Foam Roll Quads
quadsForm cues (5)
- One quad at a time — they deserve individual attention, dont do both at once
- On stomach, roller on one leg, other leg off to side
- Like painting a wall — cover the entire length of the muscle, not just painful spots
- First minute: upper quad. Second minute: lower quad just above knee
- At end: hold tight spot and do active release — bend and straighten the knee
1:00
Foam Roll Upper Back
backForm cues (4)
- Roller at bottom of rib cage (NOT lower back). Hands interlaced behind head
- Arch back over roller, come up. Roll down one inch at a time, extend at each position
- Work all the way up to base of neck — hit at least 10 spots across thoracic spine
- The roller gives pressure into the spine so you arch over it, dynamically improving flexibility
1:00
Hip Flexor Stretch (half-kneeling)
hip_flexorsForm cues (4)
- Back knee on pad, back foot up on bench/couch/chair behind you
- Push hips forward while squeezing back glute — feel stretch in front of hip
- Tight hip flexors can inhibit glute activation — this is critical for desk workers
- Intensity should be 4-5 out of 10. Hold 30s each side
1:00
Wall Ankle Stretch
anklesForm cues (6)
- Face wall, both hands pressing into wall
- Actively press into wall as if pushing a sled — this is NOT a passive stretch
- Send all weight down into calf and heel. Bend knee, then straighten, keep heel on ground
- If heel stays down easily, move foot further from wall for more range
- Be aggressive — really press in until you feel a big stretch in the calf
- Three directions: knee straight forward, knee out to side, knee across body — hits all ankle angles. One minute per side
1:00
Cat-Cow
thoracic_spineForm cues (4)
- On all fours: round back up towards ceiling (cat), then arch and look up (cow)
- Based on McGill research: 7-8 slow cycles = maximum benefit. Dont rush
- If stiff, try placing a band around your back for feedback on the rounding motion
- Breathe in as you round up, breathe out as you arch down
1:00
Dead Bug
core3 × 8 each side
No previous data
10kg × 8 each side First time — start light, focus on form
Form cues (5)
- Common mistake: dont flatten back to floor — maintain slight natural lumbar curve
- Neutral spine: slight curvature in low back, then brace 360 around spine
- Proper breathing: breathe out, then brace over the entire core before moving
- Start by just moving arms while keeping brace — master this before adding legs
- Full dead bug: opposite arm and opposite leg, maintain braced neutral spine throughout
kgRepsRPE
1
2
3
Zone 2 Walk
cardiovascular20 min
- Zone 2 = 60-70%% of max heart rate. Brisk walk or light jog intensity
- Calculate your zone: (220 minus age) x 0.7 = upper limit. Example: age 30 = 133 BPM max
- Talk test: you can hold a conversation but the other person would know youre exercising. If gasping = too fast
- Forever pace: pick a speed you could hold indefinitely. Target 30 min, 5x per week
- Treadmill: try 8%% incline at 5 km/h as starting point. Focus on foot placement: tripod foot (heel, base of 1st toe, base of 5th toe)
20:00