Hoop Strength Core - A Little Hard Core *Easter Monday edition*

Many people enjoy Easter because of the chocolate or the big family dinner... This year I got to go to Vancouver to enjoy some time with friends. We drank a few cocktails, had fancy breakfasts out, ordered in dinner and played board games, went out dancing and had a few more cocktails... and while we walked to breakfast, we didn't really exercise. Its okay if you didn't either. You are here now, so maybe we'll just work a teensy bit harder this week.

The One Song Warm-up
Write out these exercises somewhere you can see while you do it. Every time the song changes in some way, go to the next exercise. These exercises went really well with today's song Brian Setzer's Jump Jive and Wail.

• Rocking Horse  - Right foot back
• Squat Hops with Side Step - Right
• Three way kicks - Right only
• Rocking Horse  - Left foot back
• Squat Hops with Side Step - Left
• Three way kicks - Left only
• Alternating Speed Skater
• Alternating Front Kicks with Reach
• Hi Knee Jog
• Jumping Jacks
• Foot Fire

A Little Hard Core
No equipment to start with! Do 8 reps on each side, Right leg then left.

• Alternating Infinity Lunges
• Plie Squats
• Lunge Squats
• Ballerina Squat Lunges
• Drinking Bird Dead Lifts
• Wood Chopper Curtsy
• Flamingo Ab Twister
• Wall sit series  x5 each (do all on Right, then all on left)
  -toe taps - front leg lifts -side leg lifts -out & in leg lifts

Get out a pair of low to medium weights and sit back on the wall! Do 4, 6, or 8 of each - go slow!

• Front Chest Press (elbows wide, palms away)
• Arnold Overhead Press (Palms in at chest, twist palms away as you press up)
• Snow Angel Shoulder Fly (Keep elbows on the wall as you glide the weights low to high and back)

Now we get down to the floor and put our feet up on the wall, keeping those weights nearby!

• Boat Pose variation - rowing arms without weights (push feet into wall & core into floor)
• Boat Pose variation - with weights rowing **Go in BOTH directions**
• Heel Touch variation - with or without weights (trying to touch the wall beneath your feet)
• Reclining Tricep Extension - with or without weight (elbows high, palms away)
• Belly Up Faux Jacks /Snow Angel Jacks

• Forearm & Wrist curls
  Here is where you may need to get creative - but its a wonderful exercise for those who are looking to gain strength in their hands, wrists and forearms!
  Get an empty milk jug and fill it with just a little water inside.
  Put the cap back on and put a stick into the jug handle and grab both sides.
  Squeeze and roll your hands and wrists forward like you are wringing out some laundry.
  Go slow at first. Feel the sensations in your hands, wrists and forearms. The stick will just roll around inside the jug handle.
  Try going in the other direction now, pulling your knuckles up and pushing your wrists forward. 
• Hand "expressions"
  Press the palms forward and pull the fingers back towards yourself, like the fingers are stretching out wide - like a yawn.
  Bend each finger down in turn. Pointer, Middle, Ring, Baby (yes, 90% of us can't move our baby finger all by itself) then back.
  Flick away each finger like you are flicking a marble away from you. Don't forget your thumb!
• Thumb/Finger Hugs
  Open your hand and tuck in your thumb, squeeze & release. Tuck in your fingers and wrap your thumb on the outside, squeeze & release.

Some Stretches

•  Single Knee Tuck stretch
• T Twist stretch
• Figure 4 Hip stretch
  ~do the other side!
• Happy Baby/Dead Bug pose
• Wide Leg Supine Fold (or maybe just one leg at a time - play with it)

Now its Hoop Time baby!!

The Playlist
The Brian Setzer Orchestra - Jump, Jive, An' Wail
Big Daddy - This Is Y!