Full Body Movement Workout

Disclaimer: While this workout plan has been created with your safety in mind, all physical activity caries a small risk of injury. Please take your own safety into consideration and don’t do anything you are not comfortable with or don’t feel safe doing.

Equipment needed
This workout is designed using almost no equipment. All you need is a pole of some sort and a step. You can improvise and use a broom handle and your front door step for example.
Workout format
The exercises are in small groups. Do each group in the order listed as it is designed as a wamup-workout-cooldown program.
Workout purpose
The purpose of this workout is to work the full body, improve mobility, and increase your heart rate. It’s a combined full body movement program and a cardio workout.
Progresions
When your are comfortable with the workout and want to increase the intensity, repeat each group twice.

Here is the exercise list, recommended repetitions, and set numbers. Videos and instructions are detailed for each exercise below the workout list. Aim to complete each group by performing the exercises at a “brisk” but controlled tempo.

Warm-up section

Arm circles
Rotate one arm overhead keeping your arm fairly straight. Rotate forwards then backwards.
Don’t force the movement. Keep your hand with your thumb facing up, and slightly rotate your arm outwards. Do one arm at a time for the listed number of repetitions.

Punch rotation
This is a rotational movement. Punch your arm forward and towards your opposite side. Try not to move your hips. The rotation should come from your shoulders / chest level. Alternate arms for the listed number of repetitions.

Shoulder dislocators
Using a pole, broom handle, or something similar, raise your arms overhead and behind you. Don’t force the movement. Go slowly and only as far as you feel comfortable if you can’t get the bar over and behind you. Bring the bar back up and over to the front again. Repeat for the listed repetitions.

Hip circles
Stand upright, and lift one knee up and rotate at the hip to make as big a circle as you can with your knee.
Rotate both directions. Do one leg at a time for the listed number of repetitions.

Leg swings
Stand upright, lift one foot up, and swing at the hip to the opposite side and back out to the same side as the raised foot. Do one leg at a time for the listed number of repetitions.

Stepbacks
Stand upright with feet about hip width apart. Take a short step back, and dive your heel into the ground to feel a slight stretch on the calf muscles. This is like a mini lunge. Alternate left and right foot for the listed number of repetitions. An alternative is to do one leg at a time.

Group 1 Exercises

Kickboxer
Stand upright with your hands loosely clasped behind your neck. Lift one knee up and rotate your shoulders inwards as you raise the knee. Alternate sides for the listed number of repetitions.

Overhead reach and pull
Stand upright. Reach one hand overhead and towards the opposite side. When lowering back down feel like you are “pulling” something down. Alternate sides for the listed number of repetitions.

Group 2 Exercises

Lunge Back and Rotate
Stand upright with feet about hip width apart. Hold a pole in front of you with both hands. Take a step back with one foot, bending your knees. While stepping back, rotate your torso to the same side as your forward foot. Repeat for the listed number of repetitions and switch sides.

Lunge forwards and curl
Stand upright with feet about hip width apart. Hold a pole in front of you with your palms facing up. Take a step forwards bending your knees. As you lunge forwards curl the pole up by flexing at your elbows.
Alternate feet and repeat for the listed number of repetitions.

Lunge lateral and rotate
Stand with feet about hip width apart. Hold a pole in front of you. Take a wide step to one side, and as your foot lands, bend at the knee. Aim to keep the other leg straight. Return to the starting position. Repeat for the listed number of repetitions and switch sides.

Group 3 Exercises

Squat to overhead press
Stand upright with feet about shoulder width apart. Hold a pole in front of you at about chest level. Squat down by initiating the movement by pushing your hips back, and then bend at the knee. Press your heels into the ground to return to a standing position as you raise the pole overhead. Repeat for the listed number of repetitions.

RDL
Stand upright with feet about hip width apart. Hold a pole in front of you. Lean forwards hinging at the hip, and on one leg keeping your back straight reach towards the ground. Return to the upright position. Repeat for the listed number of repetitions and then switch sides.

Group 4 Exercises

Step Up Fixed Foot
Stand with one foot on a step. Raise the other foot onto the step, then step the foot back to the ground.
Repeat for the listed number of repetitions and switch feet.

Step Down Fixed Foot
Stand with both feet on a step. Step forwards to the ground with one foot, then step back up to the step.
Repeat for the listed number of repetitions and switch feet. Be careful when stepping back up not to catch your heel on the step and trip backwards.

Side Step Up
Stand on the ground beside a step. Lift the foot furthest away from the step across and step up onto the step. Return to the ground with both feet by stepping down leading with the foot closest to the side you are stepping down to. Repeat for the listed number of repetitions and switch feet.

Group 5 Exercises

High knee step
Stand upright holding a pole at about chest height. Alternate lifting one knee at a time up towards the pole.
If you have any hip issues or hip replacement, only lift your knee to hip height and NOT above it. Repeat by alternating feet for the listed number of repetitions.

Paddler rotation
Holding a pole above your head with a wide grip, rotate down and to one side, then reverse the movement back to the top, and repeat on the other side. Alternate sides for the listed number of repetitions. You can bend at the knees and slightly rotate at the hips to increase the range.

Cooldown Exercises
Do all of these slowly to cool off from the previous more vigorous versions done during the workout.

Skater rotation
Stand with feet wide apart. Reach down and across your body with one hand to the opposite foot. Reach as far as you can. Try to keep your back straight and not “hunch” your shoulders to reach down. Reverse the movement back to the standing position and reach down on the other side with the other hand. Repeat for the listed number of repetitions.