HIIT and Bodyweight exercises with a US Marine

The basic, all encompassing lower body exercise. Start with your feet spread slightly wider than shoulder width, toes pointed straight forward, or slightly outward, whatever feels most comfortable. Next, lower yourself so that your thighs are parallel to the ground, utilizing a proper hip hinge. Raise your body, and thrust your hips forward at the top of the range of motion, and repeat. Ensure that your knees do not jut out over your toes, as this places additional stress on your knee joint. This can be avoided by having a good hip hinge.

Lunges train the legs to press your body's weight one leg at a time. Start with your feet spread slightly wider than shoulder width, toes pointed straight forward. Next, step forward, or backward, ensuring that your step is far enough that your knee does not jut over your toes. Lower yourself until your opposite knee touches the ground, raise, and return to your starting position.

Cherry pickers are simultaneously a stretch and exercise involving your hamstrings and glutes. Begin by standing with your feet two times your shoulder width apart. Keeping your legs straight, knees nearly locked out, bend forward and touch the ground three times, each touch coming closer towards your body, in between your legs. Then, raise your torso back up to the starting position using your hamstrings and glutes to pull.

Toe Tapping places one leg at a time in a very unstable position, and forces the inner part of the quad to work on supporting your weight, while you change your center of gravity. Begin by standing on one leg. With your other leg, extend your foot out as far as possible and touch the ground with your toes. In front, to your sides, behind, at random order.

Sunken squats place more emphasis on your glutes due to the wider stance. Start by standing with your feet two times your shoulder width. Then, using a good hip hinge motion, lower yourself until thighs are parallel to the ground. Raise back up.

The Hindu squat is a fast paced version of the standard air squat. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed forward. Try to keep your weight on your toes. Quickly lower yourself until you are able to brush the ground with the back of your fingers, then raise up quickly, and repeat, keeping the same rhythm. Because of the faster exercise tempo, it is ok for your knees to briefly pass your toes.

The Low Hindu Squat contains the same steps as the standard Hindu squat, the only difference being the range of motion. During the upward portion of the movement, do not fully straighten your legs, but only come ¾ of the way up, and repeat.

The catcher squat is a two part exercise that targets your glutes and quads. Start by standing with your feet together. Lower yourself with a good hip hinge until your thighs are parallel to the ground, while keeping your arms fully extended in front of you. Keeping your arms parallel to your thighs, unbend and straighten your knees until your hands touch the ground. Reverse the last movement, and return to the starting position.

The Bear Squat is a unique way to challenge your glutes and quads. Get down into a modified downward dog position, then lower your knees until they're a few inches off the ground. Move your butt close to your heels. This is the starting position. Using your quads push your body forward until your head passes your hands, then return to the starting position.

The High Bear Squat is a variation on the standard bear squat. Get into the bear squat starting position. From there, straighten your legs while also keeping your back straight. Lower back to starting position.

The Extended Bear Squat takes the range of motion farther than that traditional bear squat. This brings your chest and shoulders into play. From the bear squat starting position, push forward until your head and shoulders pass your hands. Then return to the starting position.

Dirty dogs place emphasis on the muscles in the hips that help with lateral movement. Start by getting down on all fours. Next, keeping your knee locked in place at a 90 degree angle, raise your leg straight out to the side, then return to the starting position.

Start by getting down on your hands and knees. Next, straighten and extend one leg as far back as possible, raising the leg as high as possible. Return to starting position and switch legs. This exercise places tension on your glutes by putting your leg in a position in which the glutes have very little leverage, and must therefore work harder to keep the leg stabilized.

Follow same steps as a standard Mule Kick. When leg is fully extended, move leg from left to right, then return to starting position.

This is a hamstring isolation exercise. Start with your feet together. Keeping one leg in place on the ground, lean forward, while lifting your other leg behind you, in a straight line with your torso. Maintain a straight back. Bend forward until you're able to touch the ground with your arm extended straight down, then, using your hamstring and glute, pull yourself back up to the starting position.

Hip thrusts are a great glute isolation exercise. Start by laying flat on your back, with your knees bent and raised. Placing all your weight on your heels, and upper back raise your hips off the floor as high as possible, pause for a moment at the top, then lower to the starting position.

