Workout Of The Week August 13, 2013

Jeez, it's been forever since I posted.  That's what happens when your four kids are home for the summer.

W.O.W.

8/13/2013

Let's do one more outside workout before we roll into Fall.

As per usual find a park or recreation area that has benches or maybe a short wall.  Also kind of map out an area to run/sprint.  Photos are shown with weights but I doubt you want to run to the park holding a set of 15 pound dumbbells so bodyweight will work just fine.  The whole point of an outdoor workout is to be convenient and free of equipment.

Your warm up can be the run to the park but if you have to drive to the park then once you get there you can do the following to warm up: 25 jacks, 25 squat thrust with NO HOP, 25 air squats, 25 very tiny squat hops, jog in place.  You could repeat all that or call it good and move on.

On the wall or bench:

Reverse lunge step knee lift X15 on each side (see below)

Push ups X15 (can put hands on bench or on ground)

Repeat both two more times.

Run ten 50-100 meter sprints, jogging back to the start to recover between each one.

Back to bench:

Crossover step up X15 on each side (see below)

Tricep dips X15

Repeat both two more times.

Repeat sprints

Back to bench:

Side squat knee lift X15 on each side

Seated kick outs for abs X15

(see below for both)

Repeat both two more times.

Repeat sprints

Cool down by jogging home or jogging around the park.

I know you won't but please (please?) try to stretch a little.  Especially your hamstrings and lower back.  I'd appreciate it.

New Workout Of The Week

W.O.W.

June 11th, 2013

It's time to post a body weight workout that you can do outside in a park. You will need to find a park bench or a picnic table, your going to do a lot of leg work:)


Warm up by jogging to the park or you can do jacks and push ups once you get there.

After your warm up go to your bench and perform 20 step ups on each leg.  Next stand on top of the bench and perform glute dips - this is the exercise where you stand on top the bench and pretend to dip your toe in the water (the 'water' being the ground).  Perform 20 step ups on each side and then 20 glute dips on each side - thats one set.  Then jog around the park or in place for 2-3 minutes.  Repeat the entire sequence four times through. 

Staying at the bench, perform 20 push up (with hands on the bench).  Turn around and perform 20 dips.  Rest and repeat three more times.

 Find a patch of grass and perform 20 squat thrusts followed by 30 split jumps (also know and scissor jump) and then 40 flying jacks (also known as power jacks and star jacks). Rest and repeat three more times.

  Hands behind your head in for the above exercise.

Lean down and touch the sides of your foot and then hop up.

Return to the bench and stand facing away.  Put your hands on your head with your feet very close together.  Lower yourself slowly until your butt brushes the top of the bench (try not to sit down) and then hop up for a total of 20.  Step away from the bench and put one foot on the bench behind you.  Perform 20 dynamic bulgarian squats on each leg - single leg squat reaching down and touching the ground on each side of your foot and then jumping up.  Rest and repeat three more times.

 

 See if you can find a straight path or walk out on to the side walk.  Pick two landmarks and sprint as fast as you can from one to the other and then jog back.  Repeat for a total of ten times.

 Return to the bench.  Sit down and perform kick outs for abs - four sets of 20.  A kick out is when you take your feet off the ground and pull both knees in to your chest.  Then you kick both legs out as you lean back slightly, feet do not return to the ground until you have completed all the repetitions.  Hands are on the bench behind you for support.



Stretch and go home.......or go home and stretch.  Either way.

W.O.W. March 14, 2012

Wow (get it, W.O.W.?), this is a long time coming:). I am so hilarious.

This is your Workout Of The Week:

You will need a set of dumbbells (or two if you think you might need to switch for lighter ones)

Warm Up

5 Jacks, 5 Burpees, 5 Tuck Jumps, 5 Single leg squat thrust on each side.

Perform the following drills for 50 seconds each, take 10 seconds to switch drills:


Alt row in plank position

Kneeling get up with one DB overhead on the right leg only

Kneeling get up with one DB overhead on the left leg only

Renegade push ups

Jackknife





Repeat all cardio drills
Repeat all DB drills

Repeat both one more time.

Stretch

Workout Of The Week October 13th, 2011

W.O.W. 10/13/2011

You will need dumbbells and a place to run for this workout.

Warm up for five minutes.


Perform two rounds of the following:
Single leg squat hop Right X20
Burpee X20
Single leg squat hop Left X20
Push up and row X20 (10 a side)
Run a fast 400 meter
Rest





Perform two rounds of the following exercises:
Frog hop X20
Jack squat thrust X20
Frog hop X20
Squat and shoulder press X20
Run sprints 30 secs on/30 secs off - 5X




Perform two rounds of the following exercises
Split jump X20
Tuck squat thrust X20
Split jump X20
Overhead lunge X20/s
Run 800 meters





Finish with 4 sets of 20 sit ups.

Top Four Body Weight Drills

There are four exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere so keep them handy for when you are on the road or stuck in your house for any reason. Here are the drills with variations to keep it interesting.



