Commentary by Kara Babcock
October is here, which means everywhere you look you are seeing pumpkin…pumpkin lattes, cookies, cakes, candies, pies…anything and everything is now with pumpkin! So we thought with all the extra calories we all might be consuming this month due to pumpkins, it would be fun to turn one into our workout equipment. Your little ones can join along in the fun and help decorate the pumpkin whenyou are finished with the workout, or you can get a little pumpkin for them so they can do a pumpkin workout, too.
Here are some of our absolute favorite workouts to do with pumpkins.
Lunge with a twist
A. Stand tall with the pumpkin in your hands with elbows bent. Lunge right leg back and twist left over front leg (make it harder by extending the arms straight out in front of you, then twisting).
B. Turn forward and step your right leg forward to meet left and come to standing. Repeat on the other side for one rep.
V sit and twist
A. Sit on ground and lean back, so that abs engage. Back should be flat and diagonal from the ground, starting at the tailbone and continuing straight through the spine, long through neck and up the crown of head. Make it harder by lifting feet up to tabletop.
B. Lower pumpkin to right hip, then lift overhead.
C. Lower pumpkin to left hip to complete one rep.
Tricep squat
A. Squat while holding the pumpkin behind your neck, with elbows close to your head. Be sure to sit back as if to sit into a chair, and keep your knees from going too far forward.
B. Stand up and lift the pumpkin directly overhead by straightening the arms. That’s one rep.
