Pumpkins aren’t just for carving, decorating and eating…
They also make excellent weights to add some Halloween fun to your fitness routine!
You’ll have a blast trying the 5 pumpkin exercises below with your family and friends. You could even make them a fun part of your company’s Halloween celebrations!
Either way, I highly recommend making this circuit of awesome pumpkin exercises a regular part of your Halloween traditions. Whenever you’re tempted to reach for a piece of candy, grab a pumpkin and get moving instead!
5 Fun Pumpkin Exercises
The first step in making these exercises happen is getting a pumpkin you are able to lift safely.
The average pumpkins you’ll find in stores or at a local pumpkin patch range in weight from 2 to 25 pounds, so you should have a nice selection of weight to choose from.
Select a pumpkin with a weight that makes the exercises challenging, yet doable.
Now let’s get into the good stuff!
EXERCISE #1: PUMPKIN GOBLET SQUAT
Target Muscles: Quads (front of your thighs) & Glutes (booty muscles)
How to do it:
- Hold a pumpkin between your hands in front of your chest. (Again, be sure to select a weight you can manage safely.)
- Set your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keeping your back flat and your elbows pointed down, bend your knees and push your booty back. Lower your booty back and down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground (your elbows should touch the insides of your knees).
- Pause, and then slowly push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for a total of 10-15 reps.
EXERCISE #2: SEATED PUMPKIN TWIST
Target Muscles: Core (the entire midsection of your body)
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent.
- Hold a pumpkin in front of your chest with both hands and lean back slightly.
- Keeping your back straight and your core braced, rotate your torso as far to the right as you can. The pumpkin should twist to the side due to the rotation in your torso, not because you’re moving your hands or arms. Repeat this movement to the left. That’s one rep.
- Repeat for a total of 8-12 reps.
Not challenging enough? Try holding the pumpkin farther away from your chest.
EXERCISE #3: PUMPKIN LOADED LUNGE
Target Muscles: Quads, Glutes, Shoulders & Core
How to do it:
- Stand tall holding a pumpkin straight over your head with both hands.
- Keeping your back flat and straight with your core braced, take a large step forward with your right leg. Bend your right knee and lower your body down until your right thigh is parallel to the floor, and your left knee is as close to the ground as possible without actually touching it. Make sure the knee on your front leg is lined up over your ankle, not sticking out over your toe.
- Pause, push back up to the starting position and repeat with your left leg.
- Repeat for a total of 10-15 reps on each leg.
EXERCISE #4: STAGGERED HAND PUMPKIN PUSH-UP
Target Muscles: Chest
How to do it:
NOTE: You may want to find a pumpkin that is somewhat flat on top to make this move more doable. If you can’t find one or only have a very round pumpkin to work with, you can drop to your knees if you find it too hard to balance on the pumpkin through the push-up movement.
- With the pumpkin about 3 inches in front of your hands, assume a regular push-up position (feet together, body straight from head to heels, arms straight and lined up under your shoulders with your palms planted on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders).
- Place your right hand on the middle of the pumpkin, squeeze your glutes and brace your core to keep your body rigid and prevent your hips from sagging down. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your elbows tucked, lower your chest until it almost touches the floor. Pause, push yourself back up to the starting position, switch hands and repeat the exercise on the other side.
- Repeat for a total of 8-10 reps on each side.
EXERCISE #5: PUMPKIN SQUAT AND PRESS
Target Muscles: Glutes, Quads & Shoulders
How to do it:
- Put the pumpkin on the floor and stand with your feet on either side of it. Your feet should be placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and turned out to about 15 degrees.
- Keeping your back flat and straight with your core braced, bend your knees, push your booty back and lower your body down until you can reach the pumpkin. Grab the pumpkin with both hands. This is the starting position.
- Straighten your legs as you lift the pumpkin to chest level.
- Once your legs are straight, press the pumpkin over your head until your arms are straight. Pause, bring the pumpkin back to your chest and then return it to the ground/starting position.
- Repeat for a total of 10-15 reps.
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Cheers to adding a Halloween fitness tradition that’s a real treat to your health!
With love and gratitude,
Kandi
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