Exercise: Chair Step-Ups & Step-Up / Cross-Under Combos* Do: Drive through your heel, all the way up Don’t: Get only halfway up Easier: Standard step up Harder: Double-time, Up and Over variations *check out the Cross-Under squat video for more tutorial on the combo movement.

Exercise: Skater Strides Do: Stay low throughout, keep head and chest lifted, use arms like a speed skater Don’t: bob up and down, or half-ass it and wind up looking like a tap dancer :)

Exercise: Heismans Do: Keep feet fast and light; use your abs to tuck and crunch toward your knee Don’t: look for height – the movements should be lateral Easier: go slower and more deliberately Harder: faster feet!

Exercise: High Knees Do: Get your knees high! Don’t: look down, let your chest and shoulders sag Easier: fewer reps, go more slowly Harder: step quickly   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Mountain Climbers and Spidermans For Mountain Climbers, bring your knees straight in towards your chest without touching your front foot to the floor; for Spidermans, bring your front foot to the outside of your hand and transfer your weight to it. Do: Place wrists directly below shoulders Don’t: allow hips to rise up Easier: go […]

Exercise: Box Jumps (Standard, Squat Box Jump, and Seated Box Jump) Do: Land with feet completely on the box, and come to a full standing position, before stepping down. Explode up with the highest jump possible. Don’t: hit your knuckles on the box! Easier: use a 20″ or shorter box / step Harder: use a 24″ or higher box; […]

Exercise: Tuck Jumps – Advanced Variations Do: Get low to start every jump. Power up as high as possible and tuck both knees to chest. Attempt to stick the landing each time. Don’t: do these without a very good warm-up. Easier: take more rest between jumps. Harder: n/a See also: Long Jump with Weight, Tuck Jumps Back to […]

Exercise: Weighted Long Jumps Do: Swing the weight out in front of you, imagine it dragging you forward. Take it slow as you get used to the feeling. Don’t: look for height, or swing the weight above shoulder height. Easier: eliminate the weight Harder: heavier weight, more reps. See also: Long Jump + Tuck Jump Back to all How-To […]

Exercise: Crossover Twists with a Ball Do: Keep your shoulders in contact with the mat Don’t: rush, or twist further than you can with control   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: I, Y, & Tees Do: Engage your core and glutes throughout, keep the motions small Don’t: overdo the pulsing motion Easier: take rests Harder: add small hand weights   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Russian Twists (with a ball) Do: Keep a flat back, keep hips relatively still so that knee caps remain aligned Easier: Sit up at a more upright angle Harder: add weight   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Planks with Single Knee Tucks on a Ball (HOB) Do: Try to keep as still as possible in your upper body and trunk Modification: do this from the ground, or with your elbows on the ball if you have wrist pain   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Side Lifts Do: Align your head, butt, and heels in one straight line Don’t: Look down at your feet   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: I, Y, & Tees Do: Engage your core and glutes throughout, keep the motions small Don’t: overdo the pulsing motion Easier: take rests Harder: add small hand weights   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Prisoner Get-Ups Do: take your time, and hit all the “Stops”: 1) lie down 2) sit up 3) tuck your knee under 4) rise to kneeling 5) stand up Easier: Use your hands to support Harder: Add weight   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Side Plank Variations: from elbow or from hand; arm lifted; leg lifted; both arm and leg lifted Do: Align your head, hips, and heels in a straight line Don’t: Look at your feet Easier: hand on hip, from the elbow Harder: Variations are listed in order from easier to harder Click here to see all […]

Exercise: Cross-Under Squats Do: Keep head and chest lifted, get hips down low, reach far across with the back leg Don’t: take miniature steps, or only bend forward at the waist instead of bending from the knees

Exercise: Bridges Variations: Basic, One leg, Marching, One leg with a Kick Do: Keep hips level and as still as possible. Engage your abs and glutes before lifting your hips Don’t: Allow hips to dip side to side Easier / Harder: The variations are listed in order from easiest to most difficult.   Click here to […]

Exercise: Crossover Twists with a Ball Do: Keep your shoulders in contact with the mat Don’t: rush, or twist further than you can with control   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Skater Jumps Variation: Skater Jumps & Hops Do: Take speed skater posture, low and bent at the waist. Jump wide and low. For the jump+hop variation, get as much air under your toes on the Hop as you can! Don’t: Pop up and over; transfer your weight to the back foot on each side of the jumps […]

Exercise: Weighted Long Jumps Do: Swing the weight out in front of you, imagine it dragging you forward. Take it slow as you get used to the feeling. Don’t: look for height, or swing the weight above shoulder height. Easier: eliminate the weight Harder: heavier weight, more reps. See also: Long Jump + Tuck Jump Back to all How-To […]

Exercise: Walking Lunge Do: Keep head and shoulders lifted, drive up through your front heel Don’t: let your front knee drive forward past your toes, or cave inward towards your centre line. Easier: hold on to a wall for support, don’t bend as deeply Harder / Stability variation: Add a twist, reaching back toward your back heel with the same […]

Exercise: Push-Ups on a Ball Variations: FOB Push-ups; FOB single-leg push-ups; HOB push-ups from the knees; HOB push-ups (lowering motion only); HOB full push-ups Do: Practice good standard push-up form Don’t: Allow your shoulders to rise towards your ears Easier / Harder: variations are listed in order of challenge   Click here to see all the […]

Exercise: Bench Dips (aka Chair Dips) Do: Keep shoulders down, elbows pointed back Don’t: let your shoulders hunch towards your ears. Easier: Place feet closer to your bench Harder: Elevate feet See also: Triceps Push-Ups, Triceps Roll-outs Back to all How-To Videos, in alphabetical order…

Exercise: Plank – Elbows to Hands Do: Follow all the good form advice for a standard plank; remember to alternate which arm leads   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Upper Body Warm-Up and Mobility Sequence Do: Follow this sequence before doing heavy lifting or extensive upper body training. Don’t: Let your ribs poke forward during pass-throughs, pull-aparts, or cactus arms. Here’s the sequence: 10 Pass-throughs 10 Cactus Arms 10 Wall Push-ups 10 Pull-Aparts – overhand 10 Pull-Aparts – underhand 10 T-Spine roll-outs in each […]

Exercise: Duck Walks Do: Take long, low strides Don’t: Pop up between steps Easier: Shorter sustained periods of walking Harder: Keep going! quack!

Exercise: Long Jump + Tuck Jump Combination Do: Spring up into the tuck jump quickly and vertically. Don’t: jump forward on the tuck jump. Easier: Separate the two jumps with a pause. Harder: n/a See also: Long Jump with Weight, Tuck Jumps, Advanced Tuck Jumps Back to all How-To Videos, in alphabetical order…

Exercise: Sideways Stairs Do: Use “outside” and “inside” leg equally, & remember to swap sides every flight of stairs or two. Don’t: forget to get low and attack the stairs like a speed skater

Exercise: High Knees Do: Get your knees high! Don’t: look down, let your chest and shoulders sag Easier: fewer reps, go more slowly Harder: step quickly   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…