Keep Your Cool with Indoor Exercises

In the month of August, make it your mission to get up and MOVE for 30 minutes every day! It is hot outside, so unless you are running through the sprinkler or jumping in a pool, try to stay cool indoors.

Try these fun indoor activities in the month of August.

CHARADES

Play charades with your family. Each family member acts out, without speaking, an active movement. Example: Suzie acts out kicking a soccer ball. Whoever guesses correctly the fastest wins and gets to act out the next activity. The other family members must do a 1 minute exercise such as a wall sit, push-ups or jumping jacks. Play this for 30 minutes a day.

WHO CAN HOLD IT THE LONGEST?

Hold a plank. Body is in pronate position. Elbows are on floor, shoulders in line with elbows. Keep body straight and hold as still as possible. Challenge yourself and try to beat your time each day. Or challenge your family members and see who can hold a plank the longest.

Hold a wall sit. Sit against the wall, knees in line with ankles. Keep shoulder blades against the wall. Challenge yourself daily and try to beat your wall sit time each day, even if it is by a second. Or challenge your family and see who can hold it the longest.

It is important to keep your form and do exercises correctly. Keep still when performing these exercises and make sure to breathe. Only do what your body is capable of performing. Calisthenics can be done daily, but listen to your body if it needs a break. Always stretch after a workout. Hold the stretches at least 30 seconds.

TASTE THE RAINBOW

It is important to eat healthy along with your exercising. Challenge your family to eat the colors of the RAINBOW.

Here are some examples:

RED — Apple

ORANGE — Oranges

YELLOW — Squash

GREEN — Green beans

BLUE — Blueberries

PURPLE — Eggplant

Alison Cardoza, BS Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor at Milestone Wellness Center