3 Pumpkin Exercises to Burn Belly Fat this October

I am a local fitness expert and owner of Shaped by Shawn. I love to piggyback on current events to invigorate my fitness boot camp workouts. This October, I will be holding my second annual Charity Boot Camp event with all proceeds going to American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Campers wear pink or Halloween costumes while performing pumpkin exercises.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month so I felt it the perfect charity to donate to every year with my pumpkin workout.

 Pumpkins can be used just like medicine balls for an unlimited number of exercise options. I like to take it one step further and use total body exercises that combine upper body, lower body, and core movements into one big bang for your buck exercise.

 Here are three total body pumpkin exercises that guarantee to help you burn fat and build muscle in minimal time. I recommend performing at least one circuit of the following three pumpkin exercises, with little to no rest between movements, for every Halloween treat you eat:

 1) Pumpkin Swings: Holding a pumpkin in your hands with your arms extended, stay on your heels and hinge back at your hips while bringing the pumpkin underneath your body with your eyes up and chest out. Then push your hips forward and swing the pumpkin up to chest level being sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. Increase the intensity by swinging the pumpkin overhead. Perform for 30 seconds.

 2) Pumpkin Squat to Presses: Holding a pumpkin in your hands at chest level, push your hips back and squat down until your front thighs are parallel to the floor with your eyes up, your chest and knees out, and your weight on your heels. Then simultaneously stand up and press the pumpkin overhead. Increase the intensity by jumping up from the bottom of the squat position while simultaneously pressing the pumpkin overhead while airborne, then land softly and repeat for time. Perform for 30 seconds.

 3) Pumpkin Mountain Climbers: Place a pumpkin on the floor. Place your hands on the pumpkin and assume a perfect push-up position with tight abs, tight glutes, and a straight line from the head through the heels. Now bring one knee to your chest while keeping your hips and shoulders square, then switch sides and repeat for time. Increase the intensity by adding speed of movement or by integrating a pumpkin push-up between each knee-in. Perform for 30 seconds.

 I will be holding my annual Freaky Fat Loss Pumpkin Workout on Saturday October 19th at 11 am.

It will be held at Anytime Fitness in Fenton located at 1145 N. Leroy St. The event is open to the public, families are welcome. A donation of $10 for adults and $5 for children is suggested. Participants must bring their own pumpkin to the workout. You can donate in person (cash or check made payable to American Cancer Society’s Making Strides) or online if you prefer at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/annualpumpkinworkout .

 For more info, please email shawns711@aol.com or call (810) 265-5937.