Train like a pro athlete with these 5 key moves
Whether you’re training for a race, want to dominate on the sports field or are simply looking to stay active, try these moves
Vahdaneh Vahid
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Whether you’re training for a race, want to dominate on the sports field or simply looking to stay active, then, these 5 moves will take your fitness to the next level and improve your athletic performance.
Jump squats
Area trained: builds explosive power in your lower body and strengthening your core
(Photo courtesy: Vahdaneh Vahid)
- Stand with your feet hip-distance part
- Quickly lower yourself into a squat position
- Keep your hips back and thighs parallel to the floor
- Explode, getting as high as possible
- Land softly on the balls of your feet before quickly sinking back into a squat, and repeat
Press-ups
Areas trained: chest, triceps, core
(Photo courtesy: Vahdaneh Vahid)
- Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
- Tighten up through your core, ensuring your back is flat
- Bend your arms to lower your body until your chest is about 1cm from the floor
- Drive back up to the starting position where your arms are extended
Romanian deadlift – (you’ll need a bar)
Areas trained: hamstrings, lower back, glutes
(Photo courtesy: Vahdaneh Vahid)
- Hold the bar with an overhand grip approximately shoulder-width (your thumbs should brush the outside of your thighs)
- Place your feet approximately hip-width apart, with knees soft and your feet straight ahead
- Maintaining a flat back position, bend forward at the hips, lowering the bar towards the floor
- Reverse the position, extend your hips and return to the start position
Turkish Get-up
Areas trained: shoulders, core, glutes, oblique’s (side)
(Photo courtesy: Vahdaneh Vahid)
- Lie on your back and hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in your right hand, straight above your shoulder, arm vertical
- Position your left arm out to the side and bend your right leg so that your right foot is alongside your left knee
- Pushing off your right foot, roll onto your left hip and up onto your left elbow
- Push up onto your left hand and holding yourself up on your left hand and right foot, lift yourself up off the ground, then thread your left leg back to a kneeling position
- You will be in a kneeling position with your left knee on the floor, right foot on the floor and the kettlebell or dumbbell locked out overhead in your right hand
- From the kneeling position, move into a standing position and then, reverse the movements to come back down to the starting position on the floor
- Repeat on the other side
Barbell bent-over row
Areas trained: upper back, biceps
(Photo courtesy: Vahdaneh Vahid)
- Hold the bar with an overhand grip approximately shoulder-width (your thumbs should brush the outside of your thighs)
- Start with your feet hip-width apart in an offset stance with your right foot slightly staggered behind the left
- Take up the same position as you would for the Romanian deadlift (your knees slightly bent and your torso bent forwards at your hips at a 45-degree angle)
- Row the barbell up to your ribcage and then return to the starting position
- Perform 8-10 reps of each exercise one after the other in a circuit, resting between sets if you need to
Once you’ve completed a circuit of all five of these, return to the start and repeat.
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