It only takes five moves to build full-body strength and develop your core stability

If you’re new to lifting weights, full-body workouts are the way to go. They allow you to work every major muscle group in one fell swoop, making for a time-efficient training session.

Sound good? Then try this “foundations” session from OneFit trainer Stanislav Kravchenko; it’s designed to develop full-body strength, stable joints and body awareness.

“Our body operates in three planes of motion: sagittal, frontal and transverse,” Kravchenko explains.

Most exercises challenge us to move in the sagittal plane, moving up, down, forwards or backwards. But we aren’t limited to these movement patterns in daily life—we also need to be able to twist (in the transverse plane) and move from side-to-side (the frontal plane).

“We will cover all of these planes of motion and target the lower body, upper body and core in this workout,” Kravchenko says. “That’s why I call it ‘foundations’.”

You don’t need a lot of equipment to do the workout, just a couple of dumbbells and a mat for added cushioning during floor-based exercises.

How to do Stan Kravchenko’s Foundations workout

• Goblet squat: 3×6-12
• Glute bridge dumbbell floor press: 3×15
• Single-arm dumbbell bent-over row: 3×12 (each side)
• Alternating curtsy lunge with dumbbells: 3×10 (each side)
• Dumbbell lateral raises: 3×15

Perform the five exercises listed above in straight sets. This means you’ll perform one set for the prescribed number of repetitions, rest, then complete another set. Continue this until you’ve done all sets, then move on to the next exercise.  

1. Goblet squat

 Sets: 3 Reps: 6-12 Rest: 60-90 seconds 

• Stand upright with your feet about hip-width apart and your toes pointed outwards slightly, cupping a dumbbell in both hands tight to your chest.
• Keeping your chest up and your back straight, push your hips back and bend your knees as if you were sitting into a chair behind you. 
• Lower your hips as far as you can while keeping your chest up, then drive through your feet to return to the starting…