SunnyFitness Workout Tips

The SunnyFitness Workout Tips series continues!

If you haven’t read the first 60 tips, you can start HERE!

(click on the titles below to quickly jump to the specific tip)

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #61 Use mobility exercises for warmup

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #62 Learn and practice the handstand

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #63 Learn and practice the pistol squat

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #64 Unlock and practice the pull-up

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #65 Practice passive and active squats

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #66 Lift heavy objects from the ground

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #67 Push & Press

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #68 Pull & Row

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #69 Carry heavy stuff

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #70 Lift heavy weights fast

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #61
Use mobility exercises for warmup

There are hundreds of different ways to warmup. One of the best method is to do joint mobilization exercises!

With the modern sedentary, ’too much sitting’ lifestyle it’s hard to find a person with perfect joints, moving in full range with strenght and stability.

So for most people it’s worth to loosen up and activate the muscles around the spine, ankle, hip, upper back, shoulders, wrists before a serious workout. There are plenty of cool exercises for them!

This way we can reach a more optimal body biomechanics, which immediately improves the performance and reduce injury risk.

Bonus tip

Start with a few basic spine mobilization exercises, like the cat-cow, Jefferson curl, lateral flexion and rotations. Then target the most stiff joint in your body first. It’s a high chance after these you will feel immediately much better and don’t need extreme long warmup!

Do you use mobility exercises in your warmup? Which are your favorites?

ARTICLE: Secrets of the effective warm-up

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #62
Learn and practice the handstand

The handstand is fun and looks cool but it’s not an essential natural movement. We can live 100 years with a fully functioning body without doing a single handstand. However it has a lot of extra benefits if you learn and practice it regularly!

Upper body strength
Shoulder, wrist mobility and stability
Core strength
Balance
Blood and lymph flow
Body awareness, mental focus
Patience (takes time to learn it properly)
Being comfortable upside down
Reduces stress

The handstand is a highly technical skill. Short and frequent (multiple times a week for 5-10min) practice is better than 1 long session/week.

Bonus tip

After you have a solid free handstand for at least 30-60 seconds, then a new world opens up in the movement world! A lot of advanced and fun exercises are in this street. So the handstand can be also a lifelong, never ending story!

Do you practice handstand? What was the most difficult part to reach it?

ARTICLE: What are the natural movements?

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #63
Learn and practice the pistol squat

If I should choose one leg exercise which has the most bang for buck with minimal equipment necessity: it would be the PISTOL SQUAT! OK, in serious competition with the Split Squat which is also a simple but fantastic leg exercise.

The pistol squat improves the strength of the quads, glutes, core, little bit of the hamstrings and calf muscles as well. As a single leg, unilateral exercise it can also improve some muscle imbalances and general balance, body awareness.

It has a very good transfer effect to many other sports, running, sprints, jumps as most of our movements include single leg effort. Even the normal double leg weighted squat numbers can improve with some pistol squat training.

There are many ways to unlock this movement skill. Of course it depends on the individual strength level, ankle-hip mobility, so you may add more supplementary exercises to the process.

For a step by step guide, check my previous video from 02/2024 on my YouTube channel.

Bonus tip

Don’t stop after the first full repetition! There is much more in this world. Have fun with the single leg pistol squat jumps or with the Russian ’pistol squat dance’.

Have you unlocked your pistol squat? How long did it take?

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #64
Unlock and practice the pull-up

It’s an amazing feeling when you are strong enough to pull yourself over the bar! We use only a small percent of our strength potential, it has a lot of benefits if we master our bodyweight.

The pull-up or chin-up is one of your best friend to develop a super upper body strength and physique! It will make your lats, biceps, rhomboid, trapezius, forearm and even the core muscles stronger and more visible. The pull-up will also help in any climbing, rowing, swimming movement and keep the spine bulletproof.

It’s recommended to practice the pull-up together with some kind of pushing exercises for structural balance, like push ups, bench press, overhead press, pike push ups, dips.

Don’t worry if you cant do any pull-ups yet, it’s possible to unlock this movement in a few month or maximum one year for total beginners! As a young kid I was also the guy in the sport club who couldn’t make a single repetition but with time I could go over 20 reps and now the goal is to learn the one arm pull-up.

Start with improving the hanging, rowing, assisted pull-up variations. Train for pull-ups 1-2 times/week and a few month/years later you will be grateful to start this exercise.

