9 Ways to Train Outside!

No Gym, No Weights, No Problem! Fall is the perfect time of year to take your training outside! The weather is great, the scenery is beautiful, and we can inspire others while being outside! This article provides a few ways I like to train outside, and hopefully you can find at least one that works for you!

1.    Stairs:

Honestly, these puppies are better than the stairmill! I have a love/hate relationship with my local outdoor stairs, the Exorcist Stairs (yup, the staircase filmed in the movie). There are so many ways to train on an outdoor staircase such as: hitting every step, skipping a step, two footed hops, and side lunging to name a few.  In any case, use caution on the stairs, especially if it is or has recently rained. I would use stairs on another day.

My favorite stairs, the Exorcist Stairs in Georgetown, DC. 

2.    Hills:

To me, one of the best rushes is achieved after a good set of hill sprints. Similar to sprinting on an incline, hills activate the glutes and hamstrings. Find your local hill, call up a group of friends, and set a weekly hill date to run or walk hills.

3.    Fields:

Nothing feels like being a kid again more than running as fast as you can in an open field. Living in DC, friends of mine would head down to the mall and sprint on the fields by the Lincoln. It was pretty liberating, even if the tourists did look at us funny! If you are lucky enough to have an open field by you, get out there and take advantage of it!

4.    Benches:

I love a good bench, and I am not talking about the one in the gym! There are so many ways to incorporate park benches into an outdoor workout. You can use them for for dips, incline pushups, decline pushups and step up variations! Next time you walk by a bench, don’t sit on it, step-up on it!

5.    Trails:

Whether for a run, a bike ride, or a walk, there is a therapeutic effect of being in nature. Take for example that 3-mile run on the treadmill, now place yourself outside with the green trees, chirping birds, and other runners smiling at you. It’s a little different then the drone of the treadmill.  I challenge you to get in at least one trail workout a week, allow yourself to be present and experience nature.

6.    Playground Equipment

Channel your inner child! Get back on those monkey bars! You can also use the bars for various pull-up and chin up variations. Next time you’re at the park with your children, or even if you don’t have children, get out there and play too! Bring a ball with you to play hoops, soccer, or kickball as well.

7.    Beach

Sprinting on the beach is a great workout for your calves, especially when done in the dry sand as well as walking lunges. You can easily throw together a great body-weight workout with just yourself and the sand. The combinations are endless!

8.    Pool/Ocean

Whether it’s laps in the pool or laps in the ocean one of the best ways to get in a total body workout are in the water! Not a swimmer, no worries! Grab a kayak, a surfboard, or a paddleboat and get active! Just remember to put on your sunscreen!

9.    Track

Heading over to your local high school track is a great way to get in exercise and way to build a sense of community. Be sure to check in with the school to make sure it is cool to use the track. Many schools do have times where the track is open to the community.

And there you have it, 9 ways to train outside without weights! No excuses, you have everything you need outside J! 

My favorite play to train outdoors back home in Westerville,  Hoover Dam

Tweet me your outdoor workout today @kelleyvargo #outdoorworkout

See you tomorrow,

Kel

The Reality... 19 minutes?

Alright, I might be repeating myself but I have to get this out. One of my first posts I wrote I mentioned that there are 1,440 minutes in a day. And I challenged you to use 30 minutes for yourself, even better to use them for exercise. But the reality is Americans use 19 minutes for physical activity and exercise... if that. My frustration doesn't stem from 19 minutes, my frustration goes a lot deeper than this. It is the very people who make health recommendations that aren't making time for exercise. Now, don't get me wrong, I know there are health care practitioners out there that DO have balance and MAKE time for physical activity. But realistically, the majority don't.

It started a few weeks ago when I was asked by my adviser, Dr. Todd Miller, to speak to the third year medical students at The George Washington University on the importance of exercise and physical activity.  Oh the irony behind this!  Just three years ago, I was grudgingly filling out medical school applications with hopes of not going.  I would say to my dad, "I do not want to be a fat doctor!" So here it is three years later and I am lecturing to the doctors of tomorrow.

I did a little research of my own before presenting and found that as of 2010 the working American exercises an average of 19 minutes a day, see a more thorough break down by checking out the American Bureau of Labor.

