10-minute give or take Planks:

• 30-second straight-arm plank
• 20 up/down planks (alternate arms)
• 20 side plank leg lifts (hold side plank, lift top leg)
• 30-second elbow plank
• 20 side plank leg lifts (opposite leg)
• 30-second elbow plank
• 20 side plank hip drops (right)
• 30-second elbow plank
• 20 side plank hip drops (left)
• 30-second elbow plank
• 20 oblique plank crunches (knee outside to elbow) (alternate)
• 30-second elbow plank
• 20 across-body plank crunches (knee underneath to opposite elbow) (alternate)
• 30-second elbow plank
• 20 plank crunches (knee to center) (alternate)

Happy Workout Wednesday and 12-12-12!!

WOD Asana!

Sunday morning started bright and early with an hour and a half combination workout; half Crossfit, half yoga. Rochester, Auburn Hills, Royal Oak and the surrounding communities have a large-ish Crossfit population with boxes everywhere. We headed to New Species Crossfit in Royal Oak; one of the assistant managers and educators trains there and both were leading us through the Crossfit portion.

We started with a timed-5 minute warm up of 15 seconds each:

• jumping jacks
• “air” squats
• mountain climbers
• hollow rock

After that..duh-duh-duh.

12-minutes:

7 burpees

14 tuck jumps

7 candlesticks

The burpees were different from the ones I usually do; they had us come all the way to the ground, then almost peel ourselves off to come to standing, clapping overhead. When I do them, I either perform a push-up or hold a plank, then jump my feet back in and jump up. The Crossfit burpees were more challenging since pushing up from the ground is the hardest part-NO MOMENTUM.

Burpees have 6 movements:

1. hands to the ground
2. walking or jumping feet back to plank
3. push-up, hold plank, or drop completely on the floor
4. pushing up from the ground to a full extension
5. walking or jumping feet back in to a squat
6. standing/jumping up or clapping arms overhead

Another reason they’re so challenging? Think about the amount of mass (your entire body weight) you move over a distance (your full height plus the height of your vertical jump); transitioning from a squat to plank to squat to a vertical jump requires tons of muscles and lots of energy. Breaking a burpee down makes us quickly realize why burpees are a functional exercise and calorie/fat burner! Please add them to your workouts; yes, they’re hard and test every aspect of you but there are SO many variations to make them easier/harder!

How do you burpee?

Because it’s a 40 minute class, I wanted to give them the biggest bang for their buck…SUPERSETS! The idea behind supersets is to move from exercise to exercise, with little to NO rest in between. It allows one muscle group to rest while another muscle group works, thus constantly working throughout the entire set.

Supersets are a great way to push through a plateau; our bodies are smart machines, they recognize when we’re doing the same workout(s) over and over again. This not only stops producing results, but also takes a toll on our motivation.

This way of working out can work with cardio exercises too; performing back to back bursts of cardio exercises takes little to no room, equipment, and can be done in under 10-15-20 minutes; perfect for travelers!

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I got the BEST news today..

Presenting at NIRSA Student Lead-on in Chicago in January!! Cannot wait!

And Workout Wednesday Thursday..of course .

Yesterday morning started bright and early with BLAST. We’re in the home-stretch now, so the workout is T.O.U.G.H. Walking lunges along the straightaways, side squats around the corners on the track, BOSU push-ups, upper body work ON the BOSU, and tons of core in the mix. I know the participants secretly love it..

Afterwards, I decided to get my workout in but I only had ~35 mintues. HIIT! Thanks to “pin”spiration from Danica, her December workout challenge seemed the fit the bill. I wanted to up the ante by adding more plyometrics to the workout, so jump sumo squats and jump squats did the trick!

Advanced-stay with the plyometrics throughout the entire 5 rounds! WITH good form please.

Intermediate/beginners

• try as many push-ups on your toes as possible
• if you’re completely new to the exercises, don’t add the jumps (yet!)
• walk your feet back and in and don’t jump at the top with the burpees
• hold a stationary plank (toes or knees) for the plank jack

Enjoy!

Secondly..

It’s Halloween week!

This is like a fitness instructors’ dream come true..do you realize how many exercises can be morphed into a Halloween-name?! Amaze.

