Routine 1 Strength

Quick Description: On your hands and knees. Knees are under your hips and hands are under your shoulders. Extend your spine and look up towards the ceiling, then round your back and tuck your chin towards your chest, tuck your tailbone as well. Then proceed back into the extension, chin up and tailbone up. Breathing throughout. Repeat 10 repetitions. 

Starting Position: Let’s begin this exercise in the quadruped, also known as the table top position or hands and knees position. Come down to the floor and support your weight on your hands, knees, and the tops of your feet. The hands are flat on the floor, putting your wrists in an extended position.  Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with your fingers pointed in front of you toward 12 o’clock. Your hands should be just slightly wider than your ribs, and should be in line with your chest, not up by your upper shoulders or neck.  Your elbows are fully extended, or straight and your scapula, or shoulder blades, are slightly retracted, or pulled back, creating a flat surface for your upper back.  In other words, you’re not allowing your back to round up toward the ceiling too much, but staying very neutral.  Your nose is pointed toward the floor, because this is in alignment with your spine which is currently parallel with the floor.  Retract your head back, or in this case, up, to maintain that good alignment.  Another way to say it, keep your nose pointed toward the floor, but lift your head as high as you can, like your trying to touch the ceiling with the back of your head.  Your belly should be squeezed in tight with your lumbar with your lower spine, curved anteriorly, in this case toward the floor, very slightly.  For your spine, from the top of your head to the top of your buttocks, we are aiming for neutrality, an elongated spine with shallow curves. Your knees are directly under your hips, and your knees and feet are the same width as your hips, approximately six inches of space. Finally, the tops of your feet are resting on the floor with your toes pointed behind you toward 6 o’clock. 

To Perform the Exercise: Slowly alternate between full flexion and full extension of your spine. For the first position, put your spine into full extension by simultaneously raising your head and looking up as high as you can, and pushing your chest and belly toward the floor as far as you can. Keep your elbows straight and don’t move your hands, knees, or feet. Then move into the second position, which is full flexion of the spine, by dropping your chin down toward the floor and then toward your chest, and simultaneously pushing your shoulders and back up toward the ceiling as high as you can. Again, keep the rest of your body in the exact same position. When raising your spine up, try to pull your belly button into your spine for the full contraction. Repeat for 10 repetitions. 

Muscles Targeted: This will lengthen and stretch the core abdominal muscles, as well as the spinal muscles such as the erector spinae (the large muscles on either side of your spine), and the small muscles that run between your vertebrae. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake is sitting back on your heels when performing this movement. Stay up in your table top position with your hips over your knees. 

Another common mistake is not rolling the hips when arching the spine. As your spine drops down, think about trying to push your tail bone and the back of your head closer together, and when your spine raises up, thing about pushing your chin and your groin closer together, rolling and turning the hips with each movement. 

Quick Description: Table top position with a neutral spine. Curl your toes under. Press into the hands and balls of the feet to hover the knees just off the floor. Hold this position and breathe. Then keeping your spine still, lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder, then the other shoulder 10 times. Lower the knees to rest. You will feel your core working on this one! 

Starting Position: Let’s begin this exercise in the quadruped, also known as the table top position or hands and knees position. Come down to the floor and support your weight on your hands, knees, and the tops of your feet. The hands are flat on the floor, putting your wrists in an extended position.  Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with your fingers pointed in front of you toward 12 o’clock. Your hands should be just slightly wider than your ribs, and should be in line with your chest, not up by your upper shoulders or neck. Your elbows are fully extended, or straight and your scapula, or shoulder blades, are slightly retracted, or pulled back, creating a flat surface for your upper back.  In other words, you’re not allowing your back to round up toward the ceiling too much, but staying very neutral.  Your nose is pointed toward the floor, because this is in alignment with your spine which is currently parallel with the floor.  Retract your head back, or in this case, up, to maintain that good alignment.  Another way to say it is to keep your nose pointed toward the floor, but lift your head as high as you can, like you’re trying to touch the ceiling with the back of your head.  Your belly should be squeezed in tight with your lumbar with your lower spine, curved anteriorly, in this case toward the floor, very slightly.  For your spine from the top of your head to the top of your buttocks, we are aiming for neutrality, an elongated spine with shallow curves. Your knees are directly under your hips, and your knees and feet are the same width as your hips, approximately six inches of space. Now, dorsiflex, or point your toes into the ground, until the bottoms of your toes and the balls of your feet are touching the floor. Finally, shift all of your weight onto your hands and toes, lifting your knees off the floor only about 1-2 inches or so. Your knees should remain under your hips, and there should be very little movement as you maintain the exact same stance, just holding your knees off the ground.  

To Perform the Exercise: Now that you are in the bear position, maintain the exact stance you are in while not allowing your shoulders or hips to turn or drop, lift one hand from the ground and tap the shoulder of the opposite arm. Put that hand back down and repeat with the other hand. Continue until you have about 10 repetitions for each side. 

Muscles Targeted: Primarily the muscles of the core including the rectus abdominus, Obliques, and Transverse Abdominals, but also the muscles of the arms, shoulders, and legs in this full body core exercise. 

Ways to Increase Intensity: To increase the tension and demand of this exercise, you can reach your raised hand out to the side instead of tapping the opposite shoulder. This reach to the side will challenge your stability even more and target some of the muscles in the posterior shoulder as well. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: To decrease the intensity of this exercise, instead of tapping the opposite shoulder, you can start by just lifting your hand off the ground a few inches and gently placing it back down. Work toward a higher and higher lift, perhaps tapping the elbow of the opposite arm, and eventually reaching across your body to the opposite shoulder. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this exercise is dropping your head toward the floor. It is very important to maintain a neutral spine, which means pointing your nose toward the floor, but lifting your head up into alignment with your spine. 

Another common mistake is starting with your hands out in front of your body. Your hands should be at chest level, and not up by your neck or face. 

Another common mistake is slapping your hand back down to the ground as you change arms. This should be a steady rhythmic movement, as your hand comes back down to the floor, it should be a soft contact with control. 

Quick Description: Lay on your side propped up on your elbow. Stack your hips and knees. Knees are bent to about 90 degrees. Push into the elbow and knees to lift the hips up and push them forward, squeezing the glutes. Keep the neck in line with the spine. Sit back and down with the hips and repeat. Perform 10 reps on each side. You can also straighten the top leg and raise and lower the straight leg while you hold the side plank. This exercise targets the side body muscles of the lower back and hip. More specifically the Lats, Quadratus lumborum, obliques and Gluteus medius. These muscles are important to stabilize the pelvis while running and weakness can lead to lower back pain and Iliotibial Band tightness. 

Starting position: Let’s start on the floor on a firm but padded surface such as a carpeted floor or hard surface with a yoga mat. Imagine you are lying on a giant clock face, your hips are centered in the middle of the clock, your head is pointed toward 12 o’clock, your feet toward 6 o’clock and you’re lying on your right side with your belly facing toward 9 o’clock. Now flex, or bend your knees half way, or until they are 90 degrees, and the bottoms of your feet are pointed toward the wall behind you, or to 3 o’clock. Your feet, ankles, and knees are touching as your left leg is resting on top of your right leg. Prop your upper body up off the floor by placing your right elbow directly under your shoulder, pointing your right forearm and hand in front of you toward 9 o’clock while your palm and forearm are on the floor. Your left arm and hand are resting on your left hip and leg. Your hips are still on the ground, but your ribs and shoulders are elevated up off the floor. One final check, if viewed from above, there should be a straight line from your head, through your shoulders and hips, and to your knees. Don’t have your knees out in front of you, or your hips back as everything should be in a line. 

To perform the exercise: Keep your right knee and elbow on the floor, drive your hips up off the ground as high as you can, squeeze your buttocks and push forward and up. In this position, the only things touching the ground are the outside of your right foot and lower leg, and your right elbow, forearm, and hand. Drive your hips up and forward as high as you can reach, and hold this position for 5 seconds, and then gently lower your hips back down until you lightly touch the ground before pushing back up to your elevated position. Repeat about 10 times and then switch sides. If you feel too much pressure in your knee or elbow, double up your padding for extra support. 

Muscles targeted: Your hip abductors (the outside of your hips), your Obliques and quadratis lumborum (the sides of your belly), and several accessory muscles in your chest and shoulders.  

Ways to Increase Intensity: If your looking for more of a challenge, instead of stacking your legs, you can straighten and elevate your top leg. Take your top leg and line it up with the rest of your body, meaning that there is a straight line from your heel, through your hips and shoulders, to your head. Hold this foot off the ground several inches as you perform your repetitions for some added tension. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: If this movement is a bit challenging, you can take your top hand and place your finger tips on the floor in front of you near your ribs. As you raise your hip up, you can push into that hand for a bit of assistance as you work toward performing the full exercise. Be sure not to lean forward as you place your hand on the floor in front of you. Keep your belly and chest pointed toward the room in front of you and not toward the floor. 

Common mistakes: One common mistake is allowing your hips to sag down and back when at the top of the lift. If I were to see you do this exercise from the ceiling, there should be a straight line from your shoulders, through your hips, to your knees, and from the back side of you, the same thing. You want to be as straight as you can be, lifting your hips up as high as you can, and forward as far as you can, really squeezing your buttocks.  

Another common mistake is allowing your elbow to drift up toward your ear. Make sure that you are keeping the elbow directly under the shoulder, even tucked in a little closer to your ribs rather than under your ear. 

Quick Description: Start on your stomach, propped up on your elbow about shoulder width apart. Press up into a plank position on your toes and elbows/forearms. Be sure to maintain a neutral spine. Repeat 8-10 times. A variation is to lift one leg and move the body forward and back slightly. Rest down and repeat on the other side. This is another classic core exercise. 

Starting position: Let’s start on the ground in a prone (face down) position with your elbows, forearms, and hands on the floor, your back extended with your head, shoulders, and chest up off the floor and your belly, hips, thighs and shins flat on the ground. Dorsi flex your feet (turn your toes under and dig them into the floor so that the balls of your feet and toes are gripping the ground). Your nose should be pointed at the floor between your arms, but your head should be retracted back, pushing the back of your head toward the ceiling. You can have your palms flat on the floor or you can make a fist. 

To perform the exercise: Simply squeeze your belly and buttocks and lift your hips off the floor until they are the same level as your shoulders and heels.  When in this front plank position, the only parts of your body that are making contact with the floor are your elbows, forearms, and hands, and the balls of your feet and toes.  Your whole body is in one straight line, with your hips at the same height as your shoulders, and your spine is neutral. A reminder that your head should be retracted back, so that your nose is pointed toward the floor, keeping your head elevated, not allowing it to drop down too far. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds, and then gently lower back down. As your hips touch the ground, raise up again, repeating this cycle 8-10 times. 

Muscles targeted: This is a whole body exercise so you can feel tension in the calves, thighs, abdominals, chest, shoulders, or arms.   

Ways to Increase Intensity: There are many ways to make this exercise more challenging. One simple method is to raise one foot off the ground a few inches while maintaining a strong and stable position. This will put rotational tension in your core, adding to the exercise. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: If this movement is challenging, or you have a hard time maintaining a neutral position, you can shorten the movement by keeping your knees on the floor, and lifting your hips just a few inches up. In this shortened position, you will have good tension on your core muscles, but it will be less than a full plank. Build up your strength and stability and practice the full version as you go. 

