Get Out of the Gym

Unfortunately, I spend approximately 60 hours per week sitting inside under fluorescent lights. Therefore, come Friday at 5pm all I want to do is spend hours outside. As you’ve seen in previous posts, we find numerous ways to get our weekly dose of Vitamin D.

Weekend trips out of the city that are VERY active

Reading or playing around in Central Park with friends

 

 

Drinking and eating outside

and last but not least, breaking a sweat outside! I prefer to participate in outdoor runs, boot camps, and yoga classes all weekend long versus    stepping foot in a gym.

Therefore, I was excited when NYC fitness diva, Jes,                       invited her readers to a free Fit Chick Boot Camp in Central Park this morning. The instructions were clear: bring nothing except yourself and a bottle of water, show up at 9:30, and get ready for a sweatastic workout!

I met the lovely ladies in Columbus Circle before venturing into the park. Luckily, weather was on our side as it was sunny and hot by 9:30.

For the next hour, Jes took the five of us through a great workout in the shade and SUN of Central Park. We were inspired by the Intensati   workout taking place a few steps away and the fighting ninjas filming below us. Okay, maybe the ninjas just made us laugh. But, regardless, what I loved about this workout is that the entire time we were working out we were also enjoying our surroundings.

Jes kept us in a small area of the park but used everything around us as props including bridges, steps, park benches, and the grass. The workout consisted of more squats and lunges than I think I’ve ever done, some great pushup action on the bench, plank reaches, side steps, dips, step ups, and running. Thank you for organizing this Jes and being so generous. We all had a blast meeting other readers and bloggers (hi ladies!!) while also breaking a sweat and lunging our way to a body like Jes’.

After an hour of outdoor boot camp I was craving three things: –

-Vita Coco

-A pool

-A strapless workout top as I got some wicked tan lines today

Luckily 2 of the 3 took place at my next stop, Equinox. The Columbus Circle location features a 25 yard pool equipped with pull bouys, goggles, and kickboards.

Today, I returned to the pool. I have a love/hate relationship with the pool because I know it’s good for me and I love what it does to my body but I hate and dread it because it’s so hard. It had been 4 months since I stepped in a pool and was ready to conquer my fears! 25 laps and 625 yds later my time was cut short due to some crazy Iron Men that decided they owned the pool. Oh well. I finished happy and excited for my next swim. I’d like to include at least 1-2 swim workouts per week as my back continues to mend. It’s a great cardio activity and is impact free.

 

The rest of the afternoon was spent with Rebecca on the rooftop of her gym, Club H! What a great day it’s been thus far! Now it’s off to dinner with Melissa and Frank.