RK Tip of the Week|Gobble gobble your workout!

Thanksgiving is one of the most fun days to workout, in my opinion. Even if you have 30 people arriving that afternoon, and have been up since 5 basting the bird…there is just something awesome about slipping away for 30 mins or an hour to a workout. And my favorite workouts on Thanksgiving are  done either outdoors or alone, away from the madness of crowds i.e. away from the gym that has every member since they opened in for their Pre-Meal workout.

So here’s a workout for those of you not getting out to shuffle your stuffing in a 5K & for everyone who would rather avoid the ridiculousness that will be your gym’s parking lot. You can do this workout at home, with minimal equipment…if others are around, tell them you’re unreachable for the next bit of time, and if they want to see the light of Thanksgiving meal, they will give you your peace until that you finish said workout. Or, if it’s family members you know won’t laugh at you, but would actually sweat it out with you, invite them to join you for your workout!

One last thing about family before we get to the workout; you may be sitting around talking to family today. If you’ve been following my blog or just the Tip of the Week, and you’ve been helped by something I’ve taught you, please share my site as a resource for any family who is struggling with, or working toward, better fitness, health, & wellness. I appreciate all of you who’ve done that already, and would simply encourage those of you sitting across from a cousin or uncle or parent who is moving away from or sitting static on the road to optimal wellness, that you bring up the topic with them…in fact, you can remain totally neutral by bringing up how you go to this site to get health & fitness news & tips & they should check it out too. Then you can leave the “alright-sister-let’s-have-a-talk-about-that-2nd-piece-of-pie-&-you’re-optimal-wellness” conversation to me! You never know whose life will be changed or saved by a conversation you have with them & a direction you point them in. Today is someone’s lucky day!

Now! Onto the workout! Happy Thanksgiving, many blessings to you all. I count you in my blessings, thank you!

- Warm up: If you want to add weight anymore, go for it! Do your best to keep going the whole time!

- Standing knee to chest pull: 60 sec (lift one knee to chest pulling with arms around knee)

- Jog in place: 60 sec

- Standing straight leg toe touch: 60 sec (kick leg straight out, knee straight!, touch toe)

- Jog in place: 60 sec

- Forward lunges: 60 sec

- Plank hold: 60 sec

- Workout: All time is 45 sec unless noted otherwise!

- Pushups

- V-Ups

- Squats w/ hands straight in front of body

- 1 Leg Balance Reach (stand on 1 leg, bend @ waist, reach arms forward, and leg back, return to standing w/o putting leg down) Do 45 sec on L & 45 sec on R.

- Jump Rope

- Repeat this series than rest 90 sec or less if you feel recovered quicker.

- Cobras (lay face down, keep feet on ground, raise upper body, arms, & hands off ground turning thumbs up & out away from body)

- Plank Climbers (either on toes or knees; start in plank form, put 1 hand on floor under shoulder, push up on that arm & take other hand to ground- you should look like you’re doing a pushup now- place 1 elbow back on ground, then other- you should be in plank form again; keep repeating, leading with both arms, keeping hips steady throughout)

- Reverse Lunge w/ arms straight out at sides (step back & down into a lunge, as if you’re genuflecting); beginner = alt. legs for time, int./adv = all 1 leg, then all other leg 45 sec each

- Straight Arm Plank, Knee to Elbow (pushup position, bring one knee in to touch that sides’ elbow, repeat on other side, alternating)

- Jumping Jacks

- Repeat this series than rest 90 sec

- Cardio Blast finisher: all done for 60 sec: - jog in place, -side to side shuffles, -jog in place,                    -burpees/squat thrusts or power jacks (if you don’t know how to do a burpee/squat thrust, now is not the time to start- power jacks: same as a jumping jack but arms go from chest straight up to ceiling then back to chest)