SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (weights)

Reverse grip wrist curl Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: Dumbbells · Bench Muscles involved: Forearms Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Sit on a bench with a double overhand grip on a pair of dumbbells. Rest the weights on your thighs. STEP 2 Lift your hands up by extending and curling your wrists. Pause, then return the weights to the starting position. Tips Do not round your upper back or use any momentum to move the weights. Keep the focus on your wrists and forearms. Perform a full range of motion for each rep making sure to return to the starting position before beginning the next rep. Start with lighter weights to focus on form and range of motion

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (weights)

Alternating dumbbell lying triceps extension Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Dumbbells · Bench Muscles involved: Triceps Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Lying back on a bench with dumbbells in each hand, your arms fully extended overhead. Keeping one dumbbell stationary, lower the other one by bending at the elbow until it's just above your shoulder. STEP 2 Pause, then extend the arm back to the start position by contracting the triceps. Tips Keep your back flat during the exercise to avoid injury. Keep your upper arm and elbow still

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (cardio)

Medicine ball alternating V-up Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Medicine ball Muscles involved: Hips · Abs Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Lie on the floor face-up with your legs straight and feet together. Hold a medicine ball with both hands over your head. STEP 2 Simultaneously lift your legs and torso off of the floor, bringing your arms forward until the ball touches your ankles. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Tips Do not round your lower back at the bottom of the movement. Squeeze your abs tight at the top of the movement

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (CARDIO)

Two-arm doorway stretch Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: Squat rack Muscles involved: Shoulders · Chest Focus: Flexibility Steps STEP 1 Stand in a doorframe or squat rack and push your arms out to your sides, placing your forearms against the frame. Make sure your elbows are at a 90-degree angle with your triceps parallel to the ground. STEP 2 Slowly walk forward until you feel a light stretch in the chest and shoulders. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, and return to starting position. Tips Do not continue the stretch if you have any tingling sensations. Do not hyperextend the lower back during the stretch. Keep your midsection tight. Do not place your hands too high on the wall. Keep your upper arms parallel with the ground

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (cardio)

Single-leg dumbbell straight-leg deadlift Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Dumbbells Muscles involved: Glutes · Back · Hamstrings · Shoulders · Total body · Abs Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing toward your thighs. Lift one leg off the ground while keeping a slight bend in your supporting leg. This is your starting position. STEP 2 Lean forward at your hips while simultaneously raising your free leg backwards. Keeping the dumbbells close to your shins, lower the weights until your back and free leg become almost parallel with the ground. Pause and reverse the movement back to the starting position. Tips Don't round your lower back. Keep your chest up the entire time. Keep the dumbbells close to your body at all times. Keep your weight in your heels and feel a stretch in your hamstrings as you lower the dumbbells.

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (cardio)

Neutral-grip chinup Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Pull-up bar Muscles involved: Biceps · Lats · Delts Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Grasp a chin-up bar using an overhand grip so your palms face each other, arms fully extended. STEP 2 Squeezing your shoulder blades and driving your elbows down, pull yourself up until your collarbone reaches your hands. Slowly lower your body to the starting position. Tips Come to a full hang at the bottom position. Do not pull through your wrists. Drive your elbows behind you. Finish the rep by pulling your chest to the bar. Keep your chest up and shoulders back

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (yoga)

Roll over Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: No equipment Muscles involved: Core Focus: Strength · Mobility · Flexibility Steps STEP 1 Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, palms down, and raise your legs overhead, straight to the ceiling. STEP 2 Scoop your abs to move your legs over your head to a 45 degree angle. STEP 3 Open your legs to hip width. See all steps Tips Hold your knees close to your chest with your ankles crossed as you tighten your abs to raise your pelvis off the mat.

