RSS Feeds
Read more workouts with Good Form
GOOD FORM
If you're one of those people who sits in front of a computer for hours, typing away, try this simple yet effective way to release tension in your forearms, wrists and fingers. Make a habit of taking breaks throughout the day to perform this exercise. When your hands and arms are relaxed, you'll feel less stress in your neck and shoulders.
GOOD FORM
This yoga pose stretches the backs of your thighs, your outer hips and your calves. In the deeper variation, you can lengthen your spine and also feel a great stretch in the sides of your back.
GOOD FORM
When you challenge your body with something new during each workout, your muscles have to struggle to adapt -- and you'll see results sooner. Here's a different way to target your triceps and rear delts from a standing position.
GOOD FORM
For on-the-go people who want an alternative to the traditional push-up, here's a quick and easy move to keep your upper body strong. You can work one side's tricep while targeting the other side's chest, back and shoulders.
GOOD FORM
Use the skater squat to kick your cardio activity up a notch. It's a challenging, intense and fun way to vary your workout and help you avoid boredom.
GOOD FORM
This yoga pose extends and strengthens the muscles in the sides of your torso. It also helps to develop strength and flexibility in your thighs and hips. Remember to press down on the outer edges of your feet and to keep turning your chest up while holding this pose.
GOOD FORM
This exercise combines movements to target your arm, abdominal, buttock and thigh muscles all at once. Don't be surprised if one leg is harder to balance on than the other -- we all have a more dominant side. That's why it's important to train them equally.
GOOD FORM
Find a perfect balance of strength and flexibility with this classic yoga exercise called the side angle pose. For those new to yoga, here are two ways to perform the move, helping you get into the proper position and hold it longer.
GOOD FORM
Your core is your center and is considered the powerhouse of the body. It consists of all your torso muscles from your upper back to your pelvis. To keep it strong, do this simple yet challenging exercise to tighten your abs and strengthen your back and hip muscles. Be sure you only twist from your waist up. Your lower body should remain stationary throughout the exercise.
GOOD FORM
Here's a helpful trick when performing reverse curls: Hug a pillow between your calves and hamstrings. This activates the backs of your thighs so you can't use the hip flexors (the opposing muscle group) to create momentum and pull your knees forward.
GOOD FORM
Simple exercises such as this one will help you become more limber, with a trimmer midsection. This move targets your shoulders, back and abdominals.
GOOD FORM
This asymmetrical forward bend will stretch each side of your back and your hamstrings (backs of your thighs) separately. You may find that one leg or one side of your back is tighter than the other. Spend extra time stretching the tighter side.
GOOD FORM
Floor exercise helps build up your core.
GOOD FORM
Tight hip flexors can be a problem for people whose workout regimens include running or brisk walking; such repetitive forward motion can cause overuse injuries. Here's a yoga pose that can help. It will stretch the hip flexors of the back leg and strengthen the muscles in the front leg.
GOOD FORM
This stretch, a crossed-leg sit with a block, targets the muscles around your hip joints, which get tight from everyday activities such as walking, stair-climbing or prolonged sitting. Remember to relax and breathe deeply while performing this move.
GOOD FORM
This is the beginning position for two similar exercises that will strengthen your bicep, shoulder and chest muscles using light dumbbells. If you are new to strength training, stick with the bent-arm version. As you get stronger, progress to the extended-arm version for a more intense workout.
GOOD FORM
To counter the effects of cycling, hiking or jogging, perform this exercise to release tension that creeps into your hips, legs and lower back from repetitive movements. Tightness in your iliotibial band, which runs down the outer thigh, can cause knee pain, so do this move after every workout.
GOOD FORM
Here's a dynamic exercise to help you develop flexibility and strength without risking injury or building bulk. You'll increase your upper body strength while stretching the backs of your legs.
GOOD FORM
A fun way to rev up your workout is to combine movements that raise your heart rate while working your legs and core. Try this move in a wide-open area.
