Bodyweight Conditioning Starter

Stand tall with your feet together and your arms resting by your sides. Keep your knees soft, your core gently engaged, and your gaze forward. Let your shoulders settle down away from your ears.

1. Bend your knees slightly, then spring off both feet, sweeping your legs out wider than your hips while your arms rise out to the sides and up overhead.
2. Land softly on the balls of your feet with your knees soft, then spring again to bring your feet back together and your arms down to your sides.
3. Continue the out-and-in rhythm at a steady, even pace, keeping your landings light and your breath flowing steadily.

• Land through the balls of your feet with soft knees so each landing stays quiet and cushioned.
• Keep the rhythm even and unhurried; matching your arms to your legs keeps the movement smooth.
• Let your breath flow in a steady rhythm and keep your shoulders relaxed as your arms travel overhead.
• Keep your core lightly engaged so your torso stays tall and stable throughout.

Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your toes turned slightly out. Let your arms hang by your sides or reach them forward for balance. Set your weight evenly across the middle of each foot and draw your ribs down so your torso stays braced.

1. Inhale — send your hips back and down, bending at the hips, knees, and ankles together as you begin to lower.
2. Continue lowering until your thighs reach a depth that suits you, keeping your chest lifted and your knees tracking over your toes.
3. Exhale — drive evenly through both feet to stand back up, extending your hips and knees to return to the start.

• Send the hips back first, as if reaching for a seat behind you.
• Keep your knees tracking in line with your toes rather than caving inward.
• Keep your heels grounded and your weight through the middle of each foot.
• Keep your chest lifted and your spine long throughout.

Start in a high plank with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width and your fingers spread. Stack your shoulders over your wrists and reach back through your heels so your body forms one straight line from the crown of your head to your feet. Draw your shoulder blades down your back and brace your core so your hips neither sag nor pike up.

1. Set your position with your elbows soft and your gaze just ahead of your hands.
2. Inhale — bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor, keeping your elbows angled back at roughly 45 degrees to your ribs.
3. Lower until your chest hovers just above the floor, keeping your body in one line.
4. Exhale — press the floor away and straighten your arms to return to the starting plank.

• Keep your body in one straight line — squeeze your glutes and brace your core so your hips don't sag or lift.
• Guide your elbows back toward your hips rather than flaring them straight out to the sides.
• Move your chest and hips as one unit; lead and finish the movement together.
• Exhale as you press up, inhale as you lower.
• Drop to your knees to keep a straight torso line if the full plank breaks your form.

Start in a high plank with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels. Spread your fingers wide, press the floor away, and engage your core so your hips stay level.

1. Draw your right knee in toward your chest, keeping your hips low and level.
2. Return your right foot to the plank, then draw your left knee in toward your chest as the legs switch.
3. Continue alternating knees at a steady, controlled pace, keeping your shoulders stacked over your hands.
4. Keep your hips level and your breath flowing steadily as the rhythm continues.

• Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists and press the floor away throughout.
• Keep your hips low and level rather than piking them up or letting them sag.
• Move at a steady, controlled pace and let each foot touch down lightly.
• Keep your core engaged and your breath flowing in an even rhythm.

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips or by your sides. Draw your ribs down, set your gaze forward, and balance your weight over your front foot.

1. Inhale — step one foot straight back and lower into a lunge, bending both knees.
2. Lower until your back knee hovers just above the floor and your front thigh reaches a comfortable depth.
3. Exhale — press through your front foot to step back to standing.
4. Repeat, alternating legs or completing one side before switching.

• Step back far enough that your front knee stays over your ankle.
• Keep your torso tall and your gaze forward.
• Lower the back knee straight down rather than dropping it into the floor.
• Drive through the front heel to return.

Start face-down and set your forearms on the mat with your elbows directly under your shoulders and your forearms pointing forward. Tuck your toes under and lift your hips until your body forms one long line from the crown of your head to your heels. Draw your belly gently in and set your gaze at the floor just ahead of your hands.

1. Press your forearms and toes into the floor and lift your knees, holding your body in one straight line.
2. Draw your navel toward your spine and squeeze your glutes so your hips neither sag toward the floor nor pike up toward the ceiling.
3. Hold the position, breathing steadily into your ribs and keeping your midsection from dropping.

• Keep your neck long by gazing just ahead of your hands rather than dropping your head or lifting your chin.
• Press the floor away through your forearms so your shoulders stay broad, not collapsed between the blades.
• Hold one straight line from head to heels; if your hips start to sag or lift, reset the position.
• Breathe evenly throughout rather than holding your breath to brace.
• To reduce the load, lower your knees to the mat and hold the same straight line from head to knees.