Sep 25, 2011 3 min read

Simple Workouts

Hey, Coach! How could you get a simple workout without paying a bunch of money to go to a gym? Signed…Jumping Jack

Dear Jumping Jack: There are a number of things one can do to get a simple, yet challenging, workout without paying to join a fit club. Think back to the simplest of exercises you that may have done in elementary school (if they had physical activity class), and let your mind wonder.

Also, ask your parents what kind of exercises they may have done back in the day. Some of those exercises from yester-year are still good things to do today and forever moving forward. To some, these types of workouts may be boring, but buckle up, and here we go.

Jumping jacks are always a way to start. They work the lower and upper body, and there’s not too much impact, while starting to get the heart rate up.

Other activities are running in place with the knees high; “fast running” in place where the feet only come off the ground and inch or two; veridical jumps with half twists upon landing; pushups, squats and squat thrusts; mountain climbers, and crunches can be tossed in for a break so to speak. Including some jogging and strength training with light dumbbells in any routine is good for those who are able.

Biking can also get our heart rate up if we push ourselves a little bit. Having said all of this, all we have to do is let our minds wonder, and there are literally a hundred different things to do in the comfort of our own home/yard and neighborhood.

Also, some of the DVD’s out today appear to offer great workouts, as well. The suggestion here is to try a variety of different things, and see what you like.

Of course, working out with a buddy can be fun. Good luck!

College Football

Hey, Coach! It looks like your Mountaineers got left out of the scramble to join a super conference when the ACC and SEC rejected them. My question is did WVU get rejected because of their academics? Signed..The Fumbler

Dear Fumbler: This just happened on Tuesday, and the Coach did not see or hear anything related to academics and why WVU was not accepted by the ACC and SEC. The guess here is that those conferences looked at everything that WVU would bring to the table, and it’s a small state with a very small population and no big media centers.

Thus, WVU does not offer a big market, which means very little TV money. That, more than anything else, may be why WVU was not accepted.

Perhaps we may understand more in the coming weeks as the college football landscape continues to go through some major changes.

Coach’s Comments: Keep your eyes on the stars, but keep at least one foot on the ground. Be safe, and thanks for making the Coach a part of your Steelers’ weekend!