Single-leg hamstring curls
The hamstrings are an often-underworked muscle, which is what makes this move so difficult. This single-leg exercise forces you to work both your dominant and non-dominant legs, increasing strength and ensuring excellent stability.
Begin by lying on your back. Elevate your feet onto a Swiss ball. Digging one heel into the ball, lift the opposite leg either keeping it straight or bending your knee towards your head. Engaging your abdominals, lift your glutes and hips away from the floor and hold for a few seconds.
Pistol Squat
Testing both strength and mobility, the pistol squat can provide difficulty for even the fittest gym-goers. Success with this exercise will depend on gradual improvement. Start with a moderate depth squat, and increase that depth as you build strength and balance in your legs.
Stand with one leg extended out in front of you, keeping it as straight as possible. Lower yourself into a single-leg squat, extending your arms in front of you to maintain balance. You may choose to hold a light weight in front of you to help with stability.
Pike Push-Up
A modification of a standard, go-to exercise, the pike push-up places the bulk of the effort on your shoulders. While it might not look difficult, this exercise will provide a unique challenge for your upper body.
Begin in a standard push-up position and then walk your feet in a few steps, pushing your butt to the sky, creating an upside-down ‘V.’ Bending at the elbows, move your head towards the ground, and then push back into your original position. For even greater difficulty, lift one leg off the ground.
Toes to Bar
If you’re looking for a serious, full-body challenge, the toes to bar will provide just that. Beyond extreme core stability, this exercise requires excellent mobility and a full command of your body’s movements.
Hanging from a pull-up bar, brace your arms and core and lift your legs and glutes, raising your feet to the bar. From here, instead of letting gravity take over, slowly lower your legs, using your core for stability.
Burpees
A gym class staple, burpees can be gruelling no matter your fitness level. A basic exercise that can be done virtually anywhere, burpees provide a full-body workout, targeting your arms, chest, legs, glutes and core.
Beginning in a standing position, jump into the air, extending your arms above your head. Upon landing, transition immediately into a squat, placing your hands on the ground in front of you. From here, extend your legs out into a raised plank position and finally perform a chest to ground push-up before returning to the standing or start position.
