The library.
Every movement we program, with the cues that make it work and the mistakes that make it useless.
400m Repeats
Repeated hard laps with short rest. Sits between speed and threshold work, building the ability to hold a fast pace when already breathing hard.
90/90 Hip Switch
Seated floor drill that moves one hip into internal rotation and the other into external rotation, then switches. Trains usable rotational range at the hip rather than passive stretch.
Ab Wheel Rollout
The hardest common anti-extension drill: the trunk resists the spine arching as the arms travel away. Low reps of 5-8 with strict range beats a long sloppy set.
Abdominal Lock (Uddiyana Bandha)
After a complete exhale, the abdomen is drawn up and back under the ribs with a mock inhale and no air taken in. Done on an empty stomach and an empty exhale only.
Ali Shuffle
A split-stance scissor step in and out of each ladder box. Trains fast front-to-back foot switching and the ability to reset a stance without losing balance.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
Breathing alternately through one nostril at a time using the hand to close the other. Also taught as Anuloma Viloma. Slows breath rate and demands sustained attention.
Alternating Battle Rope Waves
The base rope drill: arms alternate to send continuous waves down the line. Low joint stress, high metabolic cost, and it works with almost any fitness level.
Archer Push-Up
Push-up with one arm bent and the other extended wide, loading close to a single arm. Three sets of five per side with the straight arm genuinely straight before you chase the one-arm.
Assault Bike Sprints
Short maximal efforts on a fan bike. Air resistance scales with your output, so there is nowhere to hide and no impact on the joints.
Backpedal-To-Sprint Transition
Backpedal to a cone, turn the hips and sprint forward. Drills the specific moment of flipping from moving backwards to full forward acceleration.
Backward Sled Drag
Walk backward pulling a loaded sled. Concentric-only quad work with almost no soreness, which makes it the standard knee-friendly conditioning and rehab tool.
Backward Walking
Walking in reverse along a clear path, toe landing first. Trains a movement pattern that vision cannot guide, loading the quads and calves differently from forward walking.
Banded Lateral Walk
Direct work for the gluteus medius — the muscle that stops your knee caving and your hip dropping.
Banded Shoulder Dislocate
Slow pass of a band from front to back overhead with straight arms. Works shoulder flexion and external rotation range through the full arc with light, controlled tension.
Barbell Back Squat
The reference lower-body strength lift — loads the quads and glutes through a deep, controlled range.
Barbell Bench Press
The primary horizontal press, loading the chest, front delts and triceps with the shoulder blades anchored on a bench. Run heavy for 3-6 reps or moderate for 8.
Barbell Biceps Curl
A straightforward loaded elbow flexion for the biceps and the forearm flexors. Sets of 8-12 with a still torso; the arms should be the only thing moving.
Barbell Floor Press
A press stopped short by the floor, which caps shoulder extension and loads the top half of the lockout. Useful heavy for 3-5 reps and for pressing around a cranky shoulder.
Barbell Front Squat
A front-loaded squat that forces an upright torso and punishes any loss of thoracic position. Run it in the 3-5 rep range as a primary strength lift.
Barbell Good Morning
A bar-on-the-back hinge that loads the hamstrings and spinal erectors through a long lever. Light and precise for sets of 6-10, never a lift to test a max on.
Barbell Hip Thrust
The most direct glute-max loader available — builds hip extension strength without taxing the lower back.
Barbell Jump Shrug
A violent triple extension and shrug with a barbell, without a catch. Gives you the pulling half of a clean with far less technical cost to coach.
Barbell Row
A bent-over horizontal pull that loads the mid-back while the hinge position taxes the erectors. Run for 5-8 reps with strict positions rather than chasing weight.
Battle Rope Slams
Raise both rope ends overhead and slam them down with full body extension. The most forceful rope variation and the closest to a med-ball slam without the ball.
Bear Crawl
Quadrupedal crawl on hands and toes with the knees just off the floor, training contralateral coordination and trunk anti-rotation. Three clean lengths of ten metres before you add load or speed.
Bear Crawl Drag
Crawl forward on hands and toes while dragging a light sled or bag behind you. Combines anti-rotation trunk work with hard shoulder and hip endurance.
Beast-to-Crab Transition
Rotate from a bear position through a single-arm support into a crab and back, training rotational control on the hands. Three sets of six transitions per side smoothly before you add speed.
Bellows Breath (Bhastrika)
Forceful breathing where both the inhale and the exhale are active and equal, at speed. More demanding than Kapalabhati and shares its contraindications.
Bird Dog
Trains the deep spinal stabilisers to resist rotation while the arms and legs work — how the back actually functions when you walk.
Boat Pose (Navasana)
An isometric hold that trains the deep core and hip flexors together — the anti-collapse position under fatigue.
Bodyweight Squat
The base squat pattern, trained for depth and control rather than load. Three sets of twenty with the hips below the knees and the heels down before you move to single-leg work.
Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)
A seated pose with soles together and knees wide. Works the adductors and inner hips into external rotation and is a standard long-hold seated shape.
Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
A prone backbend where the hands hold the ankles and the legs drive the lift. Strong quadriceps and hip flexor stretch with active spinal extension throughout.
Box Breathing
Four equal phases — inhale, hold, exhale, hold — repeated on a fixed count. A modern tactical breathing drill that imposes a slow, regular breath rate under a simple structure.
Box Drop-To-Stick
Step off a low box and freeze the landing. The entry point to plyometrics: it teaches force absorption before you ask the body to rebound out of it.
Box Jump
Teaches rapid force production and, more importantly, how to absorb landing forces safely.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Hip extension without spinal compression — the gentlest way to teach glutes to fire before you load them.
Bulgarian Split Squat
A rear-foot-elevated single-leg squat that loads one leg hard with modest weight in hand. Brutal in sets of 8-10 per side and a reliable way to even out left-right differences.
Burpee
Drop to the floor, chest down, stand and jump. No equipment, scalable, and it raises the heart rate faster than almost anything else you can do in a small space.
Cable Pull-Through
A hinge with the resistance behind you, so the load peaks exactly where the glutes finish. Ideal for teaching the hip hinge and as a high-rep accessory for sets of 12-15.
Calf and Soleus Stretch off a Step
Two-position heel drop off a step: knee straight for gastrocnemius, knee bent for soleus. Covers both calf muscles, which need different knee angles to load properly.
Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
A kneeling backbend that lengthens the hip flexors, abdominals and front of the chest while the glutes and spinal extensors hold the shape.
Cat-Camel
Teaches the spine to move segment by segment — the screen and the drill in one.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
A loaded squat hold that exposes ankle mobility and lower-back compensation better than most drills.
Chest-Supported Row
A prone row on an inclined bench that takes the lower back and momentum out entirely. The cleanest way to add mid-back volume in sets of 10-15 after heavier pulling.
Child's Pose (Balasana)
A restorative shape that decompresses the spine and opens the lats — useful between heavy sets, not just at the end of class.
Chin Lock (Jalandhara Bandha)
The chin is drawn down toward the notch between the collarbones while the sternum lifts to meet it, closing the throat. The standard lock used alongside breath retention.
Chin Tuck
Wakes up the deep neck flexors that switch off when your head drifts forward over a desk.
Chin-Up
Underhand vertical pull that lets the biceps contribute fully, so most people can load it sooner than the overhand version. Three sets of eight strict reps before you add weight.
CO2 Tolerance Table
A structured table with a fixed hold and progressively shorter rests, done on dry land. Raises tolerance to the discomfort of rising CO2. Never practised in or near water.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
A low prone backbend driven by the spinal extensors rather than the arms. Builds strength through the upper back and teaches extension without hinging at one lumbar segment.
Cone Box Drill
Sprint, shuffle, backpedal and shuffle around a square of four cones. A simple way to drill all four locomotion patterns and the transitions between them.
Cone Star Drill
Break from a centre cone to each of five or eight outer cones and back. Trains multidirectional acceleration and deceleration from a single reactive starting position.
Constructive Rest Position
Lying supine with the knees bent and feet flat, letting the hip flexors and low back release under gravity. Ten quiet minutes with nothing to hold and slow nasal breathing.
Contrast Walk-Down
A structured easy walk after hard training, stepping the pace down in blocks until the breath settles. Eight to twelve minutes, used to finish a session rather than stopping cold.
Conventional Deadlift
A barbell pulled from the floor to full hip extension. The heaviest thing most people will lift, run as low-rep heavy singles, doubles or triples rather than for volume.
Cooling Breath (Sitali)
Inhaling through a rolled tongue and exhaling through the nose. The air passes over a wet surface, which is why it is traditionally practised in heat and after strong effort.
Copenhagen Plank
The most effective adductor strengthener there is — and the best groin-strain insurance for anyone who cuts or sprints.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
The closing pose of nearly every practice. Lying still with the body fully supported, deliberately releasing muscular effort and letting the breath return to its own rhythm.
Couch Stretch
The most effective hip flexor and quad opener — restores the hip extension that sitting quietly removes.
Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)
Stacked knees with a bind behind the back. Loads the outer hips and glutes in deep flexion while asking for opposite ranges from each shoulder at once.
Crab Walk
Reverse tabletop travel on hands and feet, loading the posterior chain and demanding shoulder extension most people have lost. Three lengths of ten metres with the hips up before adding distance.
Crocodile Breathing (Makarasana)
Diaphragmatic breathing done face down, where the floor blocks the belly and forces the movement into the lower ribs and back. The clearest feedback tool for a low breath.
Crow Pose (Bakasana)
The entry-level arm balance, knees resting on the upper arms. Trains wrist loading, serratus strength and the deep trunk rounding that keeps the centre of mass forward.
Dead Bug
Teaches the core to resist extension while the limbs move — the foundation of a safe hinge and a stable spine under load.
