CORE : Cardio, Tone, Pyramids

1. Lie face down on a flat bench with your hips on the edge of the bench. Fully extend your legs and raise your feet up from the floor so that they are in line with your body .
2. Place your arms on top of the bench, using them to hold on to the front edge of the bench for stability.
3. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings and straighten your legs until they are level with your hips. This is the start position.
4. Start the exercise by raising you left leg higher than your right leg.
5. Then lower the left leg as you lift the right leg and so on.
6. Alternate in this manner  until you have done all repetitions for each leg.

When performing this exercise, breathe normally. As your strength increases, you can add ankle weights.

1. Position yourself on all fours on a mat.
2. Position your hands underneath your shoulders and place your knees under your hips.
3. Keep your right knee bent at 90 degrees and flex the foot as you lift the knee until it is level with the hip.
4. Lower the knee without touching the floor and repeat the lift.
5. Once you’ve completed the reps on the right leg, switch legs.

1. Position yourself on all fours with knees underneath the hips and wrists under the shoulders.
2. Engage your abs and keep your spine neutral, pulling the shoulder blades towards the hips.
3. Lengthen the left leg until it is straight out and in line with your hips while simultaneously raising and straightening your right arm until it is parallel to the floor. Keep your head and shoulders aligned at all times.
4. Gently lower your arm and leg back to the starting position and alternate with the other arm and leg.

1. Go into a standard push-up position, supporting your weight on your toes and hands. Your back is flat and your core is tight. Your hands should be directly beneath your shoulders.
2. Lower yourself into a push-up. Focus the tension in the chest.
3. As you descend, bring your right leg up and to the side. Try to touch the knee to the elbow. As you push yourself back up, return the leg to its original position. Repeat with the other side.

1. Get into position by placing your hands flat on the floor, directly below your shoulders.
2. Extend your legs out behind you, with only your toes and balls of your feet touching the floor.
3. Hold your body up and keep your back straight by tightening your abdominal muscles.
4. Your neck and head should be bent slightly back.
5. Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows until your chest is just above the ground or you feel a stretching of your chest and shoulders. Hold for a count of one.
6. Press upwards from your chest and shoulders, straightening your arms as you return to the starting position. Hold for a count of one.
7. Repeat.

1. Get yourself in the push-up position with your hands flat on the ground just wider than shoulder width apart.
2. Ensuring that there is a straight line running from your neck to your heels, lift your right leg off the ground.
3. Keeping your right leg elevated, bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground until your chest is about two inches away from the floor.
4. Push your body back to the starting position and then lower your right leg to the ground.
5. Repeat the motion with the left leg elevated.

1. Begin by standing tall with a straight back and tight core. Slightly bend the knees and push the hips back. Bring the hands up and keep the chest up. Feet should be shoulder-width apart.
2. Jump and launch yourself forward. Swing your arms back and use the momentum.
3. Land in a squat position. Knees are bent and hips are back. Return to starting position and repeat.

1. Begin standing tall with a tight core. Your chest will be up and your gaze will be straight ahead. Bend at the knees and drive your hips back as you lower yourself into a squat position.
2. Launch yourself up while simultaneously twisting to the other side. Your body will perform a 180 degree turn in midair.
3. Land with bent knees and immediately go right into another jump squat, turning to the starting position. Repeat this alternating pattern.

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart. Your toes should be pointing straight ahead or only slightly outward.
2. Cross your arms in front of your body, place your hands behind your head or at the sides of your head.
3. Keep your weight on your heels and bend your knees while lowering your hips towards the ground as if you are sitting down on a chair.
4. Keep your back straight at all times.
5. Continue until you feel a slight stretch in your quadriceps. Do not let your knees extend out beyond the level of your toes.
6. Pause for a count of one.
7. In an explosive movement, drive down through your heels pushing yourself up of the floor with your quads.
8. At the same time extend our arms out above you.
9. Land with your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact.
10. Repeat

1. Position yourself under a barbell held by a squat rack. Keeping your elbows high, place your arms up and under the bar. The bar should be resting on the front of your shoulders. Core is tight. Back is flat.
2. Maintaining control, lift the bar up. Bend your knees forward and allow your hips to bend back as if sitting down. Pause when thighs are parallel with the floor.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat.

