9 Exercises That Start With F
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Are you looking for some inspiration to switch up your workout routine? Why not try exercises that start with a letter? By simply doing exercises that start with a letter, such as F, you can introduce creativity into your routine and challenge yourself to try new exercises.
Nine exercises that start with F include frog jumps, front squats, flutter kicks, fencing lunges, forearm plank, farmers walk, Frankenstein walk, face pulls, and fish pose.
Keep reading to learn the benefits of each of these exercises and how to conduct them.
Frog Jumps
Frog jumps are an explosive plyometric exercise that combines strength and cardiovascular elements, making them an effective addition to high-intensity workouts. This dynamic movement engages multiple muscle groups, including the legs and core.
Instructions:
1. Starting Position: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed outward, and maintain a squat position.
2. Squat Down: Bend your knees and lower your body into a deep squat, keeping your chest up and back straight.
3. Jump Up: Explode upward from the squat position, extending your hips and knees while swinging your arms forward for momentum.
4. Mid-Air Position: In mid-air, bring your knees towards your chest, resembling a frog's leap.
5. Land Softly: As you descend, land softly, bending your knees to absorb the impact and immediately go into the next squat.
6. Repeat: Perform consecutive frog jumps, maintaining a fluid and controlled motion.
Incorporate frog jumps into your routine for a challenging and energizing full-body exercise, promoting strength, endurance, and agility.
Front Squats
Front squats are an excellent compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps while also engaging the core and upper body. This variation places the barbell in front of your shoulders, promoting an upright torso and increased emphasis on the front of the legs.
Instructions:
1. Set Up: Begin by setting a barbell in a squat rack at chest height. Approach the bar and position it across the front of your shoulders, gripping it with your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Rack Position: Lift your elbows, creating a "rack" for the bar to rest on. Keep your chest up and core engaged.
3. Foot Placement: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, with your toes pointing slightly outward.
4. Descend: Initiate the squat by bending at your hips and knees simultaneously. Keep your back straight, chest up, and lower your body by bending your knees.
5. Depth: Lower yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground, ensuring a full range of motion.
6. Ascent: Push through your heels to return to the starting position, fully extending your hips and knees.
Incorporate front squats into your routine for stronger quads and improved overall lower body strength.
Flutter Kicks
Flutter kicks are a dynamic and effective exercise for targeting the lower abdominal muscles, enhancing core strength and stability. This movement involves a rhythmic kicking motion while lying on your back.
Instructions:
1. Starting Position: Lie flat on your back with your hands placed under your hips for support, and extend your legs straight.
2. Engage Core Muscles: Activate your abdominal muscles by drawing your navel towards your spine, maintaining a slight bend in your knees.
3. Lift Legs Off the Ground: Lift your legs a few inches off the ground, ensuring your lower back stays in contact with the floor.
4. Alternating Kicks: Begin the fluttering motion by alternately kicking your legs up and down in a controlled manner.
5. Maintain Pace: Keep a steady and consistent pace throughout the exercise, focusing on engaging the lower abdominal muscles.
6. Avoid Straining Neck: Keep your head and shoulders relaxed on the ground, preventing unnecessary strain on the neck.
Incorporate flutter kicks into your core workout routine to build strength and tone the lower abs effectively.
Fencing Lunges
Fencing lunges are a dynamic lower-body exercise that adds variety to your workout routine while targeting the muscles in the legs and glutes. This exercise, inspired by the stance in fencing, engages multiple muscle groups for improved strength and balance.
Instructions:
1. Starting Position: Stand with your feet together and step forward with one foot, creating a staggered stance.
2. Form Stance: Keep the front knee bent at a 90-degree angle, ensuring it doesn't extend beyond the toes, while the back leg is straight with the heel lifted.
3. Lunge Downward: Lower your body by bending both knees, ensuring the back knee hovers just above the ground.
4. Torso Upright: Maintain an upright torso and engage your core throughout the movement for stability.
5. Push Back: Push off the front foot to return to the starting position, completing one repetition.
6. Alternate Legs: Repeat the lunge, alternating legs with each repetition.
Incorporate fencing lunges into your workout for a challenging and effective lower-body exercise that enhances both strength and balance.
Forearm Plank
Forearm plank is a foundational exercise that strengthens the core and improves overall stability. This static hold engages multiple muscle groups, including the abs, back, and shoulders, making it an effective addition to any workout routine.
Instructions:
1. Starting Position: Begin on the floor on your forearms and toes, ensuring your elbows are directly below your shoulders.
