1.
Inhale as you slowly swing the kettlebell
Kettlebell Swing
Comments and tips
Exercise details
 Target muscle: Gluteus Maximus
 Synergists: Hamstrings, Adductor
Magnus, Soleus, Quadriceps (Rectus
Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus
Medialis, Vastus Intermedius), Erector
Spinae, Middle and Lower Trapezius,
Anterior Deltoid, Lateral Deltoid,
Clavicular (Upper) Pectoralis Major,
Serratus Anterior
 Mechanics: Compound
 Force: Pull
Starting position
1. Stand with your legs a little wider than
shoulder width apart, with a kettlebell
between your feet.
2. Hinge at the hips and a little at the knees,
grasp the kettlebell with both hands, and
lift it a little off the floor by extending
your hips. At this point, your back and
arms should be straight, your torso
should be almost horizontal, your knees
should be slightly flexed, and the
kettlebell should be hanging straight
down in front of you.
Execution
2.
backward and up between your legs.
As the kettlebell starts to swing forward,
forcefully extend your hips and knees to
swing the kettlebell up in front of you. At
the top of the movement, squeeze your
glutes.
3. As the kettlebell swings back down,
hinge at the hips and a little at the knees
and guide the kettlebell between your
legs.
4. Repeat the forward and backward swings
for the prescribed number of times.
 Do not swing the kettlebell too high; stop
when your arms are parallel with the
floor.
 Keep your head up, your core tight, your
back straight, your feet flat, and your feet
and knees pointing in the same direction.
 The abs and obliques only act as
stabilizers, which is why they have not
been labeled.
 The kettlebell swing exercise is not a
combination of a shallow squat followed
by a front raise. It’s more like a
plyometric stiff-leg deadlift. Nearly all of
the movement should be in your hips and
shoulders. What’s more, the momentum
for the forward swing of the kettlebell
should come from the extension of your
hips and not from the flexion of your
shoulders.
 The kettlebell swing can be used in
cardio circuits and to strengthen your
posterior chain muscles (erector spinae,
gluteus maximus, adductor magnus,
hamstrings, and soleus). Since the
posterior chain is responsible for forward
propulsion, exercises that strengthen the
chain, such as the kettlebell swing, are
useful for developing functional strength,
as well as improving gait and sporting
performance.
 Make the kettlebell swing more difficult
by holding a kettlebell in each hand. See
second video.

Stability ball
jackknife
Exercise details
 Target muscles: Iliopsoas
 Synergists: Tensor Fasciae Latae,
Sartorius, Pectineus, Adductor
Longus, Adductor Brevis, Rectus
Abdominis, Obliques, Adductor
Magnus, Gluteus Maximus
 Dynamic stabilizers: Hamstrings,
Rectus Femoris
 Mechanics: Compound
 Force: Pull
Starting position
1. Get into a push-up position with your
shins resting on top of a stability ball.
You can do this by kneeling in front
of a stability ball, lying with your
waist on top of the ball, and then
crawling forward on your hands over
the ball until your shins are in
position.
Execution
1. Exhale as you flex your knees, hips,
and waist and pull your knees all the
way up toward your chest. Allow
your shins to roll over the ball.
2. Inhale as you extend your knees,
hips, and waist and return your legs
and the ball to the starting position.
3. Repeat.
Comments and tips
 Keep your neck neutral.
 The lower the ball is on your shins,
the smaller the range of motion will
be. Therefore, in order to be able to
get a full range of motion and pull
your knees all the way up to your
chest, start with the ball close to your
knees.
 Your tensor fasciae latae, sartorius,
pectineus, adductor longus, and
adductor brevis (most of which are
out of view in the illustration) help to
flex your hips (that is, they act as
synergists during hip flexion).
 Your rectus abdominis and obliques
will contract dynamically and thus
act as synergists only if you also flex
your waist; otherwise, they will only
contract isometrically to stabilize
your waist and pelvis.
 Your adductor magnus and gluteus
maximus get involved only when
extending your hips back to the
starting position. Since there isn’t
much resistance with the stability ball
jackknife during hip extension, these
muscles don’t get much of a workout.
 The stability ball jackknife is also
known as the Swiss ball and exercise
ball jackknife.
 Descend at least until your thighs are
Dumbbell squat parallel with the floor.
2. Exhale as you push yourself back up
to a standing position, driving from
your heels.
3. Repeat for the prescribed number of
repetitions.

