MOVEMENT SCIENCE APPLICATION

WEEK 12 TO 13
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NON LOCOMOTOR EXERCISES AND ITS APPLICATION

1.Bracing the Core

Your core is not an isolated muscle or muscle group – in fact, it consists of your abdominal or ab muscles (deep beneath your
'six-pack' zone), hip, pelvis and back muscles.
In Pilates, your core is referred to as the T-Zone. Visualise a ‘T’ on your body, with the vertical line of the T drawn between
the pubic bone and belly button, representing your pelvic floor muscles.
The horizontal ‘hat’ of the T runs between your hip bones and includes any muscle that wraps your midsection horizontally, like
a corset around your abdomen and spine.
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 Why brace your core? 

Bracing your core is essential for exercises that require stability, particularly weight training, CrossFit and Pilates where
these muscles must work in harmony. 
The tension or tightening of the pelvic floor, abdominal muscles and back muscles naturally creates a stiffer support of the
spine to protect the back during lifting, maintain correct posture and balance.
Although it’s second-nature to brace your core when standing up on a bumpy bus ride or when you're about to get pounced
on by a super enthusiastic Labrador, unless well-practiced, ‘switching on’ your abs or T-Zone for exercise does take
conscious effort.
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- About to get punched in the guts. Sucks right? But that reaction of tensing and
How do you brace your core? contracting your abdominals engages the correct muscles.
Breathe naturally, holding the contraction for 3-5 seconds, then allow your
muscles to relax a few seconds before the next rep.
The ‘hip’ test Hopefully you had an ‘aha!’ moment when testing out the cues above and have felt the deep, inner
shift of your pelvic floor muscles as they lift.

But as a test, position your fingertips at the inside of your hip bones and gently press in. When
you’re relaxed, this area will feel soft and spongy, but when your core is activated, it’ll feel firmer.

Overtime as you master bracing your core this difference will become more obvious.
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 Sure you’re not just sucking in your gut?

Don't worry, we have a tip for that too. To identify the difference between sucking in your gut and bracing your core, it helps to stand side on in front
of a mirror with just a sports bra or topless to observe your body.
When you’re bracing your core, only your lower abdominals should be in play – you’ll notice improved posture as well as a slight flattening and
tightening of the area, but the change is subtle in comparison to the 'suck'.  

When sucking in your gut you’ll actually lose stability and breathing will be more difficult - there will be a clear shift as your rib cage becomes more
predominant and your stomach hollows inwards.

 Should you brace your core for every workout?

Sorry to burst your bubble but no, now that you have the knack of it, it doesn’t mean you should brace your core non-stop or for every workout.
Core training can improve your running form, but consciously tensing your core while running can impede the elasticity of your muscles and
make you feel stiff like a robot - so it's best to let your core do its thing instinctively.
Feel free to practice core bracing when standing in line at the cupcake store or during a Netflix binge, but be aware like any muscle your
abdominals and pelvic floor need to relax and recover to prevent weakening and becoming overworked.
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• Dead Bug Series

The dead bug exercise is a popular way to build core strength and stabilization.
It helps build a solid, stable foundation that protects the spine and allows for greater ease in everyday and athletic movements, such
as moving heavy objects, walking up hills, and throwing.
This move also helps prevent and relieve low back pain by protecting your lower back.
It’s a supine abdominal exercise. That means you do it lying on your back. Read on for instructions and tips.

How to do a dead bug

Do this exercise on a padded mat. To support your neck, place a folded towel or flat cushion under your
shoulders.
Keep your hips and low back still throughout the exercise. Perform the movement slowly and with control. Engage
your core muscles and press your lower back into the floor.
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Set up for the pose by lying on your back with

your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor,
about a foot away from your hips. Rest your
arms alongside your body.
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 To do it:

1. Allow your shoulders and lower back to fall heavy to the floor.

2. Draw your shoulders down away from your ears. To get into the starting position, lift your hands so your elbows are above
your shoulders with your fists facing in toward each other.
3. Lift your legs so your knees are directly over your hips.

4. On an exhale, slowly lower your right arm and left leg until they’re just above the floor.

5. On an inhale, bring them back to the starting position.

6. Repeat on the opposite side.

7. This is 1 rep.
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 Progression
Start by doing 1 to 3 sets of 5 to 12 repetitions on each side.
Once you’ve mastered the dead bug and can easily do a few sets, you can progress to more advanced variations. Or you can
build a longer routine composed of variations ranging in difficulty.
 Variations

There are several modifications and variations of the dead bug exercise to make it more or less challenging.
Variations include:
Heel taps. Keeping your knee bent, slowly lower one foot at a time and tap the floor with your heel.
Leg extensions. Press one foot away from your body to straighten your leg, hovering it above the floor.
Leg raises. Straighten your legs so your feet are facing the ceiling, then slowly lower down one leg at a time.
Palms against the wall. Bring your arms overhead and press your palms into the wall with your knees above your hips. This is
great for beginners.
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 To make it easier

Lie on your back with both feet on the floor. Slowly slide one foot away from you, then bring it back and switch legs.
Start with your hands resting on the floor above your head and your feet on the floor. Then lift your arm and the opposite leg as you would normally.
Do one arm and one leg at a time. Then try doing both arms and both legs at one time.
Decrease the range of motion by not moving your arms and legs down the entire way.
To make it more difficult
1. Use ankle weights, dumbbells, or kettlebells.
2. Lower both arms and legs at the same time.
3. Strengthen your pelvic floor by doing Kegel exercises during the exercise.
Overhead raises
 To do it:

1. Use a resistance band around your lower thighs for stability.

2. Lie on your back with your knees above your hips.

3. Use both hands to hold a weighted ball above your shoulders.

4. Keep the rest of your body stable as you lower the ball overhead, pausing here.

5. Slowly return to the starting position.

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• Rolling
The next time you watch a football game, count how many times one of the players does a rolling
movement to recover from a tackle. While they make it look easy, the ability to roll is a dynamic 
whole-body movement that requires upper- and lower-body coordination and postural control 
The muscles that make up the middle and outer layers of the core (including the rectus and transverse
abdominis, internal/external obliques, Iliopsoas and erector spinae) are called into play when trying to shift
from the back to the stomach in a controlled manner. As a result, rolling exercises are a great way to train
the core and assess areas of weakness in the body.
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 To Roll Effectively, You Must Have:

Good trunk rotational abilities (i.e., thoracic spine mobility)
The ability to shift weight between the lower and upper body
Coordinated abilities to move the head, neck and upper body together
Mobility of the cervical spine, hips and shoulders
 For babies, this is the first milestone in foundational movement. As adults, however, the core musculature required to shift and move the body
across all planes of motion becomes weak. Thus, rolling patterns are some of the best core exercises for improving total-body function and
decreasing injury risk.
 It’s also important to note that rolling patterns are highly dependent on neck movement and eye-tracking to facilitate trunk motions. According to
Hoogenboom and colleagues (2009), “neck extension can facilitate extension and abduction of the hip.” In other words, where the eyes, head and
neck go, the trunk will follow. Therefore, poor cervical function can impact the entire kinetic chain. Rolling, however, can help improve function
throughout the body.
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 5 Rolling Exercises to Try

The following five rolling exercises are a great way to introduce rolling patterns into a workout. They can be combined into a
single circuit workout or can be included individually as part of other circuits.
These exercises require a considerable amount of control and stability, and the muscles often fatigue quickly. When starting out,
have clients perform one to three sets of three to six repetitions on each side. Be sure to keep an eye on your client’s technique.
As soon as your technique starts to falter, stop the reps and take a break. Remind clients to move slowly and breathe through the
movements.
Rolling patterns take practice and should be performed regularly to see improvements. Progression and regressions are available
for each exercise using standard principles of lever length, range of motion, external load, and speed/power (slower is better
when learning these exercises).
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 Starfish Roll

Set-up position: Begin by lying on back in an X-shape position with arms and legs extended.
Movement: Cue the client to initiate the movement by lifting the leg off the floor. Keep the rest of the body connected to the
floor as the leg crosses over the body. The upper body shouldn’t contribute to the movement; it should simply follow the
movement caused by the lower body. The end point of the exercise is lying on the stomach. Return to the starting position by
reversing the movement.
Do the same movement, but initiate from the arm instead of the leg. This requires more coordinated efforts of the neck and
thoracic spine to facilitate rolling between supine and prone.
 Hollow-plank Roll

Set-up position: Begin by lying on the back with the arms stretched long overhead and the legs extended. The entire body
should be in contact with the floor. Press the hands and the legs together.
Movement: Initiate the movement by lifting the arms and legs off the floor a few inches—just enough to activate the core
musculature. Pull the abdominals in by squeezing the glutes and engage the obliques to lift and roll the body in a controlled
manner from supine to prone. Maintain enough control so that the position can be held on the side of the body. Return to the
starting position by reversing the movement.
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 Fetal Roll

Set-up position: Begin by lying on the back with the legs in table-top position (feet off the floor with knees bent at 90-
degrees). Lift the arms and touch the elbows to the thighs; keep the torso relaxed on the floor.
Movement: Initiate the movement by turning the head toward the direction you want to go. Control the body as it stays in the
small position to roll onto the side on the floor. Return to the starting position by first turning the head to look in the opposite
direction. Keep the legs bent at 90-degrees, squeeze the glutes, and pull back to supine position without pushing off the floor.
It is common for someone to “collapse” when going to the side and to push-off the floor with the arm to return to set-position,
but this will improve with practice.
 Rolling Like a Ball

Set-up position: Sit with the knees bent in (heels near glutes) and the hands on top of the shins. Drop the shoulders and round
the back to create a C-curve in the spine.
Movement: Lift the feet off the floor and balance on sitz bones. Initiate the movement by inhaling and pulling the deep
abdominals in and up—this should allow the body to roll backward along your spine. Stop the movement at the shoulders
(never roll onto the neck). Pause for a moment at the bottom, deeply exhale and use the c-curved position to return to the
starting position. The feet can touch the floor or stay lifted for an extra balance challenge.
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Backward Roll (advanced)

A backward roll is similar to rolling like a ball except that you fully roll over one shoulder, finishing in a crouched position.
It’s important to avoid rolling over the neck and to keep the chin tucked when performing the backward roll. Proficiency in
the other four rolls is vital before trying a backward roll.
Set-up position: Sit with the knees bent in (heels near glutes) and place hands on top of shins. Drop shoulders and round
back to make a C-curve in the spine.
Movement: Lift the legs off the floor and initiate the backward roll with an inhale breath. Keep the chin tucked. Once the
roll comes to the shoulder, shift the body to the side and kick the legs through to complete the movement.
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 Directions:

1. Lie on your side with the foam roller underneath your right shoulder. Your lower body can be resting on the
ground comfortably with your left arm out in front to guide movement.
2. Roll slowly up and down over your deltoid muscle. ...

