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Side-to-side hops great for balance, cardiac fitness

This is an easy exercise that you can do on your own driveway or patio. A tennis court works well, too.

Step 1 (at left): Start by standing on one leg. Push off with a bent knee and land on your other foot, keeping the knee slightly bent. Hold your arms close by your sides and keep your abdominal muscles pulled in.

Step 2 (at right): Hop back to the other side, keeping your knees slightly bent the entire time.

Do a set of 20 hops and then walk around to let your heart rate come down. Repeat for two additional sets.

This little routine will help improve your balance and cardiovascular fitness level while strengthening your legs.

If you're on a tennis court, use one of the white boundary lines to hop over and back with precision. While on your driveway, find a crack to hop over or draw a line with some sidewalk chalk.

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