Comments and tips

Exercise details
 Target muscles: Gluteus Maximus,
Quadriceps
 Synergists: Adductor Magnus,
Soleus
 Dynamic stabilizers (not
highlighted): Hamstrings,
Gastrocnemius
 Stabilizers (not highlighted): Erector
Spinae, Levator Scapulae, Middle
and Lower Trapezius, Rectus
Abdominis, Obliques
 Mechanics: Compound
 Force: Push
 Keep your torso upright, shoulders
back, head up, and feet flat.
 Keep your knees and feet pointing in
the same direction.
 Use the dumbbell squat as an
auxiliary exercise to improve
your barbell squat.
 One benefit the dumbbell squat has
over the barbell squat is that you can
perform it anywhere, and there’s no
need for a spotter.
 The dumbbell squat can also replace
the barbell squat as your primary
quad-dominant (squatting) exercise
during deload weeks or if the barbell
squat is too hard on your lower back.

Starting position
1. Stand holding a pair of dumbbells by
your sides. Your feet should be
shoulder-width apart and pointing
slightly outward.

Execution
1. Keeping your torso upright and your
shoulders back, inhale as you squat
down by pushing your butt backward
and bending your knees forward.

Weighted Russian
twist
Exercise details
 Target muscles: Internal and
External Obliques
 Synergists: Hip External Rotators,
Psoas Major, Iliocastalis Lumborum,
Iliocastalis Thoracis, Quadratus
Lumborum
 Mechanics: Isolation
 Force: Pull
Starting position
1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent,
and lock your feet under something
stable.
2. Grasp a weight plate in both hands.
3. Lean backward until your torso and
thighs create a v-shape.
Execution
1. Keeping your back straight, gently
twist your torso and lower the weight
to your side until you feel a mild
stretch in your side or back.
2. Reverse the motion and lower the
weight to your other side.
3. Keep repeating, alternating the side
to which you lower the weight.
4. Breathe naturally.
Comments and tips
 Keep the movement under control.
Do not let momentum build up, as
you can injure your spine.
 Make the weighted Russian twist
easier by keeping the weight close to
your body.
 Make the exercise more difficult by
extending the weight farther away
from your body.
 Instead of holding a weight plate, you
can hold either a dumbbell or a
medicine ball.
 A more advanced way of performing
the weighted Russian twist is to raise
your feet a little off the floor, keeping
your knees bent, and balance on your
buttocks as you twist from side to
side. See the video.
 Your rectus abdominis only acts to
stabilize your torso, which is why it
has not been listed as a synergist.
 3. Repeat.
Barbell sumo squat
Comments and tips
 Keep your feet flat, and your feet and
knees pointing in the same direction.
 Don’t allow your knees to cave in;
keep them out.
 Use a power cage or a squat rack for
safety (see video).
 The wide stance of the barbell sumo
squat is great for inner-thigh
development. It also enhances the
involvement of your gluteus
maximus, but only if you lift heavy.
 Your erector spinae work as
important stabilizers if you lift heavy.
Exercise details Your hamstrings are not significantly
activated. As with all types of squat,
 Target muscles: Quadriceps (Rectus they mainly act to stabilize your
Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus knees.
Medialis, Vastus Intermedius)
 Synergists: Gluteus Maximus,
Pectineus, Adductor Magnus,
Adductor Longus, Adductor Brevis,
Gracilis, Soleus
 Dynamic stabilizers: Hamstrings
 Mechanics: Compound
 Force: Push

Starting position
1. Place a barbell on the back of your
shoulders and hold it at each side.
2. Stand with your feet wider than
shoulder-width apart.
3. Point your toes and knees 30 to 45
degrees out to the sides (i.e. sumo or
plié stance).

