Make The Most Of Your Workouts: 5 Of My Go-To “Filler” Exercises

Let’s face it, most people do not have an abundance of time or energy to spend working out. Life can be pretty busy, exhausting, and unpredictable.

My time is valuable, so I like to maximize every minute I spend training. A lot of the time, instead of remaining totally idle between sets, I will incorporate “filler” exercises. These exercises would be considered active rest. I also love to employ this strategy with the people I coach. Adding in “filler” exercises, and making the most of my periods of rest, has been a total game-changer for me, and many of my clients.

The ‘’filler’’ exercises I tend to use are not overly physically taxing, and usually target areas of the body that need additional work. These exercises might address shoulder health, elbow health, lumbo-pelvic stability, grip strength, t-spine mobility, and so forth. These are just a few of many categories I could list. The filler exercises I use absolutely depend on individual needs.

Let me be very clear. The “filler” exercises you incorporate should not take away from the integrity of your main exercises, and they should not compromise your performance and safety in any way. For instance, if I am performing a lower body exercise, particularly one that is higher risk and more technically demanding, perhaps barbell squats odeadlifts, the active rest/filler exercise might address the upper body, and would in no way compete with the main exercise.

As coaches, or even as trainees, it is vital that you think things through and are able to justify your rational for using these complimentary exercises. Don’t just blindly add in exercises without being able to explain why.

Go here to view part 1 of this series.

Without further ado, here are 5 of my go-to filler exercises.

#1) Supine Single Leg Plank For Posterior Core

This exercise strengthens the muscles in the posterior core, and also the neck. I intentionally kept my glutes relatively relaxed so the other muscle groups would have to do more work. I went with a single leg plank, and also did the double leg variation.

Coaching Tips:

Set up two benches so they are parallel, and place your elbows on either bench.
Set yourself up so your body resembles the top position of a single leg bodyweight hip thrust. Keep your shin in a relatively vertical position.
Brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection). While you will be bracing your entire core, really pay attention to your posterior core musculature. Try to relax your anterior core muscles and your glutes a slight bit (if this feels comfortable).
Now press your body away from the bench and retract your shoulder blades (move each one towards your spine), NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage. This is extremely important. In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your head to knee.
As a huge focus during this exercise is on the muscles in the low, mid, and upper back, rather than engaging the glutes, try to keep them relatively relaxed, and keep the body elevated by using the muscles in your back. You can make this exercise easier by using more glutes and anterior core if needed.
Your chin should remain tucked and neck in a neutral position.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Make this exercise easier by performing the exercise using both legs. Make this exercise more challenging by adding additional resistance.

#2) Band Resisted Stir The Pots

This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (particularly upward rotation and protraction).

Coaching Tips:

Attach a resistance band around a secure surface, and so it’s about chest height. There should be tension in the band for 100% of the exercise.
Get into a plank position with your forearms on a stability ball, and feet on the ground. Your shoulders should be directly above your elbows.
Aim to keep your feet hip to shoulder width apart. Set your body so it is in a straight line from your head to heels.
Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
Now perform figure 8 movements, and once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position.
Push your body away from the ball and protract your shoulder blades (move them away from the spine). Do not mindlessly hang out.
Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
Aside from your arms and shoulder blades, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position for the duration of the exercise.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.
In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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#3) Band Resisted Scapular Slides From Bear Crawl Position

This exercise strengthens the serratus muscle, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (and stability on the planted side), and limbo-pelvic stability. ⁣ ⁣⁣

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band around your wrists, and put each hand on a slider pad.⁣ ⁣⁣ For the duration of the exercise, do not allow the band to lose tension.⁣ ⁣
Get into a bear crawl position on your hands and toes. In the starting position your shoulders should be above of your hands, knees bent (and an inch or few above the ground), and thighs in a vertical position. ⁣Your body should be in a stacked position from your head to hips.
⁣On the planted side, spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning them to the floor. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣
⁣On the planted side, press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine) .
Now use the muscles around your shoulder blade, and slide your hand hand forward (scapula will upwardly rotate and protract). Return your hand to the starting position, then slide your hand laterally (scapula will protract). Return your hand to the starting position.⁣ ⁣⁣
⁣ ⁣⁣Perform the desired number of reps, and repeat using the opposite side.
⁣To be clear, aside from your one arm and shoulder blade, the rest of your body should remain in a relatively fixed position.
⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣
⁣In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.⁣ ⁣⁣

#4) Toe Walks

This exercise strengthens the muscles in the foot and lower leg.

Coaching Tips:

Adopt your regular walking stance.
Elevate your heels and mid-foot from the ground, and stand so you are only on your toes. Make sure all of your toes are in contact with the ground, and that you maintain your arch.
While maintaining this foot position, walk for 25-50 m.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. Your hips should remain in a level position (I love to use the water glass analogy).
Do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
I intentionally used more of a Sissy Squat stance where my weight was really shifted to my forefeet, and my knees were well ahead of my toes. Avoid this position if it bothers your knees, or any other parts of your body.
You can make this exercise more challenging by holding a pair of dumbbells, kettlebells, etc.

#5) Elbow Health Exercise

This exercise helps keep your elbows feeling good. You can use any type of bar, dowel, or another weighted long object. I got creative and am using a plastic pipe and attached a weight plate on one end. If you perform pull-ups, chin-ups, or other calisthenics exercises, this exercise is a must.

Coaching Tips:

Grab onto the weighted object, and place your forearm so the section that is closest in proximity to your elbow is on your thigh.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣In the starting position, your palm should be in a neutral position (for instance, if you are starting with your right arm your palm should be facing to the left)⁣⁣⁣.
Take 3-5 seconds and rotate your forearm, wrist, and hand so your palm is facing the floor. Everything should move as a single unit.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣Once you hit your end range, perform the concentric portion and return to the starting position.⁣⁣ If this is too challenging, you may perform the eccentric component only, and use assistance from the other hand during the concentric component. ⁣
Keep your grip relatively loose.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles lightly braced.⁣⁣⁣

If your elbows are a trouble area for you, check out part 1 of this feature as I included another exercise for elbow health.

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