- At the Office Are you chained to your desk for most of the day? Maybe it's not just a desk but also the perfect equipment for incline pushups! Incline pushups work your chest muscles as well as triceps and biceps, not to mention your core. Need a cue to take your pushup break? Try getting in the habit of doing a quick set every time you come back to your desk. Between grabbing your coffee, getting lunch, using the bathroom, refilling your water, or walking to the copy machine/printer, you'll have done at least five sets by the end of the day. At 20 pushups per set, that's an easy 100!
- At the Playground Taking the kids to the park doesn't necessarily mean keeping an eye on them from the bench. Get up and push your kids on the swings. Once you get them into a good back-and-forth rhythm, grab hold of the nearest available swing and do some suspension squats. Hop on the monkey bars with them. If you can, throw in a few chin ups while you make your way across. After all, it is called a jungle gym!
- Sitting in Traffic Oh traffic. It's just a fact of life. Instead of being tempted to (unsafely) multitask on your phone, give your commute a little more purpose by working your booty. That's right; you're already sitting on it, so might as well use your body weight in your favor. Simply squeeze your glutes and you'll feel your whole upper body lift up. Hold for 3 seconds, release, then repeat. It's that simple. Feeling particularly coordinated? Try squeezing just one side at a time. Make it a little more fun with a good soundtrack and squeeze to the beat! Singing along is optional.
- Running Errands If you're out running errands, we bet at least one - if not all - of them involve standing in line. Whether at a register, pick up window, post office, DMV or coffee shop (wishful thinking), at least standing in line uses more muscles than lounging. While you could do squats, lunges or jumping jacks, we actually prefer the simple, understated calf raise. While standing and waiting, just shift your weight forward to the balls of your feet and then up onto your tippy toes. Then release back down so that your feet are flat again. It won't be long before you feel your calves burning. Kick it up with even more balance (core work) and try one-legged calf raises.
- Home in Front of the TV Hey, ya gotta slow down and unwind sometime. We totally get that. And you need to listen to your body and give yourself that break when you need it. If that break also comes with commercial breaks, maybe you can work some coffee table tricep dips into your relaxation routine. No? Just need to sit? Then try sitting on the floor. Sitting cross legged on the floor, focusing on your posture (straight spine, shoulders back) strengthens your core and lower back while also increasing (over time) your hip flexibility. YES - we just gave you a way to up your fitness game by simply SITTING! There you go. No more excuses.
5 Tips For Easy Fitness Anywhere
April 06, 17
If you hear the word "fitness" and immediately think, "There's no way I'm fittin'is into my busy schedule," then we feel you. Fitness doesn't have to mean hours at the gym, in pilates classes, running or hiking for miles. During those busy days (or weeks or months!) the trick is working bits of exercise into your packed schedule, even without fancy exercise equipment or attire. Try these 5 Tips For Easy Fitness Anywhere!