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (CARDIO)

Lateral slide Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: No equipment Muscles involved: Glutes · Calves · Abs · Hips Focus: Strength · Power Steps STEP 1 Stand in a semi-squat position with your feet about hip-width apart. STEP 2 Shuffle laterally twice out to one side followed quickly by two shuffles in the opposite direction back to the starting position. Tips Avoid allowing the knees to cave inward during the exercise. Do not rotate your torso. Keep your hips and torso facing forward. Do not stand up too tall. Stay low in an athletic stance

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (weights)

Barbell bench press Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Bench · Barbell Muscles involved: Chest · Triceps · Delts Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Lie on your back on a bench. Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip just wider than shoulder-width apart and hold it above your chest with your arms fully extended. This will be your starting position. STEP 2 Lower the bar straight down in a controlled motion. Make sure you keep your elbows tucked in close to your body so your upper arms form a 45-degree angle to your body in the down position. Pause, and then press the bar in a straight line back up to the starting position. Tips Avoid arching the lower back. Instead, keep your hips on the bench throughout the entire movement. Do not bounce the bar off of the chest. Move the bar in a controlled fashion. Make sure to wrap your thumbs around the bar to ensure safety

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (weights)

Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Dumbbells · Bench Muscles involved: Glutes · Quads Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms fully extended at your sides and your palms facing each other. With your feet hip-width apart, place the instep of your rear foot on a bench. Your feet should be approximately three feet apart. STEP 2 Lower your hips toward the floor so that your rear knee comes close to the floor. Pause and drive through your front heel to return to the starting position. Tips Do not bend the torso excessively forward. Keep your chest up. Do not let the knee of the grounded leg cave inward. Make sure you descend into the squat with your hips, as opposed to jutting the knee forward

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (weights)

Dumbbell biceps curl with static hold Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Dumbbells Muscles involved: Biceps Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Grab a pair of dumbbells with palms facing out. Allow them to hang at arm's length by your sides. Raise the dumbbell on one side so that the elbow is flexed at a 90-degree angle. STEP 2 Maintain that position while keeping an upright posture. Then curl the dumbbell in the opposite arm to shoulder. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to your side. Keep the static hold throughout all the reps of the lifting arm. Tips Be sure to hold the paused arm at a 90 degree angle. Be sure to lower the weight all the way until your lifting arm is fully extended. Make sure to squeeze the biceps at the top of the lift

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (cardio)

Single-leg back extension Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Roman chair Muscles involved: Glutes · Hamstrings · Back · Spinal erectors Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Set up a back extension machine or Roman chair with the thigh pad just below your waist. Place one leg in the machine and leave the opposite foot on the top of the ankle pad. Cross your arms over your chest. STEP 2 Contract your glutes and hamstrings of the stationary leg as you raise your torso upward. Form a straight line from you shoulders to your feet. Return to the starting position. Tips Be sure to complete the rep by tightening the hips at the top of the movement. Do not hyperextend your lower back at the top of the rep. Do not hyperextend your neck

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (yoga)

Tip toe pose Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: No equipment Muscles involved: Core · Legs · Joints Focus: Strength · Balance · Mobility Steps STEP 1 Begin in a standing forward fold with your hands on the ground. STEP 2 Transfer weight into your hands, and keeping your toes and knees together, rise up on the balls of your feet, bend your knees and squat, lowering your butt to hover just about your heels. STEP 3 Walk your hands back to so that they are on either side of you and take one hand to the center of your chest in a half prayer. See all steps Tips Get comfortable with one hand at a time before attempting no hands on the ground.

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (WEIGHTS)

Reverse-grip incline bench press Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Bench · Barbell Muscles involved: Chest · Triceps · Delts Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Position your body on an incline bench at a 30-45-degree angle. Grab a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing toward you, shoulder-width apart, and hold it above your chest. Extend arms upward, locking out elbows. STEP 2 Lower the bar straight down in a slow, controlled movement to your upper chest. Pause, then press the bar in a straight line back up to the starting position. Tips Do not hyper extend the neck. Maintain a neutral long spine. Do not let the elbows flare out. Keep the elbows close to your sides throughout. Make sure to complete the full descent and touch the chest with the bar. Do not lower bar to the neck

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (yoga)

Teaser Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: No equipment Muscles involved: Core Focus: Strength · Balance Steps STEP 1 Lie on your back with your thighs touching, knees bent, and your feet flat. Rest your arms straight by your sides, palms facing up. STEP 2 Lift one leg to the ceiling. STEP 3 Raise your arms to the ceiling. See all steps Tips This is a balance challenge. Imagine that all of your body is lifting toward the ceiling. Tighten your abdominals in the area between the pubic bone and navel