Deceleration Snap-Down
Drop sharply from standing tall into a low athletic stance and hold it. Teaches the braking position every cut, stop and landing depends on.
Deep Squat Hold with Pry
Bottom-position squat hold using the elbows against the knees to open the hips. Builds tolerance for the deep squat and range at the ankle, hip and adductors at the same time.
Depth Jump
Step off a low box, absorb the drop and rebound instantly into a maximal jump. The highest-demand plyometric here: short ground contact is the whole point.
Diamond Push-Up
Narrow-hand push-up that shifts load onto the triceps and the inner chest. Three clean sets of eight with the chest touching the hands before you progress to archer work.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Low, quiet nasal breathing driven by the diaphragm rather than the neck and upper chest. The base skill every other breathing practice on this list is built on.
Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)
A forearm-supported inverted V. Builds the shoulder and serratus strength that headstand and forearm stand require, without the balance demand.
Doorway Pec Stretch
Forearm against a doorframe with a slow torso turn away. Lengthens the pecs and front shoulder, one half of the upper cross pattern that desk work tends to shorten.
Double Battle Rope Waves
Both arms drive together, so each rep is a full-body hip and trunk effort. Shorter intervals than alternating waves because the output per second is far higher.
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
The reference yoga shape — decompresses the spine while loading shoulders and lengthening the whole back line.
Dragon Flag Progression
Anchored eccentric where the body lowers as one rigid unit from the shoulders. Three sets of five tucked lowers at five seconds each before you extend the legs toward the full flag.
Duck Walk
Travel forward in a full deep squat, building end-range hip, knee and ankle tolerance. Three lengths of eight metres with the heels down before you add distance or a load in the hands.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
A direct isolation for the side delt, the one head that gets little from pressing. A high-rep finisher at 12-20 reps where light weight and strict form beat heavy swinging.
Dumbbell Step-Up
A loaded single-leg step onto a box that trains the exact pattern used on stairs and hills. Best in controlled sets of 8-10 per side rather than as a speed drill.
Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
A standing balance with both arms and legs crossed. Trains single-leg stability while drawing the shoulder blades apart and the outer hips into adduction.
Easy Aerobic Run
Steady running at conversational pace, the base of any endurance plan. Most weekly running volume should sit here, not in the hard middle ground.
Equal Breathing (Sama Vritti)
Inhale and exhale matched to the same count. The simplest way to slow and regularise the breath rate, and the standard entry point before any ratio work.
Extended Exhale (Visama Vritti)
Deliberately uneven breathing where the exhale runs roughly twice the inhale. Mechanically slows breath rate and lengthens the passive phase of each cycle.
Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana)
A deep lateral lunge with a long top-side reach. Works the front leg hard while lengthening the underside waist, adductors and top shoulder.
Face Pull
The single best antidote to rounded shoulders — trains the rear delts and external rotators most people never load.
Farmer Carry
Heavy weights held at the sides while walking, loading grip, traps and the whole trunk at once. Programmed by distance or time rather than reps, usually 30-60 seconds a set.
Fartlek Run
Continuous running with unstructured surges of faster effort. Adds intensity without a track or a stopwatch, which makes it easy to fit into any route.
Fire Log Pose (Agnistambhasana)
A seated pose with the shins stacked one over the other. A direct, symmetrical stretch for the outer hips and glutes, and a demanding one for most people.
Foam Roll Quads
Prone soft tissue work along the front of the thigh with slow passes and pauses on dense spots. Two to three minutes per leg, usually after lower-body training or long time on feet.
Foam Roll Thoracic Spine
Supine roller work across the mid-back with segmental pauses and controlled extension. Two to three minutes as a cooldown or as preparation for overhead work.
Four-By-Four VO2max Intervals
Four four-minute hard efforts with three-minute active recoveries. A well-studied Norwegian protocol for raising maximal aerobic capacity in trained and untrained people alike.
Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)
The low hover between Plank and Upward Dog. A controlled eccentric for the triceps, pectorals and serratus, and the most commonly rushed shape in vinyasa.
Frog Pose (Mandukasana)
A kneeling pose with the knees wide and shins out to the sides. A direct, intense adductor and inner-groin stretch, usually held long and passively.
Frog Stance Hold
Balance the knees on the backs of the arms with the feet off the floor, the first hand-balancing hold most people can reach. Three holds of twenty seconds before you work toward a crow to headstand.
Front Lever Tuck Hold
Tucked horizontal hang under the bar, the entry point to front lever work. Three holds of fifteen seconds with a flat back before you extend one leg toward advanced tuck.
Front-Rack Carry
A walk with the bells racked at the chest, which shifts the load forward and makes anti-extension the main job. Shorter sets than the farmer carry, typically 20-40 seconds.
Garland Pose (Malasana)
A deep squat with the elbows pressing the knees wide. Requires ankle, knee and hip flexion together and is used as a working rest position in many traditions.
Goblet Squat
A single bell held at the chest as a counterweight, which lets most people squat deeper and cleaner than they can under a bar. The default squat teaching tool for sets of 8-12.
