Trendy workouts always pop up to keep things interesting and inspire people to move (here for that!), but some add up to little more than pricey toys or memberships you never use. To cut through the noise, here’s a solid set of the best exercises for girls—or guys!—to help you feel strong and confident when added to heart-pumping workouts. Best part? They don’t require tons of equipment—you just need a yoga mat (or soft floor), exercise steps (or something to step on), and a pair of light- and medium-weight dumbbells.
Read on for 10 of the best exercises to strengthen your core, inner thighs, shoulders, and butt muscles, plus tips on how to combine them into one of the best workouts for women.
Table of Contents
The Best Exercises to Add to Your Routine
For a Total-Body Workout
How to do it: For a quick, total-body workout, pick five of these exercises and do three sets of each. Move as fast as possible between moves to keep your heart rate up.
The next day, do three sets of the other five exercises. You can incorporate a few sets of cardio intervals into the total-body training session or do it separately for a longer period of time. (Also try this spicy full-body circuit you can do at home.)
To Target a Specific Zone
How to do it: If you want to strengthen one or two areas (maybe you’re especially interested in abs workouts or arm workouts), pick the exercises that focus on those areas and incorporate them into your existing workout routine. Remember to continue challenging your body by gradually increasing the weight or number of reps as you get stronger—these will only prove to be the best exercises if you’re working hard enough!
Single-Leg Deadlift
“Deadlifts are one of the best exercises for working the back of your body, including your glutes, hamstrings, and back,” says Jacquelyn Brennan, C.S.C.S., a personal trainer and co-founder of Pilates + Coffee in Chicago. (FYI: That’s all part of your important posterior chain.) Performing this exercise on one leg adds a bonus balance challenge to this workout.
A. Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with weight in right foot.
B. Keep core engaged and chest tall during the entire movement; lift left foot behind body and bend knee so left lower leg is parallel to the floor.
C. Bend forward at hips and slowly lower body as far as possible.
D. Pause, then push body back to starting position. While coming up, think about using glutes to push hips forward instead of lifting from back.
Do 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
Modification: To focus on deadlift form without a balance challenge, do a conventional dumbbell deadlift recommended by strength and conditioning specialist Alena Luciani, M.S., C.S.C.S.: Stand with feet hip-width apart, one dumbbell in each hand, and palms facing thighs, core engaged, as you lower the weights to your shins and back to the starting position without moving your feet.
Progression: Increase the weight of the dumbbells or the range of motion of your single-leg deadlift by lowering the dumbbells closer to the floor during the exercise.
Side Plank
Planks are one of the best exercises for your abs, considering they work your deep inner core muscles (including your transverse abdominis), which helps stabilize your spine and power your workouts, says Brennan. This oblique-targeting variation is a nice way to work your abs in areas crunches often miss.
A. Lie on right side of body with knees straight. Prop upper body up onto right elbow and forearm.
B. Raise hips until body forms a straight line from ankles to shoulders. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
C. Turn around to lie on left side and repeat.
Do 2 holds per side (then work up to 45- and 60-second holds as you progress).
Modification: Try a side plank variation recommended by Sal Nakhlawi, a certified functional strength coach and weightlifting coach in New York City. During your side plank, keep your lower leg resting on the floor with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle.
Progression: Switch between planks on your right and left side by transitioning to a forearm plank without letting your hips or knees come to the ground, recommends Nakhlawi.
Push-Up
A perfect form push-up challenges the entire body (especially your chest). This is one of the best exercises to include in workouts because it trains your body in a functional movement pattern, helping improve your performance in other exercises at the gym as well as in your daily life.
A. Start on all fours and place hands on the floor so that they’re slightly wider than and in line with shoulders, feet close together.
B. Keep hips lifted and core braced the entire time, lower body until chest nearly touches the floor, then push back up to starting position.
Do 15 reps.
Modification: Drop to your knees for a knee push-up recommended by Phyllicia Victoria Bonanno, a SWEAT yoga instructor. Walk your knees back until your body forms a straight line from head to knees, then rest the tips of your toes on the floor as you lower down.
Progression: For a challenge, Bonanno recommends a Spider-Man push-up. As you bend at the elbows to lower your body, simultaneously lift your left foot off the floor and drive your left knee up to tap your left elbow, stopping about 3 inches above the floor. Repeat on the opposite side.
Second Position Pliés
Your lower body—yes, your entire lower body—loves pliés. “They work all of the larger muscles in the lower half of the body, making them incredibly efficient and effective at both building muscle and burning calories,” says Brennan. Turning your toes out during this move means the squat motion will target the inner thighs as well as the gluteus minimus (aka the side of your butt). Add them to your leg-day routine to dial it up a notch.
A. Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly.
B. Lower body down by bending knees until thighs are parallel to the floor. Bring arms overhead and shoulders down and back.
C. Pause, then slowly push back up to starting position.
Do 15 reps.
