Exercise Library

The banded oblique pulldown is done with resistance bands of various strength, by gripping the band with both hands in a supinated grip and begin pulling the elbows downward into a deep squat. Contracting the oblique muscles to create flexion in the spine.

Sitting on the ground with legs bent and leaning back on a Bosu ball contract the oblique muscles by finding a muscle on the side of the abdomen and hold.  To help place fingers on the side and try to find a squishy spot and try to flex it.

Laying on the back, arms go straight into the air and legs come up to a 90-degree angle.  Maintaining a neutral spine, extend one leg and the opposite arm in a slow and controlled manner. Come back to the starting position and do the same with the other leg and arm.

Strap feet into pads while keeping the legs straight, then lean back slightly while maintaining flexion in the lower back. Once flexed, contract the obliques on one side until all the obliques are contracted. Control it back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Laying on the ground with feet flat on the floor, wrap a band around both calves. Slowly contract the abs curling up while keeping the feet on the ground and the hamstrings contracted. Once completely curled at top keep the curled position and slowly uncurl on the way down.

Starting on the back, grab a weight and bring it up straight up. Legs should be brought up to tilt the pelvis posteriorly. Controlling the ribs from flaring slowly bring the weight overhead until the ribs start to flare or full extension overhead is reached. Then return back to the starting position.

On the back place balls behind the knee and squeeze the legs trapping the balls. Arms will grab a fixed object overhead. Keeping the pelvis in a posterior tilt, contracting the lower abdomen brings the knees high into the air. Control the descent of the movement back into the starting position.

With a Bosu ball dome side down, grab the sides of the Bosu ball getting into a plank position. Make sure the pelvis is posteriorly tilted and glutes are squeezed. Then slowly pick one leg at a time off the ground holding until stability is regained. Place the foot back down and repeat on the other side.

Bring one foot up on a bench with the knee on the ground and the other foot in front on the ground. Keeping the back from arching, flex the glute of the side with the foot on the bench and the abs increasing the stretch to the psoas. Switch legs are a minute or longer.

Hip CARs or controlled articular rotations are circular motions of the hip trying to achieve the end-range of the hip. Stand on one leg (can use an object to help balance if needed), using the floating leg bring the leg across the body squeezing the legs together. After, bring the knee up to the chest and then out towards the side. Followed by internal rotation of the hip and bringing the leg back and around finishing by squeezing the knee together.

Laying on the side with an object or ball on the gluteus medius (top corner of the butt). Go through various positions to help release the glute. Once released, switch to the other side.

Feet flat on the ground and the back just under the scapula positioned on a bench. Flex the core maintaining a curled position for the entirety of the movement. Squeeze the glutes and core to lock out the movement at the top, causing a posterior pelvic tilt of the hips. This can be done with bodyweight or barbell.

A side-lying exercise focusing on the internal rotation of the hip. Focusing on the top leg, place a block between the legs and bend the top leg. In a controlled manner, lift the heel of the top leg off the ground as high up as possible and back down, not letting the hips or knee roll forward. 

Starting in the same position as the hip thrust (back on a bench, feet flat on the ground, and a curled position). Place a band around the knees. Lockout the hip thrust squeezing the glutes and abs at the top, then pull the knees apart keeping the hips fully extended and feet flat on the ground. Hold for a couple seconds then return to the starting position.

Using a small band, wrap the band around the big toes. Stand straight up and squeeze the legs, keeping them locked out the entire time. From there side step using the entire leg squeezing the glutes. The band should always have tension as the side steps are being taken.

Lying face-up on a small pad so the head can hang off the edge just slightly. Tuck the chin to engage the deep cervical flexors and raise the head barely off the ground to hover off the ground and hold. Keeping the chin tucked the entire time.

The iron neck should fit snug and shouldn't slide around on the head.  Walk out until there is tension on the head and perform different movements. These various movements should focus on the muscles of the neck.

Laying on an occipivot (positioned on the sub occipital muscles), tuck the chin and hold, getting the deep cervical muscles to contract. Can rotate the head back and forth if one side is tighter than the other.

The balance board is a great device for strengthening the ankle and calves. It can be used in various ways, but the traditional way in controlling the movement, tapping it forward and backwards.

The blackboard can be used in various ways based on the way that the trainer is set up and what muscles are trying to be focused on, to both mobilize and strengthen the foot and ankle.

Standing on a Bosu ball with a single leg dome side up or down. The supporting leg should be straight with the free leg staying by the balancing leg to focus on keeping the Bosu ball as still as possible to not lose balance.

Laying on the back, put the heels on an exercise ball or a roller. Lift the hips off the ground a small amount and with control push the ball or roller until the legs are extended. Followed by using the hamstrings to pull the ball or roller back in with control and repeat. Make sure to keep the hips in the same spot the entire time.

Sit down with one leg extended in front and bend the other leg with the foot on the floor out to the side. Squeeze the leg keeping it locked out and lift the straight leg up. Move the leg up and over the objects on the ground. Focus on keeping your hips facing forward and your torso upright.