I taught Core & More and named all of the exercises after Halloween; descriptions of the actual exercises are below: 

1. Supine Frankenstein leg drops
2. Eerie Plank (up, up, down, down)
3. Creeping Spider (plank w/ knees to the side)
4. Scared Cat (Down down to plank)
5. About to Pounce (Down dog to plank)
6. Dead Cat (Spine Bridge lifts)
7. Witches Brew (butt on knees, lift and torso twist right and left)
8. Hexes (star crunch)

Right after was Cycle! Of course I had to include songs like Thriller, Ghostbusters, and Werewolves of London-only appropriate .

Are you going Trick or Treating tomorrow night? If so, here are the healthiest candies to nosh on:

• 3 musketeers mini-24 calories
• fun-sized lemonheads- 50 calories for 10 pieces
• full-sized york peppermint pattie (fave!)- 140 calories
• peeps pumpkins- <100 calories for 6 peeps
• Tootsie caramel apple pop- 60 calories

Notice how the first 3 candies are bold? It’s all about portion size! Obviously the mini versions of our favorite candies are going to have fewer calories than the full-sized versions, but we tend to overlook those intricate details and only read “3 musketeers” and “24 calories”. Pay attention to portions and I have no doubt that you can celebrate Halloween like it’s supposed to be celebrated:

with family/friends, tons of spooky fun, and candy!

It’s about halfway through the fall semester-where does time go..seriously!!? I can always tell when it’s midterms week; the gym is empty. Once that week is over though..mark your spot cause it’s packed!

Exercise is a GREAT stress reliever; taking your mind off of school work and putting some of that effort in your workout will leave you feeling rejuvenated, relaxed, and those endorphins will pump you up to ace that exam! It doesn’t even have to be a long, drawn-out workout; even a quick 20 minute circuit, strength training, cardio workout, or yoga/Pilates session will do the trick. It’s about finding “you” in the workout; you’ll put more effort into the workout and get more out of it. #sweatandforget

Speaking of a good stress reliever..

I completed Katie’s ROCKtober workout yesterday and got rid of lots of stress! I’m always up for using someone elses workout; it adds variety to my routine and takes the guess-work out of creating one for myself. I thought it was a well-designed workout and structured appropriately but was way too long for me, personally (it was ~75 minutes); I don’t think I’ve completed an hour+ workout since my high school days-who has the time anymore? Also, for as many push exercises as we did (chest press, shoulder press, triceps dips, push-ups), they’re weren’t an equal amount of pull exercises (biceps curl). I’m extremely OCD about balancing the front AND back out in every workout.

All-in-all though, awesome workout! It constantly kept me moving becauseIwantedtobedone and switched between strength training to cardio utilizing different equipment-thanks Katie!

My challenge for you Workout Wednesday-er’s..give this ENTIRE workout a try! You’ll complete each set, 3 times through, for the recommended repetitions.

• if you’re a beginner and new to workout Wednesday’s, I challenge you to complete the workout 1 time through each set. Use light weights and/or body weight where applicable.
• if you’re intermediate/advanced, no excuses! I know you can do this workout. It’s definitely more challenging, but if you’ve been active for the entire semester, you can handle this.

*don’t have a treadmill nearby? No worries-jump rope, high knees, mountain climbers, stairs, jumping jacks, speed skaters, and/or burpees will substitute!

Thanks to Katie over at Talk Less, Say More for hosting a day dedicated to fitness!

Who doesn’t love this idea?

My week in workouts:

• Monday-taught Core & More and Cycling.
• Tuesday- 5 mile run & 3 sets of 6 repetitions: 1) clean & press, 2) shoulder press, 3) squats, 4) bent-over rows.
• Wednesday- NADA!
• Thursday- taught Abs, Glutes, & Thighs and ran 2 miles on the awful treadmill.
• Friday- Get Ripped-Slim N’ Lean workout

My morning started out with a tough total body weights workout; since I’ve been incorporating weight training back into my schedule, I’m trying to do one session solely dedicated to weights a week (no cardio included). Because I don’t include cardio, I make it a point to move from exercise to exercise in a quick and efficient manner; this helps keep my heart rate elevated throughout the entire hour!

Back when I relied on DVDs as my workout resource, I loved the Get Ripped! series. They were super challenging at first (because I never lifted in that way before. Scratch that. I never lifted before) but were a great way to track my progress. These DVD series worked more on muscular endurance, training the slow-twitch muscle fibers to be able to sustain longer sets/reps with lighter weights, rather than muscular strength, training fast-twitch muscle fibers for one heavy rep. Another benefit of the Get Ripped series is that each workout utilizes time under tension (TUT); training in a different way than I’m used to always leads to a GREAT workout and I know DOMS is coming to visit . Nerd alert: I’ve memorized these workouts so I can perform them, sans DVD, in a gym setting.

