#siospullups2015

Day 30 #SIOSpullups2015, Walking hover. This amazing core exercise really works the entire body. Start in a plank position, on your toes and hands right under your shoulders. Be sure to keep your hips in line with the shoulders, and make sure they are not sagging or pressing up toward the ceiling. Lower down to one elbow, and then the other. Make sure your core is held tight, and that your hips/chest stay squared to the floor. Avoid twisting open to the side. Lift back up to one hand and then the other to return to the starting position. Continue to walk your hovers from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Beginner modification: Drop down to the knees instead of staying on the toes. Make sure you are still keeping your hips in line with the shoulders, and body squared to the floor.

Day 29 #SIOSpullups2015, cuban press. This exercise strengthens the shoulders by targeting both your deltoids and rotator cuff. You can do this exercise with dumbbells or a resistance band. Standing tall with core engaged, grasp the resistance in each hand. Lift your elbows to make an ‘L’ shape with the arms. Rotate the shoulders until your hands are pointed upwards, then press the resistance overhead. Return to the upward facing ‘L’ and then rotate back to the downward facing ‘L’. Repeat for 10-12 reps, and complete 2 sets.

Day 28 #SIOSpullups2015, Cat Stretch. Rest day! Lets take another well deserved break, and give your shoulders and spine a nice relaxing stretch. Facing a wall, place your hands shoulder width apart. Slide your hands up the wall, and press forward through your shoulders, attempting to touch your chest to the wall. Take deep relaxing breaths, and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat a few times, until your shoulders and spine feel open and stretched. Watch out for your elbows starting to flare out to the side, be sure to keep them relaxed, but straight.

Day 27 #SIOSpullups2015, Lateral Shoulder Raise. You can do this exercise with dumbbells or a resistance band. Standing tall with shoulders back and core engaged, hold the resistance at your side. Keeping your elbows soft, raise your arms up to the side, until they are parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat for 12 reps and 3 sets. Beware of swaying your body back and forth, this is a sign that your weight is too heavy.

Day 26 #SIOSpullups2015, Hanging around the worlds. Grasp the bar overhand, and pull your shoulder blades down and back to keep your scapulae engaged. Keeping your legs together and your knees straight, lift your legs in a circular motion, twisting as much as possible, and lifting the legs as high as possible. Be sure to go in both directions. Intermediate modification: Grasping the bar overhand, and keeping your shoulders engaged, tuck your knees up as high as possible, twisting to one side and then the other. Beginner modification: Laying on the floor, brace your abs to keep your low back flat, and lift bent knees up until the shins are parallel to the floor. Arms are out to the side, pressing in to the floor to stabilize yourself. Lower the knees down to the side as low as you can go, while keeping both shoulders in contact with the ground.

Day 25 of #SIOSpullups2015, Weighted pull ups. Grasp the bar over hand, shoulder width apart, and hold a dumbbell in between the knees. Be sure to pull your shoulder blades down and back, to engage your lats. Exhale on the pull, and engage your core to assist with the lift. Beginner modification: Weighted arm hang. Stand on something tall enough that your chin is above the bar. Place a dumbbell in between the knees and grasp the bar overhand. Pull your shoulder blades down and back, bend the knees, and hold your chin above the bar for as long as possible. Time yourself to track your progress.

Day 24 #SIOSpullups2015, Body weight row. You can use a TRX strap or a racked barbell (or go to a play ground!) for this exercise. If you are using a barbell, position the bar in the rack to about waist height. You can raise the bar up higher if needed, to decrease the exercise intensity. Grip the bar shoulder width or slightly wider, and position yourself under the bar. Your body should be straight with heels on the ground, and arms fully extended. Pull your chest towards the bar, retracting your shoulder blades and keeping your core tight (no sagging hips), then return to the starting position. You can bend your knees, if you need a modification.

Day 23 #SIOSpullups2015, 1 arm reverse fly. This is similar to Day 5, but we are focusing on one arm at a time. You can use dumbbells, a resistance band, or a kettle bell, whatever equipment you have available! Choose an appropriate weight for your skill level. You should lift enough weight that you can only complete 10-12 repetitions, and try for 3 sets. Keeping your knees soft, you can stand in either a half squat or a split squat stance. Hinge forward at the hips roughly 45°, keeping your back flat and your gaze forward. Hold the weight with one hand, palm facing inward, and rest the other hand on your hip or thigh. Pinch your shoulder blade down and back, to lift the weight out and away from the body in an arc motion (to the side). Keep your core engaged the entire time, and exhale as you lift the weights out. Remember that this movement is happening at the shoulders, not the elbows! The elbows stay slightly bent, but should not move throughout the exercise.