As our global community grows, so does the shared wealth of knowledge and experience about how best use the FeetUp® Trainer. After a decade of turning yoga upside down (we turn 11 this year!), the biggest lesson learned comes up every time we practice: your FeetUp® Trainer is MUCH more than just an inversion chair!

Growth is essential to survival. While we’ll always be there to support your yoga practice, we want to share some other creative ways to enjoy the FeetUp® Trainer. Today, let’s focus on Fitness!

Strength training to support your body

There are clear health benefits to regular strength training, such as increasing  bone density and helping your body deal with high intensity workouts. Regardless of how a strong body looks, strength training at any level helps you feel better in movements you love.

Core Importance

Imagine a strong core like a supportive corset (just way more comfortable). More than just a six pack, the core encompasses your entire mid-section from front to back. Supporting stability and balance during movement, a strong core can quite literally help you walk taller through life - no matter what comes your way!  Your FeetUp® Trainer offers many opportunities to enhance your core connection to your movement practice. There are plenty of grounded exercises to accommodate all levels and ranges of flexibility. Of course, the real fun begins when we turn things upside down!

FeetUp Fitness

There are many ways you can use your FeetUp® Trainer to support whatever sport or mobility practice you love - from warming up to core training, general strength to inversions (of course) and stretching to help those hard to reach places. We’ve collected a couple of strength exercises we love to offer some healthy inspiration for your home practice.

#feetupfitness Challenge

It’s always more fun to do things together! Become part of the global FeetUp® Family from 07 - 09th of February,2020 and join in our #feetupfitness Challenge on Instagram and Facebook. 

Stay tuned and get inspired!  

Our Best Of FeetUp Fitness

Exercise 1: Back strengthener - strong core also means a strong back

Make sure your hips stay leveled and parallel to the ground. Lengthen through your heels and fingertips. Optional: Bringing knee and elbow together with your exhale (engaging your abdominal muscles) and lengthen with your next inhale (repeat couple of times). Lengthening and strengthening your body at the same time.

Exercise 2: FeetUp Trainer-Lunge

Leg and glute  strengthener, variation of runners lunge using your FeetUp® Trainer. Slowly bend your back knee. Push into your front foot (you can use your hands for balance) to come up. Repeat slowly a couple of times per leg and then switch.

Exercise 3: Forearm plank variation

Bring your forearms onto your FeetUp® Trainer cushion, extend your legs, making sure your body is one straight, strong line. Options: Either holding it here, or try and lift one leg and then the other. Notice: when you lift your leg the torso stays straight. 

Exercise 4: FeetUp Trainer handstand push up variation

Turn your FeetUp® Trainer around and place your knees on the cushion. Place your palms on the wood and bend your elbows, lowering your head. Then slowly extend your arms till they are fully straight. Repeat. 

Exercise 5: Side plank FeetUp Trainer variation

Strengthening your entire core with special obliques focus (side of your core). Place one forearm on the cushion, extend your legs in plank position. Reach up with the opposite arm. Inhale here and with your exhale grab underneath your armpit, rotating your torso.

Exercise 6: Side plank variation to train the obliques (side of your core) 

Arm setup like the one before. This time resting on the long side of your foot. Reaching the opposite arm up towards the ceiling. Optional: lift the top leg (hold for a couple of breaths).

Exercise 7: FeetUp Trainer reversed table top

Placing your palms on the cushion, place your feet in front of you, knees bent (like a reversed table top). Slowly bend and extend your arms. Training your upper arms, chest and back muscles. Such a great all-rounder!

Exercise 8: FeetUp Asana

Core training upside down by bringing one knee to the elbow. Move upside down into  FeetUp® Asana. Keep your elbows bent, holding on to your FeetUp® Trainer. Start to bring one knee towards the same side elbow. Change side.

Come on and take your workout to the next level! 

You don't own a FeetUp® Trainer so far? Relax! Just visit our online shop and get yours now! 

// Text: Mirjam Heldmann, Daniel Scott
// Photos © Simon Toplak

 

February 04, 2020 — Mirjam Heldmann

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