Disclaimer!!! This is only a guide to increasing your fitness and flexibility; there are no guarantees to the outcome of these exercises. A registered Health and Fitness adviser did not construct this guide. It is recommended that you consult a Medical Adviser or Health professional before you commence any of these exercises. If you have any pre existing or existing medical problems “ DO NOT” do any of these exercises with out the express permission of a Medical Professional. The author of these exercises holds no responsibility for any injury sustained while following this guide or as a result of doing the exercises, nor does this site.

The Warm Up

The warm up consists of a single light aerobic exercise lasting from between 2 to 5 minutes. This could consist of either a walk (5 minutes) or a bike ride (2 – 5 minutes) or jogging on the spot. It is important to base the length of your warm up on your level of fitness. (The warm up is essential in helping stop any muscle or ligament damage that could occur from the stretching exercises or exercises)

Stretching

(Stretching is essential in increasing your flexibility, reducing the chance of any damage to muscles and ligaments)

1. Calf stretch: place both hands against a wall, place feet a shoulder with apart and place one foot one normal step length apart. Lean slightly towards the leading leg, bend your front knee’s slightly until you feel tension in your calf. Hold this for 10 seconds and repeat with the other leg forward, repeat this 3 times for each leg.

2. Thigh stretch: Stand with both legs just under a shoulder with apart, look at a spot on the floor about 2 body lengths infront of you, lift one foor and grab it so that the heal rests against your buttock, with back straight and knee pointing down you should feel tension in your thigh, hold this for 10 seconds and repeat with the other leg, once again repeat until you have done this 3 times on each leg. (if you find you have trouble keeping you balance , lightly place your free hand on a chair to steady yourself until you can do it without the chair)

3. Hamstring Stretch: place both feet 2 shoulder widths apart, turning to your right, bend your right knee, turn your right foot so the toe’s are pointing in the direction you are now facing, lean forward until you feel tension in your hamstring, inner thigh and calf, hold this for 10 seconds, turn in the other direction and repeat the above, do this until you have done 3 repetitions with each leg.

4. Groin and inner thigh stretch: once again feet 2 shoulder with apart, lean forward and place both hands on the ground, now slowly edge your feet out until you feel tension in your inner thigh and groin (do not got to the point where there is pain, if you over stretch it will cause damage to your muscles), go out as far as you can and hold for 10 seconds.

5. Groin stretch: sit on the ground with knees apart, pull your feet in so that the soles are touching, then pull them in towards your groin, stop at about a hands length from your groin, now place your elbows on the inside or your knee’s, lean forward slightly and push down on your knee’s with your elbows, stop just before it becomes to uncomfortable, hold this for 10 seconds, then release the tension, repeat this 3 times.

6. Wrist warm up/ stretch: Stand up, hold out arms, bend elbows so that forearms are at approximately 45% off horizontal, hands should be relaxed, rotate wrists and hands in a circular motion towards you 10 times and away from you 10 times.

7. Elbow warm up/stretch: keeping arms as they were before, rotate the forearms in a circular motion towards you 10 times and away from you 10 times.

8. Shoulder warm up and Stretch: Stretch your arms out as far as they can go either side of you (you form a T shape). Keeping hands flat and arms straight start to make little circles, do this until you have done 10 circles, then increase the circles slowly in side eg: marble size, then golf ball size, then tennis ball size, then basket ball size, then beach ball size and finally huge circles. Now repeat this in reverse, after you have completed this raise your arms above your head, grasp one hand with the other and reach up as high as you can go. Next go to a doorway (open the door), with one hand grasp the inside of the doorway (at shoulder hight). Turn so you arm is behind you and your back is to the doorway, step forward one step and lean forward so you stretch out your shoulder, hold for 10 seconds, repeat this for the other arm and hold for 10 seconds. Do this for 3 repetitions.

9. Triceps and Upper Lateral muscle stretch: raise one arm above your head and place that between your shoulders, with the other hand grab the elbow of the arm and gently pull down until you feel tension in the upper lateral and tricep muscle, hold this for 10 seconds. Repeat this with the other arm, and do 3 repetitions on each arm.

10. Lower back and stomach stretch: Standing with both feet a shoulder width apart, slowly lean forward as far as is comfortable and try to bring your head toward your knees (once again do not over stretch), place your hands at the small of your back and straighten up. Next with your hands still at the small of your back lean backwards until you feel tension in your stomach muscles (do not over stretch), repeat this 10 times.

11. Lateral and Oblique stretch: stand with feet slightly wider than one shoulder width, raise one arm above your head and rest the other hand on the outside of your thigh. Now slowly lean sideways towards the hand on your thigh and slide the hand down your thigh, lean over as far as you can without over stretching. Straighten back up and swap arms, then lean to the other side, do this until you have done 10 repetitions on each side.

12. Chest stretch: put your arms directly out in front of you shoulder width apart, the palms of your hands in a vertical position as if doing a standing push up. Now as if you are doing a push up bring your hands back to your shoulders, and then push them out as far as you can. Repeat this 10 times. Next extend your arms behind you as far as you can, hold this position for 10seconds, relax then repeat this 3 more times.

13. Shoulder roll: Relax and let your arms rest by your sides, next roll your shoulders forward in circular motions 10 times, then roll them back in a circular motion 10 times, repeat this for 3 repetitions in each direction.

14. Neck Stretch and warm up: Standing up with your back straight, relax your shoulders and neck and look straight ahead. Turn your head to the right as far as is comfortable, then bach to the centre, next turn it to the left (remember try not to tense up and look in the direction you are turning). Repeat this 10 times in each direction, then once back to the centre position, look down brining your chin to your chest, then bach up to the centre position. Next raise you head up as far as comfortable, then bring it down to the centre position again (remember to look in the direction you are moving), repeat this 10 times for each direction

Warm Down

Before you warm down take note of your present HR and record it somewhere. The warm down is just a light form of exercise that lets your HR return to somewhere close to your normal HR. It can be as simple as a gentle walk around your house or the light jogging on the spot. The key is not to stop moving or stand still; you are trying to move some of the lactic acid from your muscles. Once your HR has reduced you now have to do Stretches 1,2,3,4,5,9,10,11,12 and 13 The aim is to do this complete list of Basic exercises in 40 minutes. Once you can do this in less than 40 minutes and keep your HR to between 120 to 160bps, then you can proceed onto the Intermediate exercises.

Other than the first and last exercise the others can be done in any order you like so you don’t get bored with them. Exercise program designed by Knight66.

The author of these exercises, nor the site takes no responsibility for any injury or death as a result of these exercises. Anyone who uses this program uses it at their own risk and takes full responsibility for doing so.