W.O.W. June 27th, 2010

This workout requires one set of dumbbells and is pretty intense if you select the right amount of weight. The dumbbells should be heavy enough that you have a hard time completing 8 repetitions of tricep kickbacks.

Once you pick up the dumbbells you do not put them down until you complete the entire workout. The workout should take you about 20 minutes. You don't need any other equipment.



Warm up for 5 minutes without dumbbells. Whatever warm up you like is fine (treadmill, bike, etc).

Pick up your dumbbells.

Perform one set of walking lunges, walking at least 10 steps in each direction.

Step forward with one foot (for lower back support) and perform 10 reps of wide dumbbell rows (elbows out, not in).

Perform 15 reps of squat thrust with weights.

On the last one stay down in push up position and perform push and row sequence for 10 reps (push up and then pick up one dumbbell and perform a row, repeat on the other side. Every row counts as one).

Hop feet in and stand up. Perform 20 close stance squat hops.

Bring elbows slightly in front, resting against belly. Perform 8 bicep curls.

Perform 20 split jumps, every time you jump counts as one.

Perform 8 tricep kickbacks, stepping forward with one foot for back support.

Perform 10 shoulder jerks. Shoulder jerk: Start with dumbbells at your shoulders. Squat deeply and as you thrust up, through your glutes and legs, forcefully push the dumbbells up into a shoulder press.

Perform glute/quad series (this will be hard to explain but bare with me). Start in a split stance position (stable lunge, one foot forward the other foot back). Perform 10 lunges, knee touching the floor. On the last rep lean forward and place dumbbells on the floor in a low lunge position, back leg straight. Bring back leg in, tapping by front foot and then extend all the way back, try to keep your hips down throughout the movement. Finally, bring back leg in so that back knee is directly under your hip (as if you are a sprinter about ready to take off out of the blocks), pulse up and down for 10 trying not to straighten back leg. All three exercises are performed on one leg. Repeat other side.

Place dumbbells on your hips. Squat hop out and in for 10 (out and in counts as one). Stay deep in the legs.

Put the weights down. You are done. If you aren't done-done next time choose heavier weights.

Gain Weight to Lose a Size

There is a great article in the June issue of Health magazine.

The headline states: Lose a dress size by gaining 3-4 pounds!

Do you know how hard it is to convince women that the weight they initially gain by strength training is a good thing. When my clients complain that they haven't lost much weight after working out hard for a few weeks and watching their diet I ask '...but how do your clothes fit?' They almost always say 'Looser'. Okay, then what difference does it make how much your weigh?! You don't walk around all day with your weight attached to your forehead but you do walk around in your better-fighting clothes and leaner physique.

The weight that you have gained is muscle, not fat, and that's why you lose inches. Everybody knows that muscle weighs more then fat but do you really know it. You have got to embrace it in order to truly understand the concept. Muscle is denser so it takes up less space thereby creating the loss of inches. You will also burn more calories on a minute to minute basis because muscle is active tissue. It doesn't just sit there, doing nothing, like fat.

So lift weights or do some sort of challenging resistance training at least twice a week. Oh, and ignore the scale. Don't forget, you can drop a dress size by gaining 3-4 pounds.

W.O.W. June 2nd, 2010

Once again, the following work out can be done in your home or at a gym using minimal equipment.


Warm up with light jogging or calisthenics.

Perform 50 jacks
Pick up two 25-35lb dumbbells and perform 20 close stance squats lowering until thighs are parallel to floor.
Repeat both two more times.

Perform 50 crouch squat hops - crouch down touching elbows to your thighs and then jump up forcefully reaching for the ceiling.
Pick up 10-15lb dumbbells and alternate lunge while performing a shoulder press with both arms. Keep palms facing each other during the shoulder press. Repeat for 20.
Repeat both two more times.

Perform ten 8-count bodybuilders - this is an embellished squat thrust: hands down on the floor, kick your legs back, push up, hold a plank and do two jacks with the legs, hop in and hop up reaching for the ceiling.
Lying on floor or bench pick up your heavier dumbbells again. With knees and hips at a 90 degree angle perform 20 dumbbell bench presses. Make sure your knees and hips are in the correct position. You should feel your abdominals fully firing throughout the drill. If you don't, push your feet further away from your body.
Repeat both two more times.

Perform 20 tuck jumps, trying to hug your knees to your chest on every tuck.
Grab one of your heavier dumbbells. Hold a plank position (top of a push up) and perform a one arm dumbbell row, 15 per side.
Repeat both two more times.

For abs perform 3 sets of 20 military sit ups. Hook your feet under a couch or bar, place your hands across your chest (making an 'X') and bring your elbows all the way up to your knees.

Stretch. I know your won't but please, at least stretch your hamstrings. For me.