The 4thof July always holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of my absolute favorite holidays, uniting Americans across the nation in celebration of the day we chose freedom. While there will always be areas of improvement, I absolutely love this country and what we stand for: freedom of speech, travel, government, choice, etc. We are a nation of strong-willed individuals who should be proud of what we have accomplished, and what we CAN accomplish together in the future. With that said, I also always start my 4thof July off with a workout. It gets me in the necessary frame of mind to honor the day, while also burning off some calories prior to a day spent sunbathing, drinking and eating. I put together my 4 favorite exercises in honor of this day, so if you aren’t able to find a Kaia near you, then feel free to incorporate these 4 exercises into your day!
Warm-Up:
It’s imperative to do a full body warm up prior to any fitness regimen. See below for suggestions:
- 2 minutes light jog or brisk walk
- 10x Inchworm (walk out to plank, push-up, walk back to forward fold)
- 10x Monster Kicks (arms overhead, lift L leg and tap with R hand. Alternate)
- 10X Walking Lunge
Workout:
With only 4 exercises, feel free to incorporate these 4 into a 4 mile run (doing a set of each at every mile), set a timer to complete an AMRAP or set up Tabata style (see below!)
AMRAP (as many rounds as possible in timeframe):
Set timer for 10 minutes (feel free to repeat as often as necessary)
10 reps of each exercise. Repeat for 10 minutes. How many times did you get through all 4 exercises:
TABATA:
Complete the first exercise for 20 seconds, take a 10 second break. Repeat the SAME exercise and set up for 4 minutes. Then progress to next exercise. Est. 16 minutes.
Exercise 1: Star Spangled Jacks
Balance/Strength: regular jacks or jack step-outs
Keep core engaged, and land softly with bent knees. Tell yourself ‘I’M A STAR!’
Exercise 2: Cool Core Taps
Balance/Strength: Lower to forearms and/or knees.
Exercise 3: Thigh Busting Freedom Ringers
Balance/Strength: Step back lunge.
Exercise 4: Patriotic Push-Ups
Balance/Strength: Drop to your knees or elevate to alleviate pressure.
Cool Down:
Always cool down after a workout! This helps regulate your heart rate, evens your breath and allows you to stretch tight muscles.
- 2 minute walk
- Cobbler Stretch
- Down Dog Hold
- Runners Lunge
Happy 4th of July!