4 Underrated Exercises to Add to Your Routine
Are you looking to spice up your workout routine and target muscles you might need attention to? While popular exercises like squats and push-ups are excellent for overall fitness, several underrated exercises can add variety and effectiveness to your workouts. Let’s explore four underrated exercises you can easily incorporate into your routine.
Bulgarian Split Squats:
Bulgarian split squats are a fantastic option if you’re looking to build lower body strength and improve balance. This exercise primarily targets your quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings while also stabilizing your core. Stand a few feet before a bench or elevated surface to perform a Bulgarian split squat. Place one foot behind you on the bench and the other firmly on the ground before you. Lower your body into a lunge position until your front thigh is parallel to the ground, then push back up to the starting position. Repeat on both legs for a balanced workout.
Renegade Rows:
Renegade rows are a challenging yet effective exercise that targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This exercise works your back, shoulders, arms, and core, making it a great addition to any upper-body workout. To perform renegade rows, start in a plank position with a dumbbell in each hand. Ensure your core remains activated and stabilize your hips as you pull one dumbbell upward toward your hip, simultaneously extending the opposite arm. Lower the dumbbell back to the ground and repeat on the other side. Concentrate on sustaining correct form and maintaining control during the exercise.
Farmer’s Walk:
The farmer’s walk is a simple yet effective full-body exercise that can help improve grip strength, core stability, and overall endurance. To perform a farmer’s walk, grab a heavy pair of dumbbells or kettlebells and hold them at your sides. Keep your shoulders back core engaged, and walk forward in a controlled manner for a set distance or time. Focus on maintaining proper posture and avoiding any excessive swaying or leaning. Farmer’s walks are highly customizable and can be adjusted based on your fitness level and available equipment.
Hollow Body Hold:
The hollow body hold is a foundational exercise in gymnastics that targets your core muscles and improves overall body awareness. This workout is especially beneficial for fortifying the deep abdominal muscles and stabilizing the spine. To perform a hollow body hold, lie on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs straight out in front of you. Raise your shoulders and legs a few inches above the ground, pressing your lower back into the floor. Engage your core and hold this position for as long as possible while maintaining proper form.
Integrating these often overlooked exercises into your fitness regimen can help break through plateaus, improve functional strength, and prevent boredom. Remember to begin at a gentle pace and progressively elevate the intensity and duration of each exercise as you gain confidence. With consistency and dedication, you’ll soon reap the benefits of these underrated gems in your fitness journey.
The Craziest Races in the World – Pt. 2
Running any type of race can potentially be challenging and intimidating; from hometown 5ks to city-based marathons, different events pose different obstacles (sometimes, quite literally), and each will require a specific type of training to increase your chances of success.
There are some, however, who push this notion to its limit, entering races both obscure and, potentially, unfathomably difficult. These events are some of the most unthinkable feats in aerobic athletics, and they are intended for only those daring enough to attempt them.
Continued from part one, here are several more of the craziest races in the world.
Though a standard marathon may seem short compared to other races included on this list, it stands as one of the toughest 26.2 mile competitions in the world.
The race starts at the Mount Everest Expedition Base Camp, after which it follows a course that almost entirely downhill (minus two brief uphill segments); this sounds easy at first, but over time the downhill inclines will begin to take their toll on your quad muscles. Pair this challenge with incredibly cold conditions and you are left with a race where top finishers are lucky to break four hours. Still, the race provides some of the most stunning views of any marathon out there, and this alone makes it worth the pain.
The Badwater Ultramarathon, also known as the Badwater 135, is a 135-mile race taking runners from Death Valley’s Badwater Basin to Mount Whitney, and naturally, this means you will encounter some of the “lowest valleys and highest peaks in the U.S.”
The race is regarded by some as “the world’s toughest foot race,” and for good reason; its course is extremely demanding with its arid conditions and 14,600 feet of cumulative ascent. In fact, the race’s website strongly encourages participants to bring their own personal race crews (in addition to race staff), suggesting to include at least one medical professional and an experienced aerobic athlete.
As if dog racing was not crazy enough, the Iditarod trail is also home to the longest winter ultramarathon in the world. Competitors can choose between 350- and 1000-mile race options, both of which entail running, cycling, or skiing through snow and frigid air toward the finish line, which is located in the village of McGrath.
