This will quite possibly be the strangest post I’ve put out there yet. But… it’s working, so I felt a need to share it. 🙂 Ready for a little crazy? Awesome! You SHALL be entertained… guaranteed.
Everyone? Meet my gym with a view.
Remember when I talked about walking up that hill? Well, walking up and down that hill has been terrific, however I know well that building a little more muscle mass is equally important. Strengthening your arms, back, whatever, all comes with controlled weight movement which is over and beyond just walking.
Back in the day, I use to work out at Curves. Are they still around? I don’t know, but our town doesn’t have them any longer. I miss their low impact hydraulic weight machines that self adjusted to your level.
Anyway… I needed to do a little more than just walk. So I rigged up a system right where I walk.
This tree is where I do arm pulls. See that skinny tree to the right of the thick trunked tree? It’s super springy. So if I grab the springy tree in my right hand and pull while holding the trunk tree, it gives you a pretty decent arm workout!
Now, working out just ONE arm won’t do. So in order to work out my left arm, I hold onto the branch that runs across the two thick trees with my right hand (so I don’t roll down the cliff!) and work out my left arm on the springy tree.
Are you laughing yet?
You may think this is just a pile of rocks, but ohhh no. This is the weight room. 🙂
I sit on that big rock to the upper right, and select my weight of choice for arm… curls? I have no idea what they’re called.
But I’m lifting rocks above my head, to my sides, up towards me, you name it. In nice, controlled movements with the right posture and everything.
So… loosely basing my workouts on the Curves method of moving all the time at different stations, this is how I do it…
The Mountain Workout at A Gym With A View
I walk to the hill from my house as a warm up.
Once reaching the hill, I do a slow jog all the way to the top.
Then I quickly walk back down, in an effort to keep my heart rate going.
I run up one more time, then only partially down until I reach ‘my tree.’
I’ll do 20 arm pulls on each side, then move down to the ‘weight room’ and do 20 rock ups in all different ways.
When I feel my heart rate getting down too low, I run up the hill again and on we go.
The trick is to keep your heart rate up. I do all this for about an hour.
Chances are, if you workout outside, someone is bound to find you out. My neighbour Chris (remember the swing story? THAT Chris) passed me yesterday on the hill. Well, I wanted to show off my invention! If he thought I had completely LOST it, he didn’t show it… good call! 🙂
So today, I tell my son to come and see my mountain gym. Trust me when I say, my boy doesn’t get too excited about my strange and wonderful ideas, but I bribed encouraged him to come along anyway. You know.. just to check it out.
(After I told him to wear shoes he could run real good in.)
So I brought him up to my mountain and taught him how to do ‘the circuit’ (sounds good, huh?) and we went at it! HARD.
I think laughing is part of the program because it’s pretty hard NOT to when you see your son throw around a bunch of rocks and hug a few trees…
Anyway, so vision us workin’ it. I’m sitting on a rock doing rock ups and my son is pulling on some tree when Chris arrives once again. Doh!! CAUGHT in the act no less.
My boy notes being spotted, and sprints up the hill like he’s had running down to a fine science all along, and I drop my rocks (dieing) and bust up laughing… and laughing and laughing until Chris reaches me…
Chris comments “I’m sure glad you explained this to me yesterday!”
Me too!
So anyway, this stuff is actually starting to pay off. I noticed some new muscles emerging on my legs I haven’t seen in a VERY long time. And I can feel other muscles squawking back at me too. Excellent!
I suppose we’ll keep on keepin’ on until either a bear kicks us out of his home or the neighbours complain.
Until then, I have a feeling our repurposed gym equipment is as safe as safe can be in the wilderness… gotta love a good camouflage…
Yours is the best gym I have seen in a long time! Enjoy!
Donna! I love it! Sounds WAY more fun than being stuck in a gym somewhere. Keep up the great work. As always thanks for the posts. Love them all. Mimi
How ingenious! Not only a gym with a view, but FREE too!!! Fresh air & sunshine while you work out, I can’t think of a better place to get in shape. And who cares what the neighbours think? Unless, like you mentioned, the ‘neighbour’ becomes a mother bear with her cubs…
Debbie 🙂
This is a great post. True innovation. Thanks so much for sharing.
