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It’s almost Halloween — that spooky time of year where sugary temptations close in all around us. If you’re planning a major cheat day on account of the holiday, it can’t hurt to get your sweat on before you hit the streets in search of sweets. (Did you know that the average American child collects between 3,500 to 7,000 calories worth of candy on Halloween night?) Our solution: A workout to help you get jacked with the help of your jack ‘o lantern! Before you carve your pumpkin, why not use it to carve some muscles?
We hit up DailyBurn 365 trainer Prince Brathwaite to demonstrate five fun exercises you can do with just a pumpkin. Perform one round of the circuit for a short and sweet workout, or complete three rounds for a 15-minute full-body blast. Ready? Your muscles are in for a real treat.
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The Jacked O’ Lantern Pumpkin Workout
1. Pumpkin Pass-Through
Targets: Legs, glutes, shoulders
How to: Hold a small pumpkin in both hands and stand with your feet hip-width apart (a). Step your right foot out and lunge to the side, bringing your hips back and sinking into your right knee (b). Transfer the pumpkin in your left hand and pass it through your legs, grabbing it with your right hand (c). Holding the pumpkin in both hands, step your right foot back to center, engaging your glutes to stand back up (d). Once you’re standing back up, press the pumpkin overhead (e). Repeat this move for 30 seconds on each side.
Make it harder: Instead of placing your foot back on the ground after you step out of the lunge, keep it lifted and bent in front of you and try to balance on one leg.
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2. Pumpkin Side Press
Targets: Back and shoulders
How to: Select two small pumpkins. Stand straight and hold the pumpkins, one in each hand, in front of your torso with your elbows bent (a). Keeping your elbows tight to your torso, rotate your forearms out to the side (b). Next, extend your arms out to the side (c). Now reverse the movements. Bend your elbows, then rotate your forearms inwards so you are back in the starting position (d). Repeat for 30 seconds.
Make it harder: Perform a reverse lunge before moving your arms.
3. Standing Pumpkin Chop
Targets: Obliques and legs
How to: Select a medium pumpkin and stand with your feet hip-width apart. With your arms straight, swing the pumpkin over your right shoulder as you rotate your torso to the right slightly and let your left hip rotate towards the right. Your left foot may pivot onto your toes (a). Next, pretend the pumpkin is an axe (scary, right?) and swing it downwards toward your left hip, rotating your left hip back to the original position (b). Repeat for 30 seconds, then perform on the other side.
Make it harder: For more intensity, ramp up your speed.
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4. Squash Squat
Targets: Legs, core, arms, glutes
How to: Hold a large pumpkin in both hands. Squat down and place the pumpkin on the ground (a). Place both hands on the pumpkin and step back with the right leg (b). Step the right leg forward so you are back in the bottom of a squat. Grab the pumpkin securely with both hands, engage your glutes and stand up while swinging the pumpkin overhead, like a kettlebell swing (c). Next, squat down and repeat the movement with the other leg (d). Alternate sides for one minute.
Make it harder: Try stepping both feet out into a full plank when your hands are balanced on the pumpkin.
5. Pumpkin Spice Twist
Targets: Core
How to: Choose a medium pumpkin. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, holding the pumpkin in both hands at your chest (a). Engage your core and sit up, picking up the pumpkin and then tapping it to the right of your hips (b). Now twist to the left and tap the pumpkin to the left of your hips (c). Roll back down to the floor (d). Repeat for one minute.
Make it harder: Over-achievers, pick your feet off the floor to make this move extra challenging.
For more moves from Prince, head to DailyBurn.com/365 for new workouts every day.
Originally published October 2015. Updated October 2016.
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