Tag: stretch

Post-Holiday Workout

by Brittany M. Edwards, posted in Workouts

I hope everyone had a blessed and wonderful holiday celebration with their loved ones. I am sure you ate great and now have a little belly action as a result. I am here to tell you that all is not lost and give you some small tips to help you get back to feeling great!

If you have not already started enjoying the weather we are having in Chicago, please go for a light 15-20 minute walk. This will get you started by warming up your muscles and allow you to fully reap the benefits of a post-holiday workout. Make sure you drink lots of water prior to and after your walk.

After you go for your walk, you are going to need to stretch out those muscles you just warmed up. Nothing too major, you can do a toe touch, hamstring and calf stretch and make sure to stretch your arms and neck as these can be the tightest areas in your body and where most people carry their stress.

From there, you should begin with setting your intention: “Today I want to workout for (choose your time frame).” Then, begin your workout. I’ve listed below some exercises you can use in your practice; however, you are more than welcome to create your own workout.

  • Jumping Jacks: 3 reps of 15
  • Squats: 3 reps of 15
  • Lunges: 3 reps of 15 on each leg
  • Arm Circles: 30 forward & 30 backward
  • Push-Ups: 10-20 (or however many you can do with proper form still intact)
  • Plank: Hold for 30 secs – 1 minute
  • Alternating Push-Up Plank: 3 reps of 15-20
  • Tricep Dip: 3 reps of 10-15
  • Hip Raise: 3 reps hold for 20 secs each
  • Sit-Ups: 3 reps of 10-15
  • Leg Spreaders: 3 reps of 15
  • Supine Bicycle: 3 reps of 20 to each side

Cycle through each exercise and rest for 30 secs – 1 minute in between reps. You can also take a rest for 15-30 secs every time the exercise switches focus to a different area of the body.

I hope you find this helpful and that you have a great new year of healthy choices in front of you. Enjoy!

The Warm-Up

by Brittany M. Edwards, posted in Fitness

Warming up is the best way to insure that you minimize injuries during workouts or sporting events. I used to run track & field in high school and college and it was the first thing we did before really getting into the thick of practice. All athletes are required by their coaches to do a warm up routine, but they aren’t the only ones. Singers do warm up exercises for their voices and musicians do warm up exercises with their instruments making sure both are finely tuned. Actors even do warm ups before they begin their scene.

Warming up is part of the fitness process but the concept is used widely. Here are a few warm ups I like that are low impact and get the blood flowing properly to the muscles:

  • 5 minute walk/jog
    • I usually walk/jog around my neighborhood, or I pick a specific destination if I’m planning to do a light workout at home later. This gets the whole body warmed up without having to add more exercises.
  • High-knees
    • Doing high-knees opens up the hips and warms up the lower half of your body. There is two ways to do high knees: 1) you pull your knee to your chest with your hands alternating legs. 2) while holding your hands straight in front of you, you raise each knee to your hands rapidly.
  • Toe touches, then touch the sky
  • Arm circles
  • Lunges