Life is engineered to move forward. Whether we’re talking about cars or careers, “drive” means straight ahead, and “making strides” means you’re accomplishing something that propels you onward and upward.
Even in the gym, we pull up and lunge forward. Move sideways without warning and there’s a good chance you’ll crash into somebody.
But the human body is built to move in every direction. And not just move, but also stabilize movement.
From the smaller ligaments in your feet and ankles to the bigger muscles that power your knees and hips to the core muscles that protect your spine, it all needs to work in coordinated action to keep your joints safe and your body nimble.
This new three-step lateral-movement drill by Men’s Health Fitness Director B.J. Gaddour gives you all that and a pretty wicked cardio challenge, too. Check it out in the video above.
All you need for this mobility drill is the ability to count to three while coordinating your opposite-side arms and legs.
You can focus on balance by holding yourself in the mid-stride position for a few seconds; improve mobility by getting your knees as high as possible while keeping your back in the neutral position; work on speed by powering through as fast as you can for a few seconds at a time; or on aerobic power by going 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off.
Or you can step continuously for three to four minutes for a different kind of cardio challenge.
