Take it outside: ditch the treadmill and burn 1,500 calories with these five fat-blasting workouts

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, Oct, 2004 by Carey Rossi

STEP TO IT

Total calories burned: 360-380

Before Monday comes, you'll want to visit a sporting-goods store and purchase a pedometer. They're as little as $10-$40, and you may find it's one of the best investments you've ever made in your health. On Monday, from the time you get up to the time you go to bed, wear the pedometer and aim to take at least 10,000 steps throughout the day--choose the stairs over the elevator, park the car farther away in the lot if you go to the store, take a walk during lunch or after work. The pedometer gives you a concrete goal to pursue, and you'll find yourself actively seeking ways to get extra steps. Careful: This workout may be addictive!

MONDAY

SKIP 'N' KICK | Total calories burned: 300-325

Kick, skip and shuffle your way to a great cardio workout on Tuesday, courtesy of a quick program by Chris McGrath, CSCS, CPT, a Master Trainer with New York Sports Clubs. "It's designed to get you moving in every direction and get your heart rate up," he says. Start by marking off a 20-yard line in a park or the backyard (you can also use a marked football field). Start at one end and do butt kicks (not shown) for 20 yards, stop for five seconds, then turn around and do butt kicks back to the start. Repeat with high-knee running (shown above left) next, power skips (shown at right) after that, and finish with side shuffles (shown above right). Perform the four-drill series a total of 20 times. If you're more advanced, do more drills or extend the yardage for each.

BUTT KICK: Run with an exaggerated leg kick, touching your glutes with your heels or at least coming close.

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

BICYCLE RACE | Total calories burned: 290-310

It's a race against yourself today as you take to the local streets or bike trails. After a leisurely 10-minute ride to warm up, pick a starting point that you'll remember. Now choose a time: 20 minutes if you're a relative beginner, up to 30 or more if you're an expert rider. You'll ride for that length of time through any course you wish, although you should make sure that the terrain, if not flat, has as many "ups" as it does "downs." See how far you can get in your chosen time, stop and rest 2-5 minutes, then turn around, reset the clock and retrace your route. Your goal is to go farther in the same length of time by passing your original starting point. Once you finish, ride for 10 minutes at a slower cool-down pace to return to your original starting point. Total workout time is 60-80 minutes.

THURSDAY

HILL SPRINTS | Total calories burned: 350-360

This workout simply requires a relatively steep hill, a stopwatch and some sturdy shoes with traction. Start with a five-minute light jog on flat terrain, then it's time to work: At the bottom of the hill, hit the stopwatch and sprint full force to the top. Stop the watch and note your time, then either walk briskly or jog lightly to the bottom, Continue with 4-9 more sprints, depending on your fitness level. Keep note of your best time, and try to beat it next time you do the workout. Finish with a slow jog on flat terrain for five minutes. (Total calories burned is for a 180-Pound woman, 10 sprints total.)

FRIDAY

STEP-UP: Start with your feet together in front of the bench; step up with your right leg and lift your body to bring your left leg onto the bench to meet your right. Return to the ground and repeat with your left leg first.

PUSH-UP: Place your hands just outside shoulder width on the bench edge and get into a plank position. Lower yourself from an arms-straight position to an elbows-bent position, then press yourself back up.

SQUAT: Stand upright in front of the bench, facing away from it. Place your hands on your hips or shoulders and bend your knees while shifting your hips back until your glutes lightly touch the seat of the bench. Return to a standing position and repeat.

TRICEPS DIP (SHOWN THIS PAGE): Sit on the bench with your hands next to your glutes, knuckles facing forward. Walk your feet out, bring your glutes off the bench and start dipping, bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground, then returning to the arms-extended position.

PARK-BENCH OBSTACLE COURSE

Total calories burned: 290-310

Head to the park for your Friday session, a running and resistance-training combo designed to work your muscles and burn some serious calories. If the park doesn't have benches spaced at least 12 yards apart, you can also use the bench of a picnic table or any low, sturdy object. After a five-minute light jog, start at the first bench with 30 seconds of step-ups. Then run to the next bench and perform 30 seconds of push-ups. Go to a third bench and do 30 seconds of squats, then run to a fourth bench and perform triceps dips for, you guessed it, 30 seconds. Rest 30-60 seconds and repeat. Complete the circuit 10 times total, and finish with a light five-minute jog.

WEEKEND BONUS

THE TYPICAL TRIATHLON IS A SWIM, BIKE RIDE AND RUN, but who says that lineup is a hard and fast rule? Make up your own this weekend, based on your favorite activities. Inline skate, bike and shoot hoops. Or perhaps run stairs, jump rope and swim. You can choose either a time period or a distance goal for each activity.