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (YOGA)

Kneeling hip flexor stretch Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: No equipment Muscles involved: Hamstrings · Hips Focus: Strength · Flexibility Steps STEP 1 Get in a kneeling lunge position with one knee on the floor and the other leg bent 90 degrees in front of you with foot flat. Place one hand on your hip. This is your starting position. STEP 2 Squeezing your back glutes, shift your body weight slightly forward while maintaining an upright torso. Reach around to grasp your foot with your free hand to increase the stretch. Hold for the prescribed time. Tips Avoid losing tension in your glutes. Keep contracting the muscle to force the hip flexors to relax. Keep your free hand on your hip so as not to risk injuring the knee.

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (CARDIO)

Swiss ball EZ-bar preacher curl Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: Swiss ball · Cable attachment Muscles involved: Biceps · Abs Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Grab an EZ-Bar with an underhand grip and hands positioned slightly less than shoulder-width apart. Kneel your torso over a Swiss ball, with your triceps resting on top of it. STEP 2 Keeping your elbows in a fixed position, pull the weight as close as you can toward your shoulders. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Tips Don't let your elbows move. Keep your elbows in line with your body. Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position. Squeeze your biceps as hard as possible at the top of the move

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (WEIGHTS)

Single-leg standing dumbbell calf raise Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: Weight plates · Dumbbells Muscles involved: Calves Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Grab a dumbbell in one hand and stand with the balls of your feet on a weight plate. Lift one foot off of the plate and cross it behind your calf. The dumbbell should be on the same side as your supporting leg. STEP 2 Press the ball of your foot into the plate and raise yourself up as high as possible before returning to the starting position. Tips Be sure to squeeze the calf at the peak extension of the movement. Keep your supporting leg straight throughout the movement. Make sure to drop your heel as far as possible to achieve the greatest stretch.

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (weights)

Incline dumbbell fly Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: Dumbbells · Bench Muscles involved: Chest · Shoulders Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on an incline bench positioned at a 45-degree angle. Hold the dumbbells directly above your chest with your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing each other. STEP 2 Lower the dumbbells in an arc toward the sides of your body, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Once your upper arms are parallel to the floor, reverse the movement back to the starting position. Tips Complete the exercise with proper form before using heavy weights. Squeeze the chest muscles together at the top of the movement

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (weights)

Split barbell good morning Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Barbell · Box Muscles involved: Glutes · Hamstrings · Back · Spinal erectors · Total body Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Place a barbell across your upper back, pulling the bar down while squeezing your shoulder blades together for stability. Grip the bar so your palms are facing forward. Place one heel on a small box or bench, keeping that leg completely straight. Maintain a slightly bent knee stance with your rear knee. STEP 2 Push your chest out while driving your hips backwards, bending forward from the hips and going as low as you can without your lower back rounding. Pause, then squeeze your glutes and return your torso to the starting position. Tips Avoid allowing your back to round forward. Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement. Keep your head inline with the rest of your body and avoid overarching at the neck. Keep your shoulders pulled back and down throughout the exercise

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (yoga)

Inchworm to side plank Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: No equipment Muscles involved: Hamstrings · Back · Hips · Shoulders · Total body · Abs Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Stand tall with your hands down by your sides. Push your hips back and reach your hands down towards the floor. STEP 2 Walk forward on your hands until you're in the top of a push-up position. STEP 3 Tighten your abs and rotate one side of your torso with your arm reaching straight up toward the sky. Return to the push-up position to repeat on the other side. Tips Brace your core throughout entire movement. Keep your glutes tight during the side plank to help with stabilization. Keep your torso square to the ground during the inchworm.

