With Halloween here, we are looking at some blood-thirsty exercises to help you get through this All Hallow’s Eve. Whether you are looking for a trick to get you through the holiday or something to help with the regret you may feel after a night of snacking on treats, this list is for you. Here are six frightful workouts for you to try. Remember to check with your doctor to ensure you are healthy enough to exercise. Now, without further ado, let’s monster mash our way through this list.
Monster Walks
This is a great warmup exercise that should be done with a mini band secured around your legs. Keeping your legs far apart, take some big steps going forwards and then backwards. Make sure you keep your chest presented and chin up. Keep your core tight and watch where you’re going. This is best done in a larger area but can be modified for smaller work out areas.
Ventral Jacks
A cardio exercise that is nearly identical to the infamous Jumping Jacks, Ventral Jacks has a slight twist compared to its more famous cousin. With Ventral Jacks, your arms will come up in front of your body, ending when they’re parallel to your shoulders. This is meant to be a fast exercise that is high impact. For a low impact modification, take out the jump and instead do lateral steps. Just because you’re doing the low impact version doesn’t mean you can take it easy. Push yourself and get that heart rate going.
Dead Lifts
Good for both the living and the not-so-living, dead lifts are one of the major exercises you’ll see everybody doing at your gym. These can be done with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebell, or without any weight. The most important thing to keep in mind when doing your dead lift is to keep a flat back. Pushing your butt away from you while lowering your torso will ensure that you are keeping your back activated. Keep a tight core and your chin up. You will feel a stretch on the way down in the backs of your legs i.e. your hamstrings. Bring the weights to your knees. When lifting, make sure you don’t round that back. Push your hips forward as the weights or resistance rises up your legs.
Spider Crawl
Another great warmup exercises, you won’t need your spidey sense just the will to do it. Start with being in a tall plank (arms fully extended with slight bend in your elbows). You will crawl forward, but the key is to bring you knee to the outside of your elbow on the same side. This is another exercise that is more effective in a larger area, but it isn’t essential for a great workout. You can go forwards and backwards just make sure no one is in the way. Before you know it, you’ll be crawling on walls and slinging web.
Skull Crushers
An upper body resistance exercise that targets your triceps like no other. You want to have a bench, especially one where you can securely place your feet to help keep you back from potentially straining. You want either two dumbbells or one heavy dumbbell. Lift your arms directly above your shoulders and keep your elbows straight and not flying out. Bending at the elbows, bring the weights close to your head with straight wrists. Then return them back up. Make sure to concentrate as you do not want to actually crush your skull. If you don’t feel your triceps working, take a look at your form and make sure it looks solid.
Superman
Not as scary sounding as our other exercises on this list, but Halloween is also about being someone else for a night. And who wouldn’t want to be Superman? For this exercise, you will be starting with your belly on a mat or floor. Extend your arms like the Man of Steel and lift your chest and legs up. Hold that position while maintaining a tight core and strong back. You can do this with modifications, repetitions, or as a hold. Make sure you are squeezing your gluts and keeping your chin up. Master this one and you’ll be flying through Metropolis in no time.
How many of these terrifying exercises have your tried? Are there any other workouts that scare you to death? Are you dressing up this Halloween? Let me know what you’re thinking and enjoy a safe and healthy(ish) Halloween. Keep being awesome!