Just like the bear crawl, the crab walk is a full body exercise that you may be familiar with from middle school gym class or from high school. It not only works your thighs and glutes, but is a great workout for your triceps and shoulders. It may sound easy, but just holding the crab walk position for some time will challenge some exercisers.

Here is how to do the crab walk:
1. Get on your hands and feet with your back towards the ground and your eyes up to the ceiling. This is a reverse push up position.

2. With your knees and elbows bent, start walking backwards on all fours. Be sure to keep your core muscles tight and your butt off the floor.

3. Continue going back for a certain count and then you can also go lateral or side to side with the crab walk to mix up the exercise as well.

One of the nice things about this exercise is that you don't need any gym equipment or weights to do this strength training exercise. Not only does the crab walk give you a great strength workout, but it also works on improving agility and speed. This is important for people who play sports like football or rugby or who practice martial arts.

If you begin to think that the crab walk is too easy for you, you can also try it with some weights to add more difficulty. Simply place a weight on your lap as you do the crab walk or you can strap on a weight vest or belt to add some weight to your body. Adding weight to your body will make your muscles have to work harder, making your workout challenge your muscles even more.

The crab walk can be added to just about any type of workout. It's a good exercise to incorporate into a circuit training workout as well as a strength training workout. Best of all it is something different that you don't see done in all exercise routines and it makes your workout a little more interesting.

If you are looking for an effective exercise to make your shoulders look toned and awesome in that strapless dress that you want to wear, then try adding lateral raises to your exercise routine. A lateral raise is a strength-training exercise that concentrates on the shoulder muscles. It works not only the front and back of the shoulder, but the sides as well.

Here is how you do a basic lateral raise:

1. Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-length apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip. Your arms should be straight down at your sides.

2. With your arms very slightly bent (elbows should not be locked) raise the dumbbells out to your sides until they are about shoulder height. Do not go above shoulder height.

3. Lower the dumbbells back down to starting position in a slow and controlled manner. Be sure that you are standing tall and not leaning over during the exercise.

4. Repeat the exercise for the desired amount of reps. Aim for at least 12 reps at a time.

If you are a beginner to the exercise you can choose very light 2 pound weights or no weights at all until you gain more strength in your shoulders. Regular exercisers should choose a weight that will challenge their muscles but you can still complete 10-12 proper reps with the proper amount of weight. If you don't feel the burn after at least 10-12 reps, then you need to choose a heavier weight. On the other hand, if you can't complete at least 10 reps with proper form, choose a lighter weight.

The lateral raise is an exercise that can also be performed sitting down since it is only an upper body exercise. You can sit in a chair or on a bench and perform the same movement. If you want more of a challenge and to also engage your core muscles, you can sit on an exercise ball when performing lateral raises. The instability of the exercise ball makes your abdominal muscles work to keep your balance.

The lateral raise is definitely an upper body exercise that you should add to your strength training routine to get strong, toned, and super sexy shoulders.

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years and is both a self-awareness exercises, and a great workout for the entire body. The poses and exercise sequences of the average yoga routine can help to increase flexibility, reduce stress and even give you a slight calorie burn. Researchers at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California report that just four weeks of regular yoga workouts can reduce chronic pain.

Yoga can also help you to reduce stress, so getting through difficult workdays and day-to-day activities becomes that much easier. If you've been looking for ways to improve your health, now may be a good time to get into the yoga habit.To perform the exercises, all you need is a yoga mat and some comfortable clothing that has enough give to help you move easily through each movement. Yoga can be practiced indoors or outdoors, and you don't need any special equipment.

So how do you start adding yoga to your weekly routine and make yoga a habit? You have several options for maximizing the benefits of yoga. If you can do just 10 to 15 minutes of yoga first thing in the morning, you can increase circulation and wake up sore muscles after your eight-hour snooze fest. You can also do some stretching exercises over lunch hour. While it's not a good idea to perform exercises that require bending forward right after you've eaten lunch, you can undertake some deep breathing exercises and flex your leg and back muscles in an upright position after the afternoon meal.

