Exercise Articles

Fitness for All Awesome Abs: August Fitness Challenge

It’s August and although swimsuit season is almost over, there is still time to work on those abs with this great monthly fitness challenge.

It’s AWESOME ABS AUGUST! Happy crunches! 

Day 1: 30 crunches

Day 2: 75 crunches

Day 3: 120 crunches

Day 4: 50 crunches

Day 5: REST

Day 6: 100 crunches

Day 7: 50 crunches

Day 8: 45 crunches

Day 9: 60 crunches

Day 10: REST

Day 11: 60 crunches

Day 12: 95 crunches

Day 13: 45 crunches

Day 14: 70 crunches

Day 15: REST

Day 16: 125 crunches

Day 17: 40 crunches

Day 18: 100 crunches

Day 19: 75 crunches

Day 20: REST

Day 21: 90 crunches

Day 22:75 crunches

Day 23: 80 crunches

Day 24: 100 crunches

Day 25: REST

Day 26:80 crunches

Day 27: 50 crunches

Day 28: 130 crunches

Day 29: REST

Day 30: 95 crunches

Day 31: 150 crunches

Fitness for All Firecracker Frenzy: Fourth of July Fitness Challenge

The Fourth of July brings food, picnics, swimming, fireworks and so much more.

Why not kick off this Fourth of July with a bang and not just end it with one?

This month we offer you this “Firecracker Frenzy: Fourth of July Workout Challenge”.

Start off with these warm-ups:

*30-second march in place

*20 glute kicks

*20 squats

*20 jumping jacks

*30-second march in place

And the workout:

 *25 jumping jacks

*20 side lunges

*25 jump squats

*15 push-ups

*10 burpees

*20 crunches

*20 sit-ups

*30-seconds to 1 minute plank

Repeat full circuit one time.

Cool Down:

*30-second march in place

*Stretch

Have fun and Happy Fourth of July Everyone!

Healthy Living: It’s Swimming Season!

With the warm weather comes the opening of public pools and home pools and people break out the bathing suit for another season of swimming. For many people, swimming is a good way to wind down after a long day.  But others are using swimming as another means of exercise, and they are finding that exercise in the spring and summertime can be fun!

Swimming is an excellent way to lose weight and strength train all the while enjoying the beautiful outdoors. 

Exercise experts recommend swimming as a form of exercise because of the great cardiovascular workout you get from swimming.  It is considered a great aerobic exercise because it is an action that maintains an elevated heartbeat for a minimum of 20 minutes. 

You can simply add swimming to your pre-existing aerobic workout to help switch things up and keep your workouts fresh.  Alternate days that you decide to use swimming as your cardio for that day, so you don’t get bored with any one workout.

Like any exercise, you should also start any swimming workout routine by stretching first. You may not realize the affect swimming has on your entire body until it is too late, so be sure to stretch appropriately before you begin. Then start off slow by swimming strides and gradually increasing your speed in the pool.  This will help to elevate your heart rate at a safe pace and help you to last longer during your workout.

Swimming, and using swimming as your key workout, is more about endurance than quickness.  Experts suggest starting out swimming laps for approximately 20 minutes for women and 30 minutes for men.  You can begin to increase your time as necessary and as you continue your workout over the course of weeks or months. 

Again, this will prevent you from getting too tired, too sore, wore out or disappointed in your swimming workout. Try out different strokes when you are swimming, too.  Do some laps using the breaststroke, then switch up and do the backstroke, or even the doggy paddle.  Each swimming stroke using a different variety of muscles and therefore will give you the best overall workout.

Fitness for All Jump Rope Into June: 30-Day Challenge

Get jumping into June with this 30-day Jump Rope Challenge.

Each “rep” would be one jump over the rope or revolution.

Day 1: 50 reps

Day 2: 150 reps

Day 3: 90 reps

Day 4: 150 reps

Day 5: 125 reps

Day 6: REST

Day 7: REST

Day 8: 165 reps

Day 9: 150 reps

Day 10: 200 reps

Day 11: 150 reps

Day 12: 235 reps

Day 13: REST

Day 14: REST

Day 15: 225 reps

Day 16: 150 reps

Day 17: 310 reps

Day 18: 150 reps

Day 19: 350 reps

Day 20: REST

Day 21: REST

Day 22: 385 reps

Day 23: 150 reps

Day 24: 425 reps

Day 25: 150 reps

Day 26: 465 reps

Day 27: REST

Day 28: REST

Day 29: 500 reps

Day 30: 150 reps