- Is it getting tougher to put on your socks and shoes, especially while standing?

Aside from balance, perhaps your hip flexors are weak.

Hello, I'm Cassy, and in today's Quick Fit class, we'll be loosening and strengthening these muscles right here on the front of your hips.

So grab your mat and a chair, and we'll get right to work.

[gentle music] As we go through today's moves, you'll have the opportunity to challenge your balance reflexes by trying not to hold onto the chair for every move.

That will benefit the feet as well.

Let's begin by stabilizing yourself on your left leg.

Just mirror me and do some simple leg swings.

For these, I'd like you to try to let momentum carry the leg forward and back.

Remember to stand nice and tall.

Be aware of your posture.

And pull in your abdominals.

And of course, don't forget your breathing, okay?

Nice, slow inhales.

And extra long exhales.

Now let's bend that knee.

Bring it across.

Out.

Straighten it behind you, but cross behind you.

Swing it around.

Okay, knee up.

Out, extend it.

Swing it around.

Up, out.

[inhales] Good job.

Now let's extend this leg straight behind you.

Find your toes and then press that heel down.

And make sure your back knee is straight.

Now I'd like you to squeeze your glute, same-side glute.

Good, so straight knee.

Heel is down.

Squeeze your glute, which works to stretch this hip flexor.

[inhales] All right, let's get that same-side arm.

So if you're mirroring me, it's your right arm, and your right leg is back.

Breathe it in.

Squeeze your glute.

[exhales] How about do a little tip over?

That feels terrific.

And twist towards the left.

Ah, your right.

All right, and let's come out of that, and we'll do the same thing on the other side.

Good, start with those simple leg swings, forward and back.

And try not to bend the knee, all right?

That's not really going to stretch your hip flexor.

So to the back.

To the back.

And what I like about letting momentum carry your leg is it will stretch the front without you really having to work at it or cringe.

Let's bend.

And you're also more relaxed, so that helps your muscles to lengthen.

Now extend this leg behind you.

Swing it around.

Knee up.

Open.

Stretch it behind, and around.

Try to do that nice and smooth.

Cleaning out that hip joint.

Good, and extend the leg behind you.

Press the heel down.

So if you're mirroring me, this would be your left leg.

Make sure that heel is down.

The knee is straight.

And squeeze the same-side glute.

Breathe it in.

[inhales] Exhale.

[exhales] Squeeze the glute.

Press the heel down.

Extend the arm.

[inhales and exhales] And you can tip over the ear.

Making sure you're checking your form.

The heel is down.

Your glute is squeezed tight.

And twist.

All right, fabulous.

All right, use the chair.

We'll stand up and use the chair for this next move.

So stand right up next to the chair.

And I'd like you to bring this knee right over the top.

Keep your foot up off of the seat and do a few lifts.

You can try to do this without hanging on.

Stand up nice and tall.

Stomach's in.

And now extend the leg in front of the seat and lift.

Check your posture.

[inhales and exhales] A few more.

We're working this quad and strengthening these hip flexors.

And now, over top of the chair.

This is gonna be hard, but you can try it.

Lift.

At least squeeze those muscles.

Even if the leg doesn't come up very high, you're at least starting to wake them up.

Lift and lift.

All right, we'll do that all again.

Shake it off a moment.

Bring that leg up.

And five, four, three, two, one.

In front of the chair.

Five, four, three, two, one, extend.

I know your legs are burning.

Five, four, three, two, last one.

All right.

[exhales] Stretch that quadricep.

All right, switch sides.

All right, stand close to the chair.

And we'll bring that knee up over top.

Check your posture.

Once again, holding that foot off the seat.

Lift it a little higher.

Higher.

[inhales and exhales] Make sure your head and neck is up over your shoulders.

Shoulders are pulled back.

And extend that leg in front of the chair.

Lift, lift, lift.

Stomach's in to help these muscles.

And let's get that leg over top of the seat.

The hard one.

[exhales] Lift, lift.

You can do it.

Give it a try, even if it's just a few.

That counts, it's a beginning.

And shake it off and we'll do it again.

Lift the leg up over the top for five, four, three, two, one, extend.

Five, four, three.

Your standing leg's even getting a workout.

Mine's feeling, it's starting to burn a little bit, but that's not a bad pain.

That just means you're challenging weak muscles.

And shake it off.

Stretch the quadricep.

All right, that's it for those.

Okay, let's do some drawing with our toes.

So stabilize yourself and stand on your left foot.

And lift the other leg out in front.

Low lifts.

Three, four, five.

And now cross the body.

Maybe you wanna try to not hang onto the chair and just focus on the floor.

Lift.

And cross again.

Circle.

Two, three, four, and five, okay.

We worked both the legs there at the same time.

I'm sure both your legs were burning.

All right, let's do that again with the other leg.

So stabilize on your right leg.

Extend the left out in front.

They don't have to be high lifts.

Two, three, four, five, now cross.

And lift again.

[inhales] Three, four, five, and another cross.

Two, three, four, five, and a circle.

All right, last one, very good.

All right.

Next, we'll do a few hydrants.

Just, so stand a little bit away from your chair.

So as you lift your knee out to the side, you can tip your torso over.

All right, so a little bit of core work, inner thigh stretch, and outer hip strengthening.

[inhales and exhales] Don't forget to breathe.

Nice, long inhales for like four repetitions.

And extra long exhales, maybe for eight repetitions.

Okay.

Now extend, bend, stand up, press.

Okay, do that again.

Extend.

Press it down, extend.

Extend.

[exhales] Good, and now we'll lift a straight leg, trying to lead with the ankle, not the toes, okay?

Lead with the ankle, work these side hip muscles.

For five, four, three, two.

And we'll switch sides.

Make it all even.

All right, give yourself a little space, so you can lean over as you lift that leg.

Lift, and you know, you can do exercise in both directions, so you're lifting and then you can squeeze your knees together as if there's a balloon.

So you'll work more muscles that way.

We're not letting gravity just drop the leg, okay?

Lift.

Stomach's in.

[exhales] [inhales] Good.

Now up, kick, bring it in, and down.

Over, kick.

Kick.

Five, four, three, two.

And now we'll lift a straight leg.

Leading with the ankle.

Toes are forward.

Over.

[inhales] Let's do about eight.

Seven, six.

Just five more and we'll be finished.

Hang in there.

I think that's, I think that's the last one.

Let's do another one.

All right, that's it.

Catch your breath.

[inhales and exhales] You guys made it through another class.

Caring for our bodies on the outside comes naturally.

We wash our faces, brush our hair and teeth, but just as importantly, we need to care for our insides, such as muscles, joints, and circulatory system.

With a little effort each day, what we do for the inside will be reflected on the outside, in our skin, our mood, and the way we move.

Schedule tomorrow's workout right now, and I'll be waiting at pbswisconsin.org/quickfit to keep you loose, strong, and doing all the things you love.

Until then, remember, keep on moving.

- Announcer: Funding for Quick Fit with Cassy is provided by Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programs and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.