STRONG IDEA: Improvise Your Exercise
By Emily Stapleton on September 16, 2013 from Strong Ideas
I lead an early morning, outdoor workout three days per week…most weeks. I also, with the help of many other parents, head up a weekly kids running club. Neither of these workouts have a rain plan. On rare occasions, I have to cancel. Today is one of those occasions for the early morning workout, last week was one of those occasions for the running club. So the question is, what do you do when your planned workout gets rained out, or you sleep through your alarm, or a sick kid or traveling spouse keeps you at home, or life just gets in the way? The wrong answer? You skip your workout.
The right answer? You improvise. On dictionary.com, improvise has several definitions. My favorite: tomake,provide,orarrange fromwhatever materials are readily available. A few synonyms for improvise: throw together, concoct, make-up, wing it.
So if you can’t leave the house or if you have to exercise at a time when your regular group doesn’t meet…just wing it. A few things to remember:
- Some exercise is always better than none. Ten minutes of activity will boost your mood and your metabolism.
- You can get your sweat on in a 4 foot square inside your house.
- Kids (and spouses, and co-workers) can and should exercise with you.
Below are some of my favorite wing it workouts that you can do anywhere. Feel free to use them and share them.
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Strength and Stretch
This is one of those simple workouts you can do in a 4 foot square and can even do with kids under foot (I do). The whole thing should take about 30 minutes. If you have more or less time, just improvise.
Warm-up by performing the following for 30 seconds each:
- Jog in place
- Scissors
- High knees
- Kick in the butt
- Jumping Jacks
- **Repeat the series**
Perform the following strength exercises for 1 minute each:
- Squats
- Alternating Lunges
- Slow Burpees (focus on form, rather than speed)
- Plank (high or low)
- Side planks (30 sec. on right side, 30 sec. on left)
- Push-ups (modify and take breaks as needed)
- Tricep Dips
- **Repeat the series**
Perform the following stretches holding each for 3 deep breaths:
- Open arms
- Side stretch (each side)
- Flat back
- Middle stretch
- Walk body to right for deep hamstring stretch
- Walk body to left for deep hamstring stretch
- Right side runners stretch
- Reach right arm up
- Reach left arm up
- Repeat runners stretch on left side
- Calf stretch on each side
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Tabata
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is all the rage these days and we do a lot of it at STRONG. Tabata is a simple, yet challenging format that is designed to be extremely efficient…in other words, you get it done fast.
Perform one or more the following exercises in a tabata. A tabata is 4 minutes of alternating 20 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest. There are several free tabata timing apps on both iphone and android, or you can use a stopwatch.
- Burpees
- Push-ups
- Mountain Climbers
- Planks
- Squats
- High Jumps
- Lunges
- Come up with your own…wing it
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Express Workout
This one is perfect for that extremely busy day when you think you have no time for exercise. It only takes 10 minutes, but will make a huge difference in your day.
- 3 minutes of cardio (ex. Running in place, running steps, high knees, mtn. climbers) – make this intense
- 2 minute wall sit
- 1 minute plank (high or low)
- 10 push-ups
- Stretch (wide open arms, contract and relax the back, middle hamstring stretch, right side and left side hamstring stretch)
- Take 3 deep breaths
There you have it, three ways to improvise when your exercise plan gets derailed. The possibilities are endless. Just get your body moving some everyday. Oh, and what about those kids that missed running club? That one’s easy. Just give them the opportunity to move. How about a dance party or a running race up and down the hall or some jumping jacks? Once the rain clears, get them outside to run, ride, or play. Street hockey anyone?
Until Next Week,
Emily Stapleton
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