Keri Lynn Ford

Mick H. in California asks: "Hi Keri, how many crunches do you do?"

I almost never do boring crunches! Instead, I am constantly mixing up my training by doing compound exercises. Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that work several muscles or muscle groups at one time. A squat, for example, requires core and lower back stability while engaging your glutes (booty), hamstrings and quadraceps. A basic crunch is an isolation exercise. Isolation exercises work only one muscle or muscle group and only one joint at a time.

Some benefits of compound exercises:

Other examples of great compound exercises:

• Deadlift (hamstrings, lower back, upper shoulders, calves)
• Lunges (quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves)
• Push ups (chest, shoulders, triceps, back and core)
• Plank (core, back, arms and legs)
• Clean and Press (deltoids, triceps, biceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, core)

For an extra burn, and to maximize the compound movement, try adding an explosive jump into things like alternating lunges and squats!

xoxo
Keri

*Please get clearance from your doctor before starting any nutrition or exercise program.