Move Well on the GO with Tara Penawell

Can’t Make It to the Gym? No Stress!

We all have days that are so bonkers busy that making it to the gym just isn’t going to happen. Sometimes it be like that. Times like that, though, are when you probably need a workout the most. Elite Trainer Tara Penawell has created a dynamic strength and agility workout to help get your daily movement in! This 15-minute online routine (a teaser of her Move Well classes) can be done from the comfort of your own home. View the video below, and if you need more details about each exercise, scroll on!  

TARA’S MOVE WELL ON THE GO WORKOUT

Focus on strength and agility while engaging your mind in Tara’s quick set – no equipment needed! 

Dynamic Warm-Up

7 moves
Repeat each move for 30 seconds

1) Alternating Knee Hug:

Lift one knee and hug it into your chest. Repeat on the other side.

2) Alternating Quad Stretch with Calf Raise:

While standing (you can balance against the wall if needed), bend your knee back, grab your ankle, and press your heel towards your glutes. Raise your opposite arm above your head, and lift the heel of your standing leg so you’re up on your toes. Bring heel, arm, and leg down, and repeat on the opposite side.

3) Dynamic Runner’s Lunge:

Start in a high plank – hands against the floor and aligned under the shoulders, body parallel to the floor, stomach sucked in, back straight, and glutes down. Step your right foot towards your right hand, then lift that hand towards the sky, twisting your torso to face the right. Return hand to the ground, step leg back and repeat on the other side.

4) Lateral Step with Toe Touch:

Stand with feet together. Step your right foot out to the side and lower into a lunge, and touch the toe of your right foot. Push off the heel to return to standing, and repeat on the other side.

5) Runner Touches:

In a standing position, lift one leg and maintain your balance on the other. Keep your back straight as you bend at the hip to touch the toes of your standing foot. As you lean forward, the leg in the air will move back behind you so it is parallel to the floor. Do this move for 30 seconds on one leg, then repeat on the other.

6) Single-Leg Bridges:

Lay on your back, arms at your side, and legs bent. Lift one leg towards the ceiling as you press the heel of your other foot into the ground. Don’t let your back arch as you start to lift your pelvis up, and then lower towards the ground, keeping one leg in the air. Perform for 30 seconds, then switch legs.

7) Plank Saws:

Get into a plank on your elbows, and start to rock your plank forward and back. Use your feet to power this movement without moving your arms, and keep your body straight.

Strength Exercises

6 moves – repeat each move as many times as you can for 30 seconds
15 seconds recovery between moves
Repeat whole set 2 times

1) Push-up to T-rotation: 

Start at the top of a push-up position with hands against the floor, wrists aligned with the shoulders, back straight, and feet separated hip-width apart. Keep this alignment as you bend at the elbows to lower to the floor. As you push back up, rotate your torso into a side plank with your right arm reaching for the ceiling. Twist back to the top of the push-up. Repeat the push-up, and this time, when you come back up, twist to a side plank on the left.

2) 3 Way Lunge Matrix: forward, side, turn back:

You’ll perform front, side, and rotating lunges as part of the same exercise. Stand with your feet together. Step forward and lower your back knee until both legs are bent at a 90-degree angle. Push up through your front heel and back into a neutral standing position. Next, using the same leg step to the side in a lunge. Return to a neutral standing position. Finally rotate open, lunging to the back with the same leg. Repeat all three lunges on the opposite leg.

3) Plank to Frogger:

Get in a plank position on your elbows – elbows bent so your forearms are on the ground to support your weight. Maintain straight body alignment as you lift up into a high plank position on your hands, and jump your feet forward to land on either side of your hands. Lift your hands off the floor and balance in a low squat for a second. Return hands to the floor and jump/step your feet back into a high plank. Lower down onto your elbows into the starting position, and then repeat.

4) Fast Air Squats:

Stand with feet hip-width distance apart. Lower into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back and down toward the floor. Keep your chest up and your gaze forward as you straighten back up into standing. Repeat – try to do as many squats as you can in the time allotted. (When you do this round again on the next set, try to meet or exceed the number of squats you did!)

5) Russian Twist:

Here is another move that should be performed quickly. Sit down on the ground with your legs bent to 90 degrees. Lean back and pick your feet off the ground, with your core engaged. Bend your arms at a 90-degree angle and twist your torso from side to side. Keep a tight angle of rotation, only twisting from shoulder to shoulder. Get in as many twists as you can.  Modify: If lifting your feet hurts your back, keep your feet down.

6) Dead Bug with Push Against Knee:

Lay on your back with your legs bent in a tabletop position (at a 90-degree angle). Keep your pelvis slightly posteriorly rotated by pressing your low back into the floor and don’t let your pelvis move much as you perform this exercise. Lift and press your right hand into your right knee, while extending your leg arm and leg out away from you (arm out above your head, and straightening your left leg). Switch by bringing the left leg back into a tabletop position and bringing left hand back to press into your leg. Extend the right leg and arm as you do this. Continue to repeat, alternating sides. 

Agility Exercises

Dot Drill Exercises
4 moves
Repeat 3 times each – as quick as you can

The drill will follow the following pattern: 

Image from TheGlowingEdge.com

Note: Mark out the agility dot pattern to act as a visual guide for where to land your feet to make this drill easier. You can use masking tape, chalk on the floor, or special agility dot mats. You’re going to be jumping around for this exercise, so make sure not to use anything slippery!    

1. Out-In, Forward and Backward: Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hop forward and bring your feet back together as you land. Hop forward once again and land with your feet shoulder-width apart again. Now hop backward with the same sequence – hop, feet together, hop, feet apart.
2. Out-In, and with a Turn Around: Repeat the same hop sequence as in the previous exercise, but this time, instead of going backward, you will turn around and repeat the sequence in the other direction, turning around once again at the end.
3. Double Leg Hop: Starting at the lower right corner, jump to center with both feet, and then out to the upper right corner. Working in a counter-clockwise fashion and hit the center every time you move to a new dot.
4. Single-Leg Hop: Start at the lower right corner. Hop to the center on one leg, and then out to the upper right corner. Work in a counter-clockwise fashion, hitting the center every time you jump to a new dot. Repeat drill on your other leg. 

Want More?

Experience Tara’s Move Well class in FULL on our Downtown schedule – and it’s a part of our discounted Community Class program! You can expect a challenging workout focuses on strength, speed, agility, functional movement patterns, and play, and will develop a deeper mind/body connection that’ll translate to your everyday life. Tara teaches Move Well twice a week, on Mondays at 9am and Wednesdays at 5:45pm, in addition to her two drop-in small group training classes.

TAKE CLASS WITH TARA

Tara has an extensive background in the health and fitness industry, with over sixteen years working as a personal trainer. Due to her education, experience, and dedication to acquiring new skills, she is qualified to serve a wide range of clients and enjoys the diversity of working with people with different goals and backgrounds. Her personal pursuits are as varied as the clients she works with, including spring distance triathlons, Tae-kwon-do (she’s a red belt), running half marathons, and mastering Indian clubs. 

Tara believes in a habit-based, holistic approach to health and wellness. She has successfully helped many clients meet their goals to lose weight, improve their health, look great in their clothes, and age gracefully. Above all, she is passionate about helping her clients meet their goals and find the joy and satisfaction that comes along with their success.