Slim N’ Lean Mock-Workout:

1. squats (40lb. barbel)
2. pendulum lunges (12.5lb. dumbbells)
3. chest press (12.5lb. dumbbells)
4. dead lifts & single-leg bent over rows (12.5lb. dumbbells)
5. push-ups & external rotations (body weight/8lb. dumbbell)
6. triceps dips & extensions (body weight/ 12lb. dumbbell)
7. hammer & biceps curls (10 lb. dumbbells)
8. single-leg squats & plie squats (body weight/15lb. dumbbell)
9. lateral raises & overhead presses (10 lb. dumbbell)
10. calf raises (body weight)

AND

Has anyone (Michiganders mainly) tasted Biggby coffee?

life-changing.

After teaching Abs, Glutes, and Thighs (which was an amazing class BTW! Participants are always full of energy and up for ANYTHING, even when the classes continue to get more challenging), I hit the rush-hour traffic road and arrived in Pitt a little after 9:30. Salmon, grilled veggies, and a humongous piece of cake my family were awaiting me on the table (not my family); it makes the looooong drive so much more worth it when a home-cooked meal greets you! Right to sleep afterwards; sleeping in a queen-sized bed beats an extra-long twin sized bed’s bootay.

There’s really no point to this trip since I leave tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 5am to head straight to lululemon, but a girl needs some winter clothes! Why I didn’t bring any jackets, pants, UGGs, or winter scarves with me is over my head but it gave me an excuse to see my family .

A relaxing morning

 (hi Kathy!)

and a long-but-not-forgotten body pump class

was what I had planned since my family has this silly thing called work. You guys remember how I was taking a break from heavier-lifting? I haven’t participated in a full hour-long lifting session until today and it felt great to get back to it! Sure some of my strength has dwindled but my endurance has improved and I was able to finish the entire workout- not missing one rep .

What I used to lift in a Body Pump class:

• squats= 40-50lbs
• chest press= 15lbs
• back track= 20lbs
• triceps & biceps= 10-12lbs
• lunges= 15-20lbs
• shoulder track= 10-12lbs

What I lifted today:

• squats= 17.5lbs
• chest press= 10lbs
• back track= 12lbs
• triceps & biceps= 7.5lbs
• lunges= 7.5lbs (added plyometrics to this track)
• shoulder track= 7.5lbs and 8lb handweights

I felt I could have lifted heavier than I did but the above weight was perfect for my goals. I’m still not looking to get “bigger”, but rather continue toning, sculpting, lifting, and improving muscular endurance.

The rest of the day I plan on spending time with my family, drinking wine, eating a steak-ish dinner, and enjoying a real piece of cake!

What else made this trip worth it?

I hope you all enjoyed the post last week about healthy eating on campus. There really are tons of better-for-you options, you just need to do your homework, plan, weigh options, and most importantly, not deprive your body of what it needs!

I completed this workout last week and was sore for at least 4 days. That’s when you really know you worked hard .

In the Rec center, it sometimes can be more challenging to find a space to do plyometrics than the workout itself, especially if you come at prime time. With the exception of the stretching area (although it has no mirrors (for form purposes, not vanity!)), your next best option is outside in the common area. You can use the reflection from the group fitness room as a mirror and space isn’t an issue. Your options:

• by the staircase
• near the ping-pong tables (watch for flying balls)
• outside the activity center
• down the hallway near the courts and cycling studio

This workout combines plyometrics and toning exercises; you’ll complete 10 repetitions of each exercise for 10 rounds. Try to limit your rest periods! A Men’s Fitness article in the October 2012 issue says that research shows resting for only 30 seconds can increase the rate at which you burn calories by up to 50% compared to taking a full 3-minute rest period.

10 Rounds X 10 Reps

Burpees

Overhead Shoulder Press

Jump Lunges

Push-ups

*If you’re a beginner and not used to plyometrics, complete the burpee without the jump (step back into plank instead) and alternate lunges. Remember, proper form and safety all the time! As you get further into the workout, you’ll fatigue more every round; don’t sacrifice form for a good workout.

The 10X10 workout works wonders on its own, but if you’re looking for extra total body conditioning, here ya go!

