Week #3

Carry on repeating Weeks #1 or #2 if you do not feel ready to move on to Week #3.

Week #3 is for those who have done last weeks’ prep exercises.

By now you should feel quite familiar with Marching On The Spot and getting your knees up high.

This week we will be progressing to High Knees.

To begin this progression you need to start with gentle bouncing from one foot to the other.  Already, I can hear some of you saying, “nope – this isn’t for me”.  Which is completely fine; stick with Marching On The Spot until you are ready to give it a try.  For the others, resist the urge to skip ahead.  I know some of you want to get to the tougher exercises, but believe me your body will thank you if you take it one day at a time.  This is an exercise in patience for the Ego too.  We are doing these exercises in bare feet, but, of course wear running shoes if you have a pre-existing condition which requires you to do so during exercise.

Reminder:  Be mindful of your feet and arches.  The following exercises will be more taxing and it is easy to lose focus and just want to get to the end.  Try to be present and mindful of each repetition.

Day 1 (week #3)

1.  50 Marching On The Spot.                                                                                           Place your arms tight by your sides.  Now bend at the elbow creating a 90-degree angle. (Arms point forward). Your forearms are now parallel to the ground.  Keep your forearms still with palms downward).  Each time you March a knee up, make your knee touch your hand.  Do NOT lower your hand to contact your knee.  Bring your knee UP to touch the hand.
2.   20 Bend Down & Reach Ups with Toe Raise
3.   Repeat circuit 4 times to equal 4 rounds total.

Day 2 (week #3)

1.   50 Ground Toe Taps

Introducing some small hops.  Alternating hops. Put all your weight onto your left foot.  Right leg bends slightly at the knee, which lifts the right heel off the floor, leaving the right toe lightly touching the floor.  Now hop and switch sides so that all your weight is now on the right leg.  Your left leg should naturally bend slightly causing the left heel to come off the floor, leaving the left toe lightly touching the floor.  Repeat 50 times.

1.   20 Bend Down & Reach Ups with Toe Raise
2.   Repeat circuit 4 times to equal 4 rounds total.

Day 3 (week #3)

1.   50 Step Height Toe Taps

Introducing slightly bigger hops.  Same as above, only this time the toe will no longer make contact with the floor.  Make your toe come 1 to 6 inches from the floor.  Even if your toe still touches the floor, at least make it a light touch.  If this is too difficult, then stick with the Ground Toe Taps from Day 2.

1.   20 Bend Down & Reach Ups with Toe Raise
2.   Repeat circuit 4 times to equal 4 rounds total.

Day 4 (week #3)  Repeat Day 1 (week #3).

Day 5 (week #3)  Repeat Day 2 (week #3)

Day 6 (week #3)  Repeat Day 3 (week #3)

Day 7 (week #3)

1.   50 High Knees with arms bent at 90-degrees as in Day 1.  Same as Day 1 Marching on the spot where you bring your knees up to meet your hands, however, with High Knees one foot is only on the floor at a time. You hop to switch legs, as in Step Height Toe Taps.
2.   20 Bend Down & Reach Ups with Toe Raise

3.  Repeat circuit 4 times to equal 4 rounds total.

For comfort, ladies may want to wear a sports bra for the hopping exercises.

So sorry, the videos are coming…I am having technical difficulties.

Leave me a comment about your progress so far.