A modification is an easier or more advanced version of an exercise. Modifications can be used in a workout routine or used in warm-ups. Using modifications can help individuals progress into more advanced exercises or give the muscle the right amount of intensity to warm up and prepare the individual for a workout.

I have a client called Annabel who is fit and in her early 20’s. I’ve had women in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s asking for adjustments from advanced exercises to cater to women who are either not super fit or aren’t confident in exercises. The workout I had for Annabel was:

Squat jumps x 20 reps

Bicycle crunches x 20 reps

Side Lunges x 15 reps each side

Leg raises x 20 reps

Prisoner squats x 20 reps

Mountain climbers x 20

Bridges x 20

Now the key to modifications is to emulate the direction of the movement and then to take out the intensities from the joints, ligaments and structures of the spine and knees.

Hips, shoulders, bones, joints, wrists, etc

So squat jumps could be replaced by squatting from a chair to a high chair, and then progress to a regular squat and finally into a squat jump.

A bicycle crunch could be modified by laying flat on you back, having your arms still behind your head however all you would do it lift the opposite arm to the knee, going flat on your back again and then do the same on the opposite side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STljeDxEPQU

Side lunges would still be side lunges you would just narrow the steps and therefore not go into as wide a stretch or as low of a stretch.

Prisoner squats are quite simple you would do them exactly as shown but perhaps not as deeply.

Bridges would be replaced with hip thrusts which would simply demand you lie down with a flat back, push your bottom into the ground and then lift your bottom off of the ground as high as you possibly could without pain.