For the front squat, you’ll notice that Saladino takes a cross-arm or bodybuilder position rather than gripping the bar with his hands in a clean position. This is a great option for folks with limited wrist and shoulder mobility. Just know that it may not feel as stable—especially for folks who struggle to keep their chests upright on the descent. So if this grip is new to you, load up slowly.
Next up is a posterior chain crusher: the dumbbell Romanian deadlift. With dumbbells in hand, feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in the knee, hinge at your hips to push your butt back. Lower your torso down, keeping the weights close to your legs until your mid-calf or until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings—whichever comes first. Take a note from Saladino and keep a neutral neck position, focusing on a spot on the ground. Then, explode back to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top of the rep. Go for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
Finish up the circuit with an unweighted (though still challenging) Bulgarian split squat. This unilateral exercise will strengthen your entire lower body, including your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. And just like other unilateral moves, you’ll be honing your mobility and athleticism, too.
Set up a box or bench that’s knee height or lower. Get into a front lunge position with a vertical front shin, with your rear foot elevated behind you. Brace your core, and keeping hips square to your body, bend your front leg. Descend until your thigh is parallel with the ground. Press through your front foot to return to standing. Finish up with 3 sets of 15 reps per leg.
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health
