Introduction
It is recommended that you check with your doctor before beginning this, or any workout. If you are using weights or are unfamiliar with your environment, it is recommended that you wear shoes for the safety of your feet. If you have difficulty with balance, you may want to be sure to have access to a chair or a sturdy piece of furniture to assist you. Be sure to use it to balance yourself only. Leaning heavily on it will decrease the effectiveness of your workout.

March in Place
We like to begin nearly all our workouts with a gentle march in place because it's a natural movement which helps lubricate the joints, and gets the heart pumping. You can begin marching as soon as you hear the music start. If you become tired during an exercise, or you are not sure what to do, you can always march until you come to something that is familiar. The march in place can be as gentle as a walk in place. Traditionally, it involves bringing your knees up high, one at a time. As you raise each knee, swing the opposite arm forward. You will want to keep arms loosely bent while doing this. If the march is too easy, or you have started the workout already warmed up, you can substitute a faster version, by jogging in place.

Shoulder Rotations
These are a great way to lubricate your shoulder joints. Circle your shoulders back, down, forward, and up. Once you have done this several times, change direction.

Ball Squats
Stand with the ball in front of you. Place your hands on the ball, and squat, keeping your core engaged, back straight, and not extending your knees over your toes. As you squat, roll the ball away from you. As you return to a standing position, roll it toward you.

Standing Twist with Ball
Stand with knees not locked and feet shoulder width apart. Press in with your hands on the ball, and move it and your upper body to the right. Pause, and then move it to the left. Once you have done this a few times slowly, you will pick up the speed of the twist.

Overhead Ball Lift
Pick up the ball, lifting it up straight overhead, then bring it down in front of your hips. If you press firmly into the ball with your hands, you will feel this in your arm muscles.

Sumo Squats with Overhead Ball Lift
Stand with feet wider than shoulder distance apart, and toes pointed out slightly. Squat down, and let the ball tap the floor. When you come out of the squat, bring the ball up over your head. Ensure that when you squat, your back is straight, and that you are not squatting so deeply that your knees are extending beyond your toes.

Wall Squats
Place your ball between your back and either a wall or, if you have no other option, the back of a closed, latched door. Keep the ball in the small of your back and walk your feet out in front of you so your knees are at a 90-degree angle. It is as if you are sitting in a chair, except that the ball is supporting you against the wall. You can adjust the location of the ball to find a position that is workable for you.

Ball Bouncing
Just sit on the ball and bounce. You can rotate your hips. Take time to relax before moving more deeply into the workout.

Back Rows
Sit on the ball and hold one weight in each hand, palms facing behind you. Lean forward, raising the weights, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then bring them back down. Remember to keep the release controlled, and to keep your core firm.

Shoulder Side Raises
Sit on the ball, and hold a weight in each hand. Bring the weights straight out to each side, with arms at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, and then back down.

Bicep Curls
Sit on the ball, and hold a weight in each hand. Keep your abdominals tight, and your core engaged. While keeping your elbows tucked into your waist, curl your weights up to touch your shoulders, then slowly bring them back down.

Triceps Kick-Backs
Sit on the ball with a weight in each hand. Do not rest your chest on your thighs, but lean over so your chest is just above your thighs. Keep your elbows tucked in and core engaged. Extend your arms behind you, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Then, bring your weights back in to your shoulders.

Ball Crunches
Sit on the ball and walk your feet out so the ball rolls up your back. You are lying on the ball, knees bent, and the ball should be in the middle of your back. The closer the ball is to your hips, the more challenging the crunch will be. Lock your fingers behind your head, but do not pull on your head. Drop your head back, then allow it and your shoulders to come up and off the ball while engaging your core. Repeat the sequence of lifting and lowering, while taking care to engage your core and remain aware of your body's position.

Side Ball Crunches
Lie on the ball, knees bent, with the ball in the middle of your back. The closer the ball is to your hips, the more challenging the crunch will be. Lock your fingers behind your head, but do not pull on your head. Engage your core, and reach toward your left hip with your right elbow and shoulder. Then, alternate by reaching for the right hip with the left elbow and shoulder, remembering to engage all the core muscles.

