Fitness Fitness Tips

Find Your Balance and Tone Your Total Bod With This Stability Workout

Emily Abbate

January 28, 2018

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Photo: Stocksy/Abby Mortenson

Well+Good's (Re)New Year Challenge is close to wrapping up, but the sweat sessions are still going strong. This, the second workout of Week Five, features Alicia Archer, a fitness instructor at Equinox in New York City who's all about helping people become more flexible (read: less tense) in their bodies through functional movements.

Here, she's sharing a stability routine she designed exclusively for Well+Good. “Finding balance can be hard work,” she says. “But soak that in. Do something that you don’t usually do. Don’t be scared of that.”

Scroll down for 5 fun, functional movements Alicia Archers says to do to improve your balance and increase your flexibility.

Stability session workout

Do 3 sets, without resting between moves. Take one minute between each set. You'll need some space in your apartment to get sweaty and a yoga mat.

1. Arch and curl

Begin on all fours. Align your shoulders over wrists and your hips over knees. On an exhale, round your spine, and drop your head towards the floor. Inhale and lift your head, chest, and tailbone towards the ceiling as you arch your back. That’s one rep. Do 10 for each set.

2. Single-leg lift up

Start in a high plank with right leg up in line with your hips, toe pointed. Shift backward into downward dog, and lift right leg toward ceiling. Return to start for one rep. Do 10 reps. Repeat on opposite side for one set.

3. Curtsy lunge with rotation balance

Stand with feet shoulder-length apart. Step your left leg back toward the opposite diagonal at a 45-degree angle, bending both knees. Press through your right heel to return to stand, lifting your left knee and bringing it to touch your right elbow for one rep. Do 15 reps. Repeat on opposite side for one set.

4. Modified burpee

Start standing with feet slightly wider than hip-width distance. Squat down, place hands on floor inside feet. Spring feet behind you, jumping three feet back while keeping hands on the floor and hips high. Hop feet back outside of hands, return to stand for one rep. Do 10 reps.

5. Double leg pull

Start on your back with shoulder blades curled up off the floor, legs in tabletop with knees over hips, toes pointed. Engaging your core, straighten legs out to a 45-degree angle. Pull them back in and try to touch knees to nose while maintaining lower-back connection to mat. Return to start for one rep. Do 10 reps.

Make 2018 your healthiest, happiest, and richest yet—with a little help from Well+Good's (Re)New Year program! Here's what you need to know to finish the five-week challenge strong.