3. Repeat for 30 seconds.

4. Switch sides and repeat on your left shoulder.

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• Bird Dog Series

Maintain a neutral spine by engaging your abdominal muscles. Draw your shoulder blades together. Raise your
right arm and left leg, keeping your shoulders and hips parallel to the floor. Lengthen the back of your neck and tuck
your chin into your chest to gaze down at the floor.
The bird dog is a simple core exercise that improves stability, encourages a neutral spine, and relieves low back pain. It
strengthens your core, hips, and back muscles. It also promotes proper posture and increases range of motion.
This exercise is suitable for people of all levels, including seniors, and it can be used to prevent injury, align your spine, and
recover from low back pain.
Keep reading to check out the benefits and variations of the bird dog exercise and learn a few additional exercises that target the
same muscle
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 How to do the bird dog exercise 

For this exercise, you’ll need an exercise mat. Place a flat cushion or folded towel under your knees for extra cushioning. You can
use a mirror to check your alignment.
1. Begin on all fours in the tabletop position.

2. Place your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.

3. Maintain a neutral spine by engaging your abdominal muscles.

4. Draw your shoulder blades together.

5. Raise your right arm and left leg, keeping your shoulders and hips parallel to the floor.

6. Lengthen the back of your neck and tuck your chin into your chest to gaze down at the floor.

7. Hold this position for a few seconds, then lower back down to the starting position.

8. Raise your left arm and right leg, holding this position for a few seconds.

9. Return to the starting position. This is one round.

10. Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions

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 Proper technique and alignment tips

To make sure you’re getting the most benefits from the bird dog exercise, you’ll need to align your body correctly and use the right
techniques.
The following tips may seem like a lot to take in when you’re doing this exercise for the first time. Try focusing on a few of these
pointers at a time, instead of trying to learn them all at once.
• Keep your hips level and don’t rotate your pelvis.
• Avoid lifting your leg too high or allowing your spine to curve past its natural position.
• Feel a line of energy from your fingertips, all along your body, and out through your toes.
• Keep your spine neutral and engage your core to prevent your back from sagging.
• Don’t allow your chest to sink down toward the floor.
• Draw your shoulder blades back, down, and away from your ears.
• Keep the back of your neck in line with your spine.
• Move slowly and with control.
• Maintain smooth and even breathing.
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 Variations of the bird dog exercise

There are several variations of the bird dog exercise that you can do when you want to mix up your routine. Here are a few
to try:
 Weighted bird dog

1. Bring your elbow to your knee after each extension.

2. Twist your upper body each time you extend your arm and leg.

3. To loosen up your joints, rotate your extended wrist and ankle.

4. Use ankle or free weights for increased resistance.

5. Use a resistance band around your foot or hand.

6. Pulse your extended arm and leg. Then make small circles in both directions
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 Pushup position

You can also try doing the bird dog exercise in the pushup position.
If you find it challenging to lift both your arm and leg at the same time, do the exercise with only one extremity at a time.
Test your stability by placing a paper cup that’s empty or full of water on your pelvis. Try to keep the cup from falling or
spilling. If it falls or spills, engage your lower abs to stabilize your body.
You can also place a light bar or foam roller across your shoulders to make sure they’re parallel to the floor.
To stabilize your pelvis and make sure your lower back isn’t overextending, do this exercise over a low bench or stability
ball. Increase your endurance by completing more repetitions with less rest in between sets.
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 Muscles targeted by the bird dog exercise

The bird dog exercise works the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, and glutes. This allows for correct movement, control, and
stability of the whole body.It’s an ideal exercise for people with low back concerns, including hypermobility, and it can help
to develop good balance and posture.
While doing the exercise, focus on moving your body as a whole instead of isolating the muscles or movements.
The bird dog teaches you to engage your abdominals and stabilize your low back while moving your extremities. This allows
for greater ease and mobility in many of your daily and athletic movements.
 Alternative exercises that target the same muscles 

There are several exercises that target the same muscles as the bird dog exercise. You can do these exercises in addition to or
in place of the bird dog. Here are a few to get you started.
 Rocking backward low back stretch

Do this exercise, also called the rocking backward low back stretch, to alleviate tightness and pain in the low back and hips.
It helps to loosen up your body before more difficult stretches.
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 Bridge pose

Do this core exercise to strengthen and mobilize your low back. Keep your feet in line with your hips with your toes facing
forward. After doing dynamic spinal rolls, place a block under your lower back. Hold this position for 3-5 minutes.
 Pelvic tilts

This exercise supports the low back, glutes, and abdominals. Place a cushion under your head or shoulders for extra support.
Keep your body relaxed and use the movement to gently massage your back.
 Donkey kicks

This exercise helps with your balance and stability and strengthens your glutes, abs, and hips. Distribute your weight evenly,
and don’t lift your leg higher than your hip.
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 Takeaway 

