5 Moves Trainers Do Every Day to Feel Strong — in and Out of the Gym

The trainer: Lee Wratislaw, NASM, CPT, GOLD'S AMP coach

Why this move: "You can incorporate squats into almost every part of your workout. You could do air squats for a warm up or add weighted squats to build muscle. Squats are a primary component of any strength program and should be incorporated if your goal is to build a stronger lower body, burn calories, and improve mobility."

Get the instructions: squat

The trainer: Mauro S. Maietta, CPT, district fitness manager at CRUNCH

Why this move: "Pull-ups and chin-ups target your arms, shoulders, trunk (abdominal muscles), and the latissimus dorsi or lats. The 'lats' are a huge muscle that adds that 'V-taper' athletic shape to your body, which creates a leaner appearance to your midsection, and visible muscularity in any shirt. In addition to the aesthetic benefits, the lats are involved in stabilizing the spine and shoulders, which builds injury tolerance. If you lack the capacity for a pull-up, try a lat pull-down variation."

Get the instructions: pull-up

The trainer: Caroline Jordan, ACE personal trainer

Why this move: "After sitting for most of the day, our lower bodies need to wake up — 'sleeping booty' is a real thing! My favourite, go-to move is a bodyweight hip bridge. This move opens the quads and hip flexors, and activates the glutes. This means it stretches the front body, and engages the back body — perfect to balance things out after all that sitting."

Get the instructions: hip bridge

Related:

This Workout Is the Wake-Up Kiss For Your Sleeping Booty

The trainer: Liz Letchford, MS, ATC, Tonal trainer

Why this move: "I'm constantly moving and challenging my body with different workouts, heavy lifts, and outdoor adventures. My active lifestyle leaves my hips feeling quite taxed. This mobility drill allows me to enhance the connection between my brain and my hips while maintaining core stability. When the core is braced in this movement, a signal is sent to the nerves that manage the muscles of the hips to allow more range of motion. This movement enhances my flexibility more than any static stretching I've ever done! With greater range of motion in my hips, I feel stronger and more resilient."

Get the instructions: quadruped hip mobility

The trainer: Luigi Aldon, SoulCycle trainer

Why this move: "A plank is the ideal full-body exercise; I start and end every one of my workouts with one. It challenges your core, arms, and glutes, if you're doing it correctly."

Get the instructions: plank

Related:

I Did a 2-Minute Plank Every Day For 2 Weeks — Here's What Happened