• 20 squats
• 20 reverse crunches
• 20 triceps dips
• 20 alternating lunges
• 20 leg raises (laying down)
• 20 biceps curls
• 20 squat jumps
• 20 v-sits
• 20 lateral raises

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Looking for another way to track your diets and workouts? Stay tuned for SlimKicker; a website that tracks your exercise and movements (the more you move, the more points you’ll accumulate). First, you’ll upload a picture of something you want to be rewarded with later (an outfit, accessory, electronic, etc.). When you’ve reached your points, they’ll remind you to reward yourself! There’s a lot more perks to this tracker than just rewards but that’s always the most fun .

They hope to release it between March and April of next year; it’ll be a compact version of FitBit and in motivating colors (red, black, blue). I was contacted about trying SlimKicker and writing a review on it- what better motivation to get in shape for Spring Break! Who knows..maybe a giveaway is in store… .

Need an upper body workout with sprint intervals in between sets? Ask and you shall receive!

3 Evens & 4 Odds

In the first circuit, you’ll start by power walking/running/sprinting on the treadmill then hop off and complete 10 reps of 3 exercises. Repeat 3 times through (switching between the two):

• 1 minute treadmill @ 1% incline, 3.5-5.0mph (power walking), 5.0-6.5mph (running), 7.0-8.0mph (sprinting)
• chest press, bent-over rows, push-ups w/ knee tucks (alternate knees)

In the second circuit, you’ll start with 11 reps of 4 exercises then hop on the treadmill and power walk/run/sprint. Repeat 4 times through (switching between the two):

• squat press, biceps curls, triceps extensions
• 1 minute treadmill @ 1% incline, 3.5-5.0mph (power walking), 5.0-6.5mph (running), 7.0-8.0mph (sprinting)

Don’t be afraid to go a little heavier, weights-wise, than usual on this workout; the reps aren’t as high so we’re working on building strength rather than endurance. As always, proper form is CRUCIAL!

The Rec Center is set up in a way that makes circuit workouts (where you’re all over the place!) easy and doable; there are plenty of treadmills, so don’t be afraid to hog be near one for a while AND there are dumbbell options. You could either use the gray boring dumbbells or the pretty colored dumbbells..you’re choice

Enjoy!

Back to reality.

Thank you for all of your kind words on my last post; reading your thoughtful responses on how you too are dealing with balancing life reassures me I’m not in this alone! I can learn from each and everyone one of you, keep them coming .

Vertical BOSU Lunges.

Simply line 2 BOSU’s up, the behind one slightly to the right of the front one (hip-width apart) and stand on top. Lunge away!

This is NOT an easy exercise! You’re on unstable surfaces so your core has to work overtime, balance is an issue or two, coordination, strength, and the observers around you who are mad they didn’t come up with an exercise this cool and functional are factors too. Beginners could hold onto a wall or bar to the side of the front BOSU.

The rest of the circuit: 3X-15 reps.

• jump squats
• plie squats
• jump lunges
• vertical BOSU lunges
• deadlifts
• “t” push-ups
• triceps dips
• pull-ups/chin-ups

]]> http://katieept.com/2012/01/26/core-workout/ Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:14:02 +0000 K.E.P.T. You Fit http://katieept.com/2012/01/26/core-workout/ Here’s a quick core workout to complete before and/or after a workout! Repeat the circuit 2-4x through (time allowing)

• Stability ball Roll outs (15)
• Kettlebell or dumbbell swings (15)
• Forearm plank w/ knee taps (15/side)
• Bicycle crunch (12)
• *In & Outs (knees tuck in then extend out; hands on ground behind you or in front of your chest) (15)
• Stability ball plank (1 minute)

Remember proper form!

*FitBit

Saturday & Sunday: Group fitness express training! Long but satisfying and fun days training participants on how to be a fitness instructor! Truly a passion of mine. Sunday night was filled with football and completing homework ; getting ahead on assignments throughout the week takes discipline but if I don’t do it, I’ll get extremely stressed.

Monday: Worked all morning; PT newsletter, group training promotions, PT class grading and organizing. Senior seminar for 3+ hours. Taught Spring Break a Sweat and absolutions (great class participation! high energy and very vocal-love it!)

Tuesday: AM workout: I have a feeling my friend DOMS is coming to visit after this one!

