As we begin the second quarter of our Alphabet Exercise program (with H being the eighth letter of the alphabet — you can see links to previous articles at the end!) there are a number of great exercises to add to your workout that will target your entire body.
One of the great things about this list is the use of some unique gym equipment that we haven’t talked about in our previous installments.
Let’s get right into it with a list of exercises that start with H.
Some of the best exercises that start with the letter H are:
- Hanging L sits
- Heel taps
- Hindu pushups
- Hammer curls
- Hollow body hold
- Hurdle hops
- Hang clean
- Hip thrusts
- Heavy rope / battle rope
- Halo
- High planks
Let’s take a look at each exercise on our list, how to do them, and what muscles stand to benefit the most!
1. Hanging L Sit
A great way to build abdominal strength without placing any pressure or twisting motion on the spine.
How To
Using a pull-up bar (or rings for a more advanced version), begin with an overhand grip that is approximately shoulder-width apart.
While keeping your legs straight, engage your lower abdominals and begin to raise your legs until they are parallel with the ground (forming an “L” shape with your body).
Do not allow any swinging motion.
Maintain this hold for a 3-5 second count and then lower your legs to the starting position and repeat.
Muscles Worked
- Rectus Abdominis
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Erector Spinae
- Obliques
- Posterior Deltoid
- Rhomboids
2. Heel Taps
This isolation core strengthening exercise helps to not only enhances your abdominal strength but also increases your flexibility and stability.
How To
Lying back flat on a mat, keep your arms at your side and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor.
Make sure your spine and pelvis are in a neutral position. Your feet should be slightly out of range from your fingertips
With your core engaged and your chin tucked in, curl your upper back slightly off the mat and begin to bend to one bend yourself to one side, reaching your fingers out to touch your heel.
(If you find it too easy, simply slide your feet forward.)
Return to the starting position and then repeat on the opposite side. Continue this alternating motion for the desired number of reps (between 20-30).
Muscles Worked
- Abdominus (Rectus and Transverse)
- Obliques (Internal and External)
- Hip Flexors
3. Hindu Pushups
An upper body strength and endurance-building exercise, Hindu push-ups are a bodyweight exercise that helps increase power while enhancing flexibility and improving posture
How To
Begin in a regular pushup position, hands shoulder-width and feet hip-width apart.
Push your torso backward so your body is in a “downward dog” yoga position.
With your butt in the air, bend your elbows as you lower the upper portion of your chest to the ground.
As your chest becomes closer to the floor, lift your head upwards while maintaining an arch in your back.
Begin to straighten your arms and push your chest upward, moving into the “upward dog” yoga position. Focus on keeping your chest forward with your shoulder blades pulled inward.
Ease back into the starting position.
Muscles Worked
- Pectorals
- Triceps
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Deltoids (Anterior and Posterior)
- Triceps
- Abdominals
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Quads
4. Hammer Curls
If you are bored of the traditional dumbbell curl, switching your grip and the position of the dumbbell is a simple and different way to target your biceps muscles.
How To
Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with a neutral grip, palms facing toward each other.
With your back straight and knees slightly bent, begin to raise the dumbbells towards your shoulders (as you would a regular curl).
Focus on keeping your arms in line with your trunk and not swaying with your back and shoulders to lift the weight.
Pause for a short count of 1-2 and then slowly return to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Muscles Worked
- Biceps (Bracchii, brachioradialis, and brachialis)
5. Hollow Body Hold
A favorite of gymnasts, this exercise helps to build up strength and stabilization in your lower back and core area.
Hollow body holds are also a great exercise to help improve your posture and prevent lower back pain.
How To
Lie with your back flat on the mat, legs fully extended, and arms at your sides.
As you engage your core, push your lower back into the ground and squeeze your thighs together to help lift your upper and lower body. Make sure that there is no room between your lower back and the floor.
With your lower back still connected to the floor, elevate your legs approximately three inches into the air.
Raise your head approximately two inches off the floor with your arms extended overhead and behind you.
Hold this pose for approximately 20-30 seconds and then slowly lower your body to the ground. Repeat for reps.
Muscles Worked
- Transverse Abdominis
- Rectus Abdominis
- Obliques
- Erector Spinae
- Quads
- Hip Flexors
- Inner Thighs
6. Hurdle Hops
This calisthenics and plyometric exercise uses small rehab/exercise height hurdles, not the traditional track hurdles.
