Tackle a turf workout for big benefits.

Turf training is about more than hard hits and fast moves — it’s also about stability and agility. Tackling a strength workout on real or artificial turf has big benefits:

• Space to move in all directions. Multi-planar movement is crucial for total-body conditioning, and freedom of movement is also key to stability.
• Better ground reaction force training. That’s essential for tissue maintenance and development — and force and power are keys to athletic performance.
• Neural development. Characteristic aspects of turf training like cross-body movement and stability challenges stimulate the formation of new neural pathways.

Training on turf is for more than scoring goals — it’s great for everyday challenges, too — like navigating puddles and uneven pavement when you’re running to catch the bus, or your kid.

• Combine two or more circuits for a workout that’s as short or as long as you’d like.
• Maintain natural breathing throughout the movements and respectfully listen to your body’s range of motion.
• Make sure to pause between circuits to hydrate and recover before moving into the first pose of the next circuit.

Circuit 1

1.1 Prone frog

Sets: 1
Reps: 10 each side

• Start on all fours with the knees wider than hip-width apart and the hands shoulder-width apart.
• Initiate the movement by bringing the right foot towards the right wrist while simultaneously reaching the right hand over the left. The right hip will reach towards the ground.
• Reverse the sequence to return to the starting position.
• Tip: Imagine a string is tied from the right wrist and to the ankle. As you move the right hand and the right ankle keep that string taught.

1.2 Prisoner squat

Sets: 3
Reps: 20

• Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your hands behind your head, with your fingers interlocked together.
• Perform a squat by folding your body and lowering your hips.
• Tips: Like a prisoner, keep your hands behind your head and point your elbows out. Squat as low as you can keeping your spine long and straight.

1.3 Lateral lunge and twist

Sets: 3
Reps: 10 each side

• Standing with your feet hip-width apart initiate the movement by stepping to the right with the right foot to a comfortable distance. Hold the position.
• Press your hands together as though you are praying and twist the trunk and hips towards the right leg. Push the ground away from you with the right foot to return back to the starting position.
• Perform 10 reps on one side and then switch to the other side.
• Tip: Think of the motion as step, pray, twist, return.

1.4 Plate shuffle and rotational press

Sets: 2
Reps: 30-40 sec

• Start in a standing position with a wider than shoulder-width stance.
• Hold the weight plate at chest height, directly in front of the body.
• Shuffle to the left for three shuffle steps, and then plant your feet and twist and press to the left.
• Then shuffle back to the right for three shuffle steps and then twist and press to the right.
• Tip: Stay in an athletic ready base position.

1.5 Step squat with chest press

Sets: 3
Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the weight plate in both hands at chest height.
• Initiate the exercise by stepping at 4 o’clock with your right foot and when your foot hits the ground, perform a squat.
• While you are squatting, press the plate away from your chest as far as you can.
• Reverse the sequence to return back to the starting position.
• Perform 10 reps and then move to the opposite side.

1.6 Half-kneeling restorative pose

Sets: 1
Reps: 3-5 each side

• Position yourself in a half-kneeling position with your hips wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Open one hip at approximately a 90-degree angle to the other.
• Sit back onto the heel of the foot and grab the front shin while maintaining a tall posture.
• Hold the position for five to 10 seconds.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Tips: Take a deep breath in for three to five seconds, and exhale for 10 seconds.

Circuit 2

2.1 Hip mobilizer

Sets: 2
Reps: 10 (alternating 5 per side)

• Start in a prone push-up position with your feet and hands hip-width apart.
• Initiate the exercise by reaching your hips back and performing a prone squat; then transition into a right foot lunge towards your right shoulder.
• When your foot is placed beside your right shoulder, reach your spine tall and your left knee to the floor. Hold for a count of three.
• Reach your right foot back to the starting position.
• Tip: Keep a proud postural position.

2.2 Lateral quick feet

Sets: 3
Reps: 20 sec

• Starting in a standing position, move forward with quick feet up, down, side, up, down, side. Take about six to eight steps before changing direction.
• Relax the arms and pump them quickly in opposition to the plant foot.
• Tip: Punch the ground as though your feet are hammers and the ground is nails.

2.3 Push-up

Sets: 3
Reps: To fatigue

• Start in a prone position with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
• Lower your chest to the floor and then push the floor away from you to return to the starting position.
• Perform as many push-ups as you can with each set.
• Tips: Push the ground away from you. Create tension in your body by spreading the ground apart with your feet and the hands, as though you are tearing apart some paper towel.
• Prone Kneeling Push-Up variation: Start in a prone position with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart and your knees on the floor, hip-width apart.

2.4 Medicine ball squat throw

Sets: 2
Reps: 10

• Standing with your feet wider than hip-width and the medicine ball in your hands at shoulder height, initiate the movement by squatting down towards the ground and then throwing the ball vertically overhead.
• Reach as high as you can to receive the ball, and immediately absorb the downard motion of the ball into the next squat to repeat.
• Tip: Be an elastic.

2.5 Frontal plane bunny jumps

Sets: 3
Reps: 10 (alternating 5 wide, 5 narrow)

• Starting in a standing position, and jump by pushing the ground away from you.
• Take a wide stance in the air and bounce twice when you land, punching your arms down with the double bounce.
• Then jump and land in a narrow stance; double bounce and repeat.
• Tip: Punch your arms to enhance the punching of your feet into the ground.

