Raises - Calves, Not Your Salary!

1. Stand with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Keeping knees soft, not locked, lift your heels up so you are on your toes, hold for a count of 2.

3. Slowly lower your heels back to the floor.
4. Repeat until it hurts (please refer to our disclaimer from our first post).
5. For an added challenge, as our model is demonstrating, select two books (from the book weight chart, January 25, 2014) to hold in each hand. Keep your hands by your side and repeat steps 2-4.

Raises - Legs, Not Your Salary!

1. Sit forward on a wheel-less chair with your left leg bent and your left foot flat on the floor.
2. Extend your right leg, resting your right heel on the floor.

3. Flexing your right foot toward you, raise your leg about 10 to 12 inches above the floor.

4. Hold this position for a count of 2 and then slowly lower your foot back to the floor.
5. Complete 10 to 15 repetitions per leg.
6. Do 1-3 sets.
7. For an added challenge hold a book (refer to the book weight chart, January 25, 2014) on your thigh to increase the difficulty of the movement.

Hip Abductors with Arthur

We never know who is going to come into the library. Today we had a celebrity sighting, and much to our delight he agreed to model for our blog.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
2. Keeping posture upright, gently touch your desk or a bookshelf with your right hand for balance.
3. Place all of your body weight onto your right leg.
4. Lift your left leg directly out to the side about 12 inches from the ground.*

5. Hold for 1-2 seconds and bring back toward the right leg without actually touching the ground.

6. Repeat 10-12 times to complete 1 set.
7. Switch sides.
8. Do 1-3 sets on each side.


*For an added challenge, as Arthur is showing in the top picture, try not holding on to anything.

Time To Do Book Shelving Squats!

Materials: A cart of books to be shelved in the same location
1. Have the bookcart within reaching distance of your body.
2. Facing a bookshelf stand with your feet hip width apart.
3. Toes pointing towards the bookshelf.
4. Arms at your side.
5. Grab a book from the cart hold it in one hand.

6. Bringing your arms out in front of you slowly bend at the knees as if you were taking a seat in a chair. Your knees should not extend past your toes.
7. Shelve the book with one hand making room on the shelf with your other.

8. Repeat steps 4-6 alternating hands until you have shelved between 8-12 books.
9. Once you can do 12 squats easily add another set.