What’s the point of bringing a big, yummy watermelon home from the market if you need help getting it out of the basket, into the car and up the garage stairs to the fridge?  “No thanks, I’ve got this,” is what I tell the twerp well-meaning bag boy who always tries to help. Hey, I’m not just your ordinary produce-shopping mom  – I’m a fruit-loving foodie who’s turned herself a lean, mean lifting machine thanks to adding functional exercise (aka CrossFit) into my workout routine about three or four years ago.

TheFitFork.com Living On The Wedge

While I don’t care to set records or go for “max” when lifting weights (nor could I) during a CrossFit WOD, I do feel like adding weight to my workout regimen has helped me tremendously as a runner, an athlete and busy working mom who’s just living her crazy life and might be getting a little older in the process.  Last year for my summer of #LivingOnTheWedge, I shared a CrossFit inspired Watermelon Workout – I’ll never forget swinging a 25 pound watermelon kettle bell style and having it fly out of my hands across the yard. Oops!  And, who could forget the Watermelon Pool Workout from earlier this summer – I certainly know the swimmers grinding out their laps that morning I filmed it had something to talk about!

This month, I’ve created a Partner Watermelon WOD  that lets you share pleasure and pain of working out with a friend who loves watermelon as much as you!

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Partner Watermelon WOD (8 Sets of the Following):

• (6 Reps) Watermelon Burpee-Squat Handoff: One partner does a traditional burpee while the other partner simultaneously squats with a watermelon – then the watermelon is handed off for the next rep.
• (6 reps) Watermelon Box Step Up: One partner steps up with watermelon at chest or held straight overhead while other partner uses small watermelon for Russian Twists (12 to 20 twists, or until box step ups done). Partners switch off and perform repeat exercises.
• 200 Meter Run or Walk: holding watermelon at chest.

You may be laughing at the video, but watermelon makes a great piece of workout equipment in a pinch – you can lift it, swing it, jump over it, squat with it and more. Plus, you can purchase them in a variety of weights – the smaller “personal-sized” melons are awesome.  If you didn’t get enough workout inspiration, here’s a Summer Squat Challenge to get your rear in gear – of course, use a watermelon for your weighted squats!

Working out with a watermelon isn’t so crazy when you start seeing the results of this muscle-making melon  – plus, who can argue with gobbling it up as a nutritious snack afterward?!  Made of 92% water, watermelon is obviously hydrating. But did you know the fruit can help you with workout recovery? A recent study in the Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry reports that drinking watermelon juice before a hard workout helps to reduce an athlete’s heart rate and next-day muscle soreness. That’s because watermelon has an abundance of an important amino acid called L-citrulline, which the body converts to L-arginine, to help with blood vessel dilation and improved circulation.

I’m winning at this watermelon workout thing and to the victor comes the spoils – at that is first dibs at devouring the watermelon!   Okay, okay, I’ll split it up fairly between my workout friends!

About to enjoy the fruits of our efforts! Sharing watermelon with my Cross friends

• The average size of a watermelon from the market is about 20 -25 lbs. Guesstimate the weight of the biggest one you’ve ever brought home – 47 pounds for me! 
• What are you doing to work up a sweat this summer – other than just stepping outdoors?!

Share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer