Yagilu Strong

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In Yagilu, we’re all about accomplishments. One of the ingredients needed to accomplish is the strength to do whatever needs to be done. Different challenges draw on different types of strength, so we try to ‘exercise’ each one. Here, we’ll focus on physical strength.

Daily Workouts

Every morning following Davening, post-Davening Torah, and cleanup, we have our morning exercises. We start with stretches and balance exercises, continue with a jog, and finish with bodyweight exercises. Over the course of the summer, as we get stronger, the exercises develop to match our strength. Yagilu 1 starts the summer doing 40 jumping (/dancing) jacks, and breaks 100 by the end of the month. Campers sometimes go from barely stretching to their knees, to getting their palms to touch the ground.

Yagilu 3 has a unique way of working out. Normally, the person leading the workout sets a goal for the group to do: 5 pushups, 60-second plank, 30 scissor kicks. Having an explicit goal in mind makes it easier to push for the end, but also means that you might be ending before you’ve really exerted yourself. Every so often, then, they’ll do one of two things: the counselor might not say how many times we’ll be doing a specific exercise. That takes away the ‘light at the end of the tunnel,’ forcing each person to motivate themselves to just get through one more. This has an incredible impact on mental toughness. Another thing we’ll do, usually towards the end of the week, is have a ‘personal best set.’ Each person will do as many as they can of an exercise until they can’t do even one more. Campers are often shocked at how many they can do when they’re really pushing themselves for just one more. Campers will often continue struggling, arms locked in place and wriggling back and forth, trying to get just one more in, before slumping to the ground, totally spent. After a few seconds, a huge smile spreads across their faces while they get up and delight in the effort they just expended.

Our Favorites

Here are some of our favorite workouts:

  • Pushups
    • Yagilu 1 sticks with basic pushups, arms shoulder-width apart. We do a set number at a time, such as 2 sets of 5 pushups.
    • Yagilu 2 has two pushup exercises: 1) a cycle of regular, wide (hands farther out to the sides), ins (fingers pointed in), outs (fingers pointed out), and diamonds (hands together, thumbs forming a diamond in the center of your chest), each targeting different muscle groups. 2) Pyramids, regular pushups starting with a set of six, followed by a break, then five, followed by another break, then four…down to one.
  • Leg Lifts
    • Lie down on your back, and raise your feet straight up to the sky, keeping your legs straight. Slowly lower them down, again keeping them straight, til just above the ground. Raise them back up for another one without letting your feet touch the ground in between. This is a great core workout
  • Jumping Jacks
    • A Y1 classic, great for preparing calves for long hikes. Also good aerobic exercise, similar to a jog, if you go at a good pace. In camp, our jumping jacks sometimes resemble more of a dance than a jump – try kicking your legs out one at a time rather than together.
  • Squat Jumps
    • This exercise is hard, but really cool to do with a lot of people. Settle into a squat as if you’re sitting down in an imaginary chair. Your feet should be facing forward, back straight instead of bent forward. Count to ten, then lunge upward and jump as high as you can. As you land, settle back into a squat and count to ten again, followed by another jump. Start with five.
  • The Tani Prero
    • Ostensibly for getting shoulders and backs ready for hikes with packs, this exercise just rips up your whole upper half. Essentially, keep your arms above your shoulders for as long as you can. Do whatever you want while they’re up there – small circles, big circles, pick imaginary apples and blueberries – it doesn’t matter, just keep them up and don’t let them fall below 90 degrees til you feel your shoulders on fire. Then count to 10 and let your arms fall into “The Arnold” for sweet relief.

Each day has a different set of workouts, focusing on different muscle groups and allowing yesterday’s targets to rest. Keep up with these workouts and you’ll quickly feel yourself getting stronger. And the stronger we are, the better we can…

1 … 2 … 3 … RULE THE FOREST!