Get Outside!

Exercise on the ISS

90-Second Orbit Activity: The ISS orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes, which means it makes about 16 orbits per day. Astronauts spend about two hours of every day exercising to ensure they stay healthy in the microgravity of space. They have three exercise machines to use: a treadmill (for running), a stationary bicycle, and a resistance machine (to mimic weightlifting). Watch the video below to see them in action.

Activity 1

Here’s an activity to help you stay healthy, while exercising like an astronaut on the ISS.

Materials

• bicycle

• two resistance bands (click here for an example).

Instructions

1. Find a loop of sidewalk, trail, or just big grassy area in a nearby park.

2. Find 1-3 partners.

3. One partner walks the 90 second loop, while the other(s) do one of the three exercises: rides the bike, runs/jogs, or does resistance band exercises (click here for examples). Each exercise should be done continuously until the partner who is walking has completed the 90 sec. loop or “orbit.”

4. Once the partner finishes a 90 sec. “orbit,” he/she switches with the other (or one of the others), who then walks 90 sec. while the other(s) do a different exercise than the previous time. If there are more than two participating, no one should take a second turn walking until each of the others has also walked an “orbit.”

5. The 90 second “orbits” continue until each partner has completed all exercises at least once.

6. If you want to mimic a full day of ISS orbits, continue the process until the combined total of all participants’ 90-sec. orbits walked adds up to 16 (i.e., with two partners, each has walked 6 “orbits”).