 Hello! HAPPY Monday!! How are you doing today? Did you have a good weekend?! I had an awesome weekend! But...no matter how great my weekend is, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mondays!! Am I the only one...lol?! It's the day of the week that I set my goals and it's those goals that keep me motivated and excited about staying fit and healthy! Setting goals for the week is power in my hands and makes me feel empowered and bada**!! Burpees are 1 of those exercises that we LOVE to HATE, right? Don't log off just yet...lol! This body weight exercise is truly the total package!! Burpees are a perfect mix of high intensity cardio and allover sculpting. Burpees engage the muscles in your entire body. With every rep, you'll work your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and abs. After a few sets, your legs should feel a little (or a lot...lol) like lead :D Doing 30-second sets will get you the same boost in fitness as doing sprints. This love to hate move has been proven to out burn just about every other exercise.  Burpees are 1 of the most effective exercises for burning calories. Yes, you read it right :D Not only that, but compared with other resistance exercises, such as lunges, planks, and squats, burpees burn up to 3 times the number of calories...a fat melting 9.6 per minute! SOOO, before you decide that burpees are too hard, or you're too out of shape, or you're too old, or you simply can't do it...lets give it a try!! Burpees are an awesome calorie torching, strength building, full body exercise for dripping sweat (yes, please) and getting a killer workout! AND best of all, it's so versatile, you can essentially perform this exercise ANYWHERE!! NO equipment needed! Zip!! Zero!!! Which means...NO excuses :D If you're still reading this...u ROCK! Lets get started!! Some people look at burpees as an impossible workout. But it's all about pacing yourself and most of all, believing in yourself! Your mind is powerful!! Burpees are all about speed, but don't go too fast or you'll burn yourself out after doing just a few. Trust me...lol!  THE BASIC BURPEE: 1. Stand with feet together. 2. Crouch and plant palms on floor in front of you. 3. With abs tight, jump feet back to plank. 4. Bend elbows to lower chest and thighs to floor. 5. Press up to plank. 6. Jump feet toward hands. 7. Jump as high as you can (make sure feet are under shoulders before launching), clapping hands overhead. 8. Repeat. If you're a visual person, you can find many places online that will show you these steps ;)  BEGINNER BURPEE WORKOUT: Do 5 Burpees Do 1 Squat Do 4 Burpees Do 2 Squats Do 3 Burpees Do 3 Squats Do 2 Burpees Do 4 Squats Do 1 Burpee Do 5 Squats Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat. POWER BURPEE WORKOUT: Do 10 Burpees Do 1 Squat Do 9 Burpees Do 2 Squats Do 8 Burpees Do 3 Squats Do 7 Burpees Do 4 Squats Do 6 Burpees Do 5 Squats Do 5 Burpees Do 6 Squats Do 4 Burpees Do 7 Squats Do 3 Burpees Do 8 Squats Do 2 Burpees Do 9 Squats Do 1 Burpee Do 10 Squats Rest 1 minute. Repeat. Remember it's all about pacing yourself! Believe you can do it!! You got this!!! If you have comments or suggestions about burpees, I'd love to hear from you! If you haven't subscribed yet...do so...that way you don't miss any posts ;) Have a FITastic week! I'll be posting again on Thursday!!
