Build the Leg Strength to go for a Walk

Goals

• Increased independence and confidence, improved health, fitness and QUALITY OF LIFE

• A habit of exercise and care of the physical body (and, by association, care of the mind)

• 3x 10+ minute walks per day (and or 30+ minutes total)

  • A 10 minute walk after a meal is great for digestion and control of blood sugar

• Up off the ground without support

Things to keep in mind

• Knees out. There are many ways to squat and lunge. The form that I’ve found to be safest and easiest to explain is pushing the knees toward the outside of the foot and keeping the knees from caving in towards the middle of your body. As you do this you should also be working to keep your foot flat on the floor with your weight in the front of your foot when manageable.

• Squats and lunges work together. Because they are similar patterns you get better at one you will get better at the other, so if you feel “stuck” on your squats it may be a good time to focus more on lunges and “erectorcise” or vice versa.

• While this program takes modest steps and can be adapted for many levels of health and fitness, it does not replace the guidance, support, and expertise of a movement professional. Seek professional guidance when necessary (and maybe before it’s necessary to best avoid injury).

• The exercises may be different but they all draw from the same “well” of energy. How well you rest, eat, and breath may be more important than any exercise done.

• Fitness isn’t lost overnight and it won’t be regained overnight either. Have patience. Baby steps are still steps, and any step is good if it’s in the right direction.

• QUALITY over quantity. Reps should only be done if good form can be maintained. If we practice only good form that will be the only way our body knows how to move, and injury will be less likely. Refer to my video references for form, or contact a qualified coach, personal trainer, or physical therapist.

• Taking short breaks in between reps can be helpful for maintaining good form, and the length and frequency of breaks can be reduced in a progressive manner like the other variables.

• The progression used in this program is fairly linear. A progression should be made only when the previous step has been mastered. Listen to your body each day. If you feel sore or exhausted you may be progressing too fast.

  • It can also be appropriate to take a step back at times and reduce the number of sets, reps, the range of motion, or increase the amount of support used. This can be thought of along the lines of “two steps forward and one step back” which still gets you closer to your goal, as long as you continue to take more steps forward than back.

  • You may also choose to reduce one variable while increasing another. Example:

    • Doing fewer reps in each set while using less support until the reps are mastered with less support and then adding reps back in.

      • You can swap the variable of less support for more range of motion as well depending on your goal at the time.

• There is a synergy between the exercises, and they build on each other, though again all exercises draw from the same well of energy, so while all exercises CAN be progressed simultaneously, it may be necessary to maintain the qualities and quantities of one - without progress - while another becomes the focus.

  • For example: taking a step back in your squatting to focus on your “erectorcise”

• I wrote the exercises in an order that I believe starts with simple steps and builds strength, momentum, and confidence.

  • The squatting begins to build the leg strength required to get up off the floor. The erectorcise continues to build this strength while adding balance and coordination and the confidence to spend time on the floor. GOATA capitalizes on this time on the floor by increasing range of motion in the ankles, knees, and hips allowing for better form and ease in gait (walking, jogging, running). Walking capitalizes on the strength, coordination, and range of motion bringing us back to the exercise that most makes us human and opens us up to the world of possibility.

    • I do not believe the benefits of walking can be understated. They include improved cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory function, improved digestion and blood sugar management, improved mental health (especially when done outside in the sun), and more.

• The duration of each step in a progression of exercises will vary from person to person and exercise to exercise. In the beginning you may feel like you can progress from step to step each day, and that may be sustainable for a time. You may also have to stick with one step for a month, or even more depending on what else is going on in your training and in your life. If you feel stuck or if you feel like you could be making progress faster but aren’t, it may be a good time to speak to a professional.

  • A week or two is likely a good target for each step. Spending more time on a step isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially when you get to more advanced exercises and quantities of sets and reps. Progressing quickly isn’t necessarily good, especially if your form is suffering.

Exercises (and goal of each exercise)

Squat pattern (goal: building leg and hip strength, as well as range of motion, or range of strength)

• Starting with once per day get up and sit down (“squat”) in a seat (chair, bench, sofa, bed, toilet, edge of tub, etc.) one extra time (one “rep”) controlling as much of the movement with your own muscles as possible, especially on the way down, as opposed to letting gravity do the work for you (more on this later).

