Welcome to my blog. I’m glad you’re here. So, when was the last time you surprised yourself in the gym or doing a workout? Can you recall a time you identified a weak spot or tried something new, like a class, that really surprised you in the best way possible? Most of us fall into a routine that either works with our schedule, complies with our strengths, or provides noticeable results. The problem with this is that comfort zone that we are in isn’t conducive to building new muscle, finding weaknesses, or keeping you engaged in your workout. Things get boring, your muscles adjust, and over-use injuries can occur especially with age. Well let’s look at some unconventional workouts that will wake up your muscles, get you outside your comfort zone, and refresh your mind, body, and spirit. Let’s take a look.
Cross training in water:
What? I know right? That’s what I said! But it’s a real thing that really gives you a good workout and now its summer is a great time to get some pool time in and a workout. A total-body aquatic training program from Speedo Fit, that will crush your expectations. Stretching, cardio, resistance, and strength training—in water—will elevate and complement your gym-based training. Whether you’re looking to improve power, endurance, or recovery Speedo offers free videos (available at speedousa.com) that detail nearly 70 moves. They’re also working on a certification program for trainers, which should be available in the coming months.
Aquaspinning:
This is a good way to do a cardio spin class and get in the pool too. I know what you’re thinking “Pedaling through water sounds like something a drunk man would do” but cycling underwater is hugely advantageous (and fun!). I personally have never done it, I don’t think it’s available at my gym, however I have heard that it’s fun. Also, the water pressure and temperature serve as a sort of detox massage: the pressure kneads your leg muscles while the 85-degree water stimulates the cleansing action of your lymphatic system, which they say can help rid your body of toxins. With water being 1,000 times thicker than air, creating extra resistance for your body to work through but extra buoyancy to support joints is a win-win workout. This is a great workout with little risk of injury. You can burn up to 800 calories, as you tone your muscles.
Parko
You’re probably thinking “what is Parkour”? Well, parkour is, according to Britannica, the practice of traversing obstacles in a man-made or natural environment through the use of running, vaulting, jumping, climbing, rolling, and other movements in order to travel from one point to another in the quickest and most efficient way possible without the use of equipment. May 23, 2023.
Brooklyn Zoo NY is the latest and greatest parkour training facility. Enjoy a form of movement and fitness you’ve never experienced before. They offer a bevy of services such as: ninja warrior training, trampolining, tumbling, tricking, dance, and more. Experienced instructors will work you through progressions and pay special attention to detail. I think this would be cool, but maybe not to do as a regular workout every week. It would be something to do or try at least maybe once a month, just to stay in shape.
Full Body Barbarian Quad Mace Workout:
This workout will take your body to the next level. It is a full body workout focusing on dynamic compound movements. This training routine will increase your core strength, upper and lower body muscle endurance and aerobic conditioning. There are some really good benefits to this workout according to TrainHeroic.com,
“First, it’s an optimizer of the human movement system. Mace training will make you a better mover without it’s not confining you to a fixed space or predetermined range of motion.
Second, it’s an offset load with 80 to 90 percent of the weight in the head. You’re also constantly having to resist rotation, which creates greater core engagement.”
Check out this website to really get the full effect and to really find out what it is. I had no idea what it was because they don’t have anything like that around where I live (that I am aware of). https://www.trainheroic.com/blog/steel-mace-training/#:~:text=Mace%20training%20will%20make%20you,which%20creates%20greater%20core%20engagement.
Tire Flips:
You might be doing these already, but just in case they don’t have these at your gym, this is a great overall workout. You might see the tires in cross fit gyms and unconventional gyms around bigger cities. But they might look like an overly simple device, but they are actually incredible for building power, muscular strength (mass), and speed. Tires can be used in a variety of way such as dragged, flipped, thrown, pushed, or used as an impromptu Plyometric box for jumps. Since tires also come in all shapes and sizes, you can find one that is perfect for your needs. It can even be used as a sled type workout device where you would tie a rope or chain to a tire and pull it. Or you can use them in conjunction to a steel mace or sledgehammer workout. The options are limitless. But for now we are introducing the most common tire exercise: the Flip.
Some people think of it as a deadlift, but it’s not. It is a little different.
- First, you begin the motion by gripping the bottom of the tire along the tread.
- Your feet must be position slightly behind your center of gravity, as the chest will be driving the tire, not the lower body.
- To begin lifting the tire, power through the ankles, knees, and hips.
- Once the tire gets to a 45-degree angle, you take a step forward, driving the knee into the tire.
- Adjust your grip to drive the tire forward, completing the single turn/flip.
I hope this helps. I hope it provides at least some examples and different ideas you can use to get a better workout in and get out of your comfort zone. It is a great addition to any workout and exercise routine. It can be used just once per month as an added fun workout with friends. Try something new and go have fun with it!
Let me know if anyone has ever tried one of these unconventional workouts, I would love to hear about it.
As always,
Take Care,
Darren
Harmony Shift 