strength-training

Done those basic strength-training moves so much you're basically a pro? Add a challenging element to your next routine with these tips.

1. Grab some weights: A medicine ball or a pair of dumbbells can be all you need to take your spot training to the next multitasking level. Adding weights to your routine saves you time while challenging more muscle groups. Use dumbbells while you perform a lunge to give your upper body a workout, or hold a medicine ball while you perform squats. This narrow squat becomes more challenging, for example, when you add an overhead squat with dumbbells to the mix.

2. Get on a ball: Adding an unstable element to any basic move will make it harder and engage more muscles while you perform the exercise. The result? You beat boredom and burn more calories just with one simple addition. You can use an exercise ball for moves like plank or crunches; print out our stability-ball workout for an entire circuit on the ball. If you prefer to balance on the BOSU, then these 10 moves you can do with a BOSU should be in your workout rotation.

3. Vary it up: Once you've learned the basics, it's time to add variations that help you focus on different areas.
When you're ready for a challenge, here are some of our favorite variations on basic moves:

• Advanced push-up variations
• Plank variations to tone your entire body
• Squat variations to challenge your lower body
• Five ways to do a lunge

Skip basic crunches, and try this fun move that targets the entire ab section. Similar to the ball-pass exercise, you'll use a block instead, and it only takes a few reps before you'll start to feel the burn. Not only will you work your abs, but squeezing the block between your feet also tones your inner thighs.

• Grab a block and lie on your back. Engage your core and actively press your spine toward the floor.
• Place the block between your feet and on an exhale, slowly and simultaneously lower your hands and feet toward the floor, making sure your back is flush with the floor the entire time. If you find this is too difficult, bend your knees slightly.

• Stop once your hands are a few inches from the ground; then inhale as you slowly raise them back up, reaching for the block.

• Grab the block with your hands, flex your feet and lower your hands and feet again until they are a few inches from the floor.
• Rise back up and pass the block to your feet. This counts as one rep.
• Try to complete 10 reps.

Want to make the most of your precious time spent at the gym? Our friends at Health share the weight machines you should skip and the exercises to do in their place.

By Jennifer Cohen

We have our reasons for picking each of these exercises, but with each one you’re just not getting the most bang for your buck when you use exercise machines. Why? For one, you usually end up not using the muscles you want to be targeting as much as you think, because your more dominant, stronger muscles end up doing most of the work. Two, these machines end up doing 30 to 40 percent of the work for you, robbing you of your progress! Try these alternatives to engage multiple muscle groups at once, force yourself to engage your core, and make your workout as efficient as possible.

1. Crunches. An improper crunch is the best way to strain your neck and totally ignore your abs. Many people pull from their neck and then curl up in a way that puts needless strain on key points of their spine. And using an exercise machine is no guarantee that you will be doing it correctly.

Try instead: Planks. Get in a push-up position, propping yourself up on your elbows and forearms. Holding yourself up while keeping your back, butt and heels in line with each other works your entire core, without any of the strain of crunches. With planks, you’re working your entire core, making it more effective than a crunch. Try holding the plank position 3 times for 30 seconds each.

2. Thigh Adductor Machine. If you’re fixated on your thighs and think the adductor will help them spot reduce, think again. Here the machine is doing a lot of the work for you and you’ll get much more out of it by doing something else. Without the machine you can work on the thighs you’re after, and you just may be able to reduce knee pain at the same time.

Try instead: Squeeze bridge. Get on your back, feet on the ground and knees bent, holding yourself up so your body is at a 45 degree angle, and hold a yoga block between your knees. You’ll feel your core and your inner thighs burning. If you don’t have a yoga block, try a rectangular tupperware container — just holding it there will do the trick for beginners.

Keep reading for three more weight-machines to skip.

When you just don't have time to get to the gym, sneak a few minutes of calorie-burning moves into your day by throwing on sweats, turning on your favorite TV show, and doing this five-minute workout. Grab a pair of dumbbells and take a quick timeout from the couch.

Tricep Dips

The arm of your couch, a stable coffee table, or a nearby chair is all you need to target your triceps.

• Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
• Move your butt in front of the bench with your legs extended in front of you. Modify by keeping your legs bent and feet placed about hip-width apart on the floor.
• Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
• Now slowly bend at your elbows and lower your upper body down toward the floor until your arms are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
• Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press off with your hands, and push yourself straight back up to the starting position.
• Repeat as many times as you can for one minute.

Reverse Lunge

This leg move is just as effective as the basic lunge but helps save your knees from too much stress. Hold a dumbbell in each hand while you perform this exercise to make it even more effective.

• To begin, stand tall and take a controlled lunge (or large step) backward with your left foot.
• Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor and your right knee is positioned directly over your ankle. Keep your left knee bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor. Your left heel should be lifted.
• When your left knee is almost touching the floor, hold. Then, slowly push with your left foot to raise your pelvis up a bit, then straighten your knees and return your left leg back to starting position next to your right leg.
• This completes one rep. Complete as many reps as you can in 30 seconds before repeating on your right side.

Push-Up

This basic move is effective for strengthening your upper body. You can also do them while placing your feet on your couch to add a challenging element.

• Start in the top position: palms spread out evenly next to your shoulders, with shoulders over the wrists and legs out behind you. Pull your belly button in, and keep your back straight.
• As you lower and exhale, bend your elbows outward to the sides. Hold at the bottom before you raise back up.
• Do as many reps as possible in one minute.
• Watch our video on how to do a push-up to ensure that you are doing it correctly.

Read on for the rest of the workout.

Squat challenges are all the rage now, and while it certainly is an accomplishment to work your way up to 200, 500, or even 1,000 squats (yikes!), doing the same kind only works certain muscles. Here's a new challenge for you to try. It involves five different squat variations that you repeat and eventually work up to 200 reps in 30 days.

Here are instructions for the five different variations followed by a 30-day plan to get you all the way to 200. It's not advised to skip right to day 30 if you want to be able to walk the next day, so follow the plan and adjust it slightly according to your schedule and ability level.

Number 1: Narrow Squat

• Stand with your feet touching. Hold your hands comfortably in front of your chest to help you stay balanced and bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply so your thighs are parallel with the floor. Be sure to keep weight back in your heels.
• Then rise back up, straightening the legs completely, squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement to get the most out of the exercise.
• This counts as one rep.

Number 2: Narrow Squat With Booty Kick

• Stand with your feet touching. Hold your hands comfortably in front of your chest to help you stay balanced and bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply so your thighs are parallel with the floor. Be sure to keep weight back in your heels.
• Then rise back up, straightening the legs completely, and lift the left leg back behind you for a booty kick. Lower the foot back to the floor in a narrow squat position.
• Do another squat, then straighten the leg, do a booty kick with the right leg, and step the right foot back to meet the left.
• This counts as one rep.

Keep reading to see the other three squat variations and the 30-Day Squat Challenge Plan.