Get Functional – Week 6 : Day 3

Week 6

Remember these workouts are designed to be short and to the point. This is a work-out not to be replaced by your Egoscue Designed Daily Menu, but used in addition too. It will take you an average of 20 minutes to complete. As the weeks progress, the cardiovascular demand will inevitable increase in intensity and duration.

Day 3

Hip Lift ~ 30 Seconds Per Side
1. Lie on your back with your feet on the floor
2. Cross one ankle/foot over to the opposite knee, just above the knee
3. Lift the foot that is still on the floor up until your calf is parallel to the ground and the knee is bent at a 90 degree angle
* Relax your shoulders and put your arms out to the sides, palms up
4. As you pull the knee with your ankle on it toward you, press the other knee away from you
5. Hold, then switch sides and repeat

Hip Crossover Stretch ~ 45 Seconds Per Side
1. Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor pointed straight ahead
2. Place your arms out to the side at shoulder level, with your palms facing up, backs of hands on the floor
3. Cross your left ankle over your right knee and rotate the ankle/knee junction down toward the floor
* Your left foot should now be flat on the floor, along with the outside of your right leg
4. Look in the opposite direction and relax your shoulders
5. Hold this position for half of the time directed on your menu
6. Press the left knee away from your body using the left hip muscles
7. Hold, then switch sides and repeat

Hip Sequence ~ Standing Glute Contractions (60 Reps)/ Kneeling Ankle Squeezes (40 Reps)/ Prone Ankle Squeezes (40 Reps)/ Quad Lifts (10 Reps)/ Quad Rotations Blocked (2 Sets of 20)/ Quad Lift (30 Reps)
Standing Gluteal Contractions
1. Stand with your feet pointed straight and hip width apart
2. Squeeze and release your buttocks muscles
* Do not contract your stomach muscles nor your thigh muscles; they should be relaxed
* If it seems too difficult, point your feet outward 45 degrees for the first set and then straighten your feet up for subsequent sets
Kneeling Ankle Squeezes
1. Kneel down with a pillow between your ankles/feet
* If needed, place your hands on a chair or block for balance
2. Squeeze and release the pillow between your ankles/feet
* Keep your stomach muscles relaxed throughout the e-cise
* You should feel the contraction in your buttocks area; if you do not, widen your knees
* Do not contract only your buttocks; focus on your ankles
Prone Ankle Squeezes
1. Lie face down on the floor resting your forehead on your hands
* Your elbows should be out to the side
2. Place a pillow between your ankles/feet
3. Curl the pillow up to your buttocks and hold with 90 degrees bend in your knees
4. Squeeze the pillow with your ankles/feet and release
Quad Lifts
1. Sit on the floor with your back against a wall
2. Roll your hips forward to place an arch in your lower back
* If your menu calls for it, place a towel behind your lower back
3. Tighten your thigh and pull your toes back on one leg
4. Try to lift that leg up off the floor 1 to 3 inches using the muscles in the front of your hips
5. Hold the lift for 5 seconds, if possible, then lower your leg
6. Repeat
7. Switch legs and repeat
Quad Rotations – Blocked
1. Sit on the floor with your hips, upper back, and your head against a wall and both legs extended straight out in front of you
2. Roll your hips forward to place an arch in your lower back
* If your menu calls for it, place a towel behind your lower back
3. Place one of your feet on a block about 4-6 inches high
4. Keep the leg on the floor relaxed while you tighten the thigh on the elevated leg and pull your toes back
5. Rotate your elevated leg in and out, initiating the motion from the hip
6. Repeat
7. Switch sides and repeat
Quad Lifts
1. Sit on the floor with your back against a wall
2. Roll your hips forward to place an arch in your lower back
* If your menu calls for it, place a towel behind your lower back
3. Tighten your thigh and pull your toes back on one leg
4. Try to lift that leg up off the floor 1 to 3 inches using the muscles in the front of your hips
5. Hold the lift for 5 seconds, if possible, then lower your leg
6. Repeat
7. Switch legs and repeat

Full Sit-Ups ~ 25 Times
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent
2. Place your feet on the floor (parallel and hip width apart) with someone or something holding your ankles/feet onto the floor as you perform the sit-up
3. Interlace your hands behind your head
* Look up and back toward the ceiling
* Keep your elbows back
4. Keep your back straight as you sit-up and slowly lower yourself down to the floor without losing the straight back position
* The muscles in the front of your hips will be doing the work to pull you up
5. Repeat

Push Ups ~ 1 Minute Continuously
1. Start with your body off the ground in the push-up position‚ Your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders, and your toes should be curled under‚ Keep your arms locked out straight‚ Keep your thighs tight, your knees straight, and your hips up
2. Collapse your shoulder blades together (this is key) and hold them together throughout the push-up
3. Bend your elbows straight out to the sides on the way down ‚ Do not let your hips sway downward
4. Push yourself back up to the start position

* Modified on Knees

Airbench ~ 1 Minute
1. Stand with your back against a wall with feet and knees hip width apart and feet pointed straight
2. Walk your feet away from the wall while sliding your body down at the same time
* You will be “seated” in an invisible chair, with your knees bent to 90 degrees
* Your hips are just slightly higher than your knees; your ankles are slightly ahead of your knees
* Your lower back should be completely flat against the wall
* Your arms can hang down to your sides, or rest your hands gently on your lap
3. Hold
* Keep the weight in your heels, do not press forward on your toes

Full Sit-Ups ~ 25 Times
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent
2. Place your feet on the floor (parallel and hip width apart) with someone or something holding your ankles/feet onto the floor as you perform the sit-up
3. Interlace your hands behind your head
* Look up and back toward the ceiling
* Keep your elbows back
4. Keep your back straight as you sit-up and slowly lower yourself down to the floor without losing the straight back position
* The muscles in the front of your hips will be doing the work to pull you up
5. Repeat

Push Ups ~ 1 Minute Continuously
1. Start with your body off the ground in the push-up position‚ Your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders, and your toes should be curled under‚ Keep your arms locked out straight‚ Keep your thighs tight, your knees straight, and your hips up
2. Collapse your shoulder blades together (this is key) and hold them together throughout the push-up
3. Bend your elbows straight out to the sides on the way down ‚ Do not let your hips sway downward
4. Push yourself back up to the start position

* Modified on Knees

Airbench ~ 4 Minutes
1. Stand with your back against a wall with feet and knees hip width apart and feet pointed straight
2. Walk your feet away from the wall while sliding your body down at the same time
* You will be “seated” in an invisible chair, with your knees bent to 90 degrees
* Your hips are just slightly higher than your knees; your ankles are slightly ahead of your knees
* Your lower back should be completely flat against the wall
* Your arms can hang down to your sides, or rest your hands gently on your lap
3. Hold as directed on your menu
* Keep the weight in your heels, do not press forward on your toes

Jump Rope ~ 5 Minutes Continuously
1. Hold jump rope ends in both hands and swing the rope forward in a circle
2. As it passes under your legs, jump over the rope and continue

One more week of work-outs but a lifetime of change