• Add another time in the day that this repetition of sitting is done (another “set”)

  • Add another set to each day, every week, month or day as tolerated, some may progress faster than others. Find a pace that is manageable for you, understanding that the sets and reps will add up as long as you stick with it)

    • Example:

      • Step 1: one extra time up and down out of a seat once per day (at breakfast)

      • Day/Week/Month 2: one extra time up and down out of a seat twice per day (breakfast and dinner)

      • Step 3: one extra time up and down out of a seat three times per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

      • Step 4: one extra time up and down out of a seat four times per day (before and after breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

      • Step 4: one extra time up and down out of a seat four times per day (before and after breakfast, once at lunch, and before and after dinner)

      • So on

  • Continue in this fashion until an extra repetition with good form is done 5 times per day (or more)

    • Before and after each meal would be a great time to remember to do these exercises. This would also bring you to 6 times per day, assuming you eat three times per day (EXTRA CREDIT!)

• Begin to add repetitions to the sets as tolerated

  • Each time the exercise is performed get up and down two extra times

  • If you are unable to increase the number of reps done in every set, additional reps can be introduced slowly:

    • Example (assuming 5 sets of one):

      • Step 1: 1 rep, 1 rep, 1 rep, 1 rep, 2 reps

      • Step 2: 1 rep, 1 rep, 1 rep, 2 rep, 2 reps

      • Continue until all sets are able to be completed with 2 reps

  • Continue to add repetitions with good form until 5 sets of 5-10 reps can be done with relative ease and good form in a day

    • The exact number of reps will depend on your goals and level of fitness, as well as what other exercises you are including in your strength training.

• If you are able to maintain control of the motion and resist gravity from standing to sitting with the ability to pause at any point above the seat skip the following progression and move on to squatting down to lower seats.

• If you are unable to control the motion from standing to sitting and instead free fall into a seat letting gravity dictate the pace continue with the following progression. Do NOT squat to a lower seat until control can be maintained through the ENTIRE range of motion. The lower target will instead be lower or deeper ranges of motion WITH CONTROL of the hips and knees, resisting gravity the WHOLE way. The seat will be there to catch you when you go beyond the point of control into a free fall.

  • The goal here is to be able to touch your butt to the seat and then stand back up without putting your full weight in the seat, thus demonstrating control over the entire range of motion.

  • Begin by slowly lowering to the deepest range of motion that can be achieved with control and then standing back up from there. Progress by continuing to do the same number of sets and reps to deeper and deeper ranges of motion using as much or as little of this progression as required (example: 1/8 squat to 1/4 squat, to 1/2, to 3/4, to full)

  • Support can be added as needed to lower down into and get up out of a seat with control

    • Your leg muscles are STRONGER when lowering than lifting, meaning you can lower with more weight than you can come up with. This allows for another option for progression of lowering with less or no support then using support to get back up.

    • If using something like arm rests, a table, or broomsticks/dowels to lighten the load in your legs by using your arms continue through this progression with support then reduce the support, either by using one arm on the table, arm rest, or dowel and switching arms each rep or set, or by reducing the pressure placed in the hands and arms. This will require internal honesty as to how much you are lightening the weight in your legs through the use of your arms.

      • An example of a progression of reducing support assuming 5 sets of 5 reps:

        • Step 1: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 all with support

        • Step  2: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 all no support

      • An example of a slower progression of reducing support assuming 5 sets of 5 reps:

        • Step 1: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 all with support

        • Step 2: 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 5 no support

        • Step 3: 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 5 no support, 5 no support

        • Continue until all sets are done without the use of support

      • An example of an even slower progression of reducing support assuming 5 sets of 5 reps:

        • Step 1: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 all with support

        • Step 2: 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 4 with and 1 no support

        • Step 3: 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 3 with and 2 no support

        • Continue until all sets are done without the use of support

        • Once a full set can be done without support it is likely that the above progression of swapping full sets instead of individual reps can be used though you may continue in this fashion, swapping reps of with/no support one by one, if necessary

      • An example of an even slower progression of reducing support assuming 5 sets of 5 reps:

        • Step 1: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 all with support

        • Step 2: 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 4 with and 1 no support down but supported up

        • Step 2: 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 5 with, 3 with and 2 no support down but supported up

        • Continue until all sets are done without the use of support on the way down then repeat removing the support on the way up

        • Once a full set can be done with less support it is likely that the above progressions can be used though you may continue in this fashion, swapping reps of with/no support up/down one by one, if necessary

      • If you are having trouble removing support adding pauses at the bottom of the range of motion that can be controlled will help with the progression of removing support. Add pauses to the reps starting with 1 second and progressing to 5 seconds repeating the progression with each length of pause (1s, 3s, 5s may be sufficient though fewer or more lengths can be used as necessary) (longer may be done though for the purposes of this program 5 should be sufficient)

        • If you are unable to pause the motion in all sets, this progression can be introduced slowly in to each day if necessary.