Common mistakes: The first common mistake is allowing your head or hips to sag down. Retract your head up, and squeeze the belly in to maintain spinal neutrality.  

Another common mistake is allowing the hips to rise up too high as your hips should be no higher than your shoulders, and should be turned posteriorly to maintain a neutral spine.  

Another common mistake is allowing your lower back to over arch. Focus on squeezing your belly in, imagining drawing your belly button into your spine. If your lower back over arches, you will take tension out of the muscles in your core and place it in the spine instead which defeats the purpose of the exercise and puts you at risk for injury. 

Quick Description: Lay on your side, prop yourself up on one elbow. Stack your hips, knees and ankles in a straight line. Push into the floor into the elbow and feet. (Feet can be staggered with the top foot in front of the other). Push upwards into the full plank position and hold. You can move the top arm around, and up and down to challenge the core. Try to hold around 10-20 seconds and repeat 5-6 times. Repeat on both sides.  

Starting position: Let’s lie on the floor on your side on a firm but padded surface such as a carpeted floor or hard surface with a yoga mat.  Imagining you are lying on a giant clock face with your hips centered in the middle of the clock, your head pointed toward 3 o’clock, your feet toward 9 o’clock and you are lying on your right side facing toward 12 o’clock.  Your feet, ankles, and knees are touching as your left leg is resting on top of your right leg. If you need to place your top leg forward just slightly on the ground for added balance, you can do that to begin with. Now, prop your upper body up off the floor by placing your right elbow directly under your shoulder, pointing your right forearm and hand in front of you toward 12 o’clock while your palm and forearm are on the floor.  Your left arm and hand are resting on your left hip and leg. Your hips are still on the ground, but your ribs and shoulders are elevated up off the floor. 

To Perform the Exercise: Keep your bottom foot and elbow on the floor, but lift your whole body up off the ground, squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips up and forward as hard as you can.  Drive your bottom elbow into the floor actively pushing up through your bottom shoulder, making sure not to relax any muscles in the body. You are now performing a side plank. In this position, the only things touching the ground are the outside of your bottom foot and your bottom elbow, forearm, and hand. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds or as long as you are able to.   

Muscles Targeted: Hip Abductors (the outside of your hips), Obliques and quadratis lumborum (the sides of your belly),  and several accessory muscles  in your chest and shoulders.   

Ways to Increase Intensity: If you are looking for more of a challenge you can take your top arm and move it forward and backward, up and down, and all around. If you can keep your balance and your core stays strong while doing this, you will be challenging the muscles in your midsection even more. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: You can perform a modified version by doing the short side plank instead, by starting with your knees bent to 90 degrees and your feet back behind you. Then when lifting your hips, your weight will be on your forearm and lower leg/knee, shortening your body and making the side plank easier. 

Common mistakes: First, allowing your hips to sag down and back.  If I were to see you do this exercise from the ceiling, there should be a straight line from your shoulders, through your hips, to your knees, and from the back side of you, the same thing. You want to be as straight as you can be, lifting your hips up as high as you can, and forward as far as you can, really squeezing your buttocks.   

Another common mistake is allowing your bottom elbow to drift toward 3 o’clock for your right side or 9 o’clock for your left side.  Make sure that you are keeping the elbow directly under the shoulder, even tucked in a little closer to your ribs rather than under your ear. Don’t let your elbow get too far out from under you as this will place extra tension in your shoulder. 

Another common mistake is flexing (or bending) the knees. Keep your knees locked totally straight through the duration of the exercise unless you are modifying the exercise and bending the knees into a short plank. A full plank requires locked knees. 

Quick Description: Lay on your back, bring your knees up over your hips to 90 degrees. Place your hands on the knees and resist the knees into your hands. Your spine should be contacting the floor. Resist the knees and breathe. Hold for 10-20 secs. This core exercise helps you engage the abdominal muscles together. 

Starting Position: Let’s start supine (face up on your back) on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or a hard surface with a yoga mat. Notice that with your legs straight out on the ground, your lower back is arched slightly away from the floor, creating a slight space. As you move into this exercise, that arch may expand or narrow slightly, but focus on maintaining that exact same spacing as you move into position and engage the exercise. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and raise them up toward the ceiling so that your knees are directly over your hips, and your shins are flat parallel with the ground and your toes are pointed straight up. There should be equal distance between your knees, ankles, and toes, approximately 6 inches or so. Now, place your hands on your knees, with your elbows bent and slightly out to the side. Finally, contract the muscles of your core by imagining that someone is about to stand on your stomach, and focus on maintaining that contracted mid section through the entire exercise.  

To Perform the Exercise: Simultaneously drive your knees into your hands toward your chest and at the same time push your hands back into your knees, creating a massive amount of tension and strain in your arms, legs, and core. You will not actually move from this starting position, as this is an isometric exercise, meaning that you are developing lots of tension, but not changing position. Hold for 10-20 seconds, making sure to breathe throughout the duration of the squeeze. 

Muscles Targeted: The core abdominal muscles, as well as some muscles in the legs like the Hip Flexors (upper thigh) and some muscles in the arms like the Triceps (back of the upper arm). 

Common Mistakes: This exercise is what you make it, only you can really gauge the amount of effort and tension you are applying. One common mistake is not applying enough force through your legs or arms to really challenge your midsection. Be sure to push yourself in order to truly see your strength develop. 

