Name: Playbook - Rob Riches - Day 11 - Stretch & Stability #2
Uploaded: 2022-06-17T19:05:11.645Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: Day 11 - Stretch & Stability #2

These stretch and stability exercises are an integral part of the full program, and will help improve upon key fundamentals of your health and wellness. 

These are to be followed in a circuit fashion, 1 after the other, with minimal rest between each, and then repeated for an additional round (or as many round as shown).

Place your right foot on top of a bench (or jump box) and push your hips as closely into your heel as you can, dropping the back knee down towards the floor, but not letting it touch the floor. (Think of it like a lunge where the front foot is raised on a bench and there's no gap between your heel and hips). 

You can use your hands on the bench to support yourself, or if your flexibility is good, bring them up and rest them on your bent knee. Keep your back straight, with the shoulders pulled back and chest lifted up.

Repeat with the other leg.

High Knee Bench Lunge

With your feet on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder-width, position your hands on the floor in front of you so that with your hips raised up in the air, your legs and back are straight (similar to a sprinters starting position on the blocks). 

Keeping your right leg straight, and heel planted into the floor, bring your left foot slightly in front of and to the right of your foot, and keeping the heel raised off the floor. As you push back onto your right leg and into the heel, you'll feel a deep stretch down the back of your leg (hamstring). 

Hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds and take deep breathes in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. Slowly return to the start position and repeat on the other leg. 

(ADVANCED TECHNIQUE): This can be performed with the stretched leg wrapped (using a floss/compression band), at the top of the thigh.

Cross-Legged Sprinters Stretch

Position your lower right leg up against a wall (or using a couch), so that your shin is flush against the wall, and your knee is at the base of the wall (you may want to rest it on a pad or towel for comfort). 

Your left leg should be in an upright bent-knee position, with the foot flat on the floor and used to steady yourself as you straighten your body upright. 

Depending on your flexibility, you may need to use a small block (such as a yoga block, or something taller), to keep your hands on . alternatively, you can place your hands on top of your bent knee. As you rise up, ensure your shoulders are pulled back and your chest is lifted up. 

You'll feel a deep stretch down the front of your leg (quads), which can be furthered by pushing your hips forwards. Hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds and take deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. Slowly return to the start position and switch over legs.

Bent Knee Quad Stretch

Secure a resistance band around a secure point about waist high, and position your right arm through the open end, pulling it just above your elbow.

Maneuver your arm so that your upper arm is angled up at the side of your head, with your forearm and hand pulled down behind you (your hand your should be externally rotated out with a light grip around the band so that your palm is facing upwards).

Step forwards until you feel a stretch in your right shoulder and upper arm. Hold this stretch while you focus on a few deep and slow breaths.

Repeat and hold fr the same time on the opposite arm.

Banded High-Arm Shoulder Stretch

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar (a chin up bar is ideal) and pull one end through the other to ensure a secure hold. Place your right hand through the open end, and supinate the hand (rotate your hand clockwise) and grip the sides of the band firmly. 

Grasp you left hand around your right wrist and extend your right leg all the way back behind you, keeping your left knee bent directly under your chest. (Imagine a straight line going from your back heel up through the leg, back, arm, and resistance band). 

Keep you head in a neutral position between your arms. You should feel a great stretch across your back and right shoulder and arm. 

Hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds and take deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. slowly return to the starting position and repeat with your left hand inside the band and your left leg stepping back.

High Band Lat Stretch

The single-leg Romanian deadlift (RDL) can be a great tool to help improve stability as well as overall body control. This is a hip-dominant exercise that can strengthen your glutes and hamstrings. Because you're balancing on one leg at a time, the emphasis of this exercise is on stability.

Stand upright balancing on your right leg, (knee slightly bent), hinge at the hips, brining your torso forwards, and extend your left leg back behind you for balance. Your right arm should be traveling vertically down (as though performing a stiff leg deadlift). Use your left hand to help balance and stabilize yourself as you lower down.

Stop just before your fingers touch the floor. You should feel the hamstring in the right leg tensed. Focus on raising yourself back upright by brining your left leg back down as your torso lifts up.

Keep your back straight, and shoulders pulled back. Repeat all reps on one leg before switching over to the other side.

Single Leg Toe Touches

Stand on a stability disc with your feet evenly spaced out to better distribute your weight.

Keeping your arms held out in front of your (to help better stabilize you), slowly start to squat down, paying attention to your balance so as not to come of the stability disc.

You should stop when your upper legs are parallel to the floor, and not fully squatted down, which can make it easy to rest (especially when not having any extra to manage). Push yourself back into an upright position and repeat each rep in a slow and controlled manner.

If you want to make this more challenging without adding weight, perform it with your hands behind your head. The “prisoner” arm positioning (hands behind your head) that gives this exercise its name helps stabilize the muscles in your core as well as your back and shoulders.

Stability Disc Squat

With a stability disc behind you on the floor, place your left foot (ball of the foot, with the heel raised) at the center of the disc, with your right foot far enough forwards that when you lower your hips down into a luge position, both knees are bent at 90 degrees.

Extend your arms out to your side (this helps with greater stability), and hold the arms in this position as you lower yourself until your back knee is just above the floor. Pause momentarily and then raise yourself back up to the starting position by pushing down on your front leg.

The goal here is to remain balanced during the movement, so perform each rep in a smooth and controlled manner. Once all reps have been performed on one side, change legs and repeat on the opposite leg.

Stability Disc Back T-Lunge

Lay on the floor with the stability disc on the ground just below your glutes on the floor. Place both feet on the disc so your knees are bent and heels close to your glutes.

Keeping your abdominals engaged, push down on your heels as you raise your hips up into the air, feeling the hamstring muscles engage and work. Pause momentarily at the top of the rep, when your hips form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

Lower your hips back down slowly to the floor, and just before they make contact with the ground, push back up into a new rep.

This exercise will fire up your hamstrings, as well as engage your calves, glutes, and abdominal muscles.

Stability Disc Hip Bridge

Position yourself in a plank position with your forearms supported on a stability disc just in front of your chest. Keep your hips raised up (not too high), so as to form a straight line from your shoulders to your feet.

Keep your abdominal muscles engaged, and focus on holding this position for the allocated time of each rep. The challenge will be in remaining steady and balanced as any slight movement will be amplified by the use of the stability disc.

If this is too challenging for your at first, perform it with your knees on the ground so as to reduce the overall weight needing to be supported.

Day 11 - Stretch & Stability #2

More workouts from Rob Riches