(Photo by Samantha De La O)

How-To: Spring Clean Workout

By Kyle Jane Heskett

Spring has arrived and with the flowers and the rain comes something else we do every year…spring cleaning. Let’s face it, a woman’s schedule can get packed and this is one more thing to add to the to-do list. But let’s liven things up this year! Cleaning can be an easy and efficient way to get in a great workout. No special equipment or expensive yoga pants needed!

Cleaning generally works up a bit of a sweat, but let’s take it another step further. Follow these steps to increase your heart rate and use your major muscle groups:

Vacuuming/Sweeping

These actions are good for your arms but they also can be great for your abdominal muscles. Flex them on and off the entire time you sweep or vacuum. Because you are moving around while you flex, you will burn more calories.

Scrubbing the Bathtub

This is bound to work those arm muscles. Go for a harder scrub using all your might. Switch arms halfway through the process.

Window Washing

While you stand and wash off those handprints all over the windows, work those calf muscles. Lift to your tip toes and back down again for 15-30 reps. Take a little break and do it again. Repeat this process the entire time. You can even hold the motion on your tip toes for 30 seconds. You can also do this exercise while you wash dishes.

Picking Things off the Floor

This is a great way to work your leg muscles by doing some squats each time you pick something up. It is important to do a squat in the right way though. Spread your legs about shoulder width apart and squat down, putting most of the weight in your heals, not your toes and keep your back as straight as possible. Make sure your knees don’t reach over your toes. Hold this position for ten seconds.

There are other ways to use your day of cleaning as a workout that don’t involve doing each task simultaneously. Every time you complete a task, whether that be loading the dishwasher or folding all your laundry, take a break and perform a quick round of exercises. These can include sit ups, pushups, running up a flight of stairs, or lunges.

These are just some examples of how to make the most of your spring cleaning! I bet you can find others to get in a good workout! Turn on some tunes and enjoy making the most of your day!