It's Black Friday - the day after the great turkey showdown when the family gathers together to show off their eating prowess. You know you won Thanksgiving if you woke up today feeling thankful it is all over.
And now that you are awake, the first thing on your mind is getting in a great workout. Or not. Even if it is not the first thing, because we all know the number one is searching the web for great Black Friday deals, I hope it is in your top five for the day.
The goal of the post-Thanksgiving workout out is for you to feel less dehydrated and sluggish. I have laid out a three-step workout that will leave you feeling back to your good old self.
Phase 1: Easing Into It
Phase one aims to get you feeling awake and in the right mental place to tackle a workout.
Hydration
The first thing you should do is go and pour yourself a tall glass of water. After a long day of eating and drinking, you probably woke up today feeling dehydrated and possibly with a slight headache.
Drinking a few glasses of water early in the day will help you feel more awake and energetic.
Walk
Go outside for a five to ten-minute walk. Walking will get the blood flowing and get you some fresh air after being inside all day yesterday. Also, it is an excellent time to clear your head and relax.
Phase 2: Stretch Circuit
Phase two gets the muscle to reset and relax before our workout. I have chosen four stretches to deal with the stress the body will experience post-Thanksgiving, specifically.
Back Breathing
Breathing will help you let go of all the family debates and politics from the day before. Or, at the very least, it will leave you feeling great.
10 Breaths
Child's Pose
The Child's Pose is a great back and lat stretch; after sitting and prepping food all day, your upper back and shoulders will thank you for this.
10 Breaths
Cat Camel
Gentle spinal flexion and extension will bring welcome movement to your whole back.
5 Cycles
Seated Hip Switches
If you were like me and spent most of yesterday watching football games and only getting up for two reasons: 1. being called to eat, and 2. getting more to eat, then you are feeling the effects of not moving your hips today. This is a great mobility drill to loosen up your hips.
5 each side
Repeat all four stretches 2x through.
Phase 3: Metabolic Circuit
The goal of the metabolic phase is to get your heart rate up and get a lot of movement variations. You will do each exercise for ten reps; then you will do each exercise for 9, and so on until you do each exercise for one rep. If you wanted to make it a little quicker or more manageable, you could go down by two's.
Plyo Lunges
Yoga Push-Ups
Sit Throughs
Shuffle Touch
Count Down 10 to 1
Now go out and do this workout, and after you finish, treat yourself to a leftover turkey sandwich.
Coach Josh