Day 11: Blow Up a Balloon To Boost Your Strength

Nearly every aspect of modern life—from society’s right-handed ergonomics to the amount of time we all spend sitting—conspires to throw-off your body’s alignment, robbing you of strength and power, and increasing your risk of injuries. But you can hit the reset button in as little as five minutes a day by grabbing a balloon and doing the following exercise (called the 90/90 Hip Lift) from Ron Hruska at the Postural Restoration Institute.

Directions: Lie face up with your feet flat against a wall and your knees and hips bent 90 degrees. Place a 4- to 6-inch ball between your knees and extend your right arm above your head; hold a deflated balloon in your left hand by your side. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, tilting your pelvis up so that your tail- bone rises off the floor (your lower back should remain on the ground). Hold that pelvic position as you raise your right arm toward the ceiling. Put the balloon to your mouth with your left hand. Inhale through your nose, and then exhale into the balloon as you reach toward the ceiling with your right arm. Hold for three seconds (don’t let the air out of the balloon). Repeat the process two more times, then return to the starting position. That’s 1 round. Do 5 rounds up to three times a day.

For more 31 Days of Fitness tips, check here for a new one every day in December.