How to Do a Standing Locomotion Functional Exercise

Functional fitness training is a form of exercise which can be performed by people of all ages and body types and is designed to improve range of motion while increasing strength and agility. The standing locomotion uses skipping to increase the heart rate, warm up the body and strengthen the muscles of the legs. With a few tips, you can add the standing locomotion to your regular fitness routine.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Quality shoes
• Padded surface

1. Protect your hips, knees and ankles during the standing locomotion by wearing quality shoes and working out on a soft, padded surface. If you feel pain or discomfort at any point during the training exercise, slow down the motion and lower the height of your knee lift.
2. Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart and simply begin skipping in place. Make sure that your abdominals are engaged in order to work the core muscles of your body during the functional training exercise. Your back should be tall and straight and your neck relaxed with your eyes looking forward.
3. Begin skipping, lifting your knees slightly. As you begin to warm up, try to increase the height of your jump and lift your knees a bit further. Swing your arms to help you gain momentum. While you want your lift to be strong, try to land softly on the the balls of your feet to protect your knees, hips and ankles.
4. Continue skipping for 1 to 2 minutes. Use the functional fitness standing locomotion exercise before beginning your regular fitness routine to help warm up the muscles and get your heart working.