4 Exercises That'll Make You Fit Enough to Tailgate

by Lexi Petronis

We may not be playing basketball or football or soccer when we tailgate at the games...but that doesn't mean we're not at risk for some parking-lot-induced injuries. I mean, think about it: You have to lift the cooler, flip the burgers, walk up a million stairs to get to your seats...a girl's gotta be prepared, right?

OK, those examples may not necessarily induce any major injuries, thank goodness. But Gold's Gym teamed up with celebrity trainer Mike Ryan to come up with a workout that strengthen and tone your muscles so that you'll be ready for just about anything--even an extreme tailgate party.

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Injury: Cooler Cramps
Pregame exercise: Standing Arm and Preacher Curls
Coolers can get heavy! To avoid straining your back while carrying them, Ryan suggests pumping up your arms (and taking the pressure off your back) with a mix of bicep exercises including standing arm and preacher curls. Do 3 to 4 sets of each exercise with 10 to 12 reps, using a weight that challenges you to muscle failure.

Injury: Flipping Fatigue
Pregame exercise: Barbell Wrist Curls
Stationed at the grill, making burger after burger? To pre-empt arm fatigue while manning the tailgate grill, flex your forearms weekly with barbell wrist curls. Ryan suggests shooting for 4 sets of 15 reps, twice a week.

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Injury: Second String Hamstring
Pregame exercise: Weighted Walking Lunges
When you're up in the nosebleed section, your leg muscles can really start to feel the burn during the hike upward. To combat the possibility of pain, Ryan suggests adding weighted walking lunges into your routine twice a week, aiming for 3 sets of 15 lunges (per side) to bulk up your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

Injury: Stadium Sprint Splints
Pregame exercise: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
If you're racing to the gate to catch kickoff in time (or running home to hide from the shame of a team defeat), you might find that you have the displeasure of shin splints. To ensure you're not sidelined following your race to the gates, set aside 30 minutes a day for high intensity interval training. When starting off, Ryan suggests going slow, alternating between 2-to-3 minute walks and 1 minute of a challenging speed on either a treadmill or outdoors. Also, ensure you're getting off on the right foot by investing in shoes that fit your feet!

Good exercises, whether you're tailgating or not! Hey, but are you looking forward to some tailgate parties this fall?

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