Monday comes around, and suddenly it's back to school or work or some other daily grind. How boring and static.
So for the next several weeks, we'll kick off a new week of Badass Fitness with the "Monday Move," a blog segment that highlights one exercise worth adding to your routines (or, if you already use it, worth doing more of). Think of it as "Badass Conditioning 101."
I'll explain the exercise, the muscles worked, the mechanics of proper form, and why it's one of my Badass essentials. Before long you'll have been so well schooled, you'll have an MBB - Masters in Badass Building! ;)
So without further ado, let's discuss today's move: The Dropsy.
The technique:
1. You stand on top of some platform - step bench, park bench, stadium bench, even a stair in your house. The feet should be hip width apart.
2. To work the right side, you leave the right foot planted on the bench and push the left leg back so that it's hovering off the back of the bench.
3. Now, slowly and with control, you lower your body down, bending that right leg until your left foot is hovering a few inches off the ground (You will get stronger and be able to go lower with this over time, At the start, just go as low as your strength allows).
4. Now, using the right leg, press back up to where you began, feeling the work through your glutes, quads and hamstrings. That's one rep. Do up to 20 reps, then switch to the left side.
5. Form note: Your foot should not touch the floor. The idea here is control and strength, using the right side to lower down and lift up without letting the weight shift to the floor or left leg.
I love this exercise for a few reasons:
1. It can be done anywhere - at the gym, at home, at the park, at a high school track or football stadium - with no equipment beyond an elevated surface (bench, step, row of stadiums, etc). Portable exercises are the best because we're more likely to do them amid our busy lives.
2. It really targets the glutes and hamstrings, as well as the quads. Because this exercise isolates one leg at a time, it concentrates the work to the muscles intended. And it eliminates any room for "cheating." When you push back up with the working leg, the glutes on that side will stand up and salute you!
3. Over time, it works the core and balance: As you lower down with that working leg, you have little choice but to engage the core as you work to maintain balance.
4. It's not rocket science: Too often, we complicate things with exercise. We assume that to be effective, workouts require fancy equipment or choreography or amazing athletic prowess. If you've ever tried a resistance band workout, you know better. The Dropsy is simple, yet highly effective.
So find yourself a bench or step, and get to work! A tighter Badass awaits....
Coming this week: My "date" with the British chef who lost 65 pounds by cooking up a storm, and a trip to Chipotle drives home the importance of making wise menu choices.
