The good news is that we have a contingency plan for when these situations arise. Matt Pudvah, C.S.C.S., the head strength coach at the Manchester Athletic Club in Massachusetts, recommends subbing in these six moves. They all require minimal equipment and only a few square feet of space and tax multiple muscle groups. At eight to 12 reps each, one round takes only about 10 minutes.
Run through these exercises once to supplement your workout, or do three rounds to make it your workout. Now, get to it.
By hiking your hips off the bench into a bridge, you get the glutes and hamstrings firing. And by working just one arm at a time, the offset weight distribution engages your core, packing a lot of benefit into one exercise.
DO IT: Sit on the floor with your shoulders on a bench. Raise your hips off the floor into a bridge and position the weight over your shoulder. As you press, don’t allow your hips to drop or rotate. Switch arms and repeat.
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Jay Sullivan
Kettlebell Simba Squat
This exercise lights up your legs, shoulders, and core while improving shoulder mobility as you reach overhead with a narrow grip.
DO IT: Hold a single kettlebell overhead and slightly out in front of you—right, just like Rafiki holds Simba. (The farther in front of you the bell is, the harder the move will be.) As you squat, continue trying to reach the kettlebell as far overhead as you can while bracing your core. Keep your eyes on the bell throughout the movement.
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Jay Sullivan
Kettlebell Front Rack Squat to Press
This simple two-part move works your legs, glutes, and quads during the squat and your shoulders and core during the press.
DO IT: Front-rack two kettlebells, with the handles in your hands and the bells resting on your wrists or forearms. Keep your elbows at 45 degrees and perform a squat. Use your momentum to push the kettlebells overhead on your way up, or pause at the top of your squat and perform a strict press.
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Jay Sullivan
Hockey Squat
This one-leg squat works your glute, quad, outer quad, and core while improving your single-leg stability.
DO IT: Stand tall, lift one leg off the floor, and squat down, driving that leg back—the closer the knee is to the floor, the harder it will be. Then drive up using your front leg’s glute muscle as the primary mover. Reaching your arms forward will help you keep your chest up and weight centered. Optional: Hold two light dumbbells or a kettlebell for counterbalance. Switch legs and repeat.
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Jay Sullivan
Iso Split Squat Cable/Band Row
Holding the split squat position builds leg strength and keeps your core engaged, while the row works your biceps, shoulders, and back.
DO IT: Get into an isometric split squat position—a 90-degree bend at both knees with your weight centered over your front foot. Perform a single-arm cable row with your back leg-side hand. Switch sides and repeat.
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Jay Sullivan
Single-Leg Isometric Dumbbell Row
Balancing on one leg works your hamstrings, glutes, and core and challenges your stability and coordination. The row engages your upper back and shoulders.
DO IT: Standing on one leg, send your hip and other leg behind you until your leg is parallel (or almost parallel) with the floor. Don’t round your back or let your shoulders drop. While holding this position, perform a single-arm dumbbell row. Switch sides and repeat.