Beat your boots is primarily a quad isolation exercise. With your feet together, bend forward and grab your ankles. Keeping your hands on your ankles, lower your butt towards the ground all the way. Press back up into the starting position.

Sumo Squats place major emphasis on your glutes. Taking a wide stance, turn your feet outward roughly 45 degrees. Then, using a hip hinge, lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Raise back up to the starting position.

Side Lunges strengthen your hips, glutes, and quads. Starting with your feet together, step out to one side about 2 1/2 times your shoulder length, and lower your body in a squatting motion. Press back up, and return to the starting position.

The Boat Exercise uses the strength of your quads to pull your upper body off the ground. Laying down on your stomach, reach behind and grab your ankles. Holding on to your ankles, use your quads to pull your torso off the ground. This exercise can be done in a static hold, or for reps.

The Sinking Boat Exercise differs from the boat exercise only in that you only use one hand instead of two. This forces each individual quad to work harder.

One Legged Bird Squats challenge you to maintain your balance while squatting with one leg. Standing with your feet together, arms fully extended out to the side at shoulder level, lean forward, keeping your non standing leg completely straight. Try to make your entire body, except the leg you're standing on, parallel to the ground. From there, squat on that one leg as low as you can, before pressing back up to the starting position.

The Falling Tower Exercise not only looks cool, it's a great and unique way to strengthen your quads. Starting on your knees, with your thighs and shins at a 90 degree angle to one another, lean back moving only your knee joint. Keep your back straight and your hips locked. Lean back as far as you can without falling, then, using your quads, pull yourself back up to the starting position.

Duck Walks are a great quad and glute conditioning exercise. Start by squatting down like a baseball catcher, keeping your weight in your toes, walk from point A to point B, staying at that level the entire time.

Good mornings are similar to cherry pickers. The same concept of keeping straight legs and a straight back still applies. Use the hamstrings and glutes to pull your torso. Start with your feet spread apart slightly wider than shoulder width, toes pointed forward. Place your hands behind your head. Keeping a straight back, and straight legs, bend forward in a bowing motion, until you begin to feel tension on your hamstrings and glutes, then reverse, and raise back up.

Pistol Squats are one of the highest level leg exercises available. It requires a tremendous amount of strength in each leg, as well as hamstring flexibility. Starting with your feet together, begin lowering your body in a squatting motion. As you lower your body, begin to extend one leg straight out in front of you. Get as low as you're able to. If you do not have the flexibility and strength to hold out your other leg straight out in front of you, grab your knee to hold your leg up. Press back up to the starting position.

Having a straight back is essential in order to get the most out of these exercises. Not all the exercises in this section call for a straight back, but it is nonetheless important to be familiar with the concept.

Push ups are easily the most well known body weight exercise in existence. What isn't so well known however, is how to properly execute a push up. Start with your hands directly beneath your shoulders, fingers pointed directly ahead. If needed, rotate hands outward until shoulders feel most comfortable. Spread fingers. Maintain a straight back, not arched, not sagging. Lower yourself down, ensuring that elbows flare out at a roughly 45 degree angle, until your chest touches the ground. Push back up until your elbows lock out.

Spider push-ups add in leg moment to the standard push up. During the lowering portion of the movement, attempt to make one knee touch your elbow on the same side, then return leg to original position. Push back up. Repeat on opposite side.

The Rolling Push Up is a fun variation of the standard push up. Start in the down position of a standard push up. Push up to the top, lower back down, then roll to your right, push back up to the top, then repeat.

The leaning tower push up emphasizes the pectoral muscle on one side, and takes the other out of the equation. Get into standard push up position, then place one elbow on the ground. From there, lower yourself. You'll notice that your body will drift to the side with the hand on the ground. Push back up, and your body will torso will shift back towards the other side.

Hindu Push Ups are an all encompassing, nearly complete upper body workout in one movement. Starting in a downward dog position, keeping your head between your arms, and your back straight, leading with your chest. Dip your chest down, brush the ground lightly, and continue to push forward and up, in a U motion. Return to downward dog position.

