Movement Library
Movement Library
Core Exercises
The movements and poses offered here are not organized by fitness level or progressions. Please refer to your Movement Program and consult with your Personal Trainer about whether you're ready for any exercises that are new to you.
Please keep the following in mind with core movements:
- You must be able to complete a crunch comfortably before progressing to a sit-up.
- You must be able to complete a forearm plank or extended arm plank before incorporating any plank variations into your movement patterns. Note: Most plank variation diagrams are available in the "Whole Body" section.
Modified Plank:
- Begin on your knees. Gently bend forward and place your hands on the ground.
- Walk your hands out in front of you until your hands are stacked under your shoulders and there is a straight line from your ears to shoulders to hips to knees.
- Keeping your core activated, hold this position.
Forearm Plank:
- With elbows stacked below your shoulders, clasp your hands together or place them with palms facing the ground.
- Activate your core.
- Tuck your toes.
- Maintain a neutral alignment. An easy way to do this is to visualize that you are creating a straight line from ears to shoulders to hips to knees to ankles.
- Keep your core and glutes activated and hold this position as long as possible.
Extended Arm Plank:
- With wrists stacked below your shoulders, fully extend the arms as though you're pushing the floor away from you.
- Activate your core.
- Tuck your toes.
- Maintain a neutral alignment. An easy way to do this is to visualize that you are creating a straight line from ears to shoulders to hips to knees to ankles.
- Keep your core and glutes activated and hold this position as long as possible.
Sit Up Twist:
- Lie face-up on the floor with your back flat and knees bent with feet flat on the floor.
- Use your core to lift your shoulder blades off the floor and bring your chest up to your thighs. Simultaneously, rotate your torso, reaching one elbow to the opposite knee.
- Lower your back to the floor and repeat by twisting the opposite direction.
Diamond Abs:
- (1) Begin in an Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3).
- (2) Bring your left leg to the outside of your body, trying to touch your left knee to your left elbow.
- (3) Next, bring that same leg across the body, trying to touch your left knee to your right elbow in a fluid motion.
- (4) Bring the leg back, returning to the Extended Arm Plank position.
- Switch legs and repeat on the right side.
Number the slides and maybe draw a triangle/diamond
Dead Bugs:
- Lie on the ground with all parts of your body making contact with the ground.
- Straighten both arms and bring wrists above shoulders. Bring bent knees above the hips, allowing shins to remain parallel to the floor.
- Next, straighten your left leg out in front of you, hovering about 1-2 inches above the ground. Simultaneously, lower your right arm overhead, hovering 1-2 inches above the ground. Your left toes and right fingertips should now be reaching toward opposite sides of the room.
- Hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds and then return to your starting position.
- Repeat this movement with your right leg and left arm.
- Alternate moving opposite arms and legs.
Plank Saw:
- Begin in a Forearm Plank (Figure C2).
- Push through your ankles like you are pushing down the gas pedal to shift you weight forward.
- Relax ankles to bring yourself back to your staring plank position.
- Repeatedly go up on your tip toes to shift weight in a fluid motion.
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
High Boat to Low Boat:
- Sit up straight and tall with your weight on your sit bones.
- (1) Bend the knees and then lift legs.
- (2) Lean back as far as you can and keep the spine tall as you extend the legs out in front of you, but do not let them touch the ground.
- Hold for 3-5seconds and then bring everything back into the starting position.
- Repeat in a fluid motion, inhaling as you enter the move and exhaling as you hold the move.
- Modification: If you are experiencing tension in the hips, cross your ankles to relieve some of the tension.
High Plank Arm Reach:
- Begin in a high plank position (See Extended Arm Plank, Figure C3).
- Raise one arm out in front of you.
- Hold for 3 seconds and then lower the hand back down.
- Raise the opposite arm out in front of you and return to starting position.
- Modification: Perform this movement on the knees (See Modified Plank, Figure C1).
Bear Hold:
- Get on hands and knees, making sure that the hands are under the shoulders and the knees are under the hips. Toes should be tucked.
- Push into the ground with your hands and toes to lift the body up so that there is about 1 to 2 inches between knees and the ground.
