HOW: Begin in a full side plank with one foot in front of the other, keeping your body in one straight line from your heels to your hips to your shoulders. Hold for a few seconds, then drop your hips down on the floor. When in the elevated position, make sure you are staying strong in the shoulder blade, by pushing your shoulder blade away from you.

 

FEEL: You will feel your shoulder, hip, and core working, specifically the side facing the floor.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid allowing your shoulder blade to sag back. Avoid allowing your hips to dip towards the floor when holding at the top

HOW: Begin on your hands and knees. In this position, you will balance on the opposite arm and leg. The wider you are the easier to balance, the more narrow the more challenging this will be. Bring the arm and leg up as high as you can towards the ceiling. Once you have your arm and leg up, rotate your head to look fully one way, and then the opposite way. After that, slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

 

FEEL: With the leg kicking out you will feel the muscles on the back of the hip working, with the arm that is punching out you will feel the muscles on top of the shoulder and back of the shoulder blade working. You may feel a bit off balance when you turn your head, that is okay! Try to control it as best you can. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid rotating the trunk, arching the back as you raise your leg, or shrugging the shoulder as you raise the arm.

HOW: Start in a half kneeling by having one knee bent up in front of you with your foot directly in line with the knee that is down on the ground. Stay tall while looking straight ahead. Close your head and hold this balancing position for the time prescribed. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your core and hip muscles working to stabilize your body. 

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t slouch forwards, keep your torso long. Don’t flex the hip.

HOW: Get set up in a standing tandem stance with one foot in front of the other. The more narrow your feet are, the harder the balancing is. Once you are balanced in this position, move your head in a yes motion for the prescribed reps, then switch feet. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your lower leg muscles working to balance your body. 

 

COMPENSATION: Maintain the tandem stance, don’t fall out to the side.

HOW: Attach a resistance band to something at about waist height. Have the attachment of the band at one side and grab onto it with both hands. Shift all of your weight to the outside leg. Lift up and bend the inside knee and keep it straight out from your hip. From here, press the band straight out in front of your chest while balancing on the one leg and not letting the band pull you outward. Perform the press motion for the prescribed amount of reps. 

FEEL: You should feel your core muscles working and your leg muscles working to keep your foot flat on the ground. 

COMPENSATION: Don’t let your body rotate towards the anchored portion of the band, stay facing forwards.