F.E.A.T. Fitness: Summer Workout Series

Tip of the Week: Run, jog, walk, or bike to pickup take-out food or groceries whenever possible. We sit down throughout much of any given day, whether at work, home, or driving, so every little bit of extra movement really counts. That food will seem even more desirable after you’ve returned!

Running outside on actual terrain has its benefits over running on a treadmill or track. You’ll move faster without consciously making the decision to work harder. The course you choose will have different inclines giving you the challenge of elevation and a welcome running break on the descending parts. Not to mention you’ll be running in fresh air rather than the staler indoor recycled air. The overarching benefit is that you will burn more calories and get a better workout given the same time or distance ran on a treadmill. While it may have been the case in the past that it was easier to monitor biometrics and fitness goals when running on a treadmill, there is plenty of technology these days that can help you keep track of your fitness goals anywhere and at all times. There are many fitness bands, watches, and mobile phone apps that work together in a sort of ecosystem that give you the best individual (not generalized) fitness statistics and training information.

This Week’s Workouts:

Day 1

• Warm up with half-mile run on either treadmill or flat track
• Do some dynamic stretches
• Find a route around the neighborhood or go to to a trail and complete an approximately 2.5 mile run
• 2 sets of 1 minute 6 inch leg raise (lying flat on your back)
• 2 sets of 1 minute side planks (each side)

Day 2

• 35 minutes stationary bike
• 35 minutes elliptical or stair stepper
• 4 set of 40 crunches
• 4 sets of 25 – 30 push-ups (or modified push-ups)
• 3 sets of 30 side crunches (each side)

Day 3

• Warm up with 2 miles on the stationary bike
• 2 mile run on either treadmill or flat track (that’s 4 laps for an outdoor and 8 laps for a smaller indoor)
• 2 sets of 30 bicycle kicks (elbow to knee; each side)
• 3  sets of 15 Supermans (Lying on your belly, levitate your arms and legs above the ground, then raise both arms and legs at the same time for one repetition. Don’t let your limbs touch the ground until you are done with the exercise set. You should look like Superman flying while trying to arch his back every second.)

Day 4

• 40 minutes stationary bike minutes stationary bike
• 40 minutes elliptical or stair stepper
• 3 sets of 30 full sit-ups
• 4 sets of 25-30 push-ups (or modified push-ups)
• 2 sets of 75 second planks
• 3 sets of 15 hip thrusts

Sun’s out guns out goals for the week:

• 350 push-ups by the end of the week
• 60 pull-ups by the end of the week
• 75 dips by the end of the week
• 150 weightless squats by the end of the week
• 350 sit-ups by the end of the week