20 Hip Hop Inspired Moves to Get Your Sweat and Your Swagger On! (Plus: Bloopers!)

The Gym Buddies and I are the lead story on Shape.com right now with our 20 Hip Hop Inspired Moves slideshow!

Unfortunately I don’t have any bloopers from this shoot but it could be said that all the pics were hilarious, as you can see from this one of Allison that we really used in the slideshow! First: she’s demonstrating a move affectionately known as The Stripper Squat. Second: Thanks to a well-placed rust stain it looks like she’s peeing in an alley. With her pants still on. Third: Oh, those glasses!

File this “snake lunge” under moves that you really have to see in action to understand. While in real life it’s an awesome move for your legs, in this picture it kinda looks like Turbo Jennie’s playing freeze tag behind a dumpster. Which we totally do all the time. Naturally.

Charlotte: Ooh look! A rusty barrel! Let me try pressing up on it! Self: Have we had our tetanus shot in the last 5 years? No, no we haven’t. Charlotte: We should have titled this slideshow “20 Moves That Look Ridiculous But Are Actually A Good Workout If You Can Get Over Your Fear of Public Humiliation Long Enough to Try Them.” Hmmm… not as catchy.

And to convince you of this, I’m giving you a DOUBLE-DOG DARE to try this breakdancing push-up! Start with a normal push-up (like me, on the left) but at the top of the movement, push hard with your outside hand and move into a side plank (like Turbo Jennie in the middle). Then, flip over and do a tricep dip (like Allison, right). Flip back to side plank on the opposite side, come down and perform a standard push-up. Reverse direction and repeat. Style tip: These can be done from your knees or your toes!

I don’t care if you do work in an office with open cubicles, you gotta try this one! It works your shoulders, arms, core, obliques and triceps all in one sweet looking move! (You gonna eat your tots??)

Do you have a fave workout move that looks ridiculous but is actually a really good burn? Did you do it- did you try my break dancing push-up???

P.S. In my defense, I’ve come up with 10 slideshows in the past two months, each one with 20-35 moves and basically no repeats. So please forgive my “creativity” – it’s hard coming up with new stuff every few days!

P.P.S. Aren’t the Gym Buddies troupers?? I’ve made them pose for so many pics over the past few months that any time I say their name, they immediately make duck lips, bless ’em.