Bellingham Athletic Club

Warm Up

Our Fitness Director, Mike Locke, demonstrates how to do Warm Up at home.

Marching in Place

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with upright posture. Begin by lifting the foot of one leg and then alternating with the other leg in a marching movement. Lifting the feet and knees as you swing the arms by your sides. The faster you swing the arms the faster the legs will march.

Marching Forward

With your feet shoulder-width apart and your body held in an upright posture, begin a marching movement. Lifting the toes and knees while you swing your arms. March 4-steps forward and then
4-steps backward. Your arms will set the tempo for your legs. Slower arm swing, slower leg movement. Faster arm swing, faster leg movement.

Frog March

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with upright posture. Begin by lifting the foot of one leg and then alternating with the other leg in a marching movement. But unlike a March in place instead of bringing the knees in front of the body, you will lift them out to the side while you swing your arms back and forth. Faster arm swing, the faster the legs will move, making it more vigorous.

Lateral March

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in an upright posture. Begin marching in place lifting the toes and knees while swinging the arms by your sides. Move to the left while marching for 4-steps and then reverse directions to the right for 4-steps. Alternate left and right.

Single Leg Balance

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in an upright posture. While shifting your weight to your left foot and flexing your left knee, lift the right foot off the ground and extend the leg out in front of the body and hold (position 1). Come back to start and repeat the movement but this time instead of reaching the foot out in front of the body reach the foot out to the side
(position 2). Come back to start and repeat the movement but this time reach the foot and leg back behind the body, hold and then return to start (position 3). Repeat the movement but for the final position (position 4) reach the foot and the leg across the body and then hold. Return to start and repeat on the opposite leg. The goal is to maintain balance on the foot while trying not to touch the ground with the elevated foot.

Rocking Quadrupled

Position yourself on the floor in a quadrupled position (hands and knees). Wrists should be under shoulders, knees under hips, feet flexed, with the head in alignment with the shoulders. Begin the motion by rocking the hips back toward the heels. This can be a shallow or shortened range of motion to start and then as your hips loosen you can increase the range. Reverse directions rocking back toward your shoulders passing over the hands. Repeat rocking back and forth.

Rocking Diagnal

Position yourself on the floor in a quadrupled position (hands and knees). Wrists should be under shoulders, knees under hips, feet flexed, with the head in alignment with the shoulders. Begin the motion by rocking diagonally toward your right heel and then reverse directions rocking diagonally back toward your left shoulder. You can perform all your repetitions on one side and then switch to the other or if you wish you can alternate sides left and right.

Rocking Circles

Position yourself on the floor in a quadrupled position (hands and knees). Wrists should be under shoulders, knees under hips, feet flexed, with the head in alignment with the shoulders. Begin by circling the shoulders and hips in a circular clockwise direction. After the prescribed number of reps or time reverse directions and circle counter-clockwise. Try to maintain your head to hip alignment during the entire motion.

Rocking Adductors

Position yourself on the floor in a quadrupled position (hands and knees). Wrists should be under shoulders, knees under hips, feet flexed, with the head in alignment with the shoulders. Reach one leg out to the side with the sole of the foot on the ground. Begin by rocking the hips backward until you feel a gentle stretch in the adductors. Reverse directions back to the starting position. Continue rocking back and forth gradually increasing the range of motion. Perform for the prescribed number of reps or time and then repeat on the opposite side.