p90x

I’m currently in the middle of week one on P90X and I have to say, I really like it. The video’s are challenging, but in a good way. For anyone who has no idea what to do at the gym with free weights (and for people that do), this is a great strength training video program. No Jane Fonda tights here- this is all about building strength!

I have to say the most challenging part for me is actually pressing play, seeing the 59 minute clock start and thinking – oh my gosh I have a whole hour! But the time passes fast and before you know it, you’re counting down from 15 minutes. And of course, I’m never, ever, upset that I did it. I’m always thrilled and proud of myself. Never once have I ever regretted working out and that is exactly what keeps me going.

Tony, the creator of P90X  is motivating, he’s a great coach (for sure at times annoying) but he’s kinda has to be to keep you excitied at home.

Overall, so far I am thoroughly impressed with P90X. So impressed that I’ve made the commitment!

I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going!Feel free join me in my P90X experiment!  Email me and let me know how its going!

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Click Here to read the article.

Click Here to see my post on the workout!

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*Warm Up

2 minutes of Jumping Jax!

Burpies with a Push Up – 8

Start in a frog position -bend at your knees and drop your hands to the floor in front of your feet, keeping your hands shoulder width apart. Kick your feet back and jump to a push up position. Make sure that your back is flat and your core is activated. GIVE ME A PUSH UP Jump your feet back to meet your hands (frog). Then jump up to a standing position! Repeat!

Swing Lunges – 8 on each side

Come into a forward lunge position – keep your weight in your front heel and your back toe. Without touching the ground. Swing your front leg back! Once again your weight is in your front heel and back toe. Repeat on the same leg! Then switch!

* At the gym and want more of a challenge? Hold a 5 or 10 pound dumbbell in each hand!

Upside-down Shoulder Press – 12

Put your feet on a VERY STURDY bench or chair – stick your butt in the air and put your hands on the ground – you want the crown of your head to be in line with the ground underneath you. With wide hands press your head toward the ground- just like a shoulder press- but upside-down!

Cheerleader Jumps – 8

Just like a cheerleader with Pom Poms! Squat down to 90 degrees and then jump up splitting your legs and hands in the air. Land back in your Squat – hold for 2 counts and jump again!

Single leg Romanian Dead Lifts – 12 on each leg

Standing on one leg – bend over at the hips keeping a nice flat back. Aim for your hand to touch the ground and then come back to your starting position. ( I like to keep a weight or a ball about 4 inches in front of the leg I am standing on so that I have something to touch with my hand

* At the gym and want more of a challenge? Hold onto a 10, 20 or 30 pound bar!

Plank Taps – 20 (10 with each hand)

In plank (Maintain a flat back and keep your core tight), tap your right hand in front of you and then your left!

Take a break and then repeat this circuit for a total of two or three times!

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1. Calorie Blasting Circuit
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In a nut shell – You have to fail to succeed!

What does that mean? It means you have to challenge your heart and muscles in order to get stronger and see the results you want to see. You have to do things you cannot do now, but with time and ‘training’ – you will be able to do in 8 weeks time!

Going to the gym and setting the elliptical machine to the resistance you normally do and doing 30 minutes (like always) is better than sitting on your couch. BUT you will stop seeing results.

If you have been doing the same cardio routine forever – or even 3 months! It’s time to switch it up. It can be as simple as :

1. Changing machines.
2. Adding intervals into your routine.
3. Putting an incline where there wasn’t one before!

The first few weeks will feel challenging (as they should) but you will get better and stronger because of it!

Check out how I sometimes switch up my cardio! CLICK HERE

Going to the gym and lifting the same 8 pound weights you always do and getting 15 reps out no problem is also better than sitting on the couch. Again, you will stop seeing results.

What does that mean for you at the gym ? It means if you can preform 12 to 15 reps of an exercise without a struggle and with perfect form then it’s times to go up in weight! You have to challenge yourself and surprise your body in order for your body to respond the way you want it to. Maybe it’s time to introduce a new weight training routine. I try to change what I am doing every 8 weeks.

CLICK HERE for my strength training section of the blog. You’ll find great circuits and ways to challenge yourself by adding new exercises when you workout!

Your workout should feel like work. That is why they call is a work – out

Stay Tuned for a caloire burning circuit on Monday that is sure to surprise all your muscles!

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Pick one exercise from each section to form a complete sandwich. Make one Sandwich and then make a whole new and different one! Try making 3 Sandwiches the first time you do this. If you think you can handle a few more, add them in on your next workout!

Step one: The bottom piece of the bread.

This will be an exercise that is always timed.  Here are a few examples:

• 1 to 2 minute sprint on the treadmill.
• 60- 90 seconds of jump rope.
• 2 minutes of jumping jax.

