Monday Move
A No-Equipment Cardio Exercise That Strengthens Your Lower Body, Too
Can’t squeeze in a whole workout? You have time for this.
As February continues battering much of the country with freezing temperatures and (frankly, unwelcome) snow, the cold seems to be settling deep into my body. My joints feel creaky, my torso is stuck in a perma-hunch, and I keep throwing out my neck and back with stupid little movements that shouldn’t cause me such trouble. My mood isn’t so great, either, and I’d actually consider going for an endorphin-boosting run — something I’m no fan of normally — if the sidewalks weren’t such a mess.
I clearly need to do some mobility and injury-prevention work, but I’m also craving the blood flow and mood lift that comes from cardio. Today, I’ll be spending a few minutes doing skaters, a surprisingly fun heart-pounding move that — as a bonus — makes me feel like a modern dancer, leaping from one side of the room to the other as quickly and, ideally, gracefully, as I can. Skaters are a bit like a jumping lateral lunge, so they strengthen the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and abdominals, and help improve your balance, even as they challenge your cardiovascular system.
If you’d like to try them, consider spending a few moments doing bodyweight squats or…
