With festival season upon us, it’s time to put the finishing touches on that tight and toned body you’ve been “working so hard on” throughout winter. If you’re at all like me, and I’d like to think you are, then you’re probably just a few cans short of a six-pack.
There are a few more weeks until festival season is in full swing, and it’s no secret that your main role as a festival-going man is to hoist ladies (or gents!) on your shoulders to get a view of that obscure indie band you’ve never heard of.
With these five tips for festival season fitness you’ll be ready to rock that neon muscle tank and enjoy the show. So put down the game controller, take off the headset and get to work.
Frame It
Your chest and arms might be good to go, but what about your shoulders? Like any great piece of artwork, your physique needs to be framed and shoulders are the key to sculpting a strong, adonis-like shape.
Simple dumbbell frontal, lateral and rear shoulder raises will get you ready in no time. Find a weight that allows you to perform at least three sets of 10 reps without failure. Remember, the key here is to keep good form and not over-train. You want to build a strong set of broad shoulders that can support your significant other, or that person you just met in line for overpriced pizza.
Pro tip : A few pushups before any picture will give you that pump and instantly make you look bigger.
Ready to work your shoulders? Try this free Fitplan workout: Armageddon by Mike O’Hearn.
Feed It
You’ve heard this before and yes, it is true: “Abs are made in the kitchen.” Without proper nutrition you will never see them, plain and simple.
Yes, crunches and sit ups will tone your abs and help with overall core strength, but until your diet is in check to promote a low body fat percentage, your washboard simply won’t be visible.
Need assistance in the nutrition department? I know I do from time to time. Get the lowdown on macros, aka protein, carbs and fat, and how organizing them the right way can help you unveil your god-like musculature.
If you’re really serious about it, you can take your eating to the next level with a nutrition app. Mealplan takes your goals (lose weight, build muscle, maintain), calorie target, macros and eating preferences, and provides you with a complete nutrition plan, including weekly grocery lists. By this time next year, you’ll be so dangerously shredded they won’t allow you through security.
Lift It
Let’s talk about strength training. Lifting weights is key to preparing for any sort of adventure, especially three straight days of sun-drenched dancing, partying and crowd surfing with hundreds of thousands of people.
To pull off a neon tank or that ’80s aloha shirt you stole from your dad’s closet (yep, the one with the rolled up sleeves), you need muscle. To make it through the treacherously crowded exits at the end of each festival night you need strength.
Whether you’re a gym-goer or would rather work out at home, Fitplan’s got tons of strength training programs that’ll get you ready for the big weekend.
Try these free Fitplan strength training workouts:
- Jimmy Lewin’s Ultimate Leg Burnout
- Michelle Lewin’s Booty Bootcamp
My personal favorite for festival season? Squats. Just like push-ups, squats should be part of your regular workout routine.
To do a proper squat:
- Stand with your feet hip width apart.
- Lower down by pushing your bum back until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Repeat.
- Hold a pair of dumbbells or a kettlebell for an extra challenge and calorie-burn.
Do as many as possible to failure and get ready for the compliments to flood in.
Walk It
Along with strength training, you also need endurance to keep going through those long, hot exhausting days. As a festival veteran I know firsthand that you will be walking at least 10 miles a day, which may include sprinting from stage to stage to catch as many sets as possible.
No need to be 5K ready by any means, just get a good amount of steps in every day and you’ll be traversing those festival grounds, no sweat (or maybe a ton of sweat depending the festival locale).
Like most of you, I too work in a corporate cubicle farm that doesn’t offer much in terms of physical activity. To work in a few more steps daily I try to park at the end of the parking lot; not only does it give me more time outside, it prevents my car from getting all dinged up.
On the same note, if you work in a high rise or anywhere there are stairs, take them when available, you will be surprised how these small changes can impact your physical abilities.
Water It
If you take one thing away from this post, I hope it’s this one: HYDRATE.
I could list off all the attributes of drinking water like a high school gym coach but you already know them. Just remember that you never want to be that guy or gal who passes out because they are dehydrated and the whole crew has to miss out on whomever is playing in the EDM tent or main stage.
Pro tip: You can bring your own empty water bottle and fill up at water stations so you can be sure to stay hydrated around the clock.
So grab that baseball cap, sunscreen, and your roller suitcase stuffed with too many pairs of sneakers, and get ready for the best season of all: Festival Season.
Bonus round: try a suitcase squat:
- Hold a weight in one hand and let it hang to your side.
- Perform a traditional squat.
Along with the usual muscles worked by the trusty squat, suitcase squats add a counter-balance, which engages the core for an added benefit.
