These brief descriptions are only here to aid you in your own personal study of fitness. Whole books are devoted to explaining how to properly perform these exercises. I encourage you to do your own research and to seek face-to-face instruction regarding these and all other exercises that you do.
I try to make these as concise yet descriptive as possible. As such, these descriptions are in a constant state of development and revision. Do check back every now and then for updates. Photos and/or videos are also in the works. ;)
BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES
Squat:
- Start from a standing position with heels shoulder width apart and toes pointing slightly outward. When squatting, always use your legs to pull your knees out to keep them pointed in the same direction as your feet, keep weight on heels, and keep head and chest up.
- Start the squat by lowering yourself from the hips, where the hips are first pulled back and then down to the height of your knee, then drive up using your heels and hips to move back up following the same path.
- You can do different variations on stance/foot placement (up to 2 shoulder widths apart only), and different ranges and/or speed or motion to make the squat easier or more challenging. You can also hold on to something as a support when you approach the bottom of the squat, but only IF you are really having difficulty maintaining proper position at the bottom, and you must focus on attaining good, unsupported posture at the bottom of the squat before moving on to any more difficult progression of the squat.
- It is alright for your knees to move past your knees when squatting, specially if you're squatting with a very vertical and upright torso, as in the barbell front squat. However, the knees must only move on the plane that is in line with the feet and shins, and never sideways.
- On any variation of the squat, you must always maintain proper position at all times during the movement: knees out pointing in line with feet, back straight and tight, chest up.
Chair squat:
This is a good drill for learning proper hip movement. For this, try to choose a chair or bench that is only as high as the back of your knee.
- Starting from a normal sit on a chair/bench, assume proper squat stance while sitting: weight on your heels, back straight, knees pushed out over toes. Then shuffle forward until at least half of your thighs are off the chair (ideal would be to go as far from the chair as you can, with only your glutes on the chair).
- Push on your heels to raise your hips and come up off the squat to full hip extension, then move your hips back and down (i.e. stick your butt out before lowering), until your glutes touch the chair again.
- I you have a difficult time with this, you can actually sit on the chair every rep, just make sure you keep the 3 requirements of a good squat (weight on heels, back straight, knees pushed out over toes).
Sumo squat:
- The difference between this and the regular squat is that you will start with a wider stance (feet about 2 shoulder widths apart, toes pointed about 45-60 degrees out). Same requirements for proper form apply otherwise.
Single leg balance:
- From standing position, bend slightly at the hips and knees while keeping the torso and head upright (try not to look down). Put all of your weight on one leg and slightly raise the other leg (around 1-3" off the ground is enough) by increasing it's hip and knee bend. Use your arms to maintain balance if needed, and if it is still an issue you can tiptoe on the bent leg while still keeping all of your weight on the planted leg. Make sure that the foot and knee of your planted leg always point in the same direction.
Standing leg circle:
- From a single leg balance (described above), use your raised leg to trace a circle (or a 'C') on the floor that has your planted leg as its center.
Do not focus on making the circle a perfect geometric shape, specially at the portion when your raised leg crosses over the planted leg. Focus on keeping your upper body upright, and your planted foot and knee oriented towards the same direction (if your planted leg should shift or rotate to keep your balance, the whole leg from thigh to foot must rotate together). If you can not trace a full circle, a partial/half circle can suffice or you can just remain on a static single leg balance.
Single leg squat:
- From a single leg balance, raise the lifted foot in front of you to at least knee height, trying to keep its knee as straight as possible. You can bring your arms forward for balance.
- Move your hips back and down as in a regular squat, while keeping the lifted leg off the ground.
As always, keep your chest up, weight on your heels, and knees aligned your toes. The foot, shin, and thigh of your squatting leg must all be on the same vertical plane. If this proves too difficult, you can either set your raised foot down in front of you (while still keeping all your weight on your planted leg), and/or do this with a chair behind you.
Single leg deadlift:
- Start from a single leg balance, with your raised leg positioned a little behind you.
- Lower yourself, bending on your hip and knee, until your hands reach the middle of your shins/calves.
- Try to keep your raised leg above the ground behind you. If you lose balance, you can let it touch the ground but do not put any weight on it.
- Always maintain a straight or slightly arched back, with shoulders also pulled back. Neck should be aligned with the spine, and bending knee must always be aligned with your foot.
- You can make this more challenging by going lower and touching your feet instead of your mid-shins, or lightly touching your rear knee to the ground.
