Exercise: Frog Jumps Do: Jump for distance, not height, try to minimize the number of hops backward you need to get back to your starting point

Exercise: High Knees Do: Get your knees high! Don’t: look down, let your chest and shoulders sag Easier: fewer reps, go more slowly Harder: step quickly   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Duck Walks Do: Take long, low strides Don’t: Pop up between steps Easier: Shorter sustained periods of walking Harder: Keep going! quack!

Exercise: Sideways Stairs Do: Use “outside” and “inside” leg equally, & remember to swap sides every flight of stairs or two. Don’t: forget to get low and attack the stairs like a speed skater

Exercise: Tuck Jumps – Advanced Variations Do: Get low to start every jump. Power up as high as possible and tuck both knees to chest. Attempt to stick the landing each time. Don’t: do these without a very good warm-up. Easier: take more rest between jumps. Harder: n/a See also: Long Jump with Weight, Tuck Jumps Back to […]

Exercise: Side to Side Switches Do: Hold weight close to body, use core to control the movement, move quickly and sharply Don’t: swing the weight in large arcs or compensate with a wide stance. Easier: n/a Harder: go faster, use heavier weight. See also: Heismans Back to all How-To Videos, in alphabetical order…

Exercise: Chair Step-Ups & Step-Up / Cross-Under Combos* Do: Drive through your heel, all the way up Don’t: Get only halfway up Easier: Standard step up Harder: Double-time, Up and Over variations *check out the Cross-Under squat video for more tutorial on the combo movement.

Exercise: Power Push-Ups Do: practice good plank and push-up form Don’t: allow your hips to rise or sag Easier: Do push-ups from your knees Harder: n/a   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Seated Hip Tilts and Swivels Do: Go slowly, with control, using small movements Don’t: rush   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Lateral Roll on a Ball Variations: Iron Cross, Charlie’s Angels Do: Keep hips lifted Don’t: Easier: Iron cross variation Harder: Charlie’s Angels variation   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Hamstring Curls on a ball (FOB) Variations: 2 legs, 2-to-1, single leg Do: Keep hips lifted Easier: 2 legs; take more rests Harder: single leg variations   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Push-Ups on a Ball Variations: FOB Push-ups; FOB single-leg push-ups; HOB push-ups from the knees; HOB push-ups (lowering motion only); HOB full push-ups Do: Practice good standard push-up form Don’t: Allow your shoulders to rise towards your ears Easier / Harder: variations are listed in order of challenge   Click here to see all the […]

Exercise: Sumo Push-Ups Do: Take a wide stance with feet and hands; practice good push-up form Don’t: allow hips to sag or to rise up into a pike position Easier: do the push-ups from your knees Harder: n/a   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Pass The Ball Situps Do: Keep head lifted, keep low back in contact with the mat at all times Don’t: Rush Easier: only lower your legs to 45 degrees Harder: lower your legs to within inches of the floor   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Flying Plank Push-Up Do: Keep your hips neutral – flat line from your head down to your heels; do a full push-up; try to keep your hips and shoulders square to the floor when doing the “flying” Don’t: Allow your hips to rise up or sag Easier: Do push-ups and/or flying from your knees […]

Exercise: Leg Circles Do: Keep your trunk as still as possible; keep circles small enough to allow this control. Easier: smaller circles Harder: larger range of motion   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Tabletop Rollout on a Ball Do: Go slowly, with control; bend at the hips; keep your neck neutral Don’t: pitch forward at the hips as though in a plank   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Planks on a Ball Variations: Feet on the Ball (FOB) and Hands on the ball (HOB) Do: Keep a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels Don’t: allow hips to sag or rise, or sink into your shoulder sockets Don’t: attempt the HOB plank if you have wrist problems or […]

Exercise: Calf Raises Do: Rise and lower with control; distribute weight evenly across the balls of your feet. Don’t: let your heels splay out to the sides. Easier: hold on to a wall for stabiity Harder: one-leg calf raises; add weight

Exercise: Leg Circles Do: Keep your trunk as still as possible; keep circles small enough to allow this control. Easier: smaller circles Harder: larger range of motion   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Cross-Under Squats Do: Keep head and chest lifted, get hips down low, reach far across with the back leg Don’t: take miniature steps, or only bend forward at the waist instead of bending from the knees

Exercise: Power Push-Ups Do: practice good plank and push-up form Don’t: allow your hips to rise or sag Easier: Do push-ups from your knees Harder: n/a   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

An overused IT band can get tight and angry for lots of skaters. Use this stretch to calm it down, but don’t forget to do your glute strengthening work to help the underlying cause! Exercise: TFL + IT Band + Hamstring Stretch Do: Work with a friend or use a strap or band; Play around and […]

Exercise: Deadlift; Romanian Deadlift Do: Warm up with the bar only. Set up with weight in heels, bar touching shins, chest lifted, shoulders directly above the bar. Pull first, straighten knees second.  To lower, hinge at hips, then bend knees when bar is past them. Don’t: lean forward with weight over toes and shoulders forward of the bar; […]

Exercise: Flying Plank Push-Up Do: Keep your hips neutral – flat line from your head down to your heels; do a full push-up; try to keep your hips and shoulders square to the floor when doing the “flying” Don’t: Allow your hips to rise up or sag Easier: Do push-ups and/or flying from your knees […]

Exercise: Burpees Variations:Half Burpees, Squat Thrusts Do: Hit all the ‘stops’ with good form: Squat, plank, push-up, squat-jump Don’t: Rush through it and sacrifice form   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Walkout Push-ups on a Ball Do: Maintain a plank position and neutral neck position; alternate which hand leads the march   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Bench Dips (aka Chair Dips) Do: Keep shoulders down, elbows pointed back Don’t: let your shoulders hunch towards your ears. Easier: Place feet closer to your bench Harder: Elevate feet See also: Triceps Push-Ups, Triceps Roll-outs Back to all How-To Videos, in alphabetical order…

Exercise: Tuck Jumps Do: Get your knees UP! Land with soft knees Don’t: try these before being well warmed up Easier: take small stutter jumps in between each tuck jump Harder: jump higher, go faster   Click here to see all the How-To Videos…

Exercise: Weighted Long Jumps Do: Swing the weight out in front of you, imagine it dragging you forward. Take it slow as you get used to the feeling. Don’t: look for height, or swing the weight above shoulder height. Easier: eliminate the weight Harder: heavier weight, more reps. See also: Long Jump + Tuck Jump Back to all How-To […]

Exercise: Heismans Do: Keep feet fast and light; use your abs to tuck and crunch toward your knee Don’t: look for height – the movements should be lateral Easier: go slower and more deliberately Harder: faster feet!

Exercise: Long Jump + Tuck Jump Combination Do: Spring up into the tuck jump quickly and vertically. Don’t: jump forward on the tuck jump. Easier: Separate the two jumps with a pause. Harder: n/a See also: Long Jump with Weight, Tuck Jumps, Advanced Tuck Jumps Back to all How-To Videos, in alphabetical order…