Bonus tip

Don’t stop after your first pull-up! There is much more in this world. Why not to reach higher number of repetitions? 5 for women, 10 for men is already an excellent level for lifelong strength and fitness! Over 10-12 reps, shoot for the muscle-up! Or if you want to reach the top 0,1% than go for the one-arm pull-up! This milestones will keep you motivated for years.

Have you unlocked your first pull-up? Do you have further goals in the pull-up street?

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #65
Practice passive and active squats

The deep squat position and the up&down squat movements are natural movements, it’s worth to practice them regularly!

I call the deep squat position ’passive’ because it’s a natural resting position for native, many eastern, Slavic people. We should be able to stay there comfortable for minutes. If you lost this skill, it’s time to regain it!

For sure everyone could do it as a kid, it’s healthy for the ankles, knees, hips to have it for adults as well.

The ’active’ squat is the big family of exercises where we use this movement pattern on two or single leg. They are the best exercises to develop strong, functional, athletic and aesthetic leg muscles (+abs). They build good mobility in the ankles and hips. So I should include one or more of them always in a strength training program!

Which is the best squat? Of course it depends on the individual and goals.

2 leg: bodyweight squat, goblet squat, front or back loaded squat, overhead weighted squat, full (ATG) or partial range squats, box squat, jumping squats etc.

1 leg: split squat, (Bulgarian) single leg squat, pistol squat, Cossack squat, step ups, shrimp squat, dragon squat, single leg jumps etc.

All of them can be good for various goals and it’s worth to save them in your Movement Library! (see tip #31)

Bonus tip

Spend some time every day in the deep squat position passively or with some micro movements. You can also read a book, use your phone, brush you teeth etc. and have your daily squat time.

Do you practice squats? Which is your favorite?

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #66
Lift heavy objects from the ground

Lifting heavy objects from the ground is a natural movement, nothing to fear about and it’s worth to practice regularly!

The fear of low back and other injuries come from lack of strength, mobility, proper technique and of course everyone has a limit of weight to lift.

The good news is all of them can be fixed and the lifted weight can be increased significantly with regular strength training. Then there is no problem anymore with everyday tasks when it comes to lifting and carrying something heavy.

Added bonus 1, if you get stronger and more technical in lifting: gaining some muscle, stronger joints, better posture, burning fat, better athletic performance for almost every sports.

Bonus 2: Heavy lifts – in addition to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, back, forearm muscles – are one of the best ab exercises! Instead of endless sit-ups and many of the fancy unstable ab exercises. I could reach for example the dragon flag, back&front lever without special training for them, only as a side effect of heavy deadlifts.

A few lifting techniques, which are worth to include in your training program:

Romanian deadlift (1 and 2 legs), ’normal’ deadlift, sumo deadlift, Olympic weightlifting exercises.

You can use normal barbell with plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags and even stones if you like to train outdoors in nature.

Bonus tip

Lifting close to maximal weights for most people is more safe with neutral spine but it’s also important to be strong with rounded back! Here comes in the picture the Jefferson curl which is also a super lifting exercise with rounded back and with light to moderate weights.

Do you lift heavy?

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #67
Push & Press

There is a big group of strength exercises when we push/press a weight further away from our body or pushing/pressing our body further away from a fixed point.

They build a strong, powerful aesthetic upper body for athletic performance and everyday life.

The main working muscles are always the chest, shoulders, triceps and usually they work very well the core and other stabilizing muscle groups. The difference is in which ratio they are working those muscles.

Here are below the most common pushing/pressing exercises. I would include one or more of them in a strength training program depending on the individual and goals.

Push-ups, pike push-ups, dips, handstand push-ups, bridge press, bench press (flat, incline, decline, barbell, dumbbell, etc.), floor press, overhead/military press, push press, behind the neck press, jerk, behind the neck jerk, med ball chest throw etc.

For a balanced musculature it’s recommended to practice some kind of horizontal and vertical pressing movement as well! Like push-up and handstand push-up or bench press and overhead press.

Also practice pulling movements similar amount like pressing.

And train your legs as well to not have a superhero upperbody standing on chicken legs.

Bonus tip

The bench press has a bad reputation for shoulder health but it’s one of the best exercise to make those upper body muscles big and strong. So it’s not recommended with shoulder issues and not essential for most people.

It’s more safe to use the calisthenics, bodyweight exercises like push-ups, dips, pike and handstand presses. You can improve for years only with them! If you want to practice bench press, don’t forget to balance it with pulling and other accessory exercises!