1. Assume a push-up position. Core is tight. Back is flat. Hands are underneath the shoulders. Head is in neutral position.
2. Bring one knee up towards your chest and twist towards the opposing elbow. (Ex: Right knee to left elbow.)
3. Contract the core and return the leg to the starting position.
4. Alternate between legs.

1. Place your hands flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
2. Extend your torso and legs fully behind you with only your toes and balls of your feet touching the floor.
3. Your body should be in a straight line, with your weight supported on your hands and toes only.
4. Starting with either leg, flex your knee and hip at the same time to bring your knee up and under your hip. Your other leg should remain fully extended. This is the start position.
5. Using an explosive movement, reverse the position of your legs, by extending the bent leg back and simultaneously flexing the straight leg until it is in the startposition.
6. Continue alternating in this manner for the desire amount of time.

• Standing up straight, bring your hands behind your head so that your elbows are pointed to the sides.
• Twisting your body, bring your left elbow down and across your body. At the same time, raise your right knee up and across to meet the left elbow.
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side and continue alternating.

1. Lie flat on an exercise mat on the floor keeping your lower back straight with no arching of your spine and with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your hands lightly on the sides of your head.
3. Curl your torso upwards so your shoulders are slightly raised off the floor..
4. Raise your knees until your thighs are at a right angle to the floor and your calves are parallel to the floor. This is the start position.
5. Slowly move your legs in a pedaling action as if you are riding a bicycle.
6. As you do so, exhale and bring your opposing elbow close to each knee by crunching to one side. Left elbow to right knee. Right elbow to left knee.
7. After each crunch, return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
8. Without pausing, repeat the movement to the other side.
9. Repeat without pausing for the desired number of repetitions to each side.

Do not use your hands to pull your head and neck up during this exercise. Doing so may cause injury. Concentrate on a slow rhythmic cycle from side to side with perfect form for each repetition.

1. Stand tall with your legs extended straight.
2. Bend over from the hips and touch the floor with your palms flat on the floor.
3. Keep your legs straight as you walk your hands as far forward as you can. Don’t let your hips sag.
4. Take small steps and walk your feet to your hands.
5. Continue for the desired amount of repetitions and then straighten up to the starting position.

1. Get into a face down position on the floor supporting your upper body on your forearms. Your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees.
2. Extend your legs straight out behind you, supporting them on your toes and balls of your feet.
3. Keep your body in a straight line by tightening your abdominal and oblique muscles.
4. Hold for as long as possible.

For extra balance training and core strengthening, you can lift one arm or leg.

1. Lie on an exercise mat, keeping your back flat with no arching of the spine.
2. Extend your arms out beside you at shoulder level, with your palms pressed firmly to the floor. Your upper body should form a “T” shape.
3. Raise your feet off the floor by bending your hips and knees to 90 degree angles. This is the start position.
4. As you exhale, rotate both your thighs to one side until the outer thigh touches the ground or until you feel a stretch in your abs and lower back.
5. Pause briefly, then rotate to the other side without pausing in the start position.
6. When you have rotated to both sides, that is one repetition.
7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

This exercise has 3 levels of difficulty: Beginner – with the knees and hip bent as described above; intermediate – feet up with knees at 90 degrees but the hips remaining in a neutral position; advanced –legs straight and hips bent at 90 degrees so your body forms an “L”.

1. Lie on your back on a mat with hands under your lower buttocks on either side to support your pelvis.
2. Legs straight out in front of you, ankles together and feet slightly off the floor.
3. Keep your knees straight and raise your legs by flexing the hips until they are completely flexed.
4. Return to starting position.

