Try these Centr Power at Home exercises

You’ve had a taste of Centr Power, and fueled up for your training with your sample weekly meal plan. Now, it’s time to get your muscles pumping by trying out a few key exercises.

Chris and I designed Centr Power at Home to get you maximum results using minimal equipment. To take on these Power moves, you’ll need a set of dumbbells, a bench, and a long loop resistance band. If you don’t have all the gear, it’s easy enough to modify – I’ll tell you how below.

Ready? Let’s lift.

Dumbbell single-arm alternating bench press

Targets: Shoulders, chest, triceps, lats

How to do it:

• Lie back on a flat bench, with your knees bent and your feet planted on the floor.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing away from you, then push your fists straight up toward the sky. The dumbbells should be directly over your chest in this raised position.
• Pull your shoulder blades back and down away from your ears.
• Brace your core and slowly lower ONE dumbbell down toward your chest, dropping your elbows down past the side of the bench.
• Keeping your core tight, drive that dumbbell back up until your arm is almost straight. Avoid fully locking out your elbow.
• Slowly lower the opposite dumbbell down toward your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
• Continue alternating sides.

Modification: No bench? You can do this exercise on the floor. Bend your knees and plant your feet flat for stability.

Banded seated row

Targets: Shoulders, back

How to do it:

• Anchor the band low to the ground in front of you and sit on the floor with your knees slightly bent and heels on the floor near the anchor point.
• Hold the other end of the band with both hands, arms extended, palms facing down. Even in this extended position, there should be tension in the band.
• Sit up tall, pin your shoulders back and down and brace your core.
• Slowly pull the band toward you, moving your elbows behind your body as you squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Slowly release the band back to the start point, fully extending your arms.

Modification: If you don’t have a band, you can do dumbbell rows instead. I’ll talk you through this move next!

Dumbbell single-arm row

Targets: Shoulders, chest, lats

How to do it:

• Take a staggered stance, with one leg back, and hold the dumbbell on the same side as your rear leg.
• Bend your knees slightly and tip forward from your hips so your torso is angled toward the floor. Keep your back straight, both hips facing forward and your shoulders down and away from your ears.To stabilize yourself, place your free hand on your front thigh.
• Row the dumbbell up, pulling until your elbow goes just past your back. Avoid rotating your torso and keep your back neutral as you row. Aim to really feel the squeeze in your shoulder blades.
• Complete your set number of reps, then repeat on the other side.

Dumbbell back squat

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quads

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
• With your palms facing forward, bring the dumbbells up above your shoulders, like Bobby in the video above, or use a neutral grip and rest them lightly on your shoulders. (Your shoulders to your elbows should form an almost straight line.)
• Brace your core and pin your shoulders back and down.
• Slowly sit your hips back and down into a squat.
• Drive your feet into the ground to push back up to standing, keeping your chest up as you do.
• Your dumbbells should remain in the same position throughout.

Bulgarian split squat

Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, core

How to do it:

• Stand with the back of your heels against a box or bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides.
• Step one leg slightly forward and raise the other foot back to rest your toes on the box.
• Tilt forward from the hips slightly, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
• Keeping your chest up, shoulders locked down and hips square, bend through your front knee to lower yourself into a split squat.
• When your back knee is as low as you can comfortably lower it without curving your back or compromising your core, push through your front foot to rise back up to standing.
• Complete your set number of reps, then switch sides.

Modification: If split squats are a struggle, switch to a static lunge – dumbbells hanging straight down, and bending your knees to lower yourself down and up while keeping your feet in the same position. Keeping your eyes on a fixed point will help you to maintain balance.

Dumbbell hammer curls

Targets: Biceps

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand in a neutral grip.
• Roll your shoulders back and down and activate your core.
• Slowly contract through your biceps to curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders.
• When you reach full contraction, slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position – controlling the movement all the way.

You have the fuel and a few of the moves. To get access to the full, progressive programs for your fitness level, as well as tailored nutrition guidance and more, start building serious muscle with Centr Power at Home.