Page Miller-Rhodes

Page Miller-Rhodes

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Lean with your hands flat on a stable surface; countertop, desk, table, or even the floor so you can control how much weight you put on your shoulders. Gently rock side to side, slowly shifting your upper body weight from palm to palm.

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Come on, baby. Just do the twist.

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This can be done standing up or laying down on your stomach. Bend your knee ninety degrees, using your hamstring muscles to lift your foot behind you. Repeat with the other leg.

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While standing with your feet together, imagine that you're using your left foot to draw a large numeral 4 on the ground. Stretch your leg behind you and touch the floor with a pointed toe. Next, with the same leg, extend it in front of you, again touching the floor with your toe. Lastly, "draw" a line with your toe outward until your leg is extended to your left side before returning your foot back to the center. Use the other leg to draw a mirror image.

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This is a relaxing exercise to loosen your joints, improve range of motion, and activate your pectoral muscles. Raise your arms in front of you then let them drop to your sides

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Start with your arms in front of you, elbows bent at ninety degrees. With your palms up, bring your hands outward, then return to the center. You can use something stretchy to add resistance. I made mine out of a bag of rubber bands.

The bodybuilder pictured has his shoulders way rotated, but I'm more interested in activation than exertion. You should stop as soon as you feel the limit of your range of movement, and never work into pain.

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You're Vincent Vega. You're at Jackrabbit Slim's with Mia Wallace, and she wants to dance. Make a V with those fingers and draw them mysteriously across your eyes, working your trapezius and your rhomboids.

Image posted by Comicvine editor in 2011, artist unknown.

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While seated, lift one foot, then the other off the ground as if marching in place. The farther you lean back, the more clearance you have for a higher lift, but it even works leaning forward. You can prop yourself up with your elbows on a desk or table and lifting your knees will still engage your lower abdominal muscles.

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Sit in a chair, then cross your legs. Then switch legs.

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Sit with the balls of your feet planted on the floor (and/or footstool). Lifting with your calf muscles, move your heels clockwise in a circle. Then move them in the opposite direction. Two marquees have been provided for each direction.

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This doesn't work your muscles as much as frees movement in your ACL joint. Stand up and brace yourself on any counter or support with your left hand, letting your right arm dangle loosely. If your arm is relaxed, rocking back and forth should cause it to swing in a circle. Swing your arm clockwise, then counterclockwise. Repeat with the other arm. Two marquees are provided for each arm, in each direction.

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Sit with your left hand on your waist, letting your right arm dangle. Bend sideways, lowering your right had towards the ground. You should just feel your left abdominal muscles activate to keep you from falling out of your seat. Use your lateral muscles to pull yourself back to sitting upright. Switch arms, repeat for the left side, and keep alternating.

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You can abduct your hips two ways. The first way is to stand up and lift your right leg out to the side, the alternate and lift your left leg. I can't be bothered with standing, so I go with option two. Sit on the edge of your seat with your feet planted hip width apart and spread your knees as far apart as they'll go before returning to starting position.

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Sit leaning forward at a forty-five degree angle with your back straight, hands held out in front of you. You can use soup cans or dumbells if you want but gravity provides enough resistance for me. Keeping your forearms perpendicular to your spine, draw your elbows back towards your ribcage like you're pulling an imaginary oar.

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Sit with your back straight at a forty-five degree angle with one elbow resting on your knee. Hold the other arm behind you, parallel to your spine. Optionally you can hold an object for weight like a dumbell or a can of soup, but gravity works for me. Bend your free elbow ninety degrees, then slowly straighten your arm using your tricep muscle. The bodybuilder pictured has got his arm extended way up behind him but I'm interested in activation, not exertion. You can make it as hard or as easy as you want. I've included two marquees for switching sides.

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Bodybuilders call this exercise a barbell roll. I call it a paper towel roll, because that's what I use, although I recently upgraded when I ran out of aluminum foil. Holding your wrapping paper roll, wood dowel, baseball bat or other cylindrical object firmly in both hands, alternate your grip while rolling it forward using your wrist extensors. This will cause your "barbell" to spin on its axis.

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This is the sequel to the Posture exercise, so your glutes can join your quads in screaming. It's fun, though. Click the link for the howcast instructional video. If you don't wish to click the link, stand with your feet planted under your hips, knees slightly bent. Lift your chest and tuck in your butt so your waistline is parallel to the floor. As your knees burn, straighten your right leg, keeping your feet planted. This will lift your right hip. Bend your knee, dropping your right hip, then straighten your left leg and alternate, shimmying your hips like Shakira.