BEGINNER
While the Heel Beats exercise is done lying down comfortably, it tones and strengthens the muscles all the way from the back of the neck to the tendons of the feet.
Lie facedown with your hands underneath your forehead, palms down. Draw your shoulders down away from your ears. Turn your legs out from the top of your hips and pull your inner thighs together.
Pull your navel off the mat and toward your spine, pressing your pubic bone into the mat. Lengthen your legs and lift them off the mat, tightening your thigh muscles.
Press your heels together and then separate them in a rapid but controlled motion. Beat heels together for eight counts, then return to the starting position. Repeat sequence six to eight times.
ANNOTATION KEY
Bold text indicates active muscles
Gray text indicates stabilizing muscles
* indicates deep muscles
DO IT RIGHT
LOOK FOR
• Your buttocks and your abdominals to be squeezed while beating your heels.
• Your breathing to remain steady.
AVOID
• Tensing your shoulders.
BEST FOR
• trapezius
• latissimus dorsi
• teres major
• teres minor
• deltoideus
• gluteus maximus
• biceps femoris
• adductor magnus
• soleus
• vastus lateralis
QUICK GUIDE
TARGET
• Core
BENEFITS
• Encourages muscles from the entire body to work together
• Lengthens extension muscles
NOT ADVISABLE IF YOU HAVE
• Back pain