Sara Gilliland

Presented Saturday, February 19, 2005
1:30 p.m.

If you have any injuries or other health conditions that may be affected by exercise, or if you have not been active for a while, you should check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.

Shoulder

External Rotation with rubber tubing
Attach tubing to door or other fixed object. Hold upper arm at your side and bend elbow 90 degrees. Start with your arm rotated inwards so your hand is in front of you body, then rotate in your shoulder so that your hand holding the tubing rotates outwards. Make sure your elbow remains bent at 90 degrees throughout the exercise.

“Empty Cans”
Arm placement is at 45 degrees of abduction (half way between in front of you and out to the side) rotate your arm so that your thumb points down. Lift your arm. Make sure the highest point of your lift is below the height of your shoulder. This exercise can be done with hand weights or rubber tubing.

Lateral Raises
Bend elbows 90 degrees. Start with arms at your sides, then lift out to the side. Elbows should not lift higher than shoulders, and if you have shoulder problems, lift no higher than 45 degrees away from body. You can add hand weights as needed.

Scapulothoracic Joint (upper back)

Chest Row:
Attach rubber tubing so that it is at mid-chest height. Holding one end in each hand, pull your arms back, bending your elbows as you pull. Move so that your upper arms come to the sides of your body. Squeeze your shoulder blades back and down while you pull.

Overball T’s
Kneel on the ground and lean over a large exercise ball so that the ball is supporting your chest. Start with your arms draped over the sides of the ball. Lift your arms out to the sides, so that your body is making the shape of a letter T. Squeeze your shoulder blades back as you lift. You can add hand weights as the exercise becomes easier.

Wall/Table push-ups
Performed like a regular push-up, except that you select the level to give you a resistance that allows you to complete 10-12 reps.

Lower Extremity Exercises

Quad sets
Sitting on the floor, place a rolled up towel under your knees. Tighten your quads to extend your knees so that your heels lift off the floor. Hold the contraction for 10 seconds.

Wall Sits
Using a wall to support your back, “sit” to a level so that your thighs make a 45 degree (beginner level) or are parallel to the floor (advanced level) Make sure that your feet are positioned so that your knees are directly over your ankles, and your feet are hip width apart. Hold for 20 seconds to a minute. Repeat 2-4 times.

Ball Squats
Similar to the wall sit, except you place a large exercise ball between your back and the wall. (Positioned such that the ball fits in the curve of your low back) Squat as if you were going to sit in a chair. (Do not sit lower than a 90 degree angle at your knee) Make sure your knees do not go forward of your ankles. This exercise can either be held (like the wall sit) or done as a squat, doing 10-12 reps of sitting and pushing back up to standing.

Standing Hamstring Curls
Stand facing a wall, with ankle weights on your ankles. Bend your knee, lifting your heel towards your glutes. Stand close enough to the wall, so that the wall prevents your knee from moving forward. Lift your foot just as high as you can comfortably go. (Usually around a 90 degree bend at the knee) Make sure that your leg does not move at the hip. Do 10-12 lifting the right foot, and then repeat with the left.

Ankle Exercises

Theraband 4 directions
Anchor an exercise band to a stable table leg, or leg of the bed. Place the loop on the free end of the band around the ball of your foot.
Dorsiflexion= pulling your toes and foot up towards your head. Band should be anchored extending directly away from the bottom of your foot.
Inversion= pulling your toes and the bottom of your foot inwards towards your other leg. Make sure the movement is isolated to your ankle. Band should be anchored towards the outside of your leg.
Eversion= the reverse of inversion. Pulling your toes and bottom of foot outwards. Band should be anchored towards the inside of your leg.
Plantar flexion= pushing your toes and ankle away from your head. Hold the two ends of the band in your hands, and have the middle under the ball of your foot.

Single Leg Balance
Stand on one leg and hold for 30 – 60 seconds. Position yourself in a place that you have something to grab onto if you lose your balance.
Progressions:
Balance with your eyes closed
Balance standing on a pillow or other “squishy” surface
Balance on a rounded surface
Balance on one leg while tossing a ball with a partner

Core Exercises

Transversus Abdominus Contractions (TVA’s)
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet resting on the floor. Relax yourself so that your back is in its neutral position. Contract your abdominals, as if you were pulling your belly button towards your spine, or trying to put on tight pants. Make sure that your back does not move as you contract. Hold the contraction for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Dead Bugs
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet resting on the floor. Keeping your abs tight lift and extend your opposite arm and leg (ie Rt leg and Lft arm) making sure that your back does not arch as you move. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 10 reps on each side.

Quadruped
On your hands and knees, tighten your abs to maintain a neutral back position. Then extend your opposite arm and leg (ie Rt leg and Lft arm) lifting no higher than hip level. Make sure that your back does not arch or round as you lift. Also try to minimize any rotation at your hips. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 10 reps on each side.

Stretching

Major muscle groups to stretch:
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds
Chest (pectoralis)
Upper Trapezius
Quadruceps (front of thigh)
Hamstrings (back of thigh)
Glutes
Calves

Taken from: Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 2nd Ed
National Strength and Conditioning Association
Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle, editors
Chapter 18

Physiology and Fitness Resources

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 2nd Ed
National Strength and Conditioning Association
Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle, editors
Human Kinetics; Champaign, IL
2000

The National Strength and Conditioning Association
www.nsca-lift.org

If you would like other resources on a specific topic of interest, contact me and I can try to help you out.