Exercises
Every exercise in BLOX – how to do it, how long, and what to do instead if something niggles. Shown by Stickfreed, the same glowing stick figure as in the app: he frees you from weekly plans and stress – and simply shows you how it's done.
Strength
Prisoner squatFingertips at your temples, chest up, hips back and downJump squatSquat halfway, jump up, land softly and quietlySquat to chairTap the seat with your bottom, then push back upReach upArms up, onto your toes, get longGoblet squatDumbbell at your chest, hips back and downBent-over rowBack straight, pull elbows back close to your bodySupported one-arm rowFree hand on a chair or sofa, pull your elbow to your hipShoulder pressBrace your core, press dumbbells overheadGlute bridgeOn your back, feet down, lift hips and squeeze glutesBiceps curlsElbows stay at your sidesHammer curlsThumbs point up, elbows stay at your sidesRomanian deadliftKnees slightly bent, hips back, back straightTriceps kickbackUpper arm stays still, extend forearm backWide push-upsHands wider than your shoulders, body like a plankFloor pressOn your back, press the dumbbells up over your chest, upper arms touch the floorCrunchesOn your back, knees bent, lift shoulders slightlyArm openersOpen your arms wide at shoulder height, cross them in frontKnee circlesFeet together, hands on your knees, circle the knees slowlyNeck looseningSlowly tilt your head to each side, tuck the chin gently in betweenWrist circlesClasp your hands in front of your chest, circle the wrists looselyAnkle circlesLift one foot slightly and draw circles with your toes – right, then leftWall push-upsHands on the wall, body straight, chest to the wall and backSupermanFace down, lift arms, chest and legs only slightly, eyes down, hold for 10 secondsBird dogOn all fours, reach out one arm and the opposite legPlank shoulder tapsIn a high plank, tap the opposite shoulderLying leg raisesOn your back, slowly raise and lower straight legs – lower back stays down, otherwise bend your kneesDead bugOn your back, extend arm and opposite leg, back stays downHollow holdLift shoulders and legs slightly, lower back stays downKnee push-upsOn your knees, body straight, chest to the floorSingle-leg glute bridgeOne leg straight, lift hips, keep pelvis levelFrog bridgeSoles together, knees out, lift your hips, squeeze your glutesChair dipsHands on the chair edge behind you, lower and push back upEisenhorn squatBar in front of your shoulders, hips back and downEisenhorn deadliftBar from knee height, hips back, back straightEisenhorn shoulder pressPress the bar straight up in front of your head, no arched backEisenhorn bench pressOn your back, press the bar up over your chestEisenhorn lat pulldownPull the bar in front of your head to your upper chest, never behind the neckEisenhorn rowBent over, pull the bar to your bellyKettlebell swingHips back, then snap them forward – arms stay looseKettlebell deadliftBell between your feet, back straight, drive up with your legsKettlebell haloCircle the bell slowly and close around your head, brace your coreSingle-arm kettlebell rowFree hand on your thigh, pull your elbow to your hipSingle-arm kettlebell pressBell at your shoulder, press straight up, no arched backSuitcase deadliftBell beside your foot, torso stays upright – don’t lean to the sideBand pull-apartArms at shoulder height, pull the band apart, squeeze your shoulder bladesBand face pullBand at head height, hands to your ears, elbows highBand rowBand at belly height, pull your elbows back close to your bodyBanded side stepsBand above your knees, half squat, step sidewaysPallof pressBand to your side, press your hands forward – don’t let your torso turnBand biceps curlsStand on the band, elbows stay at your sidesBand external rotationElbow at your side, slowly rotate your forearm outDead hangPull hard first: is the bar secure? Then hang, shoulders lightly engaged, feet close to the floorScapular pull-upArms straight, just pull your shoulder blades downNegative pull-upStart at the top (chair), lower yourself very slowlyPull-upFrom a hang, pull your chest to the bar, lower slowlyHanging knee raiseHang actively, raise your knees slowly to hip height, no swingingSide plankOn your forearm, hips up – your body is one lineClamshellLying on your side, feet together, open your top kneeBear plankOn all fours on your toes, hover your knees just above the floorDonkey kicksOn all fours, push one bent leg back and up, no arched backReverse crunchOn your back, slowly curl your pelvis up, knees to chestBicycle crunchOn your back, elbow to opposite knee, other leg long, slowlyProne Y raiseFace down, arms in a Y, thumbs up, lift your arms slightlyProne T raiseFace down, arms in a T, thumbs up, squeeze your shoulder bladesProne W raiseFace down, arms in a W, shoulder blades back and downPike push-upsHips high, lower your head slowly in front of your hands, only halfway downBulgarian split squatBack foot on the sofa, sink straight downSplit squatSplit stance, sink straight down, feet stay putHip thrust on the sofaShoulder blades on the sofa edge, hips up, squeeze your glutesStep-upsStep onto a stair or a sturdy low stool, your top leg does the workSingle-leg deadliftOn one leg, torso and back leg form one lineEisenhorn biceps curlUnderhand grip, elbows stay at your sidesEisenhorn triceps pushdownCable from above, elbows at your sides, push the bar downEisenhorn lungeBar in front of your shoulders, big step, back knee towards the floorEisenhorn Romanian deadliftKnees slightly bent, only your hips move backEisenhorn face pullCable at the top, hands to your ears, elbows highEisenhorn hip thrustOn your back, bar on your hips, lift your hipsEisenhorn calf raiseBar in front of your shoulders, slowly rise onto your toesBarbell deadliftBar over mid-foot, back straight, drive up with your legsBarbell Romanian deadliftSoft knees, hips back, bar