Quick Description: Lie on your back, with feet hip width apart and knees bent. Push into your feet to lift your hips and butt up off the ground and then back down. Repeat 5 times. Then, keeping the feet hip width apart, let the knees come together. Perform the glute bridge by raising the hips up and down in this position 5 times. Then bring the feet right together, let the knees fall out about half way and perform the glute bridges in this position, repeat 5 times. The hips don’t lie! The hip muscles power your stride and provide stability to the whole lower limb. 

Starting position: Let’s start supine, or face up,  on the floor, on a firm but padded surface such as a carpet or hard flooring with a yoga mat.  Flex, or bend the knees, pointing your knees toward the ceiling and place your feet flat on the floor about 6 inches from your buttocks, maintaining about 6 inches between your feet and knees.  The position of your arms and hands is preferential. You can leave them at your side palms up or palms down, or you can fold your arms across your chest. 

To perform the exercise: keep your feet flat and your shoulders and head in contact with the floor, and lift your hips up off the ground toward the ceiling as high as you can, squeezing your glutes (buttocks) at the top. Then, slowly lower back down to the starting position. Repeat 5 times. Now, keep your feet where they are and collapse your knees together. Repeat the hip lift, driving your belly and thighs toward the ceiling while keeping your knees touching. Repeat 5 times. Then finally bring the insides of your feet together, and let your knees fall open about half way, a few inches wider than your hips. Lift your hips again, squeeze your glutes and try for maximum extension just as in the other positions. Repeat 5 times.  

Muscles targeted: The hamstrings (or back of your legs), your glutes (or buttocks), and your lumbar Erector Spinae (or lower back).   

Ways to Increase Intensity: If you want a little more of a challenge, you can place your feet on a raised or unstable surface. Some examples are a bottom step, a foam roller, a stool, or small stability ball. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: If this exercise is challenging, place your arms on the floor at your side with your palms down so that you can press into the floor with your hands and use a small amount of leverage from your arms as you lift your hips. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this movement is not keeping the feet parallel, whether they are hip width or in close. There should be equal spacing between your toes and heels in either position. Don’t allow your toes to turn out or in, as this can place a twist in your knee. 

Another common mistake is not squeezing and activating the glutes at the top of the lift. Be sure to push your hips as high as you can, tightening your buttocks at the top. 

Quick Description: Lay on your back, bring your knees up over your hips to 90 degrees. Extend your arms straight up over your shoulders, palms facing each other. Now extend your opposite arm and leg with your exhale. Alternate sides for 12 repetitions each side. Perform 2 sets.  

Starting Position: Let’s start supine (face up on your back) on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or a hard surface with a yoga mat. Notice that with your legs straight out on the ground, your lower back is arched slightly away from the floor, creating a slight space. As you move into this exercise, that arch may expand or narrow slightly, but focus on maintaining that exact same spacing as you shift your arms and legs. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and raise them up toward the ceiling so that your knees are directly over your hips, and your shins are parallel with the ground and your toes are pointed straight up. There should be equal distance between your knees, ankles, and toes, approximately 6 inches or so. Now, extend both arms toward the ceiling, straight up over your chest with your palms facing in toward one another. Finally, contract the muscles of your core by imagining that someone is about to stand on your stomach, and focus on maintaining that contracted mid section through the entire exercise.  

To Perform the Exercise: Take one leg and the opposite arm, and as you exhale, slowly lower them toward the floor, your leg straightening as you push the bottom of your foot toward the room in front of you, and your straight arm dropping toward the floor directly over your head. Lower them down to just several inches from the ground, and then slowly lift them back up to your starting position again. Through the movement, focus again on contracting your core muscles and maintaining the same neutral arch in your lower spine. Repeat the movement on the opposite side, alternating back and forth until you have about 10-12 repetitions on each side. 

Muscles Targeted: This will target the majority of the core stabilizer muscles 

Ways to Increase Intensity: You can increase intensity by adding some resistance to your movement using ankle or wrist weight attachments. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: You can decrease intensity by shortening your movement a bit. As you extend, you can keep your knee bent and just lower your heel toward the ground, and lower your arm down only about half way toward the floor. Focus on contracting your core and moving toward the full extension of the exercise. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this exercise is relaxing and or shifting through the mid section too much. The idea behind this exercise is that as you move your arms and legs, there will be varying forces that pull on your core and hips. Keep your belly tight and your mid section still as a statue so you can to train your body to stabilize during alternating arm and leg movements. 

Quick Description: Lay on your back, with knees bent and your feet on your towel or plastic tupperware lids. Dig your heels into the sliding object, arms out to the side slightly for balance. Lift the hips up and gently slide both heels away from you and back in. Keep hips up for 5-6 repetitions. Perform 2 sets. If this is easy, try doing this single leg by lifting one leg and only sliding with one leg.  

Starting position: Let’s start supine, or face up,  on the floor, with your upper body on a firm but padded surface such as a carpet or hard flooring with a yoga mat.  Your feet should be either on carpet if you have plastic sliders, or on a smooth wood or tile surface if you have a towel. Flex, or bend the knees, pointing them toward the ceiling and place your feet flat on the floor about 6 inches from your buttocks, maintaining about 6 inches between your feet and knees.  Place the sliders under your heels, as your weight should be focused in the heels through the exercise. Place your arms straight out to the side with your palms down for balance.  Now, raise your hips up off the floor as high as you can into a glute bridge (check out that lesson for more information if needed). Finally, dig your heels into the floor and lift your toes up a couple of inches off the ground, keeping all your weight in your heels and shoulders. 

