Fitness Challenge: April Advances!

Hey all!

Welcome to April. The sun is starting to shine more, flowers are coming up, and all of a sudden everyone is a runner. I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge fan of spring. As we get closer to beach season, when the shirts come off and we get to wear shorts again, those goals from January tend to pop back into our minds and we begin a fervent dash to work on our bodies.

While taking care of our bodies is always a good thing, sometimes we get swept up in the rush to the beach and we treat our bodies a bit poorly. Crash diets, diet pills, heavy caloric restriction, and simply lots of judging can really hurt us in the long run. Studies show that these fast diet strategies and the fat shaming actually cause us to gain weight when the “diet” is done. So before we move to the exercise challenge, I encourage you to treat your body with respect and kindness. We only get one body.

This month’s exercise challenge may be tougher than the previous ones. I introduce to you the “burpee”. Often the bane of many people’s existence, it is one of the most beneficial non-weight exercises you can do. Why is that? It’s an explosive cardiovascular workout that requires intense muscle activation. Starting off your day with burpees will not only burn calories throughout the day, but it also strengthens the legs, butt, chest, and back.

Your goal is to perform 3 rounds of as many burpees as you can 3 times a week. Allow 1 minute of rest between each round. Also, these CAN be done on any day, regardless of if you are doing another form of exercise later in the day.

Basic Burpee Tutorial
Slowed Down Tutorial
An Inspiring Gymnast Variation – Do not try at home!