Great Lock (Maha Bandha)
The three locks applied together on a held-out breath. Only worth attempting once Mula, Uddiyana and Jalandhara Bandha are each reliable on their own.
Hack Squat
A machine squat on a fixed track with the back supported, biasing the quads through a long range. A hypertrophy lift for sets of 8-12 when free squats are already handled elsewhere.
Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)
A single-leg balance with the torso and top leg rotated open. Strong gluteus medius work on the standing side plus a demand for hip and thoracic rotation.
Hang Power Clean
Pull a barbell from the hang and catch it on the shoulders above parallel. The most trainable Olympic derivative for developing rate of force development.
Hanging Knee Raise
A hanging trunk flexion that trains the abs and hip flexors while the grip and shoulders hold position. Sets of 8-12 with no swing between reps.
Hanging Knee Raise (Bar)
Hanging trunk flexion with bent knees, building grip and the posterior pelvic tilt that makes straight-leg raises possible. Three sets of twelve without swing before you straighten the legs.
Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
A supine pose holding the outer feet with the knees drawn toward the armpits. Opens the inner groin and back of the hips with the spine supported by the floor.
Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)
An asymmetric seated fold with one leg bent out to the side. Lengthens one hamstring at a time while opening the bent-leg hip into external rotation.
Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana)
A full inversion balanced on the forearms with the head lightly touching the floor. Substantial shoulder and trunk strength is what holds it, not the neck.
Heel-To-Toe Line Walk with Head Turns
Tandem walking with deliberate head turns added. Forces the balance system to keep working while the visual reference moves, which is what happens when you look around while walking.
Hill Sprints
Short maximal efforts up a moderate gradient. The incline limits stride length and impact, which makes them safer than flat sprints while still building power.
Hip Airplane
Single-leg hinge with a slow pelvic rotation over the standing hip. Loads the glute medius and deep rotators through internal and external rotation while the foot holds the ground.
Hissing Breath (Sitkari)
The variant of Sitali for people who cannot roll the tongue: air is drawn in through the teeth with a hiss and released through the nose. Same mechanics, different aperture.
Hollow Body Hold
Supine hold with the lower back pressed flat and the limbs extended, the shape underneath every straight-body skill. Three holds of thirty seconds with the back flat before you lower the limbs.
Humming Bee Breath (Bhramari)
A long nasal exhale carried on a steady hum, with the ears optionally closed. The hum mechanically extends the exhale and gives a clear sensory focus.
Hurdle Hop
Continuous two-foot hops over a line of low hurdles. Trains reactive stiffness and clean landings under repeated contacts. Do it fresh, early in the session.
Icky Shuffle
The in-in-out-out ladder pattern, travelling sideways down the ladder. Trains lateral foot placement and coordination in the frontal plane, which straight-ahead running never touches.
Inchworm
Walk the hands out to a plank, then walk the feet up to the hands, travelling forward. Three sets of eight repetitions with the legs staying straight before you add a push-up at the front.
Incline Dumbbell Press
An inclined press with independent loads, biasing the upper chest and demanding more shoulder control than a bar. A staple hypertrophy press for sets of 8-12.
Incline Push-Up
Push-up with hands elevated on a box or bench, which cuts the load so the pattern can be trained clean. Three sets of ten at one height before you lower the hands to the next.
Incline Treadmill Ruck
Walking a steep incline under a weight vest. High aerobic cost with no running impact, which makes it useful for base building and for loaded-carry endurance.
Inverted Row
Horizontal pull under a fixed bar, scalable by foot position. Three sets of twelve with the chest touching the bar and the body flat before you raise the feet or move to rings.
Jump Rope Intervals
Timed skipping rounds. Cheap, portable, and one of the few conditioning tools that also loads the calves and feet for running durability.
Kettlebell Clean
A hip-driven pull that lands the bell in the front rack without banging the forearm. The entry point to every pressing and long-cycle kettlebell complex.
Kettlebell Clean And Press
Clean the bell to the rack, press it overhead, return under control. A full-body strength-endurance cycle that keeps the heart rate high without a barbell.
Kettlebell High Pull
A swing that finishes with a hard elbow pull to chest height. Teaches the vertical path the snatch needs and loads the upper back at speed.
Kettlebell Snatch
One continuous pull from between the legs to lockout overhead. The highest power-output kettlebell lift and a brutal aerobic tool at moderate load.
Kettlebell Swing
Explosive hip extension — trains power, conditioning and a hinge pattern that carries into sprinting and jumping.
Kettlebell Windmill
A loaded side-bend under an overhead bell. Trains overhead shoulder stability alongside hip hinge and thoracic rotation in one position.
Knee-to-Wall Ankle Mobilisation
The standard ankle dorsiflexion test and drill in one — the range that decides how deep you can squat.
L-Sit on Parallettes
Supported hold with the legs held horizontal, taxing the trunk, hip flexors and straight-arm shoulders together. Three holds of twenty seconds with legs level before you attempt a V-sit.