This is a good demonstration of a single leg deadlift (we won't need to use weights): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA1n11ph_wU
Another good demo, this one touches the rear knee to the ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQdFpjKEjHw&feature=related
Forward lunge:
- From standing position, take a long step with one leg.
- Then, while keeping your weight even between both legs, lower you hips until your rear knee almost touches the ground.
- Immediately move back up and take a step back with the forward leg until you return to your starting position. Do the same for the other leg, and that will be 1 repetition.
Focus on keeping the knee of your forward leg pointed at the same direction as your forward foot. The foot, shin, and thigh of your forward foot should all be on the same vertical plane.
Walking lunge:
This is similar to forward lunges, but you continue moving forward with each step.
- From standing position with hips fully extended, take a long step with one leg.
- Then, while keeping your weight even between both legs, lower you hips until your rear knee almost touches the ground.
- Immediately move back up, pick up your rear leg and take another long step. Make sure that you move through a standing position with full hip extension before stepping forward.
- When learning this exercise, it's alright to pause in the standing position, and before and after lowering your hips. However, ideally you should be able to move smoothly without any pauses in the movement.
- Keep your feet parallel to each other, forward knee aligned with your toes, and your chest up.
Backward/step back lunge:
All other movements are similar with forward/walking lunges, but instead of taking a step forward, you will take a step backward before lowering your hips. This helps to teach you to move your hips back when squatting. Make sure to evenly distribute your weight between both legs and maintain an upright torso before lowering your hips.
Side lunge:
The lateral component to this lunge variation will help strengthen your hip adductors (inner thighs) more.
- Start from a standing position with legs fully extended and shoulder width apart.
- Take one leg and step to the side until your feet are around 2 shoulder widths apart, bending this leg at the knee and hip, while keeping the knee of the other leg straight. Keep the knee of your lunging leg aligned with your foot.
- Lower your hips until your range of motion allows, then rise up and step back to your starting position.
- Do the same on the other side with the other leg, and that will be one repetition.
- The foot of the lunging leg can either face forward, towards the direction of your lunge, or any angle in between, but you must keep the lunging knee aligned with the foot. Also, keep your chest up, head facing the horizon.
This is a good description of the side lunge, with illustration. This can be done, as in our case, without weights. http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/GluteusMaximus/BBSideLunge.html
Hands overhead:
- This means that you will shrug your shoulders up and extend your arms upward reaching as high as you can. You can clasp your hands together or not, just do what's comfortable for you.
Jump squat:
This is a more explosive progression from a squat.
- Start by lowering yourself as in a regular squat, with weight on your heels, knees out over toes and back straight, hands out in front for balance.
- Right when you reach the bottom of your squat, without pausing at the bottom, explode upwards with a powerful hip extension, until you straighten your hips and legs. You should maintain straight legs as you lift off of the floor.
- Do not pull your legs up in an attempt to gain more height.
- With the squat jump, height does not matter. A one inch jump squat is good enough, as long as you keep your legs and hips extended in the jump.
Lunge jump:
This movement is a more explosive version of the forward lunge. Instead of just stepping, you will jump in place and switch legs in mid-air.
- From a standing position with feet shoulder width apart, start by taking a big step forward with one leg, similar to the lunge.
- Lower your hips until your rear knee almost touches the ground, then immediately jump up.
- While in mid-air, quickly switch the positions of your legs such that the forward leg becomes the rear leg and vice versa.
- Land on a lunge with the opposite foot forward, landing first with the balls of your feet and then using the lowering movement of the lunge to absorb your landing.
- Immediately jump up and switch your legs in mid-air again to land in the same lunge as your starting position. That is 1 repetition.
- Make sure that you keep you keep your back straight, chest up, and head looking forward to the horizon throughout this exercise. Also, keep the knee of your forward leg aligned with and directly above your foot. You must also land as softly as you can, and refrain from stomping your legs on the ground.
- You can make this exercise easier by shortening your lunge, but once you are comfortable with this exercise you should try to keep your lunge as long as possible.
Straight jump:
This is essentialy a jump squat but trying to go for maximum height.
- Start by squatting down to the bottom of your full squat. At the same time, swing your hands down and back.
- Jump straight up with full hip extension, swinging your hands forward and up. You should try to be up in the air for as long as possible with a tight torso (semi-arched), fully extended hips and arms reaching up as high as you can.