To Perform the Exercise: In this position slowly slide your heels away from your body towards straight legs. Extend your heels out as far as you can, though it is not a goal to fully lock your knees, just reach out until you feel the most tension you can manage. Be sure to keep your buttocks up off the ground as high as you can throughout the entire exercise. Once you’ve reached the furthest point you can without losing good form, then slowly slide the heels back in towards your body to the starting position. You can lower your hips to the ground if you need some rest, or keep them raised and continue immediately. Repeat this 5-6 times, and perform 2 sets. 

Muscles Targeted: Hamstrings (back of the thigh) and Glutes (buttocks),  

Ways to Increase Intensity: To challenge yourself more, perform the 5-6 series of this movement without lowering your hips back down to the ground for rest in between. You can also perform this same movement single leg, keeping the other leg straight and off the floor through the series of repetitions. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: To decrease the intensity, you can rest in between repetitions, and limit the distance to which you attempt to slide your heels out. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake is not engaging the core muscles during this exercise. A fairly challenging maneuver, it is easy to over arch the spine and not think about using your core. To do this movement correctly, contract your abdominal muscles through the entire exercise and keep a shallow, neutral arch in your lower spine. A good way to think of this is to tighten your belly like someone is about to stand on your stomach, keep that tension to support your hips and spine. 

Another common mistake is sliding quickly through this movement. As tempting as it is, you will get so much more from this exercise if you take your time and straighten your legs in a slow controlled cadence as opposed to a fast sliding motion. Slowly extend your legs and keep your body as steady and strong as you can. 

Quick Description: In a standing or kneeling position, hold a towel or rope shoulder width apart with straight arms and pull your hands apart for 10 seconds. As you pull your hands apart, move both arms over head and hold and breathe for 10 seconds. 

Starting Position: For this exercise, you can start either standing or kneeling. In either position, make sure that your spine is very erect, pushing the crown of your head toward the ceiling, and pulling your shoulder blades back and down. Using a rope, a rolled up towel, belt, stick, or any other sturdy object, grip the equipment at a width that is just on the outside of your thighs, about shoulder width. Your palms should be facing the room behind you, and your grip should be tight and your arms straight. 

To Perform the Exercise: Keeping a strong grip, press your hands laterally out to your sides, as if you were trying to pull the rope or object in half. Keeping that same pressure and your arms completely straight, raise your hands out in front of you and then up overhead as high as you can, pushing your knuckles toward the room behind you. Keep your head up high, your spine straight, and your shoulders pulled back and down. Hold this position for 10 seconds, actively pulling outward, and then slowly lower back down by bringing your hands out in front of you, and then back down to your thighs. 

Muscles Targeted: This will stretch open many of the muscles in the upper back, chest, and shoulders. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this movement is allowing your elbows to bend. Keep your arms locked straight as you raise your hands up over your head. 

Another common mistake with this movement is over arching your lower back as your hands come up over head. As you try to reach up and back as far as you can, there will be a natural tendency for your lower back to arch further. Fight against this by keeping your belly tight, and pushing the top of your head toward the ceiling, which will keep the stretch in the upper back and shoulders. 

Another common mistake is loosening your grip and not pulling the object open. This exercise becomes much more effective when you are actively engaged in it’s movement. Keep your grip strong and the pressure on in order to get the most from this exercise. 

Quick Description: Standing with feet outside of hip width. Hold towel or rope over head pulling the arms apart. Perform your squat keeping the towel or rope overhead. Repeat 10 times. This is an amazing total body exercise, it will wake up and strengthen your spine and hip muscles. 

Starting Position: Let’s start standing fully erect with your feet hip width or just slightly wider, and your toes pointed directly forward toward 12 o’clock, or just slightly more open. Now, take a rolled up towel or rope and hold it in front of your thighs, gripping it firmly with your palms facing your legs at about hip width. Pulling the towel or rope open, raise your arms straight up over head, keeping lots of tension on the towel or rope, as if you were trying to tear it in half. 

To Perform the Exercise: Understand that the squat is one of the most powerful, most often used, and most often improperly performed, exercises out there. Follow all of these guidelines, and listen to your body, as small variations may be appropriate for your build or athleticism. First, engaging the right muscle groups is essential, in this case, the hips and buttocks are the primary movers, along with the hamstrings (back of the thigh) and quadriceps (thigh). Keeping the tension on the towel and your arms straight overhead, start the movement by pushing your hips back toward the wall behind you a few inches, causing you to flex at the hips and put your weight back on your heels. Be sure to not lose neutrality in your spine, your lower back should still have a shallow forward curve, just as if you were standing up. Now, keeping your weight in your heels, sit your hips back and down, like you are sitting in a very little chair that is way back behind you. Note, if you want to make sure your getting this right, you can get a chair or stool and perform a squat standing several inches away from it, sitting down, touching the chair very lightly, and then standing back up. As you lower into your squat, your knees should stay open as wide as your feet, and your chest and back should be upright and as tall as you can make them, with your arms still overhead. When you have dropped as low as you can, drive your heels into the ground, squeeze your buttocks and your core, press your knees out, and push your head and hands toward the ceiling as you drive back up to the starting position, finishing with your hips driving forward again and squeezing at the top. Perform 6-10 reps with control and focus on good posture and stability. 

Muscles Targeted: Glute Complex (buttocks), Hamstrings (back of the thigh), Quadriceps (thigh), and many accessory muscles including core muscles, postural muscles, and muscles in the lower legs and feet. 

