If you are reading this post. Stop! Now stand up! Time to experiment. Focus on what you can do and modify where necessary! If you need balance support, stand by a wall or use a high backed chair.
Adjust your feet to be slightly beyond the width of your hips with your toes facing forward in a parallel position.
Breathe: Let’s get grounded. Take 2 slow deep breaths all the way into your belly. Exhale.
Knees: Do 10 slow bends of the knees and keep your heels connected to the floor.
Feet: Do 10 slow heel lifts.
Shoulders: Slowly… take 10 shoulder circles rotating forward. Now take 10 shoulder circles rotating backward. Taking it nice and slow will allow you to lubricate your shoulders.
Hips: Envision a hula hoop around your waist and put your hands on your hips. Slowly take 10 circles with your hips to the right and then 10 circles to the left.
March: Start singing “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy” and pick up your knees as high as you are able, striving for a 90 degree angle. March in place. If you know all the verses to the song, keep singing. If not, repeat the first verse, two times.
Reach Upwards: Now imagine you have a rope in front of you that you are about to climb. With your right arm, reach upwards above your head, stretching to the ceiling, and pretend to climb the rope by pulling down with your hand. Repeat using the left arm. Do a minimum of 10 upward reaches, right, left, right, and so on. The slower the upward reach the more stretch you will feel. If this feels good, keep going for 10 more upward reaches.
Bravo! You’ve completed the workout and have moved your body! Well done! Give yourself 5 fist pumps with each arm (yes, this, too, counts as physical activity) and pat yourself on the back with your right hand and then your left (another opportunity to stretch). You have honored yourself today and have moved in the direction of better health! Contgats!
Don’t stop here! Keep going. Open up your calendar and look at your schedule for the next three days. Commit to a specific time to do these exercises. Inner resistance may kick in, showing up as “I’ll do this step later”. Acknowledge the resistance is there, but commit to getting it on your calendar and keep that promise to yourself. You’ve got this!
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