Execution
1. Keeping your head up, back straight,
and body upright, inhale as you squat
by simultaneously flexing your hips
and knees, and descend at least until
your thighs are parallel with the floor.
2. Exhale as you return to a standing
position.
 2. Touch your left elbow to your right
Bicycle crunch knee, and your right elbow to your
left knee.
3. Keep repeating.
4. Breathe naturally.

Comments and tips

 Keep your neck neutral and your
 Straighten each knee before raising it
 In a classic 2001 study conducted by
Exercise details
 Target muscle: Rectus Abdominis
 Synergists: Obliques, Iliopsoas,
Tensor Fasciae Latae, Pectineus,
Sartorius, Adductor Longus,
Adductor Brevis
 Mechanics: Compound
 Force: Pull
Starting position
1. Lie supine (on your back) with your
legs straight.
2. Place your hands behind your head.
3. Raise your feet and upper back a
little off the floor.
4. Press your lower back to the ground.
lower back pressed against the floor.
again. Your feet should not circle;
instead, they should kick forward and
backward.
the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego
State University, the effectiveness of
the bicycle crunch and 12 other
common ab exercises were
compared, and the bicycle crunch
was found to be the most effective.
Compared with the standard crunch,
the bicycle crunch was found to
produce 148% more mean activity in
the abs and 190% more mean activity
in the obliques. The captain’s chair
leg and hip raise was also found to be
very effective, producing 112% more
mean activity in the abs and 210%
more mean activity in the obliques
than the standard crunch. That’s why
the bicycle crunch and hanging leg
and hip raise (which is essentially the
same as the captain’s chair leg and
hip raise but doesn’t require a
captain’s chair) are included in most,
if not all, of my training programs.

Execution
1. Slowly start raising your knees, one
at a time, toward your chest in a
cycling motion.
 2. Hold for a count of two.
Cable hip abduction 3. Inhale as you slowly return your
strapped leg to the starting position.
4. Repeat for more repetitions.
5. Repeat with your opposite ankle.

Comments and tips

 Keep the rest of your body still. Only
your hip should move.
 Use the cable hip abduction to
activate and build your hip abductors,
thus adding shape to your hips and
producing more of an hourglass
figure.

Exercise details
 Target muscles: Hip abductors
(listed as synergists)
 Synergists: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus
Minimus, Tensor Fasciae Latae
 Mechanics: Isolation
 Force: Pull

Starting position
1. Attach an ankle strap to one ankle
and hook it up to a low cable pulley.
2. Stand perpendicular to the pulley
with your strapped ankle farthest
away from the pulley.
3. Step away from the pulley so that the
cable is pulled taut and your strapped
leg is pulled across your unstrapped
leg.
4. Grasp something for stability and
place your free hand on your hip.

Execution
1. Keeping both legs straight, exhale as
you pull your strapped ankle away
from the pulley until it is fully
abducted.

Lying leg curl
Exercise details
 Target muscles: Hamstrings (Biceps
Femoris, Semimembranosus,
Semitendinosus)
 Synergists: Gastrocnemius,
Sartorius, Gracilis, Popliteus
 Mechanics: Isolation
 Force: Pull
 Keep the movement slow and
controlled.
 Try to resist the lowering of the lever;
don’t just let it drop.
 Don’t allow your hips to rise off the
bench.
 Adjust the lever for optimal leverage.
 Keep your ankles flexed so that your
toes point toward your shins. This
allows your gastrocnemii to offer
better assistance.
 Adjusting the orientation of your feet
during the lying leg curl emphasizes
different hamstring muscles. Keep
your feet straight to emphasize all
hamstrings. Turn your feet inward to
emphasize your inner hamstrings
(semitendinosus and
semimembranosus). Turn your feet
outward to emphasize your outer
hamstring (biceps femoris).
 See also kneeling leg curl and seated
leg curl.

