We’ve nearly made it.
Here we are at the last letter of the alphabet.
We’ve managed to come up with lists for some of the trickier letters, like X. We even managed to scrape together five pretty obscure moves that start with Y.
But now we’ve arrived at what may be their greatest challenge all … the letter Z.
We did an informal survey of people who have been in the fitness industry for years – and none of them could come up with more than three exercises.
So, we’re pretty proud of this one! Without any further ado…
Here’s an almost complete list of exercises that start with Z.
Some of the best exercises that start with the letter Z are:
- Zig Zag Hop
- Z Press
- Zig Zag Run
- Zercher Squats
- Zottman Curls
- Zumba
Let’s examine each one and why these rare exercises are worth adding to your routine or alphabet workout!
1. Zig Zag Hops
Equipment
- Agility Ladder
How To
- Stand in front of an agility ladder.
- Hop into the first square, with both feet together.
- Now hop forward to land outside of the next box on the right side.
- The next hop should be into the box.
- Now hop to land outside of the next box to the left.
- Continue up and down the ladder following this pattern.
Muscles Worked
- Calves
- Quadriceps
2. Z Press
Equipment
- Power or squat rack
- Loaded barbell
How To
- Place a loaded barbell on the rack so that it is positioned at shoulder level when you are sitting on the floor.
- Sit on the floor directly behind the bar with your legs stretched out on the floor.
- Unrack the bar and hold it at shoulder level. Be sure to maintain a neutral spine position throughout the exercise.
- Explosively press the bar overhead to full extension.
- Lower under control and repeat.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoids
- Trapezius
- Triceps
3. Zig Zag Run
Equipment
- Field or open space
- Cones or markers
How To
- Place five cones on an open field in diagonal positions to each other about five yards apart.
- Starting 5 yards away from the first cone, sprint towards it.
- When you reach the cone, pivot around it to sprint toward the next cone.
- Continue to zig zag sprint to every cone. Rest at the end for 60 seconds and then repeat to sprint back to the start point.
Muscles Worked
- Quadriceps
- Calves
4. Zercher Squat
Equipment
- Squat rack, loaded barbell
How To
- Stand before a squat rack with a bar loaded at elbow level. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
- Unrack the bar to hold it in the crook of your elbows.
- Maintaining an upright torso position, squat down to a parallel thigh position.
- Push through the heels to return to the start position.
Muscles Worked
- Quadriceps
- Glutes
- Biceps
5. Zottman Curl
Equipment
- Dumbbells
How To
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and a pair of dumbbells at your sides, palms facing in toward your body.
- Curl, the dumbbells up toward your shoulders, twisting your wrists so your palms are facing the ceiling in the top position.
- Now rotate your wrists so that the palms are facing the floor.
- Lower the dumbbells under control to the start position.
Muscles Worked
- Biceps
- Forearms
6. Zumba
While not an “exercise” per se, Zumba is a high-energy, dance-based workout that is designed to get you moving and having fun. It combines elements of salsa, merengue, reggaeton, and other Latin dance styles with cardio and strength training exercises to provide a full-body workout.
The benefits of Zumba are many — and it can get you great results, believe it or not! Not only is it a great way to get your heart pumping and burn calories, but it’s also a fun and social activity that can help reduce stress and improve your mood.
The combination of dance and cardio exercises also helps to improve flexibility, coordination, and balance, while the strength training elements can help to tone your muscles and boost your overall fitness.
(Learn about other types of fun fitness classes here.)
Wrapping Up
You’ve now got no excuses when it comes to progressing through the alphabet workout.
By now, we’ve provided you with a huge arsenal of exercises, complete with video descriptions so that you’ve always got another move to go on to.
Even if you never do the alphabet workout, you will find plenty of exercises on our lists to add variety to your workouts. Use them as your go-to resource when it comes time to change up your routine or just when you want to try something different!
For more in the series, see:
Hope this helps!