• warm-up ~6.5 mph
• 12X alternating between 1 minute @ 8.5, 1 minute @ 7.0
• cool-down
• (2) incline chest press & BOSU push-ups (16)
• (2) BOSU jump squats (16)
• (2) bent-over rows & incline rear delt. flies (16)
• (2) walking lunges holding BOSU overhead & curtsy lunges (16)
• (20) hammer curls & BOSU triceps dips (16)

..trained a client, finished grading papers, ACE PT class, lunch, class, ACE PT class, office hours, and taught a TRX outreach. Home for dinner (tacos!) and more homework.

I’ve started reading The Hunger Games and am hooked! I can’t wait to finish the book and see the movie. Any thoughts?

• work meeting
• energy-packed muesli to power me through a morning full of to-do’s
• strength and conditioning class
• home to relax and make dinner (recipe to come!)
• back to work to teach Spring Break a Sweat and Absolutions!

Spring Break a Sweat is a circuit/interval-style class. The participants tonight were full of energy and ready to sweat! There’s nothing better than having an upbeat, high energy group of participants- it really makes the class fly by! Tonight’s class featured:

15 minutes of:

• butt kickers & high knees
• plyo step touches and plyo hamstring curls

35 minutes of :

• 1 minute challenge: alternating lunges and squats, push-ups and mountain climbers
• pyramid: biceps curls and triceps kickbacks (10 down to 1)
• 30 second challenge: plie squats and jumping jacks (2X)
• pyramid: chest press and triceps skullcrushers (10 down to 1)
• glute extensions and fire hydrants

Everyone was a glistening mess afterwards! Success!!

FitBit*

Have your participants count the repetitions of each exercise for 2 reasons:

1. as the instructor, you’re repeating safety cues and encouraging them so you may count one too many (or not enough!), and
2. gauging the intensity level of the class is shown if you’re participants can/not talk

• old-fashioned oats
• sunflower seeds (unsalted!)
• plain, low-fat Greek yogurt
• Almond milk, vanilla extract, Splenda and honey

Almond milk, vanilla, splenda and honey were added to the mix in the A.M. I would have added dried fruit BUT I need to have a date with the grocery store later today .

One thing I like to do before I grocery shop is plan my dinner’s throughout the week. I have an arsenal of recipes from family and magazines that I often refer to. I tend to get stuck in a rut and make the same meals but one of my resolutions this year is to really venture into the culinary world! First up, a quick pasta bake.

Ingredients:

• 2cups penne pasta
• 1 1/2T. olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3cups chopped Roma tomatoes
• 4cups spinach
• 1T. dried Italian herb mix
• handfuls1cup parmesan and mozzarella cheese

Prep: preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• boil water for pasta and cook for ~ 12 minutes. meanwhile, in a non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil until fragrant. add spinach and 2 cups of tomatoes. saute until spinach welts ~4 minutes.
• combine remaining tomatoes in a bowl with Italian seasoning and a pinch of salt.
• when spinach is wilted, add the mixture and the pasta to the tomatoes. stir in half of the cheese.
• pour into an oven-safe baking dish coated with cooking spray and 1/2 tablespoon oil. bake for 15 minutes (uncovered). sprinkle the rest of cheese on top and bake until the cheese is melted ~4 minutes.

 To make this dish heartier, add grilled chicken or sautéed shrimp!

W.o.D. K.E.P.T. You Fit style..Miss. Spartacus workout

*instead of the plank rows, I did a chest press.

I like going in the morning because I don’t have a parking pass on campus and they start ticketing at 7am which means I have 1 hour to get through my workout. This pushes me to decrease rest breaks, increase the intensity in a short amount of time and prevents lollygagging!

This interval workout utilizes weight training and cardio to really kick yo’ butt! As always, proper form and safety cues!

1. 2(15x) Squats
2. 1 min. Jumping Jacks
3. 2(15x) Chest Press
4. 2(30 second) High Knees
5. 2(15x) Dead Lift and Upright Row
6. 20 Burpees (extremely challenging! Do as many as you can with good form; I did the no push-up version)
7. 2(15x) Triceps Kickbacks (1 at a time, or both)
8. 2(30 second) Lateral Bench Hop-overs (these are so fun! Start with jumping over an imaginary bench, progress into a low bench, then progress into a higher bench)
9. 2(15x) Biceps Curls (balance on 1 leg)
10. 20 Burpees (as many as you safely can)
11. 3(12x) Lunge Jumps
12. 2(15x) Seated Overhead Press
13. 2(15x) Stability Ball Hamstring Curls
14. 1(1 minute) Stability Ball Planks (I moved my arms slightly forward and back to challenge my stabilizers in my spine more)

And you’re done with exercise for the day! You should feel euphoric when leaving the gym. A mantra I like to repeat during morning workouts is..