- Land with the midfoot/ball of the foot, then shifting your weight to your heels and absorbing your landing into a squat. Do not land with straight knees. Do not stomp on the floor as you land. Try to land as quietly as possible.
Tuck jump:
This is a straight jump but with a tuck at the highest point in the jump.
- Start the jump as in a straight jump, squatting down and jumping up into a slight arch with hips extended and arms reaching up.
- At the highest point in the jump, explosively tuck your knees to your chest. Your arms should naturally swing down to aid in maintaining momentum.
- Land, as in the straight jump, with your midfoot first, and absorbing the force with a squat.
Burpee:
It is a full body exercise meant for building endurance at high levels of exertion. It is basically a pushup sandwiched within a squat.
- Stand upright with feet shoulder width apart as in the top position of the squat.
- Lower yourself to the bottom position of your squat.
- Place your hands on the floor in front of your feet, as close to your feet as possible.
- Move into the plank/pushup position by extending your legs back (either one by one or at the same time).
- Perform 1 pushup (lower your chest to the floor and then go back up to the plank position).
- Step back into the bottom position of the squat (again, you can either step one leg at a time, or jump into a squat).
- From the bottom of a squat, jump up with fully extended hips and raise your hands up over your head at the same time.
- Land softly into a squat and then stand back up to your starting position.
A regular burpee should involve the torso touching the floor at the bottom of the pushup, and the hips fully extending at the top of the squat (or jump).
Of course, the requirements for proper squat form is still in effect here: push your knees out over your toes, keep your back straight, and keep your weight on your heels.
Push up:
- Either with balls of the feet or knees on the ground, but the torso and hips must be kept straight and extended. Keep your body hollowed out. Your elbows should not flare out to the sides.
Pike/pyramid/downward dog push up:
- Starting from a plank position with toes and hands on the floor, bend at the hips while keeping your legs, torso and arms straight, until you form an inverted 'v' with your body. Look at your legs (do not look at the floor) to maintain neck alignment and back posture.
- Keeping your elbows pointed towards your feet, lower yourself until your head touches the floor, and push back up until your arms are straight and your shoulders are fully opened (try to touch your shoulders to your ears).
- You can spread your legs apart so that they can take more of your weight away form your arms, or you can do this with your hands on a bench. To make it more difficult, you can put your feet up on the bench and your hands on the floor.
Good morning:
- Start from a standing position with back arched, shoulder blades pulled back and down with hands up somewhere behind ears. Bend forward and downward at the hips while keeping the shoulders at the same pulled back position and back kept straight or arched, until your flexibility allows, and then move back up to full hip extension.
Front plank:
- Start by lying face down on the floor, with legs together and straight and hands pressing on the floor on either side of your your chest.
- Tighten your upper and lower abs, slightly rolling both your chest and pelvis toward your stomach. Press down with your hands until your elbows are fully extended, with your shoulders also pressing down. Only your hands and toes should be on the floor. Make sure that your hips are straight as well.
- If this is too difficult, you can place your elbows and forearms and/or knees on the ground. However, always maintain a straight torso and hips. Do not arch your back or sag your hips.
Side plank:
- Lie on your side with legs straight, one leg on top of the other.
- Post up on your bottom arm, and then straighten your body. Only your bottom hand and your bottom foot should be on the floor.
- Similar to the front plank, you can place your elbow and/or knee on the ground. You can also place your top hand on the floor to aid in balance. Be sure to maintain a straight torso and hips.
Reverse plank:
This is a plank exercise for the back.
- Start by sitting down on the ground with legs straight, hands on the floor behind you.
- Raise your hips off the floor until your torso and thighs are in line with each other. Focus on contracting your back muscles to keep your torso straight, and keep your shoulders actively pressing down on the floor.
- If it is too difficult, you can bend your knees, or rest your elbows and forearms on the floor instead of just your hands.
This is another good description, with photos: http://www.101exercises.com/2008/12/reverse-plank.html
Hip thrust:
- Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet near your bottom.
- Arch your back and lift your hips up as high as you can. Only your feet, upper back, head, and arms should be on the floor.
Back bridge:
- Lie on your back, bend your knees and place yout feet near your bottom. Place your hands on the floor beside your ears, elbows pointing up.
- Push up with your arms and legs and arch your back in order to lift up your hips as high as possible. Only your hands, crown, and feet should be on the ground.
- If your neck and back are strong enough, you can fold your arms across your chest so that only your head and feet are on the floor.