Step Two: Your piece of meat. This consists of 2 weight baring exercises. Here are a few examples:

• 10 – 12 bicep curls followed by 10 – 12 squats. Repeat 2 more times.
• 10 – 12 Chest Presses followed by 10 – 12 Dead lifts. Repeat 2 more times.
• 10 – 12 Bent over Rows follow by 10 – 12 Lunges. Repeat 2 more times.

Step Three: The top slice of bread. This is another timed exercise, but it does not have to be a cardiovascular one.

• 60 seconds of plank or side plank
• 60 seconds of push ups
• 90 seconds of crunches
• 60 Second Squat and Hold

Rest to bring your heart rate down before you have another sandwich!

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2. DO change your routine after 6 – 8 weeks. For the same reason we lift challenging weights, we change our routine. Your body gets used to what you are doing. Whether it’s running at a certain speed for a certain amount of time or performing the same weight lifting routine you’ve been doing for months or even years. In order to see results you have to switch things up. You want to surprise you muscles (including your heart!).

3. DO eat protein 30 minutes after workout. Your prime eating time after a workout is 30 – 60 minutes. It’s then that you want to have a high protein snack to restore your muscles. CLICK HERE for a list of great after workout snacks.

4. DO try something different. If you belong to a gym there are all sorts of great classes that are worth the trial. Boot-camp classes, boxing classes, circuit classes and weight lifting classes are a great way to spend an hour. You’ll get the extra push you need and you’ll have fun at the same time!

5. DO ask for help and advice. A trainer is going to push you harder than you will push yourself. That’s just the reality of the situation. A good trainer will also insure that your form is correct- preventing unnecessary injury. And they will tailor your workouts specifically to meet your goals. They will also MAKE SURE you are getting to the gym. If you have an appointment with a trainer and you’re paying for it- chances are your showing up. If a trainer is out of the budget, ask the advice of professionals at the gym. Maybe buy one session every two months to make sure you’re on the right track. More on this tomorrow!

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2. Workout Motivation
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1. Interval Training. Intervals allow you to burn maximum calories in a shorter amount of time. CLICK HERE to learn how to add simple intervals into your routine.
2. Step it up on your favorite cardiovascular machine. CLICK HERE to read about how to maximize your time on the elliptical machine so that you’re not wasting your time. CLICK HERE to watch a video of proper form.  CLICK HERE to find out how to maximize your time on the stationary bike.
3. Add an element of stability and balance to your workout. From doing bicep curls on one leg to preforming exercises on a BOSU Ball – adding instability will increase core strength, ankle strength, strength in in the muscles that surround your spine, help with done density and burn extra calories. CLICK HERE and you’ll learn 8 new exercises targeted at balance and stability.
4. Think TOTAL BODY exercises. Total body = total calories! CLICK HERE for a great total body circuit.
5. Think Glutes. Your butt is made up of the biggest muscle in your body. The bigger the muscle you work the more calories you are going to burn. Things like squats are great for working those muscles!
6. When in doubt- add a jump! Plyometric exercises (fast powerful movements) are a great way to get your heart rate up and build strength at the same time. Things like squat jumps, runners starts, side skater , toe taps , square dance and bur-pies are all great exercises.
7. Body Weight exercises are great. As you lose weight the exercises get easier Great motivation to keep you going. Things like push ups, step ups and plank . Check out my series on exercises you can do with your own body weight. CLICK HERE.
8. Try a class at the gym you’ve never tried before like boot-camp, spinning or kettle bells.
9. Jump Rope. This is great because you don’t need a gym membership to reap the rewards of the  best cardiovascular exercise out there. CLICK HERE to ready why jump rope is so good for you and why it can burn more calories than running.
10. Sleep. CLICK HERE to find out why if you need sleep, you should listen to your body.

HAPPY WORKING OUT!!!

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I call these 1-10′s!

Here are four exercises. Perform them all one time. Then do them all twice. These first two rounds will feel like a warm up.  Your getting your body ready for the escalating numbers ahead. Then do them all 3 times, then 4 and 5 and so on until you are performing each exercise 10 times. Grab water as you need to! Try this on for size! Let me know how you like it!

Runners Start ( 1 on each side is equal to one)

Pretend you’re about to take off in the 100 meter dash. Come into your starting position, touch your hands to the ground if you can- if not just bring them below your knee. Then bring your back foot to meet your front foot and stand up tall reaching your hands to the sky. Switch legs!

Saxon Side Bend ( 1 on each side is equal to one)

If you don’t have a weight at home, use a jug of juice! Standing in neutral (feet hip distance apart, knees over your second and third toe, small bend in those knees) bring your arms up over your head holding either a weight (5 or 8 pounds/ or your jug of juice). Your arms should be almost straight. From here let the weight fall to the right side of your body. Let the heaviness of the weight take over. Once you reach your max (you’ll know it ) use your core to bring yourself back up and the weight back over your head.  Do one on the right side and then on the left. That’s one set!