Another good time to do yoga is in the late evening before you head to bed. Winding down with some deep breathing exercises and deep stretches can help you fall into a deeper sleep state because you're much more relaxed. Just avoid doing the routine too close to bed time or you may find yourself wide awake for a few hours from the extra movements.

Practicing yoga regularly can help to increase flexibility, reduce stress and make it easier to manage chronic pain. Whether you choose to wrap up your routine at sunrise or late into the night, you can start enjoying the benefits of yoga without special equipment or by attending a special class.

Kettlebell workouts are becoming more and more popular as a great way to get a full body workout. If you are interested in kettlebell workouts, the first exercise that you must master is the kettlebell swing. This move is the basic foundation of every workout that involves kettlebells.

Before you can complete the kettlebell swing, you must choose a kettlebell to do your exercises with. There are varying weights and if you are a beginner it is recommended that you start out with a light weight that you are comfortable with.

Here is how to do a basic kettlebell swing:
1. Stand with the kettlebell right in between your legs. Squat down and grasp the kettlebell with both of your hands so that your knuckles are facing outwards. Stand back up.
2. Drop down slightly into a squat position, making sure that your legs are slightly wider than shoulder-length apart and your chest is still high. You should be in a power stance more than in a full squat with your butt back.
3. Drop your chest down towards the ground a little bit as you pull the kettlebell back.
4. Thrust forward with your hips as you stand up and raise the kettlebell up to your shoulders. Be sure that your arms are relaxed and that they are not locked.
5. Lower the kettlebell back down as you squat down to the position in step 3.
6. Continue to swing the kettlebell in this manner making sure that it is controlled and you are using your hips. Continue until you have done the desired amount of reps.

Once you have mastered the basic kettlebell swing there are so many different variations that can be done such as a one handed kettlebell swing. You can also choose to use heavier kettlebells the more advanced you get with the exercise.

The kettlebell swing is a great exercise to strengthen your core muscles as well as your hips and legs. When you perform the exercise for a longer period of time, you can also get your heart rate up and get in a cardio workout as well.

If you are looking for something different to add to your fitness routine, consider adding kettlebells and then start mastering the basic kettlebell swing.

If you have ever done any Pilates before you probably know that the hundred is the fundamental exercise for Pilates. If you have never done Pilates or even heard about Pilates, then the hundred may be something new to you that you can incorporate into your workout routine.

The reason why the hundred is the fundamental exercise when it comes to Pilates is because it is one of the best exercises to work your core muscles and also improve your cardiovascular endurance. One thing that you have to remember when doing the hundred exercise and any Pilates moves is that you must remember to control your breathing and make an easy transition from one stage of the exercise to other. It should be one easy fluid movement.

Here is how to the hundred exercise:
1. Lie on your back on a carpeted surface or a padded exercise mat. Bend your knees with your feet flat on the ground as you place your hands behind your knees.
2. Use your abdominals to bring your head off the ground as you continue to curl your spine so that your shoulders are off the ground as well.
3. Extend your legs out as you also extend your arms straight out. The lower your legs are the harder the exercise, so only go as low as you can without lifting your lower back off the ground.
4. Pump your arms up and down in a small and controlled way as you take small breaths in and out. Be sure that you are not straining your back or neck as your abdominals should be tight and doing all the work.
5. Inhale for 5 counts and then exhale for 5 counts and that counts as one cycle. To fully complete the hundred, do 10 cycles, as you continue to pump your arms up and down.
6. When done with 100 counts, keep your upper body curved and off the ground as you bring your knees back into your chest. Lower your shoulders and head back to the ground as you slightly stretch your back.

If you are looking for something a little more challenging, then try lowering your legs so that they are only off the ground a few inches. This makes the hundred exercise much more difficult. If you need something that is a little easier if you have neck problems or are new to exercising, you can keep your knees bent with your feet on the floor and do the entire exercise that way.