Ladder Hopscotch
Alternate two-foot and split-foot landings down the ladder. Combines a lateral straddle with a narrow landing, so the hips must widen and gather repeatedly at speed.
Ladder Lateral Shuffle Through
Move sideways down the ladder, both feet in each box, hips square to the side. Trains a true lateral shuffle without crossing over — the base for defensive footwork.
Ladder One-Foot-Per-Box Run
Run the length of an agility ladder placing one foot in each box. The base footwork drill: it trains foot speed, rhythm and staying over the balls of the feet.
Ladder Two-Feet-Per-Box Run
Run the ladder putting both feet in every box. Doubles the number of contacts per metre, which sharpens turnover and demands tighter foot placement than the single-foot pattern.
Landmine Press
A pressing arc between horizontal and overhead, which suits shoulders that do not like a straight vertical press. Sets of 8-12 per side with a braced trunk.
Lat Pulldown
A scalable vertical pull that builds the strength and volume most people need before chin-ups happen. Best in sets of 8-12 with a deliberate pause at the chest.
Lateral Ape Jump
Squat low, plant both hands to the side, and swing the hips across to land in a squat. Three sets of eight controlled crossings landing quietly before you widen the distance travelled.
Lateral Battle Rope Waves
Waves driven side to side rather than up and down. Loads the obliques and shoulders in the transverse plane, which most conditioning work never touches.
Lateral Bound
A sideways push off one leg to a stuck landing on the other, also called a skater jump. Trains lateral hip power and the frontal-plane landing that change of direction depends on.
Left Nostril Breathing (Chandra Bhedana)
The mirror of Surya Bhedana: inhale only through the left nostril, exhale only through the right. Traditionally practised as a cooling, settling breath rather than an activating one.
Leg Press
A supported machine squat pattern that lets you load the legs heavily without the trunk being the limit. Useful for volume in the 10-15 rep range, especially late in a session.
Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)
A passive inversion with the hips supported and the legs vertical against a wall. Requires no strength and is traditionally used as a quiet closing pose.
Lizard Crawl
Low crawl in a push-up position with the working knee driving to the outside elbow, demanding hip range and pressing endurance. Three lengths of eight metres staying low before you add distance.
Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)
A deep low lunge with both hands inside the front foot. Loads the front hip into flexion and external rotation while the back hip flexor lengthens.
Locust Pose (Salabhasana)
A prone lift with no arm support. Pure posterior chain work — spinal extensors, glutes and hamstrings — and the most honest test of back strength in the asana set.
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
The hip-flexor opener that unlocks hip extension — the range squats, sprints and deadlifts all depend on.
Machine Chest Press
A fixed-path horizontal press that removes the balance demand so the chest can be taken close to failure safely. Good for sets of 10-15, especially without a spotter.
Massage Ball Glute Release
Seated ball work into the glutes and deep hip rotators with sustained pressure and small movement. Around two minutes per side after running, lifting or a long day seated.
Med Ball Chest Pass
An explosive two-hand push of a med ball into a wall. Trains upper-body pressing speed with no eccentric to survive, which makes it easy to load frequently.
Med Ball Overhead Slam
Drive a slam ball from overhead into the floor as hard as possible. Trains full-body extension and trunk flexion speed, and it is simple to coach.
Med Ball Rotational Throw
A hard sideways throw into a wall driven from the hips. The most direct way to train rotational power for throwing, striking and swinging.
Med Ball Scoop Toss
A two-hand underhand throw for height and distance, driven by triple extension. A safe, high-output way to train explosive hip extension without barbell technique.
Mirror Drill
One partner moves freely inside a marked area, the other mirrors them. Adds an unpredictable stimulus, which is what separates real agility from rehearsed footwork.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
The reference standing posture. Sets foot pressure, pelvis position and ribcage stacking that every other standing pose is measured against.
Nasal-Only Aerobic Breathing
Holding easy-pace aerobic work to nose breathing only. Caps intensity by airflow, keeps the effort genuinely conversational, and builds tolerance to a slower breath rate under load.
Negative Pull-Up
Jump or step to the top of a pull-up and lower as slowly as possible. Three sets of five lowers lasting five seconds each before you attempt a full unassisted rep.
Nordic Curl
A kneeling eccentric hamstring curl with the ankles anchored. Extremely demanding through the lengthened position and used in low sets of 3-6 for hamstring resilience.
Nordic Hamstring Lower
Kneeling eccentric with the ankles anchored, the strongest known bodyweight hamstring builder. Three sets of five reps controlled past the halfway point before you remove the hand assist.
Overhead Press
Vertical pressing strength and honest shoulder health — it exposes overhead range you don't have.
Pallof Press
Anti-rotation core work — trains the trunk to refuse to move, which is what it actually does in sport.
Parallel Bar Dip
Vertical push on fixed bars, the heaviest bodyweight chest and triceps builder most people can access. Three sets of eight to full depth before you move to rings.
