Gyms offer wide-open spaces for performing a variety of strength, cardio and agility exercises. Boot camp style workout routines benefit from a gym setting because of the lines and designated spaces already painted on the floor. Use your creativity and discover new ways to perform your favorite exercises while putting the gym setting to use.
Run Lines
Work on your cardiovascular health and your speed by running lines in the gym. Stand on the baseline, under one of the basketball hoops. Use a stop watch, and when you're ready, hit start as you sprint toward the nearest free throw line. When you reach the line, place one foot on the line, bend your knees and reach down to touch the line with your hand, then pivot, running back to the baseline. Plant your foot on the baseline, touch the line with your hand, then pivot and sprint toward the half court line. When you reach the line, again, plant your foot, touch the floor, then return to the starting line. Continue the exercise by running to the far free throw line and back, then the far baseline and back, pressing "stop" on the watch when you finally reach the baseline after running back and forth across the entire court. Allow yourself to rest, then try to beat your time.
Agility Jumps
Find an area on the gym floor that has two intersecting lines, creating a quadrant on the floor. Start by standing in the top right quadrant, your feet together, your arms at your sides, your knees slightly bent. Jump diagonally to the left, landing both feet in the bottom left quadrant. Immediately jump right, landing both feet in the bottom right quadrant, then jump immediately left, landing both feet in the top left quadrant, before jumping both feet right into the top right quadrant. Perform the same series of jumps five times before starting in the top left quadrant and reversing the direction of the exercise. Rest, then perform the set again.
Abductor Slides
Use the width of the gym to perform specific strength-training exercises. Tie a resistance band around your legs so that it feels taut when your feet are hip-width apart, Stand facing one of the basketball hoops so that you can move left, laterally across the gym. Bend your knees slightly and step as far left with your left foot as you can, pulling against the resistance of the band. Place your foot on the floor and step your right foot in toward your left foot. Continue this lateral slide across the width of the gym before reversing the movement and stepping laterally left across the width of the gym, back to the starting point.
Inchworm
Perform the inchworm exercise across the width of the gym. Stand on one side of the gym, facing the opposite wall. Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders and extend your legs behind you in a full pushup position. Perform a pushup, bending your elbows and lowering your body toward the floor. Push back up to start, then walk your feet in toward your hand, piking your hips and butt up toward the ceiling, keeping your legs relatively straight. When you've walked your feet as far as you can, walk your hands out in front of your body until you're in a full pushup position again. Perform another pushup, then walk your feet toward your hands again. Continue inching forward like this until you've crossed the width of the gym.
Member Comments