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Housecleaning Workout Tip: Battle of the Books
By Cindy | January 31, 2008
Books multiply and gather in all sorts of nooks and crannies around the house. Have you taken stock of your inventory lately? When picking up, sorting and organizing, add these exercises to your book scavenger hunt:
- Book Collection: Gather your books and place them in one location. For a multi-day event, find an out of the way space. Hold your arms directly in front of you (Static Hold) with a stack of books as you travel through the house. As an extra bonus, do walking lunges (make sure your knees don’t extend pass your toes) to your sorting spot.
- Sorting: Time to see what you want to keep, give away or toss out. Gather three containers and place them slightly behind you. Face the stack of books and prepare to sort through quickly. You will perform triceps extensions while shifting the books to the appropriate containers. Pick up a book, extend your arm behind you and drop the books in their containers. You should feel a slight pull in the muscle on back of your upper arm (triceps). Continue sorting and take a rest after completing 10 to 12 repetitions on each arm.
- Back in Place: Books get heavy when stacked together. When you get a nice stack of books, it’s time to take them to their rightful place in the home. Before heading out though, let’s perform a set of 10 dead lifts. With a neutral, straight back, bend forward at the hips. Keep your knees bent (soft) as you pick up the stack of books or container. Lift to a standing position. Exhale as you slowly bend over and your upper torso/back are parallel to the floor. Repeat 9 more times. This is really good for strengthening your lower back. Now, get those books back in place with walking lunges. Repeat the entire process until all the books have found their home, donated items are in the trunk of your car or tossed out books are in the trash or recycling.
You’re done! Grab a glass of water, collapse on a comfy chair and exercise your mind with a good book while the rest of your body relaxes.
Is your family collectors of books? How many trips did you have to make to put the books back in place?
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Topics: Housecleaning Tips Activity |
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Well, that does sound like a creative way to add “exercise” to anotherwise boring household chore. Not only do I collect every workout, health and fitness book there is to read–I could really use some help with my triceps!!