Kick-start your fitness journey with exercises that start with the letter “S”! Discover the benefits of strengthening your core with Side Planks, burning calories with Scissors Kicks, and building lower body muscles with Squats. Dive into Swimming for a full-body workout or target your shoulders with Shoulder Press.
Don’t forget Side Lunges for toned thighs, Sit-Ups for a strong core, Sumo Squats for powerful legs, and Single-Leg Bridge for improved balance.
Complete your routine with Side Bends for a flexible spine. Let’s get moving and see the amazing results!
| Exercise | Equipment | Benefits | Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squats | Bodyweight | Strengthens lower body, improves balance, and burns calories | Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Bend knees and lower body as if sitting back into a chair, keeping back straight and chest up. Return to starting position. |
| Swimming | Pool | Full-body workout that improves cardiovascular health, muscular strength, and flexibility | Enter the pool and start swimming using different strokes, such as freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. |
| Step-Ups | Step or platform | Strengthens lower body, improves balance, and burns calories | Stand facing a step or platform. Step onto the platform with one foot and then bring the other foot up to meet it. Step down and repeat with the other leg. |
| Skipping | Jump rope | Improves cardiovascular health, coordination, and agility | Hold the jump rope in both hands and swing it over your head. Jump over the rope as it passes under your feet. |
| Side Plank | Mat | Strengthens core, obliques, and hips | Lie on your side with legs extended and feet together. Prop yourself up on your elbow, keeping your body in a straight line from head to toes. Hold the position for 30-60 seconds. |
Shoulder Raises: This exercise targets the deltoids, primarily the lateral delts. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms relaxed by your sides. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, palms facing your thighs. Raise your arms to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
Single-Leg Bridge: This exercise works the glutes, hamstrings, and core. Lie faceup with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Press your heels into the floor and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Raise your right leg and extend it straight toward the ceiling, keeping your left foot flat on the floor. Slowly lower your right leg back down and repeat with your left leg.
Step-Ups: This exercise targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. Stand facing a step or platform with your right foot on the step and your left foot on the ground. Press through your right heel and raise your body onto the step, bringing your left foot up to meet your right. Slowly step down, lowering your left foot first, then your right. Repeat with your left leg leading.
Side Squats: This exercise works the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, with an emphasis on the inner thighs. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly. Step to the right with your right foot, bending your right knee and keeping your left leg straight. Sit back into a squat position, keeping your weight on your right heel and your left heel slightly lifted. Press through your right heel and return to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg.
Sled Push: This exercise targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. Stand behind a sled with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on the handles. Lean forward slightly and push the sled forward, keeping your back straight and your core engaged. Once the sled reaches the end of the track, turn around and pull it back to the starting position.
Shoulder Extension: This exercise works the posterior deltoids. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, palms facing your thighs. Bend your elbows and raise your arms behind you, keeping your upper arms parallel to the floor. Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
Step-Up with Knee Drive: This exercise targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, with an emphasis on the knee extensors. Stand facing a step or platform with your right foot on the step and your left foot on the ground. Press through your right heel and raise your body onto the step, bringing your left knee up toward your chest. Lower your left knee and step down, then repeat with your left leg.
Single-Leg Deadlift: This exercise works the hamstrings, glutes, and core. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your right leg slightly in front of your left. Bend your right knee and lift your left leg behind you, keeping your knee slightly bent. Hinge forward at your hips, keeping your back straight, and lower your torso until it is almost parallel to the floor. Press through your right heel and return to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg.
Seated Calf Raises: This exercise targets the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the calves. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Place a weight on each knee. Press through your heels and lift your toes off the floor, raising your heels as high as possible. Slowly lower your heels back to the starting position.
Shoulder Flyes: This exercise targets the deltoids, primarily the anterior delts. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, palms facing each other. Raise your arms out to the sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
Exercises That Start With S
Side Plank
Engage your core and obliques while strengthening your shoulders and hips with the Side Plank.
Begin by lying on your side with your feet together and your legs extended.
Raise your body by pressing up onto your elbow and forearm, forming a straight line from your head to your feet.
Hold this position for as long as you can, then switch sides.
Scissors Kicks
Scissors Kicks: Engage your core and glutes with this dynamic exercise. Lie on your back, raise your legs perpendicular to the ground, and scissor-like motion, alternating legs up and down while keeping your lower back pressed into the mat.
Squats
Squats: A fundamental lower body exercise that targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Engage in bodyweight squats to strengthen and tone your muscles without additional equipment.
Swimming
Swimming is a full-body workout that provides numerous health benefits.
It enhances cardiovascular health, builds muscle strength and endurance, improves flexibility, and promotes good posture.
Additionally, swimming is a low-impact exercise, making it suitable for individuals with joint pain or injuries.
Shoulder Press
Shoulder press is an effective strength training exercise that targets the shoulders, triceps, and upper chest. It can be performed with dumbbells, a barbell, or a machine.
This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles responsible for pushing movements and improves overall upper body strength and stability.
Side Lunges
Side lunges target your hip abductors and inner thighs, improving stability and mobility. Stand with feet hip-width apart, step to the side while bending your supporting knee.
Lower your body until your thigh is parallel to the ground, then push back up.
Repeat on the other side.
Sit-Ups
Sit-ups are a classic exercise that targets the abdominal muscles.
By raising the upper body towards the knees while lying on the back, sit-ups engage the core and help strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles, improving posture and reducing the risk of lower back pain.
Sumo Squats
Sumo Squats: Engage your inner thighs and glutes with this squat variation. Stand with feet wide, toes turned out, and perform a deep squat, keeping your knees aligned with your toes.
Sumo squats target the quads, hamstrings, and glutes while improving balance and flexibility.
Single-Leg Bridge
Single-Leg Bridge: Isolates and strengthens the hamstrings, glutes, and core.
Improves stability and balance.
Helps prevent lower back pain and injuries.
Can be done with or without weights.
Progress to more challenging variations as you get stronger.
Side Bends
Side bends are an effective exercise for targeting the obliques, the muscles on the sides of your waist.
By leaning to the side and contracting your obliques, you can help to strengthen and tone these muscles, resulting in a more defined waistline.
Final Verdict
Incorporating exercises that start with the letter “S” into your fitness routine offers a diverse range of benefits for overall health and well-being.
From the core-strengthening Side Plank and the cardio-boosting Scissors Kicks to the muscle-building Squats and the full-body workout of Swimming, these exercises provide a comprehensive approach to fitness.
Engage in these activities regularly to enhance strength, flexibility, endurance, and cardiovascular health while enjoying the myriad of physical and mental rewards they bring.