The hundred will definitely provide you with a huge improvement in your core strength and will also improve your endurance when it comes to exercising.

The late summer and early fall months are a great time to head outdoors for your fitness routine. But how do you make sure you're really getting in a great workout without the help of resistance equipment and mile-counters on the machines? Whether you choose to go swimming or head outside for a long jog, the heat may get to you faster than it would at the gym--which means you don't always know if you're pushing yourself hard enough. Here are ways to make the most of your workouts during late summer:

1. Wear the right clothing. Make sure your workout gear is well-suited for the weather or you risk dehydration and discomfort from the heat and humidity. You'll need lightweight, light-colored clothing made with moisture-wicking fabric so that your skin can breathe.

2. Throw on a visor. Pull your hair back in a ponytail if you have longer hair, and brush it back neatly if you have shorter hair so that you can wear a visor comfortably. A visor will help to block out the powerful sun rays of the late summer months and help you stay focused.

3. Wear sunglasses. Your eyes need to be protected from damaging UV rays, so make sure you're wearing a pair of well-fitting sunglasses that cover the entire eye area. Wraparound sunglasses and oversized sunglasses that reach your eyebrows are your best bets for an outdoor workout.

4. Carry a pedometer. Keep track of the miles you've covered so you're not pushing yourself beyond your limit. Set a goal and monitor your heart rate at regular intervals throughout the session so you don't injure yourself in the heat.

5. Don't forget the water bottle! Nothing will make you tired more quickly than being dehydrated. When you're working out under the hot sun, you need to prevent dehydration, so take along a large water bottle and keep it topped off from a water fountain whenever possible.

Working out outdoors is a great way to make the most of the nice weather during the late summer months and enjoy a change of scenery. Make sure you're well-prepared for the climate and protect yourself with these essential tips...and don't forget the sunscreen!

When most people think about working their core muscles, they only think about exercises that mostly work your abdominals like crunches and sit ups. Your core muscles also consist of your lower back muscles. When you have strong lower back muscles, you can actually appear taller and thinner. The Superman exercise is a great way to strengthen your core muscles, including your lower back.

Here is how to do the Superman exercise:

1. Lie face down on your stomach on a carpeted surface or on an exercise mat. Extend your arms straight out in front of you on the floor with your palms on the floor. Your legs should be straight behind you.
2. While keeping them straight, lift your arms and legs up off the ground. Keep your head facing downwards. You should have a slight curve in your back.
3. Hold this position for at least 5-10 seconds making sure to breathe and keep your abdominals contracted.
4. Lower your arms and legs back to the ground. Repeat the exercise for the desired amount of reps. Aim for at least 8 reps at a time.

There is also an alternating version of the Superman exercise. In this version of the exercise you only lift one arm off the ground as you lift the opposite leg at the same time. Then, you alternate between the two sides to complete a set.

The Superman exercise is one of the best ways to strengthen the lower back. Not many people realize just how important a strong lower back is. Think about how many things you lift in a day. Without strong lower back muscles, you may not be able to lift heavy items such as your kids.

Also, as mentioned, your lower back muscles support your whole body as they make up your core. When you have weak lower back muscles you may find that you have bad posture or you have trouble doing everyday tasks such as sitting for an extended period of time. If you can strengthen your lower back muscles, you help tighten up your core, which can make you not only look taller, but much thinner as well.

The Superman exercise can be added to any type of strength training workout or even a yoga routine.

A tuck jump is what is known as a plyometric exercise. Plyometrics are special moves that are done to increase power, speed, and explosiveness all in one exercise. This type of training is most often done by athletes who are looking to increase a vertical jump or speed. Tuck jumps are just not for athletes though, as they do have benefits that can help the average person. They are a good way to build up strength in your legs and burn tons of calories in a short period of time.