The bird dog is an effective exercise that’s suitable for most people. Speak to your doctor before starting any fitness routine
if you have any medical concerns or take any medications.
Do the bird dog on its own for a few minutes per day, or add it to your current fitness program.
Make sure you’re using proper form, technique, and breathing. Feel free to modify the exercise for a bit of variety or to make
it more difficult.
The bird dog exercise builds strength and reduces low back pain. It’s OK to do stretches when you’re experiencing pain as
long as you’re gentle and don’t push yourself too much.
If you develop any pain or discomfort during or after the exercise, discontinue the practice and talk to a doctor.
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• Press up, scapular protraction and retraction

Scapular Retraction is when your scapula, most commonly known as the shoulder blade, moves closer to the spine. This
movement should be done with your shoulders down and back to avoid any should shrugging or elevation.
 Retraction Of Scapula

As listed above, the Retraction of Scapula is when the Scapulae moves closer to the spine. The Retraction of Scapula is also
known as Scapular Adduction and is important in many exercises such as the Row and Bench Press. In these exercises, we
perform Retraction of Scapula to provide additional support for the shoulder and increase power and muscle mass.
 Scapular Retraction Muscles

The Scapular Retraction Muscles are the Trapezius, Rhomboids and Latissimus Dorsi. These are all muscles of the back. 
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 Scapular Retraction Test

The Scapular Retraction Test (SRT) is a diagnostic assessment that can be conducted to investigate the status of the rotator
cuff. The test is performed by a physician on a patient. The patient will begin sitting upright on an examination table. The
physician will place their fingertips on the clavicle while stabilizing the medial border of the scapula with their palm. The
physician’s forearm will also be pressed against the patient’s scapula to act as a stabilizer.
Next, the patient will extend the arm to 90-degrees on the same side that the physician is examining. The physician will then
use their available arm to push down on the patient’s extended arm. The test is considered to be positive if the pain is
reduced. This test is also known as the Empty Can Test.
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 Scapular Retraction Exercises 

 Standing Rows

Loop a resistance band around a stable anchor (i.e. a pole). Move the band down to elbow height and step backwards to create some
tension in the band. Begin with your elbows at a 90-degree angle with your shoulders down and back and core tight. Draw your
elbows back while squeezing the shoulder blades together. Perform two sets of 10 reps. 
 Dynamic T and I

Begin lying face down with your arms extended to the sides so that the body is in the shape of the letter ‘T’. Lift your arms while
maintaining the ‘T’ shape and then bring them down to your side to create the ‘I’ shape. Move your arms back to the ‘T’ position, and
then lower the arms for one second in the ‘T’ position to rest.  Elevate the arms again and repeat the movement to perform two sets of
ten reps. Ensure that you do not arch the back or lift the head while performing this exercise. You can support the head with a folded
towel.
 Bilateral External Rotation

In an upright position, begin with your shoulders down and back holding a resistance band. Have your elbows at a 90-degree angle
and begin to slowly pull the resistance band apart so that the forearms are moving outwards and your elbows are remaining tight to
the body. Remember to keep your shoulders down and back and repeat this movement for two sets of ten reps. 
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 Scapular Retraction with Band

There are a few different ways that you can perform Scapular Retraction with Band. The First Scapular Retraction with Band is a Pull
Apart. Hold a TheraBand or resistance band in both hands, horizontally in front of the body. Begin with the band at chest height and
pull the band apart by abducting your arms out to the side. Be sure to squeeze the shoulder blades together as you pull the band apart.
Return to the starting position and repeat the movement. 
Another Scapular Retraction with Band is a standing row. We described this exercise above, but you can also perform it seated on a
bench if needed.
 Hanging Scapular Retraction

Hanging Scapular Retraction is an exercise that will help to improve your pull up. Hang from a pull up bar with an overhand grip and
hands about shoulder-width apart. Your feet should not be touching the ground. With care, pull the shoulder blades together (perform
Scapular Retraction). This will move the body upwards just a bit. Hold this position for at least two counts and then return to the
starting position by relaxing the Scapulae.
 Scapular Retraction Bench Press

One way to make your Bench Press more effective is to maintain Scapular Retraction during the Bench Press. This will allow you to
create more power during your Bench Press as you are keeping the arms compact to the body and providing more stability for the
shoulder.
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 Scapular Protraction Exercises

 Wall Plank

Standing upright, extend both arms straight out in front of you so that your hands are flat against the wall. Push through the wall so that the shoulder
blades separate from one another. Hold for two seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat this movement for two sets of ten reps. You can also
perform this movement on your elbows if wrist stability is an issue.
 
 The Sphinx

Begin down on all fours with your knees slightly in front of the hips and your elbows underneath your shoulders so that the forearms are flat against the
floor. In this exercise, gravity will want to pull your shoulders down to the ground. Resist this by protracting the scapula so that the shoulder blades are
moving away from each other. This can be done by pushing through your elbows. Remember to avoid arching your back. Repeat this movement for two
sets of ten reps.
 
 Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 

Begin with one arm extended onto your support to stabilize the body. Pick up the weight in the other hand and begin to perform a bent-over row. The
important part of this exercise is to ensure that the supporting shoulder blade is not retracting down. Make sure the scapula of the supporting arm is
protracted so that the shoulder joint is stable as you row. Repeat this movement for two sets of ten reps on both arms.
 
