Course Category: Activate

Peakers we are back in Action with Activate 3!

This series is a hybrid of Activate 1 and 2, so we will be sitting and standing during each workout. We are going to increase the intensity just a bit with some longer sessions, but don’t worry, you’ll still have your old faithful chair with you for support as you need it. The goal is that, together, we will build up your exercise library with fundamental movements that will be the foundation for a more active lifestyle.

To get started with Activate 3, you’ll need:

A sturdy chair placed on a non-slip surface (like a yoga mat). It should have a firm seat (no cushion) and no armrests. When seated on your chair, you should be able to put your feet flat on the ground and have your knees bent as close to 90 degrees as possible. A little less bend is better than too much. Since these workouts will combine sitting and standing movements, you are going to want a clear area around your chair.  

A set of WBs, or water bottles. Since we are increasing the intensity through these workouts, please make sure they are filled with water and tightly sealed. You can even use light dumbbells (2 to 5 pounds) if you have them and feel ready.

Partway through our sessions, we are going to spice it up by adding one more piece of equipment. No need to go out and buy something, just pop the stick off your broom. Or if you just happen to have a piece of PVC pipe lying around, you can use that. 

Activate 3 sessions are around 12 to 15 minutes long, but Peakers… this is your journey, so feel free to “customize” your sessions.

Once you’re ready, we’ll meet you on the seat!

Welcome to Activate 2!

Activate 2 is a chair-supported program, in which all of the exercises are done while holding onto a chair. It’s a great starting point for those who just need that bit of extra stability while moving — or for anyone who has completed Activate 1.

If Activate 2 is going to be your launching point into My Peak Challenge, be sure to check in with your doctor or healthcare provider to make sure you’re cleared to start a new training regiment. Once you get the go-ahead, give Activate 1: Session 16  a go. That session is designed to run through the movement patterns that we will be working on in Activate 2 and will help ensure that you’re ready to progress to a standing-only workout.

Activate 2 sessions are about 20 minutes long and will help build stamina and strength. Each one starts with a short warm-up and then continues with two workout sections. Once we’ve completed both, we will bring our heart rate back down and get our breathing under control with a stretch paired with guided inhales and exhales. The sessions are progressive and designed to be completed in order.

You will need a sturdy chair to perform these workouts. Because we’ll be standing behind it and using the backrest for stability, it’s more important than ever that you ensure that it does not slide.

From the get-go we will also have the option of using that WB — water bottle — so have it ready, filled or empty, and maybe placing it on the seat of your chair. You may also want to have a separate water bottle for hydration purposes.

Remember, this is your challenge and you get to decide how often you would like to complete these workouts. You may consider doing two or three workouts per week and adding in a couple of active recovery days, as well. Active recovery for this module should be 15 to 20 minutes long, maybe a brisk walk, a light jog or some MPC Flow. Check in with yourself and your body, see how you’re feeling, and then decide whether you need to back off a little bit, continue at that pace or push yourself a little bit more.

When you’re ready, meet Coach Tacia behind the chair!

Welcome to Activate 1!

This is a chair-based program in which all movements will be performed fully seated in a sturdy chair. In these 5- (or so) minute sessions, we will explore the fundamentals of movement to help increase range of motion and ultimately improve your quality of life. This series is perfect for anyone who is ready to build their basic fitness but who doesn’t feel steady on their feet or doesn’t have sufficient strength to stand — or would rather adopt a slower approach to working out. These sessions also make a great active break for anyone who spends most of the day sitting at a desk.

To get started, you need three things:

1. Clearance from your doctor or medical health professional. Always check in before you start a new training and/or nutrition program.
2. A sturdy chair. Ideally the chair you are using will have a firm seat, no cushion and no armrests. When seated on your chair you should be able to have your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent as close to 90 degrees as possible. We will be sitting away from the seat back and toward the front of the chair so that we can keep our cores engaged and our feet planted firmly on the floor. If you can’t comfortably reach the floor, bring your legs up by elevating your feet on some books or a couple of yoga blocks. Make sure your chair is on a non-slip surface, like a yoga mat. If it doesn’t feel steady, consider putting it against a wall.
3. Eventually you will be encouraged to add a little bit of resistance. Halfway through Activate 1 you will have the option to add weight. You won’t need anything fancy, just two water bottles or WBs, as I like to call them, of the same size. You can decide if you want them empty or full (a full water bottle can weigh a little over a pound or ½ a kilo each). Be sure to place them where they are easily accessed, without too much extra twisting or bending.

If this is your initiation into a steady fitness program, listen to your body and set a schedule that works for you. But as each session builds upon the one before, please do follow them in order, at least your first time through.

Start with one Activate session per week, along with two active recovery days. For example, Monday active recovery, Wednesday, Activate, Friday Active Recovery. For this module, an active recovery session should be 5 to 10 minutes of time devoted to continuous movement. Your movement should be low impact such as swimming, shadow boxing or maybe just taking a slightly longer walk than usual. 

After each session, take note of how your body feels and how you recover. If you’re feeling up to it you could repeat a session more than once during the week or maybe do two sessions per week. This is YOUR Peak Challenge, so design a schedule that works for you.

Once you’ve completed all 15 Activate 1 sessions, you have a choice. If you feel like you would benefit from continuing to work from a seated position, you can go back and repeat the sessions in order as many times as you like. To increase intensity, you could increase the number of sessions you do per week to 2 or 3 or maybe even do them back to back. You could increase the amount of resistance you’re using, either by adding those WBs to sessions 1 through 9, by filling previously empty bottles, or by substituting small hand weights instead.

Once you’re feeling ready to progress, Session 16 has you transition to a standing position and then tests some of the movements you’ll see in Activate 2. Successfully completing Session 16 is proof that you’re ready to progress on to the Activate 2 module. 

When you’re ready to start moving, click on Session 1, and Coach Tacia will meet you on the seat!