Name: Playbook - Rob Riches - Day 25 - Stretch & Stability #4
Uploaded: 2022-06-17T19:05:12.106Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: Day 25 - Stretch & Stability #4

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 a final rest between each, and then repeated for an additional round (or as many round as shown).

Lay on your back with your feet up against a wall, legs in a wide squat/frog position. Your glutes should be as close to the wall as your flexibility allows. 

Place a small/medium massage ball under your back, just to the right above your glute muscle. Position your body over the ball until you find a trigger spot, and hold for 15-20 seconds and take deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. 

You can move your legs and feet around on the all to change how pressure is applied on the ball, most notably by dropping your right to the floor and pushing against the wall on your left foot. Slowly return back to the start position and repeat on the left side.

(ADVANCED TECHNIQUE): You can place a medicine ball or smash ball onto your hips to increase pressure over the trigger points. You can also place one end of resistance band below each knee, with the middle section of the band pulled behind your waist (like a catapult band pulled back).

Sumo Wall Squat

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar or pole (about waist height up from the floor), & pull one end through the other to ensure a secure hold. 

Step into the band and position it high up on your right thigh. Step back until your feel tension pulling your hip forwards. Lower your right knee to the floor with your left knee bent in front & foot flat on the floor (within this lunge position, your hips & shoulders should be stacked over your hips & right knee, & left knee bent at approximately a right-angle). 

Sit tall over your hips & tuck your hips forwards so that their directly under your waist. You should feel the band pulling your hips forward & a stretch down the front of your right leg. 

Hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds & take deep breathes in through your nose & exhale through you mouth. You can further increase the stretch by positioning your bent leg further back & lowering your hand (of the same side of which leg is bent on the floor) down to the floor.

Banded Hip Distraction

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

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar or pole (about knee height up from the floor), and pull one end through the other to ensure a secure hold. 

Sit on the floor directly in front of the pole, with your legs straight. Place the band around your torso and under the arm pits and lean forwards. (The resistance of the band should not be too much, and just enough to be pulling your torso forwards more than you could hold it without any pull forwards). 

Allow your head to tilt forwards and hold this position for 15-20 seconds and take deep breathes in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. 

You should be feeling a great stretch in your lower back.

Banded Pike Pull

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar or pole (about waist height up from the floor), 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 so the palm is facing upwards) and grip the sides of the band firmly. With your right arm behind you (palm upwards), position yourself forwards to that you feel tension in the band. Keeping your feet in a fixed staggered position on the floor, start to turn your body away from the band (rotating to your left), until you feel a good stretch in your shoulder and bicep. 

Hold this for 15-20 seconds and take deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. 

You can further increase the stretch by positioning yourself farther forwards from the secured band. Slowly reduce tension in the band and remove your hand. Perform with the left hand.

Banded Open Arm Chest Stretch

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 your arms laying alongside the side of your body, and place both feet on top of a Swiss Ball, gripping it by between your feet and pushing down so its clamped in between your claves and hamstrings.

Keeping your shoulders and lower back pushed into the floor, engage your abdominals and exhale as you draw your knees up towards your chest, raising the Swiss Ball so as to keep your legs in a fixed position.

Your hips should be curling up and off the floor slightly so as to finish off the movement and really be able to engage the lower abdominals.

Lower the ball back down under control, and as soon as it touches the floor, repeat the movement back up.

Lying Swiss Ball Knee Tuck

Position yourself leaning up on your left side on a Swiss Ball, with your legs scissored (top right leg in front of the left foot), with your right hand help by the side of your head. Your left arm is resting across the top of the Swiss Ball just in front of you to help with your balance.

Keeping your abdominal muscles engaged, flex your abs as you crunch your right elbow towards your hips.  Control yourself back to the starting position - so as not to bounce off the ball, and continue to perform all reps on one side until time is up. Then turn over to the other side and repeat with the opposite arm.

If you find this exercise too challenging at first, try performing it with the Swiss Ball secured up against the corner of a room.

Swiss Ball Side Crunch

Position yourself on the floor in a kneeling position with your arms fully extended beneath you. With the stability disc under your right knee, slowly extend your left leg straight out behind you, and your right arm stretched out in front of you, at the same time. 

Return both your hand and knee to the floor at the same time and repeat this movement for 30 seconds.

You'll perform all reps for 1 set on your right side, then move the stability disc to under your left leg and perform as you switch which arm and leg are raised up.

Stability Disc Alt Arm Leg

Lay on the floor and place a Stability Disc just beneath your shoulder blades. Hold your hands at the sides of your head and bend your knees upwards, keeping your feet flat on the ground close to your hips.

Engage the abdominals and exhale as you crunch your shoulders up and forwards. You don't need to come all the way up, (like in a sit up), but just a few inches so as to feel the abdominals really engage.

Lower yourself back into the starting position, and repeat all reps in a controlled and steady manner.

Day 25 - Stretch & Stability #4

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