DAY 3 Stretches
Medium
BACK CURL Lie on your back with your feet off the floor and your knees bent towards your chest. Wrap a towel round the backs of your legs just below your knees, then grasp one end of the towel with each hand and pull your knees towards your chest until your lower back rolls off the floor slightly (or as far as is comfortably possible.).
Hint: Hold 20 to 30 seconds
SHIRT PULL
Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and your arms crossed at your twists in front of your body, as though preparing to pull off a shirt. Tilt your chin upwards and pull your crossed arms up, raising them and uncrossing them until they are fully extended overhead. Stretch your fingertips towards the ceiling as high as possible. Hold, then relax and return to start. Repeat five times.
Hint: Hold 5 to 10 seconds
CHILD'S POSE
Kneel with the tops of your feet on the floor and your toes pointed behind you. Sit back on your heels and lower your chest to your thighs. Reach out with your arms and rest your palms on the floor. You may get a better stretch by having your knees and feet slightly apart.
Hint: Hold 15 seconds
TRIANGLE
Stand with your feet wide apart in a straddle toes pointed to the side; extend your arms straight to the sides. Keeping your arms outstretched, bend your torso gradually to the right and run your right hand slowly down the shin of your right leg as far as is comfortably possible. Reach towards the ceiling with your left fingertips and look up towards your left hand. Hold, then release and switch sides. It's important to do this stretch slowly.
Hint: Hold 20 to 30 seconds
routine 3 Spread Stopper
DAY 1 Strength exercises
Hard
STANDING ROW Tones back and shoulders
1 Holding a dumbbell in your left hand, with your right leg a wide step in front of your left with your left heel lifted off the floor. Rest your right hand on your right thigh for support and lean forward slightly.
2 Bend your left arm at a 90 degree angle in front of you, palm facing in. Pull your left arm up until your elbow is even with your shoulder. Pause, then return to start. Complete a full set with one arm before switching to the other.
Hint: 3 SETS 10 reps EACH SIDE
CURL AND PRESS
Tones biceps and shoulders
1 Sit on a chair (preferably one without arms) with your feet flat on the floor. HOld a dumbbell in each hand with your arms down by your sides, palms facing out.
2 Keeping your upper body stable, bend your elbows and curl the weights up to your shoulders. Rotate your wrists so your palms are facing away from you and lift the weights overhead.
Pause, then reverse the move, lowering your arms to return to the starting position.
Hint: 3 SETS 10 reps
CHAIR PRESS-UP
Tones chest, triceps and shoulders
1 Place a chair against the wall and assume a push-up position with your hands as if on the third step of flight of stairs (this exercise works with stairs or a chair). Your arms should be extended with your hands directly below your shoulders, and your body should form a straight diagonal line from your head to your heels.
2 Bend your elbows, keeping your arms close to your body as your lower yourself towards the chair (or step).
3 Straighten your arms and press your hips back and up towards the ceiling so you're in an inverted V position, dropping your heels towards the floor. Return to start.
It is very important to monitor your technique here, to avoid putting strain on your lower back.
Hint: 3 SETS 10 reps
CHAIR DIP
1 Have a chair pushed up against the wall. Sit on the edge of the chair with your hands grasping the seat on either side of your bottom, and your feet flat on the floor. Slide your bottom off the chair and walk your feet forward slightly, keeping your legs at a 90 degree angle.
2 Keeping your shoulders down, slowly bend your elbows, lowering your hips towards the floor until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Pause, then push up to return to start.
Hint: 3 SETS 10 reps
routine 3 Spread Stopper
DAY 1 Stretches
Hard
OVERHEAD GRASP AND BEND
Stretches triceps and sides
Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Extend your left arm overhead, bend the elbow, and reach down the middle of your back with your left hand, pointing your elbow towards the ceiling. Keep your shoulders down as you gently grasp your left elbow with your right hand and push it as far as is comfortably possible into a deeper stretch. Hold, then switch sides.