- Pinch the shoulder blades together and brace the core. Hold this position.
- Remember to breathe!
Bear Crawl:
- Begin in a Bear Hold (Figure C10).
- Forward Bear Crawl: Step the left hand and foot forward and then follow that by stepping the right hand and leg forwards. Continue alternating and crawl forward as far as your space allows.
- Lateral Bear Crawl: Step the right hand and right foot out to the right, and then move the left hand and leg to the right to meet. Take two to five steps to the right and then switch and go the opposite direction by stepping arms and legs out to the left.
- Tips: Keep the back parallel to the floor by keeping the butt low. Focus on keeping the knees approximately one inch above the ground the entire time. Do these crawls in a smooth and coordinated fashion. Remember to breathe and stay low.
Swimmers:
- Lie on your stomach with your forehead touching the ground and arms straight out in front of you.
- Use your glutes (butt) and back muscles to lift your chest and legs off of the ground.
- Pinch your shoulder blades together at the top and squeeze your glutes.
- Hold this position while lifting and lowering opposite arms and legs to mimic swimming.
Scissors:
- Lie on the ground, making sure all parts of your spine are touching the ground, from your head down to your tail bone. Place your fingertips behind your ears.
- Lift straightened legs so they are hovering just a few inches off of the ground.
- Alternate crossing one leg over the top of the other.
- Continue alternating legs and be sure to maintain a flat back throughout the movement.
Standing Lateral Flexion:
- Begin in a normal standing position, bend the right elbow and lift the right foot off the ground by bending the knee.
- Bending to the side, touch the right elbow and knee together.
- Return to standing position and repeat on other side.
Bicycles:
- Start by lying on the floor with the back flat and knees bent with feet flat on the floor.
- Bring your hands to the side of your head and raise the shoulder blades up off the ground.
- Imagine you are pedaling a bicycle as you bring the left knee in towards the chest and the right leg out straight, then rotate the upper body to reach the right shoulder toward the left knee.
- Return the left leg and right arm to the stating position and repeat on the opposite side in a fluid motion.
Straight Leg Toe Touch:
- (1) Lying on your back will all parts of you back touching the ground, raise your legs straight up in front of you until at a 90 degree angle with hips.
- (2) Lift shoulder blades up off the ground and try to touch your toes.
- Lower shoulder blades back to ground and repeat.
Supers:
- Lie on your stomach with your forehead touching the ground and arms straight out in front of you.
- Use your glute (butt) and back muscles to lift your chest and legs off of the ground.
- Pinch your shoulder blades together at the top and squeeze your glutes.
- Hold for 3 seconds and, with control, slowly lower yourself back down toward the ground.
- Repeat.
Side Plank:
- Bend the elbow to 90 degrees and place it directly under your shoulder.
- Straighten legs, stacking the feet.
- Bracing your core, lift hips off the floor and maintain a neutral spine position; do not let hips sag or rotate forward or backward.
- Hold position and breath.
- Modification: bend knees and put weight on outside of knees rather than feet.
Leg Drops:
- Lie on your back on the ground with all parts of your body making contact with the ground, from your head down to your tail bone.
- Lift legs up so they are at about a 90 degree angle with your hips (1).
- Slowly lower your legs down to the ground as far as you can while keeping your spine flat on the floor, with the most advanced progression of the movement so that your legs will hover 1 to 2 inches off of the ground (2).
- If you cannot go down to 1-2 inches while maintaining a flat back that’s fine. Simply bring your legs down as far as you can manage.
- Lift legs back up to your starting position (1) and repeat.
- Tip: To assist in maintaining a flat back throughout the exercise, place your hands under your butt, palms facing the ground.
Oblique Crunch:
- Lie on the ground with your knees bent and back and feet flat on the floor.
- Bracing your core, slightly lift the shoulder blades up off of the ground.
- Bend to one side, trying to touch your heel with your hand.
- Alternate, reaching for the heel of the opposite foot.
- Repeat.
Sit Up:
- Lie on the ground with knees bent and back and feet flat on the floor.