Shooting Hoops

Squat down and jump up raising your hands over your head as if you were tossing a basket ball into a net and then come back into your squat position. Be sure to keep your knees in line with your second and third toe and your weight behind you (and in your heels).  Hold your squat for 2 counts and repeat. Each time you come back into your squat, have a look down at you feet. Make sure those toes are pointed forward and check in to make sure your weight is behind you (as if you were going to sit down in a chair)

Push Ups

Lie facing the floor and place your hands wider than shoulder distance apart. Keep your core activated to protect your lower back throughout this exercise.

• A) Lift yourself up onto your toes and your hands. Make sure to form a straight line from your heels to your head. You do not want your lower back to sag or your buttocks to rise.
• B) Lift yourself up onto your knees and your hands. Make sure to form a straight line from your buttocks to your head. You do not want your lower back to sag or your buttocks to rise.

I both instances, make sure the weight of your body is being pushed through your chest. Push up so that you have full extension in your arms, and then bring yourself as close to the ground as you can without touching.

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For a great calorie basting strength routine, try this circuit!

Burpies (10)

Start in a frog position -bend at your knees and drop your hands on the floor in front of your feet, keeping your hands shoulder width apart. Kick your feet back and jump to a push up position. Make sure that your back is flat and your core is activated. Jump your feet back to meet your hands (frog). Then jump up to a standing position! Repeat!

Deadlifts (15)

Using a weighted bar or two dumbbells, stand with feel hip distance apart. Keep the weights in front of your body. With a nice flat back, bend at the knees and drag the weights/bar in front of your legs. (You want the weights to skim your knees as you bend. I like to run my thumbs along my legs as I bring the weight down.) As with all squats, keep your weight behind you – (it helps to imagine you were going to sit in a chair). Once the weights are an inch or two past your knee cap, push through your heels and come back to standing. In standing – squeeze your glutes (butt) and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Repeat!

*Pick a heavier weight with this one. You’re using your whole body to move the weight so you can probably lift more than you think you can! Start with 15′s or 20′s ( 30 or 40 pound bar) and go from there.

Renegade Row (10 on each side)

Squat and Press (15)

Stand in neutral with a chair 5 or 6 inches behind you.. Feet hip distance apart, knees over your second and third toes. Hold a pair of weights in your hands. (Start with 5 or 8 pounds.) Squat down to as if you were going to have a seat in the chair, but don’t sit. Come back to standing by pushing through your heels and squeezing your buttocks. (Activate your core throughout this motion to prevent your lower back from arching.) Once in standing, bring the weights up to shoulder height- with arms bent to 90 degrees, your elbows should form a straight line with your shoulders. Press the weights up so that they ‘kiss” over your head and come back to the 90 degree position you started with. Bring the weights back to your sides and Squat! Repeat!

* I know, ghetto pictures! But at least they show you the correct form! Whether you are using a band, weights or your own body weight- the form is the same.

Jump Rope (2 minutes)- click to read why I love jump rope so much!

Rest for 2 minutes and repeat the circuit for a total of 3 times!

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2. 100′s Fitness Challenge
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What is the 100′s challenge ?

• Last week we did 50 squat jumps a day, the week before we did 50 push ups a day for a week!
• This week we’re combining the two challenges for one week! If you’ve already been doing the challenge daily, this will only take an extra 2 minutes 5 times a day!

How do you do it ?

• Several times throughout the day (or just when you remember) squat down and jump up 10 times then drop and give me 10 push ups! There is no need to do them all at once – split them up! But at the end of the day, you can walk away and say you did 50 squat jumps and 50 push ups! If this takes you 4 minutes to complete your sets, you’ve added 20 minutes of total body, physical activity to each day without giving it a second thought! And who said they didn’t have time to exercise!?
• Try 10 when you wake up, 10 when you get out of the shower in the morning, 10 when you get in from work, 10 after you put the kids down and 10 before bed – or whenever works for you! Have fun!

Proper Squat Jumping Form

Squat down and jump up raising your hands over your head as if you were tossing a basket ball into a net and then come back into your squat position. Be sure to keep your knees in line with your second and third toe and your weight behind you (and in your heels).  Hold your squat for 2 counts and repeat. Each time you come back into your squat, have a look down at you feet. Make sure those toes are pointed forward and check in to make sure your weight is behind you (as if you were going to sit down in a chair)

PROPER PUSH UP FORM

Lie facing the floor and place your hands wider than shoulder distance apart. Keep your core activated to protect your lower back throughout this exercise.

Either:

• A) Lift yourself up onto your toes and your hands. Make sure to form a straight line from your heels to your head. You do not want your lower back to sag or your buttocks to rise.
• B) Lift yourself up onto your knees and your hands. Make sure to form a straight line from your buttocks to your head. You do not want your lower back to sag or your buttocks to rise.

I both instances, make sure the weight of your body is being pushed through your chest. Push up so that you have full extension in your arms, and then bring yourself as close to the ground as you can without touching.

Be sure to write in and let me know how the challenge is going!

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