The hot potato squat

I've recently gotten back into working out and watching my nurtrition with my 50th birthday coming up and heading into rehearsals for the Hollywood Bowl production of CHICAGO the Musical. I still have just enough of my tiny, beat-down ego to NOT show up at rehearsals looking out of shape. The past six weeks has really been just for me, and I've really appreciated that the stars came together to inspire me to improve myself FOR myself.

I've been looking for some new exercises that burn more and more calories plus strengthen my core muscles. Chest, biceps, back - all those are pretty straight forward. But getting my midsection strong isn't as simple as some situps. So, I found "the hot potato squat."

BJ Gaddour, owner of StreamFit.com, says"the hot potato squat" trains a lot of muscles, particularly big ones like your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. According to Gaddour, it burns more calories per rep than almost any other exercise.

Then, for a tougher challenge and more benefit, Gaddour throws an airborne dumbbell into the mix. “Holding the weight on just one side of your body increases the demand placed on your core to keep your body stable,” he says. “As the weight changes from side to side, your core muscles are worked from every angle.”



Find more workout tips at MensHealth.com