Action shot ... :)

I then asked the students if they exercised on a regular basis, even if it was just 19 minutes, and approximately 10% of the 90 students I spoke with that afternoon raised their hands!  I was shocked, but not really I guess. But let's step back a minute. Here I was, presenting to the Third Year medical students at THE George Washington University, located in the heart of the nation's capital, a place where policy is created, and WE cannot even find 19 minutes a day?  Really?  Is this a joke?  Ashton Kutcher, where were you? I was waiting for him to yell Punked, but that never happened.

It's the sad reality of the world we live in today.  The people that are supposed to be leading us in "healthcare" are not leading by action.  So what do you do?  Do it yourself.  Supporting my beliefs, and inspiring my voice, is Dr. Loretta DiPietro, a pioneer for the field of physical activity in  Public Health. I will leave you with a clip from her TEDex talk that I attended this past week. Warning their is explicit content, but like Loretta says, if you can't swear, you don't belong in public health.

In closing, take the stairs and take a stand! Create your own health and be the change!  Every little bit counts.  And remember, you can't change what you did, but you can change what you do!

Total Body Workout Numero Uno

Even as trainer, group fitness instructor, and exercise scientist, I like being told what to do for a workout from time to time. I spend a good amount of my days writing exercise programs for clients, students, and classes. Sometimes the last thing I want to do is write a workout for myself. Recently, I have been inspired by my brother's rugby coach, Paul Holmes, for my workouts.  Paul is an amazing coach and rugby player from South Africa, who now lives in my hometown, Columbus, Ohio.  The distance doesn't keep me from getting in a good workout, Paul posts his sessions on YouTube and tweets me when they are up.

Today's workout is a modified version of 1823Sevenstrainer's Complete Body Workout.  The KV (Kelley Vargo) version consists of 8 exercises utilizing dumbbells.  Each exercise is done for 20 reps using a moderately-heavy to heavy weight. Continue through the exercises moving from one to the next taking a one to two minute rest after the completion of the 8 exercises.  Repeat the circuit for a total of three times and aim to do so in 30 minutes or less. 

Exercise #1: Bench Press

Exercise #2: Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

Exercise #3: Squat

Exercise #4: Up Right Row

Exercise #5: Deadlift

Exercise #6: Curls

Exercise #7: Shoulder Shrugs

Exercise #8: Split Squats (20 Each Leg)

This is a kick butt total body workout.  As much as I love to train split body parts, some weeks don't afford me the ability to do so.  A workout like this does the trick and then some! Go get it in and let me know what you think!  Oh wait I forgot the ninth exercise....

Ending the workout with a bang: Tebowing for the Buckeyes!

The OHIO STATE Tebow ;)!  Had to give a shout out to my Buckeyes tonight!  Good luck! And a special thank you to Jordan Morrison for being a great photographer :)!

Rest-Based Training: Metabolic Effect

Do you have 5, 10 or 30 minutes to get in a great workout? Yes, of course you do!

Rest-based training is where it's at! I have been blessed to work with some of the best leaders in the fitness and health industry, and my dear friends, Drs. Jade & Keoni Teta are two of them. About 8 years ago Jade & Keoni introduced me to Metabolic Effect and the concept of rest-based training. From then on, my perspective and way of training has been effective and efficient in regards to time and progress. This past weekend I attended the IDEA Personal Training Institute in Alexandria, Virgina and had the chance to catch up with Jade. Check out Jade below for a quick introduction to Metabolic Effect and rest-based training.

            The Journal of the American College of Nutrition published a study comparing the same caloric expenditure but done at two different intensities: one group at 75% VO2 max vs. 50% Vo2 max.  The same amount of calories were burned, but they high intensity group was done in less time and had an elevated metabolic rate three hours after the workout. Regardless of your stance on EPOC, my take home point is a quality workout can be done in a short period of time (1).
             To get a feel for rest-based training jump in on a Metabolic Effect class near you.  Not sure if you have one near by? Get on the website and find out. No luck there? No worries! Grab a copy of The New Metabolic Effect Diet, an easy to read book for practical workouts.  Their book is founded on research assessing the body's hormonal response to food and exercise.  Studies have indicated that moderate intensity workouts, like swimming or continuous running,  can stimulate hunger hormones (2,3). My father, Dr. Ronald Vargo, a family physician in a rural town outside of Columbus, Ohio refers his patients to the book for advice on food and fitness. If I can get my dad to believe in something, it holds value ;)! He's a stickler for the valid and practical information!
            I am currently teaching Metabolic Effect classes at The George Washington University and the following has been amazing! From students to faculty, they are all maximizing their time and energy in this 30-minute high intensity workout. One of my most dedicated followers is world-renowned obesity and physical activity researcher and Editor in Chief of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Dr. Loretta DiPietro. “It [Metabolic Effect] compliments my style of training.  My type two (glycolytic) fibers are very responsive to it. I have never felt better in my life” Dr. DiPietro. 

