CK CHRISMANSTRENGTH & MOBILITY
Free / Four-week foundation program

Stronger from
the ground up.

Build core strength, hip and ankle control, and comfortable mobility with a routine you can repeat.

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Core endurance + controlSupported hip + ankle stabilityComfortable mobility
Start where you are

Your first step is a manageable one.

Generally healthy adults, including adults 40+, who can exercise independently. Use the standing or seated alternatives if floor work is unsuitable.

What you need

A stable counter, a sturdy chair, a mat or carpet, and an optional light dumbbell or securely closed small bag. No bands required.

About 15-20 minutes in week 1; 25-30 minutes thereafter. Take longer breaks whenever you need them.

How to use it

Train on three nonconsecutive days, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Start each session with one warm-up round, then complete the selected main session in order. Each listed dose is per round; / side means do both sides.

Keep effort around 3–5 out of 10. You should be able to breathe throughout each exercise.

Read before exercising
  • Choose a clear, non-slip space. Use a fixed counter for support; a rolling or folding chair is not suitable. Wear secure footwear for standing work.
  • If you have a recent injury or operation, unexplained pain, significant balance problems, or a condition that limits exercise, get guidance from your clinician before using this general program. It is not injury rehabilitation or a fall-risk assessment.
  • Mild muscle effort is expected. Stop an exercise for sharp pain, joint pinching, radiating symptoms, numbness, dizziness or unusual breathlessness. Seek urgent help for chest pain, fainting or sudden weakness.
  • Keep effort around 3-5 out of 10: controlled work while breathing normally. Stop each set before technique deteriorates. Use less range, fewer reps or the easier version when needed.
  • Progress only when the current level is comfortable and symptoms have not worsened later that day or by the next day. If not, repeat the prior week or reduce the dose. Persistent symptoms need individual assessment.

This is general fitness education, not individualized treatment. It complements other appropriate activity rather than replacing a complete fitness program.

Your training plan

One week at a time.

Choose your week, then follow the session scheduled for your day. Repeating a week is always an option.

Week 1

Learn the positions

Use one round of each main session. Choose the easier versions freely. Learn a calm breathing rhythm and steady movement.

A → B → A

Three nonconsecutive days
1 main round per session

Start with one warm-up round

Keep movements small and comfortable. Warm-up dose stays the same all four weeks.

01
Warm-up

Supported breathing

4 relaxed breaths
  1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Use a small head cushion if needed. Rest hands around your lower ribs.
  2. Inhale gently through your nose. Exhale comfortably through your mouth and let the ribs settle. Keep the jaw and shoulders relaxed.
  3. Keep your natural back position; do not force your spine flat. Resume ordinary breathing between breaths if needed.
Make it easier

Sit upright in a supported chair and use the same easy breathing.

Avoid: Forceful exhales, breath-holding or trying to force a posture correction. Stop if lightheaded.

02
Warm-up

Supported ankle rock

6 slow reps / side
  1. Face a wall with both hands supported. Place one foot forward, close enough to the wall for a comfortable movement.
  2. Keep that heel down and gently move the front knee forward in line with the middle toes. Return slowly.
  3. Use a small, comfortable range; the foot stays grounded. Repeat on the other side.
Make it easier

Sit in a chair and gently move the knee forward over the foot while keeping the heel down.

Avoid: Forcing through front-of-ankle pinching, bouncing, or lifting the heel to reach farther.

03
Warm-up

Supported hip hinge

6 slow reps
  1. Stand facing a sturdy counter with feet about hip-width apart and hands supported. Soften the knees.
  2. Move your hips backward as the torso inclines from the hips. Keep your back in a comfortable, steady position.
  3. Return to standing by bringing the hips forward. Start with a short range.
Make it easier

Stand closer to the counter and make the movement smaller.

Avoid: Rounding deeply, throwing the head back, or forcing a hamstring stretch.

Then your main session

Choose A or B

Core + hip foundation

Rest 20-40 seconds between exercises and 60-90 seconds between rounds. Take longer if needed. For repeated holds, relax about 5 seconds between holds. Do both sides wherever “/ side” is listed.

01
Core

Modified curl-up

4 holds x 5 sec
  1. Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other leg straight. Support the natural low-back curve with your hands.
  2. Gently firm the abdomen. Lift the head and upper shoulders a small amount as one unit without tucking the chin or flattening the low back.
  3. Keep breathing during the short hold, then lower fully and relax for about 5 seconds. Switch the bent leg halfway through the holds.
Make it easier

Keep head and shoulders down; practice a gentle abdominal brace while breathing for the same short holds.

Avoid: Neck strain, pulling the head forward, a sit-up motion, or bearing down.

Dose shown is per round. Complete 1 round of the main session when ready.

02
Core

Knee-supported side plank

3 holds x 5 sec / side
  1. Lie on your side with knees bent and elbow under shoulder. Pad the knees and forearm if needed.
  2. Lift the hips a little, supporting yourself on the forearm and bent knees. Keep shoulders and hips facing the same direction.
  3. Breathe throughout each hold. Lower fully for about 5 seconds between holds, then change sides.
Make it easier

Standing side-wall press: place a bent forearm on the wall, feet close to the wall, and lean very slightly into it while keeping the body straight.

