The creepy creature moves to trick or treat your core
Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES
Watch out for hidden predators, creepy creatures, slithering snakes…
This Halloween, prepare to face your fears with a basic killer routine inspired by nature’s scariest creatures! Well, be careful… these basic moves are a real be scared, but trust me, they will haunt your body in all the right ways. It’s the perfect time to face some of the deadliest creatures in your Total Gym!
The 5 deadliest creatures and moves that will kill your core
- Arachnid: Black Widow Spider
- Horrible fact: Despite their harmless appearance, daddy longlegs belong to the arachnid family, like spiders, and have a reputation for being one of the most venomous creatures, although their fangs are too short to harm humans. A surprising number of cases of arachnophobia affect about 5.4% of the population in the U.S. For me, they are still terrifying when they are spotted crawling on the walls.
- Fun fact: Unlike spiders, daddy long legs can’t spin webs, but they sure know how to party! These creatures often gather in large groups, creating a terrifying scene with legs everywhere.
- TG Exercise: Daddy Long Legs Core Combo
(Plank Glide + Crawl + Knee Bracer + High Board + Knee)
- Just like spiders weaving a web, this combination challenges every inch of your core, forcing you to stabilize while keeping your body in constant, chilling motion. This move will work your abs slow march with intensity!
- Reptile: Saltwater Snap Crocodile
- Horrible fact: Saltwater crocodiles are fearsome hunters, known to take down anything that crosses their path – including humans! Around 1,000 people fall prey to these prehistoric predators each year to demonstrate their stealth and power!
- Fun fact: Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles and can hold their breath underwater for up to two hours while stalking prey. They can also run amazingly fast on land, reaching speeds of up to 18 miles per hour in short bursts! Now that’s a mighty sprint!
- TG Exercise: Floor Detection (Plank Drop Hold + Knee-Elbow Presses)
- Channel the unrelenting power of the yolk with a Total Gym crawl that is as deadly to your core as the shattering of a yolk to its prey. Move slowly and deliberately, engaging your core to stay low and lethal.
- Scorpios: Brazilian Yellow Scorpion (deadliest)
- Horrible fact: With approximately 3,250 people affected by scorpion stings annually, it’s no wonder these arachnids inspire fear. Scorpion venom can paralyze!
- Fun fact: Scorpions glow in the dark because of a substance in their exoskeleton that fluoresces under ultraviolet light, which may help them find each other or ward off predators.
- TG Exercise: Side Mount Single Arm Cable Pull & Retrieve: Down Dog Scorpion Twist
- This basic move is just as deadly as the Brazilian Yellow Scorpion! Focus on twisting the spine to pinch those obliques while maintaining stability for overall core strength.
- Snakes: Viper Cobra + King Cobra
- Horrible fact: Snakes, especially the deadly viper, are responsible for more than 50,000 human deaths annually.
- Fun fact: The saw-scaled viper produces a unique warning sound by rubbing its scales together, creating a hissing noise that can be heard from a distance and is used to ward off potential threats.
- TG Exercise: Inspired by the snake Pilates & Retrieve: Quadruped snake in cobra pose
- These snakes strike with deadly precision, and this core move will follow suit by targeting your midsection with a deadly spinal rotation mastered through core stability and strength. Recover with a quadruped snake in cobra pose to ease the burn from this viper-inspired core move.
- Amphibia: Golden Poison Frog
- Horrible fact: The golden poison frog may be small, but its venom is strong enough to kill 10 men with a single drop of its powerful toxin.
- Fun fact: The golden poison frog is one of the most toxic animals in the world, but they only produce this deadly toxin because of their diet in the wild, which includes ants and other small insects. Frogs bred in captivity, fed a different diet, do not develop the same level of toxicity!
- TG Exercise: Side Press Shell (Squat Stand or Toe Bar)
- Don’t underestimate this lateral movement. it’s small but mighty! Just like the powerful poison of the frog, this exercise will make your core and glutes scream for mercy.
Core-rupting Creatures: A Halloween Workout to die for!
These creative basic moves will add a fun twist with a creepy vibe. Don’t get too excited when trying these moves at first! First, learn the movement of the exercise to work on your own strength, practice with good form, modify when needed, and repeat often! Now let’s rock your core with a workout to die for!
Instructions: The exercises below are listed in a specific order to maximize your Total Gym position while maintaining a continuous flow.
- Perform the following exercise in a circuit pattern, one after the other with minimal rest in between.
- Aim for 10 repetitions per exercise and on each side.
- Repeat as many rounds as you dare!
- Check out the demo video to see how these exercises are performed in your Total Gym.
*Low level, NO Accessories*
- Dad Long Leggs Core Combo
- This exercise combines multiple movements to increase core strength: Plank, Spot, Knee Strike, Forearm Plank, Knee Strike, Spot, Reset
- Modification: run gradually, rest when needed.
- Saltwater crocodile Slow march
- This exercise uses your core strength as your upper limbs stabilize and your lower body moves with the glide board: Plank drop hold + knee-elbow presses
- Modification: Keep the knees in a glide board or face the vertical column to perform.
*Low-Medium Level & Connection Cables*
- Scorpio Pinch
- This exercise incorporates spinal rotation, core stability, and upper and lower body coordination: Single arm cable pull and retrieve move: Down Dog Scorpion Twist
- Do on both sides.
- Note: Skid board placement is important! Find the correct body position before performing the movement to encourage a smooth flow.
*Disconnect Cables, Insert Squat Stand or Toe Bar*
- Serpentine Viper + King Cobra
- This powerful move incorporates shoulder strength and stability while flowing into a Pilates-inspired movement: Pilates Snake & Recovery Move: Quadruped snake in Cobra pose
- Do on both sides.
- Modification: Perform without using the accessory by placing the feet on the floor either inside the rails or stepping on the slide board.
- Golden Poison Frog Type
- This move not only works the lower body, but feeds the core to strengthen and trim the waistline: External leg press and waist raise
- Do on both sides.
- Modification: Keep hips sliding at all times.
- Advanced: If you use the Squat Stand, add a hop to the press.
Haunt your core… If you dare!
So, are you ready to face your fears? Embrace the eerie spirit of the season and make your muscles scream. Building a strong core is essential for anyone and everyone, and using this fun creepy creatures theme to give you a little extra motivation is what it’s all about! Try these moves and see how deadly your workout can be!
Now go and enjoy your tricks-free treats… your core will thank you!
Mary
@GROOVYsmallWEAT
Let’s connect on social media
