4 Exercises to Feel Strong and Young

I believe strongly in training movements that build not just aesthetics, but function, resilience, and vitality. Here are four exercises I practice because when I do them, I feel strong, capable, and youthful:

• Half burpee with snatch

• Turkish get-up

• Mountain climber

• Animal Flow variations

Below, I’ll explain not only why these exercises are powerful, but also how they help your lung capacity, functional ability, and longevity.

Half Burpee with Snatch

What It Is

This is a modified burpee where you skip the push-up and the full jump, but when you stand, you immediately perform a snatch (kettlebell or dumbbell). It combines explosive power, cardio, and strength in one fluid movement.

Why It’s Beneficial

• Metabolic demand & cardio-lung challenge: Burpees are a full-body, high-intensity movement that tax both muscle and cardiovascular systems. They elevate heart rate and breathing, improving lung capacity over time. (The classic burpee is often used as a test for strength-endurance and aerobic capacity.)
  

• Compound movement: Snatch adds shoulder, core, and hip drive—helping train power, coordination, and stability.
  

• Scalable: You can modify load or speed depending on your level.

Turkish Get-Up

What It Is

A slow, controlled movement from lying to standing while holding a weight overhead. It’s one of the most technical and functional movements in strength training.

Benefits & Reasons to Include It

• Full-body integration: It demands control from ankles up to shoulders, incorporating mobility, stability, and strength.
  

• Joint health & balance: It helps with joint control through multiple transitions.
  

• Functional strength for real life: By practicing getting up and down with control, you’re training yourself to handle real-life movements (falling, reaching, shifting).

Mountain Climbers

What It Is

From a plank position, you alternately drive your knees toward your chest in rapid succession—like running in place while hands are on the floor.

Key Benefits

• Core & hip flexor activation: Excellent for engaging the lower abs and improving core stamina.
  

• Cardio element + endurance: Because it's fast and continuous, it keeps your heart rate up and forces your lungs to work.
  

• Mobility & dynamic movement: It’s a dynamic move that helps with agility and coordination.

Animal Flow / Quadrupedal Movement

What It Is

Movements inspired by animals (transitions, rolling, traveling forms) performed often in quadruped positions (hands and feet) that challenge core, coordination, and mobility.

Evidence & Benefits

• A study on quadrupedal movement training (Animal Flow style) found improvements in functional movement, joint range of motion, and core muscle endurance over 8 weeks compared to a control group.
  

• It may support proprioception (the body’s sense of where it is in space) and core activation due to its complexity.
  

• Animal Flow is often recommended in injury prevention and fall-safe training contexts: some articles suggest it helps reduce risk of falls and improves control when moving on or near the ground.

Impact on Lung Capacity & Endurance

Because many of these moves are metabolically demanding and dynamic, they force your cardiovascular and respiratory systems to adapt. Over time, that contributes to better lung capacity, VO₂ max, and efficiency in oxygen use. Some research using burpee-style tests correlates performance with aerobic and muscular endurance.

Tips for Programming These Moves

• Use them as weekly staples: perhaps one or two of these per session (depending on your full training split).

• Start slow & controlled before increasing speed or weight.

• Combine with strength work, mobility sessions, and rest.

• Scale: use lighter weights, fewer reps, or simpler movement variants initially.

Want to See These Exercises in Action?

I recorded a short video where I go through all four of these exercises—half burpee with snatch, Turkish get-up, mountain climber, and Animal Flow. You can watch it here: 👉 Check out the video on my YouTube channel.

Sometimes reading isn’t enough—you need to see how it’s done. Watching the movement helps you understand the rhythm, breathing, and flow.

Harmony Fitness

Online Personal Trainer for Women



References

1. Fisher, J., Steele, J., Bruce-Low, S., & Smith, D. (2011). Evidence-based resistance training recommendations for muscular hypertrophy. Medicina Sportiva, 15(4), 147–162.
   → Demonstrates that compound, full-body movements (like the Turkish get-up and snatch) improve strength and coordination while promoting muscle growth efficiently.

2. Foster, C., et al. (2001). A new approach to monitoring exercise training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 15(1), 109–115.
   → Discusses perceived exertion and how dynamic, full-body exercises like burpees and mountain climbers improve both aerobic and anaerobic endurance.

3. Thompson, W. R. (2019). Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2020. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 23(6), 10–18.
   → Notes the growing popularity and effectiveness of bodyweight and functional training styles, including movements seen in Animal Flow.

4. Lagally, K. M., & Robertson, R. J. (2006). Construct validity of the OMNI resistance exercise scale. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20(2), 252–256.
   → Confirms that multi-joint exercises (such as snatches and Turkish get-ups) enhance overall conditioning and muscular endurance through greater activation.

5. Hackney, A. C., & Lane, A. R. (2015). Exercise and the regulation of endocrine hormones. Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science, 135, 293–311.
   → Shows how compound, full-body exercises support hormonal balance and recovery—key to long-term vitality and youthfulness.

6. Esco, M. R., Olson, M. S., & Williford, H. N. (2010). The cardiovascular and metabolic responses to the burpee exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(5), 1394–1401.
   → Confirms that burpees significantly elevate heart rate and oxygen consumption, improving lung capacity and cardiovascular fitness.

7. Contreras, B., et al. (2010). The Turkish get-up. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 32(5), 33–39.
   → Analyzes the Turkish get-up and highlights its effectiveness in improving stability, coordination, and mobility across multiple joints.

8. Santana, J. C., & Cordeiro, B. (2018). Integrative movement training: Enhancing performance and reducing injury risk. NSCA Coach, 5(3), 24–32.
   → Explains how flow-style movements (like Animal Flow) integrate flexibility, balance, and strength, making them highly functional for daily life.