SPRING BODY BACK SOLID (gym session)

Face pull Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Cable machine · Cable attachment Muscles involved: Shoulders · Back · Forearms Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Stand in front of a medium-height rotating pulley and grab each side of the rope attachment. Step back away from machine until arms are fully extended in front of you. Feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width apart and with a soft bend in your knees. STEP 2 Brace core and drive elbows past back, while pulling the rope handles slightly outside of your ears. Hold and contract shoulder blades together. Tips Be sure to drive elbows as far as possible past ears, to ensure proper contraction at shoulder blades. Do not lean forward during the exercise. Keep your torso upright and back straight

sPRING BODY BACK SOLID (yoga)

Swiss ball w raise Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: Swiss ball Muscles involved: Traps · Hips · Delts · Spinal erectors Focus: Strength · Mobility Steps STEP 1 Lie face down on a Swiss ball so your chest is parallel to the floor. Hang your arms down in front of the ball with your elbows bent to 90-degrees. STEP 2 Keeping your elbows bent to 90-degrees, raise your arms up and to the side of your body as your squeeze your shoulder blades together. Continue raising them until your arms are parallel with the ground with your hands beside your head. Pause, then slowly lower your arms back to the starting position. Tips Don't use momentum to raise your arms up. Keep your knees slightly bent to avoid rolling back and forth on the ball. Squeeze your back and shoulder blades at the top of the movement.

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT (weights)

Incline dumbbell bench press Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Bench · Dumbbells Muscles involved: Chest · Triceps · Delts Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Set an adjustable bench to an incline of 30-45 degrees. Lie on your back on the bench and hold a pair of dumbbells directly above your shoulders with your arms fully extended. STEP 2 Pull your shoulder blades together, and slightly stick out your chest. Lower both dumbbells to the sides of your chest. Pause, and then press the dumbbells back to the starting position. Tips Do not hyperextend the neck. Maintain a neutral long spine. Keep the elbows close to your sides throughout the exercise. Lower the dumbbells all the way until they are level with your chest

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT (weights)

Hex dumbbell hold Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: Dumbbells Muscles involved: Forearms · Traps · Abs Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Place a hex dumbbell vertically on one end on the floor. Squat down and grab the end of the dumbbell with one hand. STEP 2 Stand up and hold the dumbbell at your side for up to 20 seconds. Squeeze your fingertips around the hex portion of the dumbbell and squeeze your core. Lower the dumbbell to the other side of your body, grab it with the other hand, and repeat. Tips Avoid allowing your upper back to round. Pull your shoulders down and back to prevent hunching forward. Squeeze your core and your glutes as you stand to prevent any swaying to one side or the other.

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT (yoga)

Side plank to plank with reach under Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: No equipment Muscles involved: Obliques · Delts Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Lie on your side with your bottom elbow on the floor. Raise your hips so that they're off the ground and your body forms a straight line from your ankles to shoulders. Extend your top arm laterally so that it is perpendicular to the floor. STEP 2 Reach under and past your hips with your top hand, keeping your torso stable and pivoting your feet to rest on your toes. Then reverse motion back to starting position. Tips Don't allow your hips to drop. Maintain a straight line from ankles to shoulders. Don't let your shoulders roll forward. Keep your chest up and shoulders back. Press your elbow into the ground to create tension in your back and squeeze your glutes as you hold the side plank.

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT (gym session)

90-degree cable external rotation Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Cable machine · Cable attachment Muscles involved: Shoulders Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in front of an adjustable cable machine. The pulley should be set low. Holding the handle with your right hand, lift your right elbow so that it's in line with your right shoulder and bent at 90-degree angle, palm facing the floor. STEP 2 Rotate your right shoulder by bringing the handle up while keeping your elbow stable and maintaining that 90-degree angle. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. Tips Avoid lowering the weight early. Be sure to pause when your forearm is completely vertical before reversing the motion to the starting position

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT (gym session)

TRX suspended jackknife Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Suspension strap Muscles involved: Triceps · Obliques · Hips · Pecs · Delts · Total body Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Attach a TRX to a pull-up bar and let the stirrups hang about three inches off the floor. Place your feet into the stirrups so that the top of each foot is facing downward. Position your body in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. STEP 2 Brace your core and drive both of your knees towards your chest. Pause when your knees are directly under chest and reverse the direction back to starting position. Tips Don't let your hips sag. Maintain a straight line from your head to heels. Keep your core braced throughout movement. Squeeze your abs and glutes to maintain stability

