Exercise Descriptions
Chair Squats
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*Place a chair just behind you and stand in front of it with feet about hip- or shoulder-width apart. Bend
the knees and slowly squat towards the chair. Either hover over chair or sit for a second, then fully
extend the legs until you're back to standing position.*
Walking Lunges
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Lunge forward on left foot immediately lunge forward on right foot
*To begin a walking lunge stand upright with your hands on your hips. Now take a lunge forward while
never letting your knee go 'over' your toe. Once at the bottom of the lunge (not touching the floor),
push off with the back foot and then approach the standing position. Repeat with the other leg.
Mountain Climbers
*Begin in a pushup position on the hands and toes. Bring the right knee in towards the chest, resting the
foot on the floor. Jump up and switch feet in the air, bringing the left foot in and the right foot back.
Continue alternating the feet as fast as you safely can.
Push Ups
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*Lie chest-down with your hands at shoulder level, palms flat on the floor, slightly more than shoulderwidth apart and your feet together and parallel to each other. Keep your legs straight and your toes
tucked under your feet. Straighten your arms as you push your body up off the floor. Keep your palms
fixed at the same position and keep your body straight. Try not to bend or arch your upper or lower back
as you push up. Exhale as your arms straighten out. Lower your body slowly towards the floor. Bend
your arms and keep your palms in fixed position. Keep body straight and feet together. Lower body until
chest touches the floor. Try not to bend your back. Keep your knees off the floor, and inhale as you bend
your arms. Begin straightening your arms for a second push-up. Exhale as you raise your body.
Calf Raises
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*Start with your heels on the ground (a flat surface). Keep your knees straight and stiff but not locked.
Rise up onto the balls of your feet and squeeze, moving only at the ankles.
Body Bridge
*Lie down on your stomach with your legs straight and together. Lift your upper body and place your
elbows on the floor where your shoulders were while lying down. Flex your feet so your toes are
pushing into the floor. Tighten your entire body and lift yourself up onto your elbows and the tips of
your toes. Make sure to keep you body and legs straight. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Lunges
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Lunge
Push back into standing position
*Stand in a split stance with the right foot forward and the left leg back. The feet should be about 2 to 3
feet apart, depending on your leg length. Before you lunge, make sure your torso is straight and that
you’re up on the back toe. Bend the knees and lower the body down until the back knee is a few inches
from the floor. At the bottom of the movement, the front thigh should be parallel to the floor and the
back knee should point toward the floor. Keep the weight evenly distributed between both legs and
push back up, keeping the weight in the heel of the front foot.
Wall Sits
*Stand in front of a wall (about 2 feet in front of it) and lean against it. Slide down until your knees are
at about 90-degree angles and hold, keeping the abs contracted.
Dips
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Finish
*Sit on the ground and place your hands on either side of your hips so your palms are resting on the
floor. Place your feet together firmly on the floor with your knees bent. Tighten your abdominal
muscles to prevent injuring your back during the exercise. Carefully lower your backside to the ground,
leaving your hands in place. Keep your back straight and your head up. Slowly lower your hips as far as
you're able, bending your elbows backward so your arms remain close to your sides. Then lift yourself
up to the starting position, using your arms; take care not to push yourself up with your legs.
Side Planks
*Lie on your side. Place your forearm in front of you on the ground. Position yourself so that only the
forearm of your hand plus the side of your hips and legs are in contact with the floor. Position your
other hand either palms down on floor in front of you, on your hip, or in the air (as shown in picture).
Maintain good core body posture and balance by first using your other hand as leverage on the ground.
Set your leg directly atop the other (as shown in picture) or place the top leg in front of the bottom one.
If you place them atop one another then the inside curvatures of your feet should touch in a way that
they mirror each other. Inhale and contract your abdominal muscles, pulling them inward. Exhale as you
lift upwards using your forearm and foot. Hold for 30 seconds
Burpees
*Begin in the standing position with your feet about 12 inches apart. Bend at the knees until your heels
touch the backs of your thighs (a squat). Place your hands on the floor next to your feet. Lean forward
and, in one smooth motion, thrust your feet backward until your legs are straight and your toes are
touching the floor. Keep your abdominal muscles tight and your hips at the same level as your
shoulders. Bring your feet back up to your hands and stand up.
Crunches
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*Lie your back on the ground. Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms in
front of your chest or place your hands behind your neck or head. Curl your back to lift your shoulders
towards the ceiling (not towards your knee) using strictly your abdominal muscles. Ease back down to
the floor as you exhale.
Sit ups
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*Lie your back on the ground. Have your knees bent and the balls of your feet and heels placed flat on
the ground. Place your hands either behind your head or across your chest. Tighten your abdominal
muscles gently by drawing in your belly button to your spine. Keeping your heels on the ground and
your toes flat to the ground, slowly and gently lift your head first, followed by your shoulder blades.
Focus your eyes on your bent knees or in front of you all while gently contracting the abdominal
muscles. Pull up from the floor about half way. Hold the position for a second. Slowly bring the torso
back to the floor.
V sits
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Finish
*Begin in a seated position with your legs off the ground and contract your abdominal muscles. Reach
your arms straight forward and balance. Slowly extend your legs and lower your upper body while
contracting your stomach muscles. Do not let your legs or upper body touch the floor. Keep your arms
by your sides while extending.
Bicycles
*Lie
flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head.
Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch
your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee.
Side Crunches
* Bring your knees up into normal crunch position with your feet flat on the floor. Drop your knees to
one side so they remain bent, but now rest on the floor toward one side. Your body will now be slightly
on its side. Bring your hands behind your head so your fingertips just touch each other as they rest
behind your head. Use your oblique muscles to bring your body up into a side crunch. Your side will
bend as your shoulder lifts off the mat into the crunch. Be sure that your head remains in line with your
neck the whole time you are performing the crunch to prevent neck strain. Lower yourself gently back
down to the floor. Switch sides to perform the side crunch using your other set of oblique muscles.