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Plank Series
Start in plank, inhale, and then move your backside toward your heels as you exhale. Press through your heels, and shoot
yourself back out long into plank position. Repeat at a brisk pace, keeping your core pulled in the whole time.
We all know that planks are hard. Don't stress over how long you can hold one; instead, focus on your form and functionality. Planks
are popular because there are so many effective variations that tone you in different spots. Add these plank moves to your regular
routine, or try the whole series while brewing your coffee in the morning. Perform all 5 exercises without stopping in between, and
aim for 10 to 15 reps of each. (Got 10 minutes? Then you've got time to lose the weight for good with Prevention's new 10-minute
workouts and 10-minute meals.
Plank with Hip Flexion
This may look like a downward dog, but it isn't. Start by finding your perfect plank and then, in one push from your hips and
core, lift your backside to the ceiling while keeping your spine and neck long. Unfurl back into plank.
Crouch Backs
Start in plank, inhale, and then move your backside toward your heels as you exhale. Press through your heels, and shoot
yourself back out long into plank position. Repeat at a brisk pace, keeping your core pulled in the whole time.
Leg Pull Down
From plank, lift one leg up and out. Don't worry about how high that leg goes, just focus on keeping it stretched long behind you. See how much
space you can get between your ribs and the vertebrae in your neck, and then switch legs. As you switch, make sure you lift from your core and
not your back. 
Long Stretch
Find your plank again—if your wrists are getting tired, feel free to go down onto your forearms. Squeeze your heels, knees, and inner thighs
 together and make your body as long as you can. From the shoulders, not your backside, hinge your body forward into the toes, and then press
back into the heels. Keep your torso horizontal the whole time.
Child's Pose
After this much planking it's nice to end sitting back on your heels with your arms stretched out long in front of you. For more of a lower-back
stretch, keep knees closer together; to open up your hips, keep knees out. Breathe in through your lower back and congratulate yourself on
completing this active plank workout.
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 Squat Series.
A squat is one of, if not the best lower body exercise you can be performing for lower body strength and development. Although squats are an
awesome exercise, they can easily be performed wrong, this guide will ensure you perform them correctly and get the most out of them you
possibly can!
The target muscle(s) of a squat are your quads, hamstrings and glutes. Typically, you will target all 3 of these muscles with a general squat,
but you can charge the primary muscle with a few variations and adjustments. 
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 Goblet Squat 
 The goblet squat should be one of the first squats you perform. It’s easy to set up and the position of the load makes it easy to execute and progress. A
goblet squat can be performed with either a kettlebell or a dumbbell, but a kettlebell will be more comfortable to hold.
• Start by setting your feet up around shoulder width and holding a kettlebell by the handle at your chest, with your elbows tucked into your torso.
• Keeping your core engaged and your chest high. Let the weight sit into the heels of your feet as you drop your hips back and down towards to floor, let your
knees track over your toes allowing you to go as deep as you can go. You should be able to get your quads parallel to the ground.
• Once you are at your lowest point, drive through your heels down (as if you are pushing the floor away from you) allowing you to get back into the start
position. As you drive up your lower back should not round, and your torso should remain upright throughout the movement.
 If you struggle to get your hips as low as parallel, try elevating your heels slightly with a ramp or a small weight plate, which will allow you to drop down lower
while ensuring your heels are still touching a surface and producing force. Once you are comfortable and feel happy with your execution of the goblet squat,
you can move onto a barbell back squat which will allow you to add more load in the long run.
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 Front Squat 
 A front squat is a great variation that can be used instead of a back squat. Due to the bar positioning it places a greater load on your quads rather than your glutes and
hamstrings.
 The front squat can be performed with a barbell, kettle bells or dumbbells with the weight being racked on the front of the shoulder. For this example, we shall use a barbell.
• Get the bar set up in a rack about shoulder height, this will make it easier to un rack and rack the weight.
• The bar is the main factor in a front squat opposed to a back squat. Place the bar so that it sits on top of your front deltoids (just beneath your neck and your clavicle) you’ll
soon know if the bar is too high up as you’ll find it extremely uncomfortable. Place your fingers underneath the bar, with your palms facing the ceiling so it forces you to keep
your elbows high throughout the movement. If you struggle to get your hands in the correct position due to wrist pain, you can try a cross grip. This time you will place your
hands in a cross position over the top of the bar, while keeping your elbows high.
• Once you have the bar set up on your shoulders the following cues are the same as a back squat.
• Your feet should be somewhere around shoulder width, the chest should already be tall as your forcing the elbows to stay up.
• Start the movement by placing the weight onto your heels, continue to force your elbows up while dropping your hips down until your quads are parallel to the floor.
• Ensuring your chest and elbows are still nice and tall, drive through the heel back to your starting position.
• Due to the different placement of the bar, depth at the bottom of the movement may be limited, if this is the case you can place a small ramp under the heel of your feet to
allow you to hit parallel, while maintaining the correct posture through out.
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 Back Squat 
 Once you have mastered the goblet squat, you are ready to perform a barbell back squat. Although very similar to a goblet squat, with the key difference
being with the positioning of the load. The positioning of the load can make it a little unsafe when performed incorrectly. The back squat is one of the
most popular exercises with the goal of overloading the quads, glutes and hamstrings.
• Set the barbell up within a rack at around shoulder height, so that you can step into it and easily lift the bar off onto your back. The bar should sit right on
your traps so it isn’t putting pressure of your neck. Take a couple of steps back to clear the rack.
• Your feet should be set up around shoulder width with your chest elevated, this will ensure that the weight on your back isn’t pushing your torso forwards.
A good tip to ensure your spine stays neutral and that your torso doesn’t drop it to focus on a certain point in front of you and keep your eyes on that point
throughout the movement.
• Once you are set up and in your start position, push your weight into your heels and drop your hips back and down as if you are going to sit into a chair
while following the cues to ensure your torso is staying upright.
• The bottom of the movement should be met with the quads parallel with the ground and the heels dug into the floor. Once here, continue to focus of the
same point and drive your heels into the ground brining yourself back to a straight, neutral position.
• When driving up your spine should stay neutral and your torso should not roll forward, the load should stay on the quadriceps as you drive yourself up.
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 Split Squat 
 A Split squat is a great single leg exercise which can be altered the target either more quad, or more glute. You will need something to elevate
your back leg onto, typically a bench if you have one available. Start this exercise with just your body weight just to ensure you can balance on
one leg. Once you feel comfortable, you can hold either kettlebells or dumbbells either side of your front leg.
• Start by facing away from the bench, place one leg on the bench so that the laces of your shoe are resting on the bench, then take 3 – 4 steps
forward with your other leg so that you have a fairly wide distance between your front foot and back foot.
• Once your feet are set up, ensure your hips are facing forward, your toes facing forward and your torso is in a straight neutral position.
• Place all of your weight onto your front foot, ensuring your back foot is ‘resting’ on the bench. Allow your knee to track over your toes and drive
down so your front quad is parallel with the ground. Your back knee should also come down but should stop just before it touches the floor.
• Once in the bottom position, drive your front foot into the floor allowing your leg to straighten back up. Your torso should stay in a neutral
position and shouldn’t lean to any side at any point of the movement. Your back leg should also stay rested and just ‘follow’ the movement as
the front leg does the work.
• Perform X amount of reps on one side, before switching the legs over and repeating on the other side. 
• This variation will primarily target the quad due to the amount of steps taken forward. If you want to engage more glutes we just have to
change the stance positioning while following the same cues. Take an even wider stance (5-6 steps) forward allowing the glute the stretch
more at the bottom of the movement, and focus the driving part of the exercise through the heel rather than the entire foot.
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• Lunges
The lunge is a resistance exercise that can be used to help strengthen your lower body, including your:
• quadriceps
• hamstrings
• glutes
• Calves
 When practiced from different angles, lunges are also a functional movement. Functional movements can help you work
muscles in ways that benefit everyday movements you do outside of exercising. For example, side lunges help strengthen
the muscles your body uses to move and change direction.
Lunges can also help prepare your muscles for participating in exercise and sports that require a lunging motion like tennis,
yoga, and basketball.
Read on to learn more about the benefits of lunges and how to incorporate them into your daily routine.
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Illustration of muscles worked during a lunge
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How to do a lunge.
The basic lunge works the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. To correctly do a lunge:
1. Start by standing up tall.
2. Step forward with one foot until your leg reaches a 90-degree angle. Your rear knee should remain parallel to the ground and your front knee
shouldn’t go beyond your toes.
3. Lift your front lunging leg to return to the starting position.
4. Repeat 10 to 12 reps on one leg, or switch off between legs until you’ve totaled 10 to 12 reps per leg.
 How to work different muscles with lunge variations
By performing lunge variations, you can activate different muscles. For example, instead of lunging forward, you can lunge to the side.
Side lunges, also known as lateral lunges, can help you increase flexibility and strengthen your thigh muscles. You can also do a walking lunge to keep
your body moving and help elevate your heart rate. Adding a torso twist to lunges works the abdominal muscles.
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 Walking lunge
A walking lunge works the same muscles as a basic lunge, but it may help elevate your heart rate from the additional movement. To do a walking lunge:
1. Start by performing a basic lunge with your right leg lunging forward.
2. Instead of returning to a standing position, start to lunge forward with your left leg so it’s now in a lunge position. Your right leg should stay in
position to stabilize you.
3. Continue this “walking” motion as you continue to lunge forward, alternating legs, for 10 to 12 reps on each leg.
 Lunge with a torso twist
A lunge with a torso twist gives you the added benefit of working your abdominals in addition to your glutes and quads. To do a lunge with a torso twist:
1. Start by performing a basic lunge with your right leg lunging forward.
2. After your right leg is lunged forward in front and you’re feeling stable, use your core to twist your torso to the right. Hold for a few seconds. Don’t
move your legs out of lunge position.
3. Twist your torso back to the center. Step back to standing with your right leg.
4. Switch legs and lunge forward with your left leg, and, once stabilized, twist to the left this time.
5. Perform 10 lunges with twists on each side
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 Side or lateral lunge
In addition to working your glutes, hamstrings, and quads, a side or lateral lunge also works your inner thigh muscles. To do a side lunge:
1. Start standing tall, feet hip-width distance apart.
2. Take a wide step out to the left. Bend your left knee as you push your hips back. Keep both feet flat on the floor throughout the lunge.
3. Push off with your left leg to return to standing.
4. Perform 10 to 12 lunges on the left side before switching to the right.
How to incorporate lunges into your routine.
If you’re looking to improve your physical fitness level and strengthen your legs, consider adding lunges to your weekly exercise routine 2 to 3 times a
week.
If you’re new to fitness, you can start by doing 10 to 12 lunges on each leg at a time. If your goal is to lose weight or tone your body, lunges should be
performed in addition to cardiovascular exercise and other strength training moves.
Try cardio or high-intensity interval training 2 to 3 times per week, alternating days with strength training, like lunges, on the other days.
If you aren’t sure how to set up an exercise routine, work with a certified personal trainer who can make a schedule for you to follow.
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 Can you use lunges to spot train your muscles?

