FTOC Fitness Program: November Workout

Families Together is excited to announce a new series coinciding with the grand opening of Jae’s Gym. As part of our mission to educate the community on how to take control of their health, Families Together Resistance Trainer, Chris Henderson, will be putting together workout routines every month free of charge for the community. Each month, we will post a video of the exercise routines along with instructions on how to do each exercise on our website.

Sitting within FTOC’s dedicated Wellness Center in Tustin, the fitness program and Jae’s Gym will play a crucial role in our goal of teaching patients how to take control of their health. Along with nutrition and cooking classes, the weight resistance training program is an important component in the preventative care and education of FTOC’s patients. 

Watch the step-by-step video for November’s workout and read through specific instructions for how to do each exercise below the video.

Exercise #1 Squat Progression:

1. Sitting Squat – Set up a solid surface that is near knee-height (bench, chair, couch, etc.) behind you. Set the feet up slightly wider than shoulder width and have them slightly angled out. Squat down to make contact with the surface, keeping the weight primarily on the posterior ¾ of the foot (Heel to Balls of feet) and return to the starting position. 
2. Air squat (Body Weight Squat) – Set up with both feet slightly wider than shoulder width and slightly angled out. Squat down to whatever depth is challenging, but repeatable (no pain or discomfort), while maintaining the weight on the posterior ¾ of the foot. Then return to starting position. 
3. Jump Squat – Set up with both feet slightly wider than shoulder width and slightly angled out. Squat down to whatever depth is challenging, but repeatable (no pain or discomfort), while maintaining the weight on the posterior ¾ of the foot. When you reach the bottom of the squat, jump vertically from that position and reset for the next repetition. 

Exercise #2 Lunge Progression:

1. Standard Lunge – Start with both legs shoulder-width apart. Step forward with one foot and keep it flat to the ground (Most weight on the posterior ¾). The back heel will now be lifted slightly. Descend this rear knee to a few inches above the ground (Go to a depth that is comfortable and repeatable with no pain). Then return to the starting position. 
2. Bulgarian Split Squat – Start in a lunge position with the rear leg elevated. Descend the rear knee to a few inches above the ground, return to starting lunge position and repeat.
3. Jump Lunge – Start in a rested lunge position. Descend the rear knee to a few inches above the ground. After reaching your optimal depth point of the lunge, jump in the air and land in the rested lunge position. For an added challenge, switch the legs mid-air before landing. 

Exercise #3 – Burpee Progression

1. Walk out squat thrust – Start from a standing position, squat down and place the hands on the floor as if you were doing a push up. Walk both legs out behind you until you’re in a push-up-plank position. Walk the legs back in to under the hips and return to a standing position. 
2. Squat Thrust – Start in a Squatted position with your hands on the floor. Thrust the feet back to a pushup position then return them to the original squat. Repeat. 
3. Burpee – Start in a standing position. Squat down to the floor. Place your hands on the floor. Thrust your feet back to a pushup position. Push up once. Return the feet to under the hips in a squat. Return to Starting position. 

Exercise #4 – Dip Progression

1. Floor Dip – With hands feet and glutes on the floor. Hands and feet will be facing the same direction. Elbows should be directly over the wrists and hands should be a few inches behind the back but only slightly outside of the hip width. Press the hands into the ground to raise the torso into the air and slowly lower back to the starting position. Repeat. 
2. Bench Dip – Place hands on higher surface (Bench, couch, Etc.) facing forward, towards the feet. Feet will be positioned with heels on the ground and legs extended (The further out the legs, the more challenging the exercise). Start with the body dipped down close to the floor with arms bent at elbow. Press the hands into the surface pushing the torso upwards and extending the arms until they are almost completely straight. After this extension, bring the body back down to the starting position. Repeat. 
3. Bench Dip with Deficit – Start in beginning bench dip position with hands and heels on top of elevated surfaces. Hands facing towards the feet, slightly behind the back and outside of hip width. Elbows starting bent and right above the wrists. Body should start dipped below the depth of the elevated feet. Press hands into their elevated surface until arms are nearly fully extended. Return the body to the starting position and repeat. 

Exercise #5 – Side Plank Progression

1. Side Plank – Lay on your side on the floor with your elbow placed on the ground. Keep feet side by side and on top of each other. Raise your hips in the air until they are completely straight. Hold this position for 10-45 seconds then lower the hips to rest. Repeat on both sides.
2. Side Plank Raise – Get into the Side plank position with elbow on the ground, hips raised and straight and feet stacked. Slowly drop the hips to the ground and bring them back up to the starting position. Repeat. 
3. Side Plank Reach Through – Get into the Side plank position with elbow on the ground, hips raised and straight and feet stacked. Raise the non-planked arm straight into the air as the starting point. Then curl the arm down and under the body and reach as far behind yourself as you can (While maintaining control). After the reach, return the arm to the upright reaching position. Repeat. 

Chris offers group weight resistance training for teens and adults as well as one-on-one sessions all made free for FTOC patients. To book a weight resistance training session with Chris, please call 714-665-9890.