I concluded the final week of 2020 and kicked off 2021 by sharing my 14 most popular home workout posts of the year from Instagram. I devoted much of this year to providing you with extremely home workout friendly content. I’m ranking the ‘’popularity’’ based on the number of times these posts have been saved.
If you don’t follow me on Instagram, you can here.
#14 Most Popular Post In 2020: Lateral Pike Pulses For Stronger Hip Flexors
Start off using a much lower surface and work your way up as your hip flexors get stronger. Also, if your quads cramp up, this can be a telltale sign that you need to strengthen your hip flexors.
Coaching Tips:
- Sit on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Place an object in front of you, and to one side of your lower legs.
- Fully extend both of your knees, and plantarflex your feet (point them away from you).
- For the entire exercise make sure you keep your legs and feet completely together.
- While keeping your knees fully extended and feet plantarflexed, lift your legs over the object in a lateral direction, and then back to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your legs or feet to strike the object, or for your legs or feet to touch the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from hip to hip. Some minor spinal flexion is ok.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works best for you.
#13 Most Popular Post In 2020: Advanced Side Plank
This exercise improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (and stability on the planted side), and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band under one foot, and hold the band in the hand that is on the same side of your body. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Get into a side plank position from your hand and feet, and elevate your feet up a wall.
- With this exercise, your hand should be well ahead of your shoulder as this will allow you to drive your body into the wall. Otherwise your feet will slide down the wall.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- Now extend your elbow and perform an overhead press. Do not perform the movement by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, laterally flexing your spine, shrugging your shoulder, or a combination of the above.
- In the top position, your arm should resemble close to a straight line, and your bicep should be in close proximity to your ear. Return your arm to the starting position with complete control.
- In the bottom position, your elbow should remain at approximately a 45-60 degree angle with your torso.
- Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned.
- On the planted side, do not mindlessly hang out. Press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to heels.
#12 Most Popular Post In 2020: Towel Adductor Slides aka “Thighmaster”
This exercise, which strengthens the adductors and improves hip controlled mobility, is deceptively tough!
Coaching Tips:
- Kneel on two towels (you may place a pillow on each towel if this is more comfortable).
- Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Place your knees so they are approximately hip to shoulder width apart.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now slowly slide your knees apart and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and where it feels comfortable).
- Once you hit your end range really squeeze your inner thighs (adductors), and return your body to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from knee to knee.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#11 Most Popular Post In 2020: 360 Push-Up Challenge
My form here is a work in progress, but it’s good enough to share.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Position your hands so they are shoulder width apart or slightly wider.
- At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades.
- In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position.
- Do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel (or slightly closer) to the floor and as you are pressing up, if you are turning to the right you want to pick up your left foot and bring it across your body.
- Then you want to push off your feet and perform the 360. This will take a lot of practice.
- Land as softly as possible, and maintain proper push-up form.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, neck to collapse.
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#10 Most Popular Post In 2020: Can’t Do Pistol Squats? Try These.
This innovative pistol squat variation came to me earlier in the year, and it did not disappoint!! This is one of my better ideas I’ve had.
I decided to call these kickstand pistol squats as the sliding leg is providing a small amount of support. Unlike regular pistol squats, you will keep the heel of your non-working leg on a towel/something that slides. This will give you a slight amount of assistance. That being said, use as little assistance from the non-working side as possible.
If you are still learning how to do pistol squats, this can be a great option. Even if you already excel at pistol squats, this variation makes performing higher rep sets much easier.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee.
- As for the non-working leg, extend your knee, contract your quads, and rest your heel on a towel.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning your foot to the floor.
- Extend both of your arms, and create tension in your arms.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Perform a pistol squat on one side, and simultaneously slide your heel on the non-working side along the floor.
- Once you hit a range where you are able to maintain proper form, press away from the floor and return to the starting position.
- Use as little assistance from the non-working side as possible.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- Maintain control at all times.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.
