Task Category: Competency

Set Up

Lie prone (face down) on mat. Place forearms on mat, elbows under shoulders. Place legs together with toes on floor.

Execution

Raise body upward by straightening body in straight line. Hold position, making sure bum is not higher than shoulders, not allowing midsection to sag or drop. Aim to hold for 30-60 seconds.

Starting Position

Starting on all fours (hands and knees on an exercise mat) positioning your knees underneath your hips and your hands directly underneath your shoulders with fingers pointing forward.

Engage your core and abdominal muscles and focus on keeping a neutral spine throughout, avoiding any excessive sagging or arching.

Movement

The goal of this movement is to move the opposite arm and leg simultaneously. Begin by slowly extending the left leg until it is full extended (near parallel to the floor), ensuring you do not rotate at the hip.

Simultaenously, the right arm should raise and straighten until it is near parallel to the floor. Once again, try to avoid allowing the shoulder or torso to rotate. The head should remain in line with the spine throughout the movement (only raise the arm and leg to a height that allow you to maintain the shoulders and pelvis in parallel to one another, the core engaged and the spine in neutral position).

Slowly lower arm and leg back to starting kneeling position, then repeat on other side of the body.

Set-up

Have client lie on their back on the floor with one leg extended straight and flat on the floor. The knee of the opposite leg should be bent and the foot flat. Have client place their hands hands palms down on the floor underneath the natural arch in their lower back. (Make sure client does not flatten their backs.)

Execution

Have client slowly raise their head and shoulders off the floor without bending the lower back or spine, and hold this position for 7 to 10 seconds, breathing deeply the entire time. That’s one repetition.

Do all repetitions. In subsequent sets, switch legs that are extended.

Starting Position: Lie prone (on your stomach) with your hands positioned directly under your shoulders.

Movement Phase: Push your torso upwards, pressing your hips into the mat while gently exhaling. Keep the shoulders from rolling forward by actively retracting the scapula (pulled back). Hold this position for 15 – 30 seconds. Then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.

1. Hang from a chin-up bar with both arms extended at arms length in top of you using either a wide grip or a medium grip. The legs should be straight down with the pelvis rolled slightly backwards.
2. Raise your legs until the torso makes a 90-degree angle with the legs.
   • Bending knees = easier
   • Straight legs = harder
3. Exhale as you perform this movement and hold the contraction for a second or so.
4. Go back slowly to the starting position as you breathe in.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Regression (Knee/Hip Raise on Parallel Bars)

1. Position your body on the vertical leg raise bench so that your forearms are resting on the pads next to the torso and holding on to the handles. Your arms will be bent at a 90 degree angle.
2. The torso should be straight with the lower back pressed against the pad of the machine and the legs extended pointing towards the floor. This will be your starting position.
3. Now as you breathe out, lift your legs up as you keep them extended. Continue this movement until your legs are roughly parallel to the floor and then hold the contraction for a second. Tip: Do not use any momentum or swinging as you perform this exercise.
4. Slowly go back to the starting position as you breathe in.

1. Start seated with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding one plate with both hands in front of the chest.
2. Keeping the spine long and the abdominals tight, lean back slightly and lift the feet a few inches off the floor. (To modify, keep the feet on the floor.)
3. Slowly twist the torso to the left and bring the plate beside the left hip. Return to center, and then slowly twist to the right and bring the weight beside the right hip to complete one rotation.

1. Position thighs prone on large pad and lower legs under padded brace
   • Optional: hold weight to chest.
2. Lower body by bending waist until fully flexed.
3. Slowly raise torso until it is parallel to legs.
4. Repeat.

Lie flat on your back, with both knees slightly bent. Taking your right leg, pull your leg up to you chest. Wrap your arms around your knee/shin and gently pull the knee towards your chest. Hold for 10-20 seconds and slowly extend the leg to starting position.

Repeat with other leg.

While seated on stability ball, carefully roll forward so that the stability ball sits at about the lumbar region of your back.  Place your hands behind your head and relax your head.  Do not initiate movement via the chin/head first, but rather keep spinal in neutral posture and initiate a controlled movement by engaging the abdomen as you sit upwards.  Do not over curl your thoracic spine, rather imagine your chest rising towards the ceiling as you crunch up with abdominal engagement.

1. Kneel in front of a stability ball with your knees hip-width apart.
2. Place your forearms on the ball, hands in loose fists.
3. Keeping your back flat, brace your core and slowly roll the ball away from you by straightening your arms
4. Extend as far as you can without allowing your hips to drop
5. Pause, then bend your elbows to roll the ball back to start.
6. Repeat.

Variation

To make this exercise more challenging, perform from a full plank position.

1. Position your feet on the top of the stability ball, shins also touching it.
2. Keeping neutral spine, place your hands on the floor (as if setting up to complete a push-up).
3. Roll the ball towards your hands, making sure to keep your spine in a neutral position.
4. Hold for one second and return to start position.

Instructions

1. Advise the client to perform as many consecutive push-ups as they can (no time limit).
2. Ask the client to lie facedown on the mat with legs together, hands pointing forward and positioned under the shoulders. Push-up by fully extending the arms. Men use their toes as the pivot point. Women use their knees as the pivot point, keeping their lower legs, ankles and feet (plantar flexed) in contact with the mat.
3. For both men and women, the upper body must be kept in a straight line, returning to the starting position with chin to the mat. Stomach and thighs do not touch the mat. Advise the client that incorrect repetitions do not count.
4. Instruct the client to direct their concentration towards the floor as they complete each push-up.
5. Proper technique is essential! Have clients practice 1-2 repetitions to check for proper technique before beginning.

Stop the test if a client feels any pain or discomfort, appears to strain forcibly or is unable to maintain the proper push-up technique over two consecutive repetitions. Do not count repetitions with improper technique.

Advise the client to exhale during upward phase of the push-up and to avoid holding his/her breath.

Scoring and Recording

Record the client’s total number of push-ups and associated Health Benefit Rating in the Client Information Sheet.