** Make sure exercises are done with good posture to prevent injury and increase effectiveness
Chair push-ups – Sit in chair a few inches from back, place arms at side of body, hands (palm down) on edge chair (side of chair with fingers to the side), push bottom off chair and hold 3-5secs, then rest for 3s and repeat 10-12x
Chair pulls – Same as above, but pull body further into seat/bottom of chair while maintaining good posture
Desk push-ups – Practice your good posture. From a standing position, face your desk and put your hands shoulder width apart at the edge of your desk, (or against a sturdy wall). Walk your feet back until your body is straight. Lower yourself toward the desk or wall, till your chest nearly touches it. Contract your chest and push back up until your arms are straight (Don’t lock your elbows). Repeat 10-12x.
Wall Pushes – Stand facing a wall, hold your arms up (straight elbows) at a slight angle so your arms are at shoulder height, try to “push the wall over” keeping your body still but pushing through your arms. Hold for 15-20 secs, then relax, repeat.
Calf raises – Stand with your feet slightly apart, raise your arms with bent elbows in front of your body so that your palms are pressing into each other, rise up on your toes, hold 2-3 secs then bounce down on your heels. Continue pushing our palms together while doing 10-12 calf raises; change your arms so that you are holding your own forearms and then pull with your hands rather than push, do another 10-12 calf raises.
Windmill – Stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder width, stand up as tall as you can, reach your arms out to the sides (at shoulder height) as straight as you can. Reach for your right foot with your left hand, touch you toes as best you can, stand back up straight then reach for your left foot with your right hand, touch your toes. Try to do this with straight knees, and rotate your body at your waist to reach your foot. Repeat 20 times (10 to each side), alternating sides. Remember to stand back up straight into between reaching your feet and pause for 1-2 secs.
Superman – Lay on your stomach on the floor with your legs straight behind you and your arms straight over your head, lift your arms and legs straight off the ground and hold as long as you can.
Ball pose/Dead Ant – Lay on your back on the floor, curl your knees to your stomach, curl your arms to your stomach and bring your chin to your chest, hold as long as you can.
Jumping Jacks – Start with you legs together and your arms at your sides, then jump so your legs are just greater than shoulder width and your arms are over your head, then jump back to the first position, repeat 10-20 times with good form
Cross crawls with elbows – Stand up tall with good posture, legs about shoulder width or a little closer, lift 1 leg like you are marching so your thigh is parallel to the floor, reach with your opposite elbow to touch your knee, put you leg down and stand up tall again, then lift the other leg and reach with the opposite elbow to touch you knee, stand up tall, repeat 10-20 times with good form
Backwards Cross Crawls – Stand up tall with good posture, lift one foot behind your body, reach with your opposite hand to touch your foot, stand up tall, bend your other leg and reach with the opposite hand to touch your foot, stand up tall, repeat 10-20 times
Ski Jumps – Stand next to a line on the floor so your feet are parallel to the line, jump sideways to cross the line, pause for 1 sec then jump sideways back over the line, pause for 1 sec, then repeat 10-20 times
Front to Back Jumps – Stand facing a line on the floor so you toes are a few inches away from the line, jump over the line, pause 1 sec, then jump backwards back over then line (do not turn your body), pause 1 sec, then repeat 10-20 times
Jump Turns – Stand up tall with good posture, jump and turn your body to face the opposite direction (jump 180°), pause 1 sec, then jump to face the other direction again, pause 1 sec
a. If jumping and turning in the same direction (i.e. jumping and turning to the right each time) then complete 3-5 turning in one direction then complete 3-5 turning in the opposite direction
b. If jumping and changing direction each time (i.e. jump and turn to the right, pause, then jump and turn to the left, pause, then back to the right) the complete 3-5 starting in one directions then 3-5 starting in the other direction
Open Cross Jumps – Start with your legs a bit wider than shoulder width, then jump so your legs cross each other (one in front, one in back crossing midline), then jump back to a wide stance, repeat 10-20 times
To increase the challenge:
a. Alternate which foot crosses in front and in back
b. Add your arms—start with your legs apart and arms held at your sides at shoulder height, then when you jump and cross your legs, cross your arms in front of your body as well
Chair push-ups – Sit in chair a few inches from back, place arms at side of body, hands (palm down) on edge chair (side of chair with fingers to the side), push bottom off chair and hold 3-5secs, then rest for 3s and repeat 10-12x
Chair pulls – Same as above, but pull body further into seat/bottom of chair while maintaining good posture
Desk push-ups – Practice your good posture. From a standing position, face your desk and put your hands shoulder width apart at the edge of your desk, (or against a sturdy wall). Walk your feet back until your body is straight. Lower yourself toward the desk or wall, till your chest nearly touches it. Contract your chest and push back up until your arms are straight (Don’t lock your elbows). Repeat 10-12x.