Physiological Sigh
A double inhale through the nose followed by one long exhale through the mouth. Mimics the spontaneous sigh pattern and can be used in a few breaths between efforts.
Pigeon Pose
Deep external hip rotation and glute release — restores the rotation that hinging and squatting quietly steal.
Pike Push-Up
Overhead press pattern built from a piked position, the working bridge to handstand pressing. Three sets of eight with the crown of the head touching before you elevate the feet.
Pistol Squat Progression
Single-leg squat trained to a box, lowering the box as strength allows. Three sets of eight per side at one height with no hand support before you drop to the next height.
Plank Pose (Phalakasana)
A straight-arm hold from hands to heels. Builds shoulder stability, serratus control and trunk bracing, and underpins every vinyasa transition.
Plank Walkout
Walk the hands out from standing into a plank and back, loading anti-extension through a moving range. Three sets of eight walkouts with the hips level before you add a push-up at the bottom.
Plantar Fascia Ball Roll
Rolling a small ball along the underside of the foot with graded pressure. One to two minutes per foot, commonly used after running or long periods standing.
Plough Pose (Halasana)
An inversion with the legs taken overhead to the floor behind the head. Lengthens the whole posterior chain and is usually practised alongside Shoulderstand.
Pogo Hop
Small, stiff, repeated hops off the forefoot. Trains ankle stiffness and short ground contacts. Run it early in the session while fresh, not as a finisher.
Pro Agility Shuttle (5-10-5)
Sprint five yards one way, ten back, five to finish, with two 180-degree cuts. The standard test of short-area change of direction and hard deceleration.
Prone Y-T-W Raise
Direct work for the lower traps and rhomboids — the postural muscles that lose the fight to your upper traps.
Pseudo-Planche Push-Up
Push-up with the hands at the waist and the shoulders driven forward past them, loading the front delts and biceps tendon. Three sets of six with heavy lean before adding tuck planche work.
Pull-Up
The benchmark vertical pull — builds the lats, biceps and grip, and exposes any weakness in the whole chain.
Push Press
An overhead press driven by a short leg dip. Lets you move more load overhead than a strict press and trains the transfer of leg drive through a rigid trunk.
Quadruped Thoracic Rotation
Hand-behind-head rotation on all fours with the hips locked over the knees. Trains mid-back rotation in a position where the lumbar spine cannot easily take over.
Rear-Delt Fly
A bent-over fly targeting the rear delt and the muscles between the shoulder blades. Light, high-rep work at 15-20 to offset the pressing volume most programmes carry.
Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
A supported reclining pose with the soles together and knees wide. Opens the groin and chest passively with the whole body propped, so it can be held for a long time.
Reclined Butterfly with Bolster
Reclining over a bolster with the soles of the feet together and the knees supported. A long passive hold for the inner thighs and front body with the props doing all the work.
Restorative Legs-Up-The-Wall with a Blanket
Legs resting vertically up a wall with a folded blanket under the pelvis and a long, quiet hold. Set up as a restorative position rather than an inversion, with slow breathing throughout.
Revolved Chair Pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana)
A deep double-leg squat with a closed twist. Loads the quads and glutes isometrically while the obliques rotate the ribcage over level knees.
Revolved Lunge (Parivrtta Anjaneyasana)
A twist from a long lunge. Opens the back-leg hip flexor while the obliques rotate the ribcage, with the front leg holding the position under load.
Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana)
A narrow-stance standing twist over a straight front leg. Combines hamstring length with thoracic rotation while the hips are asked to stay square.
Right Nostril Breathing (Surya Bhedana)
Inhaling only through the right nostril and exhaling only through the left. Traditionally practised as a warming, activating breath; treat that framing as traditional, not demonstrated.
Romanian Deadlift
The best hamstring and glute builder there is — a hip hinge that teaches you to load the back of the body.
Root Lock (Mula Bandha)
A contained lift of the pelvic floor held alongside the breath. Trains conscious control of the pelvic floor separate from the glutes and abdominal wall.
Rowing Intervals
Hard repeated efforts on the erg. Full-body, non-impact, and the split readout gives immediate honest feedback on whether the effort is holding.
Sandbag Bear Hug Squat
A squat holding a shifting bag against the chest. The load pulls you forward, so the trunk works as hard as the legs. Forgiving on the wrists and shoulders.
Sandbag Clean
Pull the bag from the floor into a bear-hug rack on the chest. Cleaner and more repeatable than shouldering, which makes it the workhorse for cycled sets.
Sandbag Drag
Haul a bag along the floor hand over hand or by the handles, walking backward. Heavy concentric-only work that spares the joints while taxing the whole system.
Sandbag Front Carry
Walk a bag held tight to the chest for distance or time. The load pulls you into flexion the whole way, so the trunk and upper back never get a break.
Sandbag Over-Shoulder Throw
Pull the bag from the floor and throw it over one shoulder behind you. A full triple-extension effort with no eccentric, so power stays high across sets.
