Standing with small weight plates under heels, hold the weight under the chin in the rack position with elbows up. Lead back with hips and lower them until the knees are bent at 90 degrees. From here, gently push through the legs and pulse up and down in a short range of motion for 2 repetitions. Once completed, push up with your leg until you are back in the upright position. Repeat.

Stand upright, with your hands at your hips. Take a large step backward with your left foot. Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor with your right knee positioned directly over your ankle. Your left knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor with your left heel lifted. Return to standing by pressing your right heel into the floor and bringing your left leg forward to complete one rep. Alternate legs, and step back with right leg. Challenge Yourself: Try this exercise with your hands over your head.

In a side plank position, place the top leg on a bench with the bottom leg under the bench. Lift the hips up until your body is in a straight line while lifting the lower leg off the floor. Return the hips to the floor under control. Reduce the difficulty to scale by keeping the foot of the lower leg on floor to assist, and/or by moving the bench closer toward the hips.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms down at your sides. Putting your weight into your right foot, step back and around with your left foot — almost as if you’re curtsying — allowing your arms to come up in front of you to a comfortable position. Ensure that your chest stays proud. Stop lunging when your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Begin to straighten your right leg, pushing up through your heel, and returning your left foot to the starting position.

Start on all fours, with your hands stacked under your shoulders and your knees stacked under your hips. Engage your core and maintain a flat back. Place your left hand on the back of your head, so that your elbow points out to the left side. Rest the hand lightly—don't put pressure on your head or neck. This is starting position. Slowly rotate your head and shoulder toward your right hand on the floor. Then, reverse the motion and rotate to the left and up so your elbow points toward the ceiling. Hold for a moment and then return to the starting position. Continue this movement for 20 seconds.

Perform intended amount of Bulgarian split squats, then proceed with single leg calf raises on the same leg. Rest for 30 seconds, then repeat routine with the other leg. You can tweak the difficulty of the routine if you add weight - equip a backpack or hold dumbbells. Also, you can elevate the calf raise with a book on which to step with your toes - heel remains on the floor/in the air.

IMPORTANT: Always make sure that you warm up for a long time before you start doing these advanced exercises and make sure to learn the proper form for doing barbell split squats before you actually start attempting them. Never hyperextend your lower back when doing these types of squats. This can put too much strain on your back and also on your lower body, and this can sometimes lead to all kinds of serious injuries. FORM and EXECUTION: Unrack the barbell just as you would for a high bar back squat, but step slightly farther back for your starting position than you normally would. Place your foot firmly in front of you at a distance of about one or two feet. Drop your rear foot slightly behind you and allow your knee to bend towards the floor into an almost kneeling position. Your back knee and back leg should be placed slightly behind an imaginary line perpendicular to your front heel. Your feet should be set at about your hip width apart. As you descend into the squat, allow your front foot to stay flat into the floor, with your front knee bending over your toes. Keep your torso upright and do not allow it to collapse forward. At the deepest part of the split squat, your front knee should be pointed in the direction of the front toes (not pushed excessively out or collapsed inwards). To come up, stay balanced between your feet and keep your torso upright, using the quads and glutes of your front leg to engage the movement. Come to an upright standing position with your front leg softly extended and locked in a lunge position, and then repeat the exercise. Finally, switch your legs and do repetitions of the entire procedure.

Stand in front of a chair and perform a standard pistol squat, lowering yourself until your butt touches the chair. Do not relax on the chair. Remain tense, using the chair only for some support. Hold the down position for a few seconds and then explode back up.

Keeping the band flat, not bunched, place the band just above each knee and wrapped around both legs. Position your feet shoulder-width apart. The band should be taut, but not stretched. Bend your knees slightly and move into a half-squat position to activate the gluteus medius. Keep your feet in line with your shoulders and face forward with your body weight evenly distributed over both feet. Maintaining the half-squat position, shift your weight over one leg and take a step sideways with the other leg. Move this leg in and out, sideways, for eight to 10 repetitions. Keep your hips level during the movement. With this exercise, it helps to maintain a low, forward-facing posture. Your back should be straight, not rounded. Slowly shift your weight and switch legs. Do another 8 to 10 side steps.