Hint: 15 Seconds
SELF HUG
Stretches upper back
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Wrap your arms around the front of your body as if you were giving yourself a hug, grasping the backs of your shoulders with your hands. Keeping your torso steady, relax your upper back and shoulders and let your head hand forward as far as is comfortably possible.
Hint: 20 to 30 Seconds
WALL STRETCH
Stretches chest and shoulders
Stand next to wall and raise your left arm, pressing your hand and forearm against it. Slowly rotate your body towards the opposite shoulder until you feel a stretch across your chest and in your shoulder. Hold, then repeat on the other side.
Hint: 15 Seconds
OPEN ARMS
Stretches biceps, forearms and chest
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Slowly raise your arms out to the sides until they reach shoulder level. Then, with your palms facing toward, gently stretch your arms behind you, keeping them just slightly below shoulder level. When you've pulled back as far as is comfortably possible, behind your wrists back until you feel a stretch in the fronts of your arms.
Hint: 20 to 30 Seconds
routine 3 Spread Stopper
DAY 1 Strength exercises
Hard
SINGLE BRIDGE
Tones glutes and thighs
1 Lie on your back with knees bent and your feet flat on the floor about hip width apart. Contract your buttocks and lift your bottom so your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Support your hips with your hands, keeping your elbows and upper arms planted on the floor.
2 If you can, straighten your left leg towards the ceiling, pointing the toe, then flex your foot.
3 Lower your leg until your knees line up, then raise the leg again. Repeat three times, then switch sides. (If this is too difficult, skip step 2 and just raise your leg so your knees are in line with one another. If it's too easy, take your hands off your hips.)
Hint: 3 SETS 3 reps
WALL SQUAT
Tones glutes and thighs
1 Stand with your back against a wall, your legs straight and your feet about 60cm (2ft) from the wall and slightly apart. Raise your arms straight in front of you and slide down the wall until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Hold for three to five counts, then slide back up to the starting position, lowering your arms as you stand.
Hint: 3 SETS 5 reps
Medium
BACK CURL Lie on your back with your feet off the floor and your knees bent towards your chest. Wrap a towel round the backs of your legs just below your knees, then grasp one end of the towel with each hand and pull your knees towards your chest until your lower back rolls off the floor slightly (or as far as is comfortably possible.).
Hint: Hold 20 to 30 seconds
SHIRT PULL
Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and your arms crossed at your twists in front of your body, as though preparing to pull off a shirt. Tilt your chin upwards and pull your crossed arms up, raising them and uncrossing them until they are fully extended overhead. Stretch your fingertips towards the ceiling as high as possible. Hold, then relax and return to start. Repeat five times.
Hint: Hold 5 to 10 seconds
CHILD'S POSE
Kneel with the tops of your feet on the floor and your toes pointed behind you. Sit back on your heels and lower your chest to your thighs. Reach out with your arms and rest your palms on the floor. You may get a better stretch by having your knees and feet slightly apart.
Hint: Hold 15 seconds
TRIANGLE
Stand with your feet wide apart in a straddle toes pointed to the side; extend your arms straight to the sides. Keeping your arms outstretched, bend your torso gradually to the right and run your right hand slowly down the shin of your right leg as far as is comfortably possible. Reach towards the ceiling with your left fingertips and look up towards your left hand. Hold, then release and switch sides. It's important to do this stretch slowly.
Hint: Hold 20 to 30 seconds
routine 3 Spread Stopper
DAY 1 Strength exercises
Hard
STANDING ROW Tones back and shoulders
1 Holding a dumbbell in your left hand, with your right leg a wide step in front of your left with your left heel lifted off the floor. Rest your right hand on your right thigh for support and lean forward slightly.
2 Bend your left arm at a 90 degree angle in front of you, palm facing in. Pull your left arm up until your elbow is even with your shoulder. Pause, then return to start. Complete a full set with one arm before switching to the other.
