Overview
This session focuses on a structured bodyweight workout emphasizing pinky finger and toe awareness, with accessible exercises suitable for home or travel. The workout is designed in cycles with both exercise technique guidance and recommended modifications for different ability levels.
Session Structure and Approach
- The workout consists of four main exercises performed in cycles, with rest intervals in between.
- Exercises are done for reps, with breaks of 60–90 seconds, and the option to increase reps each round.
- The "every minute on the minute" method is suggested as a simple structure for creating workouts of any duration.
- Short workouts (5–10 minutes) are encouraged, even broken into multiple sessions throughout the day.
- The exercises can be performed with minimal equipment (yoga blocks, step bench, mat) for maximum accessibility.
Warm-Up and Mobility Preparation
- Begin by warming up hands, wrists, and forearms with finger flicks, piano playing motions, and shaking out arms and legs.
- Practice pinky finger and toe reaching on each side to enhance awareness and coordination.
- Perform marionette exercises connecting finger and foot movements for stability and coordination.
- Mobilize wrists and hands with wall-based stretches and figure-eight movements.
- Prepare feet by sliding heels on the floor, spreading toes, simulating grabbing and dropping a pen with the toes.
Main Exercises and Techniques
- Tall Kneeling Get-Ups: Focus on pinky awareness, moving from kneeling to standing using both low and high foot positions; alternate or repeat on each side.
- Chest Drop Push-Ups: Emphasize falling quickly to the ground and powering up; use pinky side of the hand for push-up mechanics.
- Hip Step-Overs on Blocks: Prioritize relaxing hip muscles and lengthening the back of the hip, using the pinky for awareness to help sit into the hip.
- Walkout Planks to Side Plank: Rotate into side planks focusing on pinky or heel awareness; perform both sides in each round.
Set and Rep Scheme
- Initial round: 6 reps each of tall kneeling get-ups, push-ups, and step-overs; 3 walkout planks (totaling 6 side planks).
- Subsequent round: 8 reps for main movements, 4 walkout planks (can adjust reps in future rounds—stay, drop, or increase as desired).
- Options given for alternating sides or focusing one side per round.
Equipment and Modifications
- Use yoga blocks, a step bench, and padding for comfort if needed.
- Exercises are adaptable to limited space and equipment, making them suitable for travel.
Recommendations / Advice
- Emphasize pinky awareness for improved stability, mobility, and movement mechanics, particularly in legs and hips.
- Relax muscles rather than over-engage for greater mobility and injury prevention, especially in the hips.
- Experiment with movement transitions to avoid habitual patterns and improve functional movement skills.