HOW: Begin by lying on your stomach with your arms straight out to the side. Keep your upper half on the ground as you lift one leg up and over the other leg tapping the toe, and returning. Alternate each leg going back and forth for the prescribed amount of reps. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your low back and hips stretch. 

 

COMPENSATION: Try to keep from your belly button up on the ground as you twist up and over with each leg.

HOW: Begin on your back with your arms and legs straight out. Make sure to keep your core engaged by pushing your low back against the floor. The closer to the floor you bring your arms and legs the more challenging this exercise will be.

 

FEEL: You will feel your abdominals working with this exercise.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid allowing your back to arch as you perform this hold.

HOW: Start by lying on your stomach on the floor. Using your back muscles, slowly lift your feet and hands away from the floor. The goal is to hover in a superman position for the prescribed amount of time. The more of your upper and lower body that is lifted away from the ground, the harder! Be cautious with this exercise as it may not be comfortable for everyone!

 

FEEL: You should feel all the muscles in your lower back working to get into the superman position.

 

COMPENSATION: Try not to super arch your back while doing this exercise. Only lift your chest/knees away from the ground enough to feel your lower back muscles working. 

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. Hold this position as you step and perform a lateral lunge away from the anchor while keeping your hips and shoulders square facing forward, then 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. You will also feel your hip and thigh muscles working as well to maintain position and to perform the lateral lunge.

 

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 the band rotate your upper body, keep your arms straight and hips facing forward. Try to avoid twisting your back. Try to keep your leg closer to the anchor straight. 

HOW: Start in a wide stance standing position as you would for a sumo deadlift. Have a band anchored under both feet. Hinge at your hips and lower down into the bottom of a sumo deadlift, grab the band with both hands and set your shoulder blades back, then drive your feet through the ground to stand tall. Return to the starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: This should feel like a lower body workout, specifically your glutes, hamstrings, and adductors. Depending on the amount of resistance, you will also feel your upper back and shoulder blades working with this exercise.

 

COMPENSATION: All of the same rules apply with your traditional sumo deadlift, perform the exercise by hip hinging as much as you can while keeping your chest up and sinking your hips down into the bottom position. Keep your shoulder blades pinned back, avoid early extension through your upper body and torso, drive the pull through your lower body. 

HOW: Get set-up flat on your back with both feet supported on an elevated surface with the knees straight, slight bend is ok. While maintaining a flat low back, push into the elevated surface to bridge up and lift your hips off the ground. Your body should create a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. While you hold this position, bring one knee up towards your chest as if you were marching. Hold this position for a second, then slowly return to starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: You will feel the muscles behind your thigh, knee, and butt muscles working hard with this exercise. You may also feel your core and back muscles working too. You will also feel muscles in front of the hip on the side that is performing the marching.

 

COMPENSATION: Limit excessive arching or rounding of your back, keep your hips level with the ground. Do not let your hips drop or rotate.

HOW: Get set-up standing near a wall, place one knee and thigh up against the wall with your thigh about parallel to the ground. Try to be standing tall or leaning slightly into the wall, then push your knee into the wall as hard as you can and also push with the leg that is in contact with the ground.

 

FEEL: You will feel your hip and butt muscles working on the leg that is in contact with the ground. You will also feel your hip and butt muscles on the side that is pushing against the ball against the wall.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not lose knee position on the wall, do not lean away from the wall or lean back, try to not let your knee excessively bend on the side that is in contact with the ground.

HOW: Assume the tall plank position on your hands and knees. Starting with either your right or left hand, lower yourself to your elbow. Then do the same with your opposite side. Next, come back up to the tall plank position on your hands.

 

FEEL: You should feel all the muscles in your stomach working to stabilize you. You may also feel your shoulders, chest, and triceps working.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid rotating your torso as you perform this. Keep your trunk neutral by keeping your core engaged.

HOW: Get set-up in a high lunge/split stance position with a band anchored at or above your head level. Have the band anchored to the side of you and the knee that is closest to the anchor will be forward. While holding onto the band with both palms facing down and keeping your lower body still, perform a chop motion diagonally downwards away from the anchor moving your arms and your torso. Slowly return to starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles on the outside of your shoulders and shoulder blades working. You should also feel your core muscles and leg muscles working to stabilize the rest of the your body.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not lean forward or backward, do not tilt side to side, do not lose your balance, try to time your arm and torso movement accordingly. Maintain that split stance position!