1. Lie face up on with a medicine ball between your hands and your arms extended behind you. Keep your arms and legs straight and then raise your feet an inch off the floor.
2. Raise your torso and legs up at the same time and touch the medicine call to your feet. Hold for a moment.
3. Lower down to starting position with arms and ball behind your head.

1. Position yourself on a decline bench so that your feet are secured by the pads. Lay back and place your arms across your chest or behind your head.
2. Begin the movement by pulling yourself up by your abdominals. Do not force yourself up by pulling on your neck. Let your abs do all the work.
3. Once at the top, slowly lower yourself back down. Again, focus on the abs doing all of the work. Repeat by bringing yourself back up.

1. Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground, with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Alternatively, you can place your feet up on a bench a few inches apart with your toes turned inwards and touching.
2. Hold a plate, dumbbell, kettlebell, or medicine ball securely above your head.
3. Keep your elbows locked.
4. Push your back down flat into the floor to isolate your abdominal muscles.
5. Gently curl your shoulders forward and up off the floor.
6. Continue to push down into the floor with your lower back.
7. Raise your shoulders about four to six inches only.
8. Hold and squeeze your abdominal muscles for a count of one.
9. Return to the start position in a smooth movement.

Make sure the weight is held very securely!

1. Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground, with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Alternatively, you can place your feet up on a bench a few inches apart with your toes turned inwards and touching.
2. Place your hands lightly on either side of your head.
3. Keep your elbows in  so that they are parallel to your body.
4. Push your back down flat into the floor to isolate your abdominal muscles.
5. Gently curl your shoulders forward and up off the floor.
6. Continue to push down into the floor with your lower back.
7. Raise your shoulders about four to six inches only.
8. Hold and squeeze your abdominal muscles for a count of one.
9. Return to the start position in a smooth movement.

1. Kneel with feet together and toes tucked under. Bend forward placing your arms on the sides of a medicine ball, bending forward until you are in the plank position with legs straight out behind you.
2. Lower your chest towards the ball, keeping the torso rigid and body in line. Lower down until your chest touches the ball, keeping your elbows in and slightly flared outwards.
3. Press upwards to the starting plank position.

1. Position yourself on all fours on a mat.
2. Place your hands in front of you and shoulder-width apart.
3. Now bring your hands in towards the center until the tips of your index fingers and tips of your thumbs are touching. This creates a diamond shape between your hands. Your elbows and wrists should be in line with your chest.
4. With your fingers facing forwards, lift off your knees so that your body forms a straight line and just your hands and toes touch the floor.
5. Keep you pelvis straight and abs engaged and aim to keep a straight back throughout the movement.
6. Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the floor, aiming to touch your chest to the top of your hands. Pause briefly.
7. Return to the starting position by extending your elbows and lifting your body off the floor again.

1. Get into position by placing your hands flat on the floor, directly below your shoulders.
2. Extend your legs out behind you, with only your toes and balls of your feet touching the floor.
3. Hold your body up and keep your back straight by tightening your abdominal muscles.
4. Your neck and head should be bent slightly back.
5. Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows until your chest is just above the ground or you feel a stretching of your chest and shoulders. Hold for a count of one.
6. Press upwards from your chest and shoulders, straightening your arms as you return to the starting position. Hold for a count of one.
7. Repeat.

1. Place two dumbbells or kettlebells on the floor about shoulder width apart.
2. In a push up position, place your hands on the grip section of each bell for support.
3. Spread your legs to slightly wider than hip width apart with your toes supporting your weight. This is the start position.
4. Push down through one bell and at the same time “row” the opposite one upwards by retracting your shoulder and bending your elbow.
5. Hold for a count of one.
6. Your breathing should remain constant throughout the movement.
7. Lower the bell to the floor and without pause, then repeat the movement with your other arm.
8. When you have rowed both arms, that is one repetition.
9. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

This is an advanced level exercise. Lower strength and poor form has the potential for injury to the middle and lower back and wrists.

