My office is open for in-person and virtual appointments. Here is the 
Here are 5 simple moves you can do in the comfort of your own home, with little to no equipment.
If you have some stairs to work with, and a 15-20 minute block of time, you could get a really great cardio workout in!
Exercise doesn’t need to be in hour or half hour increments to have a beneficial effect.
You could also incorporate these exercises throughout the day, by doing one set of 10-20 reps of all 5 exercises, a few times throughout the day. It only takes a few minutes to complete one full set (less than 5 minutes). It’s a nice way to perk yourself up when at work, rather than going for that 2nd or 3rd coffee, or sugary treat.
If you have the time to do a 15-20 minute workout with stairs, try doing one set of stairs, followed by one set of these 5 exercises, then 2 sets of stairs, followed by 1 set of these exercises, then 3 sets and so on.
Here are the 5 exercises. In the video, you will see the modifications.
- Side to side steps or hops
- Squats or squat press
- Modified jumping jacks or regular jumping jacks
- Step taps or step hop taps
- Alternating knee to elbow twist or do it with a weight
This looks easy enough! What do you mean by “keeping your core engaged.” How does one doe that?
Hi Kathy!
“engaging” your core can be difficult to explain because you’re looking for a feeling. Core engagement is not “sucking in” your belly, but rather bracing your abdomen like you were about to be punched. You should feel muscle activation, similar to when you flex a muscle. The point of activating and bracing your core is to protect your spine. You want the muscles all around your spine (even around the back) to be working when you move. You can also feel engagement when you are about to cough or laugh. Look for that feeling and practice applying it before you are actually exercising. I like using the plank exercise as well, to really feel the bracing effect. Thinking of pulling your belly button in and up towards your spine (but not sucking in). This pulling up and in comes from your abdominal muscles. I hope I have explained enough to get you on the right track!