“You’ll never regret this workout”

This circuit workout can be done in 15-20-30-45 minutes, depending on your time allowance. It’s a mix of cardio intervals, resistance training, plyometrics and fun (the most important component!).

Remember proper form and safety cues! Have water near-by and don’t forget to stretch post-sesh.

• 15 push-ups (FitBit*)
• 30 seconds high knees
• 30 seconds butt kickers
• 8 each lateral/front raises
• 30 seconds jumping jacks
• 15 hammer curls (biceps curl but palms face each other)
• 30 jumping lunges (or stationary)
• 15 triceps dips
• 45 seconds mountain climbers
• 10/arm plank rows
• 15 plie squats and overhead presses
• 1 suicide (no space? try squat jacks. a jumping jack, but sink into a squat)
• 15 reverse flies
• 20 jump squats (or stationary)

Repeat the circuit 2-3-4 times through and WahLah-a complete total body workout without leaving your house! I did this workout yesterday 3 times through and it took me about 35 minutes.

FitBit*

I challenge you to do AT LEAST 1 full push-up (on your toes)! But by all means, don’t limit yourself to just ONE-with good form, push yourself a little harder every time you complete a workout with push-ups. Keep building on that ONE full push-up and before you know it, you’ll be doing ALL of your push-ups on your toes!

There are 4 circuits; complete each circuit ~2-3 through (time allowing). You can either go by repetitions or time, your pref.

Circuit 1:

• assisted pull-ups or bent-over rows
• push-ups with knee tucks (push-up-bring right knee towards chest then left knee=1 repitition)
• lateral hops (see FitBit!)
• medicine ball wood choppers

Circuit 2:

• plie squats (dumbbell skims the floor!)
• jump squats
• lateral/anterior raises (1 side raise, 1 front raise=1 repitition)
• reverse crunches

Circuit 3:

• 30 second-1 minute wall sit & curl to press (while hanging out in your wall sit, biceps curl dumbbells then overhead press & reverse)
• mountain climbers
• squat thrust burpees (no push-up)
• triceps extensions

Circuit 4:

• alternating jump lunges
• hanging knee raises
• incline stability ball planks

How’d you do?! If you kicked butt, you should be very, very tired by the end! As always, proper form and safety cues before taking the exercise(s) to a more intense level!!

FitBit*

Lateral hops involve a side-to-side jump which works your ABductors and ADductors more (outer/inner thighs); beginners should start with jumping over a jump rope or an imaginary weight-intermediaters should place a weight vertically to jump over; advancers should jump over a low step or plate. The more advanced you get, the wider and/or higher you’ll be able to jump, making the exercise harder!

The class I taught was High Intensity Total Body Intervals; a weightless workout that interspersed short, intense intervals with toning exercises using the best tool God gave us-our body! Here’s the deets:

Lower body:

• single-leg squats (pulses, tap forward-side-back)
• single-leg power jumps
• squats (pulses, jumps)

Upper body:

• push-ups
• staggered push-ups
• triceps push-ups
• triceps dips

Lower body:

• forward/reverse lunges (pulses, knee lifts)
• clock lunges (forward-side-reverse, pulses, knee lifts)
• plie squats w/ calf raise (pulses, jumps)
• bent-over, single-leg hamstring curls

Upper body:

• diamond push-ups (they LOVED these!)
• lateral “walking” push-ups
• can-can triceps dips
• side-lying triceps push-ups

Core:

• dead bug

The class flew by and I had a blast teaching it! The participants had high energy (for it being Sunday at 11am), they were interactive and personable with me, and they even asked for a copy of my workout! MY PERSONAL WORKOUT! How honored I felt to almost be “a master trainer”; it’s a feeling that I have and will yearn for and I’m determined to achieve it again and again..

TRX Circuit: 4X-45 seconds

1. Squat
2. Atomic Push-up
3. Alligator
4. Rows
5. Balancing Lunge (R/L)
6. V-sit-up

Remember, proper form and safety cues!

Has anyone else felt a burning sensation in their arms after a run??

Swing & Shot(circle your head)

Renegade Row

Overhead Touchdown w/Triceps Xtension

See-Saw (sorry-no picture! for lady-like reasons)})

1. lunge curl- left leg forward, right leg behind, kettlebell in right hand by side. perform a lunge, press through front heel to stand and curl kettlebell 90 degrees. continue for reps/switch sides to complete set.

