W.O.W. December 13th, 2010

Workout of the Week 12/13/2010


What you will need: 1 set of medium and 1 set of heavy dumbbells

Start out with a warm up of jacks, high knee run, leaps and push ups.

With medium dumbbells perform walking lunges with a shoulder press. Press the dumbbells up as you drop down into the lunge so it's one smooth movement. Hold on to the dumbbells and perform 40 lunge jump (start in a lunge position jump up and switch feet in the air landing with the other leg forward - see above diagram). Rest briefly and repeat 2 more times.

With medium dumbbells perform an alternating reverse lunge with bicep curls for a total of 10 reps. Still holding the dumbbells perform 20 squat thrusts. Rest briefly and repeat two more times.

With one of the heavy dumbbells perform a tricep overhead extension (both hands are holding the dumbbell for 10 reps. With the dumbbell in both hands at your chest squat hop out and in (that's one) for a total of 20 reps. Rest briefly and repeat 2 more times.

With heavy dumbbells perform 20 deep squats with feet close together trying to touch the dumbbells to the floor. Immediately following perform traditional walking lunges for at least 20 steps. Rest and repeat two more times.

In plank position with hands on heavy dumbbells perform a row alternating sides, being careful not to rotate your body, for 10 repetitions. Keeping hands on the dumbbells perform 20 tuck hops in and out (in plank position hop in with both feet until your in a deep squat and then hop back). Rest and repeat two more times.

With one medium dumbbell perform Turkish Get-Ups, 3 sets of 5 reps per side. (See diagram below)

Stretch (please?).

W.O.W. November 29th, 2010

You'll need a treadmill (or access to the outdoors fairly quickly). You'll also need one dumbbell.

Warm up on the treadmill for 5 minutes.

Pick up dumbbell and perform a squat, touching dumbbell to the ground and as you come up perform a shoulder press. Repeat X20.

Hop on treadmill and run for 2 minutes as fast you can.

Perform a walking lunge and as you step press the dumbbell over head (shoulder press) for 15 reps. Repeat with other arm.

Repeat treadmill run.

Perform a squat and as you squat reach the dumbbell toward your shoelaces. As you come up out of the squat swing the dumbbell up to the far corner of the room. I usually cue this as 'pick it up and put it away'. Perform 20 per side.

Repeat treadmill run.

Perform Turkish Get Ups for 10 each side. Look at the photo above if you don't know what these are. You can use a dumbbell or kettlebell.

Repeat everything one more time through then jog on the treadmill for 3-5 minutes.

Perform jack knives for abs 3 sets of 10/side. Lay flat on your back with one foot on the floor and the other leg straight. Arms should be over your head. Swing up touching your foot at the top. Hold for a split second and then roll down.

Stretch hamstrings, back and chest.

Snowbound Bodyweight Workout (W.O.W. November 23rd, 2010)

This week the Workout Of The Week is all about being housebound (as we are in Seattle right now due to snow). You don't need weights to get a great workout regardless of if you are snowbound or not.

Start with a light warm up of jogging in place for 1 minute, leaping side to side for 1 minute, jacks for 1 minute and then jump rope with heels touching in front for 1 minute.

Here' the workout:

15-20 push ups
15 squat thrusts
20 rows in plank position - you don't need weights for this, just pull your elbow back, changing sides right then left.
15 full burpees
15-20 tricep push ups
40 mountain climbers (count every single one, not every other one)
20 falling push ups. Crouch down with elbows inside of knees, hands up in a defensive stance and heels lifted. Slowly fall forward, catch yourself and then push back up forcefully with your arms.
20 squat hop out and in and then one flying jack - that counts as one.
20 full sit ups

Repeat from the top two more times and then stretch hamstrings and lower back (that's the very minimum stretching you should do).

High Pro-Joe

This is a fabulous, easy, high protein recipe.

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach
1 medium onion
1 pound lean ground beef (10% fat)
8 eggs
Salt and pepper

Optional:
4 Kaiser rolls, split in half (I don't eat it with rolls)


Put the spinach in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on High until thawed, about 2 minutes. Drain off excess moisture.

