One of the most important things you can do for your body is to keep moving. The best way to do this is by integrating strength training into your weekly routine. While most people should not start with heavy loads, the principles of movement that lay the foundation for strength work are vital components of keeping your body and your mind in top condition. Gaining strength is particularly important because of it's role in allowing us to stay active as we age. Without quality of movement, quality of life diminishes. So if you are not lifting weights, or regularly participating in an activity where you work to maintain your strength, then I highly recommend getting involved.
When it comes to strength training, there are a few exercises that we feel should be at the top of the list. While you should not be starting with heavy weights for any of these, it is the movement that we are most concerned about. It should also be noted that a with any activity, there will be some populations that these particular variations are not appropriate for. If you have never done them before or unsure if they are right for you, find someone that can show you the correct technique!
With that said, here are our top five exercises that everyone should be doing (if not a regression):
The Turkish Get Up
This is the ultimate total body movement, and what is best, you don’t even need weight to make it a great move! I would recommend starting with no weight, and make sure you have perfect technique before adding on the 4kg Kettlebell. We also recommend that you take this move one piece at a time. Make sure that you are confident getting to your elbow and down before you try to get to the hand and so on. Once you are confident getting all the way up, THEN add weight.
Single Leg Deadlift
Start with the weight in hand, held at your side. Keeping one leg almost straight (let the knee stay relaxed), bend at the waist and press your other foot back. You should be keeping your abs and butt tight during this move as to protect your back. Try to keep your hips and shoulders level so that one side is not higher than the other. Bend until just before your back can no longer be held straight, then squeeze your butt and stand back up. Remember to stay in control, and if you need to, have a wall or bench close by for balance.
NOTE: If you have not done standard deadlifts before, start there. Deadlifting variations are some of the best exercises you can do for overall strength, while also training the much neglected posterior chain (back, butt, hamstrings). For those of you that know the deadlift, try out the single leg as it will challenge your balance, coordination, and core to a greater extent.
TRX Row
In our society, we spend most of our lives in a seated, slouched position. This exercise can help undo the rounded shoulder look, while helping to strengthen the back and working to prevent shoulder injuries. If you do not have a TRX, you can use a barbell on a rack to do inverted rows, or use a dumbbell for bent over rows.
TRX BodySaw
This is one of the best core exercise I have found, though I usually do not include the pike. This is an advanced exercise, so if you are not familiar with it, try out a TRX Roll Out first, and work your way up. If you are a beginner, you may want to start with planks before advancing.
Kettlebell Swing
The Kettlebell swing is both a power and metabolic exericse, meaning that it will help to build strength while also increasing your cardiovascular capacity…what more could you want! It also stems from the deadlift pattern (see links above) which is one of the most important movements you can learn. Both of them are based in quality hip movement, and those that can move well and move powerfully through the hips will look and feel the best over the long run.
The brain likes to be challenged, so it is important to mix up your workouts and not let yourself get stuck in the same old routines. Hopefully at least one of these exercises has sparked some interest and excitement for you and has given you enough information to go try it out next time you are in the gym. The most important thing you can do for you body is to stay active and to vary the movements that you perform. If you just do the same thing every time you are in the gym, your body will become more and more efficient and will actually stop producing results. Add to this that training your brain is just as important as training your body and you can see that variety in movement will not only be good for your looks, but your long term health as you age. So keep mixing it up and find the right exercise for your current fitness abilities to see the best results while staying safe!
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