Ball Push-Ups
Start on your hands and knees, with your abdomen over the ball, then walk your hands forward. If the ball is under your hips, this is a somewhat less challenging position than having the ball farther down on your legs. When the ball is positioned at a level you can do, lower your body toward the floor, and push up again.

Ball Plank
Start by kneeling with the ball in front of you. Reach your hands beyond the ball, and walk your hands out in front of the ball until you can maintain a plank position. The farther down your legs the ball is positioned, the more challenging the plank will be. This is much like the standard plank, but with the addition of the ball.

Single Leg Lifts
Lie on the ball so that it is under your lower abdomen. Your hands are out in front of you, with your elbows over your wrists. Your feet are out behind you, with your toes touching the floor. Tightening your glutes, flex your feet so your toes point toward the ground. Lift one leg, then the other.

Wide Leg Lifts
Lie on the ball so it is under your hips and lower abdomen. Your shoulders, elbows, and wrists all form a straight line. Your feet are spread wide with toes on the floor. Bring both feet up at the same time, touching your heels together, then spread them back out, tapping your toes on the ground.

Hip Lifts
Lie on your back with your lower legs on the ball. The lower the ball is on your legs, the more challenge is involved in this exercise. Keep your hands flat on the floor, and lift your hips up, tightening your glutes and abs, and bringing your hips back down. Your hands should help you stabilize, not push upward.

Ball Hamstring Curls
Lie on your back with your hands at your sides. Your palms are flat on the floor to help you stabilize if you need it. Place the ball under your lower legs, and dig your heels into the ball. Bend your knees, and draw the ball toward you. To increase the difficulty of this exercise, raise your hips while curling the ball toward you.

Reverse Curl with Ball Squeeze
Lie on your back and press the ball between your knees or calves. Use your lower abdominal muscles to pull your knees toward your chest, and release. Remember to keep your core muscles engaged and keep the small of your back close to the floor.

Reverse Curl with Hand Pass-Off
This is a continuation of the previous exercise. When you bring the ball to your chest, take it in both hands, and tap it above your head. Then, bring it back down and replace it between your knees.

Simple Crunches
Lie on your back with fingers laced behind your head. Do not use your hands to pull on your head or neck. Put the ball under your calves. Tighten your abs and pull your shoulder blades up off the floor, and come back down. At times, you may pulse. You are not coming up higher, but tightening your abs with quick pulses that will strengthen your core.

Long Body Stretch
Lie on your back, and point your toes. Stretch your arms up over your head so your body is long. Do what feels best to you, simply working out the kinks.

Hamstring Stretch
Lie on your back with knees bent. Pull one knee in toward your body with both hands as far as is comfortable. Breathe into the stretch. Bring the other leg up, breathe into the stretch, maybe stretch into it a little more, then release.

Low Back Circles
Lie on your back with your palms on the tops of your bent knees. Circle your bent knees in one direction, then the other. You will feel this in your lower back. Lightly pressing down on your knees with your hands may soften and soothe the lower back muscles as well.

Body Twist
Lie on your back, and stretch your arms out to the sides. Bring your knees into your chest, then move both knees over to the right side, as far as is comfortable, and look to the left, feeling the stretch. Then bring your knees back to center and over to the left side, looking to the right.

Rock and Rolls
Wrap your arms around your knees, and gently rock back and forth the length of your spine. When it is time, rock all the way up to a sitting position. If you are unable to do this, just let go of your knees, and sit up as you usually do.

Chest Opening Stretch
Sit up tall in a cross-legged position. Interlock your fingers together behind you with your palms facing out and the backs of your hands touching one another. Raise your interlocked hands up, and release.

Back Stretch
Sit tall in a cross-legged position. Interlace your fingers with your palms facing each other. Press your palms out in front of you, rounding your back, exhaling as you do. Sit up tall and release.

Triceps Stretch
Sit up tall, and begin with both arms straight up over your head. Bend your left elbow as if you are going to pat yourself on the back of your neck with your left hand. With your right hand, grasp your left elbow, and gently pull it toward the right side of your body. Feel the stretch in the back of your arm. Straighten both arms back over your head, and reverse the stretch by grasping the right elbow with the left hand.

Neck Stretches
Sit tall in a cross-legged position. Shoulders are back and down. Stretch your right ear toward your right shoulder, then left ear toward left shoulder. You can vary this by looking down or up to release tension from your neck.