- Keeping the torso long, use your core to bring your chest up to your thighs (see image).
- Lower yourself back down with control. Repeat
- Modification: For assistance in keeping your feet in place, you can place the balls of your feet against a wall or under a bench or weight.
Upper Body Exercises
Shoulder Blade Pinch:
- Stand tall in neutral alignment. With arms to the sides of the body, bend both elbows to make a W with your arms.
- Holding the W position, pinch shoulder blades together and hold for 3 seconds.
- Relax the shoulder blades and return to starting position. Repeat.
Figure U2
Negative Push Ups:
- Begin in a Modified Plank (Figure C1) or Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3), ensuring the wrists are stacked below the shoulders and the core is activated.
- Slowly (approximately a count of 5) lower your chest to the floor by bending at the elbows, being sure to keep the elbows close to your body. Tip: Visualize that you are twisting the cap on/off a jar, which will naturally allow you to keep your elbows in toward your hips.
- When your chest is about to touch the floor, allow your belly and chest to rest on the floor for a few counts.
- In whatever way is accessible to you, return to your starting position. Repeat.
Standard Push Ups:
- (1) Begin in a Modified Plank (Figure C1) or Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3), ensuring the wrists are stacked below the shoulders and the core is activated.
- (2) In a slow and controlled movement, lower your chest to the floor by bending at the elbows, being sure to keep the elbows close to your body. Tip: Visualize that you are twisting the cap on/off a jar, which will naturally allow you to keep your elbows in toward your hips.
- When your chest is about to touch the floor, reverse direction and return to your starting position. Repeat.
Side Lying Triceps Extension:
- Lie on your right side with your right arm extended over your head.
- Bend the left elbow 90 degrees and place the left palm of your hand on floor in line with your chest.
- Straighten the left arm to raise your upper body off the floor.
- Control the lowering of the body back down with the left arm and repeat exercise for the appropriate number of repetitions.
- Roll over and repeat on the opposite side.
- Advanced: There should be no assistance from the lower arm. Modification: the lower arm can be used to assist the upper in raising the upper body off the floor.
- Note: This should be felt in the back of the arm (triceps) performing the movement.
Arm Circles:
- Stand tall in an upright position.
- Raise your arms out to the side so they are parallel to the floor.
- Make small circles in one direction for the amount of time specified in your Movement Program.
- Switch directions and repeat for the same amount of time.
High Plank Step Outs:
- Begin in an Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3).
- Step one hand forward several inches, followed by the other hand.
- Hold this extended plank position for 3-5 seconds.
- Step the hands back into starting position.
- Repeat.
Triceps Pushups:
- Begin in an Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3).
- Carefully walk the palms of your hands toward your midline, allowing the tips of your thumbs and forefingers to touch.
- Keeping your elbows tucked toward your ribs, bend your elbows, lowering your chest to the floor.
- When you have reached your maximum range of motion, reverse direction and return to your starting position. Repeat.
Y T W:
- Stand tall and raise both arms up overhead to form a Y position. Pinch the shoulder blades together.
- Bring arms into a T position. Pinch shoulder blades.
- Bring arms into a W position. Pinch shoulder blades.
- Repeat, cycling through these three movements for each repetition.
Triceps Dips:
- Find a sturdy object such as a step, chair, or box and position it behind you.
- (1) With the arms straight, place hands on the object.
- (1) Feet should be straight out in front of you, with the legs either straight or with a slight bend in the knees (see figure).
- (1) Place the hands under the elbows and keep the upper arms close to the body.
- (2) Bend at the elbows until they are at a 90 degree angle, lowering yourself down toward the ground.
- (1) Straighten the arms to raise the body back up to the starting position.
- Repeat.
Alligator Push Ups:
- Start in an Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3) position.
- Stagger the hands so one is farther out in front than the other.
- To do this, bring the right hand out from underneath the shoulder and place it a few inches in toward the top of your head. Then move the left hand out from under the shoulder and slide it a few inches toward the feet.
- Imagine you are placing your hands in the upper and lower corners of a square.
- Bend the elbows to lower your chest toward the ground.