Here is how to do a tuck jump:

1. Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-length apart and your arms straight out in front of you.
2. Bend your knees so that you lower your body into the squatting position. Your arms should still be straight out in front of your body.
3. As soon as you reach the bottom of the squatting position, you need to explode up so that you make your jump as high as possible.
4. Once your feet are off the ground, quickly pull your knees into your chest. When you are at the highest point in your jump, your knees should be touching your chest.
5. As you starting going down towards the floor, un-tuck your knees and land softly on the ground with knees slightly bent. Your arms should always be in front of you.
6. Immediately go back into the squat position and continue with the tuck jumps. Do as many reps as possible. Try to aim for at least 10-15 at a time to begin with.

If you are a beginner to exercising, you can make tuck jumps easier by not tucking your knees to your chest and simply doing squat jumps instead. Then you can work your way up to the tuck jumps once you have been able to increase your vertical jump and stamina.

Be sure that you are jumping as high as you can on each of the tuck jumps. Jumping only slightly off the floor is not going to improve your jump or speed. If you want to get a cardiovascular exercise in with tuck jumps then try continuous tuck jumps for at least 1-2 minutes and see how high your heart rate gets.

Tuck jumps can be added to a circuit training routine or a cardiovascular workout, but always be sure that you are properly warmed up before attempting this exercise.

There are quite a few people that probably have not heard of a burpee before. A burpee is actually an excellent exercise that will work out your entire body in one move. It also helps to develop strength, endurance and power, which is why it is often used in sports conditioning. A burpee is often also called a squat-thrust as well.

Here is how to do a burpee:
1. Stand straight up with your legs about shoulder-length apart. Bend your knees so that you are in a normal squatting position with your butt back and knees over your ankles. Place your hands on the ground in front of your feet. Be sure that you are always wearing supportive tennis shoes when performing this exercise.

2. Kick your feet backwards so that you are now in a basic push up position, with your back completely straight with your body.

3. Almost immediately return your feet back to where they were behind your hands so that you are back in a squatting position.

4. Leap up as high as you can (your feet should come off the floor) straight from the squatting position. Your arms should go straight above your head as you leap up. If you are not able to leap, you can simply stand up and place your hands straight up in the air.

5. Squat back down and repeat the exercise for at least 10 repetitions.

The great thing about the burpee exercise is that not only does it strengthen your muscles, but if you do enough repetitions in a row, you can also raise your heart rate and get in a pretty good cardiovascular workout as well.
There are some versions of this exercise that will tell you to do a push up after you get into position. This is an advanced version of the basic burpee. This version of the exercise targets more of your chest muscles than the basic burpee does. If you choose, you can perform one set of the basic burpees and then a burpee-push up combination.

Adding in the burpee or squat-thrust exercise into your training routine can greatly increase your power, endurance and strength. It's an awesome all-in-one exercise for your whole body.

You may have learned the bicycle crunch when you were in elementary school as a fun way to exercise, but what you may have not known back then is that it is truly an awesome way to target your abdominal muscles. The great thing about this exercise is that it targets not only the middle of your abs (think six pack abs) but also your obliques (think love handles). Although you can't spot train and get rid of belly fat with abdominal exercises, they can make your abs stronger, so when used in conjunction with cardiovascular exercise, you can achieve flat abs.

Here is how to do the basic bicycle exercise:
1. Lie flat on your back on the floor. If you are not on a carpeted or soft surface, use an exercise mat. Lace your fingers behind your head to support your neck.

2. Bring both your knees in towards your chest as you lift your upper body from your shoulders up off the floor. Do not pull on your head or neck with your hands, but gently support them. Use your stomach muscles to keep your upper body off the ground.

3. Straighten your left leg out completely while turning your upper body to your right knee. Bring your left elbow to the right knee as your keep your ab muscles contracted and twist only from your stomach.

4. Return back to starting position and immediately switch sides, so that you bring your right elbow to your left knee and your right leg is straight out.