0 Comments
 Hello!! HAPPY Midweek :D
How are you?! How's your week going?! I can't believe it's already Wednesday, this week is going lightning fast on my end in California!! Get ready to sweat...the following suspension training workout is worth every ounce of sweat!!! To do this workout, you'll need a TRX! Most gyms have them or you can purchase 1...a great investment for any home-gym!! Total workout time: 17 minutes baby ;) WARM-UP: Do 1 minute each of squats, jumping jacks, and a plank on your forearms or palms. Next, loosely holding TRX handles for balance, stand on left leg and swing right leg in front of and across body for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat. SET 1: Fully lengthen the TRX straps. - Squat To Reverse Flye Stand facing TRX with feet hip-width apart, holding handles with palms facing in, arms extended forward at chest height. Lean back until straps are taut and hands are at shoulder height (body forms a 45-degree angle) to start. Squat. Return to start. Squeeze shoulders together and open arms out to sides until they're slightly in front of shoulders. Return to start. Continue doing squats and flyes for 45 seconds. - Suspended Squat Stand facing away from TRX with feet hip-width apart, holding outside of handles with palms facing in, elbows bent behind you with hands under armpits. Step feet back until straps are taut and weight is in toes (body forms a 45-degree angle) to start. Bend knees until upper body is parallel to floor, keeping arms fixed. Return to start. Repeat for 45 seconds. - Sprinter's Start Stand facing away from TRX with feet hip-width apart, holding outside of handles with palms facing in, elbows bent behind you with hands under armpits. Step feet back until straps are taut and weight is in toes (body forms a 45-degree angle). Drive right knee toward chest. Immediately switch legs; repeat. Repeat for 45 seconds. * Rest for 1 minute and repeat this set. SET 2: Adjust the straps to midlength (yellow tab at the double-yellow hash mark on the black straps). - Overhead Extension Stand facing TRX with feet hip-width apart, holding handles overhead with palms facing away from you. Step back far enough so arms are completely straight. Keeping arms and legs straight, hinge from waist as you rock back onto heels until body forms a pike position. Reverse movement. Repeat for 45 seconds. - Split Jump Stand facing TRX with feet hip-width apart, holding handles with palms facing in. With arms slightly bent at shoulder height in front of you, step back until straps are taut. Step right leg into a reverse lunge, both legs bent 90 degrees. Jump, switching legs in air to land in a lunge with left leg back, keeping constant tension on straps. Repeat for 45 seconds. - Single-Leg Squat Row Stand facing TRX with feet hip-width apart, holding handles with palms facing in, arms extended forward at chest height. Lean back until straps are taut and hands are at shoulder height (body forms a 45-degree angle), and lift left leg off floor. Bend right leg 90 degrees, extending left leg straight forward. Straighten right leg, bending elbows behind you, pulling handles to chest. Continue squatting and rowing for 45 seconds. Switch sides; repeat. * Rest for 1 minute and repeat this set. SET 3: Adjust the straps so the handles are at knee level. - Forward Lunge Stand facing away from TRX with feet hip-width apart, hands on hips. Put arch of right foot in foot cradle of right strap; bend right leg 90 degrees to start. Bend left leg 90 degrees, sending bent right leg back. Return to start. Repeat for 30 seconds. Keep foot in cradle. - Knee Drive Start on floor in plank on palms with right foot in cradle, left leg raised next to it (feet under anchor). Pull left knee up to touch right elbow. Return to start. Repeat for 30 seconds. Keep foot in cradle. - Burpee Start in plank, then step left foot between hands, rising into a runner's lunge. Stand on left leg, draw right knee forward to hip height. Reverse movement back to start. Repeat for 30 seconds. * Rest for 1 minute and repeat ALL exercises on your other side. COOL-DOWN: Repeat warm-up above. Do this workout 3 times a week on alternate days :D Have a FITastic couple of days! Check back in on Fridayyyyy!!  HAPPY Wednesday :D
