Take away four fitness routines for your classes or your personal workouts. Fit To Go is a 45-minute exercise video that is broken into four training segments that target strength, joint mobility, core and muscular flexibility.
WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE
The four training segments in Fit To Go are go-to routines that I use when I can’t get in the pool or get to the gym. During COVID. I learned how to be less regimented with my fitness activities. I discovered alternative ways to stay fit at home. Living with an aging body has also made me more intuitive about what kind of exercise my body needs, whether that be cardio, strength, joint mobility, core training or stretching. These four training segments are for anyone who wants to participate in exercise at home. They can also be used by instructors who teach studio classes or need a make-up routine for a canceled water fitness class. My class members love the 20-minute hand weight routine.
FIT TO GO-AT-A-GLANCE
This 45-minute fitness video is divided into four mini workouts, a 20-minute muscle conditioning routine with dumbbells, a 10-minute joint tune-up, a 5-minute deep core segment, and a 10-minute stretching routine. Each segment is described in more detail below.
This 20-minute muscle conditioning routine is performed with a set of hand weights. There are five exercise combos that serve as supersets. Training with supersets allows for a quicker pace. Essentially, you can get more exercise activity in a shorter amount of time. The pace of this strength circuit is kept breathless thanks to 30-second cardio bursts between the strength supersets. This transforms the routine into a powerful metabolic circuit that burns more calories from fat and keeps the metabolic rate elevated longer after the workout. Consider encouraging the use of a lighter set of hand weights because of the quick pace and the lack of rest. The 5-pound hand weights used in the video were purchased on Amazon for $17.00.
The 10-minute joint tune-up was performed in a chair to be more inclusive. However, this joint mobility routine can be performed standing. You may want to use a chair or the wall for balance during the hip, knee and ankle joint exercises. All the movements in this routine are from AEA’s Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program (AFEP). This joint tune up was designed to move your joints through a full range of motion (ROM), from the cervical spine down to the ankles.
The goal of this deep core routine was to strengthen the transverse abdominis, which surrounds the spine like a corset. This routine has very little movement. instead it relies on stability and compression. Strengthening the transverse abdominis can help prevent lower back injuries. The mat used in the video can be purchased on Amazon for $22.00.
Aging bodies require more stretching as we tend to lose muscular elasticity over time. Tight muscles can lead to injuries, particularly the kinds of injuries that can prevent you from enjoying your fitness activities. This 10-minute stretching routine is performed on a mat. The stretches were kept straight forward. There are only so many ways we can strengthen and stretch the major muscles. Therefore, it is best to stick with proven stretches. However, it is important to cue the stretches intuitively, encouraging class members to explore the range of motion.
In closing, I hope that you find this video helpful for whatever your fitness needs are. In the video below, I talk more about the four training segments in the Fit to Go video.