Shuffle Exercise
The Shuffle exercise is a lateral motion that warms up your glutes, hip flexors, quads, calves and hamstrings. Done quickly, the Shuffle exercise increases agility, coordination and provides a good cardio workout. It is best to do Shuffles before a heavier cardio or weights workout. It can also be incorporated into a fat-burning workout. If you really want to burn fat and work your core, perform shuffles over a longer distance. This will force you to perform the exercise longer, and hold your core tight.
If you plan on doing squats or other exercises that work the lower body, then the Shuffle exercise is a good warm up. Trainers may also refer to this exercise as the Side Shuffle, Lateral Shuffle or Sideways Shuffle.
Many athletes and celebs use the Shuffle exercise to tone their bodies:
- The Lady Gaga workout uses the shuffle exercise to warm up for her Monster’s Ball Tour.
- The Drew Brees workout and the Aaron Rodgers workout use Side Shuffles to warm up before their workouts.
- Brad Pitt Workout for Troy used this workout to focus on his core.
- Pink uses this core workout to get in shape for her singing tours.
- Demi Moore worked her abs, lower back and butt with this workout for “G.I. Jane” and “Striptease”.
- Leonardo DiCaprio worked with Gregory Joujon-Roche for “Departed”.
- The Katy Perry workout to stay lean uses the Shuffles exercise, as does the Jessica Simpson workout.
- Tobey McGuire used this routine for Spiderman.
- Michael C. Hall (Dexter) used this abs routine to get in shape for his role as Dexter.
- The Jennifer Garner workout uses this exercise to start some of her workouts. Her trainer, Valerie Waters, calls this exercise Resistance Band Side Steps. They use a resistance band to tone Jennifer Garner’s legs.
When doing the Side Shuffle remember to:
- bend your knees
- keep your head up
- don’t cross over feet
Here are the steps to performing the Shuffle, or Side Shuffle exercise. Master the movement by going slowly at first, instead of reinforcing improper techniques.
- Make a choppy, lateral step to the right with your right foot.
- Carry your left foot to where your right foot was.
- As your left foot comes down, again move your right foot further right.
- Again carry your left foot over to where your right foot was.
- When you have covered enough distance, switch back and go the other way.
- Remember to keep your feet parallel to the direction you are moving.
The Shuffle exercise gets harder the further you go, and the quicker you move your feet.
So, try to:
- Increase the distance and speed you go over time.
- Avoid injury by firmly planting your feet before moving them again. Survey your terrain for obstacles before beginning the exercise.
- Bend your knees more and more thorough the shuffle to work your glutes more effectively.
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