I’m constantly coming up with new ideas about how we can incorporate more movement into our day-to-day lives. It inspired me to create a series called “I don’t have time”, where I demonstrate how we can workout while doing every day errands, to show that everyone has the time to get some movement in during the day!

Working out does not have to be this big thing that you tack on to your already busy day. You too can be creative in adding fun moves and enhancing your everyday activities by getting creative – like when you go to get your mail – which is what I will be showing you today!

So – let’s dive in. Here are 4 moves you can practice on your next trip to the mailbox. Give them a try!

REMEMBER, always watch your balance and have something you can hold onto if needed.

1. Walking Lunges

Every step you take can be a lunge if you want it to be. While walking to or from the mailbox, try to get in at least ten walking lunges.

How to do it:

1. Take a giant step forward and lower into a lunge. Very important – make sure your step is big enough to keep your knee behind your toe. You never want your knee to go beyond your toes.
2. Keep one arm out in front of you and one out to the side to help with balance.
3. Lower slowly, balance, come up and repeat on the other side!

See the video below for a demo!

2. Squat Calf Raises

You can incorporate squats into so many movements of your day-to-day. In this move, we will combine squats with a calf raise (like standing on your tippy-toes) for some extra muscle toning in your calves.

When doing a squat, make sure that your butt always goes way out behind you, as if you are about to sit in a chair, and make sure your knees never go past your toes!

How to do it:

1. Keeping your chin up, place your hands against the mailbox (or wall) – just for support. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and not too close to the mailbox.
2. Raise up on your tippy toes.
3. Slowly remove your hands from the mailbox and lower down into a squat.
4. Repeat as many times as you can or want to. It’s better to go slowly and have good form then to go quickly and risk injury.

See the video below for a demo of Squat Calf Raises!

3. Standing Wall Push-ups

Push-ups are a great exercise to get our whole body engaged, and especially good for building upper body strength. Wall Push-ups are a favorite of mine because you don’t have to get on the floor.

These can be done against any wall or mailbox.

1. Find a mailbox, any mailbox.
2. Move feet about 1-2 feet away from the mailbox and spread them to be just about as wide apart as your hips. You will need to adjust your stance to find what is comfortable for you.
3. Tighten your core or abdominal muscles – that means suck in that gut and try to pull your belly in back towards your spine.
4. Place your hands on the mailbox at shoulder height and shoulder width apart.
5. Keeping your body in a straight line slowly bend arms and lower body towards mailbox.
6. Slowly return to starting position by pushing yourself back away from the mailbox. Make sure your arms are lifting you back to start.
7. Repeat as many times as you would like. If this is too challenging, you can simply put your arms out against the mailbox, lean your weight on them and stay there without lowering. This is more of a standing plank and will still get your upper body engaged.

See below for a demo video of Standing Wall Push-ups!

4. Wall Sits

Wall sits look deceptively easy, but don’t let it fool you! Almost every muscle in your body must be engaged to keep you in this position.

These can be done against any wall or mailbox.

How to do it:

1. Place your back against the mailbox or wall.
2. Walk your feet out in front of you so you have room to squat down, always keeping your knees behind your toes.
3. Slowly lower down into a sitting position – as if you are sitting in a chair.
4. Hold for as long as you can – I always like to count to 10 when I think I’ve held as long as I can to push myself a little bit more.
5. Slowly come back up.
6. Repeat.
7. IF you want a little more challenge, you can lift one leg and hold for as long as possible. Count to 10. Rise up slowly and switch sides.
8. Oh… and this is a good time to read the ads!!

See below for a demo video of Wall Sits!

And that’s a wrap on our first blog under the “I don’t have time” Workout Series! I hope you can incorporate a few of these moves into your daily mailbox routine!

I would love to hear how it goes if you try any of these moves! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or feedback.

Until next week,

Vickie