Bench press, pull-ups, sit-ups, and squats. We all know these exercises and know about how effective they can be. But today you will learn about unique exercises that are effective and that you should be doing.
In this list, we have tried to bring you at least one exercise for each big muscle group. We have exercises ranging from stretching to glutes, from legs to your upper back.
Surely some of these exercises you’ve never heard about, but they are incredibly effective and that is the whole point. In order to continue improving your fitness level, you need to vary your exercises and, hopefully, this list does just that.
So bookmark this page and come back to it when you are tired of the same leg exercises.
Unique Exercises You Should Be Doing
1. The World’s Greatest Stretch
No, we are not saying this is the world’s greatest stretch. That is exactly the name of it and probably you haven’t heard about it, or simply forgot about it a long time ago.
Stretching is a vital part of exercising and if you are short on time, this movement will hit every major muscle group in your body, from hamstrings to hips, spine, shoulders and glutes.
2. Nordic Hamstring Curl
One of the hardest and most rewarding legs exercise there is out there. And also, since it is incredibly hard to do it, most people don’t even try. If this is the first time you’re hearing about this exercise, you are in for a treat.
The Nordic Hamstring Curl can be adapted for people with lower hamstring strength. It will increase the strength and size of your legs, help prevent you from future injuries, and improve your vertical jump and speed.
The Nordic Hamstring Curl works these muscles:
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Lower back
- Rhomboids (upper back)
3. Renegade Row
The renegade row is a great exercise that combines the dumbbell row and the plank into one fluid movement. The benefits of the exercise are also merged together as you work your back and triceps while effectively engaging your core.
Read More: 10 Renegade Row Workouts
4. Hollow Body Crunch
Crunches are known for being pretty much useless, but the hollow body crunch is the best abs exercise according to fitness guru Alex Lorenz.
You not only tilt your pelvis or raise your shoulder blades from the ground. You do both, aiming for a maximum contraction of your abs. “This ensures a good mix between upper and lower rectus abdominis activity,” Lorenz explains.
The hollow body crunch is the best abs exercise because it does not require any mobility or relies heavily on other muscles. “It’s ab training as pure as it can be,” Lorenz continues.
5. Bear Crawl
The bear crawl might seem easy, but it is a great exercise that engages almost every muscle in your body. And you don’t need any gym equipment to do it. Isn’t that great?
The bear crawl engages:
- Triceps
- Pecs
- Deltoids
- Lower back
- Rectus abdominis
- Quads
- Glutes
- Core
- Hamstrings
It might look stupid or childish, but this is incredibly effective, making it one of the best unique exercises in this list that you are probably not doing. The fact that you can do it anywhere is a big plus.
Once you have mastered walking forward with the bear crawl, you can start doing the exercise moving backwards and sideways. Ultimately, making a square should engage your body on all sides evenly.
Unique Exercises You Should Be Doing
6. Knee-banded dual elevated bodyweight hip thrust
When someone is famously known for being the “Glutes Guy,” you probably should pay attention to what he is saying. That is Bret Contreras.
According to him, the knee-banded dual elevated bodyweight hip thrust is the best glutes exercise that people don’t do and so it has been added to our unique exercises list.
Just pay attention to the insane range of motion of this exercise and you will understand why this can be considered a must booty movement to build a stronger butt.
“The hips move deep into full hip flexion and then rise into full hip hyperextension. Make sure you’re hitting full ROM too. You’re getting like 135 degrees of hip motion with these,” Bret writes.
Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
7. Rear Delt – Unique Exercises
This exercise was brought up by Ryan Humiston, a content creator at one of YouTube’s fastest-growing fitness channels.
This is such a unique exercise that he doesn’t even know the name of it, but guarantees that it is incredibly potent to build stronger rear delts. He called it barbell behind bent-over flex back.
“Preferably you will be able to go lighter and flex straight upright above your ass, but either way it still going to work,” he says.
If you are dreaming about getting that V-shape, this exercise will help.
8. Seated Barbell Good Morning
Quite a few people have heard of the good morning exercise, but the seated variation is hardly done in the gym.
The seated barbell good morning requires good flexibility, but it isolates the spinal erectors, minimizing hamstring tension. It is not recommended for beginner athletes.
This unique exercise will engage your:
- Lower back
- Hamstrings
- Spinal erectors
- Glutes
- Hip extensor flexibility
Doing this movement will help you become a better lifter, especially during the snatch and the squat.
9. Turkish Get-Up
Although this is a list of unique exercises, you probably have heard of the Turkish Get-Up. You’ve heard of it, but I bet you haven’t done it recently, if ever, and that is a shame. Perhaps the reason most people don’t do it is that it is highly complex to perform the movement correctly.
The Turkish Get-Up will work:
- Glutes
- Traps
- Lower back
- Hamstrings
- Triceps
- Lats
- Calves
- Core
It will improve your overall fitness level and posture as well as increase your shoulder and lower-body stability.
To make it harder, you can try it with a barbell.
Start with 2-4 sets of 5-6 reps on each side.
Unique Exercises You Should Be Doing
10. Pseudo-planche Push-Up
The pseudo-planche push-up is harder than the average push-up, so if you are not strong enough for push-ups, do not try these as you will probably fail and feel frustrated. They do look impressive, though.
The pseudo-planche push-up is a progression to the planchet, a highly-skilled calisthenic movement. https://www.boxrox.com/calisthenics/
This exercise is an overall great upper-body strength movement. It engages your:
- Shoulders
- Lower chest
- Triceps
- Biceps
- Core
11. Floor L-Sit
The L-Sit is a great core exercise, but many people do not have the strength necessary. Perhaps try the variation in which you sit on the floor, engaging your legs and core altogether.
The floor L-sit will work:
- Abs
- Obliques
- Hip flexors
- Quads
- Triceps
- Shoulders
- Lats
- Pecs
It may seem like a slow progression to be able to get to hold your body in an L-sit position, but you will be incredibly thankful once you get it.
Once you are able to do them, try these L-Sit Workouts.
12. Devil Press
Lastly in our unique exercises list is the devil press. And there is a reason why it’s called the Devil Press. Take the most hated exercise (burpee), add weights and perform snatch at the end. Voilá, you have the devil press.
This exercise is one of the best compound exercises to target your back and your shoulders.
Try These Devil Press Workouts (Beginner’s Options Included)
image sources
- Unique Exercises: Unsplash / Outlook Photography and Studio
