B Strong Greatest HIITs: [At Home] Plank & Plyos Drill [2]

I love drills like this to burn out your body at the end of a workout. I also keep them in my back pocket for days I can't get to the gym and/or don't have any equipment available to me. In just 6-10 minutes, you can get your heart rate up, work every major muscle group AND get a good sweat going! You may recognize movement B from Body Fix - if so, you know what I mean when I say get ready for those hips to BURN during your skater jumps! ;-P

Here's the drill:
*1min/movement series x 3-5 rounds [no rest between movements]
A. Plank Series: Reach Each Arm Forward; Open to Each Side Plank; Gorilla Hop to Squat; Walk Feet Back to Plank.
B. 2 Skater Jumps + 2 Lateral Hops.

Notes on form:
[Plank Series]
- Engage lats, squeeze glutes, and tighten quads to maintain a straight spine & keep hips squared up with the floor.
- Avoid letting your hips twist during reaches forward.
- Keep lats engaged & neck long as you open to side planks.
[Skater Jumps]
- Leap to the side as if you're leaping sideways over a puddle.
- Land softly & bend your knee as you land to minimize impact on your joints.
- To initiate the movement, kick your landing leg sideways as you push off your standing leg to give your body more momentum to travel side & engage your obliques.
[Lateral Hops]
- Now instead of leaping, your feet stay under your body and you travel less per jump.
- Focus on landing softly & minimizing the impact on your joints.

How many rounds did it t

B Strong, Build Stability: Plank Challenge Gliding Core Burner

Whether you move fast or slow, this exercise is sure to get you sweatin'!! I'm using a LYNX Board, but if you don't have one you can use gliders or hand towels on a smooth surface.

Here's the move:
A. 4 Gliding Mountain Climbers (2/leg)
B. Open to Side Plank + 1 Gliding Knee Crunch
Alternate between these 2 movements until you've completed 10 reps, (faced each way 5x). Rest 30-60sec between sets OR incorporate this exercise into a circuit.

FORM:
[Gliding Mountain Climbers]
- Keep lats engaged, neck long, belly tight and spine straight
- Pull your knees forward so they're pointing at the space between your arms
- Keep your hips at shoulder height & isolate your legs
[Side Plank Gliding Knee Crunch]
- In side plank, keep your top foot in front of your bottom foot so they're aligned heel to toe
- Keep shoulders, back & abdominals braced firmly
- Powerfully crunch your knees toward your chest as you glide your feet toward your booty
- Keep your bottom hip lifted the same distance of the floor as they were when you were in your side plank

Tell me what other exercises you did along with this core challenge on FB/IG/TW @cassiebstrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

B Strong, Build Stability: Stability Ball Core Burner

Every time I do this exercise with clients they have the same reaction - "I really feel this in my abs!! This burns! I didn't think it would be so hard..." Every. Single. Time. If you're a person who often feels their neck and/or lower back more than their abs when they do core exercises, this exercise is incredibly effective for helping you master a neutral spine and pelvis as well as proper engagement of your abdominal muscles. If you're a beginner, begin with just the dead bug and build your way up to adding in the V-Up.

Here's the series:
- 5-10 Deadbug per side
- 5-10 V-Ups
2-4 sets with 30-60sec rest between sets OR incorporate this series into a circuit.

FORM:
[Dead Bug]
- Lay on back with feet & arms in the air, [like a dead bug... get it?? ;-)]
- Pull belly super tight a press lower back down into the mat
[Note: your lower spine has a natural, arching curvature in it, so if your lower back isn't entirely pressed into the mat that's ok, just actively press it in that direction so you properly align your spine & engage your abs.]
- The ball rests against your shins and your hands
- Your opposite arm & leg drop away from the ball [right arm & left leg; left arm & right leg]
- The leg that drops, straighten it & squeeze your glute tight so that your lower back stays supported
- On that note, did you continue to press your lower back toward the mat as your arm & leg lowered? You definitely should have!
- Pull your belly tighter and press your lower back down into the mat harder as you raise that hand and foot back to the ball
- Complete all 5-10 reps with the same hand a foot before switching to the other side
[V-Up]
- The same basic concepts apply here: pull your belly tight, press your lower back into the mat, (even harder every time you lift your legs), and squeeze your glutes when you lower your legs to keep your lower back supported.
- In addition: get ready to feel those inner thighs burn from holding the ball, but remember to keep your legs straight!