Push Ups

#1. Decline push ups - put your feet on a chair or table to perform the movement.
#2. Renegade push ups - perform a push up and as you come up out of the push up extend the opposite arm and leg. There are a couple variations on this drill. The most popular one is push up and row (pull one elbow to the ceiling at the top of the push up) but it isn't nearly as effective without weights and the drills I have listed are specifically designed to be challenging without using any equipment.
#3. Tricep push ups - keep elbows close to your body throughout the exercise.
#4. Plyometric push ups - as you come up push off explosively so that your hands (and/or feet) leave the floor.

Squats

Here are just a few squat variations. There are many, many more.
#1. Change the tempo of the squat by pulsing at the bottom for 10-20 reps before you come all the way up.
#2. Take your feet really wide with toes turned out, place your hands on your head and sink down at least to a 90 degree angle at your knee.
#3. Drop into a squat with your hands on your head and walk around the room for 10-20 steps.
#4. Bring your feet together and touch the floor with both hands on either side of your feet. Explode up into a jump while reaching for the ceiling.




Squat Thrusts/Burpees

#1. Just to clarify - a squat thrust is nothing fancy, just down/back/in/up. A burpee has a push up thrown in.
#2. Add a jack with the legs once your in plank and a jack as you hop up.
#3. After you kick your legs back lay all the way down on the floor so legs, belly and chest are all touching then push yourself up and hop in and up.
#4. After you kick your feet back bring your knees into your chest and kick back again before you hop in and up.




Sit Ups

#1. Traditional gym-class sit ups - hands behind the head, knees bent and curl all the way up to touch your elbows to your knees.
#2. Straighten your knee with arms straight over head. Curl up and touch your toes.
#3. Start with legs straight and hands behind your head. Curl up all the way, bringing one knee into your chest, touch it with your opposite elbow (you should twist across).
#4. Put your hands behind your head and tuck elbows and knee together so they touch. Extend legs out parallel to the floor. Bring them up some if your lower back bothers you.

Mix up sets and reps for the above exercises to create even more variation.

W.O.W. June 27, 2011

Work Out Of The Week

This is a complicated pyramid work out. It's complicated to figure out, not to do. You will perform 5 drills in order but the times will vary.

Here's the formula:

Drill #1-50 seconds
Drill #2-50 seconds, Drill #1-40 seconds
Drill #3-50 seconds, Drill #2-40 seconds, Drill #1-30 seconds
Drill #4-50 seconds, Drill #3-40 seconds, Drill #2-30 seconds, Drill #1-20 seconds
Drill #5-50 seconds, Drill #4-40 seconds, Drill #3-30 seconds, Drill #2-20 seconds, Drill#1-10 seconds

You can do the above with any five drills. The sequence is about 9 minutes long. Go through it in order, Drills #1-5, and then rest. Repeat everything but start with Drill #5 and go backwards.

Here are today's drills:



#1 Jacks

#2 Push Ups

#3 Jump squats

#4 Sit ups

#5 Burpees

Go through the above drills, rest, and then repeat in reverse order.




Yes, it's hard to keep your own time but there are ways to do it. There are interval apps for smart phones and there are watches with which you can program any interval length.

W.O.W. March 1st, 2011

Workout Of the Day

Warm up on the treadmill for 5 minutes then increase your speed and run hard for 3 minutes. Drop your speed and increase the incline to 10% and run for 2 minutes.

Hold one dumbbell up in your RIGHT hand, so it's overhead with a straight arm. Lunge forward and back with the RIGHT leg. Repeat 10X on each side for 4 sets.

Run fast for 3 minutes, decrease your speed and increase your incline to 8% and run for 2 minutes.

On the cable machine. Adjust a single-grip pulley about waist height. Step back and lunge forward with your LEFT foot and hold the lunge. Make sure the lunge is deep and static so don't move. Grab the handle with the RIGHT hand and pull it back in a row to your waist. The weight should be heavy enough that you feel off-balance. Repeat 12X on each side for 4 sets. The illustration on the left shows a one arm cable row and the height that I want but her feet are not in the position I want. If she puts her left foot forward and right leg and bends both knees she will be in a static lunge position.

Run fast for 3 minutes, slow down, increase incline to 6% and run for 2 minutes.


Perform decline push ups (feet on a bench or a couple of stacked plates, depends on how easily you do push ups). 4 sets of 20 reps.

Jog easily on the treadmill for 5 minutes.

And yes, stretch. Again I know it is highly unlikely that you will stretch on your own but please, stretch at least your low back, hamstrings and chest (see illustrations below).

Hamstring Stretch

Chest Stretch on the left, low back stretches on the right.

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

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.

More Evidence on the Benefits of Interval Training

Interval training rocks. If you haven't been totally convinced yet read the following information as written in a Men's Health publication.

