7 Best Strength Training Exercises

How to Do a Front Squat and Overhead Shoulder Press

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing straight ahead or slightly angled out away from your body.
2. Hold one dumbbell in each hand at your shoulders (palms facing in) and exhale to engage your core.
3. Lower your hips down into a front squat, aiming to get your thighs parallel to the ground. Keep your weight in your heels, elbows and chest up.
4. Drive through your heels to stand tall and perform an overhead shoulder press by pressing both dumbbells overhead, locking out your biceps by your ears.
5. Lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders and repeat the squat to overhead press.

Modification: Hold one dumbbell horizontally at your chest, or perform the movement as a bodyweight exercise.

How to Do an Alternating Reverse Lunge and Bicep Curl

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in towards each other (hammer grip).
2. Step your right leg back into a reverse lunge, dropping your right knee down towards the ground as you lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh is parallel to the floor. 
3. Hold the bottom of your lunge as you bend your elbows to curl the dumbbells up towards shoulder height, performing a hammer grip bicep curl. 
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position. As you lower the dumbbells, exhale, squeezing your left glute and keeping your weight in your left heel as you drive through the heel to stand tall, returning to your starting position.
5. Repeat the lunge on the left side by stepping your left foot back into a reverse lunge, dropping your left knee down towards the ground until both knees reach 90-degree angles. Hold the lunge as you perform a hammer curl.
6. Exhale, squeezing your right glute to push you up as you return to the starting position.

Modification: If lunges are uncomfortable, check out these alternative exercises.

How to Do a Deadlift and Upright Row

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your left hand with your palm facing in towards your body.
2. Stagger your feet so your right leg is slightly in front of your left foot. Kickstand your back left foot, left heel floating off the ground. Keep 80% of your weight in your front foot, 20% in your back toes.
3. Maintain a staggered stance as you hinge at the hips. Push your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbell down the front of your leg, until you feel a stretch in the back of your leg. This is a deadlift.
4. Press through your front heel to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbell back up towards your hips as you stand tall.
5. From a standing position, pull your left elbow up towards your left shoulder, gliding the dumbbell up your body. This is an upright row.
6. Lower the dumbbell to the starting position and repeat.

How to Do a Lateral Lunge and Single-Arm Back Row

1. Stand with your feet under your hips, holding a dumbbell in your left hand.
2. Step your right leg out to the side as you push your hips back, bending your right knee while leaving your left leg straight. Think of performing a single-leg squat with your right leg while your left leg remains straight. Knees and toes are pointing forward.
3. Hold at the bottom of the lateral lunge, then pull your left elbow back towards your left hip, performing a single-arm row. With control, lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
4. Drive off your right foot to reverse the movement, stepping back to center.

How to Do a Push-Up and Side Plank Hold

1. Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers. Pull your kneecaps up towards your belly, feet hip-width apart.
2. Slowly lower your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips.
3. Once at the bottom of your push-up, exhale as you push back up into high plank position.
4. Pull your right arm up and over your body, opening up to your right as your arms expand into a “T” shape, performing a side plank. Hold for a 3-count before returning to high plank position.
5. Repeat, performing another push-up and then opening to the left, performing a side plank on the left side.

Modification: If you experience wrist pain during push-ups, you can substitute incline push-ups by placing your hands on a chair or bench. You can also drop to your knees for modified push-ups and planks.

How to Do a Glute Bridge and Tricep Extension

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs bent at 90 degrees and your heels flat on the ground.
2. Holding one dumbbell in each hand, fully extend your arms so the dumbbells are directly overhead, palms facing one another.
3. Bending at the elbows, slowly lower the dumbbells towards your head.
4. As you push the dumbbells back overhead to return to the starting position, simultaneously drive through your heels, squeezing your butt to lift your hips up toward the ceiling. Keep your knees in line with your hips.
5. Hold at the top for a moment, then lower your hips back down to a hover position as you lower the dumbbells back towards your head.

How to Do a Glute Bridge Hold and Chest Press

1. Lie flat on the ground with your back straight and your legs bent at 90-degrees. Heels are flat on the ground.
2. Holding one dumbbell in each hand, fully extend your arms so the dumbbells are directly overhead, palms facing away from your body.
3. Drive through your heels, squeezing your butt to lift your hips up toward the ceiling. Perform an isometric hold at the top of your glute bridge.
4. Bending at the elbows, slowly lower the dumbbells towards your chest. Keep your chest puffed out and the weights in line with your nipples, bending your arms at 90 degrees.
5. Exhale, pushing the dumbbells back overhead to return to the starting position.