1. The "Spinal Twist"

Transcription

1 14 Pierrepont Rd (617) Newton, MA Everyday Stretches & Exercises This is a routine that emphasizes stretching and strengthening the muscles that are most frequently used in circus acrobatics and in the normal activities of life. This should take you about 30 minutes a day to complete. 1. The "Spinal Twist" While seated, extend the left leg in front of you. Bend your right leg, placing your right foot on the outside of the left knee. Extend your right arm behind you to support your body. Place the left arm on the outside of the right leg. Slightly twist the torso using your left arm until you feel the stretch in your side. Hold for seconds. Stretch the other side. 2. Hamstring Stretch While seated, extend your left leg in front of you. Bend your right leg, placing the bottom of your foot on the inside of the left knee. Place your right hand on top of your left hand. While keeping the lower back straightened, reach toward your left foot. Hold this for seconds. During this stretch, keep the foot of the straight leg upright with the ankle and toes relaxed. Repeat for the right leg. 3. Pike Stretch While seated, extend both legs straight out in front of you. While keeping the lower back straightened, reach toward your feet, bending at the waste. Hold this for 30 seconds. During this stretch, keep the knees as straight as possible.

2 4. Calf Stretch While standing, place your left foot near the wall. Bend forearms and rest them against the wall. Keeping the right foot flat on the floor, move right leg back until you feel the stretch in the calf muscle. Hold an easy stretch for seconds. Do not bounce. Stretch the other leg. 5. Chest Stretch Place flat palm of right arm against a wall. Slowly rotate forward until you feel the stretch in your chest. Hold the stretch for seconds. Stretch the other side. 6. Shoulder Stretch Extend your left arm in front of your body. Using the left wrist, place the right wrist underneath and pull inward toward your body, while keeping the left arm extended. Hold for seconds. Stretch the other side. 7. Quadriceps Stretch Supporting your body with your left arm against a solid object, grab your left toes with right arm. Pull your heel up to your buttocks until you feel the stretch in your thigh. Hold for seconds. Stretch the other side.

3 8. Forearm Stretch Extend your right arm. Using your left hand, pull your finger tips back toward your body until you feel the stretch in your forearm. Hold the stretch for seconds. Repeat using the other arm. 9. Triceps Stretch Bend the right arm while placing your fingers in the middle of the back. Using the left arm, pull your right elbow backward until you feel the stretch in the back of your arm. Hold it for seconds. Stretch the other side. 10. "Cat" (Back) Stretch To stretch the upper back, hands and knees should be on the floor. Just as a cat would do, slowly lift your back up toward the ceiling and hold in place for seconds. 11. Inner Thigh Stretch While seated, pull both feet inward toward the body. Grab your feet with your hands, while using the elbows to press downward slightly on the knees. You should feel this stretch in your inner thighs. Hold for seconds. 12. Front Split Stretch Start from a standing position. Extended your left leg forwards and your right leg backwards until you can feel the muscles in your legs stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat with this stretch with the right leg going forwards and the left leg going backwards. When performing this stretch you want your legs both at right angles to the trunk. Ideally, the hips are square facing to the front, while both legs are turned out from the hips

4 13. Scale Stretch Start from a standing position. Raise your right foot so that you can hold your right foot with your right hand. While keeping hold of the foot, extend the right leg out and up until you can feel the muscles in you re leg stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat with this stretch with the left leg. When performing this stretch you will be using your arm to stretch the muscles in your leg. Ideally, your legs will be in line with the trunk, and 180 degrees apart. 14. Straddle Split Stretch Start from a standing position. Extended your legs outwards until you can feel the muscles in your legs stretching. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Ideally you want a 180 degree angle between the legs, and a 90 degree angle between each leg and the trunk. Your toes can face either straight up or forwards 15. Needle Scale Stretch From a standing position, grab your left toes with both arms. Bend forward and at the same time pull your left leg up until you feel the stretch in your thigh and back. Hold for seconds. Stretch the other side. When performing this stretch you will be using your arm to stretch the muscles in your leg and back. Ideally, your toes will be pointed up, your legs will be in at a 90 degree angle with the trunk, and 180 degrees apart from each other. 16. Abdominal Crunches Start by lying face up on a soft surface, bend knees and bring feet close to the buttocks. Place your hands behind your head, and tuck chin into the chest. Lift with abdominal muscles the upper body towards thighs while keeping the lower back on the floor. Lower your shoulders and upper body slowly and with control. Repeat times.

5 17. Oblique Sit Ups Lie face up on a soft surface. Bend your knees and bring your feet close to your buttocks as shown. Place your hands behind your head. Begin lifting your upper body and twisting while reaching for just outside of your left knee. Lower your body back to the floor, move your knees to the opposite side and reach for just outside your right knee. Continue alternating form left to right. Repeat times. 18. Push Ups With the palms shoulder-width apart, body remaining straight throughout (no bending at knees or waist) use your arms to lower yourself down until you have a 90 degree-angle in the elbow and the body is parallel to the ground. The body must then be raised until the arms are straight. This equals one push-up. 19. Handstand Push Ups Start by removing your shoes and standing facing a wall. Lean down, placing your hands on the floor about 6 inches from the wall and kick your feet up against the wall, bringing your body to a vertical position. Keep you thighs together, toes pointed and your back flat or slightly rounded - don't arch you back. Lower yourself to where your elbows form 90-degree angles, press back up and repeat. Make sure to stop as soon as you feel fatigued. Do this exercise with a friend or trainer to spot you until you're familiar with it. 20. Side Bends Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart, keeping a slight bend in your legs and your hands on your hips. Slowly bend over to the left, reaching with your right hand until you feel a stretch along your right side. Hold for seconds. Stretch the other side. Repeat on each side several times. When performing this stretch Avoid leaning forward or back, and keep the movement smooth with no bouncing.

6 21. The Bridge Start by lying on a soft surface. Bend your knees and put your feet on the ground as close to your buttocks as possible. Put your hands on the ground just above your shoulders, and push your torso up into the air until you feel a stretch in your back. Hold for seconds. Ideally, the arms and legs should be straight and close together. 22. Shoulder Stand! " # $ % &'( & ) * 23. Plow Pose!! (&&)# +,-.

7 Aerial and Tumbling Exercises 1. Forward Rolls (5) 2. Cartwheels (left and right hand, 5 each) / Roundoffs (left and right hand, 5 each) Pull-ups Tricept (5), Bicept(5) and mixed mode(5/5) L-Ups (10) 0 Throwdowns (20) 7. Jogging / Running laps (10+ laps) 8. Planck Pose (aka 2 minutes of torture)