Our FAST managers are dishing on their personal favorite exercises. From the Turkish get-up to the Romanian Dead Lift, there’s a wide variety and something for everyone to try. Read on and discover a new exercise to add to your routine.
Kyle Schneider, facility manager at FAST Ahwatukee
My favorite exercise is the Turkish Get-Up. Looking to work on mobility, stability, balance, strength, or body control/awareness? This exercise targets all of these, gets your heart rate up, and requires little-to-no equipment!
Greg Stein, facility manager at FAST North Scottsdale
Barbell Back Squat is my favorite exercise. It is a fundamental movement pattern and can help with every fitness goal; getting stronger, building muscle, becoming more powerful and burning LOTS of calories to help lose weight.
Kyle Decker, facility manager at FAST Arrowhead
My favorite exercise is the Romanian Dead Lift. It works the hip extensors (hamstring and gluts). It also allows the client to work and perfect their hip hinge which will help them in other movements such as the Kettlebell swing, dead lift, snatch and clean. It can also be done in a single leg position, dumbbells, and with cables.
Brandon Wood, facility manager at FAST Litchfield Park
My favorite exercise is the ab wheel. I don’t do crunches for good reason. Exercises should be done with a neutral spine position—however, crunches throw that right out of the window. Not to mention, crunches mainly work one muscle group and overtime can lead to bad posture.
The ab wheel or ab rollout exercise works the anterior core as well. It keeps the individual in a neutral spine position while working on stabilization, anti-rotation, and resisting extension. A big portion of the ab rollout motion is an eccentric motion, which is a great strength builder. Posterior core exercises should be done as well though to maintain an even core strength throughout the body to prevent any muscular imbalances.
Ramon Zambrano, FAST trainer at Surprise
My favorite exercise is the dead lift. A simple movement yet brutally challenging. When executed correctly, it works your entire posterior chain, grip strength, core strength, should strength and stability, exert a tremendous amount of leg power, sets the foundation for the clean, and keeps your heart rate up. Due to the amount of muscle mass involved in the exercise, you have a faster potential of getting stronger at it and improving your overall strength!
Wade Haras, facility manager at FAST Old Town Scottsdale
The Kettlebell Renegade Row is one of my personal favorites. It will challenge your core to the max while being able to use your back as well. It’s definitely a “Bang for your Buck” exercise.
Travis Cummings, facility manager at FAST South Chandler
My favorite exercise is the dead lift because when done right, it is a great exercise for all the muscles from your neck down. Your glutes, quads, hamstrings, core, lower back, upper back and grip are all working hard while performing a proper dead lift. If you struggle with the conventional dead lift there are lots of variations to include to ensure you’re performing it properly. We utilize the trap bar dead lift a lot at our S. Chandler FAST location as it is much more back friendly.
Now that we’ve showcased the fitness expert’s favorite exercises, make sure to see how they re-fuel after a grueling workout.