This is a perfect exercise to do to warm up your back muscles as you simultaneously tone and shape your lower back, hamstrings, glutes and thighs. As the name implies, you can do these first thing in the morning, as soon as you get out of bed.
A. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your hands behind your head.
B. Bend forward from the waist, keeping your legs straight and your gaze straight ahead. Keep your back flat. Once your body is perpendicular, rise back up as you exhale.
Warm up with a series of these for 30 seconds before moving on to the next phase.
Add a knee bend to the movement.
Do the move as usual, but this time, once your torso is parallel to the floor, bend your knees and lower your butt toward the floor, finishing the movement by straightening your legs and standing up at the same time. The second part of the move -- the knee bend -- must be done slowly and carefully. Make sure to engage your glutes throughout the move by sticking your butt out as much as possible. That will take the pressure off your knees.
Distinctly David: The Good Morning is a basic lower-back warm up that can be used at all levels. At the beginner level, concentrate on getting the form down and focusing on stretching out your lower back and hamstrings. As your level of proficiency improves, you can add weight by placing a pair of light dumbbells behind your head.
Jumping Jacks
Muscles worked: Thighs and arms
Time: 1 minute
David's Platypus Walk
Muscles worked: Butt
Time: 30 seconds
This is an awfully silly looking exercise but it will get your heart pumping and quads burning.
Sit into a squatting position with your hands behind your head, your knees aligned with you toes and your butt sticking back as far as you can.
Keep your core tight and walk forward while pushing off with each heel. If you perform this correctly, you'll look like a platypus -- and your glutes and thighs will be on fire.
Make sure to sit back in your heals. Do not step too far forward or you'll stress your trailing knee.
Shadowboxing
Muscles worked: Shoulders, back, arms and abs
Time: 1 minute
You can shadowbox with or without weights. Hold light weights in each hand, and throw a series of punches. Make sure not to punch so quickly that you hyperextend your elbows or shoulders. Throughout your workout, keep your abs tight and your shoulder blades retracted. The tighter your core, the more effective shadowboxing becomes.
Try the following punches, interspersed with some knee bends, as if you were ducking an incoming punch from your shadow.
Crossover
Stand with your abs tight and your back flat. Punch your left fist out diagonally, ending at torso level in front of your right ribs. Pull back and repeat on the other side.
Uppercut
With your left elbow against your ribs and your palm turned up, punch in an upward motion, as if you were punching someone in the stomach and trying to lift him off the ground with your fist. Pull back and repeat on the other side.
Plié Squats with Calf Raises
Muscles worked: Butt, hips and calves
Time: 1 minute
Get in a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell between your legs. Your toes should be turned out at a 45-degree angle. Stick your butt back as you squat down, keeping your body weight in your heels. As you are sinking into the squat, bring your heels off the ground and rise off the balls of your feet. (Continue to keep your body weight back toward your heels.) Then, bring your heels back to the floor and shift your body weight back into them, squeezing your inner thighs and glutes before pressing back up.
Pay attention to your knees and lower back with this move. Don't allow your knees to jut beyond your toes. Also, don't lock them in the "up" position. If your lower back hurts, you are not keeping your abs tight enough throughout the move.
This can also be performed with someone (as shown), allowing greater stability and more range of motion.
Reverse Lunges
Muscles worked: Butt, hips, back of thighs and outer thighs
Time: 2 minutes
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your core stable and your weight on your heels. Inhale as you take a large step back with your left foot, planting and then lowering your body until both legs are at right angles. Exhale as you push up through your front heel.
Always keep your body weight in your heels, making sure to press up through your heels on the ascent. Once you get into the lunge position, pulse slightly up and down 15 to 20 times, focusing the weight from your heel into your glute.
Squat Thrusts
Muscles worked: Arms, shoulders, abs, butt, thighs, and calves
Time: 1 minute
A. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
B. Squat down and place your hands on the floor slightly in front of you.
C. Supporting your weight with your hands, kick both legs out behind you so you are in an elevated push up position.
D. Quickly tuck your legs back beneath you (returning to position B).
E. Stand up.
Scissors Reverse Crunch
Muscles worked: Lower abs
Time: 1 minute
Lie on your back on a mat. Bring both legs into the air so that your legs form a 90-degree angle with your body. Stabilize your core and make sure your abs are tight. Bring your feet apart so your legs form a scissor shape. Then, exhale as you simultaneously pull your belly button down into the floor and roll up from your hips, concentrating on scooping out your lower abs.
Make sure your feet are flexed. If the move becomes too easy, use 5- to 10-pound ankle weights or ask a friend to apply gentle pressure downward to your ankles.
If your lower back hurts during this move, limit your range of motion and be sure to disengage your hip flexors. Additionally, be sure to tighten up your abs and keep them contracted throughout the movement.
David's Donkey Deluxe
Muscles worked: Glutes and hips
Time: 2 minutes
A. Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Make sure your back is flat, not arched or curled. Stabilize your torso by contracting your abs. lnhale as you lift your right knee off the floor and pull it straight in toward your chest.
B. Exhale as you press your right foot back and up behind you in an arcing motion. You should feel the motion in the lower part of your buttocks. Inhale as you lower your leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor.
C. Exhale as you raise your leg again, this time bent at a 90-degree angle, pulsing your heel toward the ceiling.
D. Exhale as you straighten and raise your right leg behind you. Inhale as you lower it.
E. Exhale as you go directly into the "hydrant," bending your leg and lifting it to the side, as if you were a dog using a fire hydrant. You should feel the exercise in your buttocks and outer thigh.
Distinctly David: I like to perform all of the Donkey movements slowly and methodically. Make sure you are contracting your glutes in every move. If you feel it in your lower back, tighten your abdomen and flatten the arch in your back. If your wrists hurt in the all-fours position, hold your hands together and rest on your forearms. For additional intensity, you can use a pair of ankle weights. It's best to start with a lighter set (5 pounds) and increase as you are able.
Bench Stepups (if possible, with Tricep Kickbacks)
Muscles worked: Glutes, front of thighs, back of thighs and calves
Time: 1 minute
A. Stand in front of a step with your core stable. Place your right foot on the step and press up through the heel of your right foot to lift your body up off the ground and onto the bench.
B. Once you've extended your right leg, bring your left knee up toward your chest. Lower yourself to the ground. Switch legs, and repeat the motion on the other side.
C. Step up with your right leg again, but this time, bring your extended left leg straight behind you without bending your knee. Lower it and repeat on the other side.
When stepping up, it's very tempting to push off with your foot, giving yourself momentum for the step. Resist the urge, focusing on pushing instead only through the leg that is lifting your body.
Distinctly David: For an additional tweak, extend both arms out and overhead as you extend your rear leg behind you. Perform the move at a good clip, but keep the form and focus tight. Make sure not to arch your lower back.
Do not do this move if you have a history of knee or lower back problems.
Triceps Kickback
Muscles worked: Triceps
A. While holding a dumbbell at your side, go into a lunge stance and bend forward from the waist, making sure to keep your back straight. Bend your elbow and hold the weight so that your palm is facing forward. Rest your other hand on your thigh.
B. Exhale as you press your hand back, straightening your arm, making sure to keep your wrist locked.
C. Rotate your wrist so that your palm ends up facing behind you.
Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the move and concentrate on keeping your shoulders and upper arms motionless. If you feel this move in your lower back, your abs are not tight enough.
Pushups
Muscles worked: Chest, arms, back and shoulders
Time: 1 minute
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