1. Bodyweight squat-There are many variations, but the basic version is getting your hips to parallel
If you cannot squat, you probably cannot move period
High rep bodyweight squats (20+ reps) should be EASY
2. If you cannot lunge, you're not athletic
Lunging is a critical movement ability, the ability to go from one leg to the next leg is fundamental to gait, walking, running, sprinting, jumping
Be able to lunge in all directions
3. Lateral Lunge
Not a "main" exercise, but useful to do; if you cannot do these, you likely have tight hips, tight adductors, and very poor movement capacity
2-3 sets, 5-10 reps
4. 45 degree hyperextension
This exercise is fantastic. Allows you train hip extension and glutes hamstrings together, and you can bias it for lower and upper back as well to train postural muscles
Done with bodyweight, aim to do sets of 30+ reps
5. Step Up
Another "basic" movement that is essential to be able to do.
People tend to cheat these by pushing off with the back leg, dont.
Can be done with light amounts of weight (heavier weights get awkward)
6. Nordic Leg Curl
An eccentric exercise, the amount of research is substantial: strengthens the lower hamstring, gets the knees stronger
Most people will struggle to do even 5 reps their first time
7. Bodyweight Leg curl
best done with a suspension trainer, although a stability ball can also work
Start with both legs, when that becomes easy, transition to single leg
Best done for moderate to high reps (10-20 range)
8. Calf raises
I think these are fairly self explanatory
You can do them with both legs, with one leg, and with weight
If you have weak feet, you have weak calves by default
Moderate to high reps 10-20 range per set
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A lot of "mainstream" fitness beliefs are not based on evidence or science or good practice
Rather, gym chains and supplement companies promote LOTS of BS as being "scientific", when in reality its simply to sell products and services
Example
The idea of a "1 hour workout"
This is one of those beliefs that you "hear a lot", but cannot source to anywhere in particular
Bros might say if you train longer than hour your testosterone DROPS (this is bad science)
Or you'll be told 1 hour is all you need because efficient training only takes that long
What is true?
The truth is that gym chains employ trainers by the hour and pay them per session, and because PTs only have 50-60 minutes with a client, they use that 1 hour workout as the model for everything they do
And it reinforces the idea that 1 hour is all you need
Resting 2-3 minutes between sets leads to more strength and muscle gains than resting 1 minute
-Taking a broader perspective, a lot meatheads wanted to believe they could take short rest periods & turn their lifting somewhat cardiovascular, & this wouldn't affect gains