Today’s Workout: Stationary jog gets your heart pumping

When it’s just too cold outside we can bring our jogging inside. Sure, there is always the treadmill, but we can get a little more creative.

Our move today is a stationary jog in threes. All you need is a sweat towel as this jog will get your heart rate up quickly. This move will also be working your core, so you’re getting two for one.

Begin this jog motion by standing tall, with your arms tucked up into your chest, your core engaged and your feet about hip width apart. As I mentioned, this jog is in threes, which means we will jog with a count of three, and a pause.

So, if we lift our left knee first, it will go left, right, left, pause, right, left, right, pause, and so on.

Once you get your pace down, begin to lift your knees higher, toward your torso. The higher you lift your knees, the deeper contraction you get into your core and the quicker your heart rate will rise. In turn, the more calories you will burn.

You can do this three-count move for either a determined amount of time, such as one to two minutes. Or you can count repetitions. For example, 10 sets of threes per set.

Take a small break between sets to catch your breath, regroup then proceed with your next set.

This jog is great on its own to get in a small amount of cardio or you use as a warm-up for any other fitness plan you have for the day.

— Marlo Alleva, an instructor at Gold’s Gym and group fitness coordinator at Fontaine-Gills YMCA, in Lakeland, Florida, can be reached at faluvzpa@msn.com.