Some of the pros of spot training, or targeting only one area of your body with lunges, are that you may see a slight increase to muscle development or tone in that area.
The cons are that your body can quickly adapt. The move will no longer be challenging after a few weeks. Instead, a well-rounded fitness routine can help you meet your goals.
 How do lunges compare to squats?
Lunges and squats are similar bodyweight exercises that both target the glutes and leg muscles. The difference is that a lunge is done one leg at a time, so you’re strengthening
each leg individually. That means you’re firing up your stabilizing muscles. This may help even out any imbalances.
Lunges are also easier on the back, so if you experience lower back pain, consider sticking to lunges instead of adding in squats. Alternatively, avoid bending down as far in
your squat.
Neither squats nor lunges are better for toning up. Both are excellent exercises to engage the muscles in your lower body. For best results, consider adding both to your routine.
 The takeaway
Lunges can be an effective exercise to help tone and strengthen your lower body. Take care to do lunges with proper form. As you lunge, your knee shouldn’t go over your toes.
And don’t extend your leg too far in any direction when you lunge, either.
Correctly performing lunges can help reduce your risk for injury.
If you need help getting started with lunges, ask a certified personal trainer to watch your form. When you become more advanced, you can hold free weights in each hand as
you lunge for an additional strengthening challenge. Just remember to always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
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 Mix Things Up with This Lunge and Biceps Curl Compound Move
Now that you’ve improved your flexibility, it’s time to build some muscle with this compound movement that features lunges and biceps curls.
Lunges are best known for shaping your buttocks, strengthening your lower body, increasing your core strength, and building your leg muscles.
Meanwhile, the added biceps curl makes this a great full-body move.
Duration: 3 sets, 20 reps of 10 per side. If this is too intense, start off with a number of sets and reps that work best for you.
 The 4-Minute Daily Thigh Workout
One of the biggest misconceptions about exercise is that you have to spend hours doing it daily to see results. We’re busy ladies, so if we can get more
bang for our buck with quick workouts, sign us up!
Here, we share a four-minute thigh routine you can do daily. But don’t be fooled — just because it’s short doesn’t mean it should be easy. Quality is
better than quantity, so focus on form, add a dumbbell if bodyweight is a bit too easy, and get to work.
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1. Side squats

