By Sensi Graves Bikinis Ambassador & Pro-Volleyball player, Sarah Pavan. Vacation!! The time (or times) during the year when we can put our worries and stressors aside for a few much needed days of rest and relaxation. We all need time to unwind and escape reality every now and then, but for a lot of people, leaving the real world behind means leaving our fitness behind as well. We’ve all been there...we get to our vacation destination, and are just so happy to be able to do whatever we want, on our own schedule, that working out sort of fades into the background. Who wants to spend a couple hours working out, when we could be laying pool-side sipping margaritas, right? In order to avoid reversing all the hard work you’ve put in at the gym pre-vacation, as well as the post-vacation guilt that comes on from being immobile for a week, here is a quick low-maintenance beach workout that will keep you feeling great, but will still give you a lot of time to spend doing the things you really want to be doing.
THE VACATION MONSTER:
Time Required: Approximately 20 minutes Equipment: Two objects to mark out distance. They can be absolutely anything (shoes, water bottles, coconuts, etc.) This can be done anywhere, but the beach is always best :) 1. With any two objects nearby, mark off a distance of approximately 10 yards. 2. Pick any 10 exercises from the list below, and arrange them in a way so that you aren’t working the same muscles twice in a row. My favorites are: burpees, split jumps, v-sits, push-ups, high-knee jumps, scissors, pull-ups, highknees, Russian twist, and squats. 3. Start at the first marker and do 10 reps of your first exercise. 4. Sprint to the second marker. 5. Do 10 reps of your second exercise. 6. Sprint to the first marker. 7. Continue with this sequence until you have completed all 10 exercises. 8. Rest 5 minutes. If 1 set is all you can do, that’s great! If you’re looking for more of a challenge, repeat the steps above 2 or 3 times. Exercise Suggestions (and some how-to tips):
UPPER BODY
Burpees ⁃ From a standing position, jump as high as possible with arms extended above your head. After landing, immediately get to a push-up position. Bring your legs back under you, and come back to a stand. ⁃ This should all be done as fast as possible. ⁃ For added difficulty, do a push-up when you get to the push-up position. Push-Ups -Can be done with the knees on the ground. For added difficulty, have only your feet and hands touching the ground. Tricep Dips (partner required) ⁃ Non-working partner is on hands and knees on the ground. ⁃ Working partner goes to the side of the other person and puts their hands on their back, facing away from the person on the ground. ⁃ Bend your arms until they are at 90 degrees, and push yourself back up using only your arms. Pull-Ups (Partner Required) ⁃ Non-Working partner stands with their legs apart. ⁃ Working partner lays on the ground between their partner’s legs and holds their partner’s hands. ⁃ Starting with arms fully extended, pull yourself up as high as possible.
LOWER BODY
Split Jumps ⁃ Have one leg in front of the other and bend the front leg until it is at 90 degrees. ⁃ From this position, jump as high as possible, and land with the other leg forward, already bent at 90 degrees. ⁃ Keep jumping and switching legs. High-Knee Jumps ⁃ From a standing position, jump as high as possible and bring your knees to your chest. Squats ⁃ From a standing position, bend you legs, and sit back until your thighs are parallel with the ground. ⁃ Push back up to a standing position. Fast Feet 10 Seconds ⁃ From a standing position, bend your knees slightly, and run in place, moving your feet as fast possible. High Knees ⁃ From a standing position, run in place with your back straight, bringing your knees as high as possible and moving your feet as fast possible. Jumping Jacks
ABS
Sit-Ups ⁃ Lay on the ground with your knees bent. ⁃ Keep your feet on the ground, and sit up until your chest almost touches your knees and slowly lower yourself back down. V-Sits ⁃ Lay on the ground with your legs flat and your arms above your head. ⁃ At the same time, bring your body and legs up into a V shape, and lower back down. Russian Twist ⁃ Start seated on the ground, with your legs bent, but feet hovering above the ground. ⁃ Hold your hands together in front of your belly button, and move your hands from side to side, touching the ground on each side of your body. Scissors ⁃ Lay flat on the ground, and hold both feet off the ground. ⁃ Move your legs in a scissor motion, with one leg staying straight while the other goes in the air, and switch. Voilà, your vacation beach workout is complete! Now you can get back to your R & R.
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