Sound fitness studios

Slider Pendulum Plank

Looking for a core exercise that challenges more than just your abs?

The Slider Pendulum Plank combines a strong plank position with controlled side-to-side movement, challenging your core to stabilise your body while your legs move.

Benefits include:

✅ Core strength and stability
✅ Improved hip control
✅ Stronger shoulders
✅ Anti-rotation strength
✅ Coordination and full-body control

Keep your upper body strong and stable, maintain tension through your core, and focus on controlled movement rather than speed as your feet slide from side to side.

High to Low Seated Cable Row

The High to Low Seated Cable Row changes the angle of a traditional cable row, pulling from a higher position down towards the body for a controlled and effective upper-body strength exercise.

Benefits include:

✅ Stronger back and lats
✅ Improved pulling strength
✅ Better shoulder and scapular control
✅ Increased upper-body stability
✅ A great variation for adding variety to your back training

Stay tall through the torso, keep the movement controlled and focus on driving your elbows down and back rather than using momentum to move the weight.

At Sound Fitness, we use exercise variations like this within our Personal Training and Small Group Personal Training sessions in Forest Hill & Penge to keep training progressive, varied and tailored to each member.

💬 What’s your favourite cable row variation?

Incline Barbell Bench Press

The Incline Barbell Bench Press is a classic strength exercise that places greater emphasis on the upper chest while also working the shoulders and triceps.

Benefits include:

✅ Stronger chest, shoulders and triceps
✅ Increased upper-body pressing strength
✅ Greater emphasis on the upper chest
✅ Improved strength for other pressing movements

Keep your upper back supported and stable, maintain control as you lower the bar, and choose a weight that allows you to move through each rep with good technique

Toe Tap Med Ball Slam

A fast-paced full-body exercise that combines coordination, core strength and conditioning.

The Toe Tap Med Ball Slam alternates quick toe taps on the medicine ball with an explosive overhead slam, challenging you to stay controlled while working at intensity.

Benefits include:

✅ Cardiovascular fitness
✅ Core and upper-body power
✅ Coordination and footwork
✅ Full-body conditioning
✅ Agility and movement control

Keep the toe taps light and controlled, then generate power through the whole body as you drive the medicine ball into the floor.

Kettlebell Deep Squat Hold

The Kettlebell Deep Squat Hold is a great exercise for developing lower-body mobility, strength and control while spending time in a deep squat position.

Benefits include:

✅ Improved hip and ankle mobility
✅ Better squat positioning
✅ Increased lower-body control
✅ Core and postural strength
✅ Improved comfort and stability at deeper ranges

Hold the kettlebell close to your chest, keep your feet planted and maintain a strong torso as you settle into the deepest comfortable squat position. The goal is quality and control rather than simply forcing more depth.

Incline Chest Supported Lat Pulldown

The Incline Chest Supported Lat Pulldown uses the bench for stability, helping reduce momentum and allowing you to concentrate on getting a strong, controlled pull through the lats.

Benefits include:

✅ Stronger lats and upper back
✅ Improved pulling strength
✅ Better shoulder and scapular control
✅ Reduced reliance on momentum
✅ Improved upper-body strength and stability

Keep your chest supported throughout, allow the lats to lengthen at the top, then focus on driving your elbows down and back as you pull.

Barbell Rollout

The Barbell Rollout is an advanced core exercise that develops strength by resisting movement rather than creating it, helping you build stability through your entire trunk.

Benefits include:

✅ Stronger core and abdominals
✅ Improved shoulder stability
✅ Better spinal control
✅ Increased anti-extension strength
✅ Enhanced performance in lifting, sport and everyday movement

The secret isn’t rolling out as far as possible—it’s maintaining a strong, neutral body position throughout the movement. Brace your core, squeeze your glutes and only roll as far as you can while keeping control.

Half Kneeling Lat Pulldown with Forward Lean

The Half Kneeling Lat Pulldown with Forward Lean is a great variation that increases the stretch on the lats and encourages a stronger connection with the muscles throughout the movement.

Benefits include:

✅ Stronger lats and upper back
✅ Improved shoulder stability
✅ Greater range of motion through the pull
✅ Better core engagement
✅ Reduced side-to-side strength imbalances

The slight forward lean helps lengthen the lats at the start of each rep, while the half kneeling position encourages good posture and core stability. Focus on driving your elbow down towards your hip and controlling the weight on the way back up.

The half kneeling position encourages good posture and helps prevent using momentum, allowing you to focus on controlled, high-quality reps.

💬 Do you prefer training one side at a time or bilateral exercises? Let us know below!