When I first meet with new personal training clients, many of them are eager to hit the treadmill and dumbbells right out of the gate. While building cardiovascular fitness and muscle is important, moving well should always come first.
Without proper mobility and muscle activation in key muscle groups, you’re more likely to run into issues like tightness and potential injuries, especially if you’re new to exercise.
That’s why I was intrigued when physical therapist and strength coach Jeff Cavaliere shared a five-exercise routine that he says will “fix 95% of your problems.”
After trying it myself, I can see why he's labeled it that way. Here’s what the routine is and what I thought of it.
How to do Jeff Cavaliere’s 5-exercise routine
The only piece of equipment you’ll need for Cavaliere’s program is a pull-up bar like this one (or a sturdy surface you can hang from), a door frame and a bit of floor space.
Can't do a pull-up? Grab a resistance band and loop it round the pull-up bar and under your feet, to make the move easier.
The five exercises are:
- Door frame face pull
- Dead arm hang
- Hip drop
- Glute bridge to reach over
- Divebomber push-up
There’s also a bonus move: the step-up to reverse lunge, which requires a stair or elevated surface.
Cavaliere recommends performing each move to failure, meaning you continue until you physically can’t complete another repetition with good form. This ensures that “you’re pushing yourself hard enough to actually build strength and muscle.”
I managed three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions of each move. If you’re new to exercise, start with one set of each and increase as you feel ready.
What I learned from trying the routine
It targeted all my problem areas
Even as a personal trainer, I still spend long stretches sitting at my desk—and after nine months of pregnancy, I’ve been dealing with tight chest muscles, postural niggles and underactive glutes.
This routine was simple but effective. The doorframe face pulls targeted neglected upper-back muscles and the hip drops lit up my glute medius, a small but important muscle for hip stability.
Just one set highlighted imbalances and encouraged me to strengthen them.
My spine felt great
I’ve had recurring lower back pain for decades, with each flare-up leaving me in pain for weeks. Long periods of sitting don’t help and I’ve neglected spinal mobility for too long.
As I hung from the bar, I could feel decompression through my entire spine—I swear I felt taller afterward.
Cavaliere demos two versions of this movement, both of which had a different effect on my pelvis and spine. It also gave my grip strength a good boost.
If your back feels tight or compressed, add this move to your routine.
The bonus move challenged my stability
Cavaliere’s sneaky extra move (step-ups to reverse lunges) was a standout exercise requiring focus, balance and leg strength.
Each leg has a different demand on it—you have to lift one knee into the air, then step it back, while the other leg supports the movement—so your stabilizing muscles have to work hard.
I was wobbly at first, but by the end of the set, my glutes were burning and my balance had already improved.
