Disclaimer: This routine is very gentle by design. Stop any movement that causes discomfort and consult a medical professional before starting. Progress slowly — consistency is better than intensity.
| Day | Theme | Est. Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Easy Back & Core Strength | 35 min |
| Wednesday | Glute Activation & Core Stability | 30 min |
| Friday | Mobility + Light Total-Body Strength | 30 min |
| All Other Days | Optional 10-min Incline Walk + Stretch | 10 min |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Supported Seated Row (machine) | 2 × 12 | Light weight, slow squeeze |
| Cable Face Pull | 2 × 15 | Rope at eye level, thumbs back |
| Bird-Dog | 2 × 8/side | Slow 4-sec holds |
| Dead-Bug | 2 × 8 | Control, low back flat |
| Treadmill Cool-Down (flat) | 5 min | Easy pace |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glute Bridge | 3 × 12 | Body-weight, pause 2 s top |
| Side-Lying Clam (band) | 2 × 12/side | Light band |
| Standing Hip-Abduction (cable) | 2 × 12/side | Low attachment |
| Pallof Press (cable) | 2 × 10/side | Anti-rotation |
| Incline Walk Cool-Down | 5 min | 3 mph, 3 % incline |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse Lunge → Knee-Drive (body-weight) | 2 × 6/side | Hold rail if needed |
| Hip CARs | 1 × 5/side | Slow controlled circles |
| Adductor Rock-Backs + 90-90 Flow | 2 rounds | 3 rocks + 4 hip flips |
| Hollow-Body Leg Drop | 2 × 6 | Stop before back arches |
| Figure-4 & Lumbar Twist Stretch | 1 min/side | Gentle breathing |
A joint-friendly cardio primer performed at a gentle speed (≈ 3 mph) with the belt raised 3–6 %. The uphill grade elevates heart-rate, activates glutes/hamstrings, and prepares the body for loaded work without impact. Keep posture tall, avoid gripping the rails, and focus on rhythmic breathing. Runner's World tutorial • Video demo
A classic yoga-inspired mobility drill that alternates global spinal flexion (cat) with extension (camel). Move slowly through the range, segmenting the spine one vertebra at a time to lubricate facet joints and reset posture. Perfect as a low-load warm-up for the back. Spine-Health guide • Physio demo
Gentle cervical mobility: say "YES" (flex/extend), "NO" (rotate), and "MAYBE" (side-bend). Each pattern lubricates neck joints, offsets desk posture, and primes upper-spine proprioception. Keep movements slow and within pain-free range. Yoga Journal tips • Exercise video
Chest-supported cable or plate-stack machine row that minimizes lower-back involvement. Focus on retracting shoulder blades and squeezing mid-back muscles. Maintain neutral spine and avoid shrugging. EXRX tutorial • Video
Rope attachment at eye-level; pull toward forehead while externally rotating shoulders. Strengthens rear delts and rotator cuff, counteracting rounded-shoulder posture. T-Nation article • Visual guide
Quadruped core stability drill: extend opposite arm and leg, pause 2–3 s, keeping hips square and spine neutral. Enhances posterior-chain endurance & proprioception. Men's Health overview • Demo
Supine anti-extension core drill: press low-back into floor, lower opposite limbs slowly, exhaling on descent. Great for learning diaphragmatic bracing. Detailed guide • Physio demo
A 5-minute gentle walk at 0 % incline that facilitates blood-flow, gradually lowers heart-rate, and aids recovery. Use this time to focus on deep nasal breathing and posture reset. ACE article
Hip-extension exercise focusing on glute maximus. Drive through heels, squeeze at the top, and keep rib-cage down to avoid lumbar compensation. Healthline guide • Video
Mini-band just above knees; lying on side with hips flexed 30 °, open top knee while keeping feet together. Targets glute med/min for hip stability. Demo • PhysioPedia write-up
Attach ankle cuff to low pulley; stand tall and sweep leg laterally without leaning. Strengthens abductors, improving knee-valgus control. EXRX reference • Video
Anti-rotation core move: hold cable/band at sternum, press straight out, resisting torso twist. Activates transverse & oblique systems. Stack article • Demo
Similar to the flat cool-down but with a mild 3 % grade to gently recruit posterior-chain while reducing impact. Maintain conversational breathing to kick-start recovery. MyFitnessPal blog
Step back into a reverse lunge then explosively drive rear knee up toward chest. Improves single-leg strength, balance, and hip-flexor power. Coach Mag tutorial • Video
Slow, 360° active rotations of the femur within the socket. Enhances capsular health, neural mapping, and usable mobility. Perform without compensatory pelvic tilt. FRC methodology • Demo
Start on all-fours with one leg extended sideways (rock-back) to mobilise inner-thigh & groin, then transition into 90-90 hip switches for combined internal/external rotation practice. Excellent for hip health and low-back relief. Half-Frog variation • Flow video
Begin in hollow-body hold (shoulder-blades off floor, low-back flat). Lower straight legs toward the ground under control, then raise without losing core tension. Builds anterior-core endurance against lumbar extension. GymnasticBodies article • Video
Cross ankle over opposite knee (figure-4) then gently guide legs across body for combined glute piriformis release and lumbar rotation stretch. Breathe deeply to relax tissues. Verywell Fit guide • Video
Last updated: June 24, 2025