Thanksgiving Workout

for anyone who plans to stay inside nesting and tending to the meal and festivities, here's a little something you can do amidst the preparations. If your loved ones look at you funny as you squat in front of the oven, just tell them you're basting your backside ;)


Circuit 1 - Before you hit the kitchen: Tabata Cardio and Tabata Strength
Tabata Cardio Drill (4 minutes)

• Jumping Jacks: 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat once more.
• Running in place high knees: 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat once more.
• Mountain climbers: 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat once more.
• Plank leg thrusts (get into a plank and hop legs up to chest and back to plank, over and over):  20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat once more.

Tabata Strength Drill (4 minutes)

• Pushups: 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat once more.
• Chair/Bench/Floor Triceps Dips: 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat once more.
• Pushups: 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat once more.
• Chair/Bench/Floor Triceps Dips: 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat once more.
 

Circuit 2: In the kitchen, as the bird cooks
Squats and Sumo Squats

• The first squat brings you eye-level to the oven as you stick the bird in.
• Now, after you shut the oven door (or watch your loved one squat and put it in), do 49 more squats for a total of 50.
• Before you walk away, do 50 Sumo Squats (legs wider than hip width, feet turned out at 45 degrees)
• Every time you check on the bird, do 25 more regular and 25 more Sumo Squats right there in front of the oven.
 

Circuit 3: As you set the table
Incline pushups and chair dips

• Pull out one of the chairs and do 25 chair dips for triceps.
• Set half the plates, and do 25 incline pushups, hands on the seat and facing the chair back.
• Set the rest of the plates and do 25 more chair dips.
• Now, finish with 25 incline pushups.


Circuit 4: The post-meal cleanup.

• This burns calories and keeps you moving, thus moving that food better as it digests.
• If you're so inclined and it's not too late, and if the weather is nice, take a leisurely walk after dinner to cap off an awesome day.