With busy lives getting to the gym regularly is near impossible so I usually do my workouts either on trails nearby or in my living room late at night.
One of the things Brenda Wollenberg taught on during the Adults in Balance program I participated in was "functional fitness". This is changing your daily routine ever so slightly to incorporate more physical activity without adding in a workout every day.
Some of her suggestions were; parking your car further from the store in order to walk further and vigorously doing your daily chores. Adding in ankle weights or wrist weights for washing a car or mowing the lawn could also help. Functional fitness in this basic sense is very second nature to Ian and I, we walk everywhere, avoid elevators and escalators when stairs are available and must climb three flights of stairs just to get to our door, but I realize I need to find ways to add more. Especially as we are preparing for Haiti and our evenings get fuller and fuller and my workouts down size from 5 nights a week to 3 or less.
So . . .
I bought myself a skipping rope from the dollar store. Last night as Ian and I walked our pooch I jumped rope the entire walk. No, I'm not very good. I tripped, dropped the rope, looked very silly and couldn't stop laughing but I also worked up a sweat. I also added in a quick resistance workout before bed. Lily (our puppy) needs a walk everyday for about 20 minutes, so on the nights when I am too busy to get a jog, swim or yoga in I will be looking like a fool skipping rope as she and Ian walk (slightly embarrassed) ahead.
Be inspired to add in some functional fitness into your life. If you have legs; relish in the fact that they are powerful and can propel you everywhere you go. If you have arms; delight in the reality that you can reach, lift and push with them. Both of these appendages and the whole rest of you can all be a part of my favorite exercise; dancing! So shake 'em if you got 'em and feel good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6oBeJJF1fI
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