Tag: Aerobics

Categories
Aerobics

Airplanes

Airplanes (Exercise classification: advanced)

Equipment: none

  • Start standing with feet together
  • Bend forward at the hips as you lift one leg behind you and bring your arms straight out to the sides as if making a “T”. Your hip bones should be facing the floor.
  • Exercise 1: If this is hard, try to hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds. To make it easier, stand with a wall or chair to one side of you for light finger tip touch support.
  • Exercise 2: If you can balance in this position, bring one arm down and in front of you with your fingertips facing the floor and elbow straight. Return that arm to the starting position. Now try the other arm. If alternating is too challenging, try a few repetitions on one side, rest, then try the other side.
  • Remember to breathe throughout the exercise.
  • Have some fun! Try this with your belly relaxed and with your belly muscles tightened at a 50% effort.
Categories
Aerobics

Half Kneeling Thoracic (Mid-Back) Rotation

Half Kneeling Thoracic (Mid-Back) Rotation (Exercise Classification: Beginner)

Equipment: none

  • Start in a half kneeling position with one knee on the ground and other foot on the ground (see video) and arms straight out in front of you.
  • Take a breath in through your nose then as you slowly and gently exhale, reach one arm behind you while twisting in your mid-back as far as you can (a) without pain and (b) without your pelvis moving. Imagine headlights on your hips bones…they should stay shining forwards the entire time.
  • Return to your starting position and go the other direction.
  • Good for: mid-back flexibility, balance, trunk control
Categories
Aerobics

Side or “Lateral” Lunge with a Trunk Twist

Lateral Lung with Trunk Rotation (exercise classification: intermediate)

Equipment: none

  • Start standing with your feet together and toes facing forward
  • Take a big step out to the side, keep your toes of both feet facing forward, and sit your hips down and back into a lunge position. To make this easier, take a smaller step. To make it harder, take a bigger step.
  • Once in the lunge, twist your mid back and try to touch the ground on the outside of the opposite foot.
  • Return to your starting position.
  • Remember to breathe during the movement.
  • Try 4 to 6 repetitions on one side and then switch to the other side.
  • Good for: hip and spine mobility; hip loading and strengthening
Categories
Aerobics

Standing Hip Rotation at the Wall

Standing Hip Rotation at Wall (exercise classification:advanced)

Equipment: none

  • Start by standing very close to wall
  • You can then either…
    • Keep your hip underneath you (neutral or not bent) and bend your knee that is closest to the wall to a 90 degree angle
    • Bend your hip and knee of the leg closest to the wall 90 degrees (HARDER)
  • IF you want to work on mobility & flexibility:
    • Keep your hip bones facing forwards and outside of your thigh touching the wall
    • Slowly move your foot away from the wall, moving from the hip socket (not your whole pelvis), then bring it back to touch the wall
  • IF you want to work on strength:
    • Push your foot and the outside of your lower leg into the wall as if you were trying to push “through” the wall as you stand tall and hold for 3-5 seconds then relax. The outside of your thigh should touch the wall the entire time.
    • Try not to let your back round or arch excessively as you do this.
    • Breathe throughout the entire hold.
Categories
Aerobics

Clamshell Variations for Hip Strength and Mobility

Side-Lying Clamshell with an End-Range Hold
Side-Lying Clamshell with Added Hip Internal Rotation

Clamshell Variations for hip strength and mobility (exercise classification: beginner/intermediate)

If clamshells are too easy or you want to mix your routine up a little, try one of these variations. In the first variation, you are lifting your leg as high as you can with good form and then using your bottom muscles to hold it there. Vary your hold times from 3-10 seconds, with longer holders making for a harder exercise. Lower your leg down slowly. In the second variation, you are working on hip rotation mobility into both directions instead of just one. Make sure you are breathing the entire time. If you want to get a little more out of the exercises, try one set with your belly relaxed and one set with your belly muscles tightened with a 50% effort.

Categories
Aerobics

Hip Rotation Progression

Exercise Classification: Beginner (video 1, 2, & 3), Intermediate (video 4), Advanced (video 5, 6, & 7)

Video 1: Prone Heel Press
Video 2: Prone Hip External and Internal Rotation Range of Motion Control
Video 3: Supine Hip External and Internal Rotation Range of Motion with 1 Leg
Video 4: Seated Hip External and Internal Rotation Range of Motion and Control
Video 5: Standing Hip Internal Rotation Isometric or External Rotation Range of Motion at the Wall with hip neutral and knee bend 90 degrees
Video 6: Standing Hip Internal Rotation Isometric Or External Rotation Range of Motion at the Wall with Hip Bent to 90 degrees
Video 7: Standing Side Lunge with a Trunk Twist (loaded hip rotation)

Categories
Aerobics

Standing Rotation with Band

Difficulty: Beginner

Standing Rotation with band Original

  • In a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart, place the end of the band under your left foot and grasp the end in your right hand. Step slightly forward with your right foot.
  • With your arm holding the band, raise your right arm out in front of you pulling the band as you slowly twist your body to your right side, raising the band overhead and to your side as you twist.
  • Slowly return to the start position and repeat for 10-12 repetitions.
  • Switch band to opposite foot and hand and repeat for 10-12 reps.

Modifications

You can increase or decrease the difficulty of this exercise by shortening or lengthening the distance of the band between your foot and hand.

Categories
Aerobics

Dip and Turn

Dip and Turn (Exercise Classification: Advanced)

  • Stand with your arms out in front of you at should level as you hold a resistance band between your hands.
  • Step forward on one leg and then dip down to 90 degrees on that leg as you dip the opposite leg knee to the floor.
  • Twist to one side bring your arms fully to your side.
  • Return to start position and repeat on the other side, 10-12 repetitions on each side.
  • Remember to breathe during the exercise.

Modifications

You can increase or decrease the difficulty of this exercise by shortening or lengthening the distance of the band between your hands. If you have trouble dipping down to 90 degrees, you can decrease how far you dip your front knee down.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Bird Dogs Legs Only

Bird Dogs Legs Only (Exercise Classification: Intermediate)

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

  • Assume a position on all fours so that your knees are directly under your hips and hands are directly under your shoulders.
  • Make sure your spine is in a neutral position. You do not want to have your back sagging or arching
  • Slowly raise and straighten your left hip and raise your knee, attempting to straighten it until it is at, or near parallel, to the floor without any rotation in the hips and pelvis. Both hips should stay parallel to the floor. If you had headlights on your hip bones, they should stay shining at the floor the whole time.
  • Slowly lower leg back to starting position and repeat with the other leg.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Bird Dogs Arms Only

Bird Dogs arms only (Exercise Classification: Beginner)

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

  • Assume a position on all fours so that your knees are directly under your hips and hands are directly under your shoulders.
  • Make sure your spine is in a neutral position. You do not want to have your back sagging or arching.
  • Lift right arm until it parallel to the floor without any tilting at the shoulders- both shoulders should stay parallel to the floor.
  • Gently lower arm back to your starting position and repeat with the other arm.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.