6 Explosive Moves to Light Up Your Core and Scorch Your Lower Body
When given a choice between leg day and abs day, which one do you choose? Well, you need strength and stability in both parts of your body, especially while cycling. Training both your legs and your core also help keep your posture upright and your lower back injury-free, too.
But if you’re short on time, you might not have the room in your routine to dedicate a specific workout to each one-especially as the weather gets nicer and the trails start calling.
So a workout that targets both your core and your lower body at the same time may be just what you need. By selecting exercises that target the larger muscle groups (i.e., your legs), that also hit your core, you’re getting the benefit of working multiple muscle groups in a timely and efficient manner.
Plus, these types of exercises mimic the moves you do in real life and other sports, helping you build better function fitness, says trainer Charlee Atkins, C.S.C.S., founder of Le Sweat.
So she’s created a series of six moves that will do just that, coming together in a quick, high-intensity workout that will leave you drenched.
“The workout itself ties a lot of moving elements together that will aid in overall core strength, while at the same time rely on having a strong core,” explains Atkins. It will build power, agility, balance, and stability, by focusing on a combination of explosive moves, quick movements, and single-leg exercises.
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How to Do It
Perform each exercise for the designated number of reps. Engage your core before beginning the exercise, and focus on keeping your abdominal muscles tight throughout the movement. Your core muscles will help keep your back safe and your posture in the correct position while moving through the exercises. Complete two to three rounds of the workout.
A post shared by CHARLEE ATKINS | Le Sweat (@charleeatkins) on May 8, 2019 at 6:32am PDT
Star Jump
Start with feet hip distance apart. Prepare for lift-off by “winding up” the body, bending the knees and bringing the hands into the midline. As you explode up, drive both legs out to the sides and bring the hands up, so your body makes a giant “X.” (Your head is the fifth point of the “star.”) Control for a soft landing and immediately repeat. Complete 8 to 12 reps.
Curtsy Lunge With Pause
Standing on one leg, step the opposite foot behind you, so the knee lands on the opposite side of the standing ankle. Return to standing bringing the same knee into hip flexion (knee in line with the hips). Keep the knee up, ankle up, and toe up. Pause at the top and repeat. Complete 10 to 12 reps on the first leg, before switching to the other for 10 to 12 more.
In-and-Out Squat Jumps
Begin with feet wider than hip distance apart. With your knees bent, keep your back flat and chest up, and begin hopping your feet in and out, ending in squat position. Feet should alternate from roughly hip distance to wider than hip distance. Always stay in the loaded or active position, meaning knees will stay bent. One repetition equals both an “in” squat and an “out” squat. Complete 12 to 15 reps.
Side-to-Side Drop Squat
Keeping the chest up and back flat, begin laterally hopping side to side, dropping the inside arm in between both feet. If your mobility allows, touch your hand to the ground. Continuously move side to side. One rep equals lateral hop to both sides. Complete 12 to 15 reps.
Reverse Lunge to Kickstand
Step back into a reverse lunge, keeping your front knee in line with the ankle. From the reverse lunge, step back into a narrow lunge, with your toe tracking over your front knee. Keep your chest and eyes up the entire time. Perform 10 to 12 reps on the first leg, before completing 10 to 12 reps on the other side.
SLDL to Reverse Kickstand
Extend your right arm and right leg as far as you can in both directions, maintain balance on the opposite leg. Then, while still holding your balance, bring your back leg into a reverse lunge, with your back knee just touching the ground. Without dropping the moving foot, move back to the SLDL and repeat the exercise. One rep equals one SLDL and one reverse lunge. Complete 10 to 12 reps on one side before finishing with 10 to 12 reps on the other.
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