Starting position
1. Lie prone (face down) on the leg curl
bench and position your legs under
the lever pads. Your knees should be
just below the edge of the bench and
the lever pads should be resting just
above your heels.
2. Hold the handles for stability.

Execution
1. Exhale as you flex your knees and
curl the lever until it touches the back
of your thighs.
2. Hold for a count of two.
3. Inhale as you lower the lever to the
starting position.
4. Repeat.

Comments and tips


Machine seated calf
raise
Exercise details
 Target muscle: Soleus
 Synergists: Gastrocnemius
 Mechanics: Isolation
 Force: Push
Starting position
1. Sit in the calf raise machine and
place your forefeet on the foot
platforms, with your heels extending
off.
2. Place your thighs under the lever
pads and adjust the pads to snugly
support your thighs.
3. Lift the lever a little and release the
safety bar, giving the lever freedom
to descend.
4. Hold the handles for support.
Execution
1. Inhale as you allow the lever to
descend in a controlled manner until
you feel a stretch in your calves.
2. Hold for a count of one.
3. Exhale as you press the lever all the
way up by raising your heels.
4. Hold for a count of two.
5. Repeat.
6. When you have finished, secure the
lever with the safety bar.
Comments and tips
 Holding for a count of one before
pressing the lever back up allows the
elastic energy in your Achilles
tendons to dissipate, thus preventing
you from using the energy to bounce
the lever back up.
 If your calves have different sizes,
perform the exercise one leg at a
time, starting with your smaller leg.
To promote equal size and strength
between your calves, do not perform
more reps with your larger leg.
 Your soleus and gastrocnemius make
up your calf. In the seated calf raise,
your soleus is the target and your
gastrocnemius is the synergist. In
the standing calf raise, your
gastrocnemius is the target and your
soleus is the synergist.
 Building your soleus makes your
gastrocnemius look bigger because
your gastrocnemius sits on top of
your soleus.
 If you don’t have access to a seated
calf raise machine, you can perform
seated calf raises with a barbell on
your knees and your forefeet on a
block. See the second video.
 5. Repeat for more repetitions.
Standing dumbbell 6. Repeat with your right leg.
one-leg calf raise
Comments and tips
 Keep the movement slow and under
control.
 Do not lock out your knee.
 The point of holding for a count of
one after lowering your heel is to
dissipate all of the elastic energy that
is stored in your Achilles tendon and
thus prevent cheating.
 Use the standing dumbbell one-leg
calf raise to fix contralateral size and
strength differences in your calve
muscles.
Exercise details
 Target muscle: Gastrocnemius
 Synergists: Soleus
 Mechanics: Isolation
 Force: Push

Starting position
1. Hold a dumbbell by your side, in
your left hand.
2. With your left foot, stand on a
platform, with the arch and heel of
your foot suspending off.
3. Grasp something with your right
hand for stability.

Execution
1. Exhale as you raise your heel by
extending your ankle (plantar
flexion).
2. Hold for a count of two.
3. Inhale as you slowly reverse the
motion (dorsiflexion) and lower your
heel until you feel a mild stretch in
your calf.
4. Hold for a count of one.
 Dumbbell
squat 3 sets –
15 reps
Weighted
Stability ball Russian
jackknife 3 sets twist
– 20 reps 3 sets – 20
Kettlebell reps
Swing 4 set –
15 reps

Barbell sumo
squat Cable hip
3 sets – 15 reps abduction
3 sets – 15 reps
Bicycle crunch
3 sets – Fallo
reps

Machine seated Standing

Lying leg curl calf raise dumbbell one-
3 sets – 15 reps 3 sets – 12 reps leg calf raise
3 sets – 12 reps