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Warm Up
Warming up is an extremely important part of your workout. Just like you need a little time to wake up, your body would like a chance to get used to what you’re asking it to do. You can easily warm up by walking around for about 5 to 10 minutes. While you’re walking, gently swing your arms, flex and extend your elbows, lift your knees, bend your back. Whatever you can do let your muscles and joints get their juices flowing will be great. If you want a specific example you can use this favorite all around warm up: Side-step variations with arm swings below. The advantage to this warm up is that you can incorporate the movements that you will be asking your muscles to perform during the workout.
Side Step Starting position: Stand with feet together. While facing front, step sideways with one foot. Bring the other foot in to meet the first foot. Reverse these movements. The sequence will be: Side-step right foot to right; bring left foot to center. Repeat to the left side. While stepping swing arms out to the side as you step out, swing arms together as you step together. You can swing your arms in a variety of patterns: straight forward, bending at elbows, etc.
   
Side Step Heel Kick Starting position: Stand with feet apart. Step to the right side, bend left knee and kick heel towards buttocks. Straighten left knee step to the left. Bend right knee and kick towards buttock. The sequence will be: Side-step, heel kick, side step, heel kick. While stepping, bend arms at elbows, elbows pump back, squeezing shoulder blades together, then push arms forward, crossing in front of body; also move arms through the bicep curl and triceps extension positions.
   
Side Step Toe Touch Starting position: Stand with feet together. Side-step right, touch left toe to left. Step left, touch right toe to right. While stepping, stretch left arm overhead to right and then stretch right arm overhead to left.
   
You might also try the Side Step Toe Touch with a cross arm reach.
 
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