2. Alignment: Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels, avoiding any sagging or lifting of the hips.
3. Engage Core: Tighten your abdominal muscles and draw your navel towards your spine to engage the core.
4. Neutral Neck: Keep your neck in a neutral position, aligning it with your spine, and avoid looking up or down.
5. Breathe: Focus on controlled breathing, taking deep inhales and exhales to help stabilize your core and maintain endurance.
6. Hold Position: Aim to hold the plank position for a specific duration, gradually increasing the time as your strength improves.
Incorporate forearm planks into your routine to build core strength, enhance posture, and promote overall stability.
Farmers Walk
Farmers walk is a functional and effective exercise that enhances grip strength, works the core, and improves overall stability. This exercise involves walking while carrying a heavy weight in each hand, simulating the movement of carrying heavy objects over a distance.
Instructions:
1. Select Appropriate Weights: Choose two heavy weights, such as dumbbells (affiliate link) or kettlebells (affiliate link), ensuring they are challenging but manageable for your fitness level.
2. Stand Tall: Begin by standing upright with a weight in each hand, allowing your arms to hang naturally at your sides.
3. Engage Core: Tighten your core muscles to maintain a stable spine and protect your lower back.
4. Shoulders Back: Roll your shoulders back and down to promote good posture throughout the exercise.
5. Walk with Purpose: Take short, controlled steps, keeping a brisk and steady pace while ensuring the weights do not touch your body.
6. Maintain Grip: Keep a firm grip on the weights, ensuring they do not slip from your hands.
Incorporate the farmers walk into your routine to build strength and stability and enhance functional fitness.
Frankenstein Walk
The Frankenstein walk is a dynamic exercise that engages the core, challenges your balance, and promotes flexibility in the hamstrings. This movement is not only effective for warming up the body but also adds an element of fun to your workout routine.
Instructions:
1. Starting Position: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, ensuring good posture with shoulders back and core engaged.
2. Extend Arms: Fully extend your arms straight in front of you at shoulder height, parallel to the ground.
3. Lift One Leg: Lift your right leg straight out in front of you while keeping it as straight as possible.
4. Opposite Arm Movement: Simultaneously, lower your left arm as your right leg rises and vice versa, creating a cross-body movement.
5. Walking Motion: Take a step forward with your left foot while maintaining the extended arms and alternating leg lifts.
6. Continue Walking: Repeat the process, creating a walking motion with straight-legged lifts and opposite arm movements.
The Frankenstein walk not only improves flexibility but also enhances coordination, making it an enjoyable addition to your warm-up routine.
Face Pulls
Face pulls are an effective exercise for targeting the muscles in the upper back and shoulders, helping improve posture and strengthen the rear deltoids. This exercise is commonly performed using a cable machine.
Instructions:
1. Adjust the Cable: Set the cable machine at chest height with a rope or dual handles attached to the cable.
2. Weight Selection: Choose a weight that allows you to maintain proper form and control throughout the movement.
3. Starting Position: Stand facing the cable machine, grab the handles with an overhand grip, and step back to create tension in the cable.
4. Feet and Body Position: Position your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining a stable stance. Brace your core to support your lower back.
5. Pull to Face: Pull the handles towards your face, keeping your elbows high and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
6. Controlled Release: Slowly extend your arms, returning to the starting position with control.
Incorporate face pulls into your routine to enhance shoulder health and build strength in the upper back.
Fish Pose
The Fish Pose, or Matsyasana in yoga, is a back-bending posture that not only opens the chest and throat but also strengthens the upper back. This pose is known for its ability to improve posture and relieve tension in the shoulders and neck.
Instructions:
1. Starting Position: Begin by lying on your back with your legs extended and arms resting by your sides.
2. Place Hands Under Hips: Slide your hands — palms down — beneath your hips, bringing your forearms and elbows close together.
3. Lift Chest: Press into your forearms and lift your chest towards the ceiling, arching your back and allowing the crown of your head to rest on the mat.
4. Point Toes: Point your toes, extending through the legs, and lift your chest higher, creating a gentle backbend.
5. Breathe Deeply: Hold the pose while taking slow, deep breaths, expanding the chest and throat.
6. Release: To exit, lower your chest back to the mat and remove your hands from beneath your hips.
The Fish Pose is an invigorating stretch that promotes flexibility and energizes the body and mind.
Also, if you are choosing to only exercise at home, be sure to consider our list of recommended at-home workout equipment (affiliate link) to add variety and resistance to your routine!