             And for the nerd in me, this type of workout makes sense. Metabolic Effect and rest-based training is backed by exercise science, sports psychology, and endocrinology. For more information on the science of Metabolic Effect and the body’s hormonal response to this type of exercise, click here. In closing, check out the video of class. (Let me know if you can find me!)

 

Until next week, push until you can’t, rest until you can!

1. Helain, et. al. Postexercise energy expenditure and substrate oxidation in young women resulting from exercise bouts of different intensity. Jrnl Am Coll Nutr 1997;16(2)140-146
2. Karamouzis, et. al. The effects of marathon swimming on serum leptin and plasma neuropeptide Y levels. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2002;40(2):132-6.
3. Broom et. al, Influence of resistance and aerobic exercise on hunger, circulating levels of acylated ghrelin, and peptide YY in healthy males. 2009;296(1):R29-35.
 

Five Quick & Easy Ways: Get Fitness In Your Day!

Following up with last week's post, I thought I would elaborate more on how to make fitness happen throughout your day.  As a full-time student and working professional, I have become more aware that life is extremely busy, super urgent, and always chaos.  I mean life is so busy that we barely have time to exercise, eat, and if it wasn’t innate, to breath.  Clearly, life is too busy!  Or is it?  If you didn’t pick up on my sarcasm, I was kidding about all of that. Like many of my peers, I get caught up in autopilot freight train mindset.  So along with myself, I am asking you to SLOOOWWW down and make time for your self and your health today.

In between meetings, classes, taking care of the family, or getting to work, I challenge you to try out these 5 ways to add fitness into your day.  I’m sure we’ve all heard the “do some dips at your desk” or “stand up and perform squats.”  But I’ll be honest, even as a figure athlete and with my education; you probably won’t catch me doing dips on a regular basis behind my desk.  However, you will catch me doing the following…..

Dr. DiPietro doing her daily work :) Why sit for 8 hours?

• Working From a Stand-Up Desk:  Dr.Loretta DiPietro, PhD, the Department Chair of Exercise Science at The George Washington University and Director of the Master’s of Public Health Focus on Physical Activity and Obesity practices what she preaches.  Instead of condemning yourself to your desk for 8 or more hours a day, why not stand?   

•  Taking The Stairs: Living on the sixth floor of my city apartment building, the six flights up and down add up over the day.  The same rule goes for work and campus buildings; the elevator is not an option. So whether you are shopping at the mall, coming out of the metro, or at work, take the time to take the stairs!

•  Walking for Transportation (as much as possible): The added perk of city living has allowed me to ditch the car and use my legs.  However, growing up in the suburbs, this wasn’t practical. My advice is, if you live in a city, walk as much as you can.  And if you are in the ‘burbs or rural towns, park in spot far from your destination, that way you can get in some extra steps!

•  One-minute Workout: These are the best!  This past weekend I was watching the super bowl with Dr. DiPietro, and she was getting in her core workouts on commercial breaks! 60 second that’s it.  Now, you can catch me doing those squats I didn’t do in the office in my kitchen while making dinner.  Lunges, squats, planks, you get the picture.  Throw in a few one-minute workouts today.

• Multitasking Cardio and TV Time:  Not having cable this past year has made my life much more productive!  Time I would spend watching TV, is now used for writing, reading, and catching up on sleep.  However, when I get the urge to watch my addiction, The Real Housewives, I compromise by going to the gym and getting in a cardio session. Don’t worry you don’t have to watch The Real Housewives to make this work!  It can be the morning news, the evening shoes, or anything else – just remember the cardio part too!

My sister, Krissy, and I getting in our incline walking while catching up on life.
Getting  it done and having fun...always!

And there you have it, five quick and easy way to get fitness into your day!