#9 Most Popular Post In 2020:”Lysol” Shoulder Mobility Challenge
This exercise improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. You will not need to use much weight to make this challenging. I used two full cans of Lysol spray.
Coaching Tips:
- Place two yoga blocks/objects so they are parallel, and are approximately just outside of shoulder width apart.
- Start so your body and arms form a “t.”
- While keeping your wrists and elbows in a fixed position, use the muscles around your shoulder blade area to lift your arms over the blocks, and so your arms and body form a ‘’I.’’
- Pause for a count in the ‘’I position,’’ and return your arms to the starting “t” position.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- When you do the ‘’I’’ your shoulder blades should upwardly rotate and protract (move away from your spine and away from the opposite hip).
- When you do the ‘’t’’ your shoulder blades should downwardly rotate and retract (move in towards the spine and down towards the opposite hip).
- Don’t let your shoulder blades or shoulders elevate towards your ears, and don’t let your hands or the objects/weights touch the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not compensate and perform the movements by hyperextending your lower back, flaring your ribcage, lifting your chest or head off the floor, or shrugging your shoulders.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#8 Most Popular Post In 2020: Strong Quads From Home
Here are two of my go-to exercises for strengthening the quads. I also love to use both of these as leg ‘‘finishers.’’ Both of these exercises require nothing more than a resistance band. These can also be done at the gym.
#1) Band Resisted Leg Extensions From Bear Crawl
Coaching Tips:
- Elevate your feet on a couch or other surface. You should be on your forefeet.
- Hold a band in your hands, and loop the band behind your knees. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Start with your thighs relatively vertical, and knees bent.
- Now use your quads to extend your knees. Pause for several seconds when your knees are fully extended and really contract your quads. Don’t let your knees hyperextend. Then return to the starting position.
- Do not mindlessly hang out. Press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blades (move them away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. Your torso and hips should remain square to the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Band Resisted Reverse Nordic Curls
- Place a resistance band over your upper traps and around your shins/ankles. Make sure the band is not sitting on your neck. There should be resistance in as close to 100% of the exercise as possible.
- Get into a tall kneeling stance. Adopt your preferred knee width. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to knees.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- While keeping your body in a straight line from your head to knees, take 3-5 seconds and use your quads to control the movement as you lower your body down to your full range. Use a range that allows you to maintain proper form.
- Once you’ve hit the bottom position, use your quads to bring your body back to the starting position.
- The more you lean back, the more challenging the movement will be. Conversely, the more upright your body remains, the easier the movement will be. Start out very conservatively.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. Keep your body in a straight line from your head to knees.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#7 Most Popular Post In 2020: Stronger Posterior Core
Here is an awesome exercise for strengthening the posterior core muscles. This exercise also strengthens the glutes and adductors.
As you only need a bench, this exercise is extremely convenient. Make sure the bench is secure/stable. This is obviously very important.
Coaching Tips:
- Get in a prone position on a bench.
- Externally rotate your hips, bend your knees, and hook your feet under the bench.
- You should feel very secure, and the bench should feel very stable. This is obviously important.
- Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now with complete control, lower your torso towards the floor. Once you hit your end range, use your posterior core muscles and return your body to the starting position.
- In the top/starting position, your body should be in a straight line from your head to hips.
- During the lockout, I used a combination of lower back and glutes.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. Some flexion is ok.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#6 Most Popular Post In 2020: Advanced Push-Up Challenge
Russian Push-Ups are one of my favorite advanced push-up variations. This exercise requires a LOT of triceps strength, lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. This variation is in phase 4 of my push-up program (The Ultimate Push-Up Program).
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Position your hands so they are slightly closer together than during regular push-ups. In the bottom position, your elbows and upper arms should remain tight to your sides.
- At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel to the floor, press your body backwards and touch your forearms to the floor.
- Then pull your body forward and perform the reverse movements so your elbows are directly over your wrists and forearms are in a vertical position. Then press back up to the starting position. As you are performing these movements do not sink into your shoulders, and do not allow your body to collapse towards the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, 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.