2.6 Kneeling restorative pose

Sets: 1
Reps: 3

• Start in a tall kneeling position with both knees on the ground at hip-width, or slightly narrower. Make full contact with your toes on the ground and your hands on your heels.
• Start the exercise by curling your chin to your chest and then reach your head behind you while simultaneously reaching your chest as tall as possible and your hips forward.
• Hold this position for five to 10 seconds.
• Tip: Take a deep breath in while your chin is tucked. Exhale as you extend the spine.

Circuit 3

3.1 Prone fours reach

Sets: 2
Reps: 5 each side

• Start in a prone position on hands and knees, with hands and knees wider than shoulders.
• Reach the left hand forward and plant it on the ground. Then reach the pelvis towards the ground.
• Hold for two seconds and then return to the starting position.
• Tip: Breathe out as you reach the pelvis down.

3.2 Kneeling dumbbell “Y” press

Sets: 3
Reps: 10

• Start in a tall kneeling position with the knees on the ground at hip-width.
• Hold dumbbells at waist height.
• Initiate the movement by lifting and pressing the dumbbells overhead in a “Y” position.
• Bring the dumbbells back down to the waist and repeat.
• Tip: Make a “Y” with the dumbbells and the body.

3.3 Medicine ball kneeling twist

Sets: 3
Reps: 10 each side

• Start in a tall kneeling position with the medicine ball in both hands at chest height.
• Initiate the exercise by stepping forward with your right foot. When your foot is planted, twist the trunk and the hands towards the right. Return to center and repeat.
• Tip: Let your eyes follow the ball.

3.4 Rainbow squat and lift

Sets: 2
Reps: 20

• Start in a squat position with the plate on the outside of the right hip.
• Stand up while bringing the plate overhead in the frontal plane, as though you are tracing a rainbow.
• Reach as high overhead as you can. This will require you to have to reach up on your toes as the plate comes directly overhead.
• Tip: Lift the plate as though you are tracing a rainbow.

3.5 Loaded twisting jack

Sets: 3
Reps: 5 to 15 sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the weight in both hands at arm’s length, at chest height.
• Initiate the exercise by jumping both feet in a twisting direction from left to right.
• Hold the plate still and don’t let it move.
• Tip: Imagine the weight is suspended in the air and you can’t move it.

3.6 Quadruped threaded arm pose

Sets: 1
Reps: 10-second hold for each arm

• Start in a prone position on all fours.
• Initiate the motion by sliding your right hand forward as far as you can.
• Then slide your left hand with the palm facing up to the sky to the right, as far as you can, and rest your left shoulder on the ground.
• Take a deep breath in for four seconds, and exhale for 10.
• Tip: Reach from the finger tips and the shoulder blade; thread your left arm under your right shoulder like you are threading a needle, and let your eyes follow your threading arm.

Circuit 4

4.1 Dumbbell reverse lunge

Sets: 3
Reps: 10 each side

• Standing with your feet hip-width apart and dumbbells at chest height, take a step back with your right foot to a self-selected distance.
• When your foot hits the ground, descend into a squat, bringing your trailing leg’s knee towards the ground.
• Keep your body long and tall with each rep.
• Tip: Stay tall as though someone is taking a picture of you.

4.2 Floor sweeping push-up

Sets: 3
Reps: To fatigue

• Start in a prone position with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
• Initiate the movement by shifting your chest to the right as you descend, then imagine sweeping the floor with your chest as you move across the midline of your body to the left.
• Press yourself away from the floor, back to the starting position.
• Perform as many push-ups as you can with each set.
• Tip: Sweep the floor with your chest.

4.3 Diagonal plate reach

Sets: 3
Reps: 10 each side

• Start in a standing position with the weight plate in the palm of your right hand.
• Reach your left leg behind you, while maintaining most of your weight on your right leg.
• Reach the plate forward and just overhead as you bend at the waist.
• Hold for three seconds, and return to the starting position.
• Tip: Reach and touch your toe; grab the ground with your foot.

4.4 Dumbbell lift then jump

Sets: 2
Reps: 5

• Start in a standing position with a pair of dumbbells in your hands, arms hanging at your sides.
• Perform an overhead front raise and then a lateral raise, followed by two vertical jumps.
• Tip: Keep a quick tempo: up-down, up-down, jump, jump.

4.5 Lateral skater hop with chest press

Sets: 3
Reps: 20-30 sec

• Start in a standing position with the weight plate at chest height. Push into the ground and hop from your left leg to your right leg and then back again.
• At the same time, press the plate explosively away from your chest during the flight phase.
• Tips: Push the plate and the ground away from you explosively. “Pop” the ground; “snap” the weight.

4.6 Prone shoulder wing stretch

Sets: 1
Reps: 5 each side

• Start in a prone position with your hands and knees on the ground.
• Reach your right hand behind your back and rotate to the right, while looking towards the ceiling to the right. Hold for five seconds.
• Tip: Let your eyes follow your reach.

This workout is modeled by 24 Hour Fitness team members Matt Harper, Sara Banerjee, Maggie Jesse and Matt Flores.