Ways to Increase Intensity: This primary exercise has dozens and dozens of variations to make it more challenging. One simple technique is to slow down your movements, especially on the way down (eccentric). Perform a slow count of 3 or 4 on the way down, and a count of 1 or 2 on the way up for a simple but effective way of turning up the intensity. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: If squats are challenging for you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. A super simple way of taking some pressure off your legs, knees, hips, or back, is to hold onto a stable object while sitting back into your squat. Examples may include the edge of a counter, the back of a couch, a banister railing, a suspended rope, a low pull-up bar, a strong door knob, etc. Holding this object will allow you to sit back a little more and share some of the stress with your upper body, allowing you the right tension to strengthen your legs and work toward doing unassisted body weight squats. The best objects are easily gripped and stable at about upper belly or chest level. 

Common Mistakes: There are many mistakes that can be made with this exercise, I will list the most frequent ones, and note that these mistakes are not always on or off or black or white. Often there are subtle and small variations. You don’t have to be bent over double for it to be wrong. Even a small misalignment in your lower back can cause big problems over time, so always be on the look out for these, even if you are experienced with exercise. 

First common mistake is rounding your back and dropping your chest. Though the squat is a full body exercise, engaging many muscles in the upper body in an accessory manner, it is primarily for the legs and buttocks, so we want the upper body to be as neutral and stationary as possible. Your upper body should stay as erect as possible through the entire movement, your core tight, your back neutral and strong with your arms up overhead. Imagine looking at a person in front of you while you are squatting, whether at the top or bottom, you want to point your face, chest, and belly toward them the entire time. 

Another common mistake is not sitting back into the squat. If you miss the first step of pushing your hips back and subsequently not sitting in that imaginary chair way back behind you, you will have a tendency to push your knees forward and your weight into your toes. This puts a lot of pressure in your knees and long term is not biomechanically sound. Your knees can and will move forward slightly, but your weight should remain in your heels, and your knees should not pass your toes. 

Another common mistake is allowing your knees to collapse together, whether on the way down (eccentric) or on the way up (concentric). If your knees collapse together, you are getting a better push, but the tension is no longer in your leg muscles, but is being shifted into the ligaments of your knee. Press your knees open as you sit and stand, keeping them to the same width as your hips and feet. If you struggle with this, you can prime those muscles by performing squats with a short elastic band around your knees. The band will try to pull your knees inward, and as you fight to keep the band stretched open, you will strengthen the muscles that externally rotate and abduct your legs. 

Quick Description: In a standing position take a step back with one foot. Back foot heel is up and you are resting on the toes, the front foot is under your knee. Feet should still be about shoulder width apart. Start to sink the hips down and drop the back knee towards the floor. Hold this position and then pulse up and down for 10 pulses. Switch legs. You can hold on to a chair or the wall for support. This exercise works your quads and hip muscles while challenging your balance. 

Starting Position: For this exercise, let’s kneel down on the floor on a firm but padded surface, such as a carpeted floor or a hard surface with a yoga mat.  In this kneeling position, both knees are bent to 90 degrees. Your front foot is flat on the floor in front of you with your knee up, and your back foot is dorsi flexed with your toes and ball of your foot dug into the ground. Your bottom knee is on the floor directly under your hips, and your hips are directly under your head and shoulders with your arms at your sides. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, and put your hands out in front of you, keeping your elbows at your side. Keeping your arms stationary will increase the demand on your legs. Now, keeping your upper body very erect, press your front flat foot and the toes of your back foot into the ground and raise up until your back knee is just a few inches from the floor. 

To Perform the Exercise: Keeping the majority of your weight in your front foot and some in your back foot, pulse up and down several inches, raising to about 10 inches or so, and then lowering back down to about 3 inches or so from the floor. Continue to move up and down slowly and rhythmically like a piston. The entire time, your back remains very upright and your front knee stays very steady over your front foot. 

Muscles Targeted: Glutes (buttocks), Hamstrings (back of thigh), Quadriceps (thigh), and other stabilizer muscles in the hips and core. 

Ways to Increase Intensity: To increase the challenge for this exercise, you can add resistance by holding on to weights as you perform your repetitions. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: To decrease the tension of this exercise, have a sturdy object to hold onto to help balance and take part of your weight off your legs, such as the edge of a kitchen counter or the back of a couch. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this exercise is leaning your chest way forward. To challenge your leg and hip muscles properly, it is best to keep your torso very erect, trying to keep your head over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips. Imagine driving the crown of your head toward the ceiling as you pulse up and down, and this will help keep you aligned. 

Another common mistake is dropping back down to the low position too quickly. Everything about this movement should be steady and controlled, especially on the way back down toward the floor. Soft smooth movements should be your goal through the duration of the exercise. 

Quick Description: Standing on your left foot, lift the right knee and thigh up to hip level, and straighten and bend the right knee while you balance on the left leg. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times each leg. For more of a challenge move the non stance leg forward and backwards while trying to balance. Improving balance will improve your running efficiency. 

Starting Position: Let’s start this exercise standing up straight next to a stable object you can hold on to for balance if needed. Center your weight over your grounded foot by moving your hips laterally, shifting to the side of that leg slightly, effectively putting your grounded foot right in the middle of your body alignment. Another way of saying it is that you’re not tipping to the side as your head and shoulders should stay right over your hips, but your whole vertical torso should be shifted just a little to the side so that your bottom foot is right in the middle of your body. Now raise your other knee to hip level out in front of you with your foot dangling down under your front knee. Your arms should be bent to 90 degrees and at your side with your palms facing each other out in front of you, just like when running. The exception is if you are having balancing issues, you can place your hand or hands on whatever stable object you are using for balance.  

To Perform the Exercise: Keeping your body as still and balanced as you can, straighten your front elevated leg, pointing the bottom of your foot toward the room in front of you. Hold for 10 seconds, and then relax it slowly back to the starting position. The only thing you want moving in this exercise is your knee extending and flexing, nothing else should be moving. Repeat the exercise about 5-6 times and then switch legs. 

