Wellness Wednesdays - #29 - 10-Minute Moves For Strength, Speed and Agility

 

{Article via}

Super-fun workout alert: Leap into these moves (based on Equinox's Blockbuster Body class) designed to make you stronger, faster, and more agile. 

 

Scorpion

From hands and knees, push into feet and raise hips to come into inverted V position with knees slightly bent and weight equally on hands and feet.  Lift left leg back and up, bending knee so flexed foot points up.

Keeping hips high and left leg up, hop right foot toward hands; move hands forward and repeat hop.  Continue for 30 seconds; switch sides and repeat.  Too hard?  Keep both feet down for entire move. 

Push-up 180

Get into plank position, hands below shoulders and body in straight line from head to heels.  With core strong, do 4 push-ups.

Walk feet to right, turning body to balance on right hand and outside edge of right foot with left arm up (side plank).  Keep walking feet around to turn body faceup; put left hand on floor (fingers forward) and raise hips.

Reverse movements to return to starting position; repeat on other side.  Continue for 60 seconds.

Roll down rollovers

Sit with knees bent and feet on floor.  Slowly roll down to lie on back; extend legs, reach right arm overhead, bend left arm so hand is by shoulder.

Roll over to left onto belly; lift legs and arms off floor.

Reverse movements to return to starting position.  Repeat on opposite side; that's 1 rep. Do 12 reps.  Too hard?  Bend leg and push foot against floor to help you roll onto belly. 

Butterfly extension

Sit with knees bent and open to sides, soles of feet together; bring hands together in front of chest.

Keeping core tight, slowly extend legs, allowing them to hover a few inches off floor (raise them a bit higher if that’s too challenging), and lean back until your mid-back almost touches floor.

Hold for a few seconds, and then slowly return to previous position.  Do 10-20 reps.

Lunge chop kick

Stand with feet together and hands clasped; raise hands overhead.  Step right foot out to side and bend right knee (don’t let it go past toes), keeping left leg straight; at same time, hinge slightly at waist and chop arms down past right knee.

Push back up to starting position and kick right leg forward while bringing hands toward chin.

Continue for 60 seconds, and then switch sides and repeat.  Too hard?  Leave out the chop. 

Shifting monkey

Stand with feet wider than hip-width, toes turned out.  Push hips back and squat low, bringing butt close to floor and arms up in front of chest; shift weight over to right side, keeping left knee pointing to side and bringing right knee forward (right heel lifted with butt hovering over heel).

Staying low in squat, shift weight and pivot feet until right knee is back out to side and left knee is forward with heel lifted; that's 1 rep.  Do 20 reps.