How to warm up, cool down, & stretch it out
BY CASSEY HO
A Supplemental Guide to by Cassey Ho Cover Photographer: Rod Foster Fitness Photographer: Sam Livits Graphic Designer: Leslie McMullin
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Table Of Contents
Intro p. 4
Warm Up Flexibility Training
Lower Body Upper Body Total Body
p. 5 p. 7
p. 7 p. 9 p. 11
p. 3
Intro Each day your workout will begin with the 5-minute dynamic warm up and end with a 5-minute flexibility training. WHY? Warming up before exercise is extremely important because it gradually increases your heart rate and blood circulation. This will get your body ready for an intense workout by loosening your joints and increasing the flow of blood to your muscles. Jumping into exercise without a proper warm up can result in injury, so don’t skip the warm up routine! Your flexibility training post-workout helps stretch and relax your muscles in order to prevent potential soreness. Stretching regularly is beneficial because it increases your range of motion (which will improve your PIIT practice), it relaxes the body and mind, prevents sore joints, and will help you reduce your risk of injury. As you will see, there are different stretching routines for upper body, lower body, and total body days - so please use the appropriate routine based on what muscle group was targeted that day. You can also look on your PIIT Calendar if you are unsure. Flexible muscles are strong muscles! So let’s get flexy!
p. 4
Lunge TwistThrus
Plank Walk Opener
1 min
Down Dog Plankers Inch Worms
Soldier Kicks
Warm Up
1 min
1 2 3 4 5 1 min
1 min
30 sec each side
p. 5
Warm Up 1
SOLDIER KICKS
2
INCH WORMS
Works: quads, glutes, hamstrings
Works: shoulders, abs, hamstrings
A) Begin standing tall with feet hip distance apart, arms to your sides. B) As you kick one leg out straight, reach with the opposite arm to touch your toes, making sure your back stays tall. Alternate sides.
A) Begin in a standing position, feet close together. Lower your body down your legs and start walking your hands out until you get to a plank position. B) From plank, start walking your hands back in towards your feet.
4
DOWN DOG PLANKERS
Works: shoulders, abs, hamstrings A) Begin in plank position with hands under your shoulders, belly button sucked in, tailbone tucked, and shoulders down. Draw your hips up into a downward dog. B) Slowly draw your hips back down into plank position. Make sure not to drop your hips lower than plank.
3
PLANK WALK OPENER
Works: shoulders, abs, hip flexors A) Begin in plank position, hands under your shoulders, legs long behind you, heels pressing back. Step right foot between your hands making sure it is a 90-degree angle. B) Reach right arm up to open your body by looking towards your hand. Step your foot back and return to plank. Repeat on left leg.
5
LUNGE TWISTTHRUS
Works: quads, hip flexors, chest, shoulders A) Come into lunge position by stepping right leg forward with a 90-degree bend in the knee, long back leg, and heel pressing behind. Your left hand is straight down from your shoulder, palm pressing into the floor. B) Reach right arm up towards the ceiling then reach your elbow as close to the floor as possible. Move up and back down at a slow pace. You’ll feel a nice stretch in the hips and along the side of the body.
p. 6
X Butt Stretch Pigeon
Lying Hamstring Stretch
4 IT band Stretch
1
**advanced
Straddle Stretch
Flexibility Training Lower Body hold for at least 30 sec each side
2
3
5
p. 7
Flexibility Training Lower Body 1
LYING HAMSTRING STRETCH Works: hamstrings
A) Lie flat on your back. Bend your knee on one leg to be stretched and then straighten it as much as you can. Hold the back of your thigh with one hand and the back of your calf with the other. B) Use your hands to gently pull the leg towards you. **Option: Use a strap or towel if you cannot reach your leg.
4
PIGEON
Works: hip flexors, thighs, glutes A) Start on all fours, hands under the shoulders, and knees under the hips. Slide the right knee forward toward your right hand. B) Slide your back leg as far as your hips will allow. Keep your hips square to the floor. Keep your upper body tall and proud.
2
IT BAND STRETCH
3
STRADDLE STRETCH
Works: hamstrings, IT band
Works: hip flexors, hamstrings
A) Lying flat on your back, straighten your right leg above your body, and flex your foot. Place your right arm out perpendicular to your body and hold your right foot with your left arm. Depending on how flexible you are, you can hold onto your thigh, calf, or outer foot (most flexible). B) Slowly bring your leg over the midline of your body, making sure that your back does not lift off of the floor. This is a very tiny range of movement. Hold.
A) Sitting on the floor with your legs in front, start bringing them out as wide as you can to each side. Be sure to spread your legs apart until you feel a nice stretch in your thighs and hips, but not far enough that you feel pain. B) Start reaching your arms out forward as much as you can without rounding your back.
5
X BUTT STRETCH
Works: glutes, outer thighs
A) Lying on your back with head resting on the mat, bend your knees and lift your legs off the floor. B) Cross both knees so your left leg is on top of your right and grab onto each foot feeling a nice stretch in your glutes and outer thighs. Repeat with your right leg on top of your left.