Cut the onion into quarters and place in a food processor, or finely chop the onion.

In a large frying pan, cook the meat and chopped onion over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach.

Beat the eggs until frothy, Season well with salt and pepper. Add the eggs to the frying pan. Cook, stirring, until the eggs are set, about 3-4 minutes. Serve with, or without, the rolls.

Servings = 4
Nutrition information per serving (without rolls):

Calories 429
Protein 41
Carbs 7
Fat 26

W.O.W. November 13th, 2010

Here's your Workout Of the Week:

Set two pairs of dumbbells aside, one medium and one heavy. You will also need access to a weight bench.

Jog on the treadmill for 5 minutes. Increase the incline to 6% and increase your speed by .3-.5. Run for 3 minutes.

Hop off the treadmill and pick up the heavy dumbbells. Perform step ups on the weight bench. 3 sets of 10 per side.

Return to the treadmill. Run on the flat for 2 minutes. Increase the incline to 8% and increase your speed. Run for 3 minutes.

Pick up the medium weights and perform a reverse lunge with bicep curls for 10 reps total (or 5 a side) follow immediately with 10 squat thrusts with dumbbells. Repeat 2 more times without a break between sets.

Return to the treadmill. Run on the flat for 2 minutes. Increase the incline to 10% and increase your speed. Run for 3 minutes.

Pick up the medium dumbbells and perform squats with shoulder press for 3 sets of 10.

Return to the treadmill. Run on the flat for 2 minutes. Increase your speed and the incline to 6% running for 2 minutes, increase incline to 8%, maintaining speed, for 2 minutes and finally increase incline to 10% and run for 2 minutes. Bring treadmill down to flat and run for 3 minutes.

Pick up one heavy dumbbell and perform push up and row for 10 reps (5 a side) and then perform 20 mountain climbers (count every other one). Repeat two more times.

Perform 3 sets of 20 full sit ups - these are standard, gym class sit ups elbows all the way up to your knees on every repetition.

Stretch

WOW October 25th, 2010

You will need a couple pairs of dumbbells in the heavier weight range (12 lbs minimum for women) and a bench.

Start with a light warm-up on a piece of cardio equipment or jog for 5-10 minutes.

Perform 15 repetitions of dumbbell bicep curls, pausing if you need to but making sure you get through all 15 reps.
Perform 15 squat thrusts with dumbbells in your hands.
Repeat one more time.

Perform 15 repetitions of dumbbell row.
Perform 20 minutes of over the bench squats. On these you stand next to the bench with shoulder facing the bench. Place one foot on top of the bench. Now hop up and over to the other side, always leaving one foot on top of the bench.
Repeat one more time.

Perform 15 dips.
Perform 15 full burpees (these are the ones where you lie all the way down on your belly before hopping in and up)
Repeat one more time.

Perform 5 dumbbell shoulder presses. Repeat on the other side and then repeat the 5/5 two more times so that you perform a total of 15 reps on each side.
Perform 2 minutes of box hops on the bench. If the bench seams to high place one dumbbell on the floor and perform 2 minutes of slalom hop over the dumbbell.
Repeat one more time.

Perform 20 push ups.
Perform 15 burpees (a squat thrust with a push up).
Repeat one more time.

Perform 4 sets of 20 counts of slow bicycle.

Stretch.

Homemade Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is a great lean, high-protein snack that's easy to pack around. I lived on the stuff when I was bodybuilding. Store bought beef jerky can be down right inedible so here is an easy, tasty recipe so you can make your own.

Heat oven to 150 degrees.

1 flank steak
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon pepper

Cut flank steak lengthwise (with the grain) in long thin strips no more then 1/4-inch thick. Combine remaining ingredients in mixing bowl. Add meat; marinate 1 hour. Baste occasionally if meat is not completely covered with sauce.

Arrange meat strips on rack; place on cookie sheet. Bake 12 hours. The time can vary a little depending on how your oven bakes. Meat should be cooked through and dry, but not brittle. Cool and store in a covered container.

It's also easy to tweak the marinade to something you might like better.