Week three of my 10-minute workout builds on the basics

Barry Murphy explains: “It’s easy to get ahead of yourself and forget all the tips you’ve learned. To prevent this, we try to keep the movements relatively simple, allowing you to remember the basics while also introducing new moves.”

Pacing is essential to prevent injury or muscle strain, and Barry Murphy recommends not rushing too much and following the “natural progression” of an exercise – going from zero to 100 in one go is not sustainable.

“In weeks one and two you learned the basics, so continue to remember those tips and tricks. Add in some new moves but don’t make them too difficult,” she says.

As always, consistency is key.

For this week’s routine, you’ll need a mat or soft surface under your knees, and for the optional bonus exercise, you’ll need 2 cans of tomatoes (or light weights).

Week 3

Part 1: Warm Up

Cat Pose/Cow Pose: Start on all fours on the floor with your knees lower than your hips. Place your hands on the floor in front of you, shoulder-width apart. Inhale deeply, lift your chest, tailbone and gaze, then drop your belly and relax your abdominal muscles (cow pose). Exhale, round your lower back and chin to your chest. Draw your belly button in toward your spine and tilt your pelvis up (cat pose). Repeat 3 times.

Perform low runner’s lunges with side-to-side rotations: Come onto all fours again and step your left foot outboard into a low lunge. Keep your left foot at a 90-degree angle, with your knee over your ankle. Your back knee can be on or off the mat, but make sure you feel a stretch in your hip joint. Rotate your torso 180 degrees, then turn around and repeat with your right foot forward.

Part 2: Abs

Before you begin, it’s important that your spine is in a neutral position on the mat – no part of your spine should be lifting off the mat.

Start by standing on your mat with your feet hip-width apart and your feet flat on the floor. From there, lower your rib cage and lift your hip bones slightly toward the ceiling. If your hips aren’t already on the floor, tilt them slightly toward your rib cage (but don’t tuck them in). Draw your belly button down into the mat and try to breathe while maintaining this pelvic position.

Without changing the position of your pelvis or spine on the mat, begin to raise one leg into the air at a 90-degree angle. Exhale as you lift, and inhale as you lower the foot back down to the floor.

Once this feels comfortable, lift both your feet into a tabletop position, tapping each foot lightly onto the floor. Breathe in as you lower your feet and exhale as you lift them. Only lower your feet to the mat if your position on the mat remains the same, to prevent your hips from rocking forward and lifting up.

Add an abdominal workout to your march. As you lift your legs, curl your torso off the mat. Clasp your hands behind your head, making sure your head is pressed against your hands, not lifting it. Engage your abdominal muscles. Exhale as you curl up and inhale as you lower.

Lift one leg and move your upper body up and down to add a challenge to your upper body. Breathe out as you move your upper body up and down, and breathe in as you move your lower body up and down. Pause at the end. Don’t hold your breath.

Do eight repetitions of each, moving slowly.

(Note: Do not sleep on your back if you are in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.)

Part 3: Side-lying glute exercises

Lie on your side, supporting yourself on your elbows or with your head in your hands.

Your legs should be at a 45-degree angle, and your hips and shoulders should be stacked. Avoid rocking back.

Extend your top leg out to the edge of your mat, in line with your hips. From here, tap the leg up (remember to keep it long and compact). Exhale as you lift, inhale as you tap. The rest of your body should remain still, keeping your core engaged.

Add some pulses, kneeples and clams.

To start, do eight repetitions of each. As you get more comfortable, you can increase the number or repeat the sequence twice.

Repeat on each side.

Part 4: Lunges

Stand at an angle to the chair and step back with your left foot, landing with your foot bent at a 90-degree angle. Make sure your feet are hip-width apart. Stack your shoulders over your hips and keep your core strong.

Exhale as you step back down into the chair, pressing your right heel into the mat and squeezing your right glute. Inhale as you step back into a lunge, making sure to step back the same distance each time.

From here, add pulses and forward heel lifts if comfortable.

Maintaining good form, try to complete each movement eight times to start with.

Bonus Round:

If you have time, add a combination move that incorporates the two sequences simultaneously. The arm movements can be done in zero gravity or with something like two tomato cans.

Week 2 will see you begin working on your second position plan.

Also add arm presses during the plié movement, overhead presses as you raise your heels, and circular arm movements during the pulse movement.

Aim for eight repetitions, then repeat if you want to burn more.