Abdominal crunch:
- Start by lying on the ground face up, knees bent with feet on the floor, arms either folded across your chest, or beside your head (hands overhead or slightly touching the back of your ears, never support your head with your hands).
- Roll your shoulders and chest forward and upward, lifting your shoulder blades off the floor, keeping your middle and lower back on the floor.
- Roll back downwards to your initial position.
- If you can, also lift your mid back to recruit more abdominal muscles in the movement, but always raise your upper back first before your mid back. Pulling with your hip flexors/lower abs before pulling with your upper abs can lead to back strain.
V-up:
- Start by lying supine on the ground with legs and arms extended. Keeping your arms and legs straight, crunch up and bend at the torso and hips and try to touch your feet. Ideally, the legs will come up to near vertical, but any height will do.
Tuck up:
- Start by lying face up on the ground, arms and legs extended.
- Crunch up, raising your shoulders and legs, and reach for your ankles. Your legs will flex both at the hips and knees, and your arms will reach forward. Only your bottom will be on the ground as you touch your ankles, and your upper body should be almost vertical.
- Keep your abs active while you lower and extend your limbs back to the starting position.
Knee up crunch:
These should engage your lower abs more than the regular crunch.
- Start by lying down on the ground on a regular crunch position, then raise your knees until they are directly on top of your hips, with your feet suspended in mid-air. Try to keep your knees together.
- Crunch up first by raising your shoulder blades off the ground while keeping your middle back on the floor. After this, try to raise even your middle back, with only your lower back or your bottom on the floor.
- Make sure to always crunch up your upper torso first before your raise your mid or lower back.
Hollow body hold:
- Start by lying down on your back with your hands and legs straight and fully extended.
- Lift your legs and and upper body a few inches off the ground, with only your lower back and bottom on the ground. Use your abs to pull your upper body and legs up, close in your ribcage and tuck up your pelvis.
- If this proves too difficult, you can bend your arms and legs to make them easier to lift, or you can also place your hands on your sides or on the floor. But still, make sure to use your abs to pull your legs and upper body up.
- Another good description, focusing on proper spinal flexion (under Demonstration Exercise I: The "Hollow"): http://www.powerathletesmag.com/pages/frontlever.htm
- Example of the hollow body hold (with variations): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4UnNDL8pHU
- Hollow rocks (hollow body hold, then rocking up and down the back): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzxiORnGYAE&feature=related
Arch hold:
- Start by lying on your stomach with your arms and legs fully extended.
- Arch your back to lift your arms, shoulders, chest, and legs off the ground, with only your stomach and/or pelvis on the ground.
- If this is too difficult, you can bend your arms and legs, but make sure to lift your upper body and legs off the floor. In shortening your upper body, you can either place your hands behind your ears with elbows flared out, or you can keep you arms at your sides.
Side crunch hold:
- Start by lying down on your side, knees and hips bent slightly, bottom hand held close to your head (do not hold your head) and top hand on the ground to use for balance.
- Crunch up to your side, lifting your shoulders and legs, with only your waist on the ground. Hold for alloted time.
- To make this exercise easier, bend your legs more so that they go closer to your body. You can also try placing the lower hand on the floor in front of your stomach to aid in balancing.
- To make it more challenging, extend your legs and your arms similar to the hollow hold position before lifting your shoulders and legs.
- Description and photo of a side crunch hold here (look under Side Conditioning): http://www.drillsandskills.com/article/18
Hollow rock:
- Start with a hollow body hold.
- Rock back and forth on your torso between your shoulder blades and hips. When rocking down to your hips, crunch and try to lift your upper body and arms as high as you can. When rocking up to your shoulder blades, lift your hips and legs as high as you can. One back and forth movement is 1 repetition.
- Maintain a tight and rigid hollow body position throughout the movement.
- You can do this exercise with either straight or bend arms and legs to increase or decrease it's difficulty. However, make sure that you use only your torso for generating and maintaining momentum.
- Demonstration of hollow rocks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzxiORnGYAE&feature=related
Arch rock:
- This is similar in concept to the hollow rock, but with a back arch instead.
- Start by lying face down on the ground in a back arch.
- Rock back and forth along your torso between your chest and hips. One back and forth movement is 1 repetition.
- Use the back arch to generate and maintain momentum. Use momentum and your arch on your lower back to lift your legs up as high as possible when rocking up to your chest, and then reach up with your arms as high as you can when rocking down to your hips.