close to your legsBarbell rowBent over, pull the bar to your bellyBarbell overhead pressPress the bar straight up in front of your head, no arched backBarbell floor pressOn your back, press the bar up over your chest, upper arms touch the floorBarbell biceps curlUnderhand grip, elbows at your sides, lower slowlyOpen bookLie on your side, knees bent, open your top arm back like a book pageSide-lying quad stretchLie on your side, hold your top foot and draw it to your bottom, knee points downInchwormFrom standing, walk your hands out to a plank and backMarching glute bridgeKeep your hips up, lift one knee at a timePlank up-downsFrom a forearm plank, press up onto your hands one at a time and backReverse lunge with knee driveStep back into a lunge, rise and drive your knee upSwimmersFace down, lift arms and legs slightly, flutter them in turnCossack squatWide stance, sink onto one leg in turn, the other stays straightDiagonal neck stretchNose toward your armpit, hand resting lightly on the back of your headToes-up calf stretchToes up on the wall, heel down, ease your knee toward the wall Cardio (HIIT)
Jumping jacksHop lightly, arms overheadBodyweight squatsHips back and down, heels stay on the floorPush-upsBody like a plank, knees down is fineSide hopsJump sideways over a line on both feet, land softlySide lungesBig step to the side, soft knees, come backMountain climbersIn a plank, drive your knees to your chestHigh kneesRun on the spot, knees upButt kicksHeels towards your bum, knees point downShadow boxingFists by your chin, punch straight ahead in turnJump rope (no rope)Small hops on the balls of your feet, hands circle by your hipsLow-impact jacksTap one foot out to the side in turn, arms overheadSkatersLeap sideways onto one leg, the other crosses behindTreadmill walkBrisk walk, some incline is fine, hands off the railsTreadmill runEasy running stride, you can still say a few wordsCross trainer – briskPedal briskly, push and pull with your armsCross trainer – easyKeep pedalling easily, breathe calmlyBurpeesSquat, hands down, jump back to a plank, jump in and upStep-back burpeesHands down, step back to a plank one leg at a time, step in and stand upFast feetSlight squat, quick little steps on the balls of your feetCross jacksJump, crossing legs and arms in front in turnFront kicksLift the knee first, then extend softly – don’t snap it straightOverhead punchesPunch upward quickly in turn, brace your coreStanding knee-to-elbowStanding, lift a knee and bring the opposite elbow to meet itPlank jacksIn a plank, jump your feet apart and back together Warm-up
Arm circlesBig circles, forwards first, then backwardsHip circlesHands on hips, big slow circlesShoulder rollsShoulders up, back, downCalf raisesDumbbells at your sides, slowly up onto your toes and downMarching in placeWalk on the spot, lift your knees gently, swing your armsLeg swingsHold on to the wall, swing the straight leg forwards and backTorso twistsArms in front of your chest, turn your upper body calmly left and rightGood morningsHands at your chest, hinge forward from the hips with a flat backReverse lungesBig step back, both knees at about 90° Stretching & mobility
Chest stretchHands behind your back, chest outQuad stretchPull foot to your bottom, knees point down, hold the wall for balanceHamstring stretchFront leg straight, toes up, lean forward with a flat backHip flexor stretchKneeling lunge, gently push your hips forwardRound backCat back, chin to chestNeck stretchEar to shoulder, shoulders relaxedSide bendArm overhead, lean to the sideCalf stretchHands on the wall, back heel on the floorChild’s poseSit back on your heels, arms long in frontCat-cowExhale: round your back – inhale: let it sag gentlyGlute stretchAnkle on knee, pull the thigh to your chestButterflySoles together, let knees drop, back straightLying twistLet your knees drop to the side, shoulders stay downShoulder stretchArm across your chest, pull at the elbowSphinxUp on your forearms, hips stay down – sink a little as you breathe out, lift as you breathe inDownward dogHips up, long back, knees may stay bentStanding forward foldSoft knees, let your upper body hang heavy, roll up slowly one vertebra at a timeCobraFace down, gently press up with your arms, hips stay downKnees to chestOn your back, gently pull both knees to your chestTriceps stretchHand between your shoulder blades, other hand pulls the elbowSide lunge stretchWide stance, shift onto one leg, other leg straightThread the needleOn all fours, slide one arm under your bodyForearm stretchArm forward, gently pull your fingers back with the other handPigeon stretchFront leg across in front of you, back leg long behind90/90 hip stretchSeated, both knees bent 90°, lean tall over the front legLizard stretchDeep lunge, both hands inside your front footFrog stretchOn all fours, knees wide apart, ease your hips backHappy babyOn your back, hold your feet from the outside, knees toward your armpitsWorld’s greatest stretchDeep lunge, hand down inside your foot, rotate the other arm to the ceilingPuppy poseOn all fours, walk your hands forward, let your chest sinkWall chest stretchForearm on a wall or door frame, gently turn your body awayWall lat stretchHands on the wall, hips back, let your chest sink between your armsSeated straddleLegs wide, lean forward from your hips with a long backSeated forward foldLong back, lean forward from your hips, cushion under your seatLying hamstring stretchOn your back, one leg up, hands behind your thighDeep squat holdSink into a deep squat, heels down, elbows ease your knees apartBanana stretchOn your back, arms overhead, move hands and feet to the same sideLegs up the wallOn your back, hips close to the wall, legs resting up the wallSide child’s poseIn child’s pose, walk both hands over to one sideSeated twistSeated, one foot over the other knee, turn toward that knee Ski prep