DAY 1

Welcome to day ONE of the Heart Pumpin’ Challenge!  We’ve got 3 weeks ahead of us.  21 days.  21 opportunities to say ‘I AM TAKING control of my heart health and life’.  Let’s get this party started …

DAY ONE exercises:

• Squats
• Burpees
• Plyo Lunges

HOW TOs:
SQUATS:  With your feet slightly wider than hip width apart, bend your knees like sitting in a chair, then stand back up.  TIPS: You want your booty going back, keeping your knees tracking towards your toes, but never past.  And keep your chest lifted the whole time.

Modification:  Lessen your range of motion

Intensification:  Add weights for resistance

BURPEES:  Squat down, jump or step back to plank, jump or step forward to squat, stand and reach up!  That’s a basic burpee in simple form.  Squat, plank, squat, up.  You can jump it or step – work at your level and your pace.

Modification:  Step the moves and you can even have your hands on a stable chair to elevate your plank.

Intensification:  Add a jump up top and/or a push up at the bottom.

LUNGES (Optional PLYO):  Lunges are all about angles!  Take a big step back and bend your knees so they are at a 90 degree angle.  Then pull back in and change to the other side  .Keep your body in the center and focus on bending your back knee – ensuring your front knee doesn’t go past your toes.

Modification:  Lessen your range of motion

Intensification:  Add in the PLYO!  Jump instead of step from side to side.

HOW TO do the workout: 

If you’ve seen the calendar for this challenge, you’ll know that each week is a different interval set and intensity range.  We’re easing into the challenge in week ONE.  No it won’t be easy – but we’re easing in!  There’s a difference 🙂

For all exercises this week, we’re doing 30 seconds at MODERATE intensity, followed by 30 seconds of rest – and repeating the workout for 1-3 rounds, depending on your available time and fitness level.

How should you FEEL in MODERATE intensity?

Moderate activity feels somewhat hard. Here are clues that your exercise intensity is at a moderate level:

• Your breathing quickens, but you’re not out of breath.
• You develop a light sweat after about 10 minutes of activity.
• You can carry on a conversation, but you can’t sing.

Each day the exercises change, so be sure to come back and get your workout of the day – but we’re keeping this same range for all workouts this week.  Enjoy the moderate range this week!!  We’re cranking it up for next week 🙂

Go get that heart PUMPIN’ – and post your sweaty selfie below when you’re done.  We want to celebrate you rockin’ out day ONE!