Fitness Friday
Happy Friday all!
First off, before we jump into your workout of the week, I want to point out to everyone that it is already APRIL!
Where did the winter go? Actually, I really don't care because I hate winter. Now it's spring, which means more sunshine (sometimes...) and lots of wind. And yes, while I despise wind, I'll take wind if it means the sunshine comes along with it! This week, I was able to take a walk outside Sunday and Monday and soak up every once of Vitamin D that I could. Love it!
Alright, now onto your workout of the week.
Workout of the Week
This week, it's all about grinding it out - this one will be tough! Start with a quick warm-up walk or light jog before getting started.
Here's the details: Run .75 miles (or honestly, jog, because who "runs" three quarters of a mile?? Not me...), then complete 10 reps each of the following exercises: burpees, jump squats, and lunges.
Then, get right back to it with a .5 mile run. When you finished your half mile, complete 20 reps of the three exercises.
Finally, finish the workout off with .25 miles, and 30 reps of each exercise.
How fast can you complete it?!
P.S. You can substitute any form of cardio that you like for the running, because I know we all aren't huge fans of running (especially me!). Have fun!
A Peek Inside My Home Gym
For my second topic today, I wanted to let you take a peek inside of my home gym. Over the years, I've collected a few pieces of equipment to help make home workouts more effective.
For starters, I have two sets of dumbbell weights, 8 lbs and 12 lbs. I would love to have more, like a set of 15lbs or 20 lbs, but having a basic medium weight is a great place to start. Both of mine are from Target, but you can also get them online or at Walmart. I always watch for specials or sales before buying, because they can be kind of expensive!
Second, I have a 20lb kettlebell. I love kettlebell training, as it forces you to engage your core and allows you to do a variety of unique exercises. I purchased mine on Amazon. I would recommend getting a 20-25 lb kettlebell to start.
In addition, I have a variety of resistance bands, including circular, flat bands and a longer band with handles. The flat bands are great for glute bridges, squats, lunges...anything to work that lower body! They add an extra layer of intensity, that's for sure! The longer band can be used for a ton of movements as well, like bicep curls, triceps extension, lat pull downs, etc. If you need ideas, turn to Mr. Google - he will help you out.
Next, I have a good ole jump rope that I purchased at Forever 21 (yep - like the clothing store!). It isn't fancy, but it works and is a great way to get your heartrate up!
Finally, I have an aerobic step that I got for my birthday a few years ago (honestly, I think it was my 21st birthday!). Now, please don't think that I use this for step aerobics. The horror! Instead, I use this step for one leg lunges, push-ups, box jumps, side jumps, more and more jumps...basically, it's a great tool to add another layer of dimension to your workouts.
That's it - it's all that I have, but it sure gets the job done! Notice that I don't have a piece of cardio equipment? Honestly, I never needed it - I could go for a walk or jog outside, or just use the jump rope, burpees, or jump squats for my cardio. Problem solved.
If you're interested in building your own home gym, I would start with a set of weights, resistance band, and a jump rope. These are three pieces of equipment that you can get for well under $75 total, and do so much with them!
Next week, I'll have a list of exercises you can do with these three pieces of equipment to help you get started. That'll give you something to look forward to next week :)
Have a great weekend!
xoxo Olivia