- You can bend your legs and arms (for the arms, you can flare your elbows out to the sides and keep your hands beside your ears) to make the exercise easier, but make sure that your back is what you use to create and maintain movement.
- Video demonstration of a hollow rock. This is quite fast and dynamic, but her legs are a bit loose. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id-2rWRp8s4
High knee run:
- Run and try to drive your knee up to chest hight on every stride. Focus on flexing your hips.
Cheerleader run/Butt kicks:
- Minimizing hip movement, run and try to touch your heel to your bottom on every stride. Focus on flexing your knees.
Heel to rear run:
- On each stride, focusing on picking up your heel and pulling it straight toward your glutes.
- Make sure to land on the balls of your feet, and never on your heels. Try to keep your bounce as low as possible, minimizing the vertical motion of your torso. Also, minimize the time your feet spend on the floor, quickly pulling them right back up as soon as they touch the floor. Your feet/legs will naturally rebound, you do not need to actively push on the ground to achieve this.
- You can do this drill in place or moving forward.
DUMBBELL EXERCISES
Dumbbell squat:
- Start from a standing position with feet shoulder width apart with toes pointing slightly outward, back straight or slightly arched. Dumbbells are carried on each hand either on the sides with both arms relaxed and extended downwards, or above shoulders with elbows pointing forward (dumbbells can rest on the shoulders).
- In a deliberate and controlled manner, lower yourself by starting to bend at the hips, followed by the knees, until your hips are as low as your knees. Moving through your full range of motion is crucial. Your knees can move forward to slightly beyond your toes (keep them pointed in the same direction as toes). Do not pause nor relax at the bottom of the squat.
- Right when you reach the bottom position of your squat, aggressively go right back up to full hip extension by pulling your hips upward first. Your knees must not move any further forward when you are moving upward.
- Keep your head and chest up, knees pointed in the same direction as toes, and weight on your heels. Keep your body tight and never relax at any point in the lift, specially at the bottom.
- Keep the dumbbells directly above or below your shoulders, and they must be balanced directly above your feet on your front-back/anteroposterior axis (when someone looks at you from your side, your midfoot, shoulders, and the weights must remain lined up vertically throughout the lift).
This is a description and animation of a dumbbell squat with the weights held to the sides: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBSquat.html
This is a description and animation of a dumbbell squat with the weights held above the shoulders: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBFrontSquat.html
Dumbbell Pull over:
- Start by lying on the floor, face up and legs extended, holding the dumbbell (with 1 or 2 hands) on the floor beyond your head, with elbow(s) slightly bent and shoulder(s) fully open.
- Keeping the angle of your elbow the same, raise the dumbbell up to above your shoulder/chest, ending with your arm perpendicular to your body. Return to the initial position by moving exactly in reverse, keeping your elbow just slightly bent.
- Keep your torso tight and your legs extended throughout the exercise.
Bent over row:
- Start by picking up the weights/band while keeping an arched back, extend your arms fully downward and try to bend over until your back is as horizontal as you can sustain (halfway to horizontal will suffice). Your legs can bend slightly to maintain balance.
- Keeping your back arched and elbows pointed back, pull and raise the weights/bands to your sides above your hips (try to reach your ribs). Then lower the weight to return to starting position.
- If this is too difficult, you can do partial reps, pulling only to your hips. If your back keeps on rounding out, you can do bent over bench rows instead. Always maintain a back arch.
Bent over bench row:
- With one foot on the floor, kneel the other knee on a bench, bend over and post arm on the same side (as the kneeling leg) on the bench. Hold the weight/band with the free hand and extend that arm downwards.
- Keeping your elbow pointed towards your feet, pull the weight up toward your side, until your elbow is above your ribs. Do the required reps on both sides.
- Always maintain a back arch, and try to minimize torso rotation as you pull.
Plank row:
- Start from the front plank position, with both dumbells grasped by your hands (only your feet and the dumbbells are on the floor). Your feet can be shoulder width apart or wider to help you maintain balance.
- Pull one dumbbell up toward your torso, trying to touch the db to your side (pull it up as high as you can), while keeping your torso and legs as still as possible.
- Set that dumbbell down and post on it, then do the same on the other side. A row on both sides is 1 repetition.
- You can do this exercise with your knees on the floor, or with feet spread wide, but keep your torso as straight and tight as possible. While pulling, it may help to not focus on the weight, and instead focus on pulling your elbow as far back and up as possible.
