Inversions – At home workout! | JOANNE LYNN GALLIGAN

Still struggling with inversions? No problem!

There’s a lot going on during an inversion, and sometimes its hard to figure out the missing pieces. Here is an at home workout you can do to help strengthen ALL the muscle groups that work together to get you upside down.

WORKOUT // 2 rounds of:
• Plank front leans x 10
• Pushups from knees x 5
• Ball invert, Ball out x 5
• Ball invert, Straddle out x 5
• Leg Lifts over yoga block x 10 of each (single leg, straddles and pike lifts)

WEEK ONE: Try to complete the routine 2x this week.

Videos of all the exercises are below.

Strengthen your core AND your lats at the same time! Starting in a plank from hands, tuck the tailbone under (tail between your legs) and press the ribs down (hollow body). Press the ground away, pulling the shoulder blades apart (protraction) while pulling them down your back (depression). Rolling onto the toes, lean the shoulders forward of your wrists without bending at the elbows or collapsing the shoulder blades together.

Yes, pushups will help you get upside down! In a plank from your knees, tuck your tailbone under and tighten your core. Press the ground away, allowing your shoulder blades to come apart (protract) while still pulling them down your back. Begin to pull your shoulder blades back and together to descend to the bottom of the pushup, keeping your elbows close to your sides, and then press back up. Elbows should never point out to the sides, always back towards your feet.

Strong abdominals are key to get inverted, and this exercise targets them big time! Begin lying flat on the floor, with your arms at your sides and head resting on the ground. Bend your knees and use your lower abs to pull your legs into your chest, and lift your pelvis off the floor. Straighten the legs to touch your toes to the ground over your head – this requires hamstring mobility, so if the feet do not touch, don’t force it by rolling onto the neck! Return to a ball, and roll out slowly keeping your legs as close to your chest as possible, and abdominals tight.

Anyone struggling with crossback straddle on silks, this exercise is the one to focus on! Begin lying flat on the floor, with your arms at your sides and head resting on the ground. Bend your knees and use your lower abs to pull your legs into your chest, and lift your pelvis off the floor. Straighten the legs to touch your toes to the ground over your head – this requires hamstring mobility, so if the feet do not touch, don’t force it! From the plow pose (feet over head) straddle your legs, keeping them as close to your chest as possible and abdominals tight, and lower out as slowly as possible.

Start seated in a pike position with one yoga block on either side of your feet.

Single leg lifts: Lift one leg at a time up and over to the outside of the yoga block and back to pike. Repeat on each leg.

Pike to Straddle lifts: Move both legs at the same time over the yoga blocks from pike to straddle and back.

Pike side to side lifts: Stacking the blocks, keep the legs piked together and move them back and forth over the yoga block. Challenge yourself to not use your hands – this means your core has to twist to counter the movement, and makes it more challenging!

For an added challenge turn the yoga blocks on either of their sides to increase the height you need to lift your legs. Do not let your legs bend at the knees, keep them tight and straight with toes pointed.