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Take Your Fitness For A Walk In The Park
by Michele Burmaster
Getting outside on that first gorgeous spring day is invigorating! Walking is free, flexible, and almost anyone can do it. Ramp up your fitness level with the add-ons if you’re up to it![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][thb_gap height=”25″][vc_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1523345376946-686800af623ae3f88e5d0dbbf8b08e1b-1″ include=”6970,6971″][thb_gap height=”25″][vc_column_text]
THE WALK
- Relax your shoulders and neck.
- Keep your shoulders over your hips.
- Soft focus on the horizon.
- Plant the whole foot every step (in whatever way feels comfortable to you).
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THE SQUAT
- Start seated with your shoulders over your hips and your knees over your heels. Focusing on driving your hips in a diagonal line upward, push from your heels, keep your chest back, and drive through your hips to a full standing position.
- Return by lowering with control.
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THE STEP UP
- Begin with your shoulders over your hips over your heels about 12-14” from the surface you’re stepping up onto.
- Segment the movement by first planting your whole foot up onto the surface you’ll be stepping up onto. Get stable before moving on.
- Focus as much pressure as you can into the leg that is up onto the step, trying to not allow the foot remaining on the ground to help “push up” too much. Drive that top leg down until it’s straightened out and you’re standing up on the step. Finish the movement by relaxing at the top with your shoulders over your hips.
- Lower with control and be aware of your surroundings for safety!
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THE PLANK
- The plank can be done on a bench or a railing by positioning the center of your chest over your hands, extending your arms, tightening your abdominal muscles and breathing deeply.
- Double-check your neck and shoulders aren’t holding tension here.
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THE ROW
- The row can be done anywhere you can lean back and grab something out in front of you. We used a tree and a jacket. You can use a jungle gym and an old belt, a tetherball pole and a piece of rope- whatever you have at your disposal!
- When you’re confident in your grip on the handles you’ve fashioned, lean back into the position and relax, like a trust fall, as close to a 45-degree angle as you can.
- Relax your shoulders and arms away from your ears as they tend to want to flex and travel up your neck during this exercise.
- To initiate the movement, imagine someone holding a pencil on your upper back, vertically, between your shoulder blades. Begin to “pinch” that pencil with your shoulder blades to engage your back muscles.
- Drive your elbows behind you past your body while keeping that back flexed.
- Use that muscle engagement to pull your chest to the top of the rep, and then slowly release back down.
Post photos of your spring walking path workout to Instagram and social media by using #fabuplus so we can see what you’re up to! Tag @micheleburmaster in your workout photos and videos on Instagram. I’d love to see where you’re moving your gorgeous body this beautiful spring.
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Photographer: Michele Burmaster
Model: Debbie Murphy
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