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT (yoga)

Revolved side angle pose (parivrtta parsvokonasana) Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Yoga block Muscles involved: Back · Joints · Legs · Pelvis · Shoulders Focus: Flexibility · Strength · Balance · Mobility Steps STEP 1 Begin in a low lunge with your right foot forward. STEP 2 Spin your back heel down, and take your left hand to the ground inside of your right foot, in line with your left shoulder. STEP 3 Reach your right arm to the ceiling. See all steps Tips Use a block underneath your bottom hand.

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT (weights)

Single-arm inverted row Difficulty level: Beginner Equipment: Barbell · Squat rack Muscles involved: Shoulders · Back · Biceps · Abs Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Lie on your back underneath a barbell in a squat rack with your knees bent to 90-degrees. Grab the bar with one hand with a neutral grip so that your other arm is extended. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles with the hips lifted off the ground. STEP 2 Pull your chest toward the bar while simultaneously punching your other arm upward until it becomes fully extended above the bar. Hold for one second at the top and return to the starting position. Tips Don't let your back sag or your body lose alignment. Be mindful of proper posture. Pull with your back and shoulders to bring your chest up to the bar. Squeeze your abs and glutes to maintain stability

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT {x-fit}

Explosive crossover pushup Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Weight plates Muscles involved: Triceps · Pecs · Delts Focus: Strength · Power Steps STEP 1 Place a weight plate on the floor and begin in a traditional push-up position with one hand on the weight plate and the other on the floor. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. STEP 2 Lower yourself to the floor, and then explosively push up so your hands come off the floor. STEP 3 Land with the other hand on the weight plate and back in the top of push-up position. Tips Brace your core throughout the entire exercise. Do not let your elbows flare too far out to the side. Perform the push-ups through a full range of motion

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT

T-bar row Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Barbell · Cable attachment Muscles involved: Shoulders · Back · Biceps · Abs Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Load one end of a barbell. Straddle the barbell and push your hips back until your back is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Extend both arms downward and hook the V-handle under the bar and grab it with both hands. STEP 2 Squeeze your shoulder blades together and drive your elbows back, pulling the bar up toward your chest. Pause and return to starting position. Tips Be sure to finish the row by bringing your shoulder blades together. Don't let your back round or body lose alignment. Be mindful of proper posture. Finish the movement by pulling the weight to your chest

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT {yoga}

Heron pose (krounchasana) Difficulty level: Advanced Equipment: Strap Muscles involved: Legs Focus: Flexibility Steps STEP 1 Begin seated in staff pose. STEP 2 Bend your left knee and place the top of your left foot on the ground just outside your left glute. STEP 3 Bend your right knee and take a hold of the outer edges of your right foot with either hand. See all steps Tips Loop a strap on your extended foot

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT {yoga}

Wide-stance plank with opposite arm and leg lift Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: No equipment Muscles involved: Glutes · Abs · Delts Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Position yourself on your elbows and toes, with your body forming a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes, and spread your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. STEP 2 Lift one arm and the opposite leg off the floor. Hold, then return to starting position and alternate sides. Tips Do not hike your hips high or sag your hips low. Squeeze your core and your glutes during the entire movement. Stay rigid and prevent your torso or hips from rotating.

SPRING BODY BACK TIGHT

Lying concentration cable curl Difficulty level: Intermediate Equipment: Cable machine · Cable attachment Muscles involved: Biceps Focus: Strength Steps STEP 1 Adjust the cable machine so the handle is on the lowest setting and use a straight bar attachment. Grab the bar with an underhand grip and your hands shoulder-width apart. Lie flat on your back with your arms fully extended. STEP 2 Contract your biceps and curl the bar towards your shoulders while keeping your elbows tucked by your sides. Pause, and then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position. Tips Be sure to lower the weight all the way until your arms are fully extended. Do not allow your body to come off of the floor. Keep your elbows stationary and tucked at your sides. Make sure to squeeze the biceps at the top of the lift