The Killer Total-Body Move You're Probably Not Doing Enough Of

I am not a fan of jumping lunges — at all. A couple of injuries have left me weak in the knees (literally), and because of this, I take it easy on certain plyometric moves. When I hear "jumping lunges" in a workout class, I almost always turn to split squats. And for days I want to go a little harder, I add in the extra element of weights.

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A split squat with overhead press is a surefire way to work several things at once, resulting in a move that helps shape the shoulders and lift the booty, while also giving the quads a nice little stretch. And let's not forget the abs! As your arms move overhead, the core is challenged to work to keep your body stable and grounded.

  • Holding the weights at your shoulders with your palms facing out, step backward about three feet with your left foot. Press the weights up to the ceiling.
  • Lower the weight to your shoulders as you bend your knees, making 90-degree angles with both legs.
  • Straighten both legs as you press the weights back toward the ceiling. This completes one rep. Do 10, then switch legs.