B Strong, Build Stability: Balance Board Hamstring & Glute Burner

Have you played on a balance board before?! It's fun, it's addicting, and it wears you out SO much faster than you'd guess. For this exercise, I'm using the rocker base underneath the board. Try this exercise to build stability in your hips and pelvis while strengthening your glutes and hamstrings. If you sit a lot, chances are you need to strengthen those muscles!

Here's the exercise:
- Feet on the board, lift hips to glute bridge.
- Be sure to push equally with each foot as you do the bridge so that neither side of the board taps the floor.
- Once your hips are lifted, hold a static glute bridge as you push 1 foot downward so the board taps the floor 3x.
- Again, push equally with each foot so neither side of the board touches the floor, then lower and lift your hips to the glute bridge again, then do the 3 taps with the other foot.
- When your hips lower toward the floor, they can touch the floor, but don't let them rest there.
- Be sure to keep your belly pulled super tight once your hips are lifted so your lower back doesn't arch as you tap the floor.

Perform 10-20 reps, (that means each foot will do the taps 5-10x), for 2-4 sets, with 30-60sec rest between sets. Or you can incorporate this movement into a circuit!

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

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hump Day Booty Move: Walking Lunge + Single Leg Hip Hinge

This is one of my favorite dynamic exercises to warm up my body for a workout! It activates the glutes, lengthens the hamstrings, engages the core and helps the body find balance

You'll alternate sides with every rep, so perform this exercise until you've done 10-15 reps per side (20-30 total), for 3-5 sets.

Notes on form:
- When you pull your knee up toward your chest, squeeze your abs tight like you're doing a crunch.
- As you step forward, make sure you're reaching your leg so that you step into your heel first.
- Bend both knees equally until your back knee is an inch off the floor.
- Drive through the heel of your front foot as you power yourself up to standing and squeeze that glute to keep your balance.

How many reps and sets did it take for you to break a sweat?! Tell me on IG/TW: @cassiebstrong #BStrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hump Day Booty Move: Gliding Lunge & Squat Combo

Some of you may remember this gem from BFX Burn last week! Grab gliders, paper plates, or small towels to put under the ball of each foot, (keep your heels on the floor as your "brake" system!), and do this movement series to work your thighs and booty from every angle!

Perform 10-15 reps on each side for 3-4 sets.

Notes on form:
[Lateral lunge]
- 1 knee bends; the knee of the sliding leg stays straight
- Keep all your weight in the heel of your standing leg and reach your bum backward as your chest lowers down toward your knee ("hinge your hips")
- Keep your spine straight and pull your shoulders down away from your ears to support your back
- Keep all your weight in your standing leg... you'll feel like you're going to pull your groin if you're letting weight shift into your gliding leg.
[Curtsy Lunge]
- Both knees bend to 90 degree angles; even the foot that crosses back
- Leg that crosses back does NOT tuck under front leg. Your knee is directly under your hips, not under your front thigh.
- Keep your spine straight and your chest upright through entire movement.
[Squat Jack]
- This is a plyometric ("explosive") exercise when done on the gliders. If you move too slowly you'll struggle with getting your feet to glide.
- Lift your heels so your toes are free to glide.
- Drop your heels as you bend your knees to your squat position, (don't forget this part or you'll end up in a split!).
- Keep your belly super tight so that the muscles stabilizing your pelvis stay supported and less vulnerable to injury.

How many reps did you get through on each side before you felt it? Were you surprised?! Tell me on IG/TW: @cassiebstrong #BStrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hump Day Booty Move: Lateral Lunge + Curtsy Lunge

If you're looking for lower body exercises that target your inner & outer thighs - your adductors and abductors - this combo we've been bangin' out in Body Fix is for you!

If you spend a lot of time sitting, or run/cycle often for cardio, these muscles are often neglected and eventually become tight and weak, which can lead to tension in the lower back. Sound familiar? Give this movement a try!

It's even great for developing your balance, as one leg stays planted, while the other moves side to side

Try 10-20 reps, (each lunge 1x = 1 rep), with just your body weight, or 6-12 reps holding weights (DB's, KB's, a child, anything!), on each side for 3-4 sets. You can just keep alternating sides and bang out all your sets continuously or add this exercise to a circuit you plan to perform 3-4 rounds of.

Notes on form:
[Lateral Lunge] 
- When you step side, stick your butt back behind you and sit your weight mostly toward the heel of the foot you stepped onto.
- When you step side, your chest will natural fall slightly forward, (but your butt has to move backward too - it's called a "hip hinge"), however, keep your shoulder blades pulled together behind you. Avoid letting your upper back round over.
- The foot you step onto is the only knee that bends, the other leg stays straight.
- In order to keep the other leg straight, you may find that letting the toe of your straight leg lift off the floor and digging your heel into the ground helps you stay balanced.
- Drive your foot into the ground to powerfully launch your body back upright.

[Curtsy Lunge]
- When you cross your leg behind you, step diagonally backward, not directly sideways.
- Your knee should bend to a 90 degree angle and should point to the floor. Avoid letting your knee tuck under your other leg and point forward.
- Your weight should be balanced between the heel of your front foot and across the ball of your back foot (with all 5 toes on the floor!).
- Drive through the heel of your front foot to stand back upright.

[The Combo]
- If you're having trouble balancing, stand upright with both feet on the floor between each lunge.
- If balance isn't an issue, try not to touch your foot down between each lunge as you flow from one to the next.

How did these make you feel the days following?! Tell me on IG/TW: @cassiebstrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hump Day Booty Move: Elevated Hip Hinge + Deep Lunge

Blast your booty and thighs with this killer exercise!

This movement is all about lengthening out the hamstring and improving balance. Perform 10-15 reps on one side before switching to the other leg for 2-4 sets per side, or include it in a circuit you're doing 2-4 rounds of.

Notes on form:
- Keep your weight evenly distributed through your standing foot during the hip hinge.
- Keep standing leg knee soft during hip hinge.
- Squeeze the glute of the leg that's lifting during the hip hinge to keep the lower back supported.
- Pull belly tight during knee lift to engage the core for better balance and lengthen that hamstring.
- Back leg bends to 90 degree angle for reverse lunge so that shin is parallel to the floor.
- Only the ball of the foot touches when stepping back to reverse lunge. Keep heel elevated.
- Drive through heel of front foot to stand back up out of lunge in one quick, powerful movement.

Tell me how your hamstrings, (the back of your thighs), feel 2 days later... ;) IG/TW: @cassiebstrong #BStrong.

B Strong,

Cassie B.