Warm-up exercises

One-foot hops

Start with your hands on your hips and your weight on one foot; bend other leg at the hip and knee.

Hop lightly on one foot by pushing off the ball and toes. When one leg gets tired, hop on the other foot.

Do 20-second intervals on each foot then change to the next. Start slowly and increase the tempo gradually.

Ski drill

Begin with your hands on your hips, in the normal standing position. Jump with both feet together to your left then to the right with both feet together. Repeat jumping lightly from left to right with both feet together for 10 to 15 repetitions.

Continue the routine by jumping forward then backward.

Do some upper body and standing side stretches to improve your flexibility. The warm up will increase your heart and lung functions, increase your body temperature and your energy level for the more dynamic activities that will follow.

Aerobic exercises

Day 1: Jog slowly for 20 minutes, then run for 10 minutes at a moderate pace.

Day 2: Jog slowly for 15 minutes, then run for 15 minutes at a moderate pace.

Day 3: Jog slowly for 10 minutes, then run for 20 minutes at a moderate pace.

Day 4: Jog slowly for five minutes, then run for 25 minutes at a moderate pace.

Day 5: Run for 30 minutes at a moderate pace.

Do between 30 and 45 minutes of aerobic each exercise day. Do a combination of exercises that include your arms, trunk and legs. Add the exercises below to your list for variety.

Prone squat drill

Begin with your body in the prone position on the floor. Keep your body straight while supporting yourself on your hands and toes with your arms straight.

Hop off your toes and bring your feet towards your hands. Tuck your legs under your body into the squat position. Hop and thrust your legs backwards to the starting position. Hop and place your feet out to the sides. Return to the starting position. Do 15 to 25 repetitions.

This exercise is good for your arms, shoulders, trunk, legs, lungs and heart.

Jogging arm shoots

Start in the normal standing position. Lift your right leg up as in jogging and at the same time stretch both arms straight up over your head. Lift your left leg up as you bring your arms down to your shoulder level. Repeat jogging in place as you stretch your arms straight up over your head each time your right leg goes up. Do 20 to 30 repetitions.

This exercise improves the tone of your arm, shoulder and leg muscles, as well as your heart and lung functions.

Bent-knee sit-ups

Lie on the floor with your knees bent at a 90-degrees angle. Hands behind your head or arms straight out in front or placed on your knees if you need to. Sit up by contracting your abdominal muscles and touch your elbows to your knees or forehead to your knees. Return to the starting position. Do 15 to 20 repetitions.

Cool-down exercises

At the end of each session you need to do a cool-down routine that includes some stretching exercises.

Dr Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at Holiday Hills Research Center; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.