        • Example: assuming 5 sets of 5 reps is done each day

        • Step 1: 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps with pause

        • Step 2: 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 paused reps, 5 paused reps

        • Continue in this fashion until all sets are done to lower target

      • If you are unable to do all reps of a set with a pause, the pause can also be introduced slowly in to each set if necessary

        • Step 1: 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 4 reps with no pause and 1 rep with pause

        • Step 2: 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 3 reps with no pause and 2 reps with pause

        • Continue in this fashion until all reps of all sets are done to a lower target

        • Once a full set can be done to a lower target it is likely that the above progression of swapping full sets instead of individual reps can be used though you may continue in this fashion, swapping reps with/no pause one by one, if necessary

• Progress this exercise with lower targets/seats to increase range of motion (chair to lower chair/bench/etc. to stairs of various numbers, the bottom stair is a great goal)

  • If you are able to get down to the ground, adding GOATA groundwork (see below) can be useful for developing the range of motion and strength required for this progression

  • The use of support and related progression can be added back in to reach the lower target if necessary, squatting down to a lower target with support then progressing by squatting down to that lower target without support.

  • If you are unable to lower the target of all sets, this progression can be introduced slowly in to each day if necessary.

    • Example: assuming 5 sets of 5 reps is done each day

      • Step 1: 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps to lower target

      • Step 2: 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 lower reps, 5 lower reps

      • Continue in this fashion until all sets are done to lower target

    • If you are unable to do all reps of a set to a lower target, the lower target can also be introduced slowly in to each set if necessary

      • Step 1: 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 4 reps to current target and 1 rep to lower target

      • Step 2: 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 3 reps to current target and 2 reps to lower target

      • Continue in this fashion until all reps of all sets are done to a lower target

        • Once a full set can be done to a lower target it is likely that the above progression of swapping full sets instead of individual reps can be used though you may continue in this fashion, swapping reps to each height one by one, if necessary

  • Continue to progressively add reps and or lower the target in this fashion

    • A good goal is 100 reps per day of full range of motion squats (10 sets of 10 reps)

      • This will vary depending on the health of your joints and activity level outside of this exercise, with more reps being done by someone with unhealthy joints and is inactive in order to increase muscle mass around the joints and blood flow to the joints and related tissues

  • Beyond this you may continue doing body weight squats if desired and increasing the number of reps done each day or progress by adding weight - more details on progressively overloading using weight, sets, and reps can be found here. Though I recommend focusing on a lunge pattern rather than a squat pattern. The lunge pattern is the focus of the next exercise.

“Erectorcise” (up off the floor, building leg and hip strength as well as balance and coordination) - named by Philip Beach in “Muscles and Meridians”

• Once you have developed some strength in the squat, it is a good idea to begin building single leg strength in the lunge, and eventually working your way all the way down to the ground and back up (the “Erectorcise”).

• There are at least two parts to this exercise. Getting down to the ground and getting back up. I recommend focusing on getting down to the ground first because as you do so you will be developing the strength to get back up.

  • Follow the progression used for developing the depth of range of motion in your squat, however for this exercise you will be doing this in a staggered stance or lunge position. Progress until you are able to lower your back knee gently down to the ground and press yourself back up with your front leg. You may use the other progressions listed in this section and document as necessary.

• Continue to carefully get down to the ground and then back up, beginning by using whatever support is necessary

  • Focus on controlling the descent much like the lowering portion of the squat/sitting exercise above but a single leg variety. DO NOT let gravity do the work for you.

    • Your legs will be stronger during the lowering portion of these exercises so you may find that as you progress you need less support on the way down than up.

  • Increase the number of times per day that this is done (see above for progressions)

  • Increase the number of reps in each set of the day (see above for progressions)

  • Reduce the amount of support that is used (see above for progressions)

  • Continue until getting down to and up off the floor can be done 5-10 times in a row with relative ease 3-5 times per day.

