These days, we have to fit in physical activity any time we have the opportunity.
Work schedules and family demands can push fitness to the bottom of the priority list pretty easily. Rather than trying to carve out a huge chunk of time to hit the gym, it sometimes makes sense to work in a fitness “snack.”
This week, I’ll present a few ideas for incorporating fitness snacks into your routine and will present an exercise that works perfectly in this role.
Fitness snacks are short, intense bursts of physical activity that can be performed in 15 minutes or less. Typically, these exercises use little or no equipment and can be done almost anywhere you have free floor space.
The obvious advantage of this casual format is the huge time savings. But doing brief-interval workouts can also be beneficial from the standpoint of intensity. It’s far easier to give maximum effort for 15 minutes than for an hour or more.
I recommend selecting one or two goals for each fitness snack. Cardiovascular exercise and leg strengthening make a perfect combination, because you can pick one or two activities and knock them both out. For instance, you could alternate jumping jacks and lunges for five minutes for a heart-pumping midday workout.
The idea is not to replace your longer, more comprehensive exercise sessions but to supplement them.
We’ve all had those days when it’s simply impossible to make it to the gym, so rather than be sedentary, the fitness snacks provide a great alternative.
This week’s exercise is a perfect addition to the fitness snack workout. The Frisbee Fly will challenge the chest, arms and shoulders with one simple movement that can be done anywhere, from your office to your living room.
Select two normal flying discs and place them upside down on a carpeted surface. Place one hand inside each disc and get into the “up” phase of a pushup with your knees on the floor (or exercise mat).
Position your hands and the discs directly underneath your chest as close together as possible so the discs are touching.
Slowly lower your torso by sliding the discs away from each other. You will have a slight bend in the elbows but not so much that the exercise turns into a pushup.
Once your chest is lowered so it’s between 12 and 18 inches off the floor, press your hands together by sliding the discs back to the starting position as you raise your torso back up.
Perform two sets of 12.
The Frisbee Fly is a great challenge for beginners and experienced exercisers. To modify for your fitness level, simply alter the depth to which you lower your chest. Beginners will lower a shorter distance while those with more experience might almost touch the floor.
Either way, this exercise can be a great way to snack on a little upper body strength training. Enjoy!
Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master’s in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
ActiveStyle, Pages 28 on 07/29/2013