- Hold for a second at the bottom of the movement and then straighten the arms to return to your starting position.
- Modification: Perform the movement on your knees.
- Tip: To Practice your push up, perform them on a wall, counter top, or kitchen table. This will help you perfect your form and build up strength. From there you can progress lower and lower until you are performing them on the ground.
Wide Grip Push Ups:
- Begin in a high plank position (Figure C3) with the hands shoulder width apart, back flat, and core tight.
- (1) Slowly walk each hand outward several inches to achieve a wide arm positioning, keeping palms in line with the shoulders.
- (2) Bend the elbows out to the side to lower chest down toward the ground, pinching the shoulder blades toward each other.
- Pause for a second at the bottom of the movement and then push your body back up to the wide grip starting position (1).
- Modification: You can perform this movement on your knees.
Lower Body
Bodyweight Squat:
- Stand in neutral alignment facing forward.
- Brace your core, activate your glues and quads.
- Bend your knees, shooting your hips out behind you as though you're sitting down onto a low stool.
- Bring both arms out in front of you as you lower down into the squat. Keep your core, glutes and quads activated the entire time.
- Return to a standing position and repeat.
Sumo Squats:
- Start standing in a tall, upright position with feet wider than hip width apart and toes slightly turned outward.
- Bending your knees, send the butt back and drop the hips down towards the ground until knees are at about a 90 degree angle.
- Keep the chest tall and core engaged.
- Return to a standing position. Repeat.
Alternating Front Lunge:
- Stand tall with feet hip width apart and toes pointed forward.
- Step right leg forward and bend the front knee to 90 degrees, do not let front knee go over the toes, the back leg can be straight or bent.
- Push back into standing position with your front leg.
- Keep chest tall and core engaged.
- Repeat on the opposite side to complete one repetition.
Glute Bridge (and Glute Bridge Hold):
- Lie on your back with all parts of your back making contact with the ground.
- Bend at the knees and hips so that your feet are flat on the floor, as close to the butt as possible (1).
- Push into your heels and use your glutes and hamstrings to raise your hips up toward the sky with a neutral spine (2).
- With control, lower your hips back down toward the ground until you are back in the starting position. Repeat.
- For a Glute Bridge Hold: Hold position 2 for the full duration of time recommended in your Movement Program.
Glute Bridge March:
- Lie on your back with all parts of your back making contact with the ground.
- Bend the knees and hips so that your feet are flat on the floor.
- Push into your heels and use your glutes and hamstrings to raise your hips up towards the sky.
- Hold this position at the top while you alternate lifting one foot and then other other off of the ground, keeping your hips raised as you march into the glute bridge.
Single Leg Glute Bridge:
- Lie on your back with all parts of your back making contact with the ground.
- Bend the knees and hips so that your feet are flat on the floor.
- Straighten one leg and lift the leg, extending the raised foot toward the ceiling.
- Push into the heel that is on the floor, using your glutes and hamstrings to raise your hips up towards the sky, remaining parallel with the ceiling/floor.
- Gently return your hips to the floor and repeat for as many repetitions as directed.
- Repeat on the opposite leg.
Lateral Lunges:
- Begin by standing tall with feet hip width apart.
- Shift your weight to the left leg. Step your right leg out to the side and bend the right knee to about 90 degrees, send the hips back, and keep the left straight.
- Keep chest tall and core engaged as you lower yourself down into a deep side lunge.
- Push off the right leg to return to a standing position and repeat on the left side.
Lateral Walks:
- Begin in a squat position with the feet hip width apart, knees bent, and chest up.
- Staying low, step the right foot out to the side widening your stance, next drive off of the arch of the left foot bringing you back to your original position.
- Continue this by taking a few steps each direction. Be sure to remain in the low squat position and keep the chest tall.
Alternating Reverse Lunges:
- Stand tall with feed hip width apart.
- Step left leg backwards and bend front knee to 90 degrees. Do not let front knee go over your toes. Back leg can be straight or bent (see image).
- Push back into standing position.
- Keep chest tall and core engaged.
- Repeat on the opposite leg to complete one repetition.