Squats are a girl’s best friend — they work your legs and your booty. Add in the side step and you’ll feel an extra burn in your thighs and hips.

Equipment needed: a small dumbbell or weight if you need a challenge

1. Stand up straight with your legs shoulder-width apart and arms at your side (or holding a weight to your chest).

2. Step to the right, and as you do so, sit back into a squat, raising your arms to a comfortable position in front of you if just using your bodyweight.

3. Rise and return to standing in center. Repeat on the left side.

4. Complete 1 round for 1 minute.

2. Plié leg lift

If you’ve ever done ballet, you know it’s killer on the thighs — that’s why we stole this dance-inspired move from a barre workout!

Equipment needed: none

5. Start in a plié squat position, hands on your sides. Toes should be pointed out, feet wider than shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.

6. Squat down, pushing you hips back, and on your way up, lift the right leg up into the air at your side. Go as high as is comfortable. Safely return to the starting position.

7. Repeat the same steps, raising the left leg.

8. Complete 1 round for 1 minute.

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3. Single-leg bridge

No thigh-toning routine is complete without a bridge, which strengthens your hamstrings, glutes, and core. To get the most out of this exercise, squeeze your cheeks when you reach the top,
really forming a mind-body connection.

Equipment needed: a mat, plus a small dumbbell or weight if you need a challenge

1. Start lying face up on a mat, knees bent with feet on the floor and palms facing down at your sides.

2. Lift your right leg up off the ground and straighten it out in front of you while your left leg stays bent.

3. Pressing your left heel into the floor, lift your pelvis up toward the ceiling, squeezing at the top when you reach a stiff bridge position.

4. Slowly lower back down to the ground and repeat for 30 seconds. Switch legs, and complete 30 seconds with the left leg up to round out this exercise.

4. Scissor planks

By this point you should be getting a little tired, but the scissor plank will challenge you until the end!

Equipment needed: hardwood floor, towel or slider for each foot

5. Start in a plank position with towels or sliders positioned under each toe.

6. Bracing your core and upper body, slowly drag your feet apart as wide as they’ll go. Pause, then pull them back to center using your thigh muscles. Keep your hips square to the ground
and your core tight.

7. Complete 2 rounds of 30 seconds each.

Takeaway

Find a way to work this routine into your daily schedule and commit to push harder each time. Watch your thighs transform!
WEEK 11 TO 12 LOCOMOTOR EXERCISE

 Crawl and Creep

The benefits from these movement are extremely important to us, but more about that soon,  first I want to
outline the differences between creeping and crawling, because if you are like me you may not know the
difference,  these movements are often seen as the same yet are very different.
Without being too technical crawling is the way spiderman moves, or a soldier on his belly in the dirt with barbed
wire and shots being fired overhead! (you get the idea)
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 Creeping (seen below) is when the infant is on hands and knees with belly well away from the floor.
 it is essential that we crawl and then creep, if we don’t, or didn’t, we miss out on some of the awesome effects that these movements have on
the developing human. Now you may be thinking what prevents us from creeping and crawling as part of our early development, a difficult
birth is a major factor, with early trauma to a child’s delicate cranium causing imbalances that put strain on the nervous system another
factor is encouraging infants to walk too soon and the use of baby walkers.

