Chaparral 2015-2016: 24.5 FitTips

Move #1: Stepping Jacks

Standing tall with your feet together, alternately tap each toe out to the side as you lift your arms to shoulder height. Bend your stationary knee slightly with each tap.

Move #2: Chair Squats

Stand in front of your chair with your feet shoulder width apart and feet pointing forward or slightly turned out. Leading with your hips, lower yourself as if you are about to sit down, holding your arms out in front of you for balance. Touch your butt down to the seat (but don’t sit down!) and drive your feet into the floor to propel yourself back up to standing. Be sure to keep your knees tracking in the same direction as your toes, and look forward with your chest tall.

Move #3: Arm Circles

Stand with your arms extended to the side at shoulder height. Keeping your shoulders down away from your ears, move your arms in small circles forward, then switch backwards after 15 seconds.

Move #4: Hip Hinge and Reach

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend at the hips while keeping your back in neutral (you shouldn’t feel it round) and reach your arms out overhead as far as you can. If you’re flexible you should end in a table-top position, but if not don’t worry about it, just go as far as you can while keeping your back neutral. (For those of you who have a little low back pain, only go about halfway or as far as you can keep your back in neutral). Keep your shoulder blades down into your back and your shoulders away from your ears. Squeeze the back of your legs (glutes and hamstrings) to pull you back up to the starting position.

Move #5: Desk Push-ups

Using a sturdy desk or a wall, get into a push-up position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to tip toes. Stiffen your core as if you’re about to laugh. Lower yourself slowly toward the desk, and when your elbows are at 90 degrees, reverse the move by pushing the desk away from you.

Move #6: Calf Raises

*Note: if you wear heels all day, you may want to skip this move and stretch your calves instead by taking a large step and supporting yourself with a wall or desk while you drop the back heel to the floor.

Standing with your feet about hip width apart and hands on your hips, push yourself up onto your tip toes and then slowly lower your heels back down to the floor. Squeeze the back of your legs (glutes and hamstrings) to make this move work for more than just your calves.

Move #7: Standing Abs

Standing in a comfortable position with your back in neutral and your shoulders down and back (away from your ears), brace your core as if you are about to laugh. Slowly lift one knee up in front of you without bending your trunk or crunching, then lower it back to the floor. Alternate sides in a slow and controlled manner, concentrating on keeping your core stiff. You can place your hands on your sides to feel the muscles do their job. Option: If you want more of a challenge, place your hands behind your head and turn towards the knee with each knee-up. This isn’t a crunch so don’t bend your torso, but simply twist your trunk towards that knee.