1. Lean forward into an incline bench
2. Using a neutral grip, hold a dumbbell in each hand so your palms are facing in.
3. Your arms should be fully extended and hanging straight down. This is the start position.
4. Pull your shoulder blades back and flex your elbows to pull the dumbbells up to your sides.
5. Hold and squeeze your shoulder and back muscles.
6. Return to the start position in a slow, controlled movement.
7. Repeat.

1. Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
2. With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.

1. Get into a push-up position, resting the tips of your feet on a swiss ball. Keep your legs straight behind you.
2. Bend your hips and pull your feet towards your chest, allowing the ball to roll forward. Hold.
3. Slowly roll back to the starting position and then continue rolling forward and backwards for the desired amount of repetitions.

1. Bring yourself to the ground and enter an elevated push-up position with your hands below your shoulders and your feet directly behind you. Carefully, insert one foot at a time into hanging TRX bands.
2. Bend at the hips and drive your glutes skyward, making sure to keep the core contracted. Focus the tension in your shoulders as you make an inverted “V” shape.
3. Pause and slowly return to the starting position while maintaining a tight core.

1. Lie face up with your legs straight and a swiss ball between your ankles.
2. Raise your shoulders and head slightly off the floor and keep your arms reached down at your sides with hands hovering just off the floor, palms facing down.
3. Engage your abs, squeeze your inner thighs and ankles into the ball and lift your legs up to a 45-degree angle.
4. Slowly lower the ball down until it gently touches the floor.

1. Stand a dumbbell on one of its plates about 2 feet away from the edge of a bench and sit comfortably on the edge of that bench, using you hand-grip for support. Fully extend your legs towards the dumbbell.
2. Using your amazing foot-eye coordination, pin each foot underneath the top plate of the standing dumbbell, on either side of its bar.
3. Bring your knees in towards your chest, taking care not to drop the dumbbell in the process, and hold them as close as you can to your chest for 1 second.
4. Extend the legs back down towards the floor to the starting position.

1. Lay on a mat with your arms flat by your sides and your glutes, hamstrings, and calves all resting on a Swiss ball.
2. Pull your heels into the Swiss ball allowing you to ‘grip’ the ball between your heels and glutes.
3. Putting pressure on your arms, roll your lower body back so that your glutes and lower back leave the ground with the Swiss ball held tightly.
4. Lower your back and glutes slowly back to the ground to complete one rep.

Note – Take care not to lower yourself too quickly, this may cause the Swiss ball (with you attached) to bounce in a strange manner.

1. Stand tall with your legs extended straight.
2. Bend over from the hips and touch the floor with your palms flat on the floor.
3. Keep your legs straight as you walk your hands as far forward as you can. Don’t let your hips sag.
4. Take small steps and walk your feet to your hands.
5. Continue for the desired amount of repetitions and then straighten up to the starting position.

1. Get into a face down position on the floor supporting your upper body on your forearms. Your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees.
2. Extend your legs straight out behind you, supporting them on your toes and balls of your feet.
3. Keep your body in a straight line by tightening your abdominal and oblique muscles.
4. Hold for as long as possible.

For extra balance training and core strengthening, you can lift one arm or leg.

1. Stand with your side to the cable machine. Grab the handle with the opposing hand first. Keep a flat back and tight core throughout the movement. Squat down by bending your knees and driving your hips back.
2. Keeping your feet in position, rise and twist the weight to the opposite side of your body.
3. Pause, contract the muscle and slowly return to the starting position.

1. Adjust the pulley lever to be above you. Stand next to a pulley machine with your left side. Grab the handle with both hands. Brace your core and separate your feet to outside of shoulder width.
2. Begin the movement by twisting with your obliques to pull the handle down and across your body.
3. Once the handle is on the right side of your body, pause and slowly return the handle to the starting position.

