ROCK Your Workouts
No matter if you are camping, hiking, at the beach or just in your backyard, you can give yourself an incredible muscle conditioning workout with just rocks! If you can’t get to the gym or away from your home workout area, it doesn’t mean your workouts have to take a sabbatical. So, no excuses, you need to be resourceful. There are literally hundreds of exercises you can do anywhere to challenge all muscles and fitness components.
I joined Koin News and Jenny Hansson for Move it Monday to review exercises you can do with just rocks. So, find yourself a large rock size and two smaller rocks with weight dependent on your current fitness level and let’s get a ‘rocking’ workout! You’ll notice Jenny only had access to a paint can so always remember if there is a will, there is a way!
Squat & Press
Hold one larger rock in both hands while legs are approximately hip width apart with knees and feet pointing in the same direction. Slowly bend your knees and squat down as low as feels comfortable sinking back into your hips and lowering the rock towards the ground. Keep your abdominals active and your spine elongated. Now slowly stand back up while pressing the rock over your head. Continue for 8-20 reps.
Woodchop Squat
Hold one larger rock in both hands while legs are approximately hip width apart with knees and feet pointing in the same direction. Slowly bend your knees and squat down as low as feels comfortable sinking back into your hips and lowering the rock towards the ground. Keep your abdominals active and your spine elongated. As you stand up, pivot and rotate as you swing the rock up and overhead to one side of your body. Continue for 8-20 reps each side.
Rock Swing
Hold one larger rock in both hands while legs are approximately hip width apart with knees and feet pointing in the same direction. Keep your legs straight with only a slight bend in your knees. Swing the rock between your upper legs keeping your abdominals active and your back elongated. Engage your glutes as you drive the rock back forwards and up over your head. Continue for 8-20 reps each side.
Reverse Lunge and Bicep Curl
Start by standing tall holding two lighter rocks. Slowly lunge one leg backwards keeping the front knee and foot pointed in the same direction and your knee positioned over your foot. Drop the back knee as low towards the ground as feels comfortable and slowly stand back up while performing a bicep curl. Continue for 8-15 reps each leg.
Airplane and Tricep Kickback
Start by standing tall holding two lighter rocks balancing on one leg. Slow tip the upper body forward as one leg extends behind transitioning into airplane pose while keeping the spine elongated. Keep your core active as you hold airplane pose and slowly raise both elbows towards the sky/ceiling and straighten the arms into a Tricep Kickback. Do 8-12 reps on each leg.
Note: Since your smaller rocks may not be the same size and weight, be sure to perform equal number of reps with each rock in each hand to provide balance and symmetry.
Koin News “Move it Monday” segment on Rock workouts.
Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan
Sherri McMillan
Sherri McMillan, holds a master's degree in exercise physiology and has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for more than 33 years. She has received numerous industry awards including 2010 CanFitPro International Presenter of the Year, 2006 IDEA Fitness Director of the Year, 1998 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, 1998 CanFitPro Fitness Presenter of the Year and 2005/2006 ACE Fitness Educator of the Year - Runner up. She is a fitness trainer, fitness columnist for various magazines and newspapers, author of five books and manuals including "Go For Fit - the Winning Way to Fat Loss" and "Fit over Forty" and the featured presenter in various fitness DVDs. She has presented hundreds of workshops to thousands of fitness leaders throughout Canada, Australia, Mexico, Jamaica, New Zealand, Germany, England, Spain, South America, Asia and the U.S. She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in downtown Vancouver, the founder of WHY Racing Events & WHY Community, participates in various community fundraisers and can be found running, biking, or hiking around the community. Find more information at nwpersonaltraining.com.