Foundational Movement Exercises

It's the beginning of the year and you are setting your morning alarm, packing up gym clothes the night before, and getting yourself ready to jump into a "New You".  Before you decide to go from zero to hero, make sure your body is ready.  If you haven't seen the inside of the gym in a while or have to ask the person next to you how to operate the cardio equipment, please go over the moves below to keep yourself injury-free and set yourself up to accomplish your goals.

The exercises below build a foundation of movement.  They "prep" your body by activating important stabilizing muscles that help protect you against back pain, shoulder injury, knee pain, and more.  They also help improve rang of motion in your body so your are able to move through your squat, pull, or lunge with fluidity and grace.  Do this routine as a warm-up to get your body in a good space to work hard or as a full workout at home.

Remember, consistency beats intensity.  Exercise at a level you know you can maintain through the whole year, not a pace that makes you so sore you have a hard time sitting on the toilet the next day.

Cross Body Core Activation

Bridge with Overhead Reach

Alternate Arm and Leg Reach

Kneeling Thoracic Twist

Standing Hinge

Dipping Bird

Squat

Lunge

5 Butt Exercises for Injury Prevention

Recently, I was featured on the Athleta Chi Blog with my good friend, Colleen Cannon from Women's Quest.  Together we put together a routine for the all-important booty that you could do anywhere (literally anywhere, we were on a beach in Costa Rica).  Our butts do more for us than attract a potential mate.  They support our low backs, hips, knees and ankles.  They are key players in our balance and they help us prevent injury while we are out playing.

Our program focused primarily on the glute maximus and glute medius.  Being a past professional triathlete, Colleen was most in need of strengthening herself laterally (side-to-side).  Check out the whole program on the Athleta website, including instructions and photos of each exercise, by clicking here.