The nzgirl No Excuses Challenge Week 2

So being the proactive group of girls that we are, we decided to do something about it! We enlisted the help of super personal trainer Sibyl Mandow, to whip us in to shape over the course of four weeks, with pre-work (a very comfy 7.30am) workouts.

Each week she took us through a new, one hour workout in a different location - from a park, to a beach, in the city and even here in our office! Sibyl wanted to prove to us that you really can workout anywhere – you don’t need a fancy gym membership or expensive equipment, and there really is no excuses for why you can’t exercise regularly and keep in shape.  

So we bring you part two of the nzgirl No Excuses Fitness Challenge, and seriously, if we can do it, so can you! Click here to check out Week One: I can't afford a gym membership!

Warm Up
Start with a light jog for approximately 10 minutes around the park area. This is a vital process as it is important to gradually raise your heart rate to get the blood pumping and warm the muscles so they are ready for exercise. It also goes a long way to help with injury prevention. The fitter you are, the less warm up time is required.

Chair Squat
Find a picnic bench, and stand with your feet hip distance apart. With your chest up, lower yourself as if you were about sit down. Contract your abs and keep them tight as you bend the knees and slowly squat towards the chair. With your body lowered, hold for a few seconds, and then use your tummy muscles for extra power and control as you lift your body back up to the original standing position. Remember to squeeze your bum on the way up. Do two sets of 12.
 

Using the picnic bench again, do two sets of 12 tricep dips. Place palms flat down on the surface, with fingers facing your back. Lower your body slowly by bending your upper arms. Keep your back close to the bench, with your elbows pointing straight back and not out to the sides. Lift one leg in the air for greater intensity. This is great strength training.
 

Using the picnic bench again do two sets of 12 push ups. Place your palms face down on the bench, keep your back flat (make sure you don’t dip in the lower back) and lower yourself toward the bench. Use your tummy muscles to maintain a good position. Inhale on the way down (lower from the chest) and then exhale on the way up like you are blowing yourself away from the bench. This is great strength training for not only your chest muscles, but also your triceps and core muscles.

 

This is a great team building exercise, however requires at least five people. You all need to pull together to carry one person down the beach, alternating every 100 metres (we did this 3 times). Use your shoulders to hold the person up, as this helps protect the back. The upper body is worked as you hold the person up, and the lower body is worked as you walk along the beach.

 

Pair up. Alternate with your partner between running up a hill, and doing burpies (jump and lift your arms as if to touch the sky. As you come down squat with your hands on the ground, then extend your legs out in press up position behind you. Then bring both feet back to standing position and repeat). The person doing burpies does them non stop until their partner returns from running up the hill.

This is great for motivation because you don’t want to let your partner down, and you can add a competitive element if they are other pairs doing it as well. Running up the hill is high intensity cardio, with a recovery period on the way down. Burpies are great cardio with upper body strength training in the push up phase and lower body in the jumping phase.  

 

Warm down with a light five minute job and remember to do your stretches! Click here to find out more.

 

By the end of this session we were all puffed! Our legs were wobbling like nobodies business and our upper bodies were definitely feeling the burn as well. Carrying the team members down the beach was a challenge, but it was a great team bonding experience and although the 100 game was a bit of sever punishment, we could feel our bodies tightening and toning! Yay! Plus we loved the being outdoors and at the beach for a change.