Here are The April Five!
See if you can go through one minute of each of these every day this week. Contact me if I can answer any questions for you. Who wants to volunteer to pose for a photo of one of these this week?
1) Crescent Lunge:
(Front knee bent, back knee straight)
- From standing, step your left foot back into a lunge with your left heel off the ground. Press into the ball of your back foot as you lift your left inner thigh towards the ceiling. Right knee stays over your right ankle. Bend your right knee to a 45 degree angle if possible.
- Lift arms up towards the ceiling and lift your chest to come into a small back bend.
- Hold for one minute then switch sides.
- Hip stretch, balance, leg and back strength.
2) Leg Pull Back:
(Reverse plank with leg lift)
- From seated, lift hips up into a reverse plank with hands under your shoulders and fingers facing forward.
- Exhale as you lift one leg; inhale as you lower your leg back to the ground. Switch sides.
- Shoulder stretch, core strength, hip stabilization.
3) Swan Dive:
(Roll down the front side of your body)
- Start from a plank with knees down.
- Slowly roll down through your spine onto your legs, pelvis, lower belly then lower ribs.
- Press through your hands and lift your belly to come back up to a flat back position.
- Keep abdominals turned on; think of getting longer instead of gripping with your glutes.
- Strengthens spine extensors, arms, and tummy.
4) Double Leg Kick:
(Kick both heels to your bum, then extend arms, legs, back and chest)
- On your tummy, hands behind your back, rest elbows on the ground.
- Exhale as you kick both legs in, then inhale as you extend arms and legs and reach out through your chest.
- Back extension, shoulder stretch.
5) Bow:
(Prone quad, hip flexor, ab stretch)
- Lying on your tummy. Grab your right foot with your right hand (or a strap) and pull your foot towards your hip.
- Slowly start to lift your foot up to the ceiling. Hold here for five breaths then switch sides.
- Quad/ hip flexor stretch.