Marion Freijsen A blog about Sports, Fitness & Health

How to stay fit – whilst working like mad…. mini-workout!

Everyone these days suffers from one of two things – or even a combination… You feel overworked and you are stressing about the state of the economy, be it on a micro (personal) level or on a macro (global) level. And then there’s me cheerfully telling you that you need to work out. I am sure over the past week, you may have read my posts and gone “yea, right – she’s probably not doing anything else so it’s OK for her to talk…”. Well – to give you a glimpse of how I do this, let me share with you that today I had to drive 200 miles to my first meeting, only to drive 300 miles the other direction for my second meeting and a final 100 miles to get home again… plus ofcourse the time it took for me to do those meetings. So yes, I do know what it is like to be completely exhausted by your day and then still try and conjure up some energy for a work-out!

So like I said before – I plan. I plan my work-outs like I plan my meetings. Today, before I faced the final drive home, I fit in a work-out with a personal trainer in the city I had my last meeting. And you know what – it gave me energy to even now when I finally got home sit down and write a post on my blog plus deal with all my emails. That’s what I so love about exercising – it may be tiring, you may not always feel like doing it – but it actually does give you heaps of energy back EVEN if you are tired.

Let me give you a quick 40 mins. work-out that you can easily do anywhere for that quick pick me up after work…

Start by doing 15 mins of some cardio exercise – be it on a spinning bike or real bike, walking or running or even jumping rope. You choose!

Then you do this circuit in rotation three times:

a) sit on the edge of a bench lengthways – legs out in front off the bench. If you are not so strong abdominally, hold on to the bench behind you leaning back into your arms for support. Move your knees towards your chest (moving your chest forward as you bring your knees in) and then lean back – at the same time stretching your legs out straight in front of you. Make sure not to arch your back, keep it flat by keeping your abdominal muscles tight all the time.  If you are strong enough, you can balance and move your upper body down towards the bench, not holding on for support but straightening your arms in the same direction as your legs and back up again towards your knees. Do 15-20 reps.

b) Grab a weight of some sort, it can be a bag of flour or can of beans or a low weight. Hold on with both hands. Swing down through your legs holding legs and arms straight. Bring up to chest level (90 degrees with your body) and turn right. Back to centre, down, up and turn left. Your turn is from the waist, not your legs or hips! 20 reps each side.

c) lean forward on the ground, hands on the floor. Move one leg forward towards your hands, butt in the air! Then alternate quickly bringing the forward leg back, and the other leg forward like making strides or peddling a bike, but whilst you are facing the floor. This will get your heart pumping. Do 20 full turns (a turn being both left & right leg forward once each).

d) now stand up with your hands in front – feet hip width apart. Step sideways as you bend your knees (never get your knee out over your toe, it should be directly above your toe as you bend your knees). Keep your body upright as you squat down into a ballet plie. Your toes are turned out slightly as you step sideways. Step 10 times left and back to your starting position with 10 times right.

e) finish off with a power jog on the spot. Think of Flashdance (for those of your from the ’80s!) as you drum your feet up and down in a quick paced run on the spot. Don’t move forward or backwards, just pounce for 1 full minute!

Do this three times in a row!!

This little circuit works your gluteus muscles (your butt!), your front and side abdominals and it’ll get your breathing hard, working heart and lungs. You should spend a good 30 – 40 mins. in total and feel great afterwards!!!

Have fun