Natalie Taylor - WellLife Wellness

Natalie's Workout Plan

Welcome, Natalie! Below are your workouts and schedule for September.

Click below to download the PDF.

Workout Schedule

This month you will have a Core & Flexibility workout, and Lower Body Strength workout.
You can do the cardio workout up to 3 days per week.
There is one designated ‘Recovery‘ day for stretching, yoga, meditation, etc.

MON

Cardio & Core

Tue

Strength

Wed

Off

Thu

Cardio & Core

Fri

Strength

Sat

Off

SUN

Recovery

Before Workout

Foam Roll & STretch

Before any workout, lightly roll 5-10 times on tight areas to increase blood flow, including:

Stretch the following areas for 3-5 seconds, x 3-5 times per area:

Core Workout

Perform exercises in a set with minimal rest between exercises x 2-3 sets to increase flexibility and reduce risk of injury.
Complete this workout 1-2 times per week after a warm-up or cardio.

Exercise

Sets & Reps

Good mornings (No video)

x 5 reps x 3-5” (second) hold

Single Leg Raises

x 15 each leg

Cat / Cow (No Video)

x 10

Band Pull-downs

x 12

Wall Sit, Band Around Knees

x 30” (seconds)

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

Strength Workout

Warm up with light cardio, foam rolling, and 30-60 seconds each of planks, side planks, and bridges.
Complete all reps (first number) and sets (second number) of ‘Set A’ before moving on to ‘Set B’, and ‘Set C’.
Rest x 0-30 seconds between exercises; Rest x 2-3 minutes between sets.

Exercise

Reps & Sets

A1. Single Leg Hops in Place

x 7 x 4

A2. Lateral step-ups

x 10 x 3

B1. Push-up position Arm Openers

x 12 x 3

B2. Single Leg Deadlifts with Reach

x 10 x 2

C1. Superman's, Hands Shoulder Height

x 30” (seconds) x 2

C2. Bridge Alternating Leg Extension

x 20 x 2

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

‘ = Minutes; ” = Seconds

After Workout

STretch

Hold static stretches on tight areas x 10-30 seconds each.
Stretch hamstrings, chest, and low back.

Foam Roll

Roll mid-back, lats, and calves (behind the knees) for 1-2 minutes each.

Exercise Descriptions

Core Endurance

Good Mornings (No Video)

Start standing with feet hip width apart, hands behind the head.
Start leaning forward slightly while shifting your weight to the heels, keeping the knees straight but not locked, quads engaged. Keep the back flat and elbows wide.
When the back is parallel to the floor and you feel a stretch in the hamstrings, push through the heels and engage the gluts to lift the chest and head to starting position. Full extend the hips and the knees at the top of the motion.
Keep the quads engaged but do not lock the knees.

Single Leg RAISEs

Lie on your back with your arms straight and cradling the hips, knees bent and the feet flat on the floor, legs straight and feet above the hips.
Hold the low abdominals engaged by pulling toward the hands, then lower one leg toward the ground, knee extended and toe held up toward the shin, then return immediately to the starting position using the hip flexors and gluts.
Continue on the same side until all reps are complete, holding the hips as still as possible and breathing normally.
Keep the low abdominals ‘drawn in’ the belly toward the spine, gluts engaged as you lift and lower the leg.
*Seated position not shown.

Cat / Cow (No Video)

Start on the hands and knees in quadruped position, palms under the shoulders and knees under the hips.
Take a deep breath in while letting the back arch, head and hips toward the sky and chest and bellow toward the floor (like a cow), looking up.
Exhale while pull the hips toward the chest, round the back like a cat, looking down toward the feet.
Repeat with the breath.

Band Pull-downs

Stand holding the handles of a double chord band fixed to a surface with the arms straight, hands at waist height. Start with a slight tension in the band, leaning back slightly with upright posture and pronated grip (palms down).
Keeping the wrists straight, push the palms toward the front of the thighs, pulling the shoulder blades back and down as though pinching a pencil.
Keep the chest up and elbows straight, and do not let the wrists break.
Resist the upward motion of the band and return, controlled, to the starting position, and repeat for the indicated number of repetitions

Wall Sit, Ball Between knees

Start with your back on the wall and feet out about 45 degrees, feet at hip width apart. Hold a soft, non-weighted ball hip-width diameter between the knees to activate the groin.
Keeping the weight in the heels, lower the hips to knee height, and engage the quads, gluts, groin, and hamstrings.
Hold for the designated number of seconds, keeping abdominals engaged and chest tall.

Exercise Descriptions

Strength

Single Leg Hops in Place

Start standing on one leg, holding the opposite leg slightly bent behind the body.
Bend the knee slightly, pushing it forward and sitting back to activate the hamstring. Immediately hop straight up and land in the same place, keeping your balance.
Keep the back flat and head in line with the spine, using the arms to assist the jump.
If you feel you might lose your balance on the landing, touch the other foot down briefly, or complete next to a wall. Bend the knee as far as you can and still jump out quickly; jump as high as you can and still land safely and balance.
*Hop not shown.

Lateral Step-ups

Start standing behind and to the side of a step or stair at least knee height with one foot up on the step.
Keep a hip width distance between the feet, and start about an inch from one edge of the step.
Lean forward and to the side slightly over the front thigh, with the back flat and the chest over the foot.
Push into the heel and draw the opposite knee up to hip height, extending the hip and the knee as you stand, resisting the lateral motion.
Lower the foot to return to starting position, pause to remain balanced, and repeat.

Push-up Position Arm Openers

Start in push-up position with the feet shoulder width apart, elbows extended, core engaged, and a straight line between the head, hips, knees, and feet.
Pull one arm with the elbow extended until the shoulders are stacked, keeping the hips facing the floor. Engage the shoulder blades back and down as you pull, and look between the hands to avoid losing balance.
Return the hand to starting position and continue alternating hands for the designated number of reps.
*To modify, place the knees on the ground or complete on a step or wall. To make more difficult, include a push-up between rows.

Single leg Deadlifts with Reach

Start standing one 1 leg with a slight bend in the knees and bend in the hips, holding the hands palms resting on the upper thighs.
Shift your weight to the heel and lower the palms along the thighs until they reach the nees. Reach forward with the elbows straight and arms next to the ears, keeping the quad engaged and the hips square to the ground.
Push through the heels to return to standing, with a flat back, shoulders back and down, and head in line with the spine.
*Single leg and reach not shown. If you feel you will lose your balance, touch the other foot down briefly or complete next to a wall.

Supermans, Hands at Shoulders

Start lying face down on the ground with the arms extended above the head about 45 degrees.
With loose fists and the thumbs pointed upward, lift the hands up off the ground slightly and pull the shoulder blades back and down together, keeping the elbows extended.
Return immediately to starting position, keeping the abdominals engaged throughout the range of motion.
NOTE: Make this exercise easier by holding the hands lower, at shoulder height.

Bridge March with Leg Extension

Start lying on your back with the knees bent and the feet directly under the knees.
Lift the hips into bridge position, and holding the hips in line with the knees.
Lift one foot off the ground until the leg is straight, engaging the quad and pulling the knee toward the hip. Do not lift the whole leg, only the foot.
Alternate legs as though marching, pushing through the heel and keeping the abs drawn in and hips in line with the knees.