Gilbert: How to stay in shape when the Copa summer happens

Jul 8, 2016

By Aaron Gilbert

It’s officially that time of the year again when the infamous, sweltering Arizona sun forces us to retreat to one of our neighboring coastal regions for a much-needed break.

This summer, don’t let the heat and subsequent breaks from your training routine prevent you from maintaining everything you’ve worked so hard for.

With as little as 10 minutes a day and virtually no equipment, you can maintain your fitness levels until you’re back in the game.

SIMPLE, DO-ANYWHERE-ANYTIME WORKOUT
Use this minimalist 10-minute workout to stay in shape.

1. Move through each exercise in sequence. 2. Do 10 reps of each exercise. 3. Don’t rest between exercises. 4. Rest 1-2 minutes at the end of the circuit. 5. Repeat for a total of 2-4 circuits.

BEAR CRAWL
Starting on all fours, push down with toes to bring knees off floor. Keeping pelvis centered, “crawl” with right arm and left leg moving forward together, and vice versa. 10 seconds = 1 rep.

PUSH-UP
Start in “plank” position, hands directly under shoulders and fingers forward.
Maintaining a straight line from head to heel, keep elbows in as you bend them to lower your body as far as you can without shoulders popping forward.
Squeeze shoulder blades together and down toward glutes as you lower, then allow them to spread fully apart at the top. Keep abs tight, tailbone tucked under and shoulders down away from ears.

SQUAT

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended in front of you or behind your head.
With abs engaged, ribs pulled down, and tailbone tucked under, push hips back and lower as far as you can, keeping feet straight and knees aligned with little toe.
Drive weight into heels and midfoot to return to start.

SINGLE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW

Keeping ribs down, abs tight, tailbone tucked, and weight through forward heel, pull dumbbell up toward lower ribs while locking your shoulder blade inward and down.

YOUR MINIMALIST GYM
Choose a weight that’s moderately challenging (women: 15-30 pounds, men 30-50 pounds).

MAKE IT EASY
Keep your portable workout equipment and clothes somewhere visible and accessible. Behavioral triggers make exercise more automatic, less thought-driven.
Don’t think of the workout as a chore or punishment. Think of it as a means to maintaining your rewards and staying on track with little time investment.
Can’t do one or more of the exercises in the circuit? Skip them. If possible, focus on the lower body, which requires greater muscle engagement and energy burn.
No dumbbell? Use whatever you can find to add weight to the moves.

WHY THIS PLAN WILL WORK FOR YOU
•   Requires minimal time and equipment, so you can do it anytime, anywhere.
•   Uses multiple joints with big muscles, big ranges of motion — so you get more out of each rep
•   Maintains joint and tissue health.
•   Helps you avoid the all-or-nothing downward spiral of feeling “off-track” with exercise after coming back from a vacation break.

Aaron Gilbert, CSCS, is the owner of Longevity Athletics.

520-261-4661
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This column appeared in the July issue of InMaricopa.