That's right! You too can strengthen your muscles and feel healthier! You don't even need to spend a penny to do so. I started this routine because I didn't feel ready for the upcoming fishing season this Spring.
"What?", you ask. "A workout for fishing?", you quizzically exclaim. Yes, I'm planning on doing a lot of hiking and kayak fishing when the weather warms up. My kayak is pedal driven which requires some strong core and leg muscles. Hiking in woods or on rip rap also requires serious core and leg strength, not to mention upper body muscles to carry all your gear.
I do the following routine first thing in the morning after I start cooking my breakfast, which is oatmeal. The workout only takes about 12 to 15 minutes with a few second break between exercises. Obviously you go at your own pace. Oh, and I'm not a trainer or medical professional so do this at your own risk. I just know what I want to do and what works for me. When you first start any workout exercise test your limits so you have a baseline of how many of each movement you can do. Increase the number of reps when you feel you can comfortable challenge yourself.
Start off by doing some stretches. Touch your toes to loosen up your legs. Swing your arms to loosen up your arms and shoulders. Sit in a butterfly to loosen your groin muscles. Make sure your body is as ready as it can be to engage in some exercise.
Jumping Jacks
Start the workout with jumping jacks. This will give you good shot of cardio while warming up your muscles, lungs and heart. Concentrate on your form and breathing. Hands should go above your head and back to your sides. Feet can go a little wider than shoulder width apart and back together at the end. I like to do between 100 and 140 to really wake up and push myself.
Push Ups
Pushups work your shoulder, tricep and chest muscles. Again, concentrate on your form and breathing. With my chest facing the floor I like my hands to be directly below my shoulders, back and legs straight and feet together. On the downward movement keep your elbows close to your body. I try to do between 20 and 30 in one shot.
Crunches
Crunches work on your abdominal muscles. If you want to have a "washboard" stomach you need to do lots of abdominal workouts. It is important to ensure your form and breathing are spot on. I usually like to have my feet under something heavy to keep me from lifting them off the floor but you can do many variations on the crunch to challenge yourself. I cross my arms over my chest and focus on my abdominal muscles. I also like to keep my abs fully engaged during the exercise so I do not lower my shoulders fully down during each repetition. I try to do 40 to 50 as my set.
Squats
Squats work your legs and butt. Who doesn't want to have strong legs and firm butt? Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Bend down from the knee and slightly from the waist ensuring your knees do not go past your toes. Return to standing. I don't have the best knees so I usually have something in front of me that I can place my hands on when I squat down. I try to do about 25 if my knees allow.
Tricep Dips
Tricep dips work the muscles in the back of your upper arm...the triceps. You can use a chair, a step, something you can hold onto and lower yourself a little to engage the tricep muscles. Dip your butt to the floor and back up. Try to stay close to whatever you're holding onto. If you are reaching too far back you could hurt your shoulders. I try to do about 35 of these as my set.
Kettle Bell Halo
A bonus exercise I like to do is kettle bell halos. This exercise works your shoulders and upper back. As the name implies you need a kettle bell but you could start off with a large book or a rock. You start by holding the weight in front of your body and slowly rotate your arms around so the weight is behind your head. Then continue the rotation so the weight is in front again. I alternate starting directions...because when I researched the exercise they told me to. I will do about 30 of these to finish the workout.
I do this routine six days a week. Occasionally I'll do an alternative form of some of the exercises just to give some variation. I like the feeling of accomplishment this routine gives me and the minimum time I have to invest in creating a stronger fish catching body. The Spring fishing season is here and I feel ready to take on the outdoors adventures I have planned.
Do you have an exercise routine you use to start your day?