New Exercises to Triple Your Calorie Burn

Mix up your workout with challenging new moves that burn fat, tone your muscles, and shake up your routine.

Build a better body

Your body is a marvel of efficiency: Do something over and over and, before long, you get so good at it you do it on autopilot. That’s a wonderful thing when it comes to learning a new language, it’s not so great when it comes to your workout.

There’s a simple way to get your body back in fat-blasting mode: Temporarily ditch your go-to moves. “When you change up your workout, your body works harder because it’s in unfamiliar territory,” explains Amy Dixon, a Santa Monica, California–based trainer and exercise physiologist. “That’s what causes it to burn more calories and build more muscle.”

Use the pro’s tips

Do this series two to three times per week, alternating with cardio days; you’ll start to see results in as little as two to three weeks. Each move hits the same major muscle groups as the old standbys, but challenges them more, giving you a stronger, sleeker body in the same amount of time. So it’s efficient—in the best way possible.

Skip squats, do: Bridge drag

Lie on your back with heels and calves on a stability ball, arms by your sides. Press shoulder blades into floor and lift hips so body forms a straight line from shoulders to heels. Tighten core and slowly drag both heels in toward butt, bending knees and keeping body lifted.

Without dropping hips, slowly extend both legs back to previous position. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

Why it’s better: It challenges your core more than a squat does.

Skip lunges, do: Knee-cross curtsy

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Lift right leg straight back and up; at same time, hinge at waist and bring hands or fingertips to floor in front of left foot. Bend both knees, bringing right knee behind left knee. Press back up through left foot to return to previous position. Do 15 reps, keeping leg raised, then switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets.

Why it’s better: It allows for a greater range of motion than a basic lunge (adding flexibility to the mix), plus challenges your balance, strengthening your core. sculpts and defines the same muscles without the impact on your knees.

Skip push-ups, do: Ball fly

Sit on a stability ball with a 5- to 10-lb dumbbell in your right hand. Slowly roll down and back until head and shoulders are on the ball, feet hip-width on floor with knees bent. Brace core, press heels into floor, and raise hips up to bridge position.

Extend right arm toward the ceiling so weight is directly above your shoulder with palm facing in; lift and straighten left leg. Keeping leg raised, slowly lower right arm out to the side until it’s at shoulder level. Use chest muscles to bring right arm back up. Do 15 reps, keeping leg raised, then switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets.

Why it’s better: More muscle challenge in the hips and butt, thanks to extra work needed to keep you stabilized.

Skip plank, do: Get down, get up

Stand with feet hip-distance apart in front of a bench, back to bench, hands together in front of chest. Bend knees and push hips back (keep knees over ankles) to come to sitting on bench.

Brace core and lean torso back while lifting and straightening legs to come into V-position, balancing on sitting bones; open arms out to sides. Slowly lower feet and return to starting position. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

Why it’s better: This move elevates your heart rate much more than a plank and is more challenging to your leg, hip, butt, and deep core muscles.

Source: Health.com

R.S