Full body workouts are going to give you the most rounded hit of exercise, without needing to then split your gym sessions into legs, arms and abs days.
But we all hate burpees.
Rest assured, there is plenty more you can do to get muscles across the body moving.
PTs from community wellness and fitness app, TRUCONNECT by TV.FIT, have shared their three best alternatives.
The Turkish Getup
Cindy Jordain suggests this routine for working the core, obliques, abs, leg strength, shoulder control and balance all in one swift hit.
‘This is a ground-to-standing movement and then back-to-ground.
‘You can progress from just body weight to gradually increasing weight using a dumbbell, and it will train you in most plains of motion in one movement, great for coordination and balance,’ she says.
How to perform:
- Start by lying down on the ground with right knee up/right arm up with weight over your head – you’ll keep this weight above your head for the whole sequence.
- Sit up with the weight in your top arm, whilst looking up at this weight. This will secure the weight at the top of your shoulder blades ensuring stability.
- Then pivot the right knee backwards at the same time placing the left arm in line with your hip to the side – the idea is to then shift your weight in one movement to bring the hips up into a bridge with a slight lateral bend.
- After this, sweep the front, fully extended leg back to get into a kneeling position, one arm down on the ground, and the weight bearing arm up in a straight line from top to bottom.
- Twist up towards the weight bearing side using the obliques to get into an upright kneeling position.
- Then stand up tall by pushing through quads and hips.
- To finish, reverse the entire journey – step back to lunge, to kneeling, to leg sweep to front, to sitting your hips down, lowering body down so that you’re lying down.
- Repeat the whole process whilst holding weight in the opposite arm.
Technique tip
Keep gazing at the weight above to stabilise it above your head.
Squat to bicep curl and shoulder press
Dean Hodgkin go to says the squat to bicep curl and shoulder press with twist is the way to go.
You’ll need two filled water bottles, two dumbbells or two kettlebells.
He says resistance should be light to medium and then do 10 repetitions before taking a minutes break, then repeating twice over.
How to perform:
- Stand tall with your feet approximately shoulder width apart and pointing directly forwards.
- The weights should be placed on the floor, just outside and slightly in front of your feet.
- Squat down to reach for the weights by pushing the hips to the rear and bending the knees.
- Return to a standing position with the weights in your hands, by your sides.
- Bend the elbows to perform a biceps curl, bringing the weights up to shoulder level.
- Press both weights above your head.
- Keeping your arms in this extended overhead position, twist your upper body to face one side.
- Finally, reverse the sequence by turning your body to the front, lowering the weights to the shoulder and then down by your side, then squat down reaching the weights to the floor.
- Don’t rest the weights on the floor, simply go straight into the next repetition and alternate which side you twist towards.
Technique tips
Avoid swinging the weights on the bicep curl and try not to lock your elbows when pressing the weights overhead. Same goes for you knees when rotating your torso.
The Walkdown
Josh Tennant recommends this, saying: ‘This is a great burpee alternative to work the whole body.
‘It works the upper body on your way down, the core in the press up position, and finally legs when you’re pushing back up to a standing position.’
Go for three sets of 10 repetitions with a 2-minute rest in between each set.
How to perform:
- Feet shoulder width apart, in a neutral standing position, with knees slightly bent.
- Place your hands on the floor, then walking out your hands until you reach a press up position.
- Then walk your hands back in towards your legs until you return to a standing position.
- Follow the 2 second rule – 2 seconds walk down, 2 seconds hold, 2 seconds back up.
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