Your Community Park As Your Gym
Welcome in the warmer weather with outdoor activities: Ride your bike, go for a hike, play in the park, and walk around the river! If you’re up for a challenge, consider interval training in a park. It’s a great way to get an amazing workout with no added equipment.
Here’s how to do it! Find a park near you that has an area to run or walk around, (track, sidewalk, river walk, etc.), props (park bench, swing sets or ‘jungle gyms’), and a grassy area (mix of terrain; hills, flat, etc.).
Start with a 5-minute jog/walk to get your heart rate up, which increases your body temperature to warm up your muscles. Using a park bench, you can do sets of ‘step ups’, lunges (with back foot on bench), push-ups, and abs (leg lowers, crunches, scissors, etc.).
Then move to the ‘jungle gym’ and do pull-ups hanging straight down from the bar overhead or with your body flat on the ground pulling yourself up towards a low-lying bar. Walking lunges can be done on any surface, and made more difficult by walking up a hill
You can combine any group of exercises to complete your workout – anything you do in a gym can be done outside. Add jumping jacks, ‘mountain climbers’, jumps/hops, agility drills on the flat areas, and hill sprints in between the strength components to increase the intensity.
Taking a 2-4 minute jog/run around the track will add to the cardiovascular component as well. Finally, lower your intensity with some stretching and yoga postures.
An entire workout can be done in less than one hour! Try this three days per week (weather permitting of course) for four weeks and you will definitely feel a difference in your strength and stamina!
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you start slow, warm up properly, stretch afterwards, and most importantly . . . have fun!
Feng Shui's 5 Elements
WOOD
- Attributes: strength, growth, prosperity
- Effects on other elements: Feeds fire, weakens earth
- How to harness it: Plants, wooden furniture
- Most needed in: Office
FIRE
- Attributes: Passion, heat, enthusiasm
- Effects on other elements: Feeds earth, weakens metal
- How to harness it: Candles, fireplaces, red décor, oil lamps
- Most needed in: Bedroom, living room
EARTH
- Attributes: Stability, patience
- Effects on other elements: Feeds metal, weakens fire
- How to harness it: Ceramic vases, pottery, stones
- Most needed in: Bathroom
METAL
- Attributes: Organization, protection
- Effects on other elements: Feeds water, weakens wood
- How to harness it: Objects made from brass, silver, gold, pewter, or steel
- Most needed in: Kitchen, storage room
WATER
- Attributes: Prosperity, wisdom, communication
- Effects on other elements: Feeds wood, weakens fire
- How to harness it: Aquariums, fountains
- Most needed in: Entryway