Crawling on your hands, knees, and feet is often referred to as creeping. You want to start with creeping because it provides a larger base
of support, and you perform it in a slower manner. Simple creeping works wonders for the hips, shoulders, and core. Move forward by
moving your opposite arm and leg together.
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 WEEK 11 TO 12

• Jump (and Landing Series)

Most people don’t really know what plyometrics are.  Some people call it jump training and some call it ploys, but there is much more to this type of training than jumping.  We will
touch on the different aspects of plyometrics and how to progress exercises to help athletes jump higher or farther or run faster or hit a ball harder in an effective, safe way.

Let’s start with the question, what are Plyometrics?  The word comes from the Greek words, plethyein (to increase) and metric (to measure).  To keep it simple, plyometrics is to increase
force production in as short a time as possible.  The key concept is to ultimately use what is called the Stretch Reflex or the Stretch Shortening Cycle within the tendons of the body that
connect muscle to bone.

When a muscle/tendon is stretched quickly with increased force, the Stretch Shortening Cycle is there to prevent that muscle/tendon from overstretching or tearing.  It is a safety
mechanism built into our bodies to prevent injury.  The goal is to absorb the load quickly and then to move in the other direction just as quickly.  When applied to a training program, the
end result, if done properly, is faster, more explosive athletes which means you will run faster, jump higher, and throw or hit harder.

Now that we know about the concept of Plyometrics, here is a very brief history about this form of training. In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s Dr. Yuri Verkoshansky, a Russian scientist
and track coach, developed a method of training known as the “Shock Method” which used movements such as depth jumps to overload the body and train that Stretch Shortening Cycle
within the muscles/tendons.

When other countries started noticing that the Russians were warming up and preparing differently than they were and getting far better results, they decided to research their methods to
try and mimic their results.  Dr. Michael Yessis from the United States is credited with researching and translating many of the Russian training methods and bringing them to North
America but the term Plyometrics was coined by an American track coach by the name of Fred Wilt in the early 1980’s and is the most commonly used term when it comes to producing
explosive power.

There is a lot of confusion around what Plyometric training is and entails, so there are some misconceptions about it that we should go over:
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Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Lower your body to squat down. Press up through your feet,
engage your abdominals, and jump up explosively. Lift your arms overhead as you jump. Upon landing, lower
yourself back down to the squatting position.
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• Linear Movements (hop, skip, leap or bound, jog, run)

 jump: lift your body off a surface where you are standing by flexing and extending the leg and feet muscles. “He can
jump more than half his own height from a standing position.”
 leap: in a leap, you span a distance between two things, again by using your leg muscles, usually one leg at a time, to
spring upwards and outwards. “Watch him leap across the creek.”
 hop: to bounce up off the surface, usually on one foot and land again a short distance away on the same foot . “I sprained
my right ankle and had to hop across the room on my left foot because I couldn’t put my right foot to the floor.”
 skip: similar to hop, but going from one foot to the other in sequence to cover distance over a surface.

 Bounding. The basic Bound is extremely simple to perform. You leap off one leg, attempting to propel your
body forward as far as you can. You land on your opposite foot and immediately explode into the next bound.
It's like an exaggerated sprint stride with an emphasis on springing off the ground.
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 Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase physical fitness with less stress on the
body than from faster running but more than walking, or to maintain a steady speed for longer periods of time.
 RUN
Here is the basic formula for a great training plan.
1. Train three days a week.
2. Run or run/walk 20 to 30 minutes, two days a week.
3. Take a longer run or run/walk (40 minutes to an hour) on the weekend.
4. Rest or cross-train on your off days.
5. Run at a conversational pace.
6. Consider taking regular walk-breaks.
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• Lateral Movements (slide, crossover, grapevine)

Slide-Start standing with both feet on sliders. Bend right leg and slide right foot back into a low lunge, keeping left foot stationary. Straighten
your leg and pull right foot in to return to starting position. Repeat on the other side. Make it easier: Remove slider from under the fixed foot
so you have more stability.

Crossover exercise
The Cable Crossover is an exercise done on a machine that is used to strengthen the muscles of the upper chest. It involves two pulleys
and will engage the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor as well as your anterior deltoids.

 Grapevines exercise
 From this start position, take a side step with your left foot and then cross your right foot over the front of your left, then take another side
step with your left foot, repeat this sequence for 3-4 steps to your left, then reverse the sequence (stepping your right foot out and
crossing over with your left foot) 
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 WEEK 11 TO 12

• “Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything
whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” —Saint Francis de Sales

• “You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously. You will find peace not in denial, but in victory.”
—J. Donald Walters
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 “ The struggle that you’re in today is developing the strength need tomorrow.”
Robert tew
Laban Lang ayaw ug kahina sa mga bagay bagay kay kabalo ka nga gi prepare ka nga mas mahimong lig –on ug mas palaban na ikaw sa umaabot na
mga pagsulay….
Bryant t. bocatot