#5 Most Popular Post In 2020: Improve Your Hip Strength And Mobility
This exercise improves hip controlled mobility and hip strength. Do the exercise without the block first.
Coaching Tips:
- Sit on the floor, and put a yoga block or other object so it’s on one side of your body, and ahead of you. Bend your front knee, and keep your leg flat on the floor.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Hinge your hips, bend your knee, and use your glutes to bring your leg backwards. Pause for a count and gain control.
- Then lift your torso, extend your leg, and lift it over the yoga block. This position also mimics the bottom position of a pistol squat.
- When you are doing this movement, keep your foot plantarflexed (point it away from you).
- Do not let your foot or leg strike the floor or yoga block, and keep your knee off the floor when you are bringing your leg back. All of this is much easier said than done.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or torso to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#4 Most Popular Post In 2020: Ultimate Wall Workout
As I know a lot of people plan on training at home for the foreseeable future, I decided to do another ‘’home workout’’ feature. Here are 5 effective and deceptively challenging exercises you can do from home. These exercises use nothing more than a wall.
#1) Dead Bugs + Wall Press
#2) Plank Wall Climbs
#3) Prone Feet Elevated Band Resisted Psoas Marches
#4) Feet Elevated Glute Hamstring Marches
#5) Feet Elevated Plank + Opposite Shoulder Touches
Check out my blog post where I give detailed coaching tips for all of these exercises.
#3 Most Popular Post In 2020: A Dead Bug That Also Strengthens The Glutes??
This unique dead bug variation also strengthens the glutes.
Coaching Tips:
- Bend one knee, elevate your foot on a wall, and extend your hips by driving through the back portion of your foot and squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight(ish) line from your knee to shoulders.
- Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- On the other side, fully extend your knee and maintain this position for the duration of the exercise, or keep your knee bent at 90 degrees. I recommend starting out at 90 degrees.
- Extend both arms so they are in line with your armpits.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes (on the planted side).
- Now contract your anterior core muscles, steadily exhale through your mouth, slowly lower your leg and opposite arm towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- When you return to the starting position pause and do a proper reset. Most people rush and do not do a proper reset and this makes the exercise quite ineffective.
- For the duration of the exercise do not allow lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to drop.
#2 Most Popular Post In 2020: Stronger Hip Flexors From Home
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, and improves hip controlled mobility. You may use any items you have at home. I used two tubs of laundry detergent and two tubs of Lysol wipes.
Coaching Tips:
- Sit on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Fully extend both of your knees, and plantarflex your feet (point them away from you).
- While keeping your knees fully extended, ankles in a fixed position, and feet plantarflexed (pointing away from you), lift your legs over the objects in a lateral direction, and then back to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise do not allow your legs or feet to strike the objects, or for your legs or feet to touch the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from hip to hip. Some minor spinal flexion is ok.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#1 Most Popular Post In 2020: Practice Pull-Ups Without A Bar?
Here is an innovative and effective way you can practice pull-ups even if you don’t have access to a bar. This exercise strengthens the “pull-up” muscles, and improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
In this video I am using band resistance. Make sure you can perform the exercise properly using bodyweight only before you add any resistance. This exercise is more challenging than it looks!
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a resistance band around a secure surface, and loop the band around your ankles. Or you may do what I did, and may secure the band by putting one end under a closed door. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- In the starting position, your arms should be fully extended, and in an overhead position.
- Now draw your shoulder blades in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip, and pull your body forward.
- When you reach the end position, your elbows should be at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso.
- Gain a moment of control, then perform the reverse movements and press your body backwards so your arms return to an overhead and fully extended position.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- Do not allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears. Keep your shoulder blades depressed. Many people struggle to be able to do this.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
If you are looking for an amazing full body pull-up program, check out my Ultimate Pull-Up Program
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