Without a single jumping motion, this functional strength workout is going to have every muscle in your body pushed to the point of burnout. It's an advanced low impact workout that challenges strength, muscle endurance, balance, coordination, and agility—using uniquely tortuous exercises.
This workout can be used by all different fitness levels - both beginners and elite-level athletes can benefit from a routine like this one. Exercises like these are what allow you to build up the kind of fitness that makes you capable and physically adaptable in a large variety of situations and activities.
Structure: After a round of warm up exercises, we'll be going through 5 different groups of two different exercises. We'll be doing 10 reps per move, and each of the groups will be repeated twice in an ABAB format. A cool down and stretch is included.
Warm Up - 30 Seconds Each
Toe Touch Rolls
Torso Circles
Hip Circles
Rotation with Knee
Lunge Side Reach
Squat with Arm Raises
Walkdowns
Toe Touch Kick (L)
Toe Touch Kick (R)
Boxer Shuffle
Low Impact Functional Training - 10 Reps each, repeat each group twice in an ABAB structure
Single Leg Push Up + Reach
Supine Push Up + Windshield Wiper
Squat Sweep
Single Leg Bridge + Split
Side Hip Raises + Leg Kick
Hip Tap Planks
Single Leg Deadlift + Alternating T
Russian Twist Toe Touch
Tipped Rotation
Static High Knee Rotation
Cool Down & Stretch
What are the benefits of this kind of training?
The exercises in this video demand simultaneous muscle recruitment from every muscle in your body. They challenge balance and strength and force you to learn to control your body in multiple planar, multi-directional, full body movements. The nature of these movements are instrumental to keeping a slight stumble a slight stumble, instead of a blown out ankle, knee, or hip. Mastering challenges like this one is what allows you to jump onto a paddleboard, for example, and feel like a natural, even if you've never tried it before. It's what drastically reduces your learning curve when picking up a new sport or activity. It's sleeper workouts like these that build true physical prowess and make you feel and move more like an athlete.
How can I make this easier?
If your balance is shaky, you can limit your range of motion or do the routine next to a table or wall for support in case you need it. Just remember that struggling and having to recover your balance is better than placing your foot on the ground for support the second that you feel at all unstable. You can also make this easier by taking extra breaks, longer rest periods, and doing fewer reps.
How can I make this harder?
You can make this drastically more difficult by doing something as simple as holding onto a dumbbell or any other kind of weight. When you're talking about exercises like this, it really doesn't take much extra resistance to make this training session that much more advanced.