GOOD FORM
When performing upper body exercises, remember to play it safe with your shoulders by adding a simple rotation to front raises. This will reduce any undue stress on your neck and shoulders while still allowing you to reap all the benefits.
GOOD FORM
If you're familiar with the classic yoga pose called "downward facing dog," try this variation for more of a challenge. It develops flexibility in your legs while strengthening your core and upper-body muscles.
GOOD FORM
This exercise takes a classic yoga pose to a new level. If you're already familiar with downward facing dog and flexible enough to do it correctly, then challenge your body with this variation.
GOOD FORM
Practicing yoga can help restore your physical vitality and emotional balance. The various postures are powerful tools to strengthen and stretch your entire body at any age and fitness level. Here is a simple way to do downward facing dog if your back and legs are tight.
GOOD FORM
If you're new to yoga, here's a way to modify the classic chair pose. Practice half-chair for a while before progressing to the more challenging full chair position. This gives you a chance to learn proper technique without developing bad habits.
GOOD FORM
Inversions take weight away from the legs and improve circulation. If done on a regular basis, they will enhance your concentration skills by bringing more blood flow to the brain. Use this simple inversion move to become familiar with the correct positioning.
GOOD FORM
This strength-training exercise can be used to challenge your chest, shoulders and biceps at the same time. All you'll need is a set of light dumbbells (3 to 5 pounds each). Remember to stand tall with your abdominals pulled in to support your lower back throughout the move.
GOOD FORM
Use this stretch to release your back and hips if you've been seated for a long period of time or after brisk walking, hiking or biking. You'll stand taller and feel more energized once your spine and hips have been loosened up.
GOOD FORM
Performing this abdominal exercise correctly is important so you don't strain your neck or compress your spine. In the beginning, break it down into two separate actions so you can focus on form and technique.
GOOD FORM
With the addition of light resistance, you'll make this classic exercise more intense, allowing you to perform fewer reps. You'll feel the work in your buttocks and hamstrings right away, but remember to fully stretch your leg and pause for a moment at full extension.
GOOD FORM
It's very easy to cheat when performing some of the more popular stretches. But without proper form, we can end up wasting our time or worse -- creating undue stress on our joints. When done correctly, this is an excellent way to stretch the muscles in the front of the thigh.
GOOD FORM
For most people, lower back pain is a cumulative process, creeping up on us through poor posture and bad habits when lifting and bending. Here is an easy exercise you can do throughout the day to help strengthen your back muscles while sitting for long periods of time.
GOOD FORM
Even everyday activities require upper body strength, especially in the biceps (which help bend the arms), the triceps (which straighten the arms) and the deltoids (which lift the arms). The traditional push-up is an excellent way to strengthen all these muscles at once. And for an extra challenge, try doing it with a yoga block.
GOOD FORM
If you perform regular squats and lunges in your workouts, be sure to include a hip stretch at the end of your routines. This popular yoga position, the pigeon pose, will help loosen your hips and keep your buttock muscles flexible. If you're very tight in your hips, use a yoga block to support your weight; it will make holding the stretch more comfortable.
GOOD FORM
This classic yoga pose, downward facing dog, increases the blood supply to the brain and stretches the muscles in the legs, torso and arms. If the backs of your legs are tight, bend your knees so you can lift your hips and lengthen your spine.
GOOD FORM
When work has you glued to your desk and you feel your back stiffening up, try this simple torso stretch for a few minutes. It helps loosen those tight areas and counters the effects of prolonged sitting.
GOOD FORM
An important component of fitness is flexibility, especially for your leg, back and hip muscles. Here's a stretch that targets all three areas in one simple move.
GOOD FORM
Most of us know that a good way to protect our knees is to strengthen the muscle above the knees with simple quad exercises. But, for added support, it's also important to keep your hips and hamstrings flexible. Here's a side-lying stretch that targets your hips and hamstrings.