No matter what exercise you choose, there's only so much fat you can burn during, say, a 30-minute workout. And research shows that the better trained you become, the more your body's 'exercise efficiency' improves, meaning the same amount of activity burns fewer calories as time goes by. For instance, University of California, Berkeley, scientists have determined that to avoid age-related weight gain, avid runners need to boost their weekly mileage by 1.7 miles a year.

Sure, aerobic exercise burns calories. However, if you're already dieting studies show that distance running does little to further enhance fat loss. Most likely, this is because aerobic exercise doesn't boost your metabolism after your workout. But that doesn't mean cardio can't help: high intensity intervals-such as short sprints of 30 seconds or more, interspersed with a slow jog-are great for accelerating fat loss. Why? Because they're similar to weight training. After all, a 200-meter sprint challenges your lower-body muscles hard for 30 seconds or more, just like a set of 8 reps of squats. So by doing a few intervals on the days you don't lift weights, you can spike your metabolism even higher.

In other words, if fat loss is your goal, do intervals. If your just doing steady-state aerobic activity re-read the information study above. If your a runner you would have to run an extra 1.7 miles A WEEK, every single year just to stave off age related weight gain. So there's no fat loss involved. Think about how many more minutes you'd have to add to your elliptical workout every week. The elliptical is really a waste of your time to begin with, but pretty soon you would have to be on that thing for hours.

When I design workouts for clients, and the workouts of the week I post here, they include both weight training and cardio interval training mixed together in the same workout. If's efficient and very effective.

You have to get uncomfortable in order to move forward in your fat loss goals.

Know it. Embrace it. Now go out and do it.

Workout Of the Week April 1st

I haven't posted a workout for awhile so I think it's time. You all know I am all about intervals. I don't think any of us has time to waste so don't do it by getting on a piece of cardio equipment and slogging along for 45 minutes while you zone out to whatever is playing on the club's televisions. Walking outside has tons of benefits - nothing can beat fresh air, especially now that Spring has arrived - but don't forget, fat loss is not one of them.

Here's the workout:

First start out with Dillon lunges. I call them that because the owner of the studio where I train my clients does them with her clients all the time and they are awesome.

Take a GIANT step forward, lean down and touch the ground with BOTH hands just to the inside of the front foot. Continue that same movement as you walk forward (find a long hallway or place in your gym that you can cover some space). Perform a set of about 20 total steps. Immediately follow the Dillon lunges with squat and drop. Perform a wide squat then pivot to the right and drop into a lunge. Repeat left and continue R then L for a count of 10 - R/L counts as one. The lunge in this pattern is slightly diagonal, not completely to the side. It should feel fairly natural to perform. Take a short break and then complete two more cycles of both exercises.

Now find a treadmill or a 3 mile route outside with a steep hill somewhere around the middle of the route. I prefer outside just because of all the other benefits associated with being outside (fresh air, sense of well-being, anxiety/stress release because of the wide-open space, etc). Jog to warm up, about 5-10 minutes. If you are outside the route will dictate how much you will warm up. Once you get to the hill run up it as fast as you can and jog slowly back down, taking small steps. Repeat the hill runs 10 times. Jog home. If you are on a treadmill take the incline up to the highest setting which is usually 15%. You will also need to increase the pace to something that is super hard. Run that hill for 15-20 secs then decrease both speed and incline. Repeat 10 times. As you can see running this routine on a treadmill is somewhat more cumbersome so I suggest you go outside.

You should be gasping for air at the top of the hill. Have fun.

Read the November 2009 GLAMOUR Mag

Hey guys! You should really pick up a copy of the November 2009 issue of Glamour magazine (the one with Scarlett Johannson on the front).

On page 121 there is an article on how effective interval training is for burning fat. You know that's what I have been preaching forever. The article states '.....recent research found that woman who cycled for just 20 minutes three times a week but included intervals lost six pounds of fat after 15 weeks, while those who did a consistent pace for 40 minutes lost, get this, NONE.' Whoah.

The intervals have to be intense. On the perceived exertion scale, a scale of 1-10, 1 being easy and 10 being very hard, the interval should be an 8 or 9. The recovery can be very comfortable (3-4). There are many different ways you can train using the interval method. If you haven't ever done any kind of interval training I suggest you start with a bursts of 20-30 seconds, followed by 60-75 seconds of recovery. Within a couple of weeks increase your rotation to 30 seconds on/ 60 seconds off. Then work your way up to 60 on/60 off.

Interval training is the only type of cardio I do. I train three times a week for about 30 minutes per session. One day I use the incline on the treadmill, going up for 60 seconds and then returning to the flat for 60 seconds (just like the workout of the week 1o/4/09). Sometimes I will do speed work - running 6 minute miles for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of recovery. Sometimes I run outside and sprint between two landmarks, for example; two telephone poles, and then I'll jog to the next pole and repeat (this method is called fartlek, a swedish term). Don't forget to warm up, cool down and stretch. The body of my workout is 20 minutes, with warm up and cool down it's about 30 minutes total. There is also a great workout at the end of the article and it's super tough.

Losing six pounds of fat, or zero pounds of fat. Hm. Now that's a tough question..........