Home Exercise Circuit Program – Warm up a few minutes before starting

Core Exercises – Definitions – start with 10 reps and increase sets as you get stronger. Progress when 3 set of 10 are easy.

Ø       Body weight squats: Do 10 body weight squats

Starting with your feet directly below your shoulders and your knees slightly bent, keep your heel firmly planted on the ground.  Keeping your hips in alignment and not bending at your waist or tucking your buttocks under, lower using your legs.  It's okay for your buttocks to drop back as you lower, just don't let it sink by rotating your hips up.  Squat as low as you can, aiming for your thighs to be parallel with the ground.  As you do this, it is okay to let your upper body incline forward a bit.  As always, contract your abdomen.  When lifting, return to the position of slightly bent legs.  Hands may either be out to the side or on your hips.  

Progression: follow with  5 squat jumps followed by 10 body weight squats and finishing with 5 squat jumps. 

SQUAT JUMPS: Begin with a body weight squat.  Once you lowered, however, explode off the balls of your feet, lifting off the ground.  Try to land in the same spot you left.  If you loose your balance, get firmly planted before beginning the next.  Make sure to do this on a soft surface (i.e. grass or a nice spring wood studio.  Do not perform on cement!)  As always, your abdomen should be contracted.  Your hands can be placed on your hips or out to the side. 

Ø       Reverse lunges:  Standing with feet a few inches apart, step backward to stretch your hip flexors, as well as strengthen you’re your hamstrings, quadriceps and butt.  YOU ARE CONCENTRATING ON DROPPING DOWN VS. REACHING BACK.  It is your “base” leg that is getting the work.  (Try to get the thigh of your base leg to be parallel to the ground.)   Do not lean forward or back.  Keep hips equal, do not drop or open/close hips. Hold for a count of 2 seconds.  Using strength from your base leg (glute and hamstring) and core, bring back leg up and carefully swing it forward and up so this leg (the thigh) is now parallel to the ground.  Keep base leg slightly bent.  Really engage abs to keep your balance.

Progression:  Move arms like you would while running, going forward and back (at a 90 degree angle) opposite of your legs.  Go directly back into reverse lunge.  Do required repetitions on each leg.  This exercise improves your overall leg power, core strength, and balance.

Heel Raises/Toe Raises:  Standing next to something for support, pull belly in, bend one knee and balance on one foot. Slowly rise up to the ball of your foot, keeping your weight over your big toe, hold for a second, and then lower down. Repeat 10 times and switch. Do a 60 second bout of heel walking afterwards.

Ø       Push-ups:  Stop and stretch after every tenth (or sooner) push up.  Change the type of pushup you are doing regularly, as too much repetition (and incorrect body angle) can put extreme pressure on your rotator cuffs, your lower back and other areas of your shoulders.  You may do full body or leg elevated pushups.  Abs contracted (to support your lower back) and your body should be fully extended, forming a straight line from either your feet or your knees to your shoulders.  (Translation: Don't poke your buttocks into the air!) 

3 Counts Down, 1 count up pushups:   Following the proper body angle described above, place your hands a little more than shoulder width apart.  Lower in three counts using your triceps, deltoids and rhomboids, respectfully.  Lift in one count using all three muscle groups.  Exhale when you lower, inhale when you lift.  Do not lock your elbows after lifting.  BE SURE TO ALWAYS KEEP YOUR ABS CONTRACTED!

1 count down, 3 counts up pushups:   Following the proper body angle described above, place your hands a little more than shoulder width apart.  Lower in one count using your triceps, deltoids and rhomboids.  Lift in three counts using your rhomboids, deltoids and triceps, respectfully.  Exhale when you lower, inhale when you lift.  Do not lock your elbows after lifting.  BE SURE TO ALWAYS KEEP YOUR ABS CONTRACTED! 

Rhomboid pushups: Following the proper body angle described above, place your hands further out to the left and right with your fingers also facing to the left and right.  Imagine that you have a sponge between your shoulder blades and press your shoulder blades together, squeezing out the water in the sponge.   As you do this, your body should lower.  Go as far as your arms (at the elbow) form a 90 degree angle.  BE SURE TO ALWAYS KEEP YOUR ABS CONTRACTED!

Ø       Hundreds:  Lie on your back with legs bent and feet flat on the ground.  Deeply inhale, as you exhale feel your chest and belly sinking into the mat/ground beneath you and lift one leg up at a time, leaving it at 90 degrees or in a “table top” position. Keep the feeling of a weight pressing your torso down as you bring your head up to look at your belly button.  (Don’t fold from your neck!)  Lift until you feel the BOTTOM of your shoulder blades pressing into the mat/ground.  Stretch your arms out LONG beside you, reaching from deep in the pit of your arm.  Imagine that you have a tennis ball under your hands/fingers and use that as the “lowest” part of your pulse/pump with arms.   Begin pulsing or pumping your arms up and down, as if you were slapping water.  Inhale for five counts and exhale for five counts, always reaching forward.   Pulse/beat 100 times.

Ø       Ab Criss-cross:  Core the same as above, lift your legs to 90-90 (bent 90 degrees at hip and at knee), roll up, stretch one leg out and reach ARMPIT to bent leg/knee.  Switch sides keeping contraction AND RIB ANCHORS) as you switch.  Look towards elbow of arm you are facing vs. bringing head to knee.

Ø       Swimming: Lie on your belly, stretching out your arms in front of you and your legs behind you.  Contract your glutes/hams and reach your legs out behind you.  Find your core and “lift” your belly button off the ground, pressing it up towards your spine.  Lift arms from your lats.  Lightly and rapidly tap opposite hand/leg to ground, as if lightly tapping the ground.  Keep core strong to avoid rocking.  Tap steadily for 2 x 30second sessions.

Ø       Back Bridging – double and single leg:  Core same as above, feet flat under knees (about hip width apart), arms extended comfortably down to side (on ground).  Keeping core strong and rib anchors set, lift entire torso so body forms ~45 degree angle with ground.  RIBS LOWER than PELVIC AREA!!  You can hold a rolled up towel or small workout ball between your knees to get further into your inner thighs.  Hold for 10-20-30 seconds (building up).  Can also pulse for sets of ten.  Keep contraction when lowering.  Keep glutes strong and engaged.  Use power of leg to pulse, don’t bend at waist.   IF YOU HAVE PAIN IN YOUR LOWER BACK THEN STOP AND GET ADVISE.  More back bridging (without pulsing) may be required. 

Ø       Progression: Single Leg:  When strong enough, go up to bridge, contract right glute and shoot left leg out, not wobbling at hips and keeping core strong.  Bring leg down and repeat on other leg.  Advanced: Pulse on each leg.

Ø       Plank Series: Three positions for this exercise

1.       Lie on your stomach, elbows bend under shoulders, flex your feet and lift up.

2.       Lie on your back, elbows bent under shoulders, flex feet and lift up.

3.       Lit on side elbow under shoulder, flex feet and contract abs and lift up.