Heart Push Ups are a variation of the diamond pushup that gets more shoulder involvement. Get into a pushup position. From there, make a diamond with your hands, and place the diamond at heart level. Spread your legs for balance. Lower your body, allowing your elbows to flare out to the side. Push back up to the starting position.

The Frog Push Up is another variation of the standard push up that places emphasis on your shoulders. Starting on all fours, with your knees and elbows about 6 inches apart, lower yourself headfirst diagonally forward, letting your head touch the floor, then pushing back up.

Earthquake push ups are more of a core exercise than a push up, however, it does involve pushing. Starting from a standard push up position, lower one elbow to the ground, followed by the elbow on the other side. Next, raise the first elbow off the ground, then the second. The idea is to keep your back straight as possible while you are put in unstable positions.

The Stretch Push Up is a challenging variation of the standard push up, which takes away leverage, and forces the muscles in your arms to work harder to keep your body elevated. Start in the standard push up position. Slowly walk your hands out forward as far as you are able while staying elevated. From there, lower your body in a push up manner, then push back up to the starting position.

The Stretch Walk Push Up emphasizes your core triceps, shoulders and chest. Starting from a standard push up position, walk your hands forward slowly as far as you can, keeping your back straight. Walk your hands back to the starting point.

The Grand Canyon Push Up is used to place greater emphasis on your chest. Hand width can be adjusted to preference. Start from a modified push up position, in which your hands are spread farther apart than shoulder length. Then, keeping your elbows flared diresctly out to your sides, lower yourself to the ground until your chest touches. Push back up to the starting position.

Diamond Kiss Push Ups are yet another more difficult version of the standard push up. This particular variation is designed to destabilize you, forcing your arms to work harder to keep you elevated. Starting in a modified push up position, with your feet spread for balance, your hands in diamond shape, directly beneath your mouth. Lower yourself down until your nose touches the back of your hands, then push back up to the starting position.

The Clap Push Up is designed to develop explosive strength in your chest and triceps. Starting from a standard pushup position, lower yourself down to the ground, until your chest touches. From there, explode up off the ground, launching your upper body off the ground. While in mid air, quickly clap your hands once before you fall back down. Repeat at a quick and consistent tempo.

The Three Prong Push Up is designed to involve your flutes one at a time, as well as develop balance. Starting from a standard push up position, lower yourself down to the ground, while at the same time elevating one leg off the ground. Push back up to the starting position, repeat, while alternating legs.

Condensed push ups are designed to place emphasis on your triceps. Starting from a standard push up position, keeping your elbows tucked against your sides, lower yourself down to the ground, until your chest touches, then push back up to the starting position. You want your upper arms to maintain contact with your sides at all times.

Rocker Push Ups are a hybrid of the Bear Squat, and a traditional Push Up. Start in a modified push up position, with your feet slightly spread. Lower yourself down, then push back up. When you push back up, push yourself all the way back into the starting position of a bear squat.

Staggered Push Ups force your chest and triceps to work in different ways than the standard push up. Start in a traditional push up position. Place one hand above the shoulder, the other below. From there, lower yourself to the ground, then push back up.

The Dive Bomber is very similar to the hindu push up. The key difference is the position of the hands and elbows. Starting from a modified downward dog position, with your head between your arms, imagine you're going under a fence and move your torso, leading with your head in a U shaped motion. From there, reverse, and push yourself backwards up into the starting position.

The Half Dive Bomber is very similar to the hindu push up. The key difference is the position of the hands and elbows. Starting from a modified downward dog position, with your head between your arms, imagine you're going under a fence and move your torso, leading with your head in a U shaped motion. From there, raise your butt and return to the starting position.

The One Arm Push Up Hold is the first step in the progression up to a true one handed push up. Start in a modified pushup position, with legs spread far apart for balance, and one hand on the ground, centered under your sternum. Place your other hand behind your back. From there, hold the position, concentrate on your triceps and chest. If this position is too easy, slowly lower yourself down until you can't any longer, then push back up, and repeat. Over time, you will be able to do more and more, ultimately resulting in a true one handed push up.

