Home Workout
Start with a warm up of Shoulder Rolls, Spine Twists, Hip Circles and Side Stretches
Roll Downs of the Spine x 3
Start in a neutral spine standing position.
On an out breath, drop your chin to the chest and roll your way down the spine as far as you feel comfortable, keeping your knees unlocked and your head as close to your body as possible. Take an in breath at the bottom of the movement and roll your way back up to standing with your tail bone slightly tucked under. Ensure the stomach muscles are braced to support the body.
Plank to Downward Dog, back to Plank x 8
With good shoulder and pelvis alignment, start in a plank position on hands. On your out breath, without moving the hands, lift your bottom up in the air and shift your weight backwards. Press the heels towards the floor as well as you can manage. Move back into the plank position on your in breath. Keep the stomach braced, especially in the plank position. The exercise can be done on elbows if preferred.
Pelvic Tilts x 10
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, on an out breath, tilt the pelvis evenly by pressing the lower back into the floor using the stomach muscles. On your in breath, reverse the movement and allow the back to arch away from the floor into a comfortable stretch.
Hip Twist Feet on Floor Alternate x 4
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, roll the knees over to one side and the head in the opposite direction, ensuring both shoulder blades stay on the floor. On an out breath, brace the stomach muscles and use that strength to roll the knees over to the other side.
Shoulder Bridge x 6-8
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, on an out breath, tilt the pelvis evenly by pressing the lower back into the floor using the stomach muscles. Continue peeling the spine off the floor one vertebra at a time until you reach a ski slope position. Be aware not to over arch the lower back. On your next out breath reverse the movement ensuring each vertebra makes contact with the floor as you are lowering down. Finish in a neutral spine position.
Single Knee Fold Crunches Alternate x 10
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, place the hands behind the head with the elbows out to the side and shoulders downwardly stabilised. Keep the hips in perfect alignment and on your out breath, lift the head and perform a crunch using the stomach muscles only. Simultaneously, lift one leg up into a Single Knee Fold position without pressing the supporting leg into the floor. Keep the elbows wide and the neck supported. Return back to neutral and repeat on the other side.
Twisted Single Knee Fold Crunches Alternate x 10
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, place the hands behind the head with the elbows out to the side and shoulders downwardly stabilised. Keep the hips in perfect alignment and on your out breath, rotate the spine up and across to the right side using the stomach muscles only, whilst keeping the elbows wide. Simultaneously, lift the left leg up into a Single Knee Fold position without pressing the supporting leg into the floor. Return back to neutral and repeat on the other side.
1 Leg Stretch Alternate x 10-12
Start on your back with the legs up in a Double Knee Fold position and the arms down by your side, shoulders stabilised. On the out breath, extend the right leg away as far as you can maintain a neutral spine. Return the leg back to the starting position and take an in breath. Repeat on the other side.
2 Leg Stretch x 4-6
This exercise can be performed with the head down or with the head lifted into a crunch position. Start by tucking the knees into the chest, placing the hands to the outside of the knees. On the out breath, extend both legs away as far as a neutral spine can be maintained and simultaneously stretch the arms over the head. Return arms and legs back into the tucked position and take an in breath.
Criss Cross Alternate x 12
See ‘Twisted Knee Fold Crunch’. This time start with the knees up in a Double Knee Fold and extend the right leg away into a ‘1 Leg Stretch’ whilst twisting towards the bent left leg. Repeat on the other side.
3/4 Roll Down (with Spine Twist) Alternate x 4-6 (3 sets)
With Spine twist alternative
Start in a seated position with knees bent, spine tall and feet hip width apart. On an out breath, tuck the tail bone under, brace the stomach and curl into a reclined position creating a ‘C’ curve with the spine, arms stretched out in front, shoulders stabilised. Keep the chin tucked under slightly. Hold the position on the in breath and on the out breath use the stomach muscles to curl back to sitting.
If adding the spine twist, once in reclined position, stabilise the pelvis and rotate the spine from side to side, keeping the arms stretched out and the shoulders stabilised. Ensure the legs don’t move when performing the spinal twists.
Roll Ups (& added Roll Overs for the more advanced) x 8
Start in a neutral spine position with the legs stretched out and the arms stretched over the head. On an out breath, bring the arms over the head and stabilise the shoulders once the arms are above the chest. Continue following the arms and peel the spine off the floor using the stomach muscles. Once in a seated position lengthen the spine and stretch forward from the hips, reaching the arms towards the feet. Take an in breath in the stretch and on the out breath reverse the movement back to the starting position, paying close attention to hip and spinal alignment.
