The 5: Moves to take you from jiggly to jacked

If you're a neophyte in the whole working out scene, deciding on which exercises to perform may be somewhat difficult. With so many machines and movements to choose from, it's easy to get lost in the decision-making process. To help you along, you may want to consider starting with the following five exercises. And, for those of you who have been working out for quite some time, you too may want to give thought to adding these five moves to your workout.

Some are lesser-known, some are pretty common, but all are dynamic muscle-toners. Just don't hate me if you're sore in the morning.

1 - Box Jumps. Think of this exercise as a squat without a bar but somehow still as difficult. Not only will your quads be screaming by the time you're done with your set, but your heart will feel like you just ran wind sprints, making this a fantastic resistance/cardio exercise.

2 - Pull-Up. A sure-fire method to get that famous V-taper is to do this exercise. Try any number of variations on this classic muscle-builder, and you'll soon see the definition in your back, shoulders and arms that you were hoping for.


3 - Plank With Rotating Knee Raises - I'm not sure I can even explain this one with words, but I'm going to try. Here goes: Start in a standard plank position, holding it for quite some time. Then, in a circular motion, raise your right knee toward your left elbow. Once it has gone as far as it can, circle it back to its original position. Next, follow a similar pattern with your left knee, only this time raise it toward your right elbow. If you feel like you're going to die, you're probably doing it right ;)

4 - Spider-Man Push-Ups. Traditional push-ups are one of the best upper-body exercises you can do, but this modified version makes them that much more effective (and difficult). Perhaps the greatest benefit of this version is that you will also utilize your core muscles.

5 - Deadlift - Arguably one of the best total-body exercises, the deadlift can either be the hero of your workout or the bane of your existence, depending on your form. Performed incorrectly, you'll be nursing an aching back. Performed correctly, however, and you'll see results almost immediately. Use this exercise as a strength and muscle builder by going heavy (once you have the proper form down), or use it as a great fat-burning cardio blast by using light weights and doing several repetitions.