HOW: Start by lying face down with your arms directly in front of you and your legs straight down.  Lift your arms and legs up towards the ceiling at the same time while keeping your elbows and knees straight. Lift as high as you can and slowly come back down. 

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles in your low back, glutes, and shoulder blades working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t bend your elbows or knees when lifting up. Keep your neck in a neutral position, don’t look up.

HOW: Start in the bear crawl position on your hands and feet, with your knees about a half inch off the ground. In this position, your shoulders should be engaged and driving into the ground. Slowly crawl forward by moving on hand and the opposite leg at the same time, then switch sides. After a few steps forward, then push backwards.

 

FEEL: You should feel your core, hips, and shoulders working.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not let your hips/back move. Pretend you have a cup of water balancing on your low back. Don’t let it spill!

HOW: Anchor a band to a wall or strong item in a low position. Grab onto the band with one hand. Get into a plank position on your forearms facing the band. While having the opposite arm and both feet in contact with the ground, perform a row by letting your arm holding the band go straight up overhead, then pulling the band back by your side. 

 

FEEL: You will feel your core, shoulder, and upper back muscles working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Try to keep your butt down, but slightly shifting your weight to the opposite side while pulling the band is okay.

HOW: Step backwards and out to the side like you were to perform a curtsey, lower yourself into a lunge position. Keep most of your weight on your front leg, use the back leg for balance.

 

FEEL: You should feel a good glute stretch and your hip muscles activated. You should feel your glutes and quads working to lower yourself and stand back up.

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t put too much of your weight on your back leg as you step back, focus on good knee position with the front leg by not letting it cave in or bow out too much.

HOW: Get a weight set up in one hand and pick your foot up off the ground that is on the same side as the weight. Keeping your shoulder packed while gripping the weight tight, slowly lower the weight straight down to the ground by hinging at your hip while keeping your back straight. Return to the standing position and repeat.

 

FEEL: You should feel your hamstrings and glutes working very hard to control the lowering phase and initiating the return to standing phase. You should also feel your core working hard to keep your low back in a good position and not arching or rounding.

 

COMPENSATION: Be sure to keep your back straight by keeping your core tight. Also, do not let your pelvis/hips rotate excessively. Think if you were wearing a belt buckle – keep the belt buckle facing forward and not rotating or tilting. Also, be sure to focus on keeping your balance and not leaning too much side to side.

HOW: Begin by lying on your back with a swissball underneath your feet/lower legs. Lift one leg off of the ball and push into the ball with your other leg on the ball lifting your hips up off of the ground. From here, continue to push into the ball as you roll it back towards your hips maintaining your hips off of the ground. Roll back to the starting position and relax. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your hamstring muscles working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your hips up as you perform the hamstring curl.

HOW: Get set-up on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder and your forearm supported on the ground. Have your feet stacked and supported on the ground with the knees straight. To begin the exercise, push your hips up and forward as high as you can and hold this position. Then lift your top leg up towards the ceiling while keeping it straight and in line with your body, hold this position.

 

FEEL: This should feel like a full-body exercise. Your shoulder and shoulder blade muscles will be working as well as your hip, back, and stomach muscles. You will especially feel your right hip and core muscles working if you’re laying on your right side. Follow the video for other cues and tips.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not let your hips or shoulder sag, do not let your body rotate. Do not let the leg in the air sag down.

HOW: Start by lying on your back.  Bring your knees up towards your chest and bend your knees making an “L” shape. Grab a band that is anchored behind you with both hands and while keeping your elbows straight, pull it over your head stopping at your chest.  Keep your neck in line with your spine and raise your head up lifting your upper back off of the ground like performing an ab crunch. While holding the tension from the band and staying in a crunch position, straighten one leg out until it is a few inches off of the ground, and return to the starting position.  Alternate straightening each leg all while holding the tension in the band. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your core muscles working as well as your lats and arm muscles. You should feel your core muscles working the entire time.

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your core engaged during the process, don’t arch your back. Keep your arms straight up at chest level and don’t bend your elbows. Don’t let your leg rest on the ground as you straighten it. Don’t tuck your chin as you crunch up.

HOW: Get a band or cable anchored somewhere between waist and shoulder height. While standing perpendicular to the anchor and holding the handle with both hands, press your arms forward away from your chest until your elbows are fully straight. While maintaining arm position in relation to your upper body, rotate your trunk towards the anchor, return to starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: You should feel your core and back muscles working as well as your arm muscles to maintain optimal position and form.

 

COMPENSATION: You should step away from the anchor until there is enough resistance that is challenging, but not too hard where you can’t maintain optimal form. Do not let your hips rotate towards the anchor as you perform this exercise, only the upper body rotates