This multi-direction exercise will help to improve strength, muscle control, balance, speed, explosive power, and stability.
How To
Whether you use multiple hurdles or just one, stand behind the hurdle and jump forward off both feet (you can also perform a single-leg hop).
Swing your arms to help you explode quickly .
If you are using multiple hurdles, repeat the jump as soon as you land following the first jump.
Absorb the landing by bending your knees slightly, which also allows you to load into the next hurdle
You can also perform this exercise hopping laterally.
Muscles Worked
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Hip Flexors
7. Hang Clean
This total body compound exercise helps to improve your explosive power and prepares you for advanced exercises such as the Clean and Jerk.
How To
Hold the weight-loaded barbell with an overhand grip, approximately shoulder-width apart.
Lift the bar to just below waist height, letting your arms hang loosely in front of you.
With your core braced, slowly bend at the hips, lowering the bar slightly down your thighs to approximately knee height.
Reverse the motion, lifting the bar in a smooth, quick movement as you straighten your legs and then drop down into a squat again as you raise the bar to the front of your shoulders.
Stand straight up again.
Muscles Worked
- Glutes
- Abductors
- Quads
- Hamstring
- Trapezius
- Forearm Flexors
- Calves
- Lower Back
8. Hip Thrust (Hip Bridge)
Often confused with a glute bridge (which is performed on the ground), the hip thrust also helps to build glute size and strength which improves mobility, change of direction, sprinting, and jumping.
How To
This exercise can be done with and without the use of weights (barbell, plates, or dumbbell).
Using a bench or plyometric box, place your shoulders and upper back on the surface with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart.
With your chin tucked into your chest, push through your heels, elevating your hips until your thighs are parallel with the floor, forming a 90-degree angle with your legs.
Squeeze your glutes at the top of the lift and then return to the starting position.
If you are using any type of weight, it should be placed in the crease of your hips.
Muscles Worked
- Glutes (Maximus and Medius)
- Hamstrings
- Quads
- Hip Adductors
- Core
9. Heavy Ropes (Battle Ropes)
This intense strength-building, calorie-burning cardio compound exercise offers a full body low impact workout
How To
There are many variations of exercises that you can do with the heavy ropes We will focus on the two basic ones, the wave, and the slam.
Starting in an athletic stance, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, grab the ropes with a hammer-like grip.
When performing the wave, the range of motion for your arms will be anywhere between your thigh to your shoulders, depending on how big the wave is. For slams, your arms will go from above your head to knee height.
Slams (or bilateral waves) will have both ropes moving at the same time. Unilateral waves will have one rope moving at a time, moving one rope up and then down before moving the opposite rope up and down.
For both exercises, bring the ropes to just under shoulder height repeatedly for 30 seconds. Repeat for reps.
Muscles Worked
Full body (Upper, Core, Lower) depending on which variation of the exercise you are performing
10. Halo
This simple exercise will help strengthen and improve the mobility in your shoulders.
How To
Using a kettlebell (you can also use a dumbbell or weight plate) hold the kettlebell by the horns at chest level. The kettlebell will be upside down.
Raise the kettlebell up above your head, keeping your elbows tucked in tight to your body as you rotate the kettlebell around your head.
After you finish the complete rotation, reverse the direction.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoids
- Rhomboids
- Trapezius
- Forearms
- Upper back
- Pectorals
- Core
11. High Plank
By adding a high plank to your workout program, you will increase your core strength, posture, and stability.
How To
Start in a tabletop position with your hands in line with your shoulders.
Step your feet back to straighten your legs, keeping your knees off the floor.
Engage your core, do not allow your hips to dip or your butt to raise up. Focus on maintaining a straight line from your head through to your feet. Keep your neck in a neutral position
The distance between your feet will provide a certain level of stability as having them shoulder-width apart makes the plank easier, while keeping the feet and legs tight together can be more challenging.
Muscles Worked
- Transverse Abdominis
- Rectus Abdominis
- Obliques
- Glutes
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Calves
Wrapping Up
Turns out that H is a super unique letter when it comes ot fitness!
With barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, ropes, hurdles, and bench/boxes, we have made use of almost every piece of equipment you could find in a gym for a full-body workout.
From strength building to mobility/flexibility/stability to cardio, the letter “H” exercises give you a little bit of everything you need for a trip to the gym.
For more alphabet workouts, see:
Hope this helps!