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9 Exercises You Can Do With A Pumpkin (No Joke!)

Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.
Author:
October 31, 2015
Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.
Ph.D. & Movement Advocate
By Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.
Ph.D. & Movement Advocate
Shauna Harrison, Ph.D., is the creator of Muscle + Flow, Adjunct Associate at Jonhs Hopkins, and fitness teacher. A graduate of Stanford, UCLA and Johns Hopkins, she simultaneously pursued academics and fitness obtaining her Ph.D. in Public Health and teaching fitness classes across the country.
Photo by iStock
October 31, 2015

Pumpkins are basically just orange medicine balls with stems. And since it's Halloween today, let's make your workout a little bit more festive with this routine! Pumpkins are the cutest weights and props you’ll ever see (read: totally Instagram- worthy!). Give it a try with this workout.

Perform each exercise for one minute. After you complete all exercises rest and repeat the routine.

1. Pumpkin Jacks

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Grab your pumpkin and do some jumping jacks pressing the pumpkin over your head.

2. Pumpkin Squats

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Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, weight in your heels and pumpkin in your hands. Sit your butt back and down. Press through your heels and squeeze through your glutes as you stand up.

3. Pumpkin Swings

You can perform these with one hand or both hands. Feet should be shoulder-width apart, weight in your heels and pumpkin in your hands. Come down into a squat with the pumpkin toward the floor. Swing the pumpkin to either shoulder height or overhead as you come to a standing position. Repeat.

4. Pumpkin Lunge Twist

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Start standing with your right foot forward and left foot back, pumpkin in your hands. Lunge down and twist over the front right knee. Return to the starting position; repeat the lunge and twist. When you're done with one side, switch to left leg forward and repeat, twisting to the opposite side.

5. Pumpkin Dead Row

This is a combination of a deadlift and a row. Start standing with the pumpkin in your hands with both feet planted about hip-width apart. Hinge from the hips, lowering the pumpkin out in front of you. Row the pumpkin toward you. Lower the pumpkin and return to standing. Repeat.

6. Pumpkin Push-Ups

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Place one hand on the pumpkin and one hand off. Lower down and then press up. Repeat 30 seconds, then switch to the other side for the remaining 30 seconds.

7. Pumpkin Burpees

Raise the pumpkin over your head, then bring it to the ground. Step or hop back, perform a push up if you can. Then stop or hop forward. Repeat.

8. Pumpkin Curl Press

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Start standing with the pumpkin in your hands and arms extended out in front of you. Keep your feet hip-width apart. Knees should not be locked. Curl the pumpkin toward you, then press it over your head. Return to start and repeat.

9. Pumpkin Twist

This is similar to the Russian twist. Grab your pumpkin and hold it in front of your chest while in a seated position. Lift your feet off the floor. Twist the upper body to the right, and then to the left, taking the pumpkin with you. Repeat back and forth. Make sure to twist the entire upper torso, not just the pumpkin!

Looking for more mbg workouts? Try these!:

Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.
Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.

Shauna Harrison, Ph.D., is the creator of Muscle Flow, Adjunct Associate at Jonhs Hopkins, and fitness teacher. A graduate of Stanford, UCLA and Johns Hopkins, she simultaneously pursued academics and fitness obtaining her Ph.D. in Public Health and teaching fitness classes across the country. Through her unique style and authenticity that blends her love for hip hop, wellness, yoga and knowledge of public health, Harrison has created a brand of her own, making her one of the most influential fitness profiles on Instagram and sought after partner for leading brands.


Read More About Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.

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More from the author:

The 20 Minute Workout Challenge

Check out It Takes Only 20 Minutes A Day To Transform Your Body & Form Healthy Habits For A Lifetime

Learn more
Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.
Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.

Shauna Harrison, Ph.D., is the creator of Muscle Flow, Adjunct Associate at Jonhs Hopkins, and fitness teacher. A graduate of Stanford, UCLA and Johns Hopkins, she simultaneously pursued academics and fitness obtaining her Ph.D. in Public Health and teaching fitness classes across the country. Through her unique style and authenticity that blends her love for hip hop, wellness, yoga and knowledge of public health, Harrison has created a brand of her own, making her one of the most influential fitness profiles on Instagram and sought after partner for leading brands.


Read More About Shauna Harrison, Ph.D.