Lateral Leg Raise:
- Lying on your side with hips stacked, use your top hip to lift the top leg up off the bottom.
- Keep the toes pointed forward.
- Repeat for the total number of repetitions. Then, roll over and perform on the opposite leg.
Squat Pulse:
- With feet hip width apart, drop into the down phase of a squat.
- Pulse in the down phase by raise up only slightly and then dropping back down to the original depth (see image).
- Stand up after a few pulses. Repeat.
- Tips: Make sure to keep the chest tall, core engaged and feet hip width apart.
Side Lying Glute Extension:
- (1) Begin by lying on your left side with your hips, knees, and ankles stacked and your upper body propped up with your forearm.
- (1) Place your weight into your left forearm and bend both knees to bring them slightly towards your chest.
- (2) Lift hips up off the ground by pushing the ground away with your bottom left knee, you should come up into a modified side plank position.
- This should be felt in the left outer glute.
- Make sure the bottom knee maintains contact with the ground the entire time and that you do not tilt the hips forward or backwards.
Donkey Kicks:
- Start on all fours, wrists under shoulders and knees under hips, back flat.
- From the hip, extend one leg backwards as far as your range of motion will allow. Make sure to keep the back flat and bottom of the foot parallel with the ceiling.
- Return leg to starting position.
- Repeat for appropriate number of repetitions (or time) and then switch legs.
- Increase increase the difficulty by adding ankle weights or using a resistance band placed around the ankles.
Step Ups:
- Standing tall with feet about shoulder width apart, orient your body so you are facing a step.
- Lift and place right foot onto the step.
- Push into the step and straighten your right leg to come up to a standing position on top of the step.
- There are two options to exit the position:
- Straight Leg Step Ups: Slowly lower yourself back down, keep the right foot on the step and send the left backwards.
- Lateral Step Ups: Slowly lower yourself back down towards the ground.
Straight Leg Raise:
- Lying on your back with all parts of your back touching the ground, raise one leg straight up into the air.
- Flex your foot so the bottom of your foot is parallel to the ceiling.
- Repeat for the appropriate number of reps (or time) and then switch legs.
- Increase difficulty by adding ankle weights.
Wall Sit:
- Place your back against a bare wall and walk your feet out to a comfortable distance out in front of you.
- Drop your hips down toward the floor as though you are sitting in a chair. If possible, try to hold a 90 degree angle in the knees. Keep the chest tall, with spine flat against the wall.
- Hold this position and breathe.
Drop Squats:
- Begin standing in neutral position with feet shoulder width apart (1).
- Jump the feet outward into a wide stance, as though you are doing a jumping jack.
- squat down and try to touch the floor with your hand (2).
- Jump the feet back into the starting position (3).
- Repeat and alternate which hand you use to touch the ground (4).
- Repeat as rapidly as possible. Attempt to get into a rhythm and to maintain your pace for the full duration of time/repetitions.
Good Mornings:
- Begin in a neutral standing position with feet hip width apart and fingertips behind your ears (1).
- On an inhale, bend forward, hinging at the hips, stopping when you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (but stopping when your back is parallel to the floor) (2). You can have a slight bend in your knees.
- On an exhale, brace your core and glutes, then return to starting position (1).
Fire Hydrants:
- Begin on all fours with shoulders stacked above the wrists, hips stacked above the knees, and back flat.
- Maintaining a bent knee, raise the right leg out to the side of the body and then bring it back down. (Visual: You're mimicking a dog peeing on a fire hydrant)
- Keep hips level and back flat throughout the movement.
- Repeat for appropriate repetitions/time and then switch sides.
- Progression: You can increase the difficulty by adding ankle weights or placing a resistance band just above the knees.
Hamstring Step Outs:
- Lie on your back with all parts of your back making contact with the ground.
- Bend the knees and hips so that your feet are flat on the floor.
- Push into your heels and use your glutes and hamstrings to raise your hips up towards the sky.
- Hold this position at the top while you step one foot forward (away from your body). Then, step the opposite foot slightly farther out in front.
- Hold this position for three seconds and then step both feet back in to starting position.