Monkey Foot can be done with the actual device or substituted with an ankle weight. The first thing is raising the knee up and extending the leg straight out, across the body, and to the outside. Next thing is lateral raise to the outside keeping the leg straight. Last thing is hamstring curls by keeping the knees together squeezing the back of the leg bringing the heel straight back, across, and away from the body.

This movement trains the ability to extend the hips by having your legs at a 45 degree angle. The torso should bend at the top of the pad and once at the bottom of the movement squeeze and press the glutes, hamstrings and hips into the pad to come back up. Do not extend through the spine and should be felt in the hamstring and glutes. NOT in the low back!

This exercise requires a  resistance band and a stable post. With the band wrapped around the post, place the band behind the knees. While standing, allow your knees to bend into the pull of the band and walk back until a strong tension is built. Squeeze your quads to push your knees backward to fully extend the legs, hold for a couple seconds and repeat.

This is a squat that is performed with a heavy band pulling forward from behind your knees. Start by sitting the hips backward keeping the knees out and torso upright until parallel on a squat is reached. From there squeeze the quads until legs are fully extended.

The Nordic curl involves kneeling on a pad with the ankles fixed underneath something stable.  Slowly lower your body  keeping the torso in a fixed position and controlling the eccentric part of the hamstring until control can't be maintained. From there drop all the way to the ground and walk back up to the starting position.

This variation of the deadlift involves much less weight, more hip hinge, and just a slight bend in the knees. This movement starts with a weight in a top position or at the hips. Keeping the core engaged, allow the hips to sit back and the weight to travel downward until you feel tension in the hamstrings. Then squeezing the glutes and hamstrings to drive the weight back to the starting position.

Using a vibe gun or foam roller releases the quad. Typically done before the couch stretch to get a deep stretch, but can be done while in the coach stretch for additional benefit. Vibe the front of the legs focusing on the tighter areas.

Focusing on the grip of the forearm and fingers, squeeze the beam grip with the fingers. Once the beam grip is lifted up, the objective of the movement can be to hold the grip for as long as possible in one spot or walking with the grip to see the max distance that can be achieved.

The Indian club rotation involves using an Indian club to train the stability of the wrist. Hold the Indian club with your arm bent at the side or fully extended in front of the body. From there pronate and supinate the forearm until horizontal of each way. The rotation should not come from the shoulder. 

Starting in a tabletop position (hands and knees on the ground) walk the hands to the left or right and then sit the hips back in the opposite direction of the hands to get a stretch in the lats. Hold for at least 45 seconds, then switch and walk the hands to the other side.

To do this controlled articular rotation, extend the arm, bring it across the body, and slowly start moving it up. Once overhead, start moving the arm backwards while turning the thumb down. Keep pulling the arm back and down until it rests at the beginning point by the side.

In a prone body position with an arm straight overhead. The movement begins with shoulder extension, as well as scapular retraction, bringing the arm up and over an object to the outside of the body. Tapping it to the ground and then bringing it back to the center, followed by bringing it to the center of the body. Repeating with both arms.

The trap vise method is a great tool to help release tight muscles near the shoulders and neck. Place a ball tennis or lacrosse ball underneath the meaty area of the trap. Once in place take something to vise the muscle on the top side of where the ball is placed. Hold for a bit and then move around until release is felt.

• Place a band around one segment of the spine. Then, place the ends of the band underneath the hands while on hands and knees. The movement will be a bend in the spine, pushing against the band, with the top point of the bend right where the band is.

Laying or standing facing the ground or wall, start with arms by the sides. Engage the pec muscles (chest) as the arms start to glide across the floor or wall making the way overhead and then back down. Make sure to keep pecs engaged the entire time.

Take a band with medium to low resistance and clip/wrap it securely around a stable post at elbow height. Grab the end of the band with the arm. Have the arm at the side with the elbow bent at 90 degrees. Step out sideways away from the post without letting the hand drift back towards the post.

Sit on the ground with both legs bent at 90 degrees and the torso as upright as possible.  Hands can be placed on the ground for support if needed. Start by lifting one foot off the ground holding it in the air keeping the knee on the ground. Then repeat with the other leg. Once both are completed, change sides and repeat.

Using a  band or cable machine, start by facing parallel to the object. Grab the handle or the band, holding it at the chest with both hands until there is tension. From there create a stable base and press the cable or band straight out until arms are locked. Don't let the body rotate when fully extended. Pull back in and repeat.

Any weighted object can be used to perform this movement. Start with the object in front of the face with arms bent. Rotate the object around the head keeping it close to the head making a circle around the head. Make sure the core is being held tight and the scapulas are being used to move the object around the head. Do the same amount in each direction.

Double ball release is great too tight upper back between the scapulas. Using two balls place them on either side of the spine between the scapulas, while laying on the back.  From there reach the arms towards the ceiling and give oneself a big hug, going back and forth. For extra pressure, lift the hips off the ground.

Thread the needle is great for a lat stretch and thoracic rotation. The starting position is the same as the modified child's pose, from there rotate the opposite shoulder that is being stretched underneath the arm. The head should be on the ground trying to rotate the thoracic spine as far as possible under the body and holding.