**Advanced: Extend your arms out on the floor while keeping a straight back. You may rest your forearms on the mat, or bring your chest down towards the mat.
p. 8
Reverse Plank
3
5 Child Threading the Needle
Forward Bend Arm Stretch
Overhead Tricep Stretch
1
**advanced Wheel Pose
Seated Spinal Twist
Flexibility Training Upper Body hold for at least 30 sec each side
2
4
6
p. 9
Flexibility Training Upper Body 1
FORWARD BEND ARM STRETCH Works: shoulders, chest, hamstrings
A) Standing with feet hip distance apart, clasp your hands behind you. B) Hinge at the hips, as you lower your upper body down so your head is reaching towards your feet, folding in towards your legs as much as possible.
4
CHILD THREADING THE NEEDLE Works: shoulders, arms, upper back, neck
A) Begin on hands and knees, in table top, hands directly under the shoulders, knees right under the hips. B) Slide the right hand between the left hand and left knee. Slide the arm all the way through to the left so the right shoulder and side of head rest on the mat. The more you press your shoulder into the mat, the more you will feel your back open up.
2
OVERHEAD TRICEP STRETCH
3
SEATED SPINAL TWIST
Works: triceps, lats
Works: shoulders, spine, hips
A) Begin in a seated position, making sure your neck and shoulders are relaxed. Bring one arm up overhead, bending at the elbow and positioning the forearm as close as possible to the upper arm. B) Use the opposite hand to grasp the overhead elbow. Pull elbow back and towards your head. Hold stretch.
A) Begin seated with legs straight in front of you. Bend your right leg and place the foot on the ground near the left knee. B) Place your right arm on the ground behind your back and left elbow on right knee. Look behind you as feel a nice stretch in your spine. Be sure to keep your back tall and chest proud.
5
REVERSE PLANK
Works: shoulders, abs, glutes, legs
A) Begin seated with legs bent in front. Bring your hands under your shoulders so your fingers are pointing towards your feet. B) Straighten your legs out long so your heels are pressed into the mat, toes are up. Focus on lifting your hips up and squeezing your glutes.
6
**advanced: WHEEL POSE
Works: arms, wrists, shoulders, abs, legs A) Begin by lying on the floor. Bend your knees and bring your heels as close to your glutes as possible. Bend your elbows and place your palms on both sides of your head, fingers pointing towards your shoulders. B) Pressing your feet into the floor, push your tailbone up, squeezing your glutes. Make sure to keep your thighs and feet parallel. Then press hands into the floor and your shoulders against your back and lift up onto the crown of your head. From there you can press your feet and hands into the floor again, and lift your head off the mat, while straightening your arms. You may use a strap instead if needed and gently rock from side to side. Stay in this pose for 1 minute. *Be sure to come out of this pose slowly by lowering your butt to the ground and carefully bringing your neck back to neutral
p. 10
Flexibility Training Total Body
3 5
Half-Splits Cobra
1
2 4
**advanced
Twisted Triangle
Bow Pose
Low Lizard
hold for at least 30 sec each side
p. 11
Flexibility Training Total Body 1
LOW LIZARD
2
HALF-SPLITS
3
BOW POSE
Works: hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings
Works: hamstrings, hip flexors
Works: abs, chest, thighs, back
A) Come into a low lunge position by bringing one leg forward, bending 90-degrees, back leg is long, toes into the mat, while the heel is pressing back. B) Lower your body to the inside of front leg and come onto your forearms. Make sure to keep your back flat. If you aren’t comfortable on the forearms, you may keep your arms straight with palms on the mat.
A) Begin by sitting on both knees. Extend one leg long in front, flexing the toes up. B) While keeping the opposite knee bent, and your back straight, reach for your toes of the extended leg.
A) Lay on your belly, legs long behind you, arms by your sides. Bend both legs up and grab onto the outside of your ankles. B) Lift knees and chest up off the mat, so only your pelvis is touching the floor. Think about opening your chest and stretching your shoulders back.
4
COBRA
5
TWISTED TRIANGLE
Works: shoulders, chest, abs
Works: hamstrings, chest, shoulders, hips
A) Lie face down, place palms flat on the mat directly under your shoulders with fingers facing forward. The tops of your feet should be flat on the mat. Engage your abs to protect your lower back. B) Press palms into the floor. Pull your shoulders down and back away from your ears. Keeping your hands, hips and tops of feet on the floor, lift your upper torso. Try to use the muscles in your back to lift you. Slightly tilt your chin upward and chest towards the ceiling.
A) Step feet wide apart with front foot turned out and the back foot turned slightly in as you align the front heel with the back heel so the legs make a triangle. B) Hinge from the hip with arms extended and reach the front hand towards the front shin or ankle as you keep the body strong. **Advanced: From Twisted Triangle, bring your top hand down to your front foot, and twist in the opposite direction. Now raise the opposite hand in the air.
p. 12
Stretch beyond your limits, and I promise that one day you will get there.
