As Yoda would say “Do. Or do not.  There is no try. “

Here is your Core Challenge Workout for today:

• Walking Planks – 10 each direction
• Roman Twists – 30
• Plank – 45 seconds

Perform this sequence two times through.

How To Do the Exercises

Walking Plank   

1. Hold yourself in the “up” position of a pushup, hands under our slightly in front of your shoulders, fingers spread, apart, pointing forward (do NOT turn your hands toward each other or away from each other).
2. Press your feet, knees and thighs together
3. Draw your shoulders down away from your ears and engage your shoulder blades so they are slightly pulling toward each other
4. Lift your belly up nice and tight, pulling your belly button toward your spine
5. Drop your tush a bit so it’s in NOT pointing in the air
6. Keep your back straight – don’t drop your belly, tuck it up
7. From this position, take a “step” to the right by moving your right arm and right leg out to the side – stabilize your position and take another “step” to the right.
8. Do 10 “steps” to the right then do 10 “steps” to the left

Roman Twists

1. Grab a soccer ball, kickball, medicine ball, a small child, or roll up a towel
2. Sit on your tush, knees bent, feet on the floor
3. Hold your object in front of you, arms bent at 90 degrees
4. Lean back on your tush so you are balancing on the top of your butt cheek
5. Hold to your object  and turn to the right and bring your object down towards the ground, then come back across your body to the other side, bring your object down towards the ground – that’s one count.

Plank   

1. Hold yourself in the “up” position of a pushup, hands under our slightly in front of your shoulders, fingers spread, apart, pointing forward (do NOT turn your hands toward each other or away from each other).
2. Press your feet, knees and thighs together
3. Draw your shoulders down away from your ears and engage your shoulder blades so they are slightly pulling toward each other
4. Lift your belly up nice and tight, pulling your belly button toward your spine
5. Drop your tush a bit so it’s in NOT pointing in the air
6. Keep your back straight – don’t drop your belly, tuck it up
7. Hold this position for 45 seconds

Modifications for the Plank:

For those with wrist troubles, drop down to your forearms.  Please be sure to keep your tush lifted and think about lengthening your spine. 

Get on all fours and alternate lifting your left arm straight out and lifting your right leg and pressing it straight behind you.  Please keep your neck in  neutral (lengthen your spine up to the base of your head and let your eyes gaze softly down to the ground).  If you are at this level, we are not doing this for a test – please perform this sequence for 40 seconds with a 20 second break and then repeat it one more time.

Have a great day!

Now go run!

Keli 🙂