It’s February and its the month of LOVE so I’m bringing you a couples workout that you and your sweatheart can do together.

Exercise floods you with those feel good endorphins and by asking your sweetie to try new things with you it can ignite those same feelings as falling in love.

Grab your sweetie and let’s get sweating:

All you need is a partner and a towel or mat.

Make sure you are both warmed up before starting the workout. How about a 1 mile walk or jog together?

Squat Circles:

Hold on to each other’s opposite wrists and while remaining in a squat, rotate around in a circle, going twice in once direction and twice in the opposite direction.

Tricep Dips:

Place your hands just above your partners knee and set up for Tricep Dips. Do 8 reps together. If needed use a sturdy chair.

Toe Touches:

Holding hands and using each other for balance as you try to touch the floor. Aim for 12 reps each leg.

Plank Hops:

Hold a plank position on your elbows or palms while your partner does a lateral hop (or a side-step) over your legs. Aim for 12 reps.

High Five:

Squat at the same time and jump up, high five your partner in the air. Do 8-12 reps.

Couple Sit Ups:

Have your partner hold your feet while also holding a plank and you will perform sit ups. Switch off and complete 8-12 reps each (feel free to give a kiss each time you sit up too).

Pike Stretch:

Hold for 30 seconds

Straddle Stretch:

Hold for 30 seconds

Looking for some more ideas to get your “sweat on”  together?

 Here are some other great ideas for “fitness dates” that you two can share together.

• Hiking
• Biking
• Running
• Dancing
• Take a Fitness Class
• Skiing
• Train for an Event

Sweating together and sharing your fitness and wellness goals with your partner is a wonderful bonding experience that can lead to a healthier life for the both of you.

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day,

Jennifer

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Thanksgiving is coming! Don’t give up on your workouts just because it’s the holidays, instead use them as motivation to keep up your daily sweat sessions. Working out with a “buddy” is always much more fun than working out alone and they will help to keep you motivated and on track.

So, grab a family member or friend and a ball (medicine, basketball, volleyball – any will do) and let’s get started!

This workout is set up as a circuit to be done one time through followed by a thirty-minute interval run followed by two more rounds of the circuit, but feel free to mix and match it for work your schedule. Let’s go!

Burpee Tosses: Complete for one minute. Toss the ball to your partner and both of you squat down and complete a burpee together. Upon standing, toss the ball to your partner and do another burpee. Keep doing this for 1 full minute.

Plank Claps: Complete for one minute. Both people get into plank position (knees or toes) maintaining proper form (belly button to spine) and alternate clapping hands.

Sit Up Tosses: Complete for two minutes. One partner stands and the other partner gets down into sit up position. Upon coming out of the sit up, toss the ball to the partner that is standing and lay back down into sit up position. Rise again and catch the ball from your partner. Keep repeating for one minute and switch places and do again for one more minute.

Push Up Rolls: Complete for one minute. Both people get into push up position. Each person does a push up and rolls the ball across to their partner. Keep repeating for one minute and alternate rolling arms.

Mountain Climber/ Squat Hold: Complete this for two minutes. One partner gets into a static squat position and holds while the other partner gets into plank and does 10 mountain climbers. Switch places and keep repeating this for two minutes.

Interval Run: Grab your partner and head outdoors for a thirty-minute interval run. Feel free to use any interval counts that you like but we are using :30 of walking and :30 of running. Don’t like to run? Then do a thirty-minute walk instead.

Once your finished come back and repeat the circuit two more times through. Always be sure to warm up, cool down and stretch with each workout.

Don’t forget Thanksgiving Morning at City Park in Parkersburg is the 37th Annual Parkersburg Turkey Trot. You can download a paper application or register by visiting www.parkersburgturkeytrot.org. Hope to see you there!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Fall is officially here! I love new seasons because they are like fresh starts and the next three months are my favorite time of year. It’s the perfect time to set new goals personally and professionally, find what makes you truly happy and makes you feel alive and to evaluate your needs.

What do you need in your life and how can you get more of it? What changes can you make?

Remember, small changes can have an amazing impact. Don’t let the cooler temperatures and shorter days derail your motivation. Embrace it!

Go grab that pumpkin off your front porch and let’s get a fun workout in!

Pumpkin Boot Camp:

Supplies needed:

A pumpkin that challenges you, but not too heavy or too light, a towel or mat and some “spooky” music to get you in the mood.

The Circuit:

Complete 12 reps of all 6 exercises and then take a break and repeat again 2-3 more times.

#1: Spooky Squat and Press:

Hold pumpkin at chest height and squat down. As you rise up press the pumpkin upward into a shoulder press – 12 reps.

#2: Creepy Crawly

Get down into push up position (knees or toes), keeping your core tight and your neck neutral, put your right arm on the pumpkin and do a pushup, plank walk over to the other side and put your left arm on the pumpkin and do a push up. Keep repeating so you do a total of 6 reps on each side.

#3: Monster Curl

Stand upright with your toes out at 11 and 2 or 9 and 3 (depending on your comfort level), keep your back straight the whole time, and lower down into a plie squat. As you lower down, extend the arms straight down and as you come back to standing do a bicep curl with your pumpkin – 12 reps.

#4: Pumpkin Row

Hinge forward at your hips, back flat and knees slightly bent. Arms are relaxed with the pumpkin at arm’s length. Pull your arms towards your chest and squeeze your shoulders. Return to start and repeat. Make sure you don’t have any rounding in your shoulders or lower back on this move – 12 reps.

