One of the many reasons to hire a personal trainer is to take your workouts to the next level. The reality is many of us get stuck in the same old training rut, doing the same exercises over and over again.
Not only is this boring, it limits progress. We don’t learn new skills, or develop more rounded fitness.
Trying new exercises can challenge your muscles in different ways and keep you motivated. They make your workouts more interesting, fun and challenging. They give you something to work towards, new movements to practice, and different stimulation.
At AdMac Fitness, we’re big fans of trying new exercises, so here are seven dynamic exercises to incorporate into your workouts, each with its unique benefits and challenges.
1. Dumbbell Thrusters
Why They’re Effective: Dumbbell thrusters are a powerful full-body exercise that combines a squat with an overhead press. This movement targets multiple muscle groups, including your quads, glutes, shoulders, and core.
The squat portion builds lower body strength and endurance, while the press works your upper body and stabilising muscles of the upper back, shoulder and chest. The explosive nature of the exercise also helps to improve your cardiovascular fitness, making it an excellent compound move for burning calories and building strength.
How to do it: Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height. Lower into a squat, then push through your heels to return to standing as you press the dumbbells overhead.
2. Dumbbell Jump Squats
Why They’re Effective: Dumbbell jump squats add a plyometric element to the traditional squat, enhancing explosive power and muscle coordination. This exercise targets your legs and glutes, while the jumping motion increases your heart rate and adds a cardio component.
Holding dumbbells also adds resistance, which boosts muscle strength and endurance. It's a great way to develop lower body power, improve agility, and burn calories quickly.
How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lower into a squat, then explode upward into a jump. Land softly and immediately lower into the next squat to repeat.
3. Pendlay Rows
Why They’re Effective: Pendlay rows are a highly effective exercise for building back strength and improving posture. Unlike traditional bent-over rows, Pendlay rows start from a dead stop on the floor, which helps to increase the range of motion and activates the upper back muscles more intensely.
This movement also emphasises proper form and strict technique, which can enhance your overall pulling power and reduce the risk of injury. It’s a great alternative to a bent over row if you suffer from lower back pain.
How to do it: Start with a barbell on the floor, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend at the hips and knees to grasp the bar with a wide grip. Pull the bar up to your lower chest, keeping your back flat and torso parallel to the ground. Lower the bar back to the floor with control and repeat.
4. Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
Why They’re Effective: Sumo deadlift high pulls are a compound exercise that combines the benefits of a sumo deadlift and an upright row. This move targets your lower body, especially the inner thighs and glutes, while also engaging your upper body and shoulders. The high pull motion works your traps and deltoids, promoting strength and muscle development.
It's a functional movement that improves coordination and total body power, making it excellent for both strength and conditioning.
How to do it: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and a barbell on the floor. Grasp the bar with a narrow grip and perform a sumo deadlift. As you stand up, pull the bar to your chin, leading with your elbows. Lower the bar and return to the starting position.
5. Landmine Press
Why They’re Effective: The landmine press is an effective way to work your shoulders, chest, and core. Using a barbell anchored at one end, this exercise allows for a unique pressing angle that can reduce strain on the shoulder joints while still providing an intense upper body workout.
The landmine press also engages your core as you stabilize your body throughout the movement. It's particularly beneficial for those looking to build shoulder strength and stability without the discomfort sometimes associated with traditional overhead presses.
How to do it: Position one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment or firmly in a corner. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the other end of the barbell at shoulder height with both hands. Press the barbell upward and slightly forward, extending your arms. Lower it back to the starting position.
6. Dumbbell Box Step Ups
Why They’re Effective: Dumbbell box step-ups are a fantastic unilateral exercise that targets your legs, glutes, and core. By stepping up onto a box or bench with added weight, you mimic a natural movement pattern that enhances balance, stability, and coordination.
This exercise is particularly useful for building lower body strength and endurance, and it helps to address any muscle imbalances between your legs. It's also lower impact than jumping exercises, making it a joint-friendly option for those looking to avoid high-impact activities.
How to do it: Stand in front of a box or bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Step up onto the box with one foot, driving through your heel, and bring the other foot up to stand fully. Step back down and repeat, alternating legs.
7. Burpee Pull-Ups
Why They’re Effective: Burpee pull-ups combine two challenging movements into one high-intensity exercise. This hybrid move starts with a burpee, which engages your entire body and gets your heart rate up. From the bottom of the burpee, you jump up to a pull-up bar and perform a pull-up, targeting your upper body and core.
This combination builds cardiovascular endurance, full-body strength, and upper body power. It's a great way to maximise your workout efficiency and burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time.
How to do it: Start standing under a pull-up bar. Drop into a squat, kick your legs back into a push-up position, perform a push-up, then jump your feet back to your hands. As you stand up, jump to grab the pull-up bar and perform a pull-up. Drop down and repeat.
Give these 7 new exercises a try in your workouts. They’ll get you out of a training rut, give you a new series of challenges and spark new fitness gains. There’s no end to new exercises and workouts for you, so you should never get bored!
Want to improve your health and fitness? Let the AdMac Fitness Personal Trainers help…
AdMac Fitness has been helping the people of East London transform their health and fitness for nearly a decade.
We help people using tried and tested fitness approaches. Our expert team of personal trainers, based in both Bow and South Woodford can help you get a grip of your health forever. With our guidance and experience, you can relax knowing that your fitness journey is going to be guided by some of the best personal trainers in East London.
For more information on who we are, what we do and how we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, contact us on… 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
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AdMac Fitness: Arch 457 Robeson St, London E3 4JA
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