How much do you bench? How many strict push-ups you can do?

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #68
Pull & Row

The pair of the Push&Press in the previous Tip #67 are the various pulling and rowing exercises.

When you bring closer a weight to your upperbody or bring closer your body to a fixed point. They also build a strong, muscular upper body for athletic performance and everyday life and a ’double door wardrobe’ wide back (after years).

The pulling movements are also important for a good posture and can be useful antidotes for a sedentary lifestyle. One more practical application: if you are strong in pulling you can be better in any climbing situation as well!

The main working muscles are the back (lats, traps, rhomboids), biceps, forearm, back of the shoulder muscles and usually they also work well the core and other stabilizing muscle groups. The difference again is in which ratio they are working those muscles.

The king of pulling exercises are the pull-ups and chin-ups in my opinion. I recommend everyone to reach at least one nice rep from them.

Other but also super back exercises:

The big family of Rows (inverted, bent over, single arm dumbbell or cable, chest supported, Pendlay, renegade, lat pull down, face pull TRX-ring-cable, prone laying lat pull down, sled pulls, climbing, bouldering, watersports (kayak-canoe, rowing, swimming), plus the deadlift and Olympic weightlifting. Something is missing?

For a balanced musculature practice some kind of horizontal and vertical pulling movement as well! Like pull-up and inverted rows or lat pulldown and bent over rows. Practice pulling movements in similar amount like pressing and legs.

Bonus tip

Learn more about the scapula/shoulder blade movements! They are key to execute the pulling exercises properly and safe.

Which is your favorite pulling exercise?

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #69
Carry heavy stuff

Carrying various shaped and weighted objects are also natural movements and they are very common in everyday life.

They are full body exercises and have extra benefits if you practice them also in your trainings!

Core strength: The carrying techniques are one of the best core exercises because you should keep the spine neutral, resist the spine flexion-extension-rotational forces while holding an external load further away from your body.
Grip strength: If you carry in your hands, it builds super grip strength as well.
Strength-endurance: Make 5-10 minutes of training block when you carry non-stop a heavy weight/sandbag/stone/(fridge) with mixed techniques.
Coordination: Include some sitting down to the floor and getting up movements while you hold the weight.

Not much time for training? Carry some heavy stuff when you are walking to work, school, walk home with the full shopping bag.

The technique of carrying always depends on the object and situation. A few basic techniques:

Carrying on the hip, chest, shoulders, back-behind the neck, in one arm, two hand (farmer’s walk), overhead with one or two arms, Zercher carry-bent arms.

You can practice them for time, for distance or even combining it with balancing.

Become the king of the supermarket (and a real movement generalist) with the carrying exercises!

Bonus tip

If you have a training partner you can make many fun exercises while carrying each other with various techniques! This can be also very practical movement in case of emergency.

Which is your favorite carrying exercise?

SUNNYFITNESS TIPS #70
Lift heavy weights fast

Getting stronger in bodyweight exercises or lifting heavy weights slowly are great and important for general fitness.

However in most sports and in everyday life (eg. before accident) you also need to move fast, producing or decelerating large amount of force quickly. So it’s good to transfer that strength into rapid movements, developing ’athletic’ muscles as well.

Here come in the picture the Olympic weighlifting and similar explosive exercises!

They teach you how to move relatively heavy weights quickly and in a coordinated way. One of the best tools for developing fast-reacting, athletic muscles.

You also need to be able to brake fast that heavy weight with pin-point accuracy and stability, which is very useful for building rapidly reacting core muscles and resistant joints.

The 2 basic weightlifting exercises are the snatch and the clean&jerk. Both are very technical but the good news is they have plenty of variations with less technique demands.

Weightlifting is on a higher level of movement hierarchy. It’s worth to get a basic coordination, strength and mobility first, then you can enjoy weightlifting on a higher level (more plates) and more safe.

However weightlifting can be fun and useful for everyone, it’s worth to save in your movement library. You can already start practicing 1-2 times/week with lighter weights (or stones) for the technique, speed and for the joy of the movement.

Bonus tip

Weightlifting is not at all dangerous if done sensibly. You can get injured sitting in the sofa with a 1kg dumbbell if you don’t use it properly. On the social media now we can see young teenage girls lifting around 100 kg overhead! This can be a good motivation for guys…

Do you practice weightlifting?