exercises ideas

The crocodile crawl is more challenging than you might think. Keeping your head and neck in neutral alignment, get on all fours with your weight on your hands and feet. Crawl forward like a crocodile by keeping your torso low to the ground, and using your opposing limbs.

Starting on your hands and knees, bring the left knee forward directly under the chest while straightening the right leg. With your hands on the ground and core tight, jump and switch legs. The left leg should now be extended behind the body with the right knee forward.

The frog stand sets you up for a number of difficult exercises that involve balancing on your hands, including the planche. Get into the bottom of a squat and place your hands in front of your toes. With your knees resting against your elbows, gradually lean forward until only your hands are on the floor. Once mastered, you can tuck your knees into your chest instead of resting them on your elbows, and as time goes by try extending your legs out behind you.

If youve been practising your frog stands and progressions for long enough, the day may finally arrive when you can fully extend your legs out behind you with nothing but your hands in contact with the ground. This is a full planche, and is seriously impressive. Still too easy? Try fingertip push up planches as in the video above, you maniac.

Levers require tremendous core strength as well as a powerful upper body. Working towards these movements can build serious strength in your arms, chest, back and abs. The back lever involves hanging from a bar, with your chest facing towards the ground, and holding your body parallel to the ground.

The front lever is similar to the back lever, except this time your chest will be facing upwards. This variation is generally thought to be more difficult than the back lever.

Before attempting the muscle up you should be able to perform pull ups and dips for multiple reps, and even then it will be very difficult. Grab on to a bar or rafter that you can hang from. From there, swing forward to get some momentum and then pull up as explosively as possible. Keep rising until youre in a dip position above the bar.

The human flag is an extremely advanced exercise where one holds onto a vertical object and, with the arms straight, holds their body horizontal to the ground. It requires you to have a great deal of strength, especially in the lateral chain, and also a good overall strength weight ratio. Check out this tutorial if you want a challenge.

The jumping jack is a classic exercise the world over, and is great for warming up. Jump and spread your legs to your side while simultaneously lifting the arms. As soon as you land spring back into the starting position.

OK, so technically you need a rope for this one, but its worth getting one because jumping rope is fantastic for warming up, training your calves, and building your aerobic capacity. Learn how to get started here.