- Repeat, starting with the opposite leg.
Pendulum Lunges:
- Begin by standing tall with feet shoulder width apart.
- Step right foot forward into a lunge.
- Return into standing position, and then send the right foot backwards.
- Repeat for appropriate repetitions/time and then switch legs and repeat on the opposite side.
Whole Body Exercises
Blast Off Planks:
- (1) Begin in an Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3).
- (2) Bend both knees, pushing your hips toward the wall behind you and keeping palms flat on the floor while extending arms.
- Keeping your core engaged, Blast Off by quickly straightening your knees and pushing your torso toward the wall in front of you, keeping your back parallel to the floor and hips low.
- Blast far enough that, upon blast completion, you have returned to your starting position. Repeat.
Mountain Climber:
- Begin in and Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3).
- Keeping your core activated, bend one knee in toward your chest. Return to your starting position.
- Bend the opposite knee, bringing it in toward your chest. Return to your starting position.
- Repeat. Alternating knees as quickly as you can.
High Plank Shoulder Taps:
- Begin in an Extended Arm Plank (Figure C3) or Modified Plank (Figure C1).
- Lift one hand off of the ground and touch it to the opposite shoulder.
- Lower that hand back to the ground and repeat on the opposite side.
- Note: Stabilize your core the entire time so you keep your hips parallel with the floor, with minimal to no shifting.
Mobility
Hamstring Scoops:
- Start by standing tall. Step the right foot forward several inches and point the toes of the right foot upward.
- Bend at the hips and scoop toward the ground with both arms, lifting arms at least parallel to the floor but as high as fingertips to the sky. You may need tob bend the left knee slightly to accommodate the scooping motion.
- A stretch should be felt in the back of the leg (hamstrings).
- Switch legs. Repeat.
Hip Circles:
- Lie on on one side with your lower arm extended overhead and hips stacked.
- Lift the top leg up into the air, keeping the toes pointed forward.
- Make counter-clockwise circles with your top leg in the air. This movement can be as large or as small as you want.
- Switch directions, so you make clockwise circles with the same leg.
- Roll over and repeat this movement with the opposite leg.
Frankensteins:
- Begin standing tall with feet hip width apart and arms fully extended out in front of you.
- Alternate swinging fully extended legs upward, in an attempt to have your toes touch your hands.
- This stretch should be felt in the back of the legs (hamstrings and calves).
Lateral Hip Opener:
- Begin in a wide stance.
- Shift the weight of your body to one side by bending slightly at the knee and hips while keeping the other leg straight.
- A stretch should be felt down the inside of the straight leg.
- Stay low and shift weight to other leg to stretch the opposite side.
Down Dog:
- Attempt to make a wide V with your body as the head drops between the biceps, and the hips reach toward the sky. You can keep the legs straight or have a slight bend in the knees.
- Increase the intensity of the stretch by allowing your heels to touch the ground. Though, you can modify the movement and keep them slightly elevated.
- You can shift weight slightly between the legs by pedaling the heels up and down in an alternating movement, or simply hold the downward position.
- This stretch can be felt in your shoulders, hamstrings, and calf muscles.
Up Dog:
- Lying on your stomach, use your arms to push your chest up into the air as far as feels comfortable.
- Squeeze your glutes (butt) to prevent hyperextension of the back.
- Keep the gaze forward and hold position.
Cardio Movements
High Knees:
- Stand with toes, knees, hips, shoulders and nose all facing forward.
- Staying light on the balls of your feet, alternate raising one leg up towards your chest and then back to the ground.
- Your arms can mimic the natural movement of arms when walking or running.
- This can be done at a walking or running pace.
Butt Kickers:
- Stand with toes, knees, hips, shoulders and nose all facing forward and hands by your sides.
- Staying light on the balls of your feet, alternate bending one knee and raising the heel up towards your butt and then back to the ground.
- Your arms can stay by your side or mimic the natural movement of arms when walking or running.
- This can be done at a walking or running pace.
Jumping Jacks:
- Begin in a narrow stance with your arms at your side with the palms of both hands facing forward.
