Toe Dip
A. Lie on your back with your legs up and bent at 90 degrees, with thighs straight up and calves parallel to the floor. Place your hands behind your head and raise your shoulder blades off the floor. Keep your abs contracted and press your lower back into the floor. B. Inhale and lower your right leg, moving only from your hip. Dip your toes toward the floor—but don’t touch—for a count of 2 (“down, down”). Don’t move any other body parts. Exhale and raise your leg for a count of 2 (“up, up”), then inhale as you lower your left leg. Keep your head and shoulders off the floor as you dip and lift. Do 12 reps on each leg.
Leg Circle
A. Lie on your back, right leg extended towards the ceiling, toes pointed, and hands by your sides, palms down. Extend your left leg straight along the floor. Feel the stretch in the back of your right thigh and calf. (If this position is uncomfortable, you can bend your left leg and place your left foot flat on the floor.) Hold for 10 to 60 seconds. B. Make a large circle on the ceiling with your right leg, rotating from your hip. Inhale as you begin the circle and exhale as you finish. Keep your body as still as possible–no rocking–by tightening your abs. Do six circles, then reverse direction for six more. Repeat on the other leg.
Crisscross
A. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, elbows out to the sides. Curl up to raise your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor. As you inhale, rotate your torso to bring your right knee towards your chest and extend your left leg towards the floor without touching the floor. B. As you exhale, alternate directions without lowering your head and shoulders. Bring your left knee toward your chest as you rotate your right shoulder towards your left knee and extend your right leg. Do six times on each leg.[pagebreak]
Leg Kick
A. Prop yourself up on your right hand and knee with your left leg extended. Place your left hand on your hip. Raise your left leg to hip level. B. Exhale as you kick (foot flexed), moving only your left leg forward as far as comfortably possible, pulsing for two counts (“kick, kick”). Inhale, point your toes, and swing your leg back in line with your body. Do six times with each leg.
Back Extension with Rotation
A. Lie on your stomach and place your hands on your forehead, palms facing the floor. Separate your feet to hip width. Pull abs in. B. Raise your head and shoulders off the floor, then rotate your upper body to the right, extending your right arm out to the side. Then bring your arm back in as you come back to the center and lower. Repeat to the left side and continue alternating, doing six on each side.
Side Bend
A. Sit on your left hip with your left leg bent on the floor in front of you and your left hand directly beneath your shoulder. Place your right foot flat on the floor just in front of your left foot so your right knee points to the ceiling. Rest your right arm on your right knee. B. Pull your abdominals in, press into your left hand, and lift your hips off the floor. As you come up, extend both legs and raise your right arm over your head so you form a line from your right fingers to your right toes. You should be balancing on your right foot and left hand. Avoid sinking by tightening your inner thighs and abs so you feel lifted. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Lower and repeat on the other side.
