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1. Breathing Exercise (3 Times; 15 Seconds Each) ;
2. Facial Exercises
3. Chin to Shoulder :
4. Chicken
5. Reach Overhead
6. Alternating Shoulder Rolls !
7. Stand on One Foot (20-30 seconds TWICE each leg) !
POLE/TOWEL EXERCISES
8. PoleSwing
9. Back Scrubber ;
10. Lean Back
STANDING STRETCHES I
11. Doorway Chest Stretch (TWICE for 30+ seconds – BREATHE!) !
12. Calf Stretch (TWICE for 30+ seconds – each leg) !
FLOOR EXERCISES
13. Hamstring Stretch (Each leg TWICE for 30+ seconds) ;
14. Opposite Limb Pointer
15. Groin Stretch (TWICE for 30 seconds) :
16. Front Thigh Stretch (Each leg TWICE for 30+ seconds) !
17. Pull the Knee Across !
18. One Leg Fanny Lift !
19. Side Pivot
20. Thigh Dives and Head Rolling ¡
21. Press Up and Hold (Stretch for 5 seconds each time) ¡
22. Child’s Pose
ADVANCED EXERCISES
Advanced exercises emphasize additional increases in flexibility, muscle control (coordination) and balance. Not everyone will be able to progress to the advanced exercise routine. Advanced
exercises are for persons with the appropriate abilities. The progression to the advanced exercise routine is not viewed as a pass/fail system for persons doing the beginning level exercises. Persons starting the advanced level of exercises will begin with five repetitions of most exercises and increase the repetitions by one per day until ten repetitions are reached. The exceptions are the prolonged stretch exercises, i.e., 30+ seconds twice. This means that those exercises will be held for 30+ seconds and then repeated once more. Be sure to breathe during these exercises. Holding the breath does not allow for a complete stretch of the muscle or fascia (after all, this is the reason for doing stretching exercises!). Be sure to stretch a little further as the initial stretch sensation decreases during the 30+ second – stretch period.
1. BREATHING EXERCISE: Place one hand on your abdomen and the other hand on your chest. To do correct abdominal breathing, your stomach should expand as you inhale. You may assist your exhalation by pushing your abdomen in as you exhale. The hand on your chest is to help you to be aware of how much your abdomen moves relative you your chest. Inhale for five seconds and exhale for ten seconds. Don’t hold your breath at any point during this exercise. Repeat 3 times.
2. FACIAL EXERCISES: Open your mouth wide and shut your eyes tight. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
3. CHIN TO SHOULDER: Turn your head and neck to the right and try to touch your chin to the right shoulder. Turn your head and neck to the left and try to touch your chin to the left shoulder. Turning the head and neck is more important than simply trying to touch the chin to the shoulder. Turning the head to the right and to the left count is one repetition. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
4. CHICKEN: Move your head forward by moving your chin forward. Now move your chin back by tucking it in toward your neck, the head movement should be parallel to the floor. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
5. REACH OVERHEAD: Stand with your arms at your sides. Reach with both hands overhead as you breathe in. Be sure to bring your elbows as close to your ears as possible. Let your arms down as you exhale. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
6. ALTERNATING SHOULDER ROLLS: While standing with your arms at your sides roll the right shoulder backward in a circular motion then do the same for the left shoulder. Repeat. Next roll one shoulder at a time in the circular motion in the forward direction. Rolling the right shoulder then the left shoulder count is one repetition. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
7. STAND ON ONE FOOT: Balance on one foot for 20-30 seconds without touching the wall or furniture. Do the same on the other leg. Balance twice on each leg.
POLE/TOWEL EXERCISES
8. POLE SWING: Standing with the exercise pole in front of the thighs and the hands toward the ends of the pole, swing the pole up and back to the right while twisting from the waist. Be sure to look with your whole head and neck to the right while you do this. Swing your pole down to the front of the thighs and then up and back to the left, looking to the left while twisting from the waist. This should be one sweeping motion without stopping ¡n the middle. Also be sure to turn your head to the left as you twist to the left. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
9. BACK SCRUBBER: Stand and hold the pole as you would hold a towel to dry your back (one hand behind your head and the other behind your lower back). Move your hands as close together as possible on the pole. Scrub your back up and down with the pole. Make sure to keep your head up and facing straight ahead, rather than looking down at the floor. Switch hand positions and repeat the proper number of repetitions.
10. LEAN BACK: Stand with the pole behind your hips. Secure the pole by placing the pole behind yóur back in the bend of your with your hands on your hips. Push down on your hips to decrease the pressure on your low back. Keep your knees straight as you lean backward from the waist. It helps a great deal to tilt your head back as you lean back. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
STANDING STRETCHES –
+ NOTE: ALL PROLONGED STRETCHES SHOULD BE DONE WHILE YOU ARE BREATHING. DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH!!!! MOVE INTO MORE OFASTRETCH ONCE THE INITIAL STRETH SENSATION LESSENS
11. DOORWAY CHEST STRETCH: Stand in a doorway with your hands overhead on the edges of the open doorway. Hold on to the edges of the doorway while you lean forward. You should feel a stretch in the front of your chest or in your arms. Hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds WHILE BREATHING and repeat once more.