5. Continue this motion without stopping in between reps. Aim for at least 15 reps on each side of the body.

The exercise may seem confusing at first for beginners, but it is simply just like riding a bicycle in the air. The key to making the bicycle crunch an effective exercise is to have perfect form when completing it. Never, ever pull on the back of your neck or head with your hands, as this can lead to neck and back injuries. Your abdominal muscles should always be contracted as they support the weight of your body. Be sure to breathe evenly during the exercise.

Combine this exercise along with a cardio workout 3-4 times a week and you will notice a difference in your stomach.

If you want to have tight and toned arms, especially triceps, then dips are definitely an exercise you want to add to your workout routine. Dips mainly work the tricep muscles, which are the muscles on the back of your arm. There are a lot of people that complain of the flabby arms when waving problem, so to tighten and tone your triceps along with other muscles in the arm and chest, try doing some dips.

Here is how to perform a classic dip exercise:
1. Take hold of the dip bars with the palms of your hands facing your body. You need to raise yourself up so that your arms are fully extended with your body above the bars. If you need to, you can use a step to get up or have someone help you up.
2. Bend your knees with your feet behind you and the rest of the body straight.
3. Lower yourself down by bending your elbows. Your chest should almost be even with the bars.
4. Quickly raise yourself back up to starting position by fully extending your arms.
5. Repeat the above steps for the desire amount of repetitions.

Dips are definitely not an easy exercise to perform, especially if you lack upper body strength to begin with. If you are unable to perform the classic dip exercise, there is a variation that is easier to do, but will still strengthen your arm muscles. Instead of using dip bars, use a bench or even a chair to do your dips. Place your hands on the edge of the bench behind you with your feet on the floor in front of you. The straighter your legs are, the harder the dip gets. Now, bend your elbows so that your butt is almost touching the floor or as far as you can dip down. Raise back up to starting position and repeat. This variation of the dip is easier as you do not have to dip as far and you are not supporting all your body weight solely on your arms.

If you want to get more advanced than the classic dip, you can always add a dip belt or weight belt when doing the exercise. The more weight that you add, the harder your muscles have to work.

Dips are a great exercise to get the toned and tight triceps that look awesome in strapless dresses, or for guys the bulging arms that make your shirts tight.

If you want a firm and lifted backside then you need to add glute kickbacks into your exercise routine. Kickbacks are a great exercise for the butt and the hamstrings. They help to firm and strengthen the butt and legs, which will make you look awesome in those skinny jeans.

Here is how to do a kickback exercise:

1. Get down on your knees and hands, preferably on a mat or carpeted surface. Your back should be parallel to the ground and your arms straight but not locked. You should be looking down towards the ground.

2. Take one of your legs as you thrust your feet up in the air backwards. Your foot should be flat as your raise it to the ceiling. Contract the muscles of your butt as your leg goes up.

3. Lower the leg back down so it's almost touching the ground and raise it back up again. Continue that for the desired amount of reps and then switch legs. Be sure not to twist your torso as it will make the exercise less effective.

There are also other variations of the kickback exercise that will work specific areas of the butt. For instance, you can raise your leg straight up in the air and then as you bring it down cross it over the other leg. This variation will target more of the outside area of the buttocks along with the hips as well.

Glute kickbacks can be added to strength training routines as well as circuit training workouts. Ankle weights can be added to make the exercise more difficult for your strength training routines. Just be sure that the moves are done in a controlled manner and as this will work the muscles more rather than wildly swinging your legs. For a circuit training workout try an original glute exercise followed quickly by a variation to get a great butt and hamstring workout at once.

The great thing about kickbacks is that you can also get an abdominal workout in, if you remember to keep your back straight and your abs contracted during the whole exercise.

The thought of doing mountain climbers may bring you back to your elementary physical education class, but your P.E. teacher may just have known what he was doing. Mountain climbers are actually a great strength training and cardiovascular exercise mixed into one. They help increase your endurance, which is were the cardiovascular workout comes in, and they work to increase your core strength and upper body strength.