Table Push Ups are a departure from the usual face down position of most push up variations. Instead, start by sitting on your butt, with your hands braced on the floor on either side, just behind your hips. Place your feet on the ground in front of you, with your knees elevated. From there, thrust your hips upward, so that your back and hips are straight, your arms are straight, and your knees are bent at 90 degrees. Your body should somewhat resemble a table. Lower your body back to the starting position, then repeat.

The Crab Walk builds on the table push up concept, and introduces total body movement. Get into a table push up position, with your hips slightly sagging. Staying in this position, walk from point A to point B.

The No Arm Push Up utilizes your upper back and chest, and takes your arms out of the movement. Get into a modified push up position, with your elbows on the ground. From there, raise and lower your body, using only your chest and upper back and shoulder blades.

The Chinese Push Up is designed to emphasize your shoulders and triceps. Getting into a modified downward dog position, with your hands in a diamond shape, lower yourself down head first, keeping your head in between your arms. Touch your head to the ground, keeping your elbows tucked to your sides, then push back up to the starting position.

Sun Gods are a very simple shoulder exercise. There are three working positions. The first is with your hands out to either side at shoulder level. The second is with your hands out in front of you at shoulder level. The last is your hands straight up in the air. In all positions, arms will be fully extended. The idea is to move your hands in small circles, as quickly as possible. Hands should be rotated in one direction, then the other. It is recommended that the three positions be done one after the other, for a predetermined amount of time.

The Shoulder Press is very similar to the Chinese push up. The only difference is the position of the elbow. Starting from a modified downward dog position, hands placed slightly wider than shoulder width apart, lower yourself down head first, keeping your head in between your arms. Keep your elbows pointed straight out to your sides, then push back up into the starting position.

The Thumbs Up exercise emphasizes your triceps, by changing the hand positioning. Get down into a modified push up position, with your hands making the thumbs up sign. Your hands will naturally be forward if your shoulders. From there, lower yourself down to the ground, then push all the way back up.

The Claw Push Up is specifically designed to work on your hand and finger strength. Start in a standard push up position, with your weight on your fingers, instead of your palms. From there, lower yourself down in a standard push up motion, then push back up.

The X Push Up is designed to involve your core more in the movement. Get into a push up position, with your hands and feet spread as far apart as you're comfortable with. From there, lower yourself to the ground, then push up to the top.

The One Arm Push Up is the most difficult exercise in this section. It requires tremendous triceps strength. Start in a modified pushup position, with legs spread far apart for balance, and one hand on the ground, centered under your sternum. Place your other hand behind your back. Lower yourself to the ground as low as possible, then push back up to the starting position.

The Helicopter Exercise forces you to stay balanced while in an unstable position, additionally working your core with a twisting motion. Start in a modified push up position, with your feet spread for balance. From there, take one hand and place it behind your head. Leading with your elbow, twist your body from side to side, going as far as possible in either direction.

Mountain climbers are a great exercise for your core, because it forces your abdominals to hold your torso up in a plank position, while also stabilizing the torso as your knees are brought up towards your chest. Start in a push up position. Bring one knee up towards your chest, leaving the other still. Begin by quickly alternating the positions of your legs, in a jumping motion, between your chest, and the straightened out position. Can be a timed exercise, or done to a predetermined number of reps.

The Plank position is a basic static hold position that targets your entire core. Starting from a push up position, lower yourself down to your elbows. From there, you simply maintain the position, keeping your back straight, and your hips off the ground. Challenge yourself, and see how long you can hold the position.

Six Inches is a common abdominal conditioning exercise in most sports. Start by lying flat on your back, with your hands under your butt, for lower back support. From there, keep your feet together, and raise them approximately six inches off the ground, and hold the position for as long as you can, or for a predetermined time.

The Scissors exercise is another modification of the six inches position. Starting from the six inches position, with your hands under your butt for lower back support, spread your legs, then bring them back to the center, crossing them. Spread again, and cross, this time with the other leg being on top. Spread, and continue to alternate the leg on top. Keep your core tight throughout.

