Sample stretching and strengthening exercises

Abdominal Curl-up
Lie on your back, with the knees bent (to about 90 degrees) and feet flat on the floor. Avoid anchoring your feet down. Do a “pelvic tilt”, pressing your lower back to the floor, then slowly curl forward, lifting your shoulder blades and upper back off the floor. Hold this “up position” for couple of seconds, then slowly curl back down. Look toward the ceiling (not at your knees) throughout so you don’t bend your neck too fat forward. Make the curl-up increasingly difficult by changing the arm positions: with arms straight, slide hands along the floor; with arms straight, slide the hands up the thighs as far as the knees; cross arms on the chest; bend arms and hold hands against the ears.

Thigh Stretch
While standing, bend one knee, grasp your ankle and pull your foot gently toward your buttocks. Keep the supporting leg slightly bent and your back straight. Use a chair for support if you need to.

Low Back Stretch
While lying on your back, grasp your hands behind one knee and bring it toward your chest.

Push-up
Take the starting press-up position, position your hands at shoulder level with your palms flat on the floor slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Use either the knees or the feet for the pivot point (using the feet requires more strength). Then keeping your body in line (don’t sag!), straighten your arms to push your body up, then lower it again until you are almost touching the floor and repeat the whole pattern again.

LOCOMOTION

In a general sense, locomotion simply means active movement or travel.

Walking is the main form of locomotion, distinguished from running. Walking is generally distinguished from running in that only one foot at a time leaves contact with the ground. During forward motion, the leg that leaves the ground swings forward from the hip. Then the leg strikes the ground with the heel and rolls through to the toe. The motion of the two legs is coordinated so that one foot or the other is always in contact with the ground.

Running is a complex, coordinated process which involves the entire body. Running is executed as a sequence of strides, which alternate between the two legs. Each leg's stride can be roughly divided into three phases: support, drive, and recovery. Support and drive occur when the foot is in contact with the ground. Recovery occurs when the foot is off the ground. The motions of the upper body are essential to maintaining balance and a forward motion for optimal running. They compensate for the motions of the lower body, keeping the body in rotational balance. A leg's recovery is matched by a forward drive of the opposite arm, and a leg's support and drive motions are balanced by backward movement of the opposite arm. The shoulders and torso are also involved.

READING (Authentic text)

GYMNASTICS - FORWARD ROLL

The forward roll has a tremendous number of applications, beginning with a simple tucked forward roll, progressing through a more difficult straddle forward roll to the handstand forward roll. Handstand forward roll begins with performing the handstand. After holding the handstand position, the gymnast allows the body to lean slightly, and, while tucking the head, rolls forward and arrives in a standing position. Advanced skills may be presented such as a cartwheel, followed by handstand with transition to the forward roll.

Forward roll progression usually starts with the rock back exercise. The gymnast assumes sitting tuck, clasps the knees tightly to the chest and keeps feet together. The head is moved over the knees to form rounded back. The gymnast rocks back on to the shoulders, rocks back to the sitting tuck, and repeats the whole movement again.

The exercise can be modified by starting in the squat position, rocking back on to the shoulders and arms reaching forward to return to the squat position again. Feet are together.

Next step to take is using an inclined padded bench. The gymnast starts in the squat position, feet together, hands placed on the side of the bench; then tucks the head to the knees and pushes chin to the chest; raises the bottom and starts to roll. Arms reach forward to return to squat position.