TAKE IT UP A NOTCH.

TAKE IT UP A NOTCH.

(Re)discover these essential exercises, their importance and why you should add them to your routine.

FILL YOUR (FITNESS) CUP.

“We’re going fast and furious every day with our responsibilities, our work load, our to-do list,” says Meagan Robar in her [solidcore] Strong Mothers class on Equinox+. “Right now it’s about being present and in control,” she adds. Try doing just that during this single-arm chest press from the class: “Eliminate the need to go fast. It’s a deliberate tension all the way to the top and then when you come down, you hover right above the ground and you make a choice, a decision to go all in.” Do it for 45 seconds on each side.
“We’re going fast and furious every day with our responsibilities, our work load, our to-do list,” says Meagan Robar in her [solidcore] Strong Mothers class on Equinox+. “Right now it’s about being present and in control,” she adds. Try doing just that during this single-arm chest press from the class: “Eliminate the need to go fast. It’s a deliberate tension all the way to the top and then when you come down, you hover right above the ground and you make a choice, a decision to go all in.” Do it for 45 seconds on each side.

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TRAIN YOUR ROTATOR CUFF.

Training your rotator cuff might not be among your top workout priorities, but perhaps it should be: A study in the Journal of Orthopaedics found that 22% of people will suffer from a rotator cuff tear in their lifetime, causing weakness and pain when you lift, lower, or rotate your arm. The best way to protect your rotator cuff and prevent injury is with strength work that helps improve mobility and stabilize this important system of muscles, says Alex Zimmerman, senior director of Equinox’s Tier X program.

Make this kettlebell farmer carry a part of your routine:

Get into a squat position with head and chest up, then lift a heavy kettlebell in each hand and walk as far as you can carry the weights. Note the time you were able to walk, then see if you can walk the same distance faster on the second round. Do two rounds total.

CLEAN UP YOUR FORM: CHEST PRESS TO FLY

Proper form is key to minimizing injuries and maximizing your training. For the chest press to fly, Gerard Thelemaque gives the following pointers in his Pure Strength: Strong and Centered class on Equinox+.
  • To get set up properly, bring the dumbbells above your knees, then lower down to the ground.
  • Pretend that there’s a pencil right in between your shoulder blades that you want to keep there.
  • Maintain a slight bend in your elbows for that fly.
  • Squeeze the pecs together at the top of the movement.
Proper form is key to minimizing injuries and maximizing your training. For the chest press to fly, Gerard Thelemaque gives the following pointers in his Pure Strength: Strong and Centered class on Equinox+.
  • To get set up properly, bring the dumbbells above your knees, then lower down to the ground.
  • Pretend that there’s a pencil right in between your shoulder blades that you want to keep there.
  • Maintain a slight bend in your elbows for that fly.
  • Squeeze the pecs together at the top of the movement.

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