Health and Fitness: Keeping fitness fun during the Halloween season

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: THINKSTOCK (VICHAI)
Halloween can be a fun-filled time, but adding some fitness into the festivities makes the season even better.

Boo! Don’t lose your wits and your will this Halloween season. Be prepared for the costumes, parties, pumpkin picking and charging through the haunted houses like a pro. Here’s some fun Halloween themed exercises to get you jacked:

1. Dead-Man’s Lift: For fun, have a friend lie on the ground and then squat down beside them and try to lift them! In the gym, load up a bar with plates and set it on the ground, bend slightly at the knees and tip forward at the hips. Grasp the bar and then extend your body to standing. Return to the floor or let it hover just above and repeat.

2. Dead Body Drag: We have varying sizes of tires in the Wellness Centre. Stand them up or lay them down. Keep your back tall, slightly tip at the hips and bend the knees as you grab the tire and drag it from one end of the studio to another.

3. Dracula’s Coffin Push: Similar to the Dead Body Drag, but you push the tire instead.

4. Grave Grab and Pull: You’re trapped in a deep grave and you have to reach to the top and pull yourself out before thousands of spiders eat you alive! There are many options in the Wellness Centre to practice this life-saving move: Assisted Pull up machine, Banded Pull ups (ask at the desk for a band) and freeform pull ups. Ask a trainer at the SWC to show you how.

5. The Zombie Farmer Carry: Ever notice how Zombies seem to be carrying something in one hand and reach for something in another? Try this take on a Farmer carry: choose a place to walk or perform a one-sided walking lunge (i.e., Lunge left then drag right foot in and repeat 10 to 15 times then switch sides). Hold a medium to heavy kettlebell in one hand at your side and then a lighter dumbbell or kettle bell in front of you at chest level with arm extended. Repeat on the other side.

6. Pumpkin Pick up: Find a heavy medicine ball or plate and set it on the ground or a low bench. Squat as low as you can, without dropping your chest or chin, to pick up the weight and stand again. Walk with it and set it somewhere else. Repeat as many times as you like. Add and overhead press and show your pumpkin pride!

7. Witches Spinning Broom: Hop on your broom, or spin bike, and pedal fast like you are flying from town to town to scare all the little trick or treater’s on Halloween night!

8. Bat-Wing-Bop: Come to one of the SWC Power Punch classes or as at the fitness desk to borrow a set of punching gloves for you and a partner and punch your way to chiselled bat wings!

9. Creature Climb: it was many years ago that I saw that creature-girl in the movie “The Ring” creepily climb out of that well she was in (Shudder!). If you find yourself trapped in the well with her, you are going to need to improve that climbing ability so just picture that the next time, or the first time, you are on the SWC Rock Climbing Wall! Check out our Halloween Hunt on the Wall on Oct. 31, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Register on studentwellnesscentre.ca.

10. The Monster Mash: If you don’t know how to do the Monster Mash, or you want to show us your best, then come out to our Halloween Spook-tacular Dance-X class on Oct. 31 from 8 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Bring a friend and wear a costume! Time to BOO-gie! Sign up online at studentwellnesscentre.ca.

Hopefully these will put a smile on your face, build your Halloween party confidence, and get you mentally and physically prepared for the many haunted houses/farms in the area and put you in the Halloween Mood! Have fun and be safe!