IT’S FIFA WORLD CUP 2018….

Hi there! Have you been watching the FIFA World Cup? Do you have people at home/ work who are following it- with accompanying yelling, cheering and groaning?!!! We have been enjoying some of the matches. And now here we are at the finals…

We had a busy soccer season with both boys playing on travel teams. We got to see towns we hadn’t even known existed!!

While soccer isn’t necessarily “my thing” it is pretty exciting watching the games and it definitely takes a lot of stamina running up and down the field.

Now you may not have the skills or stamina of a soccer player, but I thought it would be fun to get in on some of the soccer action and do a workout with a soccer ball. We can really get a good workout with just a small space and a soccer ball (or any comparable size ball you have lying around your house).

As usual we are doing alternating intervals of activity and recovery.

20 seconds activity and 10 seconds recovery (

and setting up for the next move)

As always, please be sure you are medically cleared to participate in this kind of activity.

So here you go….

TOE TAPS:

Place the ball on the ground and tap the ball with alternate feet.

LUNGEWITH TWIST HOLDING THE BALL:

Go into a lunge as deep as is comfortable- taking care to keep the front knee in line with ankle. Holding the ball straight out in front of you twist your upper body and face one side. (if your right leg is in front, twist to the left side etc..) Twist back to your original direction and get back up again. Repeat on the other side.

SIDE TO SIDE JUMPS OVER THE BALL:

Be careful as you do this!! Place the ball on the ground and jump over it with both feet. Then jump back again over the ball. Take care not to trip over the ball! You could also jump over an imaginary ball if that feels a little safer.

OVERHEAD ARM CIRCLES:

Hold the ball straight up over your head and make a circle with the ball in the air. Switch direction after 10 seconds.

SIDE TO SIDE SHUFFLES:

Holding the ball in front of you, with arms bent, bend your knees a little in a partial squat and shuffle across to one side and then shuffle back to the other side.

OVERHEAD SQUATS:

Holding the ball straight up above your head, lower your hips back and down into a squat and then push through your heals back up again. Make sure your knees don’t go in front of your toes when squatting.

If it is too challenging to hold the ball over your head, hold it straight in front of you.

HAND TO FEET BALL PASS:

Lie on a mat/towel/rug on your back with your arms straight up behind you and legs straight on the ground.  Hold the ball in your hands. Bring your hands and legs up and place the ball between your legs just below the knee. Holding the ball tight, lower your legs and your arms. Then bring them back up again and take the ball in your hands. Lower your arms and legs again and then bring them both up, putting the ball back between your legs.

UNSTABLE PLANK:

Place the ball at the foot of the mat and get into a plank position with your ankles/ feet resting on the ball. If you are not confident/ comfortable on the ball, just do a regular plank.

Let me know if you do it!

If you would like a video of this workout, contact me and I will send it to you.