Circuit 1

1. Band lat pulldown: 15 reps

Engage your lats to pull the band down, with your biceps/arms only assisting. Try to keep your wrists and hands aligned as much as possible to avoid straining your wrists.

2. DB plank row: 30 reps (15 each arm)

Engage your lats by pushing with your hands through the floor to avoid sinking into your shoulder joints. Make sure your belly doesn’t sag and your back doesn’t round upward.  Keep your abs tight (like they’re bracing for a punch to the gut) and make sure your head, hips and heels stay in line - squeeze your glutes. Your neck should follow the alignment of your back (head not looking up or sagging down).  Focus on lifting the dumbbell with your lat muscles, with your arms only assisting.

3. Reverse crunch chest press: 15 reps

Don’t collapse your head/neck forward in the crunch.  Engage your lower core to bring your legs in and out.

4. Ab jacks: 20 reps

Keep your head and spine neutral, wrists aligned under shoulders, core tight and glutes squeezed throughout the movement. Engage your lower core to move legs out and back in.

Circuit 2

1. Chest fly with straight leg raise: 12 reps

Don’t collapse your head/neck forward. Engage your lower core to pull your legs up.  Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the chest fly.

2. Push-ups (modification: knees down): 15 reps

Keep head/neck neutral with spine - don’t dip head down below shoulders. Your elbows should stack over your wrists for support and safety. If your hips sag, concentrate on keeping your abs tight and squeezing your glutes.  This will give your core more support and protect your lower back.

3. Inchworm: 10 reps

As you walk your hands forward, bend from the hips, keeping your legs as straight as possible. If you’re not very flexible, you can have a slight bend in your knees. Walk your hands out until your body is parallel to the ground in a push-up position.  Keep your core tight throughout movement.  

4. Mountain climbers: 50 reps (25 each leg)

Only go the speed in which you are able to engage your core in bringing your legs towards your chest and you’re not just “running your legs in and out.”  Keep wrists in alignment with shoulders and head in alignment with spine.

BURNER: Superman band pass: 30 seconds each direction

Lift your arms, legs and chest off the floor at the same time. Lift your chest and squeeze your upper back, glutes, and lower back as you pass the theraband behind your back.