Throughout my life, the month of May has always signified hope and optimism. It's this season of change that inspires me to create, get active and make something happen.
In terms of physical activity, many exercisers move their programs from indoors to out — especially in Arkansas. This week, I'll present a few ways to move an exercise program into "hybrid" mode. Plus, I'll share an exercise that can be performed anywhere.
The term "hybrid" has become ubiquitous among the workforce in a pandemic or post-pandemic atmosphere. A quick LinkedIn scroll will turn up hundreds of articles and opinions on whether hybrid work is better or worse for corporations. I won't dip my toe into those waters here but rather discuss the fluid nature of hybrid exercise as it relates to workout settings.
Indoor workouts are what they are. The environment is stable, predictable and usually social to some extent. For many, exercising indoors is the bread and butter of their physical activity program. But outdoor workouts can be life changing. The Arkansas landscape is wondrous and beautiful. I encourage all exercisers to plan at least a couple of outdoor workouts every week.
The easiest way to create a hybrid workout schedule is to plan cardiovascular sessions on outdoor days and weight training on indoor days. Since weight training is tied to equipment that's hard to move, it's more difficult to bring outside. It's not impossible, as stretch bands and medicine balls can offer some mobile resistance-training support. But by and large, outdoor workouts are easiest when no equipment is involved.
One example of a hybrid schedule for working people might be an indoor workout on Tuesday and Thursday (weight training), then outdoor workout on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. This gives a nice blend of indoor/outdoor stimulation. In this schedule, I'd probably recommend the most difficult workouts take place Monday and Thursday.
There are also a few ways to hybridize each workout session with the right environment. The gym in my neighborhood is adjacent to some great trails, so I can do a quick 20-minute weight-training session and then go for a 20-minute walk/jog outside. These kinds of workouts are so much fun because the outdoor portion really feels like a reward.
This week's exercise is a great example of the kind of movement that can be performed indoors and outdoors. The Roll Up & Push will challenge the entire body, but it's easy enough to learn and appropriate for most fitness levels.
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1. Select a medium-weight medicine ball and lie flat on your back on an exercise mat.
2. Holding the medicine ball with both hands, extend the arms overhead. Your body and the ball should now form an "I" shape.
3. Lift the ball off the ground and move it quickly forward.
4. As it's almost parallel with your waist, raise your shoulders off the ground and into a situp.
5. Once your torso is fully upright, quickly place the medicine ball on the ground between your legs.
6. Press the ball against the floor and adjust your feet so they are behind you, and you're in the "up" phase of a pushup.
7. Perform one pushup with your hands on the medicine ball.
8. Go back to the starting position and repeat the pattern.
9. Perform two sets of 12.
This exercise may look like it has a lot of steps, but it's pretty simple after the first couple of attempts. It's a little bit like a burpee that starts from the situp position. For outdoor workouts, I leave the medicine ball right outside the fitness center and perform these when I return from the walk/jog portion. Once I do my second set, I hit the road.
Let's crush it this week!
Director of business development and population health solutions for Quest Diagnostics, Matt Parrott began this column Jan. 6, 2003, at Little Rock. He has a doctorate in education (sport studies), a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.