6 Strengthening Moves That Are Better Together

Updated on 11/27/2015 at 6:00 AM

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The next time you're looking to tone and work your body at the same time, think about doing strengthening moves that are better when done together. You can easily flow through these movements that do more than focus on one area. It's an extra bonus that adds to your regular workout, or do three rounds of 10 reps each of the duos and you have a mini routine that hits all your muscles.

Deadlift With a Side Kick

A deadlift basically works your entire back, while side kicks keep hips happy and slim.

Stand holding a pair of medium-weight dumbbells in each hand, arms at your sides, with your knees slightly bent.
Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, slowly bend at your hip joint, not your waist, and lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back, which should remain straight. Looking forward, not at the ground, will help you avoid rounding your back. Keep the weights close to, almost touching, your legs.
Squeeze your glutes to slowly pull yourself up without using your back or rounding your spine.
Place your weight into your left foot as you twist to your right, kicking your right leg. Your right knees should face forward, not up.
Lower your leg and repeat, kicking with the opposite leg after the deadlift.

Side Lunge to a Lateral Raise

You'll work your glutes, outer thighs, and lateral deltoids with these two moves.

Holding a pair of dumbbells, stand with your feet and knees together.
Take a large step with your right foot to the right side and lunge toward the floor.
Make sure your right knee does not extend past your toes, and keep your left leg relatively straight.
Push off through your right foot to return to standing.
With control, keep your arms straight (but don't lock elbows), and as you inhale, raise your hands up toward the ceiling. You want your palms to be facing down and arms to be parallel to the floor.
On the exhale, slowly lower hands back to your body. Keep your hands in your peripheral vision so your arms aren't directly out to the side but slightly forward.
Repeat, lunging to the opposite side.

Reverse Lunge to a Bicep Curl

Your quadriceps will feel the burn along with your biceps.

Stand tall with your hands at your hips or overhead, which is the more challenging of the two positions. Take a large and controlled step backward with your left foot.
Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor with your right knee positioned directly over your ankle. Your left knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor with your left heel lifted.
Return to standing by pressing your right heel into the floor and bringing your left leg forward to complete one rep.
Then, keeping your elbows close to your side, slowly raise the dumbbells to the chest. Moving with control, lower back to the starting position.
Return arms to the sides, and repeat with the other leg.

Push-Up to Spider-Man Plank

The combo really works your abs, pecs, and obliques.

Come into plank position, with or without weights, with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above the wrists.
Take a breath in, and as you exhale, bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your chest toward the ground. Stop as soon as your shoulders are in line with your elbows. Inhale to straighten the arms.
Hold and bend your left knee and touch it to your left elbow.
Straighten your arms and return back to plank position, repeating the push-up, then twist to the other side.

V-Sit to a Russian Twist

Here's how to really work your core plus your hip flexors.

Lie on your back, holding weights in each hand, and reach your arms rigidly to your side, off the floor. Lift your legs off the floor, and point them, so they are at about a 45-degree angle. Lift your head, so your shoulders are off the floor as well.
When you're ready to begin, lift your upper torso off the floor and bend your knees. You can lean back to make this move harder or come up more to make it easier. Slowly lower your upper body back down to the floor, straightening out your legs as you do so. Stop when your back is on the floor, but not your head, shoulders, or legs.
Place your arms straight out in front of you with your hands one on top of the other. Your hands should be level with the bottom of your rib cage.
Pull your navel to your spine, and twist slowly to the left. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through center, and rotate to the right. Repeat on the other side.

Plié Squat to an Overhead Triceps Extension

This combo works your inner thighs and your triceps.

Stand with your legs wide and your toes pointed outward slightly. Hold a dumbbell in your hands with your arms straight and your palms facing down.
Bend your knees until they are over your ankles, keeping your arms centered with the weight in front of you.
Straighten your legs, then bring your arms up, holding the dumbbell, bending the elbows behind your head.
Straighten your arms to lift the dumbbell into the air, then slowly bend the arms to lower.