Hint: 3 SETS 10 reps EACH SIDE
CURL AND PRESS
Tones biceps and shoulders
1 Sit on a chair (preferably one without arms) with your feet flat on the floor. HOld a dumbbell in each hand with your arms down by your sides, palms facing out.
2 Keeping your upper body stable, bend your elbows and curl the weights up to your shoulders. Rotate your wrists so your palms are facing away from you and lift the weights overhead.
Pause, then reverse the move, lowering your arms to return to the starting position.
Hint: 3 SETS 10 reps
CHAIR PRESS-UP
Tones chest, triceps and shoulders
1 Place a chair against the wall and assume a push-up position with your hands as if on the third step of flight of stairs (this exercise works with stairs or a chair). Your arms should be extended with your hands directly below your shoulders, and your body should form a straight diagonal line from your head to your heels.
2 Bend your elbows, keeping your arms close to your body as your lower yourself towards the chair (or step).
3 Straighten your arms and press your hips back and up towards the ceiling so you're in an inverted V position, dropping your heels towards the floor. Return to start.
It is very important to monitor your technique here, to avoid putting strain on your lower back.
Hint: 3 SETS 10 reps
CHAIR DIP
1 Have a chair pushed up against the wall. Sit on the edge of the chair with your hands grasping the seat on either side of your bottom, and your feet flat on the floor. Slide your bottom off the chair and walk your feet forward slightly, keeping your legs at a 90 degree angle.
2 Keeping your shoulders down, slowly bend your elbows, lowering your hips towards the floor until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Pause, then push up to return to start.
Hint: 3 SETS 10 reps
routine 3 Spread Stopper
DAY 1 Stretches
Hard
OVERHEAD GRASP AND BEND
Stretches triceps and sides
Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Extend your left arm overhead, bend the elbow, and reach down the middle of your back with your left hand, pointing your elbow towards the ceiling. Keep your shoulders down as you gently grasp your left elbow with your right hand and push it as far as is comfortably possible into a deeper stretch. Hold, then switch sides.
Hint: 15 Seconds
SELF HUG
Stretches upper back
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Wrap your arms around the front of your body as if you were giving yourself a hug, grasping the backs of your shoulders with your hands. Keeping your torso steady, relax your upper back and shoulders and let your head hand forward as far as is comfortably possible.
Hint: 20 to 30 Seconds
WALL STRETCH
Stretches chest and shoulders
Stand next to wall and raise your left arm, pressing your hand and forearm against it. Slowly rotate your body towards the opposite shoulder until you feel a stretch across your chest and in your shoulder. Hold, then repeat on the other side.
Hint: 15 Seconds
OPEN ARMS
Stretches biceps, forearms and chest
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Slowly raise your arms out to the sides until they reach shoulder level. Then, with your palms facing toward, gently stretch your arms behind you, keeping them just slightly below shoulder level. When you've pulled back as far as is comfortably possible, behind your wrists back until you feel a stretch in the fronts of your arms.
Hint: 20 to 30 Seconds
routine 3 Spread Stopper
DAY 1 Strength exercises
Hard
SINGLE BRIDGE
Tones glutes and thighs
1 Lie on your back with knees bent and your feet flat on the floor about hip width apart. Contract your buttocks and lift your bottom so your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Support your hips with your hands, keeping your elbows and upper arms planted on the floor.
2 If you can, straighten your left leg towards the ceiling, pointing the toe, then flex your foot.
3 Lower your leg until your knees line up, then raise the leg again. Repeat three times, then switch sides. (If this is too difficult, skip step 2 and just raise your leg so your knees are in line with one another. If it's too easy, take your hands off your hips.)
Hint: 3 SETS 3 reps
WALL SQUAT
Tones glutes and thighs
1 Stand with your back against a wall, your legs straight and your feet about 60cm (2ft) from the wall and slightly apart. Raise your arms straight in front of you and slide down the wall until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Hold for three to five counts, then slide back up to the starting position, lowering your arms as you stand.
Hint: 3 SETS 5 reps
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