Does this hit the spot or what?! Tell me what you think on FB/IG/TW @cassiebstrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

B Strong, Build Stability: Stability Ball Shoulder & Core Burner

The stability ball should be a staple tool for those of you who generally workout at home and have a small budget for equipment - this thing is KILLER!

This exercise is fantastic for improving the stability of your shoulder joint and your core, while strengthening your chest, triceps, deltoids and abs. I'll warn you, it's not easy, so if you need to begin with just the walk & roll that's totally fine! You will definitely feel the burn in your shoulders & abs. Once you're feeling confident enough, add the push-up, and again, once you feel good about that, make it an atomic push-up... BOOM!

FORM:
- Lay pelvis on stability ball w/ hands & toes resting on floor
- Squeeze glutes to lift straight legs up behind you & squeeze ankles together
- Engage lats by pulling shoulders away from your ears
- Walk hands forward so ball rolls down body until it's supporting your shins, (the farther down your legs you go, the harder it will be)
- Keep your glutes squeezed tight & abs pulled in tight to keep your pelvis and spine neutral
- Do a single push-up, pushing explosively on the way up as you crunch your knees into your chest
- Immediately extend legs back to plank w/ glutes & abs squeezed tight
- Keeping your body stiff as a board, walk your hands back toward the ball so that it rolls back up your body until it is supporting your pelvis

Perform 10-15 reps for 2-4 sets; 45-90sec rest between sets OR incorporate into a circuit of exercises.

How do those shoulders feel?! Tell me on FB/IG/TW @cassiebstrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

B Strong, Build Stability: TRX Core Stability Series

The TRX is an incredible tool for developing core and joint stability. If you find your balance and stability need improvement, or if you simply wish to recruit as many muscles as possible into your exercises, I highly recommend grabbing this tool.

These exercises focus on strengthening the muscles that stabilize your spine and protect your the muscles that stabilize your pelvis and shoulders, all while working your abs. This is not a beginner exercise! I recommend mastering a basic plank hold in the TRX before attempting a series like this so that you can ensure that you're engaging the proper muscles to keep your spine safe.

Here's the series:
- 1 Body Saw
- 1 Plank Jack
- 1 Dolphin Pike
- 1 Plank Jack
Completing all 4 movements = 1 rep.
Perform 5-10 reps at a time for 3-5 sets.
Rest 45-90sec between sets; or incorporate this as a station into a strength circuit!

FORM:
***For all of these exercises, you're in Low Plank, (on your forearms), so be sure to press your entire forearm down, don't just balance on your elbows! Also, keep your hips at shoulder height - letting them drop lower will strain your lower back. Lastly, engage your lats by pulling your shoulders down away from your ears and keeping your neck long.***
[Plank Jack]
- Keep hips at shoulder height, lower abdominals pulled in ridiculously tight, and lats engaged.
- Knee caps face the floor. If you're opening your legs so wide that your knee caps start pointing out toward the walls, you could strain your groin... OUCH!
- Legs remain straight as they move apart and together.
[Body Saw]
- Squeeze your legs together and keep them straight the whole time!
- To begin, your shoulders are directly over your elbows, and your tricep creates a 90 degree angle with the floor.
- Press your forearms forward and down into the floor so that your shoulders move back behind your elbows, decreasing the angle your tricep is making with the floor.
- Your lats stay engaged - don't let your shoulders shrug toward your ears! Especially as you pull your shoulders back over your elbows.
[Dolphin Pike]
- Same as above, keep your legs straight and squeeze them together.
- Press your entire forearm down into the floor while pulling your shoulders toward your hips as hard as you can, suck your belly in tight as you lift your hips up overhead.
- Lower your hips back to shoulder height with as much control as possible.

How does this series make you feel? Excited for your next workout or a little anxious?! Tell me on FB/IG/TW @cassiebstrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.