A well-rounded fitness routine — like a nutritious diet — brings wide-ranging benefits. Some exercises condition your cardiovascular system, while others strengthen muscles or boost your mobility and balance. And some do multiple things at once.
Just as some superfoods offer more nutrients than others, some movements and exercises pack a more diverse punch. We asked six fitness experts — trainers, researchers, physical therapists and coaches — to share the most “nutritious” exercises. We then selected five that tick the most boxes, giving busy exercisers a bigger payoff per minute or rep.
Some require special equipment and not all are for true beginners — but they all have a big return on investment.
Trap Bar Deadlift
Any deadlift strengthens your glutes, hamstrings and lower back. But some research suggests using a hexagonal-shaped trap bar instead of a barbell allows exercisers to lift heavier weights, leading to greater improvements in power and force. Plus, hoisting larger loads by the handles improves grip strength, which has been linked to longevity, said Ian Bonder, a kinesiology instructor at College of St. Mary in Omaha, Nebraska.
The slightly different positioning makes the movement “kind of in between a squat and a hinge,” meaning you’ll also target your quads and other leg muscles, said Tyler Kallasy, a physical therapist and strength and conditioning coach in Arvada, Colo. And the position of the weight also limits the risk of lower back injuries.
How to do it:
Stand in the middle of the trap bar with your feet hip-width and the handles aligned with the middle of your feet. Push your hips back — as if you were trying to close a car door with your butt — and bend your knees slightly to grab the handles. Squeeze your glutes and tighten your abs as you push through well-planted feet to a standing position, straightening your hips and knees at the same time.
Stand tall for a moment, then bring the bar back toward the floor with control, pushing your hips back and letting your knees bend naturally. Try for three to four sets of eight to 12 reps to start using a weight that feels moderate.
Turkish Get-Up
This multi-step move, which takes you from the floor to standing and back, is said to date back to 18th-century wrestlers and challenges a wide swath of muscles.
“There are so many different stages,” each with its own perks, said Stephen Ranellone, an exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. This exercise will strengthen your core, shoulders, glutes, hamstrings, quads and hips.
Because it requires flexibility, mobility and coordination, the move also trains your muscles and mind to work together, Mr. Ranellone added. And while it can feel overwhelming at first, it’s easy to break down into parts.
How to do it:
Lie on the floor with your right knee bent and your foot on the floor. Place your left arm on the ground and your left leg out to the side at about a 30-degree angle. Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in your right hand straight over your chest. Push through your right leg and left arm and roll upward until you’re resting on your left elbow — or roll directly up to a straight left arm — before you lift your hips off the ground.
Hold the bridge and sweep your left leg back until your left knee is on the floor under your hips. Lift your left hand and rise into a half-kneeling lunge. From there, swing your left leg forward and straighten your right leg to stand tall.
Return to the ground by repeating the whole pattern in reverse: Step back with your left leg, lower to a kneeling position, windmill your left hand to the floor outside your left knee, and sweep the left leg out in front of the body, all while holding the weight overhead. Lower your hips to a seated position, then roll back down to the ground.
Hill Repeats
Adding climbs and descents to your regular cardio routine — like running or walking — can turn it into a fitness superfood. Climbing a moderate hill with a 7 percent grade, for instance, can elevate your heart rate by 15 percent. You’ll increase the intensity of the workout in a similar way to sprinting, but with less impact.
Going uphill also demands more from your hamstrings and glutes, while downhills challenge your quads. And both uphill and downhill training can improve your proprioception — or your sense of where your body is in space — which can reduce your risk of falls.
How to do it:
Start by charging uphill while running or briskly walking for 30 seconds to one minute, then let off the gas as you go downhill for an equal amount of time. Work up to 10 to 15 times.
Half-Kneeling Landmine Press
It takes eight muscles to move and stabilize your shoulders, but just one exercise can strengthen them all. And while many people fear injury when performing overhead movements, neglecting this area is more likely to cause weakness, making everyday tasks like pulling dishes off a shelf or changing lightbulbs harder, Mr. Bonder said.
Any overhead press will strengthen your shoulders, but we chose this variation because it strengthens other muscles beyond the shoulders and it’s beginner-friendly. Using a single arm causes your torso to rotate slightly, challenging your core and building stability, Dr. Kallasy said.
And when one end of the bar is fixed, your arm follows an arc that gets shorter as you lift, meaning you don’t need as much range of motion to complete the rep, said Susie Spirlock, a physical therapist and strength coach in Charleston, S.C.
How to do it:
Place one end of a barbell in a corner with a towel underneath, or in a land mine hinge at the gym. Kneel on your right knee and grab the other end of the barbell with your right hand. Adjust your distance from the bar and the position of your elbow and hand to your comfort, Dr. Spirlock said. Push the bar up until you’re holding it overhead, letting your trunk lean forward as you do.
Slowly lower and return the barbell back to your side. Repeat on the opposite side. Start with two to three sets of six to 10 reps per side, at a weight that leaves you feeling like you could do a few more.
Weighted Carries
Rarely does a movement so straightforward deliver so much. Simply picking up something heavy and toting it a few steps builds strength and stability throughout your body, especially in your core and upper back, offsetting the poor posture that often comes from staring at screens, said Robyn LaLonde, the head coach and owner of Edge Athlete Lounge in Chicago.
Carries also increase bone density and boosts your heart rate. Plus, they’re simple, safe and accessible, she added.
How to do it:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a kettlebell, sandbag or other heavy item (more than you can easily hoist over your head) on either side. Bend as if you’re sitting, grab one weight in each hand, then stand and walk smoothly for a set time or distance (50 feet is a good starting distance).
The Ones That Didn’t Make the List
Of course, our experts had far more than five responses, but tough calls had to be made. Burpees hit a lot of muscles, but can cause injury, especially when done quickly or tacked onto a demanding workout.
Another popular suggestion was kettlebell swings — which boost strength, power and cardiovascular fitness. Stella Volpe, president of the American College of Sports Medicine pointed out that and high-intensity intervals on the rowing machine combine a huge cardio payoff with full-body strengthening.
Or, row on a team to add another key nutrient to your workout, she said: a supportive community.
Cindy Kuzma is a journalist in Chicago and a co-author of “Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart.”