1. Secure a firm grip with both hands on an appropriately weighted dumbbell. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin by moving the dumbbell up and over towards your right side.
2. Twist your body to bring the dumbbell down and to the left. Bend at the knees and drop your hips slightly. Make the motion of placing the dumbbell on the ground.
3. Repeat the movement, taking the dumbbell back up and overhead. Keep your arms straight throughout.

1. Stand with your feet no wider than shoulder width apart and hold the medicine ball with one hand at either side in front of your chest.
2. Rotate your body from the waist up to the left side and raise the medicine ball over your left shoulder, not quite fully extending your arms. Be sure to get extra reach by pointing your right toe.
3. Using a chopping motion, bring the ball diagonally across the front of your body so that the ball ends on the outer side of your right shin.
4. Bring the ball straight up the right side of your body and again move diagonally across your body once again to complete the motion.

1. Kneel in front of a cable station with a rope attachment connected to the top pulley.
2. Grip the rope attachment and place your wrists against your forehead.
3. Flex your hips slightly to take the weight and to hyperextend your lower back.
4. Keeping your hips stationary, bend at the waist so that your elbows travel down towards the middle of  your thighs. Hold for a count of one.
5.  Return to the start position in a controlled movement and repeat.

1. Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground, with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Alternatively, you can place your feet up on a bench a few inches apart with your toes turned inwards and touching.
2. Hold a plate, dumbbell, kettlebell, or medicine ball securely above your head.
3. Keep your elbows locked.
4. Push your back down flat into the floor to isolate your abdominal muscles.
5. Gently curl your shoulders forward and up off the floor.
6. Continue to push down into the floor with your lower back.
7. Raise your shoulders about four to six inches only.
8. Hold and squeeze your abdominal muscles for a count of one.
9. Return to the start position in a smooth movement.

Make sure the weight is held very securely!

1. Lie face up on with a medicine ball between your hands and your arms extended behind you. Keep your arms and legs straight and then raise your feet an inch off the floor.
2. Raise your torso and legs up at the same time and touch the medicine call to your feet. Hold for a moment.
3. Lower down to starting position with arms and ball behind your head.

1. Lie flat on an exercise mat, extending your arms straight back behind your head.
2. Fully extend your legs also. This is the start position.
3. Bend at your waist and at the same time, raise your legs and arms to meet in a closed jackknife position. Exhale as you do this.
4. At this point, your legs should remain fully extended at between 35-45 degrees from the floor.
5. Your arms should be fully extended, parallel to your legs.
6. Your upper body should be raised off the floor.
7. Return to the start position by lowering your arms and legs back to the floor, exhaling as you do so.
8. Repeat.

1. Adjust the pulley handle to chest height. Step out and away from the weight. Feet are shoulder-width. Stand with a tight core and flat back. Push the handle out in front of you. Keep elbows slightly bent.
2. Twist from the hips. Move arms across the body, achieving a full extension.
3. Return to starting position.
4. Once complete, do the same amount of sets/reps on the other side.

1. Secure a firm grip with both hands on an appropriately weighted dumbbell. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin by moving the dumbbell up and over towards your right side.
2. Twist your body to bring the dumbbell down and to the left. Bend at the knees and drop your hips slightly. Make the motion of placing the dumbbell on the ground.
3. Repeat the movement, taking the dumbbell back up and overhead. Keep your arms straight throughout.

1. Sit on an exercise mat with your legs fully extended and your upper body upright.
2. Grip a weight plate between both hands.
3. Hold the plate out in front of your abdominals keeping your arms bent slightly.
4. Cross your your ankles and raise them off the floor slightly.
5. Bend your knees towards you slightly.
6. Lean back about 15 degrees to balance your body. This is the start position.
7. In a smooth motion,turn your torso to the left and touch the plate on the floor. Make sure you exhale as you do this.
8. Return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
9. Repeat the same movement, this time to your right side, again exhaling as you do so.
10. Return to start position and repeat.