GOOD FORM
Much of yoga is about practicing proper alignment and focus, so be precise when performing yoga postures. You should strive to feel centered while developing strength and stability in each pose. Here are two variations of a simple yoga move called the side angle. Stick with the first variation until you feel comfortable, then progress to the second.
GOOD FORM
Perform this yoga pose to help your body find a balance between effort and ease. It will strengthen your lower body and provide a deep stretch in your back muscles. Move into it slowly to allow time for you to find your center and feel a sense of strength and stability while holding the posture.
GOOD FORM
Get more out of your workouts, whether at home or at the gym, by practicing moves that challenge you. For example, if you're familiar with this basic yoga posture, called triangle pose, kick it up a notch and progress to the more advanced version. Doing so will boost your strength and flexibility while improving your focus and balance.
GOOD FORM
Here's a dynamic way to strengthen your abs, shoulders, arms and legs. The most important part of this move is to contract your abs fully before you start to lower your hips. Move slowly and think of using your abs to "scoop out" (make concave) the front of your torso.
GOOD FORM
Exercise the muscles in front to correct an imbalance in flexibility.
GOOD FORM
Most of us are stronger on one side of our bodies than on the other, so it's a good idea to train one side of the body at a time to correct any muscle imbalances. In this exercise, you'll move one arm at a time and use a staggered leg stance to direct more of the work into the forward leg.
GOOD FORM
Simple move helps maintain balance and flexibility.
GOOD FORM
Spice up your weight-training routine by working various muscle groups with a single exercise, like this one. Just remember to move slowly so that you don't rely on momentum to move your arms through the full range of motion.
GOOD FORM
The fronts of our thighs are often stronger than the backs because the fronts get used more often in everyday activities. To balance your leg strength, add this move to your workouts. You can wear ankle weights for more of a challenge.
GOOD FORM
Balancing on one leg helps us to find our center of gravity and develops our focus and concentration. Here are two stages of a balancing exercise that you can try at home. Other benefits of this pose include strengthening our core and leg muscles, which will improve the way we walk and stand.
GOOD FORM
Get double the payoff by combining two exercises into one super-effective move -- tightening your buttocks and thighs while strengthening your core muscles. You'll save time and make your workouts more challenging and fun.
GOOD FORM
Here are two variations of torso stretches to relieve tension and tightness in your back, waist and hip muscles. Practice the first version of this stretch on a regular basis and then once you see progress, try the advanced version. Consistency and patience will bring you further along than forceful or aggressive effort. (Our bodies need time to adjust to new positions, so don't get frustrated and quit.) Each time you do the stretch, focus on feeling a deep release between each of your ribs and along the sides of your body.
GOOD FORM
Doing rows in a different hand position shifts muscle focus.
GOOD FORM
Here is a challenging leg-balancing move to help you develop concentration, strength and balance. You'll need to focus on core muscles so you'll feel confident in the pose. Lift your torso away from the floor as you root your standing leg.
GOOD FORM
If you suffer from low-back pain, the most important thing you can do is consistently perform a safe and effective exercise to strengthen the muscles supporting that area.
GOOD FORM
Practice straight-leg crunches when you want an extra challenge to your obliques, the abdominal muscles at the sides of your waist. With this move, you'll have to work a little harder than usual to keep your hips completely still as you rotate only your upper body.
GOOD FORM
To see some improvement in your strength-training workouts, concentrate on the specific muscles when training them. This will recruit more muscle activity than thinking about other things when you are working out. For example, in this exercise, focus on using the muscles in your shoulder to raise your arms.
GOOD FORM
Just sitting upright properly can be challenging if you try to hold the position for a period of time. It requires both strength and flexibility in the muscles of your legs and back. Think of forming a 90-degree angle with your body with a hinge at your hips.
GOOD FORM
It's easy to get discouraged when practicing twists because your progress may be slow. But be patient and persistent because — even though you may get only a small range of motion — consistently performing twists will stretch important muscles that run along the spine and help stretch your side abdominal muscles.