    • There is a balancing act between these variables and the progression of each: for instance reducing the amount of support could mean that fewer reps are able to be done. The important thing to keep in mind is that forward progress be made in one variable at a time even if it means taking a step back in another variable as long as the overall trend is towards the goal

• This can be paired with GOATA groundwork when on the ground for additional variation and exercise of the legs and hips, as tolerated (and eventually standing GOATA exercise)

• This exercise can continue to be progressed in a number of ways, a few examples are

  • Adding complexity

    • Starting in different positions or taking different path up (prone vs supine, cross legged, right vs left leg driving the effort)

    • Keeping a hand “glued” to another body part thereby eliminating that as a source of balance or support (right hand “glued” to the right or left thigh, and vice versa)

    • Getting up with no hands

    • AnimalFlow

  • Adding objects and weight

    • Getting up while holding a shoe

    • Getting up while holding a glass of water

    • Getting up while holding a weight (example Turkish Get-Up with a kettlebell)

  • Additional exercises and variations of the lunge pattern can be found here.

  • If you wish to keep exercising at home more exercises that can be done with minimal equipment can be found here.

  • Any of the exercises found in the above post can be progressed using principles found in this program as well as in this blog here.

GOATA Groundwork (decompress hips and lower back, realign movement patterns)

• This program is an abridged version of a longer GOATA progression, abridged for the purposes of fitting within this program and selecting the most relevant parts. The full length GOATA progressions can be found here, and I would recommend following that program, certainly once a walking habit is created and maintained.

• Start with 1 minute of child rockers

  • Work up to at least 3-5 days per week preferably every day

  • Add time as tolerated using progressions similar to those above

    • Can progress faster or slower as tolerated adding 30 seconds to 1 minute each day/week/month

    • More than 2 continuous minutes in this position is generally not necessary

• Continue by adding 1 minute of the bow hip stretch/exercise (30 seconds each side)

  • Work up to at least 3-5 days per week preferably every day

  • Add time as tolerated using progressions similar to those above

    • Can progress faster or slower as tolerated adding 30 seconds to 1 minute each day/week/month

    • More than 2 continuous minutes in this position is generally not necessary

• Once 2 minutes in each position can be achieved with relative ease begin progressing through GOATA Flow videos

  • GOATA 101 - 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes using progressions similar to those above

  • Begin to swap 101 Flows with 101+102

    • Step 1: 10 minute 101+102

    • Step 2: 10 minute 101+102 and 5 minute 101

    • Step 3: 10 minute 101+102 and 10 minute 101 (your choice of 10 minutes: 5+5 or 10; examples: 5m 101, 10m 101+102, 5m 101 OR 10m 101+102, 10m 101 OR 10m 101, 10m 101+102)

    • Step 4: 10 minute 101+102 and 15 minute 101 (your choice of 15 minutes 5+10 or 15 see above, other combinations possible)

    • Step 5: 20 minute 101+102

    • Step 6: 20 minute 101+102 and 5 minute 101

    • Continue in the fashion until 30 minutes of Groundwork can be done

    • Progress through to standing using 102 and Standing Flows in a similar fashion

    • The total time can be done in one session or broken up throughout the day.

Walk a little further every day (build endurance, use the built strength, move blood and air and fluids through the body and brain, improve digestion, see the world)

• Start by walking around the house a little extra

  • A step counter could be useful if desired though it is unnecessary

• Then progress to walking up and down the driveway, or some other area with more distance available than your house while remaining close to home or a place to rest.

  • Start with once then progress to multiple times

    • See the progression of other exercises for examples of how to do this

• Continue to increase the total distance and or the number of hills taking breaks as necessary

  • Start with increasing the distance walked down the street and the number of times up and down the driveway (so fatigue doesn’t set in far away from home, though being tired and away from a place to rest can be a powerful motivator to push past your perceived limits)

  • Continue to progress by walking around the block, then around the neighborhood, then around the world.

    • By now you should have an understanding of progressive overload. The same principles that allow the body to adapt to more and more squats, will allow the adaptation to more and more walking.

  • Once 30 minutes of walking per day can be done with relative ease and regularity, the gym becomes a great option for furthering physical fitness though these progressions can be continued with success for… I’m not sure, probably a while, people can walk pretty far and do pretty heavy squats. Further progressions for exercise done with bodyweight or weighted equipment will be explored in other documents. - Exercise Selection in the Gym - Exercise Selection at Home - Progressive Overload - Exercise "Career"

For more information or detailed planning please reach out to a local personal trainer or contact me directly at: ErikJMelgaard@gmail.com. I hope you find this program helpful.