Avoid: Shoulder pain, twisting, sagging, or holding your breath. A floor side plank is optional, not a requirement.

Dose shown is per round. Complete 1 round of the main session when ready.

03
Core

Bird dog

4 reps x 5 sec / side
  1. Start on hands and knees with hands below shoulders and knees below hips. Gently brace while breathing.
  2. Slide one leg back; if steady, lift it only to about hip height and reach the opposite arm forward. Keep the pelvis level.
  3. Hold briefly, return slowly and alternate sides. Reset fully between repetitions.
Make it easier

Move one limb at a time, or stand with hands on a counter and slide one foot back without arching.

Avoid: Reaching so high that the back arches, twisting the hips, or pressing through wrist pain.

Dose shown is per round. Complete 1 round of the main session when ready.

04
Hip strength

Glute bridge

8 reps
  1. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat and arms resting beside you.
  2. Press through both feet and lift the hips until the trunk and thighs are comfortably aligned. Keep ribs from flaring.
  3. Pause for 1 second, then lower slowly. Stop the lift before the back begins to arch.
Make it easier

Use a smaller lift. If floor access is difficult, use the supported hip hinge for 8 slow repetitions instead.

Avoid: Pushing through back pain or hamstring cramping. Reset foot position or use the easier option.

Dose shown is per round. Complete 1 round of the main session when ready.

05
Ankle strength

Supported heel raise

8 reps
  1. Stand with both hands on a stable counter, feet hip-width apart and knees comfortably straight, not locked.
  2. Rise onto the balls of both feet for about 2 seconds, keeping pressure through the bases of the big and little toes.
  3. Lower the heels for about 2 seconds. Use a range you control without rolling outward.
Make it easier

Sit in a chair and raise both heels while the balls of the feet stay on the floor.

Avoid: Bouncing, rolling the ankles outward or pushing through Achilles or foot pain.

Dose shown is per round. Complete 1 round of the main session when ready.

06
Hip + ankle stability

Supported single-leg balance

2 holds x 10 sec / side
  1. Stand next to a sturdy counter with a hand on it and eyes open. Find contact through the heel and bases of the big and little toes.
  2. Shift weight to one leg. Lift the other foot slightly only if steady; keep the standing knee soft.
  3. Keep the pelvis level and breathe. Put the foot down between holds and repeat both sides.
Make it easier

Leave the other toes lightly on the floor as a kickstand. Keep firm hand support.

Avoid: Closing the eyes, standing on unstable cushions or letting go of support to chase a longer time.

Dose shown is per round. Complete 1 round of the main session when ready.

Optional mobility finish + easy-day routine

After a main session, optionally add one set of the supported split-stance hip stretch and the seated cushion squeeze. These are not required and do not replace the main exercises.

01
Optional mobility

Supported split-stance hip stretch

15 sec / side
  1. Stand facing a counter with both hands supported and one foot a short step behind the other. Keep both feet stable.
  2. Gently tighten the back-leg buttock and move the pelvis slightly forward without arching the low back.
  3. Feel only a mild stretch near the front of the back hip. Breathe, release, and change sides.
Make it easier

Use a shorter stance or skip it if there is pinching or difficulty balancing.

Avoid: Deep lunging, forcing the pelvis forward, or stretching through joint pain.

02
Optional hip control

Seated cushion squeeze

3 holds x 5 sec
  1. Sit tall in a stable chair with feet flat. Place a small cushion or rolled towel between your knees.
  2. Gently squeeze the cushion without holding your breath or moving your trunk.
  3. Relax fully between short holds. Use light effort, not a maximal squeeze.
Make it easier

Use less pressure or omit if it produces groin discomfort.

Avoid: A hard maximal squeeze or pain. Use this beginner option before considering demanding Copenhagen variations with a coach.

On your non-training days

Optional easy-day practice: one warm-up round, then one 10-second supported balance hold per side. About 5 minutes. Keep it easy or take a full rest day; do not repeat the full strength session daily.

Consistency counts

Your 12-session tracker.

Mark completed sessions. This tracker saves only checkmarks in this browser on this device; it does not send your progress to CK. Clearing browser data removes them.

0 of 12 sessions marked complete

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4

No perfect streak required. If recovery or symptoms change, reduce the dose or repeat the prior week.

Notice your own progress

Control before difficulty.

At the start and after week four, note your comfortable ankle-rock range, hand support needed for a 10-second balance hold, and which core options you can perform with steady breathing. Use the same setup each time. These are personal observations, not diagnostic tests or pass/fail standards.

Continue at a comfortable level or get individual guidance. You do not have to make an exercise harder simply because four weeks have passed.

Keep the foundation free

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Explore the High Protein Meal Prep guide: 20 kitchen-tested recipes, four weekly rotations, shopping lists and estimated nutrition including fiber.

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Educational influences

Thoughtful principles. An original plan.

An original Train With CK educational program assembled with AI assistance. The educators above are learning influences, not authors, collaborators or endorsers. This is not a reproduction of their branded programs. Exercise selections, doses and progression are specific to this guide; they have not been clinically validated as a combined protocol.

Additional references and program notes

These sources support general exercise principles; none has reviewed or approved this exact program. Version 1.0 · October 30, 2026. Free for personal use; share the program link rather than reselling or rebranding it.