Sandbag Shouldering
Lift a bag from the floor to one shoulder in one movement, alternating sides. Explosive, awkward and one of the fastest ways to raise the heart rate under load.
Scapular Pull-Up
Short-range hang where only the shoulder blades move, teaching the lats to initiate a pull. Three sets of ten controlled reps before you spend time on negative pull-ups.
Scapular Push-Up
Plank position with the elbows locked, moving only the shoulder blades. Strengthens the serratus anterior and mid-back, the weak half of the upper cross pattern in desk workers.
Scorpion Reach
From a prone position, reach one heel across the body toward the opposite hand, opening the front of the hip and rotating the spine. Three sets of eight per side with both shoulders down before adding range.
Seated Cable Row
A horizontal pull with constant cable tension through the whole range, including the stretch. Reliable for sets of 10-12 and easy to load progressively week to week.
Seated Calf Raise
A bent-knee calf raise, which takes the gastrocnemius out and puts the soleus under direct load. High reps of 15-20 with a full pause at both ends.
Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)
A long-hold fold over straight legs. Lengthens hamstrings, calves and the posterior spine, and is traditionally used as a quieting pose late in practice.
Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
Trains rotation where you should have it — the thoracic spine — rather than borrowing it from the lower back.
Seated Thoracic Rotation
Chair-based rotation drill that isolates the mid-back by locking the pelvis. A practical option for desk workers who want to keep rotational range without leaving the desk.
Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana)
An inverted balance on the shoulders with the body vertical. Demands significant neck care, so it is always set up on folded blankets with the head off the support.
Shrimp Squat
Single-leg squat with the rear foot held behind you, demanding knee-dominant strength and hip flexibility. Three sets of five per side touching the rear knee down before adding elevation.
Side Crow Pose (Parsva Bakasana)
An arm balance with both knees stacked on one upper arm. Combines a deep closed twist with the shoulder and trunk strength to hold the body off the floor.
Side Plank
Builds the lateral core and glute medius together — the anti-side-bend strength that protects the lower back.
Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana)
The straight-arm yoga side plank, held on one hand with the top arm extended. Loads the underside obliques and shoulder while training wrist and scapular control.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
A supported one-sided row with a long range of motion and no lower-back cost. Sets of 8-12 per side, useful for fixing a strength gap between the two sides.
Single-Arm Kettlebell Swing
The hip-hinge swing loaded on one side, which adds a hard anti-rotation demand on the trunk. More core work per rep than the two-hand version.
Single-Leg Balance (Short Foot)
Trains the foot intrinsics and ankle stabilisers — the base every squat, sprint and standing pose is built on.
Single-Leg Bound
Repeated maximal hops from one leg to the same leg, covering ground. Exposes side-to-side power differences and demands controlled single-leg landings.
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
A one-legged hinge that loads the hamstring while the hip stabilisers fight rotation. Moderate load, sets of 8-10 per side, treated as a control lift rather than a max effort.
Single-Leg Stance with Eyes Closed
Standing on one leg with the eyes shut, removing vision so the ankle, hip and inner ear do the work. The hardest standard balance hold and only for clients steady with eyes open.
Single-Leg Star Reach
Standing on one leg and reaching the other foot out to the front, side and behind. Loads the standing hip and ankle through a range of positions rather than a static hold.
Sit-To-Stand From a Chair
Standing up from a chair and sitting back down under control, without using the hands. Builds the leg strength and weight transfer that everyday standing up depends on.
Skull Crusher
A lying triceps extension that loads the long head at length, which pressing alone does not. Sets of 10-12 with a slow eccentric and a bar path past the head.
Skull-Shining Breath (Kapalabhati)
A kriya of sharp active exhales driven by the abdominal wall with passive inhales between. Vigorous, demanding on the abdomen, and carries real contraindications.
Sled Push
Pure horizontal force production with almost no eccentric load — conditioning and leg drive without the soreness.
Sled Row
Pull the sled toward you hand over hand or by stepping back and rowing. Builds upper back strength-endurance with no eccentric load on the shoulders.
Sled Sprint
Short maximal sprints driving a lightly loaded sled. Trains acceleration mechanics under resistance and produces high output with a low landing impact.
Split-Squat Jump
A jump from a split stance, switching legs in the air. Builds unilateral hip and quad power in a lunge position and demands a balanced, quiet landing each rep.
Staff Pose (Dandasana)
The seated reference posture. Establishes an upright pelvis and active legs, and exposes exactly how much hamstring length a seated forward fold has to work with.
Staggered-Stance High Shelf Reach
Reaching overhead from a split stance, the way you would take something off a high shelf. Trains balance with the arms up and the base of support narrow, close to a real household task.
Standing Broad Jump
A maximal two-foot jump for horizontal distance. Trains hip extension power and teaches you to absorb a long landing. Place it first in the session, fully fresh.
Standing Hip Flexor Stretch with Reach
Split stance with a posterior pelvic tilt and an overhead reach. Lengthens the hip flexors while the glutes and abdominals work, addressing the lower cross pattern seen in seated workers.