If adding the Roll Over, once back in starting position, imprint the lower spine into the floor and raise both legs off the floor (or one at a time if this is too challenging) to a 90 degree position. Continue bringing the legs up and over towards your head using the stomach muscles until the legs are parallel to the floor and aim to keep the legs as close to the body as possible throughout. On your out breath, reverse the movement in a slow and controlled manner with shoulders stabilised.
Side Bend x 6-8
Start on your side leaning on elbow or full arm with your knees bent and hips stacked. On out breath, contract the stomach muscles and lift the hips and torso up and shift the pelvis forward whilst keeping the hips stacked. Simultaneously stretch the arms over the head. On in breath, return back to starting position. This exercise can be intensified when performed with legs straight and feet stacked or crossed over.
Superman Alternate x 6
Starting on all fours with knees under hips and hands under the shoulders, ensure weight is equally distributed between hands and legs. Without shifting weight, stretch out the right leg and left arm and lift until they are in line with the spine. Keep the shoulders pulled back and the hips facing downward. Hold position for 6+ seconds and return back to the starting position. Alternate sides.
Straight Leg Scissors. Alternate x 10-12
Start by lying on your back with arms by your side and legs stretched up in the air. Keeping a neutral spine, lower down the right leg and stretch the left leg with your hands. As you lift the right leg back up, lower the left leg down and stretch the right leg in towards you. Continue scissoring the legs. This exercise can also be done with the head lifted and the knees can stay bent throughout to provide greater support for the spinal position. Breathe out with the legs apart, in when you switch.
Press Ups X6-10 (3 sets)
Choose a starting position on all fours, in a 3/4 plank or in a full plank with shoulders stabilised, stomach braced and neutral spine. On in breath, bend the elbows and lower the body to the floor, maintaining correct alignment. Press back up to starting position on out breath.
OR
Plank Holds on Hands or Elbows (3x30 sec)
Maintain a plank position whilst keeping perfect posture.
STRETCHES
Knees to Chest
Lying on your back, tuck knees in towards the chest and allow lower back to relax into the floor. Hold for as long as you wish.
Hip Twists
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, roll the knees over to one side and the head in the opposite direction, ensuring both shoulder blades stay on the floor. On an out breath, brace the stomach muscles and use that strength to roll the knees over to the other side. Hold each stretch for 5 seconds minimum.
Piriformis
Lying on your back, tuck the right knee into the chest and stretch the left leg out onto the floor. With the left hand gently pull the right knee across the mid line and allow the pelvis to roll with the movement. Stretch as far over as is comfortable, maintaining shoulder contact with the floor. Repeat on the other side. Hold stretch for 10 seconds minimum.
Glutes
Lying on your back, cross the right leg over the left leg into a figure of four and pull the legs towards you. Once the stretch wears off, slide the right leg further across and tighten the stretch. Repeat on the left. Hold stretch for up to 30 seconds.
Hamstrings
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, lengthen the right leg up in the air as straight as possible, holding the leg with your hands either below or above the knee joint. Hold your stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds, increasing the stretch every couple of out breaths.
Inner Thighs
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, lengthen the right leg up in the air as straight as possible, holding the leg with your hands either below or above the knee joint. Open your right leg out to the side and hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds. Repeat on left leg.
ITBand
Lying on your back with knees bent and spine in a neutral position, lengthen the right leg up in the air as straight as possible, holding the leg with your left hand either below or above the knee joint. Pull your leg across the mid line of the body whilst keeping the hips perfectly still. Keep quite a tight stretch. Hold stretch for a minimum of 10 seconds.
Hip Flexors
Start in kneeling position and bring your right leg forward with a bent knee as far as you can. Keep you spine upright and sink the hips to the floor. Hold the stretch for 30+ seconds. Repeat on the left leg.
Quads
Start in a standing position and pull the right foot behind you towards you bottom, keeping the knees next to each other and the hips level. Tuck the tail bone under to increase the stretch. Hold for a minimum of 30 seconds. Repeat on the left leg.
Sitting Back On Heels
Start in a kneeling position and sink your hips back and sit back on your heels. Stretch the arms out in front. Hold stretch for as long as you wish.