Beautiful!
How beautiful and much more fun than working out inside at the Y. Craving the days when the snow will melt so we can get outside. I haven’t done anything for myself in almost four years and it’s taking it’s toll. Just need to muster up some extra energy to get started. Thanks again for the inspiration!! Beautiful view!!
Absolutely awesome post!! Pretty nice view too!
What a great place to work out!
You have totally made my day!! Not only are you creative, inspirational and talented, you are a fun person! Hugs from Florida 🙂
I’m still waiting for snow to melt to even think of taking a walk. Although, our driveway might be drying out, I could start with that, it is a quarter mile long one way.
Might want to join the #workitout100 on instagram and on line. It’s just a group trying to stay committed to being active for a hundred days straight. You can start anytime. It helps to keep me accountable each day.
Hysterical. Oh well, whatever works right.
Beautiful and free, and to get your son out there, awesome! Pretty soon, he will have his buddies there too! Today is the first day of spring and temps above 40 for a high. I have also been getting a workout from the winter thaw today cleaning up the yard from my beautiful 4-legged Labs. My arms hurt already but will keep going since I too am out of shape but love being outdoors. Hoping for a walk this afternoon with the beasts at the dog walk. Spring has finally sprung since I also saw Robins on Tuesday and my mood instantly changed seeing them back. It is the little things in life that can raise our spirits. Keep up the exercise, it releases happy hormones which can make a big difference in our mood. Baby steps to being fit!
Yup. Now I’ve seen EVERYthing!
And I love it.
-b.
Donna, well I think this is motivation to get my self going on a up hill adventure too..now to find that inspiring view!Thanks for the play by play recap on how to go up a hill (did you see Jack&Jill)along the way?Love to read your post keep them coming girlfriend, Happy 1st. day of Spring from sunny Calif…
I think you have inspired a whole new group of us! Loved the post!
I TOO LOVED THE POST. I DO A LOT BETTER OUTSIDE MYSELF. CAN’T STAND A GYM OR DOING THINGS INSIDE; AND IT’S A WASTE OF MY TIME AND GAS DRIVING INTO TOWN.. AND FORGET THOSE MACHINES. GIVE ME THAT COUNTRYSIDE, FRESH AIR, AND… OH, NO, NOW I SOUND LIKE ‘GREEN ACRES’ LOL GAIL
LOVE IT….!!!!
Donna,
My stomach hurts from laughing! That will be my exercise for today!
Love it!
Smiles, Alice
I was laughing with you NOT at you. Your a great writer and apparently super creative! Just think..all of that money saved by not having to pay for gym fees can be used on buying some good ‘ole junk and you’ll be able to carry it all to the truck by yourself! : )
Gigi @ Old World Patina
LOVE IT. What a great way to show you can use what you already have.
I wish my gym had a view like that. 🙂 I miss the country life. There’s a few good hills out by my parents that would definitely give one a good work-out. Too bad they live 9 hours away. Here in town, it’s just too flat for hills.
Love it!! 🙂 All the benefits of Nature. And fresh air to boot versus well, you know, the other kind! 🙂
I loved this post. 🙂 A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!
(and your view is breath-taking)
Like everyone else I really loved this post and thought how inspiring it will be to others to find their own “gym”.
Love your site and I get great ideas from your posts.
Have an awesome day.
I would LOVE to work out in that gym. What a special place. Great job taking charge of your health!
You inspire me every day!!! God has blessed me with your posts that you come up with. I have a rock hill that I need to be on right now! You are amazing and funny and I would love to meet you! Come to Texas and go junkie’ with me at Round top/Warrenton which is kicking off right now! It’s like heaven on earth for junkers. If you are ever in the Houston area, I would love to show you around! Thanks for all the chuckles!!