The Hello Dollie is a variant of the six inches concept. Starting in the six inches position, with your hands under your butt for lower back support, spread your legs apart as wide as possible, then bring them together again. Repeat. Maintain a tight core.

The Lunge Sit Up is a variation of the standard crunch. Lie down on your back, place your hands behind your head, and lift your legs off the ground, and bring your knees towards your chest.

Under the arch is great for developing balance. Start from a downward dog position. Keeping your balance, touch your left elbow and your right knee. Return to starting position. Touch your right elbow and your left knee. Return to starting position.

Flutter kicks are a variant of the six inches concept. Lie down flat on your back. Place your hands under your butt for lower back support. Raise your legs, and begin alternating them up and down, kicking as if you were swimming.

The Horse Sit Up is a common exercise in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Lie flat on your back. Raise your legs off the ground, spread them, and bring your knees in toward you chest, until they're in line with your hips. Freezing your legs in place, touch your toes, then lower back down.

The Hip Dip is essentially the same concept as the side plank, with added movement. Starting from a side plank position, lower your hips to the ground, touch, and lift back up until your back is straight.

Bicycle Crunches incorporate dynamic twisting movements into the basic crunch. Lie down on your back, place your hands behind your head. Touch your left elbow and right knee, rapidly switch, touching your right elbow to your left knee, and continue to alternate.

Grandfather Clocks are another great way to challenge your obliques. Lie flat on your back, and raise your legs straight up in the air. Keeping them together, lower both to one side as far as possible, then raise back up and lower them to the opposite side. Imagine you are drawing a rainbow shape with your feet.

The Fallen Cross is the easiest variation of the fallen cross exercise. Set one hand on the ground, face to the side, keeping both arms straight, as well as your back. Hold for as long as you can, then repeat on opposite side.

The Dolphin Push Up is essentially a Plank, but with movement added in. Begin in a plank position. From there use your abs to raise your butt straight up in the air. Lower back down to the starting position. Your upper arms will shift slightly at the shoulder joint, this is normal.

Grasshoppers are a more dynamic version of the mountain climber. Start in a push up position. Bring one knee up towards your chest, leaving the other still. Begin by quickly alternating the positions of your legs, in a jumping motion, between your chest, and the straightened out position. When you bring your knee up to your chest, swing it underneath your body and out the opposite side as well.

Russian Twists force your abdominals to hold your body up, while you twist from side to side. Lie flat on your back, bring your knees closer to your chest, feet elevated. Place your hands behind your head. Do a standard crunch, holding yourself in the up position. Turn your body side to side as far as you can go, for as long as you can.

The Crunch is the most basic of all the core exercises. Lie flat on your back. Place both hands behind your head. Do not grab onto your neck or head. Bring your knees closer to your chest. From there raise your torso off the ground, until you reach about a 45 degree angle. Lower back down to the ground.

Leg Lifts are an extremely simple exercise. Lie flat on your back. Place your hands under your butt for lower back support. Lift your legs until they're completely vertical, then lower back to six inches. Do not touch the ground. Repeat.

The Superman Exercise is designed to target the muscles that line your spine, and your lower back. Lie flat on your stomach. Fully extend and join your hands and feet, respectively. Keeping your arms and legs straight, lift them both off the ground as high as you can. Return to starting position, and repeat.

S&M Push Ups are a great exercise for improving balance. Start in a modified push up position, with your feet spread for balance. At the same time, taking care to maintain your balance, raise and fully extend your right arm and left leg. Return to start. Raise your left arm and right leg. Return to start.

Gymnastic Leg Lifts are extremely challenging for your lower abdominals, one of the hardest areas to target. Sit on the ground with your legs together and straight out in front of you. Place your hands on the ground outside your legs, at or near knee level. Lean back slightly, and raise your legs as high as possible, keeping them firmly straight and together.

The Table Stretcher is good for your entire back, your glutes, hamstrings, and triceps. Sit down with your legs fully extended in front of you. Place your hands at your sides, at hip level. Thrust your hips forward, and straighten your back, so that all your weight is placed on your heels, and your hands. Your entire body, with the exception of your arms, should be in line.

