Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Your Most Valuable Piece of Workout Equipment: A Calendar

When push comes to shove, or punch comes to kick, or upward dog comes to downward dog, the intricate details of your workout matter a lot less than the simple fact that you are making exercise an important part of your life. To this end, schedule your workouts, yoga classes, trips to the health club, or excursions to the rock-climbing gym in your daily planner or Blackberry just like you would any other commitment. Do this, to the best of your ability, on Sunday night for the entire week.

Can't fit in adequate time for fitness? Take a cue from the rest of your life- start multi-tasking. Instead of meeting a friend for lunch or coffee, go for a walk. Need to miss your usual class due to a work commitment in the evening? Plan ahead to wake up early and squeeze in an at home, abbreviated yoga session, morning run, or early and efficient gym session. Have clients or colleagues who enjoy hitting the links or shooting hoops? Coordinate a small group to talk shop while working up a sweat.

It's your life, your happiness, your health. Plan accordingly.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey OmGal,
My boyfriend and I want a quick and effective workout that we can do together. Any advice?

Om Gal said...

Yoga:
5 sun salutation A's, 5 sun salutationn B's. 1 hip opening posture. 1 inversion. Abdominals. Back bends. Sivasana. (Running time: a half hour). Align your mats side by side. Try to support each other without speaking but rather using the sound of your ujayi breath.

Running:
Go for a run with either one of you periodically picking up the pace for one minute at a time.

Cross-training:
See my jump roping workout. Alternate turns choosing the sets of exercises you will do in between the sets of jumping rope (i.e. he picks bicep curls; you lead a set of abs).

More time to spare? Try taking up a new activity together. Rock-climbing and golf are awesome sports for couples.

Om Gal said...

Here's the link to post about jumping rope. If moves like Rocky aren't in your repertoire, you can substitute jumping jacks or plyometrics (high knees, buttkicks, etc.) instead. http://omgal.blogspot.com/2008/01/skip-bs-most-efficient-workout-youll.html