I hope you're having a productive week so far!! Have you been exercising?! What about eating well?! This week has been crazy on my end but I'm happy to be sitting down for a few minutes and typing on Bring Fit On! WOOO WHOOO!! Today I'm posting information on FIRMING UP! Have you dropped pounds?! AWESOME!! The following will help you shape your body and keep the pounds off for good :) Weight loss boils down this: Expend more calories then you take in. With that, eating well and doing cardio is your fast track to success. But when it comes to shaping your body, there's a totally different way to get results: STRENGTH TRAINING. "The number on the scale is where you want it but maybe your butt is still saggy or your tummy isn't tight enough. Less cardio and more lifting fixes that," says Holly Perkins, a strength and conditioning specialist. So why do less cardio? Cardio is catabolic; too much of it increases production of the stress hormone cortisol, which, over time, slows your metabolism and throws off how your body manages carbs (by shuttling them to be stored as fat). Also, cardio doesn't have much effect on muscles. When you run you engage your butt and legs, sure, but it's not enough to break down the tissue prompting the muscle to rebuild stronger and firmer like weighted squats can. Don't be afraid of muscle. Repeat: I will not bulk up. "It's hormonally impossible," says Perkins. Simply put, women don't have as much muscle-building testosterone as men do. As a general rule, Perkins recommends you lift weights heavy enough so you can do 12 to 15 perfect reps of any move, but no more. The weights you'll be capable of lifting won't trigger big muscle growth. What it will do is make your muscles more metabolically active (which helps you burn more calories). "This training also causes muscle fibers to swell, so they look toned," says Perkins. Dense muscle is tighter then fat, which is why your weight should stay the same even though you may drop a full size. Efficiency is key. There's 2 ways to sculpt. You can do simple, isolated moves that target 1 muscle or muscle group at a time (like a biceps curl or leg extension), or you can do bigger, compound movements that work multiple muscle groups at once (like a lunge with a biceps curl or deadlift). "The long-term goal is to focus on the latter because they get you results faster," says Perkins. During the first 2-4 months, aim for 3 35-minute total body strength training sessions on alternate days each week. During 2 of those workouts, focus on simple, isolated exercises. During the third session, try with more compound movements, like squat to shoulder press, deadlift to high pull, and push-up into side plank. As for cardio, add up the amount you've been doing in minutes per week. Then cut that number in half. Aim to do that much cardio per week in addition to your strength training. Ideally, do it on non-strength training days or AFTER your weight session. If you don't belong to a gym, no worries! You can purchase equipment that will allow you to workout at home! If you want suggestions on equipment OR have any questions, I'd love to hear from you :D Have a fabulous FIT day! See you on Friday!!  HAPPY FRIDAYYYYY :D
I hope you've had a good week and ready to BRING ON the weekend! The weather's AHHHsome in California so I plan on spending a lot of time outdoors! Wooo Whooo!! QUESTION: What equipment can burn a whopping 150 calories in just 10 minutes and get you totally toned?! ANSWER: Battling ropes!! The supersize ropes you see people throwing around at the gym are called battling ropes. They're easy to use...grab hold of the ends and make waves, slam, or circle them as hard and fast as you can. When people did 10 15-second sets of rope waves with 45 seconds of rest in between, they burned an average of 112 calories, finds a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. That's 112 calories in just 2 1/2 minutes of work! They're heavy, so it only takes a few high-intensity intervals to improve your endurance, strength, and power, says Ingrid Marcum, C.S.C.S., director at Battling Ropes. WORKOUT: 1o minutes. Burn 150 calories. Most gyms have a battling rope. If you don't see one, ask a trainer to help you find it. Rope should be about 50 feet long with a 1.5-inch diameter. First, anchor the center of the rope around a heavy weight or machine. Start with the first exercise. Do as many reps as you can for 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds. Do the remaining moves in order, resting for 30 seconds between each. Then repeat the whole thing once more. DOUBLE WAVES: Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees bent, and hold rope ends in each hand with an underhand grip. Lean forward from hips and forcefully throw arms up to shoulder height and down toward knees, creating small to medium waves that travel to the anchor point while you simultaneously march or jog in place. SYNCHRONIZED CIRCLES: Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees bent, and hold rope ends in each hand with an underhand grip. Lift arms to chest height, elbows bent, and make big, clockwise circles (between hips and chest) with ropes. Reverse direction at 15 seconds. WOODCHOPPERS: Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees bent, and hold rope ends in each hand with an overhand grip. Lean forward from hips and use your entire body to drive ropes as high as possible (above shoulders), and then slam them toward floor as you squat. Immediately repeat. ALTERNATING SPRINTS: Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees bent, and hold rope ends in each hand with an underhand grip. Lean forward from hips and forcefully throw right arm up to shoulder height and left