Obviously, proper equipment will be a must if you even want a chance at finishing, so be sure to heavily research the “notoriously inhospitable” course and plan accordingly. Should you make it to McGrath, however, the experience and sense of accomplishment will be unparalleled.
The Craziest Races in the World – Pt. 1
Running any type of race can potentially be challenging and intimidating; from hometown 5ks to city-based marathons, different events pose different obstacles (sometimes, quite literally), and each will require a specific type of training to increase your chances of success.
There are some, however, who push this notion to its limit, entering races both obscure and, potentially, unfathomably difficult. These events are among the craziest feats in aerobic athletics, and they are intended for only those daring enough to attempt them.
If you feel that you are fit (and brave) enough to take such a leap, here are several races to consider in the future.
The Self-Transcendence 3,100-mile Race
Perhaps the most obscure and challenging race in the world, the Self-Transcendence Race has to be experienced to be believed. The race, which is literally 3,100 miles in length, takes place over a period of two months on a single block in Queens, New York. That means runners will have to circle the block over 5,000 times to hit the total distance. This race is described as more of a mental ordeal than a physical one, with “self-transcendence,” or complete mental equilibrium and accomplishment, serving as the ultimate goal.
Located in Wartburg, Tennessee, the Barkley Marathons have been described as “five loops of death.” The 100+ mile long course is comprised of over 120,000 feet of climbing and descending, with one loop equalling about the distance of a standard marathon. To make matters worse, runners must complete the race in under 60 hours to be considered an official finisher; only one person finished in 2017!
When contemplating ideal locations for a multi day race, the Sahara Desert likely ranks in the bottom five possibilities; yet, this has not stopped the organizers of the Marathon des Sables, a 156-mile race through the desert that is often regarded as the toughest foot race in the world. Still, the race remains one of the most popular in the ultramarathon community, and its attendance has shockingly increased since its 1986 inception. That said, perhaps now is the best time to participate.
About Allen Curreri
Dr. Allen Curreri lives in Mason, Ohio. He is a clinical research expert with decades of professional experience. He is a talented professional with versatile experience, but foremost, he is a community member.
Allen Curreri has been working as the Principal Investigator and Senior Medical Writer at a clinical research group. He joined the company in 2017.
He is responsible for writing and collaborating on various medical device and pharmaceutical writing projects, such as CTDs, protocol amendments, and briefing documents. He enjoys his role mentoring and managing junior medical writers.
Responsible for reviewing the clinical data of new medical devices and therapeutic drugs, he then prepares documents for submission to the FDA. His expertise in various therapeutic areas, such as oncology, orthopedics, and cardiovascular, makes him an ideal fit for his position.
Besides his commitment to his important work, Allen considers it a personal responsibility and a privilege to serve his community in every way possible. Plus, Allen knows how to have fun getting his hands dirty for a good cause! As a family man, he is particularly drawn to the work of United Way, where he has been a loyal volunteer for over fifteen years and counting. With United Way, Allen focuses on creating self-sustaining progress and strong communities. The mission? Filling the most vital gaps and providing for the most fundamental unmet needs: health, income, and education.
A long-time running and marathon enthusiast, you can often find Allen on the paths and tracks around his home, training for his next challenge. Nothing is more satisfying than taking care of yourself while working for others. Allen Curreri believes in getting out on the streets and running for a good cause in fundraisers and charity marathons.
Career Background
In 2017, Allen Curreri’s presentation was selected for presentation at the 2017 Annual Conference by the Academy of Management (AOM) – his topic was Mindfulness, Information Technology Use, and Physicians’ Performance in Emergency Rooms. Allen also maintains professional membership with multiple organizations, including the Medical Affairs Professional Society, the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society, the Society of Clinical Research Associates, and the Clinical Research Society, as well as the American Medical Writers Association and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.
As a Clinical Research Expert, Allen Curreri has established expertise in multiple areas; these areas of skill include complex data analytics, literature review, clinical research management, clinical trial management, writing project management, regulatory affairs, regulatory writing, and medical writing. He holds his Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, his MBA from Georgia Southern University, and his Bachelor’s Degree from Dalton State College.