Pre-Lift Warm-Up

Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Place your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread your fingers wide and press evenly into the mat. Begin with your spine in a neutral, flat position.

1. Inhale — drop your belly toward the floor, lift your chest and tailbone toward the ceiling, and let your gaze travel forward and slightly up. This is cow.
2. Exhale — round your spine toward the ceiling, tuck your chin toward your chest, and draw your tailbone down. This is cat. Flow between the two with the rhythm of your breath.

• Let the breath lead the shape; one full inhale per cow, one full exhale per cat.
• Press the mat away from you on both halves so your shoulders stay supported.
• Keep your wrists and knees stationary — the movement lives in the spine and ribs, not the arms.

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. Engage your core so your hips don't sag.

1. Step your right foot forward to the outside of your right hand, landing with the foot flat and the knee tracking over the ankle.
2. Inhale — lower your right elbow toward the inside of your right foot, keeping your left arm straight and your back leg active.
3. Exhale — lift your right hand off the floor and rotate your right arm up toward the ceiling, opening your chest to follow the hand. Pause for a beat at the top.
4. Return your right hand to the floor, step your right foot back to plank, and repeat on the left.

• Keep the back leg engaged by pressing through the back heel. If holding the leg straight feels unstable, you can lower the back knee to the floor — the spinal rotation in step 3 still works from there.
• During the rotation, stack your top shoulder over your bottom shoulder; don't collapse into the supporting arm.
• Move with breath, not momentum. Each side gets one full inhale-exhale before switching.

Stand with your back against a wall and your feet a few inches out from the base. Gently bring your lower back, upper back, and the back of your head toward the wall. Bend your elbows and rest the backs of your arms and hands against the wall in a goal-post position at shoulder height.

1. Inhale — lengthen through the crown of your head and settle your shoulders down.
2. Exhale — slide your arms slowly up the wall toward a Y overhead, keeping your hands and elbows as close to the wall as you can.
3. Pause when you reach a comfortable range without your lower back arching away from the wall.
4. Inhale — slide your arms back down to the goal-post position with control, and repeat.

• Keep your ribs down and your lower back close to the wall throughout.
• Move only through the range where your arms stay near the wall.
• Move slowly and smoothly rather than reaching quickly for the top.

Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a resistance band with both hands at shoulder height in front of you. Set your grip about shoulder-width so the band has light tension, arms extended forward with a soft bend in your elbows. Lift your chest, draw your shoulder blades down, and brace your core.

1. Extend your arms forward at shoulder height with light tension on the band.
2. Exhale — pull the band apart by drawing your hands out to the sides toward your chest.
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as the band nears your chest, keeping your arms level.
4. Inhale — bring your hands back together under control until the band returns to light tension.

• Lead by drawing your shoulder blades together rather than only moving your hands.
• Keep your arms level at shoulder height with a steady soft bend in your elbows.
• Keep your shoulders down and neck relaxed — avoid shrugging toward your ears.
• Exhale as you pull the band apart, inhale as you return.
• Widen or shorten your grip on the band to adjust the tension through the movement.

Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and drawn close to your hips. Rest your arms by your sides with your palms down. Set your lower back into a neutral position.

1. Inhale — press your feet into the floor and settle your ribs down.
2. Exhale — drive through your heels to lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
3. Pause at the top and squeeze your glutes.
4. Inhale — lower your hips back down to the mat with control.

• Drive through your heels to lift the hips.
• Stop rising when your body is in a straight line rather than overarching your lower back.
• Keep your knees pointing forward, in line with your feet.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top of each lift.

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.