Muscles Targeted: This exercise will challenge most of the muscles in the core, along with the major muscles of the hips and buttocks. 

Ways to Increase Intensity: If you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can swing your leg forward and back as you move in and out of these repetitions, causing your body to have to stabilize more. Also, you can stand on an unstable surface such as a soft mat or balance disc. This will cause you to have more instability and a greater need for muscle activation. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: To make this exercise a bit easier, you can hold onto a stable surface for support. Challenge yourself to only hold on when absolutely needed and work toward balancing without assistance. 

Common Mistakes: One common mistake with this exercise is swaying and leaning with the upper body. Think of your upper body being as still as a statue, shifting just slightly to counter balance the movement of your leg. The idea of this exercise is balance and stability, so keep yourself strong and stable through each movement. 

Quick Description: Standing on one leg, hold the wall beside you or in front to help with balance. Keep the other leg knee bent up to hip level. Perform squat on the one leg, always leading the movement with sitting your hips back into an imaginary chair and push into the ground to stand back up. Keep the other leg elevated the whole time. Repeat 12 times on each leg.  

Starting Position: Let’s start this exercise standing up straight next to a wall, in a doorway, or near any other stable object you can hold on to for balance if needed. Center your weight over your grounded foot by moving your hips laterally, shifting to the side of that leg slightly, effectively putting your grounded foot right in the middle of your body alignment. Another way of saying it is you’re not tipping to the side as your head and shoulders should stay right over your hips, but your whole vertical torso should be shifted just a little to the side so that your bottom foot is right in the middle of your body. Now raise your other knee to hip level out in front of you with your foot dangling down under your front knee. Your arms should be bent to 90 degrees and at your side with your palms facing each other out in front of you, just like when running. The exception is if you are having balancing issues, you can place your hand or hands on whatever stable object you are using for balance.  

To Perform the Exercise: Understand that the squat is one of the most powerful, most often used, and most often improperly performed, exercises out there, and the single leg version can be even more difficult. Follow all of these guidelines, and listen to your body, as small variations may be appropriate for your build or athleticism. First, engaging the right muscle groups is essential, in this case, the hips and buttocks are the primary movers, along with the hamstrings (back of the thigh) and quadriceps (thigh). Start the movement by pushing your hips back behind you a few inches, causing you to flex at the hips and put your weight back on the heel of your bottom leg. Be sure to not lose neutrality in your spine, your lower back should still have a shallow forward curve, just as if you were standing up. Now, keeping your front leg raised up off the floor and your weight in the heel of your balance foot, sit your hips back and down, like you are sitting in a very little chair that is way back behind you. Note, if you want to make sure your getting this right, you can get a chair or stool and perform a squat standing several inches away from it, sitting down, touching the chair very lightly, and then standing back up. As you lower into your squat, the knee of your bottom leg should stay directly over your ankle, and your chest and back should be upright and as tall as you can make them. When you have dropped as low as you can, drive your heel into the ground, squeeze your buttocks and your core, press your knee out to keep it from twisting inward, and push your head and front leg toward the ceiling as you drive back up to the starting position, finishing with your hips driving forward again and squeezing at the top. If you are advanced enough that you do not need to hold on to anything while doing this exercise, then your arm position can vary. Keeping your arms out in front of you can help counterbalance the backward movement of your hips, just be sure to still keep your chest and head up as high as you can, you’re not trying to reach toward the front of the room, just hold your arms out for balance. You can also bend your elbows and keep your arms at your side, or even raise them over head for an added challenge, though with the single leg stance, I would only recommend this for very advanced participants. Perform 12 repetitions and then switch legs. 

Muscles Targeted: Glute Complex (buttocks), Hamstrings (back of the thigh), Quadriceps (thigh), and many accessory muscles including core muscles, postural muscles, and muscles in the lower legs and feet. 

Ways to Increase Intensity: This primary exercise has dozens and dozens of variations to make it more challenging. One simple technique is to slow down your movements, especially on the way down (eccentric). Perform a slow count of 3 or 4 on the way down, and a count of 1 or 2 on the way up for a simple but effective way of turning up the intensity. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: A super simple way of taking some pressure off your legs, knees, hips, or back, is to hold onto a stable object while sitting back into your squat. One great place for this particular exercise is in an open door frame, as you can grip either side of the doorway, effectively using both arms to guide your movement. Other examples may include the edge of a counter, the back of a couch, a banister railing, a suspended rope, a low pull-up bar, a strong door knob, etc. Holding this object will allow you to sit back a little more and share some of the stress with your upper body, allowing you the right tension to strengthen your legs and work toward doing unassisted single leg body weight squats. The best objects are easily gripped and stable at about upper belly or chest level. You just need to make sure that whatever you are using does not interfere with your elevated front leg movement. 

Common Mistakes: There are many mistakes that can be made with this exercise, I will list the most frequent ones, and note that these mistakes are not always on or off or black and white. Often there are subtle and small variations. You don’t have to be bent over double for it to be wrong. Even a small misalignment in your lower back can cause big problems over time, so always be on the look out for these, even if you are experienced with exercise. 

First common mistake is rounding your back and dropping your chest. Though the squat is a full body exercise, engaging many muscles in the upper body in an accessory manner, it is primarily for the legs and buttocks, so we want the upper body to be as neutral and stationary as possible. Your upper body should stay as erect as possible through the entire movement, your core tight, your back neutral and strong. Imagine looking at a person in front of you while you are squatting, whether at the top or bottom, you want to point your face, chest, and belly toward them the entire time. 

