Uncommon exercises
If you’ve been with a fitness routine for a while, you know it’s easy to get bored or possibly even plateau in your progress. To change things up, incorporate these five uncommon exercises into your program.
The first is the bear crawl, which helps to build strength and mobility. You will squat down and lift your butt up slightly so you’re essentially walking like a bear. Walk this way for about 20 yards and then return.
The second is the duck walk, which works on the mobility of your legs and endurance. You will squat down with your butt down, getting as low as possible. Then you will basically duck-walk forward for about 20 yards and then return.
The third is the wall sit. This exercise works on the strength in front of your legs. You will put your back against a wall, with your feet placed about a foot and a half away from the wall. You will then squat as though you are sitting on a chair and hold the position.
The fourth is mountain climbing. This helps to work your endurance. You will get on your hands and knees in a push-up position. You will then move one knee up toward your chest, and then alternate by moving the opposite knee forward. Do 20 to 60 repetitions of this exercise.
The final exercise is the Turkish Get Up. This builds strength in your core area and balance. It involves a five-step movement with a three to five-pound weight. You begin laying flat on the floor with the weight above your head, then move to sitting up, followed by a bridge position, then into a one-knee kneeled position, finally moving into a lunge step up into a standing position. The movement is then reversed. Five to 10 repetitions on each side is appropriate for this exercise.
A more detailed mini-course which will demonstrate these uncommon exercises in greater detail is available at older.fitness/uncommon. Be sure to check this out to get a real view of how to do these exercises.