2. swing & shot- perform a kettlebell swing for the 1st rep, on the 2nd rep, swing kettlebell in a circular pattern overhead (watch lower back-keep core tight, knees bent).  continue the swing, then the shot, switching directions each rep.

3. renegade rows- plank position (feet a little wider for more support) kettlebell under right hand. perform a row (bring bell beside right ribcage, shoulders stay even), lower. perform another row, this time rotating right shoulder towards ceiling, lower. continue row and rotation for reps/ switch sides to complete set.

4. overhead touchdown w/ triceps extensions- kettlebell in left hand above head, palm forward. keep bell overhead, kick left hip out to the side while bending knees slightly, touching right hand to the floor between legs. press through heels, hams, and glutes to return to start-perform a triceps extension (lower bell behind, keeping elbow pointing front). continue touching down and extensions for reps/ switch sides to complete set.

5. see-saw- hold kettlebell, upside down, in front of chest-elbows tucked in. sit on glutes, keep heels on ground or lift feet in the air (as shown). with control, roll back, lifting hips and legs into the air-pause-roll up to sitting (don’t let feet rest!). continue for reps.

*Remember proper form and safety cues!

Treadmill: it looks a lot more than it is; every minute you change your speed=5 minute/round

• warm-up
• 1 minute @ 6.5mph
• 1 minute @ 7.0mph
• 1 minute @ 7.5mph
• 1 minute @ 8.0mph
• 1 minute @ 8.5mph
• repeat 2x-rest or complete the same format except play with the incline to catch your breath.

• squats
• rear delt. row
• dead lifts
• chest press

10lb dumbbells

• overhead press
• triceps kickbacks
• biceps curls
• push-ups

bodyweight

• bicycles
• crunches
• side plank hip drops

Remember BIG to SMALL! and Proper Form and Safety Cues of course Happy Sunday!

Easy! It’s thinking outside the box-my new “gym” has the following machines:

• leg extension
• incline chest press
• lat. pulldown
• back extension
• adductor (inner thigh) squeeze (not a fan)

Using proper form while exercising is crucial for many reasons:

• safety,
• preventing injuries,
• proper use of energy,
• targeting muscle(s) groups,
• effective and functional workouts.

Working out is hard-it takes effort on a regular basis to achieve your desired goals. Make it easier on yourself and do it right the first time! “Put your mind in your muscle(s)”

Here are more proper form and safety cues-these can never be used enough!

• engage your core muscles
• exhale on the exertion, inhale to recover
• when squatting and lunging, keep your knee(s) behind toes and inline with ankle(s)
• keep your neck neutral with your spine
• keep your wrist aligned with your forearm
• chest up, shoulders back and down
• relax your shoulders (don’t “shrug” up)
• BREATHE!

1. Single-leg Tilt
1. Weight in left leg-lift right leg in front
2. Extend left arm to shoulder height
3. Tilt forward from hips-swing leg behind you as you try & touch hand to foot
4. Stand & repeat

2. Single-arm Chest Fly
1. Lay upper shoulders on stability ball
2. Weight in right hand
3. Slight bend in elbow as you lower weight
4. Lift & repeat for reps/opposite arm

3. Single-leg Row on Ball
1. Place 1 knee on ball-slight bend in opposite knee
2. Weight in opposite hand-palm facing behind
3. Lift weight to ribs
4. Lower & repeat/opposite arm

Curtsy Lunge & Hammer Curl

1. Weights in hands
2. Lunge diagonally back with right leg and curl weights to shoulders
3. Return to center
4. Lunge diagonally back with left leg and curl weights to shoulders
5. Repeat

5. Triceps Push-ups & Leg Lift
1. Lie on right side-left arm bent in front of chest, fingertips towards head (bottom arm can be resting on floor in front of stomach)
2. Extend left leg from hip
3. Straighten elbow and lift upper body off of the ground (leg remains lifted!)
4. Lower & repeat
5. Switch sides to complete set

3-way Jump Squat

1. Feet under hips-10 reps
2. Feet wider than hips-10 reps
3. Plie squat-10 reps

Tornado Raise

1. Lay down-loop band around feet-hold handles and make an “X” with tubes
2. Lower legs as you make little circles in 1 direction
3. On the way up, reverse the circles