- Jump both feet outward, staying light on the balls of your feet. Simultaneously, swing the arms up overhead, keeping your palms facing forward.
- Bring arms and legs back together to return to your starting position. Repeat rapidly.
Down Dog, High Plank, Up Dog:
- By combining three related but distinct poses, you can create a flow, which is what this movement is. Slowly move from one poset to the other, holding each pose for a few moments.
Open and Close the Gate:
- Begin in a neutral standing position with feet hip width apart.
- Open the gate: lift one knee up and rotate the leg outward, and then place leg back down on ground. Then lift the knee back up to close the gate.
- Close the gate: bring the outward rotated (and lifted) leg in toward the middle of your body and the set the leg back down, returning to your starting position.
- Repeat with opposite leg.
QL Stretch:
- Stand upright to begin.
- (1) Bend at the waist and grab your elbows.
- (2) Keeping the feet and hips stationary rotate the shoulders to the right to touch the right elbow to the right knee.
- Attempt to get the shoulders perpendicular with the hips.
- A stretch should be felt on the outer lower portion of the back.
- Hold this position and then switch and do the same thing on the opposite side.
Lateral Hops:
- Stand tall with feet hip width apart and toes pointed forward.
- With a slight bend in the knees, jump side to side as fast as you can.
- For more of a challenge, try to keep the feet together as you jump.
- For a lower impact alternative, you can modify this movement by pushing off with one foot for a side hop and then repeat on the opposite side.
Squat Jump:
- (1) Begin by standing tall with feet shoulder width apart, drop down into a squat.
- (2) Explode upwards, jumping as high as you can.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet with knees slightly bent and then repeat rapidly.
- Keep legs perpendicular to the floor so knees do not cave inward.
Skaters:
- Start by standing tall and then stepping the right leg behind the left.
- Push off with the left leg to jump sideways to the right and land with the right leg in front and the left leg behind the left and offset.
- Continue to jump side to side like this as fast as possible.
- Focus on keeping your core and glutes activated, which will allow you to stay soft on your feet to reduce the impact on your joints.
Alternating Split Jumps:
- Start in a lunge position with the front knee at a 90 degree angle and the chest tall.
- Alternate the leading leg by jumping off of leading leg and bringing the back leg in front as the front leg shoots backward.
- Pumping the arms will help to generate force.
- Land softly and make sure you brace your core to maintain balance.
- Alternate switching front and back legs as quickly as possible.
Shadow Boxing:
- Stand in a sideways stance and stay light on your feet by bouncing on the balls of the feet. Hold the hands in a fist with thumbs on the outside of the fist and wrists straight. Bring them up to cover your face, this is called your Block. To better visualize the positioning: If striking a target, the first two knuckles of the hand should be used or the heel of the hand should be used.
- To Shadow Box, progress through each of the five movements, performing each movement for a small number of repetitions or time before flowing to the next.
- Front jab: Using the front hand, extend the arm forward to strike the real or imaginary target in front of you. Do this motion as fast as possible. The retraction of this movement should be done as quickly as the extension.
- Cross body punch: Using your trailing fist, extend the arm and rotate through the hips, pivot the back foot as your heel lifts up slightly, and rotate the shoulders as you punch. This will generate the greatest amount of force and speed as possible. The retraction of this movement should be done as quickly as the extension.
- Hook punch: Using the front hand, bend the elbow at a 90 degree angle and rotate through the foot, hips, and shoulder to strike across the body.
- Front elbow: keeping the elbow bent, bring elbow out in front of the body by pivoting the front foot, hips, and shoulders inward. Strike the real or imaginary target with the part of your forearm closest to your elbow joint. Do this as quickly as possible and with as much force as possible.
- Upper Cut: using the trailing fist starting near the hip, you will strike in a straight and upward motion as though punching below someone's chin. Rotate through the hips and shoulders to generate as much force as possible.
- Once you have completed all five punches on one side, perform them for the same number of repetitions or time on the opposite side.
- Tip: You can play around with how you flow through all the movements - the idea is merely to utilize force and speed with these motions to get a great cardio workout.