arm down toward knees. Immediately switch sides to create big, alternating waves. CROSSOVERS: Lunge with right foot forward and hold rope ends in each hand with an overhand grip, hands together. Forcefully slam ropes to your right, then to your left, letting the ropes touch the floor on each side of right foot. Switch legs at 15 seconds. If you don't belong to a gym, you can purchase battling ropes at many sport stores AND online. They're not cheap BUT a good investment to add to any home gym! Working out with battling ropes is empowering! They're a GREAT workout...prepare to SWEAT and get the SLAMMING body you desire :D Have a FABULOUS weekend! See you on Monday!! HAPPY MONDAY! How are you?! I hope you had a great weekend!! It's the beginning of a new week! BRING FIT ON!! Lets start this week out going strong :D PLANKS are ridiculously effective! They're an AWESOME way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as the shoulders, arms, and glutes!! The problem , though, is that they're hard as heck to master...lol! The following are some tweaks to cut pain and help you feel that you're getting the best results!! THE PROBLEM: Your lower back feels pinched. THE FIX: Engage your abs and tuck your tailbone under by tilting your hip points toward your chin. IF IT STILL HURTS: Put basic science to work and drop to your forearms. Getting closer to the floor decreases gravity's stress on your body. THE PROBLEM: Your neck hurts. THE FIX: Hold a tennis ball between your chin and clavicle to help you avoid overflexing your neck. IF IT STILL HURTS: Raise your plank by placing your hands on a bench or counter to reduce the stress on neck muscles. THE PROBLEM: You don't feel the ab workout. THE FIX: Exhale through pursed lips, as though blowing out candles and imagine you're pulling your hands and feet toward each other. IF YOU STILL DON'T FEEL IT: Rock your torso forward and back or alternately lift your legs for 5 to 10 seconds. THE PROBLEM: Your wrists ache. THE FIX: Press your palms into the mat and slide your shoulder blades down your back to alleviate pressure. IF IT STILL HURTS: Hold on to hand weights...that'll keep wrists straight. You don't need any equipment to perform this exercise...all you need is a bit of space! Wooo Whooo!! PLANK AWAY :D See you on Wednesday!!!!   HAPPY Wednesday friends :D
I hope you're having a good week so far! My kids are back in school after a week off from Spring break and as much as I love to play, it's nice having our schedule back to normal...lol! Summer is quickly approaching and while we've been anticipating the perks of the season, that means putting away the sweaters and showing some skin! Wooo Whooo!! Are you ready OR are you a bit nervous that your body isn't quite there yet?! Did you know that you can lose inches from your waist with WALKING?! YES...you can!! Hit the pavement and pump up the fun with the following 50-Minute Interval Routine created by Lee Scott, a Walking Coach. Walking is the foundation of this workout, but it's the cardio and strength-training that will help you blast extra calories. Because the 10 moves here focus on your core, you'll see a change in your abs! Bring it on!! Do this workout 4 times a week. The moves and format will stay the same throughout, but starting in week 3, you'll do longer cardio and strength intervals. WARM-UP 10 MINUTES: WALK for 5 minutes at an easy to moderate pace. WALK for 5 minutes at a brisk pace. CARDIO INTERVALS 10 MINUTES: Alternate CARDIO INTERVALS with WALKING. Walk as fast as you can while still allowing your breath to slow down. STRENGTH INTERVALS 20 MINUTES: Alternate STRENGTH INTERNALS with WALKING. Walk as fast as you can while still allowing your breath to slow down. COOL-DOWN 10 MINUTES: WALK for 7 minutes, moving from a brisk pace to an easy pace. STRETCH for 3 minutes, focusing on calves, quads, and hamstrings. WEEKS 1 - 2: Do each cardio interval exercise for 30 seconds, then walk for 30 seconds. Complete the circuit 2 times, for a total of 10 minutes. Do each strength interval exercise for 30 seconds, then walk for 30 seconds. Complete the circuit 4 times, for a total of 20 minutes. WEEKS 3 - 4: Do each cardio interval exercise for 1 minute, then walk for 1 minute. Complete the circuit once, for a total of 10 minutes. Do each strength internal exercise for 1 minute, then walk for 1 minute. Complete the circuit twice, for a total of 20 minutes. CARDIO INTERVALS: Do each move for 30 seconds or 1 minute, following the guidelines above. Alternate these moves with walking. 1. SKIP 2. LUNGE WITH TWIST 3. LATERAL HOP 4. CURB CLIMB 5. SIDE SHUFFLE STRENGTH INTERVALS: Do each move for 30 seconds or 1 minute, following the guidelines above. Alternate these moves with walking. 1. PUSH-UP 2. STANDING BIRD DOG 3. BURPEE 4. CURB SQUAT WITH SIDE LEG PRESS 5. SIDE PLANK What do you think? Are you going to give this a try?! GO FOR IT! WALK your way to a slim AND healthy body...get moving :D See you on Friday!!  Happy Wednesday!!