#5: Frankenstein:

Hold your pumpkin at arms length, straight out in front of you and alternate kicking legs (just like Frankenstein) – do 6 kicks on each leg.

#6: Coffin Sit Ups:

Lie down on the ground and hold the pumpkin directly over your chest. Lift your upper body into a sit-up while extending your arms and reaching the pumpkin to the sky. Return to start and repeat. Keep your chest elevated and your shoulders drawn back and down in this exercise as much as you can – 12 reps.

BONUS: Pumpkin Dash

Want some cardio in between circuits? Grab your pumpkin and run laps in your yard for 45 seconds; take a 15 second break and repeat a total of 4 times.

Since it’s “everything pumpkin” season I thought that I’d share a quick and easy Pumpkin Smoothie to add in. It’s super easy to make.

1 Small Can of Pumpkin
1/2  Cup of Milk (soy, almond, 2%)
Pumpkin Pie Spice (to taste)
Dash of Vanilla

Blend until smooth! Easy, simple and a great way to enjoy some of the fall flavors without all the calories and added sugar.

Get out and enjoy the fall and all this wonderful time of year has to offer.

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August is here, summer is winding down and the kids are heading back to school. This is the perfect time to get back into your workout routine after a “summer break.” This month I’m bringing you one of my favorite go to workouts. It’s quick, it’s effective and great for all of our busy readers that don’t have loads of time to spend getting daily workouts in.

Are you ready to HIT IT this month? You can do this workout 2-3 days per week. It can be done as a stand-alone routine or you can add it into your current workout program.

How this HIT routine works: Perform each exercise for 20 seconds at your maximum exertion rate and recover for 10 seconds. Complete five rounds for a quick 10 minute workout. Want more? Do the circuit for five more rounds and you’ve got a 20 minute kick-butt sweat session.

Exercise 1: Squat Jack
Get low into a squat position. Keeping the knees behind the toes, jump out into a wider squat making sure that you are maintaining proper form and jump back to start. Keep repeating for 20 seconds.

Modification: Regular Squat
Make it harder: Add a tuck jump when you come back to center

Exercise 2: Wide Burpee
Get into a wide squat position. Place your hands on the floor. Walk your feet back so you are in plank position then walk your feet back in and stand up. Keep repeating for 20 seconds.

Make it harder: Add a push up when you come back into plank and a jump when you finish the exercise.

Exercise 3: Speed Skater
Think Olympic speed skating on this move. Jump out to the right bringing your left leg behind you and touch the floor, keeping your knees bent. Jump out to the left bringing your right leg behind you and touch the floor keeping your knees bent. Repeat for 20 seconds.

Modification: Stay uprights in a low squat position and step touch.

Exercise 4: Walkout with Shoulder Taps
Keeping a soft knee, walkout into a plank position. Tap your right shoulder, tap your left shoulder, then walk your hands into your feet and stand up. Keep repeating for 20 seconds.

Modification: Walkout into a plank and walk your hands back into your feet.
Make it harder: Add an air jack after you walk your hands back into your feet before starting the move again.

Remember to warm up, cool down and stretch whenever you work out. Always listen to your body and modify as needed. Happy Sweating!

Jennifer Deem, born and raised in Marietta, is the owner of Marietta Boot Camp. Teaching fitness for the past five years, Jennifer has a passion for helping people reach their fitness and wellness goals. She is an avid obstacle race enthusiast completing two Tough Mudders, two Spartan Races, two Savage Races, a Warrior Dash and a Mud on the Mountain. When she’s not heading out to teach 5 a.m. Boot Camp classes, you can find her smiling and enjoying life at its fullest with her two dogs Elle and Frank.

Photography by the lovely Liv of Liv Hefner Photography

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Are you ready for a challenge that will lift and firm up your backside? Join me for the rest of July for #bootycamp with this no equipment needed circuit that you can do at home. Complete this entire circuit one time through for the next two weeks, and if you need more of a challenge you can complete it two to three times through. For an added booty burn, find the nearest hill and walk up and down it for at least 20 minutes, three times per week.

Bridge: 20 Reps
Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your glutes and press into your heels to raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders  to your knees. Pause, then slowly lower back to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Single Leg Bridge: 20 Reps Each Side
Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your right leg straight in the air. Squeeze your glutes and  press your left heel into the floor as you raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause, then slowly lower back to starting position. That’s one rep. Do 20 with the Right Leg elevated and then 20 with the Left Leg elevated.

Donkey Kicks: 20 Reps Each Side
Get down on all fours, hands and knees on a mat. Position your hands in line with your shoulders. Flex your right foot and pull it into your chest and then elevate it. Keeping your knee bent and so that your knee is even with your hip. Try to keep your hips square and keep your abs pulled in tight. Do 20 reps on each side.

Donkey Pulse: 20 Reps Each Side
Following the same form as the Donkey Kick, lift your right leg and do little tiny pulses. Do 20 on each side.

Hydrant: 20 Reps Each Side
Get down on all fours, hands and knees on a mat. Position your hands in line with your shoulders. Bend your right knee. Elevate it out to the side so that it is even with your hip. Don’t lean. Keep your hips square, your back straight and your abs pulled in tight. Bring it back down to start. That is one rep. Do 20 reps on each side.

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