How to do a mountain climber:
1. Get into a normal push up position on your feet and hands. Be sure that your back is straight and your abdominal muscles are contracted the whole time.

2. Bring the right knee up to the chest.

3. Extend the right leg back out at the same time you start bringing in your left knee to your chest.

4. Keep quickly alternating your legs. You can do mountain climbers for a certain period of time as 5 minutes or you can do a set of 100 of them.

If you want to make your mountain climbers a lot harder, try doing them with your hands on a balance board. The balance board gives instability which makes you work that much harder to stay balanced during the exercise. Mountain climbers with a balance board will have you feeling your abs the next day. You can also choose to add ankle weights as well to make the exercise more challenging for you.

When performing mountain climbers, your abdominal muscles should be engaged the whole time. When you bring your knees up to your chest, there should be a slight twist that also helps to slim the abs as well. Also, since you are in a push up position the whole time, your upper body such as your shoulders, triceps, and upper back is working to keep you supported, which means they are getting a workout as well.

Mountain climbers, although they may seem silly at first, are a great way to get a strength workout as well as a cardio workout for your entire body.

Have you ever wanted to learn a new healthy activity, but didn't want to invest the money in expensive programs at your local gym? Well, it's about time you did something about that. It's time to learn new activities that give you even more options for staying healthy. This week, we're going to discuss how you can learn new activities while still sticking to a budget.

One of the easiest ways to learn a new activity is to take classes at your local community college. Believe it or not, many of these classes are extremely affordable. Some activities only take one night, while others can take several weeks. Either way, you'll walk away from the class not only having learned a new activity, but knowing that you can perform it correctly.

The next best option is to rent or purchase DVDs. Just about any new and hot fitness craze has at least one DVD for instruction. Sometimes, you can even find DVDs that come with equipment that you'll need to complete the activity. If you're unsure about whether or not you'll enjoy the activity, always rent a copy before investing in it.

Another great option is fitness programs. Many popular series feature yoga, but there are many other fitness programs as well. You can find some of these programs on public television as well as cable, but you can even find free programs to watch online. The internet isn't just a good place to find videos about exercise programs though. It's also a great place to find step by step instructions on learning new activities. There are even fitness sites that are dedicated to teaching different types of exercise. Best of all, many fitness sites offer the information for free.

Last, but not least, open a book. Libraries are filled with books on healthy activities. It may be crafts that reduce stress, a new type of exercise, or even a healthy cooking method. Bring a few books home every couple of weeks and you're bound to find a few activities that you'll love.

Jumping jacks may not be a popular choice for some people, but they are a very effective exercise that are not just for warm ups. Jumping Jacks can easily be integrated into a cardiovascular workout as well as a strength training workout.

Have you ever tried to do 50 jumping jacks in a row? How about 100? I mean actual jumping jacks and not the cheap version were you only move your wrist back and forth and your legs never leave the ground. If you haven't tried this many jumping jacks in a row before, go ahead and try it now. You will see exactly how much of a cardio workout that you are getting.

If you do a jumping jack correctly you can also get a great workout to strengthen your muscles. By keeping your abdominal muscles contracted the whole time, you are getting a core workout as well. Jumping jacks work your entire body and when you add weights, it takes it to the next level.

Here is how to do a jumping jack:
1. Stand with your arms down by your sides and your feet together. Knees should be very slightly bent and your abs should be contracted.
2. Bend your knees as you jump, kicking your legs out to the sides so that they are wider than shoulder length. At the same time raise your arms up over your head so that the two hands meet right over your head. Your elbows should be slightly bent.
3. Jump your legs back together as you bring your arms down back to starting position.
4. Do not take a break and continue the steps until you have reached your desired repetition.

To add some challenge to your jumping jacks, you can wear weighted gloves or add a light dumbbell to the workout. This makes the exercise more of a strength training maneuver as well.

Remember that although jumping jacks do make a great warm up exercise, the intensity can be increased and they can also make a great addition to a cardiovascular or circuit training routine.