12. CALF STRETCH: Stand facing a wall. Place the toes of the left foot against the wall with the right foot and leg behind you. The right calf behind you will be the one stretched. Place the right foot so that the right foot is perpendicular (90 degrees) to the wall you are facing. Keep the heel of the right foot down and the right knee straight as you lean against the wall in front of you. (Some people find resting the left knee on the wall helpful.) If you do not feel a stretch in the right calf, move the heel of the right foot back an inch at a time and attempt the stretch again. The further back the right heel is, the more of a stretch is required of the right calf muscles. BREATHE Hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds then do the stretch for the left calf. Repeat once more for each leg.
FLOOR EXERCISES
13. HAMSTRING STRETCH: Lay on the floor on your back either by a piece of furniture that can support your leg or in a doorway. Straighten your right leg and place the right heel on the piece of furniture so that the heel is pointing toward the ceiling. Be sure to keep the knee straight while in this position. Keep your left leg flat on the mat or floor. You get more of a stretch if you move your hips closer to the doorway or the piece of furniture. Hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds. While you are stretching, it is a good practice to move into more of a stretch as the initial stretch sensation decreases. Release the stretch after the appropriate time has passed, then do the stretch a second time. Repeat the stretch twice on the left leg by changing leg positions.
•. REMINDER: ALL PROLONGED STRETCHES SHOULD BE DONE WHILE YOU ARE BREATHING.
DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH!!!! MOVE INTO MORE OF A STRETCH ONCE THE INITIAL
STRETCH SENSATION DECREASES.
14. OPPOSITE LIMB POINTER: Get down on the exercise mat on your hands and your knees. Raise the right arm and the left leg off the floor so that they are in a straight line with your body and parallel to the floor. Place the arm and the leg back down. Turn your head and look at the hand that ¡s being raised off of the floor. Raise the left arm and the right leg off the floor and place them back down. Turn your head appropriately. BE SURE TO RELAX YOUR MUSCLES BEFORE DOING THE NEXT REPETITION! Alternate the limbs. Pointing one set of limbs and then the other alternately count as one repetition. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
15. GROIN STRETCH: Get down on the exercise mat on your hands and your knees. While still on your hands and knees, spread your knees as far apart as possible while keeping your spine straight. Move your knees apart to get more of a stretch as needed. Hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds and repeat once more. Be sure to breathe while you are stretching.
16. FRONT THIGH STRETCH: Lie on your right side and grab your left ankle with your left hand. Keep your thigh parallel to the floor as you pull your ankle back away from your hip — NOT TOWARD YOUR HIP. You should feel the stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat once more. Roll over onto your other side, change hand positions and stretch the other thigh. Hold the stretch and repeat twice on each side for a minimum of 30 seconds each time.
17. PULL THE KNEE ACROSS: While on your back grab the left knee with the right hand and pull the left knee up toward the right shoulder and stretch. Now do the same for the other side by using your left hand to grab the right knee and pull it up toward the left shoulder. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
18. ONE LEG FANNY LIFT: While on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor, cross the right leg over the left leg. Keeping the legs crossed, lift your fanny up off the ground. Be sure to keep your hips level while you raise them up. Repeat the appropriate number of times. Cross the left leg over the right and lift the fanny up and down. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
19. SIDE PIVOT: Lie on your side so that your legs and trunk are in a straight line. Cross your arms over your chest and lift your shoulders and both legs off the mat 2 —3 inches using the elbow on the mat for balance. Stay on your side. Do not roll onto your back. Repeat. Roll over and repeat the proper number of repetitions on the other side.
20. THIGH DIVES AND HEAD ROLLING: While on your back have your knees bent with the feet flat on the mat. Place the feet as far apart as possible. Try to touch the right knee to the floor between your feet as you turn your head to the right. Then try to touch the left knee to the floor between your feet as you turn your head to the left. Repeat the proper number of repetitions.
21. PRESS UP AND HOLD: Starting face down, place your hands under your shoulders. Straighten your arms and push your shoulders and chest up off the floor. BE SURE THAT YOUR HIPS STAY ON THE FLOOR AND THAT YOU LET YOUR TUMMY SAG. THE MUSCLES IN THE HIPS AND BACK SHOULD BE RELAXED! Hold the stretch for 5 seconds and repeat. •• If you are not able to do this exercise and keep your hips on the floor, move your hands more forward and/or out to the side on the floor before straightening your arms
22. CHILD’S POSE: Kneel on your hands and knees with the knees separated about as wide as your hips to allow room for your torso. Bring your hips back attempting to sit back onto the heels of your feet. Allow your head to bend down toward the floor while allowing the chest spine and lower back spine curve in the same manner. Breathe and relax into this position for 20-30 seconds once.
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