Wall Pushes – Stand facing a wall, hold your arms up (straight elbows) at a slight angle so your arms are at shoulder height, try to “push the wall over” keeping your body still but pushing through your arms. Hold for 15-20 secs, then relax, repeat.
Calf raises – Stand with your feet slightly apart, raise your arms with bent elbows in front of your body so that your palms are pressing into each other, rise up on your toes, hold 2-3 secs then bounce down on your heels. Continue pushing our palms together while doing 10-12 calf raises; change your arms so that you are holding your own forearms and then pull with your hands rather than push, do another 10-12 calf raises.
Windmill – Stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder width, stand up as tall as you can, reach your arms out to the sides (at shoulder height) as straight as you can. Reach for your right foot with your left hand, touch you toes as best you can, stand back up straight then reach for your left foot with your right hand, touch your toes. Try to do this with straight knees, and rotate your body at your waist to reach your foot. Repeat 20 times (10 to each side), alternating sides. Remember to stand back up straight into between reaching your feet and pause for 1-2 secs.
Superman – Lay on your stomach on the floor with your legs straight behind you and your arms straight over your head, lift your arms and legs straight off the ground and hold as long as you can.
Ball pose/Dead Ant – Lay on your back on the floor, curl your knees to your stomach, curl your arms to your stomach and bring your chin to your chest, hold as long as you can.
Jumping Jacks – Start with you legs together and your arms at your sides, then jump so your legs are just greater than shoulder width and your arms are over your head, then jump back to the first position, repeat 10-20 times with good form
Cross crawls with elbows – Stand up tall with good posture, legs about shoulder width or a little closer, lift 1 leg like you are marching so your thigh is parallel to the floor, reach with your opposite elbow to touch your knee, put you leg down and stand up tall again, then lift the other leg and reach with the opposite elbow to touch you knee, stand up tall, repeat 10-20 times with good form
Backwards Cross Crawls – Stand up tall with good posture, lift one foot behind your body, reach with your opposite hand to touch your foot, stand up tall, bend your other leg and reach with the opposite hand to touch your foot, stand up tall, repeat 10-20 times
Ski Jumps – Stand next to a line on the floor so your feet are parallel to the line, jump sideways to cross the line, pause for 1 sec then jump sideways back over the line, pause for 1 sec, then repeat 10-20 times
Front to Back Jumps – Stand facing a line on the floor so you toes are a few inches away from the line, jump over the line, pause 1 sec, then jump backwards back over then line (do not turn your body), pause 1 sec, then repeat 10-20 times
Jump Turns – Stand up tall with good posture, jump and turn your body to face the opposite direction (jump 180°), pause 1 sec, then jump to face the other direction again, pause 1 sec
a. If jumping and turning in the same direction (i.e. jumping and turning to the right each time) then complete 3-5 turning in one direction then complete 3-5 turning in the opposite direction
b. If jumping and changing direction each time (i.e. jump and turn to the right, pause, then jump and turn to the left, pause, then back to the right) the complete 3-5 starting in one directions then 3-5 starting in the other direction
Open Cross Jumps – Start with your legs a bit wider than shoulder width, then jump so your legs cross each other (one in front, one in back crossing midline), then jump back to a wide stance, repeat 10-20 times
To increase the challenge:
a. Alternate which foot crosses in front and in back
b. Add your arms—start with your legs apart and arms held at your sides at shoulder height, then when you jump and cross your legs, cross your arms in front of your body as well