The Spider Man Walk is a total body exercise that relies on your core to stabilize your body. Your hands and feet should be the only points of contact with the ground. Crawl as low as possible from point A to point B, flaring your elbows and knees out to the sides.

The Bear Crawl is essentially the opposite of the Spider man walk, in that your body should be rather high off the ground. Start in a modified downward dog position. Keeping your back arched, crawl on your hands and feet from point A to point B.

When doing any pull up variation, it is essential that you do complete repetitions. Your chin must clear the bar at the top of the movement, and your arms must be straight at the bottom, with your elbows locked out.

The Pull Up is one of the staple exercises in the Marine Corps. We do pull ups because they are a true measure of upper body strength. You just can't fake a pull up. Pull ups engage your back and biceps. Start by grasping the bar, palms facing away from you, slightly wider than shoulder width. From there, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, making sure to control your body movement, so that you don't swing back and forth. Lower your body back to a dead hang, elbows locked out.

The Wide Grip Pull Up is the same as the standard pull up, only with a wider grip. Start by grasping the bar, palms facing away from you, much wider than shoulder width. From there, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, making sure to control your body movement, so that you don't swing back and forth. Lower your body back to a dead hang, elbows locked out.

The Narrow Grip Pull Up follows the same steps as the standard pull up, only with a narrower grip. Start by grasping the bar, palms facing away from you, less than shoulder width apart. From there, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, making sure to control your body movement, so that you don't swing back and forth. Lower your body back to a dead hang, elbows locked out.

The Side To Side Pull Up is a somewhat difficult pull up variation that further emphasizes your back muscles, by placing them under dynamic tension. Start by grasping the bar, palms facing away from you, slightly wider than shoulder width. From there, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. Holding yourself in the top position, move your body from side to side, as if you were trying to touch your hands with your chin. Move to each side, return to the center, then lower your body back to a dead hang, elbows locked out.

The Alternating Pull up is a pull up variation that allows you to emphasize one side of your back at a time, which can help prevent imbalances in muscle development. Stand sideways under the pull up bar, so that the bar runs over your head from front to back. From there, grasp the bar with your palms facing each other, but staggered. Pull yourself up so that your head is on one side of the bar, then lower. Pull up again, this time with your head on the other side of the bar. Repeat.

The Chin Up differs from the pull up in the way you grip the bar. Your palms will face towards you. Grasp the bar, hands at shoulder width. From there, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, making sure to control your body movement, so that you don't swing back and forth. Lower your body back to a dead hang, elbows locked out.

The Wide Grip Chin Up is the same as the standard chin up, just with a wider grip. Grasp the bar, palms facing you, wider than shoulder width. From there, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, making sure to control your body movement, so that you don't swing back and forth. Lower your body back to a dead hang, elbows locked out.

The Narrow Grip Chin Up is just like the standard chin up, only with a narrower grip. Grasp the bar, palms facing you, less than shoulder width. From there, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, making sure to control your body movement, so that you don't swing back and forth. Lower your body back to a dead hang, elbows locked out.

Front Lever Pull Ups are a fun pull up variation that changes the angle of movement. Gripping the bar palms facing away, at shoulder width, swing your body upward, and bring your knees to your chest. Your back should be facing the ground. Keeping that position, pull yourself up towards the bar, then lower. As you get stronger, you'll be able to move your knees farther away from your chest, eventually straightening one leg completely, then the other. This position is known as the front lever in gymnastics.

The Gymnastic Pull Up is a challenging pull up variation. It is essentially a pull up with your legs fully extended in front of you. Start by grasping the bar, palms facing away from you, slightly wider than shoulder width. Keep your legs and feet together, and raise them straight out in front of you. From there, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, making sure to control your body movement, so that you don't swing back and forth. Lower your body back to a dead hang, elbows locked out.

The Flexed Arm Hang is an excellent exercise for building up the necessary strength to eventually do a full pull up or chin up. Grip and hand spacing are entirely up to you. With your selected grip, jump up to the top position, with your chin over the bar, and hold. Hold that position for as long as possible. Even as your strength lessens, continue to try and hold position for as long as you can, until your arms are eventually straight and locked out at the bottom.