Exercises You Can Do at Home

Exercises You Can Do at Home

We recommend discussing these exercises with your doctor before you try them. If you feel pain when doing the exercises, stop and talk to your doctor.

Some of these exercises may be challenging when you first start to do them. But, the more you do them, the stronger you will get! This will help you be healthy and feel better.

JUMPING JACKS

• Stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides (make an "I" with your body). 

• Jump out while raising your arms up (make an "X" with your body). 

• Then jump your feet together while lowering your arms (make an "I" with your body again). 

• For a modified version, step one foot out while raising your arms. Bring your foot in while lowering your arms. Repeat with the other leg.

WALK/RUN IN PLACE

• Stand in one spot and pick your feet up and down like you do when you are walking.

• To make it more challenging, move your feet faster or lift your knees higher. It is even harder if you run in place!

SQUATS

• Have your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Bend your knees or pretend you are sitting down in a chair. 

• Keep your back flat.

• Stand back up.

WALL SITS

• Put your back against the wall. 

• Pretend like you are sitting in a chair. The goal is to sit low enough so you could hold a book on your lap without it falling off.

• Hold that position until you need to take a break.

ARM CIRCLES

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Put your arms out to your sides.

• Move your arms forward, up, backward, and down so that you make a circle. Repeat. 

• Then move your arms backward, up, forward, and down. Repeat.

• Keep your arms straight but relaxed.

PLANK HOLDS

• Put your hands or forearms on the ground so that they are below your shoulders.

• Point your toes toward the ground and lift yourself up. Use your belly muscles to hold yourself up.

• Keep your neck relaxed and your back flat.

• Hold this position until you need to take a break. 

PUSH-UPS

• There are many ways you can do a push-up - knee push-up, full push-up, wall push-up. No matter what push-up you do, your arms always do the same thing.

• Bend your arms to lower yourself towards the ground or wall. 

• Then straighten your arms to lift yourself up or back. 

• Remember to keep your neck relaxed and your back flat.

DANCE

• This one needs no explanation! Turn on the music, show off your favorite dance moves, and get your body moving!