Pumpkin Workout Revisited

By Stacey Nolan Young
(Video footage featuring Mark Young’s appearance on CHCH News at Noon)

Halloween is fast approaching and everyone wants to look great in their Halloween costumes. It’s the one day of the year where we are free to be whoever or whatever we wish to be. So I thought we’d bring back an old concept that Mark Young had a couple of years ago and bring some creativity and festivity into our workouts.

I give you The Pumpkin Workout.

Despite the lack of time in the video above we had formulated an entire whole body workout with the pumpkin to use as resistance. Choose your pumpkins wisely as they can get pretty big and therefore heavy!

Always begin your workout with a proper warmup so jog, skip or jump in place for a few minutes to prime your body for the work ahead.

1. Squat and Press

This is a great combination exercise which will effectively target your lower body and also your shoulders. For this exercise you are to stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart holding the pumpkin with both hands in front of you close to your chest. With your feet firmly planted on the floor slowly lower your body as far down as you can go. Your feet should remain flat on the floor. Slowly raise yourself to the start postion while pushing your pumpkin up and over your head as you stand up.

10 repetitions
1.5 minute rest
10 repetitions
1.5 minute rest
10 repetitions
1.5 minute rest

2. Pumpkin Plank

This exercise is to be performed as shown in the picture except that you will be resting your forearms and hands on the pumpkin. Keep your back straight as it will have a tendancy to sag. You should feel this in your core muscles - abdominals, obliques (sides) and lower back. Hold this position for as long as you can.

Hold for as long as you can
1.5 minute rest
Hold for as long as you can
1.5 minute rest
Hold for as long as you can
1.5 minute rest

3. Pumpkin Single Legged Romanian Deadlift

This exercise requires balance and focus. It targets the hamstrings at the back of the leg as well as the glutes. Place the pumpkin on the floor in front of you. Plant your feet firmly on the ground. Lift one leg up behind you off of the floor and put a slight bend in your knee on your planted leg. Keeping your back straight push your hips back until you can pick up the pumpkin from the floor. Slowly lift the pumpkin up and bring your leg back down by squeezing your glutes. Your back must remain straight and your raised leg should be in line with your back. If you find yourself having trouble keeping a neutral spine than place the pumpkin on a higher surface like a box. Repeat on other leg. Watch the video to see how this works. IF this is too difficult try this exercise with both feet planted on the floor.

8 repetitions per leg
1 minute rest
8 repetitions per leg
1 minute rest
8 repetitions per leg
1 minute rest

4. Pumpkin Push Up

This is a great exercise for targeting your chest muscles, shoulders, triceps and your core all at the same time. With your hands on the pumpkin, your feet on the floor and your back straight, lower your chest by bending your elbows and push yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat. To make this exercise more difficult try placing your feet on the pumpkin and your hands on the floor instead. To make it easier place your knees on the floor instead of your feet.

10 repetitions
1.5 minute rest
10 repetitions
1.5 minute rest
10 repetitions

End this exercise bout with your normal stretching routine and don’t forget to add a bit of cardio to the mix.

And there you have it! A whole body workout just in time for your Halloween festivities to work off that Halloween candy that you may be eyeing lately.

Enjoy! Happy Halloween Everyone!

Add comment October 27th, 2009

H1N1 FLU vs COMMON COLD

How To Tell The Difference

Transmission of all flu viruses is human-to-human via coughing, sneezing, or touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the nose or mouth.

Symptoms of the H1N1 flu - which last up to a week - are similar to those of seasonal flu, and can include fever, chills, coughing, headache and muscle or joint pains.

To avoid spreading the infection, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that those with these symptoms stay home from school, work and away from crowded settings.

Frequent handwashing is also recommended.

Fever
Fever is rare with a cold.
Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.

Coughing
A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.
A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches
Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.
Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.

Stuffy Nose
Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.
Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.

Chills
Chills are uncommon with a cold.
60% of people who have the flu experience chills.

Tiredness
Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.
Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.

Sneezing
Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.
Sneezing is not common with the flu.

Sudden Symptoms
Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.
The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache
A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.
A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat
Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.
Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.

Chest Discomfort
Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.
Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

PROTECT YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY as well as YOURSELF
*stay home when you are sick
*cough or sneeze into your sleeve and wash hands right away
*keep all commonly touched surfaces clean and disinected
*wash your hands frequently with soap and water (for at least 15 seconds) or use hand sanitizer

Add comment October 15th, 2009

Thanksgiving Thoughts

By Stacey Nolan Young 

With Thanksgiving coming up this weekend most people are looking forward to the holiday, to seeing family and to enjoying a home cooked turkey dinner. It is the time of year when we reflect on the good things in our lives and give thanks for them. I have a few thoughts of my own regarding this holiday.

I am very thankful for my health, for my family and for all of the blessings in my life. Most of all I am thankful for a wonderful husband and a healthy pregnancy so far. Our little one will be joining us in a matter of weeks and Mark and I feel so very blessed.

Speaking of the above, I am very thankful for my toes even though I can no longer see them!

Fossil evidence shows that turkeys roamed the Americas 10 million years ago.

It is easy to get caught up in the little things that can frustrate us daily. It is easy to think about what we could have if this was better or if we had more…etc… but we must all take the times to appreciate what we do have in our lives.

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Some turkeys can actually fly! While large domesticated turkeys are generally unable to fly, smaller, lighter domesticated turkeys known as heritage turkeys and wild turkeys can fly.

Too often we appreciate the things in our lives and the people in our lives when they are gone. Too often we don’t tell the people in our lives how we feel until they have gone. Take the time to do so today.

Thanksgiving dinner does not have to be a total shipwreck when it comes to your eating plan. Some of the staples of a turkey dinner are very healthy so choose wisely. Turkey is lean and yummy. Veggies are ever present in these dinners and go ahead and indulge in some sweet potatoes.

Twenty percent of cranberries eaten are eaten on Thanksgiving. They are also high in antioxidants.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Add comment October 7th, 2009