staying active helps tame holiday stress
Wow! December is here and, all of a sudden, those holiday parties seem a little too close for comfort. If you’re looking forward to the holiday season with a mix of excitement and trepidation, you’re not alone. This is a time of year that many of us suffer from fatigue and stress that can have physical and emotional effects. It also just makes it tough to party with your loved ones when all you can think of is how many hours are left until bedtime.
With 4 weeks left to the New Year, try this simple endurance workout to build your staying power, physically and mentally. You’ll feel stronger, fitter and better able to cope with the demands of a busy holiday schedule. And it only takes about 25 minutes!
Plus, with 4 weeks left to go, you’ll make some great strides toward your 2011 fitness goals before your friends and family even begin to think about getting in shape for the new year!
Get started now and revel in your progress on New Year’s Eve!
Last week, we challenged the core with new moves and targeted abdominal work. This time we’ll focus on a few basic moves to blast calories and build endurance, both physical and mental.
Week Three – Building Endurance
Warm Up
Perform 1 minute of each of the following. Repeat for a total of 4 minutes.
Jog on the Spot – just as it sounds, jog vigorously in place.
Jumping Jack – begin with hands at sides, feet together. Jump and land with feet wide, arms overhead. Return to start & repeat.
Workout
Perform 1 minute of the first exercise in each pair, followed by 1 minute of the second exercise. Repeat for a total of 3 sets of each before moving onto the next pair. Rest only when you’ve completed 3 sets of a particular pair, before moving on.
Forward Lunge – begin with feet hip-width apart, hands on hips; step forward with left foot into split/lunge position, rear heel lifted; bend knees and lower until front thigh is parallel with floor, then push back to starting position and repeat on right foot; continue alternating.
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Bridge – lay on back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart on floor; squeeze bum and lift hips off floor as high as possible; tap bum on floor & repeat.
Plank – hold 1 minute.
Finish with stretching for the full body.
Aim to complete this workout 3-4 times in your first week.
In addition, do the cardio of your choice (jogging, cycling, brisk walking, aerobics class, etc.) for a minimum of 20-30 minutes, 3-4 times per week for the best results!
Stay tuned for a brand new workout next week…
One Response to Countdown to the New Year: Endurance Workout
This sounds great, one definitely can’t get enough exercise at this time of year! Not only do you stay fit, but exercise helps to relieve some of that holiday stress :O)