When performing this exercise, use smooth controlled movements. Jerking or using momentum to swing the weight can cause serious lower back injury.

1. Sit on the ab machine and select a slight resistance. Position your feet under the pads and grab hold of the top handles.
2. Make sure your arms are bent at 90 degrees and rest your triceps on the pads.
3. Begin lifting your legs up as you engage your abs and crunch your upper torso. Exhale as you do so.
4. Pause and slowly return to starting position as you inhale.

Tip: Use slow, controlled motions and concentrate on using your abs to control the weight. Your feet and legs should be relaxed throughout.

1. Grip a chin up or pull up bar with a firm overhand grip.
2. Hang from the bar with your legs straight.
3. Raise your legs by flexing your hips forward and bending your knees up towards your chest.
4. Continue to raise your knees towards your chest by flexing your waist forward. Don’t swing your body to use momentum. Use your abdominals to pull your legs up.
5. Return to the starting position, lowering your legs slowly until they are straight.
6. Repeat.

For added resistance you can wear a dip belt with weight suspended from.

1. Place your forearms are on the pads or bars of the apparatus you are using and grip the handles or bars. Your arms should be bent at 90 degrees and your upper arms in a straight line with your sides.
2. Your torso should be straight and your lower back pressed against the pad of the bench if using one.
3. Keep your legs extended and pointing down to the floor. This is the start position.
4. Exhale and as you do so, lift your legs up in a smooth arc bending at the knees until your thighs are about parallel to the floor. Hold for a count of one.
5. Return to the start position in a smooth, controlled movement while inhaling.
6. Repeat.

Do not use momentum or swing your legs to perform this exercise. As your strength increases, you can rotate your pelvis forward at the top of the movement to engage more of your lower abdominal muscles. You can also keep your legs fully extended throughout the movement to increase the resistance and difficulty of the exercise.

1. Lie flat with hands under your buttocks.
2. Keep your knees together and pull them in towards you while moving your torso towards them (lift your head, neck and shoulders up).
3. Hold and then slowly return to starting position.

1. Position yourself underneath a pull-up bar. Reach overhead, taking a grip that is at or just outside of shoulder-width. Place a slight bend in the elbows at all times.
2. Breathe out forcefully as you bring your knees up and towards your chest. Minimize swinging by contracting your abdominals throughout. Pause at the top of the movement.
3. Slowly bring your knees to the starting position. Repeat.

1. Set up an Olympic (long) barbell with weight plates on one end only.
2. Put the other end of the bar against a wall or something heavy so it can’t slide backwards.
3. Straddle the bar with your knees slightly bent.
4. Bend forward at the waist until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
5. Grip the bar close to the weight plates with both hands, using a neutral grip. One hand in front  the other. This is the start position.
6. Keeping your back straight and exhaling, pull the bar straight up by bending your elbows until the plates touch your chest.
7. Hold and squeeze your back muscles.
8. Return to the start position in a slow smooth movement to place emphasis on your lats. Inhale as you do so.
9. Keep the bar from touching the floor.
10. pause then repeat.

This exercise can be performed using a cable station's low pulley or T-bar row machine. You can use a stirrup or double handle cable attachment to lift the weight by looping it under the end of the bar.

1. Set up a barbell on the floor and stand facing it with your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Bend forward at your waist and grip the barbell with an overhand grip.
3. Keep your back straight and nearly parallel to the floor.
4. Keep your head and neck straight. This is the start position.
5. Without moving your torso, exhale and lift the barbell up towards you.
6. Keep your elbows close in to your bodyand use your forearms to support the weight.
7. At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and sqyeeze your back muscles.
8. Return to the start position inhaling as you do so.

If you suffer from lower back problems, this exercise is not recommended. Always keep your back straight throughout this exercise. This exercise can be performed using an underhand grip to engage the triceps also.

1. Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
2. With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.

1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
2. Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
3. Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.