It’s time for our January’s installment of LSTC’s Fall into Winter Fitness Challenge! This is our Snowed-in Winter Workout to help you melt away those cold weather calories. When it’s too icy to head to the gym, don’t let the blustery winter weather keep you from staying active. There are plenty of exercises you can do without leaving home. Believe it or not, you’ll burn more calories with an explosive plyometrics workout thank you would with expensive gym equipment. This workout can be performed indoors at home using your own body weight as resistance. That means you’ll save time AND improve your fitness level while revving up your heart rate under your own roof. Plyometrics are high intensity, explosive movements that challenge multiple muscle groups at one time while also strengthening your bones and weight bearing activity.
Before beginning any new workout routine, please get clearance from a medical professional to ensure you’re healthy enough to participate in higher-intensity movements.
Need to catch up on last month’s workout, no problem. Follow the link HERE to see what we have in store for you in December.
Otherwise, here’s your Snowed-In Winter Workout:
Warm-up
It’s important to warm-up before any workout to get your blood pumping, prepare your muscles for activity and prevent injury. Repeat the following series of warm-up exercises 3 times.
- March in place for 30 seconds
- Perform 30 jumping jacks
- Jog in place for 30 seconds
Plyometrics Move #1: Jump Squats
(A) Start with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your core tight and lower your bottom into a squat as you extend your arms with bent elbows to loosely clasp your hands together. Push through your hips and thighs, keeping your weight into your heels. (Make sure you sit back as if sitting into a chair. Not do allow your knees to extend forward over your toes. This can cause excessive stress on your knee joints).
(B) From a squat position, push through the balls of your feet and jump up into the air, allowing your arms to swing down to your sides. Land softly on the balls of your feet and absorb your landing my returning to a squat position. Repeat jump squats for 30-45 seconds.
Burpees with a Push-Up
(A) Begin in a full plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and legs extended. Keep your back straight and do not let your lower back sag. Lower yourself into a push-up, then press back up to the starting plank position.
(B) Jump both of your feet forward toward your hands, shift your weight forward and jump up into the air. Land softly on the balls of your feet, jump your feet back and return to the plank position. Repeat burpees for 30-45 seconds.
Lunge Hops
(A) Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Step back with your right foot and lower yourself down into a reverse lunge, keeping both feet pointed forward.
(B) In one movement, rise up and bring your feet together, then jump up into the air and lift your right knee to hip level.
(C) Land lightly on your left foot and step your right foot back into a reverse lunge. Repeat for 30-45 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
Plank Jacks
(A) Start in a full plank position.
(B) Keep your core tight and abdominals engaged with your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your body aligned straight from your shoulders to your toes. Jump your feet out wide and back together (like a jumping jack), landing softly on your toes. Repeat for 30-45 seconds.
Speedskaters
(A) Begin with your feet hip width apart. Bend your elbows and bring your palms together in front of your chest. Jump toward your right and land softly on your right leg, crossing your left leg behind you, lowering yourself into a single-leg squat.
(B) Push off the balls of your right foot and jump to your left, landing softly on your left foot. Cross your right leg behind you and lower yourself into a single-leg squat. Repeat for 30-45 seconds, switching back and forth from your right foot to your left and vice versa.
Mountain Climbers
(A) Begin in a full plank position. Keep your abdominals engaged and your body aligned straight from your shoulders to your toes. Keeping your back straight, bend your right knee and pull it in toward your chest.
(B) Quickly return your right leg back to the starting position and alternate with your right knee. Continue alternating knees as quickly as possibly while maintaining a steady breathing pattern and holding the full plank position with your upper body. (i.e., Do not let your back round during this exercise. Keep your abdominals engaged throughout this exercise with your shoulders aligned over your hands. Keep your head and neck in a neutral position to eliminate undue stress). Repeat for 30-45 seconds.
For a truly challenging workout, perform five rounds of the above exercises and melt away those extra inches around your waistline as the snow accumulates outside. When performed correctly, this plyometrics workout will burn between 500-700 calories in 30-45 minutes. Don’t forget to stretch afterwards and stay hydrated to avoid post-workout muscle soreness and cramping.
If you have any questions, call LSTC at 703-450-4300 and speak with one of our clinicians about this workout and how it can help you keep your fitness goals in check this holiday season.