Another common mistake is not sitting back into the squat. If you miss the first step of pushing your hips back and subsequently not sitting in that imaginary chair way back behind you, you will have a tendency to push your knee forward and your weight into your toes. This puts a lot of pressure in your knee and long term is not biomechanically sound. Your knee can and will move forward slightly, but your weight should remain in your heel, and your knees should not pass your toes. 

Another common mistake is allowing the knee of your bottom leg to collapse inward toward the midline of the body, whether on the way down (eccentric) or on the way up (concentric). If your knee collapses inward, you are getting a better push, but the tension is no longer in your leg muscles, but is being shifted into the ligaments of your knee. Press your knee open as you sit and stand, keeping it to the same alignment as your hip and foot. 

Quick Description: In a standing position hold the wall for some balance. Feet are hip width apart. Raise the heels into a calf raise. Rooting down through your big toes. Keeping the heels up, perform a squat, sitting the hips back and then standing back up, maintaining the heel raise. Repeat 10 times. 

Starting Position: Let’s start standing fully erect with your feet hip width or just slightly wider, and your toes pointed directly forward toward 12 o’clock, or just slightly more open. Position yourself next to a wall or other sturdy object for balance or support if needed. Now, perform a calf raise by pressing the balls of your feet into the floor and lifting your heels up a couple of inches from the ground. You will maintain this heel raise through the entirety of the exercise. 

To Perform the Exercise: Understand that the squat is one of the most powerful, most often used, and most often improperly performed, exercises out there. Follow all of these guidelines, and listen to your body, as small variations may be appropriate for your build or athleticism. First, engaging the right muscle groups is essential. In this case, the hips and buttocks are the primary movers, along with the hamstrings (back of the thigh) and quadriceps (thigh). Start the movement by pushing your hips back toward the wall behind you a few inches, causing you to flex at the hips and put your weight back slightly. Be sure not to lose neutrality in your spine and your lower back should still have a shallow forward curve, just as if you were standing up. Now, keeping your heels up and your hips back, sit your buttocks back and down, like you are sitting in a very little chair that is way far behind you. Note, if you want to make sure you are getting this right, you can get a chair or stool and perform a squat standing several inches away from it, sitting down, touching the chair very lightly, and then standing back up. As you lower into your squat, your knees should stay open as wide as your feet, and your chest and back should be upright and as tall as you can make them. When you have dropped as low as you can, drive your toes into the ground, squeeze your buttocks and your core, press your knees out, and push your head toward the ceiling as you drive back up to the starting position, finishing with your hips driving forward again and squeezing at the top. Your arm position through this exercise can vary. Keeping your arms out in front of you can help counterbalance the backward movement of your hips but just be sure to still keep your chest and head up as high as you can as you’re not trying to reach toward the front of the room, just hold your arms out for balance. You can also bend your elbows and keep your arms at your side, or even raise them over head for an added challenge. You can perform many variations and manipulations on this primary movement, including sitting at the bottom of your squat, raising one arm, then lowering it and raising the other, then standing back up. Perform 10 reps with control and focus on good posture and stability. 

Muscles Targeted: Glute Complex (buttocks), Hamstrings (back of the thigh), Quadriceps (thigh), Gastrocnemius and Soleus (Calf), and many accessory muscles including core muscles, postural muscles, and other muscles in the lower legs and feet. 

Ways to Increase Intensity: This primary exercise has dozens and dozens of variations to make it more challenging. One simple technique is to slow down your movements, especially on the way down (eccentric). Perform a slow count of 3 or 4 on the way down, and a count of 1 or 2 on the way up for a simple but effective way of turning up the intensity. You can also hold on to weights to add resistance to the movement. 

Ways to Decrease Intensity: If squats are challenging for you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. A super simple way of taking some pressure off your legs, knees, hips, or back, is to hold onto a stable object while sitting back into your squat. Examples may include the edge of a counter, the back of a couch, a banister railing, a suspended rope, a low pull-up bar, a strong door knob, etc. Holding this object will allow you to sit back a little more and share some of the stress with your upper body, allowing you the right tension to strengthen your legs and work toward doing unassisted body weight squats. The best objects are easily gripped and stable at about upper belly or chest level. 

Common Mistakes: There are many mistakes that can be made with this exercise, I will list the most frequent ones, and note that these mistakes are not always on or off or black and white. Often there are subtle and small variations. You don’t have to be bent over double for it to be wrong. Even a small misalignment in your lower back can cause big problems over time, so always be on the look out for these, even if you are experienced with exercise. 

First common mistake is rounding your back and dropping your chest. Though the squat is a full body exercise, engaging many muscles in the upper body in an accessory manner, it is primarily for the legs and buttocks, so we want the upper body to be as neutral and stationary as possible. Your upper body should stay as erect as possible through the entire movement, your core tight, your back neutral and strong. Imagine looking at a person in front of you while you are squatting, whether at the top or bottom, you want to point your face, chest, and belly toward them the entire time. 

Another common mistake is not sitting back into the squat. If you miss the first step of pushing your hips back and subsequently not sitting in that imaginary chair way back behind you, you will have a tendency to push your knees forward. This puts a lot of pressure in your knees and long term is not biomechanically sound. Your knees can and will move forward slightly, but your weight should remain pushed back, and your knees should not pass your toes. 

Another common mistake is allowing your knees to collapse together, whether on the way down (eccentric) or on the way up (concentric). If your knees collapse together, you are getting a better push, but the tension is no longer in your leg muscles, but is being shifted into the ligaments of your knee. Press your knees open as you sit and stand, keeping them to the same width as your hips and feet. If you struggle with this, you can prime those muscles by performing squats with a short elastic band around your knees. The band will try to pull your knees inward, and as you fight to keep the band stretched open, you will strengthen the muscles that externally rotate and abduct your legs.