Forcing myself to go to the gym early in the morning can be tough. It is hard to get motivated and roll out of bed with a 4:30 am alarm when your body is barely awake and you still have pillow marks on your face. But, the feeling after a morning workout, and the energy that I get for the rest of the day, makes it all worth it.
However, there is nothing worse than psyching yourself up for your planned workout and being forced into something else - like the elliptical machine. Nothing against ellipticals, they can give you go0d workouts, but when you are not planning on using an elliptical, and you are forced to adhere to the 30 minute time limit due to other gym members waiting, it is hard to get in a good workout. And trust me, I tried.
This morning, as I popped my iPod headphones into my ears, and placed my water bottle and towel in their appropriate places, I already felt the tapping feet, waiting for me to finish. I tried to tune them out and used my annoyance as motivation to push myself harder, but I still didn't feel satisfied at the end of my 30 minutes. I really could have used an additional 15-20 to really get into my stride.
So how did I compensate? I went over to the free weights (where there normally is minimal, if any wait for use) and added in some plyometrics to keep my heart rate up for the additional time, and add in some strength training. And, I was pleasantly surprised with how I felt at the end - tired, sore, and energized.
Does this ever happen to you? You step reluctantly off the elliptical (or stair machine, or treadmill even) and do not feel satisfied with your workout, but have no choice but to move on. Well, here are some great ideas to add to the end of your workout, before you do your cool down:
1. Jump Squats:
- Done without weights, but use your own body weight.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides
- Squat down, making sure to keep knees behind toes, then jump up, using arms to reach up toward
reach toward the ceiling
- Avoid using just your toes, but use the whole foot to jump, and land solid.
- When you land, lower your body back to the squat position (this is rep. 1). Try to do 20 reps.
{Image borrowed from Ultra Fit}
2. Scissor Lunges:
- Done without weights, but use your own body weight.
- Similar to jump squats, just engaging different muscles.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands clasped behind your head.
- Lunge forward with your left foot and lower your right knee to a hover position. Make sure left
knee does not bend forward of your toes.
- Push yourself up into a jump and scissor your legs in the air, landing with your right leg forward.
- When you land, drop left knee to a hover position. make sure right knee does not bend forward of
your toes (this is rep. 1). Try to do 20 reps (on each side).
{Image borrowed from Women's Health Magazine}
3. Lunge and Twist (Great for Core!):
- Begin this with a heavier dumbbell (maybe 8-10) and hold ends. Or use a medicine ball of similar
weight.
- Start standing with feet hip-width apart and holding the weight out in front of you with both
hands.
- Step forward with your left foot and lower your right knee to a hover position. Make sure left
knee does not bend forward of your toes.
- Twist weight out to the same side to which you stepped forward (so left side here). Turn back to
center with weight.
- Push yourself back to standing and switch sides (this is rep. 1). Try to do 20 reps (on each side).
{Image borrowed from Women's Health Magazine}
- This can be done with or without weights.
- Start standing with legs hip-width apart.
- Squat all the way down to a crouch and place hands shoulder-width apart flat on the floor.
- Kick legs straight back so that you are in a high plank position (or start of a push-up).
- Pull legs back into the crouching position.
- Stand back up and push arms straight up into the air (this is rep. 1). Try to do 20 reps.
- Try 5 without weights until you feel comfortable, then add the weights. Use core (rib cage tucked
in) to support lower back when using weights.
{Image borrowed from BonnieLaneFitness.com}
5. Reverse Lunge Hops
- This can be done with or without weights.
- Start in a lunge position, with your left foot forward, right knee hovering over the ground.
- If using weights, they should be pressed together in front of you (lighter weights are best). If no
weights are being used, start with arms bend at 90 degrees at side.
- Bring right leg forward and bend in front, standing on left leg.
- Hop up into the air using your left leg only. If without weights, bring arms straight up overhead. If
using weights, keep them pressed in front.
- Land on your full left foot, then lunge the right leg back to the hover position (this is rep. 1). Try
to do 15 reps on each side.
{Image borrowed from Jillian Michaels}
*Please note to add the hop after the second image*
These five activities, as well as simply doing jumping jacks or jumping rope, can help you to get the full amount of cardio even when the gym (or perhaps inclement weather cuts your run short) is unconducive to the full workout you had planned. And, hopefully, they will help you turn a potentially forgettable fit, into a worthwhile fit.
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