Step-Up-And-Over
Stepping up onto a low step, over the top and down the other side with control. Rehearses stair and kerb mechanics with a deliberate pause in single-leg support.
Suitcase Carry
One-sided loaded carry — exposes and fixes left–right differences in the trunk and grip better than any machine.
Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
A supported twist lying on the back. Rotation is taken with the bodyweight off the spine, which makes it a standard long-hold pose at the end of practice.
Supported Bridge on a Bolster
Passive bridge with the pelvis resting on a bolster so no muscular effort is needed. Held for several minutes as a gentle front-body opener and a way to slow the breath down.
Supported Child's Pose with Props
Child's pose with a bolster under the torso and a blanket behind the knees so the position can be held for minutes rather than breaths. Used as a long, quiet down-regulation hold.
T-Drill
Sprint forward, shuffle laterally both ways, then backpedal out. Puts four movement patterns and three direction changes into one short rep.
Tandem Stance
Standing heel-to-toe with one foot directly in front of the other. Narrows the base of support to challenge the ankle and hip stabilisers without leaving two feet on the ground.
Tandem Walk
Walking heel-to-toe in a straight line under control. Trains the weight transfer and lateral hip control needed for narrow-base walking such as turning in a hallway.
Tempo Run
A sustained effort at comfortably hard pace, held long enough to raise the effort you can maintain for an hour. The classic threshold session.
Thoracic Open Book
Restores rotation to the mid back — the range that, when missing, gets stolen from the lower back and shoulders.
Thread the Needle (Parsva Balasana)
A kneeling twist with one arm threaded under the body and the shoulder resting on the mat. Rotates the thoracic spine and opens the back of the shoulder.
Thread the Needle (Shoulder)
Quadruped drill sliding one arm under the body to load the upper back and rear shoulder. Mobilises the thoracic spine and scapular tissue that shorten during long hours at a desk.
Three-Cone L-Drill
An L-shaped course with tight turns around a cone. Trains change of direction at speed while leaning into a curve, which is closer to real play than straight shuttles.
Three-Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama)
A sequenced inhale that fills the belly, then the lower ribs, then the upper chest, and empties in reverse. Teaches deliberate control over each region of the breath.
Tibial Rotation Drill
Seated drill turning the shin in and out over a fixed foot. Trains internal and external rotation at the knee and lower leg, a range that most lower-body training never touches.
Trap Bar Deadlift
A deadlift with the load in line with the body, which shortens the lever on the lower back and lets more people pull heavy safely. A solid first heavy pull for sets of 3-6.
Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
The basic single-leg standing balance. Trains foot and ankle control on the standing side while the lifted leg works the outer hip into rotation.
Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
Loads the adductors and side body in a lengthened position — hip and trunk mobility you can actually control.
Triceps Pushdown
A cable extension with constant tension and no load on the elbow at the stretched position. A joint-friendly high-rep finisher at 12-15 reps after heavy pressing.
Tuck Jump
Repeated vertical jumps pulling the knees to the chest. A high-contact plyometric that exposes landing mechanics fast, so keep sets short and do them fresh.
Turkish Get-Up
A slow, loaded transition from lying to standing under an overhead bell. Builds shoulder stability, rolling strength and hip mobility under real load.
Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
A straight-arm backbend with only the hands and feet on the mat. Works the spinal extensors and triceps while lengthening the hip flexors and front of the chest.
Victorious Breath (Ujjayi)
Nasal breathing with a light constriction at the back of the throat, producing an audible ocean-like sound. Slows the airflow and gives an obvious cue for breath pacing in asana.
Wall Handstand Hold
Chest-to-wall inverted hold that builds overhead position and shoulder endurance without balance being the limiter. Three holds of forty-five seconds before you work on freestanding balance.
Wall Slide
Teaches the shoulder blades to rotate upward properly — the missing piece in most restricted overhead positions.
Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
A lunge with squared hips and overhead arms. Loads the front leg while asking the back hip flexor and the thoracic spine to open at the same time.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
An isometric lower-body hold that builds hip strength in external rotation — directly transferable to lateral athletic positions.
Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
A single-leg hinge held horizontally. Demands hamstring and glute strength on the standing leg plus a stable trunk from ankle to fingertips.
Weight-Shift Drill
Slow, deliberate transfer of body weight side to side and front to back within a stable stance. The starting point for anyone not yet ready to unload a foot from the floor.
Wide-Legged Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)
A wide-stance fold that lengthens hamstrings and adductors while the head sits below the heart. Commonly used as a cooling pose and a headstand preparation.
World's Greatest Stretch
Lunge position combining hip flexor length, adductor range and thoracic rotation in one sequence. A dense warm-up entry that covers several joints in a short time.
Wrist Mobility Flow
Short kneeling sequence loading the wrists into extension, flexion and rotation. Prepares the wrists and forearms for pressing, front rack and any hands-on-the-floor work.