Used with permission by Leigh Kaiser
Summer
is a great time of year to be active with your family and friends.
There are lots of ways to get your heart rate up, burn calories AND have
fun at the same time. Yes- you can have FUN while being active! Leisure
activities are fun for all ages and help bring people together. Instead
of playing video games, napping, or watching TV, why not go for a hike,
paddle a kayak, play badminton, toss a Frisbee, peddle a bike, dive for
toys in the pool, or walk around the neighborhood? You'll be able to
talk with the people who are with you, laugh, enjoy the outdoors, and
create memories.
Leisure activities are a great way to bring your family together, but you should also consider adding 2-3 days of a focused, intentional workouts into your weekly routine. What do I mean by focused and intentional? I mean to set out with purpose to raise your heart rate and keep it up for a sustained amount of time, and also use your entire body to build muscle and stamina which will increase your joint-strength (ankles, knees, and hips), your muscle mass, decrease your body fat, and build heart and lung endurance. You can do this by going for a walk or jog through a hilly neighborhood, lifting weights, doing core work, or combining all of these things in an interval workout.
Interval workouts are typically short - yet intense - so you get a lot of bang for your buck. You don't have to work out very long (anywhere between 10-45 minutes) to get in a great workout with interval training.. It's also proven to be one of the best ways to increase muscle mass, decrease fat, improve heart rate, and give overall body wellness.
An example of interval training is this:
Do 1 min of each of the following (Within the minute, do as many quality movements as you can. Don't get sloppy! As you get tired, slow down (don't quit) and keep the quality of your moves as a priority):
Leisure activities are a great way to bring your family together, but you should also consider adding 2-3 days of a focused, intentional workouts into your weekly routine. What do I mean by focused and intentional? I mean to set out with purpose to raise your heart rate and keep it up for a sustained amount of time, and also use your entire body to build muscle and stamina which will increase your joint-strength (ankles, knees, and hips), your muscle mass, decrease your body fat, and build heart and lung endurance. You can do this by going for a walk or jog through a hilly neighborhood, lifting weights, doing core work, or combining all of these things in an interval workout.
Interval workouts are typically short - yet intense - so you get a lot of bang for your buck. You don't have to work out very long (anywhere between 10-45 minutes) to get in a great workout with interval training.. It's also proven to be one of the best ways to increase muscle mass, decrease fat, improve heart rate, and give overall body wellness.
An example of interval training is this:
Do 1 min of each of the following (Within the minute, do as many quality movements as you can. Don't get sloppy! As you get tired, slow down (don't quit) and keep the quality of your moves as a priority):
- Squats or Jump Squats
- Push-Ups
- Lunges or Jumping Lunges
- Jumping Jax
- Hold Plank
Repeat this series 3 times for a 15 minute workout or 4 times for a 20 minute workout. Within
this workout, you've taken care of lower body, upper body, core, and
cardio. Like I said, a lotta bang for your buck! It's supposed to be
difficult, so by round #3 you'll probably be pretty tired. That's a good
thing! Remember: If we're not challenged, we're not changing. To make a
workout worth the time, it needs to challenge your muscles, heart, and
strength
My last challenge to you is to set a few simple goals that you will gladly work towards this summer. You can set them as a family and/or an individual. Here are some ideas:
My last challenge to you is to set a few simple goals that you will gladly work towards this summer. You can set them as a family and/or an individual. Here are some ideas:
- Plan 5 Group Leisure Activities a month (as a family)
- Do 2 days of Interval Training a week (grab a buddy)
- Walk/Jog 2-3 days/week (explore different neighborhoods each time)
- Eat leafy greens every day (spinach, broccoli, kale, etc.)
- Pray and give thanks and praise to God before, during and after each workout/activity. (This helps remind me Who gives us the strength to move, why we should desire to be healthy, and reminds me that health is a gift from the Lord.)
If you're interested in learning more about health and wellness or interval workouts, please see: Teamconquerit.weebly.com. Contact me with questions, comments, or general inquiries. Have a wonderful, active summer!
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