Clare Kneis - WellLife Wellness

Clare's Workout Plan

Welcome, Clare!

Below are your workouts and schedule for November.

Click the link below to download a PDF of your workout.

Workout Schedule

Follow this schedule to stimulate but not overwhelm the immune system.

MON

Cardio & Core

Tue

OFF

Wed

Strength

Thu

OFF

Fri

Cardio & Core

Sat

OFF

SUN

Strength

Before Workout

Foam Roll

Lightly roll 5-10 times on tight areas to increase blood flow.
Roll piriformis, hamstrings,calves, quads, IT Bands, upper back, and lats.

Stretch

Stretch tight muscles for no more than 3-5 seconds.
Stretch calves, piriformis, hamstrings, quads, chest, and lower back.
Repeat x 3-5 times per area.

Strengthen

Complete x 5-10 reps each of Core Exercises below.

Core Workout

Complete x 1-2 sets after a strength or cardio workout.

Exercise

Sets & Reps

Dead Bugs

x 5 each side

Quadruped Arm and Leg Extension

x 10 each side

Band Clamshells

x 10 each side, x 10 both

Single Leg Bridges

x 10 each side

Push-up Position Hold

x 30'' (seconds)

Abbreviations: SB = Stability Ball MB = Medicine Ball DB = Dumbell

Strength

Weeks 1 & 2: Complete x 1-2 sets.
Weeks 3 & 4: Complete x 2-3 sets.

Exercise

Sets & Reps

Stability Ball Squat

x 10

Body Weight Squat

x 12

Bar Push-ups

x 8

Split Squats

x 10 each side

Crossover Crunches

x 10 each side

Double Leg Bridge Hold

x 60'' (seconds) each side

Abbreviations: SB = Stability Ball MB = Medicine Ball DB = Dumbell

Cardio Workouts

Day 1 Workouts are ideally outside walking, but can also be done on an equivalent cardio machine (e.g. bike, rower, elliptical, swim, etc.).
Day 2 workouts should be completed on a bike, elliptical, rower, or other cardio machine to avoid injury.
Before any cardio workout, do a warm-up at an easy pace for 5 minutes.
Calculate your heart rate zones or use a scale of ‘rating of perceived exertion’ from 1-10 (10 being hardest).

Day 1

Walk @40% of effort

Continue for 15 minutes

Repeat this workout 1-2 times per week.

Day 2

Bike x 20” (seconds) @60% of effort

Recover @30% effort x 40” (minutes)

Continue for 10 minutes

Repeat this workout 1-2 times per week.

After Workout

STretch

Hold static stretches on tight areas x 10-30 seconds each.

Foam Roll

Roll quads and IT bands for 1-2 minutes each or until they release.

Exercise Descriptions

Core Workout

Dead Bugs

Lie on your back with your arms by the sides, knees bent and the feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
‘Draw in’ the belly toward the spine and the low abdominals engaged (e.g. place a towel under the low back and keep the low back flat on the floor). Feel the gluts engage.
Lift one foot ~2 inches off the ground, keeping the knee bent at 90 degrees, and the opposite arm so the elbow is above the shoulder, elbow at 90 degrees.
Hold this position for 1-2 seconds before slowly returning the foot to the ground and the arm to the starting position, without rocking sideways. Keep the arms and legs in the same plane of the body (i.e. do not let elbows or knees fall inward or turn out away from the body).
Continue alternating each leg and the opposite arm, holding the hips as still as possible and breathing normally, keeping abdominals drawn in.

Quadruped Opposite Arm, Opposite Leg Extension on Bench

Start in quadruped position (on the hands and knees) on the bench, with the hands directly under the shoulders and knees under the hips.
Lift one knee and the opposite hand and balance, elbow at 90 degrees. Extend the arm and leg away from the body at the same time, engaging the quad and elbow, arm straight by the ear and thumb up.
Keep the hips and shoulders square to the ground, and extend the leg and elbow fully. Repeat for indicated number of reps.

Standing Band Clamshells

Start seated with a band around both legs, just above the knees.
Pull one knee away from the center of the body, keeping the hips and other leg completely still (the band will pull against the legs, so contract the muscles to resist). Repeat for all reps on each leg, then pull both legs apart.
Place the hands on the hips to stabilize and feel the muscle engage. Sit slightly forward on the hip bones, with the back flat and shoulders back and down.
*Standing position not shown.

Single Leg Bridge

Lie on your back with one foot under the knee and one knee bent, holding it with the arm on the same side.
Holding the arms by the sides to balance, press through the heel on the ground and lift the hips until they are in line with the shoulders and knees.
Extend the hips fully before returning to the ground and gently touching the ground before the next rep. Keep the quad and hamstring engaged through the range of motion, and fully extend the hips with the gluts at the top of the motion.

Plank in Push-up Position HOld

Hold yourself in push-up position with the head, shoulders, hips, and feet in line. Hold the elbows extended, hands under the shoulders, core engaged.
Keep the hips tucked under using the low abdominals and gluts, and shoulders back and down.
Hold for the designated number of seconds.

Exercise Descriptions

Strength Workout

Stability Ball Squat

Start standing with a stability ball placed on the wall just above the waist. Place the feet about 45 degrees away from the hips, toes pointing slightly out.
Bend the knees to parallel with the ground, keeping the hips directly under the shoulders.
Engage the gluts, hamstrings, and quads at the bottom, then push through the heels to stand back up.
Fully extend the hips and knees at the top of the motion (‘tuck’ the hips under the shoulders).
*Place the hands behind the head as a challenge

Body Weight Squat

Start standing with the feet under the shoulders and toes pointing about 10 degrees out*.
Bend the knees to parallel with the ground or slightly below, reaching back slightly with the hips with a flat back. Allow the knees to come slightly forward of the toes, and do not let the knees go inward or outside the toes.
Engage the legs and push through the heels to stand back up, fully extending the hips with the gluts at the top of the motion (‘tuck’ the hips under the shoulders).
*Place the hands on the head or above the head as a challenge

Bar Push-ups

Start in push-up position holding a bar or stable object at chest height, elbows straight and palms directly under the shoulders.
Keeping a straight line between the head, shoulders, hips, and feet, slowly lower yourself to the floor on a count of 3 seconds.
When your chest reaches the elbow height, push yourself back up using your knees and return to starting position.
Engage the abdominals to keep the body away from the floor, and the gluts engaged to support the low back.

Split Squats

Start standing on one foot in front and one foot behind you, feet hip width apart and hands behind the head. Keep your weight mostly on the front heel, back foot straight.
Bend both knees to lower the hips toward the ground to just below knee height, keeping the chest over the thigh and shoulders back.
Push through the front heel and return to standing position with the front knee fully extended (use the quad to pull the knee cap up toward the hip while standing).
Keep the back flat and shoulders back and down, core engaged.

Crossover Crunches

Lie on the back with one foot on the ground and the other knee extended and foot held up slightly off the ground.
Support the head with the hands, and bring the extended knee toward the opposite elbow as you quickly twist the chest toward the knee.
Return both shoulders to the ground, keeping the abdominal muscles engaged so the low back stays on the ground, and repeat as quickly as possible.

Bridge Hold (No Video)

Lie on your back with the knees bent at hip width apart, toes straight and knees directly over the toes.
Holding the arms by the sides to balance, press down through the and lift the hips until they are in line with the shoulders and knees.
At the top of the motion, squeezing the gluts together to full extend the hips, and hold for the designated number of seconds.