We’ve put together some basic exercises for you to try. The resistance training exercises are all for free weight exercises because we understand that you may not have access to a fully equipped gym. You will also find exercises for flexibility; you should use these for your stretching routines during the warm up and cool down. For the cardio routines we have used running, you can adapt your cardio sessions with cycling, swimming, treadmill, elliptical trainer, stair climber, etc; the recommended training durations, intensity and frequency for using these are approximately the same as if you were doing the running routine.
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Exercise
CD 1
Cool down Stretch Back of Thigh Stretch Hamstrings
Teaching Points • Lie on the back with the knees bent and the feet firmly on the floor. • Raise one leg towards the chest and hold it at the back of the thigh or calf, wherever is most comfortable. •
Keep the lower back on the floor.
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Only lift the leg to a point where mild tension is felt in the back of the upper leg.
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Aim to fully extend the knee of the stretching leg.
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Keep the head and shoulders supported on the floor.
Gluteals This exercise lengthens and stretches the back of the upper thigh (hamstrings), and also the buttock muscles (gluteals). Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds.
MAP Modification: Start with a small range of motion by not lifting the leg very high. Progression: Progress by lifting the leg closer to the chest.
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Exercise
CD 2
Cool down Stretch Front of Thigh Stretch
Quadriceps
Teaching Points • Lie on one side of the body. • Raise the heel of one leg towards the centre of the buttock. • Use the hand to hold the leg and achieve a greater range of motion.
A towel can be looped around the ankle to hold the stretch and decrease the range of motion. Progression:
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This exercise will lengthen an stretch the muscle at the front of the thigh (quadriceps). Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
MAP Modification:
Only lift the leg to a point where mild tension is felt in the front of the upper thigh.
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Keep the back straight and the abdominal muscles pulled in tight.
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Keep the hips facing forwards and avoid hollowing of the lower back.
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Aim to keep both knees in line with one another.
Take the knee of the stretching leg slightly back so that it is positioned to the side but slightly behind the other knee, to increase the stretch.
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Exercise
CD 3
Cool down Stretch Calf Stretch
Gastrocnemius Soleus This exercise lengthens and stretches the muscles at the back of the lower leg (gastrocnemius and soleus). Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Teaching Points • Sit up straight with both legs extended in front of the body. • Place the heel of one foot over the toes of the other foot and use the top foot to ease the toes towards the body, stretching the calf muscles. •
Keep the knees of both legs unlocked.
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Only move to a point where mild tension is felt in the lower leg.
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Keep the shoulders relaxed and down.
MAP Modification: Move through a small range of motion by easing the toes only a small distance towards the body. Progression: Ease the toes closer to the body to achieve a greater range of motion.
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Exercise
CD 4
Cool down Stretch Inner Thigh Stretch
Teaching Points • Sit on the floor with the soles of the feet together. • Place the hands directly on the floor behind the body to help to keep the back upright. •
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Move the legs to a point where mild tension is felt on the insides of the thighs.
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Breathe.
Adductors This exercise lengthens and stretches the muscles of the inner thighs (adductors). Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Keep the back straight and the chest lifted.
MAP Modification: Start with a smaller range of movement by keeping the feet away from the body. Progression: To progress move the feet closer to the body to increase the range of motion.
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Exercise
CD 5
Cool down Stretch Back Stretch
Teaching Points • Sit upright with the legs crossed in front of the body. • Bend the body forwards and curl the spine, lengthening the neck and the whole of the spine. •
Keep the spine curled and relaxed.
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Keep the buttocks firmly on the floor.
This exercise lengthens and stretches the muscles of the back (erector spinae).
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Keep the hands on the floor to support the weight of the body.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
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Only stretch to a point where mild tension is felt in the back.
Erector spinae
MAP Modification: Start with a smaller range of motion of motion bending forwards only slightly. Progression: Move progressively to a greater range of motion by bending further forwards.
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Exercise
CD 6
Cool down Stretch Chest Stretch Pectorals
Teaching Points • Seated, place the hands 30 cm behind the body. • Lift the chest and head and squeeze the shoulder blades together. • Stretch only as far as you feel a mild tension in the upper chest.
MAP Modification: Start with a smaller range of motion by moving the arms slightly less behind the body. Progression:
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• This exercise lengthens and stretches the muscles of the chest (pectorals). Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
Keep the abdominals pulled in tight. Keep the head and chest slightly lifted.
Increase the range of motion by positioning the arms further away from the body.
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Exercise
CD 7
Cool down Stretch Side of Trunk Stretch Latissimus dorsi
Teaching Points • Seated, sit tall with the back straight. • Raise both arms above the head and interlink the fingers. • Keeping the shoulders relaxed and down, extend and lengthen the body upwards. •
Keep the abdominal muscles pulled in tight to prevent the lower back from hollowing.
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Emphasise lifting the body upwards.
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Keep the shoulders relaxed.
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Stretch only to a point where mild tension is felt at the sides of the trunk.
Obliques This exercise lengthens and stretches the muscle at the sides of the trunk and the back (obliques and latissimus dorsi). Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
MAP Modification: Start with a smaller range of movement by reaching the arms up only not extending the spine.
Peace Support Operations Training Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina www.psotc.org
