Before our ski season was abruptly ended by the Covid-19 pandemic, I was working with my weekly women’s lesson program skiers on engaging the core when we’re skiing. On a chairlift ride with one of my clients, she mentioned that she would like to improve her core strength, particularly for next ski season. She asked what I do, core-wise, and I mentioned to her a routine that I developed and have been doing regularly over the past two decades. It started with a stretch that an orthopedic surgeon recommended after shoulder surgery years ago, and I kept adding to it to strengthen and stretch various muscles and ligaments. I’ve shared it with many people over the years; early on, a Masters swimming teammate dubbed it “Camp Kristy” (no doubt a nod to the calisthenic nature of it!) and the name stuck.
I have done Camp Kristy all over the world—in hotel rooms, on the beach, and on the boathouse floor. With all of us staying home, sheltering in place, self-quarantining or isolating, what better time to share it?
Follow these images for Camp Kristy (clicking on the GIF enlarges the animation as well as offers further written instruction) or scroll to the bottom for text descriptions of each movement:
And if you prefer written instructions:
-Lie on back, extending arms over head to back wall, extending toes toward front wall. Increase stretch by pulling on wrist with opposite hand, change sides.
-Shoulder stretches: arms out to side at right angle, bent at elbows; first lower forearms down, then raise up and lower back (like a goalpost.)
-Ten 16-count back stretches: Lie on your back, count 1: raise right knee, foot on floor; count 2: raise left knee., both feet on floor; count 3: pull right knee to chest; count 4: pull left knee to chest; counts 5-12: squeeze quads to chest, getting into as tight a ball as possible; counts 13-16: reverse counts 1-4. Alternate starting with right leg, then left leg.
-Lie on your back, knees bent, both feet on floor. Raise right leg to the ceiling, and grasp, pulling it toward you, stretching hamstring for 10 counts. Extend ankle forward and then flex toward you, alternating for 10 counts. Do circles with foot for 5 counts clockwise, then 5 counts counter-clockwise. Repeat with left leg.
-100 Crunches: Feet on floor, heels close to your butt. Reach toward each
ankle with your fingertips, doing little pulses, without putting your head down, maintain continuous tension in core
-50 Side Crunches: Hands behind your head, put right ankle on left knee, pulse left elbow toward right knee for 50 pulses. Repeat, left ankle on right knee, pulse right elbow toward left knee.
-50 High Pulse: Extend legs toward ceiling, with ankles crossed; pulse reaching fingertips toward feet.
-50 Twists: Turn hips to one side, lift both feet, hands clasped behind head, pulse up toward ceiling, working obliques. Hold feet up off floor, if possible. Repeat, other side.
-50 Right Jog - Left Jog: Feet on ground, knees bent, reach down right side for 50, left side for 50.
-50 Crossover Pulses: right elbow to left knee, pedaling feet.
-10 Bridges: Arms extended over head, roll up onto upper back, arching your back, hold for 8 counts. Lift butt higher every time. (Extend one leg if you want to really challenge the glutes)
-25 Rope Climb Situps: Pretend there is a rope hanging from the ceiling. With knees bent and feet flat on the floor, slowly “climb” up and slide down, really slowly, 4 counts up, 4 down, working the muscles in a positive-negative direction. Try to keep your back straight.
-Gently stretch hamstrings for 30 seconds by hinging forward at the hips, with legs extended.
-25 Hip Rolls: The more extended your legs, and the greater the angle, the better. Hands out wide to the side to brace yourself, leaving your shoulder blades on the ground, roll your legs slowly from left to right, concentrating on using core muscles rather than momentum. 25 to each side.
-Spinal Twist: Roll bent knees over to right side. Put right foot over left knee. Put left arm out and turn your head to look toward the left. Hold for 30 seconds.
-Quad Stretch: Lie on right side, stretch out left quad by reaching behind your back, grabbing your left foot. Press the top of the foot into your hand.
-25 Top Leg Lifts: Stay on your right side, legs extended. Lift both feet slightly off the floor, if you can. Raise your top leg. Lead with the heel, making sure the toe is pointed inward, down toward the floor.
-25 Bottom Leg Lifts: Leave left leg in the air! Bring lower leg up to meet upper leg.
-25 Both Leg Lifts: pulse both feet up together.
-10 Lift & Press: Left foot behind right knee on the ground. Lift right leg up, press bend in, then extend), press, release.
-10 Leg Circles: Stay there, keep that foot in the air. Make 5 big circles in the air with your right leg, then switch directions and do 5 more circles, working the inner thigh.
-25 Clam Shells: lying on side with both legs bent, lift top leg up and down.
-25 Flying Situps: Hands over head, knees bent, fly up, swing hands toward ankles, flare hands out and back in, then back over your head and back down to the ground. Do these as fast as you can. For an extra challenge, hold one or both feet off the ground.
-Lift legs up and over into a shoulder stand position, hold stretch for 30 seconds, then try to lower legs and body one vertebra at a time.
-Rolling over to left side, repeat:
Spinal Twist stretch
Quad stretch
25 Top Leg Lifts
25 Bottom Leg Lifts
25 Both Leg Lifts
10 Lift & Press
10 Leg Circles
25 Clam Shells
-Roll over onto stomach, legs straight, arms extended above head. Stretch!
-Lift right hand and left leg simultaneously. Repeat 10 times, holding 4-5 counts per repetition.
-30 seconds “Swimming:” flutter kicking legs and arms.
-25 Flys: With shoulder blades pulled low, and arms out to the side, lift bent arms up.
-Cobra or Upward Facing Dog: Push up torso, arching back, look at ceiling.
-Plank: raise up on forearms or hands, hold for 60 seconds (or less—or more.)
-10 push up into Downward Dog position, hold for 5 counts; go back into plank for 5 counts.
-Push up to standing in Forward Fold (bent at waist, arms hanging down extended or crossed) for 30 seconds.
-Stretch arms out and un-fold up for a Sun Salutation.
-In standing position, rotate from the waist, letting arms swing and flop around/behind you.
-Balancing on left foot, extend right foot in front, flex and extend right ankle 10 times. Repeat 10 times with leg extended out to side, then 10 more times with leg extended behind you. Come back to side for 8 counts of extend/flex with the ankle, then to the front for 8 counts; back to the side for 6 counts, behind for 6 counts; side for 4 counts, front for 4 counts; side for 2 counts, back for 2; then sweep your extended foot in a semicircle from back to front, front to back, 10 times total.
-Repeat above sequence with left foot, balancing on right foot.
-Balance on left foot, dip down then up 25 times.
-Repeat on right foot.
-Either balancing on one foot, or standing on both feet, lift and extend both arms up overhead, 25 times.
-Either balancing on one foot, or standing on both feet, hold arms up, elbows at a 90 degree angle, out to the side (like a goalpost,) then squeeze forearms together in front of you, 25 times.
-Holding arms extended out to the sides, roll arms and shoulders forward and backwards, 25 times. Optional: raise up on toes (to work calves) with each rep.