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Health & Fitness

My Favorite Exercises of 2013

I'm a huge fan of year-end lists, so I decided to create one of my own: my favorite exercises from the past year.

This is typically the time of year when numerous magazines, websites and TV shows put together some sort of “Top” or “Best” list, a.k.a, The Top People of 2013, The Top Teams of 2013, The Best Movies and Songs of 2013, etc.  Being an exercise nerd, I am naturally curious to see if any of the major national fitness publications have any lists on their end, similar to Men’s Health’s very interesting Top 12 Fitness Studies of 2012.  I’m sure a few of you have been introduced to a few new fitness trends in 2013, namely Cross Fit Gyms, Ultra-Marathon competitions, Body Pump classes and High Intensity Interval Training, to name a few, but being a fan of lists myself, I wanted to offer up one of my own:  My Top 10 Favorite Exercises of 2013.

This list isn’t at all scientific, meaning these aren’t necessarily the best exercises you can do or even ones that will get you the best results.  You’ll have to wait for another year end list before I put that one together.  Rather, these exercises are more personal favorites, ones that I seem to use repeatedly in classes or in training sessions, or even exercising on my own.  Most are compound body weight exercises that stress different muscle groups and combine strength and cardio at the same time, and those of you who have worked out with me before know how much I love to combine the two for maximum efficiency and intensity.  So without further adieu, my favorite exercises for the year 2013. And please, yes, indeed, do try these at home, preferably with friends:

  • #10:  Push-up into wide toe jumps.  A push-up could possibly be my all-time favorite exercise anyway, but the toe jump adds a little extra cardio jolt that forces you to engage your hips and core.  Get into a push up position, feet together, and do your normal push up.  Right after that push up, do a quick hop with your toes wide and then bring them back together while holding the push-up position.  Simple.
  • #9:  Squat Jumps.   Squats (or their variations) are probably my second favorite all-time exercise, and adding the jump just makes them even more worthwhile.  Get into a nice wide squat position, sit way, way back onto your heels and then explode into the air on your toes with your hands high.  Repeat these 20 times in a row as fast as you can and you got yourself a nice warm-up.
  • #8:  Sprints.  I really started to get into sprints last year when my workouts became shorter and shorter and I needed a quick jolt in a small amount of time.  The great thing about sprints is that they not only jack up your heart rate, but they are fantastic for your abs and core as well.  Time efficient, fat burning and intense, these are best performed on a track outdoors, going no more than 50 or so yards for full effect.  I like to do a sprint, take a nice easy jog back to the starting line and then go again, maybe for a set of 12.  You can also do these on a treadmill or on a basketball court.
  • #7:  Crawl Outs.  I saw someone doing these one day last year, I totally stole it, and added my own variations either for warm-ups or basic exercises.  Stand straight up with your feet together and crawl down on your hands into a plank position.  Hold for one second and then use your hands (not your legs) to crawl back into a standing position.  Repeat 10 times, and now you are warmed up and ready to roll.  The best thing about these is that you can add (push-ups or side planks when you hit the ground) or subtract (try these on one leg and you’ll really test your balance).
  • #6:  Squat Jumping Jack.  Very similar to a squat jump, obviously, but instead of just jumping straight into the air you go from a wide, low squat into a tall jumping jack, and then repeat.  The lower you get on the squat and the higher you get on the jumping jack make the exercise worth while.
  • #5:  Sit-Ups with weights.  For this one, I like to have my feet secured under a chair, apparatus or even free weights so I’m not wiggling around.  Get into a sit-up position, knee’s up, feet flat, with free weights in each hand.  Perform your normal sit-up with your arms high and straight in the air, weights up as high as you can.  Great for core and shoulders, and feel free to add a shoulder press at the top if you like.
  • #4:  Push-ups with your legs on a flat bench + hip twist.  Another one I stole from a fantastic trainer, it sounds complicated but it’s really pretty simple.  Get into a push up position with your toes up on a flat bench.  Do your push up, and then after your push up keep your hips high and extend one toe all the way down to the ground, then back up to the bench.  Repeat with the opposite leg.  Amazing for core and strength building.
  • #3:  Single Leg Balance Reach.  When I need to really test someone’s balance I do this one.  Best balance exercise I know AND great for your butt.
  • #2:  Pull Up.  Old-fashioned, functional strength.  When I was younger I couldn’t do any of these.  Not one.  Now I can do a few, so by the time I’m 75 I’ll be good to go.  I really just started practicing them for real a few weeks ago, and I’ve already improved.
  • #1:  Plank with a Hip Dip.  Do this one on your elbows or your hands.  Hop into that plank position and lower your hips slightly up and down, moving slowly.  When I feel like my lower back is sore or weak for whatever reason and I need to stretch while also working my abs and core, this is my go-to.

So there you go, the best I have to offer from the past year.  Excited to see what is on the exercise horizon for 2014!

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