Modification: Try a bench or box squat variation: Stand in front of a bench or plyo box and lower until your butt taps it.
Progression: With your knees bent and thighs parallel to the floor, raise onto your tiptoes, then lower your heels back down to the floor.
HIIT Intervals
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a great exercise format because you get the same results as endurance workouts in a fraction of the time. (And that’s just one of the many benefits of HIIT.) Try incorporating it into your workout routine twice a week on alternate days.
Choose any piece of cardio equipment such as an elliptical machine, jump rope, treadmill, or bike, then try these intervals (or opt for a bodyweight HIIT workout instead):
- 3 minutes at 50 percent of your maximum effort
- 20 seconds at 75 percent of your maximum effort
- 10 seconds at your absolute maximum effort
Do 10 reps of the circuit.
Modification: Spend more time at 50 percent of your maximum effort and nix spending time at your absolute maximum effort until you feel stronger.
Progression: Spend more time at your absolute maximum effort and less time at 50 percent of your maximum effort.
Triceps Extension
Triceps kickbacks (and their exercise cousin skull crushers) are stellar at zoning in on triceps, sure—but they also hit your traps, which many people overlook, says Brennan. Hitting your triceps and your traps with this movement will balance out your biceps and keep your arms strong. Try this exercise with light weights and high reps, or if you prefer, step up to a weight you can do with good form for 10 to 15 reps.
A. Start in a lunge position with right leg forward and left heel on the ground, holding a 2- to 3-pound dumbbell in each hand.
B. Lean over front bent knee while lifting left arm straight up by side, top of the weight facing the ceiling.
C. Lift and lower the weight about an inch.
Do 30 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
Modification: Do fewer reps or split the workout into two sets of 15 reps on each side.
Progression: Pause when the weight is lifted and your arm is straight before lowering back to the starting position. As you build strength, you can also slowly increase the weight of your dumbbells.
Step-Ups
This is one of the best exercises for targeting the muscles of your glutes and hamstrings. Step-ups also target your quadriceps since they require you to straighten your knee against resistance.
A. Stand in front of a bench or step and place left foot firmly on the step.
B. Keep chest tall and core engaged the entire time; press left foot into the step and push up until left leg is straight. Keep weight balanced evenly, not leaning too far forward or too far back.
C. Lower body back down until right foot touches the floor to complete the rep.
Do 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
Modification: Lower the step as needed or place a chair to your side and hold onto the back of the chair as you complete the exercise for better balance.
Progression: Use a taller step or bench and/or hold a dumbbell in each hand as you complete the exercise.
Bridge
Bridges are not only one of the best exercises to strengthen your butt, but they will also strengthen your back and help to keep it healthy and pain-free, making them a perfect addition to any workout.
A. Lie face up on the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
B. Raise hips so body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
C. Pause at the top of the movement, then lower body back down to starting position.
Do 20 reps.
Modification: Try a pelvic tilt, which is a glute bridge variation recommended by Joanna Castro, a NASM-certified personal trainer and certified functional strength coach in New York. Do Step A as above, then draw your navel toward your spine to tilt your pelvis on an inhale. On the exhale, engage your core and press your lower back into the floor.
Progression: For a challenge, Castro recommends a bridge with weights: Rest a dumbbell across the hips and hold each end of the dumbbell with your hands as your hips lift and lower.
Plank with Arm Raise
Adding an arm raise to the forearm plank, already an excellent core exercise, makes it even more of a stability challenge—which improves posture and core strength.
A. Start in a push-up position, then bend elbows and rest weight on forearms instead of hands. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles.
B. Brace core and maintain hip placement while lifting left arm straight out in front of body. Draw shoulder blades down and back while lifting arm.
C. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then switch sides; repeat.
Do 5 reps per side.
Modification: Hold the forearm plank without lifting your arms.
Progression: For an added balance challenge, try a plank variation recommended by Bonanno. As you lift the left arm, simultaneously raise the right leg so it’s in line with the lifted arm. Repeat on the other side.
Shoulder Stand
There are so many physical and mental benefits of yoga, so why not include bits of the practice in your workouts? Inversion postures are great for relaxation, blood flow, and gaining a new perspective. This is one of the best exercises for women—or anyone!—to add to their workout, but you can also add more chill inversions to other parts of your life. For example, try putting your legs up the wall for a few minutes every night before bed.
A. Lie face up and lift legs and hips off the ground, bringing legs up and over until toes touch the floor behind body.
B. Place hands behind back and extend legs straight in the air, creating a straight line from shoulders to ankles. Keep neck relaxed while holding the shoulder stand.
Hold for 1 minute (or as long as you’re comfortable balancing).
Modification: For a more restorative yoga pose, try Legs Up the Wall. Place a cushion, rolled blanket, or pillow against a wall; press the side of your body against the wall then swing your legs up the wall and rest your back on the floor with your low back and butt on a cushion or blanket.
Progression: Cross one foot over the other while legs are lifted for 30 seconds, then switch feet.
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