge, a Weight Vest can be worn during the exercise.
Lunges are a highly effective exercise for training muscle strength, endurance and stability of the legs, glutes, and lower back. Stability is one of the most important and yet most overlooked physical training attributes, so controlled lunges are best for that. The addition of lunge jumps introduces the aspect of power into the training, and magnifies the stability aspect of the exercise. For an added challenge, a Weight Vest can be worn, or weights can be held in hand.
This video contains proper form for:
Lunges
Lunge Jumps
This plyometric exercise is all about training power of the legs and core. By absorbing the landing and immediately jumping up again, the body is being trained to generate and absorb force rapidly. Bodyweight is more than enough to make this exercise a challenge. That being said, it is also beneficial to mix in weight training via a Weight Vest for this type of exercise.
Doing a Vertical Wall Ball will very clearly demonstrate your ability to generate power with your muscles. This power exercise also more importantly gets your entire body to work together. In order to get the weighted ball to go the highest possible, the timing of the explosive movement from the legs have to feed the arms as they launch up. It’s more important to pick a weight that you can launch multiple feet rather than barely launch above your head. A quality Medicine Ball will last you for years.
This exercise is the base plyometric exercise. It can be done with boxes in a gym, a solid bench, or even a short wall. The exercise increases the power generation capacity of the legs. Burpee box jumps can add variety to this as you’re training explosive power of both the upper and lower body in the same exercise. For an additional challenge, you can add a Weight Vest while training.
This video contains proper form for:
Box Jumps
Single Leg Box Jumps
Burpee Box Jumps
This exercise is very effective at improving muscular endurance in the forearms, shoulders, back, and legs. This exercise is very flexible and can be done in a gym with kettlebells, dumbbells, or plate weights. In a home/improvised setting it can be done with water jugs, sandbags, or heavy bags. The important part is to maintain posture while you walk with these weights. Shoulders should not be allowed to drop. If this is happening, decrease the weight or the distance that you are doing.
This video includes proper form for:
Farmers carries with handles
Farmers carries without handles
Using this equipment will really improve the muscular endurance of the forearm muscles that control the hand. The controlled lowering and raising of the weight trains the muscle group both with active work, and negative resistance. Being able to do this exercise multiple times back to back is more important than increasing the weight.
This can be made at home very easily with a trip to the hardware store, but can also be purchased here: Wrist Roller
One of the most important aspects of training functional grip strength is the realization that it is about the ability to stabilize something in hand rather than crushing ability. This exercise utilizes the explosive move of a snatch to create momentum in the the kettlebell that the grip will have to stop and then stabilize in place. Being able to control the weight through the explosive movement of the snatch, catching it in an upright position, keeping it upright through moving the arm up and down, and controlling it down to the ground really tests the stability aspect of one’s grip strength. Using an Adjustable Weight Kettlebell will help you work this muscle group at your current ability level and beyond.