A triple reward for chest, core, thighs

Add this move to your strength-training program and get triple the payoff for your time. The exercise targets your chest and front thigh muscles while providing a core stability challenge. Begin with light dumbbells while you learn the movement, then progress to heavier weights as you feel more comfortable. Remember to engage your core muscles before you start to move your arms and legs. This will help keep your hips and shoulders level.

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1 Lie face up on a mat or a level, padded surface. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Position your arms directly above your shoulders with your palms facing each other.

2 Inhale and, on the exhale, keep your hip bones and shoulders level as you simultaneously lower your right arm and raise your right foot. Keep your right knee next to your left knee as you extend your lower leg. Stop moving your arms before your right elbow touches the floor. Pause for two seconds, then slowly raise your right arm and lower your right leg to return to the start position. Repeat on the left side. Continue to alternate sides until you have completed 12 reps on each side.

— Karen Voight