I hope you're having a productive week so far! Have you bought a new pair of athletic shoes?! :D OMGosh, I have to admit, I did!! I bought 1 pair at regular price and another pair for half off! Woot Woot!! If my husband reads this, I may get grounded...lol! Have you been exercising and eating clean?! If not, it's never never never too late to start!! :) Indoor cycling classes are more popular then ever! In a survey, more then 5.4 million people reported taking them. Research shows that a 40 minute studio cycling class can burn about 500 calories! Woot Woot!! It's also fun and accessible, regardless of your experience or fitness level! For those who don't take cycling classes BUT belong to a gym, grab a bike and do some cycling! The following workout is from Justin Rubin, group fitness manager at Equinox in Los Angeles. Don't forget the music! Good music will keep u going!! - 0 to 3 MINUTES: Warm up. Pedal comfortably with little or no resistance. - 3 to 7 MINUTES: Add resistance. Make pedaling harder and rise out of the saddle. - 7 to 11 MINUTES: Add more resistance. Slow your pace to 55 to 60 rpm. Alternate standing and sitting for 30 seconds each. - 11 to 15 MINUTES: Active recovery. Reduce the resistance and maintain a brisk, high pace (cadence) at 88 rpm. - 15 to 19 MINUTES: Flat ride. Add a bit more resistance and pedal at 90 to 95 rpm. - 19 to 23 MINUTES: Hill surges. Up the resistance and pedal at 65 rpm. Every 30 seconds, increase your leg speed and surge as fast as you can for 15 seconds. - 23 to 27 MINUTES: Fast and flat. Ease up on resistance and pedal at a fast pace. - 27 to 31 MINUTES: Steep climb. Increase resistance and slow your speed to 70 rpm, alternating between sitting and standing for 30 seconds each. - 31 to 35 MINUTES: Steady cruising. Reduce resistance and pedal at your preferred cadence. - 35 to 43 MINUTES: Speed play. Mix short and long sprints (95 to 110 rpm during sprints, 65 to 70 rpm during recovery). Start with 10 seconds and work up to 60 seconds (equal recovery time). - 43 to 45 MINUTES: Cool down. Petal comfortably (85 rpm) with little or no resistance. Cycling is a great workout! It's great for strength, endurance, toning, and burning calories!! I don't know about you but I'd like to rollllllllll into a fit body and look awesome in spandex shorts :D I'll be doing some cycling today! Bring it on!! If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you! Have a GREAT day!! See you on Friday :)  HAPPY Wednesday :D
I hope you're having a healthy week so far!! I'm having a productive week! I've been exercising like crazy since Monday...lol! What about you?! Have you done your workout routine today? Today you should be tackling ARMS and CHEST! Woot Woot!! It's pretty obvious that fitness is a big part of my life :D so at some point I'm likely to suffer an injury, even if it's only a minor one! This applies to anyone who exercises!! Sometimes it's hard to tell between a muscle that's sore AND an injury ;) Below is a quick guide that helps us understand if the "OUCH" is normal OR more serious. IT'S BEEN 3 DAYS... Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is necessary for muscle growth and lasts 24 to 72 hours. But if the pain persists beyond 3 days, it could be an injury. IT HURTS WHEN YOU AREN'T MOVING... It's a red flag if you feel pain when you're just lying around :( IT'S NEAR A JOINT... Most exercise injuries stem from overuse and center on bones and tendons. That makes any pain in or around a joint a cause for concern. IT'S SHARP... Think of pain as your body's alert system. If the messages are sharp and shooting, it's urgent! Exercising through pain can further stress hurt joints and tissues, turning a temporary issue into a more serious problem. BUTTTTTTTT don't get too cozy on the couch :D We often assume exercise and injury is an all-or-nothing thing! When we exercise around our injury instead of hitting the couch, it doesn't just keep us on track with our goals but it can help speed up our recovery time by reducing all-around deconditioning. The following (from Brett Hoebel, trainer and creator of the 20 Minute Body DVDs) are simple swaps to score similar results while detouring around an injury. Bring it on :D KNEE: Instead of Lunges DO Split Squats. Lessen pressure and stress on the knee joint by keeping it stationary. Placing your knee behind, not above, your toes reduces it further. Step one foot 3 to 4 feet in front of the other. Bend both knees to 90 degrees, keeping chest up. Press through heels to return to standing. BACK: Instead of Back Extensions DO Planks. Minimize flexion and extension of the spine with a stability-based movement. Put your forearms on the floor shoulder-width apart, elbows directly under shoulder. Extend legs so your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Brace your core and hold. SHOULDER: Instead of Triceps Dips DO Triceps Pushdowns. Extreme angles can aggravate the shoulder, this removes that joint from the equation. Grab the high bar of a cable machine, hands shoulder-width apart. Tuck your elbows at your sides and bring forearms parallel to the floor. Push the bar down until arms are almost straight. ELBOW: Instead of Bench Presses DO Dumbbell Flies. Works the chest while also keeping your elbows stationary to reduce stress. Lie faceup and hold a pair of dumbbells over your chest, arms straight, and palms facing each other. Lower the weights out to the sides, your elbows slightly bent. Return to start. If you get injured, DON'T get discouraged! FOCUS on using the work-around time to improve in other areas! Learn to tell the difference between a muscle that's sore AND an injury! If you have any comments, I'd love to hear from you!! KEEP exercising this week! SWEAT your butt off...lol! DRINK plenty of water! And HAVE FUN :D Have a GREATTTTTTTT day! See you on Friday!! |
Pamela Stewart, NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Weight Loss Specialist
Categories
All
|