30-day challenge – day 9

kneeling arm circles – while tall on your knees, knees & feet hip width apart, laces down, squeeze your glutes & engage your abs. raise your arms out to your sides, shoulder height, palms down, & make small circles with your shoulders in the direction of your thumbs. repeat with your palms up, making circles in the opposite direction.

prone alternating hand leg opposites – on your stomach with your arms straight above your head & legs straight out behind you, rest your forehead on the floor. lift & lower your right arm with your left leg, then lift & lower your left arm with your right leg. repeat.

spread foot rollercoasters – from your feet: place your feet as wide as you can keeping your toes pointing forward. place your hands a little wider than shoulder width apart & go up into a downward dog position. drop your head, then chest, then hips to the floor. keep your hips on the floor, straighten your arms, arch your back, look up to the ceiling, & go back to pos. 1. if you can’t get your head, chest, & hips to the floor, go from your knees. from your knees: on your hands & knees, hands a little wider than your shoulders & knees wider than your hips. bring your butt back to your heels. in a smooth motion, as best you can, bring your chest then hips to the floor, straighten your arms arch your back, look up to the ceiling, then go back to pos. 1. repeat.

lateral leg lift / ruep kick combo – on your side with your body in a straight line, tighten your thighs & pull your toes to your shin. leading with your heel, lift your top leg as high as you can without using momentum & keeping your leg straight. lower your foot back to the bottom foot, then drive your knee towards your chest, then straighten it back out. repeat all reps. repeat other leg.

single leg full sit ups – start on your back with your feet flat on the floor, hip width apart, toes pointed forward. straighten one leg out & lift your foot off the floor approx. 6″. from this position, do your full sit ups (if you need, you can use your arms for momentum). repeat with your other leg straight & off the floor.

downward dog squats – start on your hands & knees, hands directly beneath your shoulders & knees directly beneath your hips. curl your toes under & go up into a downward dog: straighten your legs, tighten your thighs, drive your heels toward the floor, & drive your chest toward your thighs. hold for half a second, bring your knees back to the floor: heels to floor, knees to floor, repeat.

stork lunges – stand with your feet hip width apart, toes pointed forward. drive one knee toward your chest, then step backwards into a lunge, keeping your weight in your back leg & not letting your front knee go in front of your ankle. step back up driving your knee to your chest & repeat all reps on the same leg. repeat other leg.

air bench – aka wall sit, aka air chair. with your feet hip width apart, toes pointed forward, drop your hips & knees down to 90 degrees, keeping your knees hip width apart & directly above your ankles. keep your entire back pressed against the wall & hold. if you feel yourself slipping, do not adjust yourself – it takes more energy & effort to stand up than to remain “sitting”. just keep pressing your back into the wall; if you slip, you slip. if you slip all the way to the floor, keep your entire back pressed against the wall & your weight in your heels.

ski jumps – stand with your feet hip width apart, toes pointed forward. use a vertical line on the floor if needed & hop both feet over the line left & right 25x each direction – 50x total.