Exercise Time Well Spent
August 2, 2011
August is hot in most parts of the country but not so much here in sunny southern California. Fortunately we have had moderate temperatures, and we all get to enjoy summer a little longer before kids go back to school. Whether your kids are starting school or have started, now is the perfect time to begin mapping out the new fitness goals and routines. It seems like the optimal time to begin a new exercise program once the kids are off to school, and your schedule begins to have a little consistency. Now it just becomes a matter of using your time wisely.
It has happened to the best of us. We have the best of intentions of completing our daily “to do” list, and sometimes life just happens and then neither do the checks on our list. What are you wasting your time on? That may sound like a harsh question, but you know when you say “I’m so busy I can’t find time to exercise,” you know that is just an excuse right?
In a perfect world we would have time every day for our favorite type of exercises. This isn’t always the case. The Surgeon General recommends 30 – 60 minutes of exercise “most days of the week”. If you don’t have a block of 30 minutes does that mean you should lie on the couch and eat bon-bons? Nope. It just means you should do two smaller blocks such as 15 minutes of crunches or lunges during your favorite TV show, while cooking dinner, or after you put the kids to bed. You can have a more intense workout the next day. Research has shown you can even break it into ten minute segments! Now that should be an inspiring option to chose over no exercise.
It doesn’t have to be a full hour to count. Every bit you do adds up. So, on those days where you think it just won’t work time wise – I dare you to find 10-15 minutes that DOES work. The body will benefit, the mind will be happy, and the spirit will feel rejuvenated.
So in a crunch, here is a the perfect full body 10 minute circuit you can use at home, you don’t even need a gym.
10-10 MINUTE SUPER Circuit:
30 jumping jacks
10 dips
15 lunges on each leg
30 crunches
30 front leg kicks each side
10-20 push-ups
30 side leg kicks each side
30 second plank hold
30 plie squats
30 oblique crunches each side
As you get stronger, you may be able to work through this rotation 2-3 times in your ten minute workout session. This is a great metabolism boost, calorie burner, and body energizer. I look forward to hearing how you feel after you complete this ten minute workout.
For more training routines you can check out my fitness and inspiration book, “Fast and Fierce Fitness Made Fabulously FUN!” This is a twelve week program, complete with exercise descriptions, photos of each movement, motivational guidelines, tracking system, progressions for each level of fitness, weekly upgrades on fitness programs, and most of all, FUN creative workouts that leave you more energized, looking great, and feeling fantastic!!! Or if you would like a more specialized program to specifically meet your needs and goals be sure to check out my online training programs or online nutrition.
Back to School, Fitness Basics
August 2, 2011
The summer season is about to wind down quickly and the kids are headed back to school. The first week or so of school is typically getting back into good study habits, remembering note taking skills, and using the basic learning tools.
The same should apply when you are beginning or refreshing your fitness routine. Going back to the basics is always a solid building block to set your foundation. With good form and fitness techniques, you are bound to get results faster, safer, and better quality.
Here are the TOP 5 form reminders to remember during your “Back to Basics” workouts:
- Back Straight: Keep your spine long and straight during activities and you will get to keep your spine for a long time. If you need extra support try using an upright bench or even perform the exercise in a seated manner. Keeping the spine straight will improve its strength naturally, so no need for extra back support braces. (These can actually weaken the muscles surrounding the spine because with the support they are no longer fully engaged.)
- Muscle vs. Momentum: Be sure you are “lifting” the weights using your own strength and not swinging to maneuver the weights. (We have all seen “that guy” in the gym who is swinging on the lat pull down bar and looks as if he is about to pull his shoulders out because the weight is too heavy. Don’t be that person). If you find yourself using momentum, drop the weight to a lighter amount and continue to add to the repetitions. It is much better to have proper form to strengthen the body, rather than try to manipulate a heavy weight.
- Abdominals pulled in: This should probably be the number one reminder. It is imperative on every movement you perform, to keep the abs pulled in towards the spine. Plus you can actually strengthen the muscles just by keeping them pulled in. You can use this technique in your day to day activities like standing up. Before you stand up, pull the abs in real close to the body. Pretty soon you will be creating a new healthy living habit, and as a result, your waist will look like it has shrunk!
- No locking: Keep a slight bend on the elbows and knees when performing the exercises. They should never completely “lock out” or become straight. It can damage the joint. This will also provide you better balance when you performing an exercise standing up.
Coordinate Breathing: An easy way to remember when to inhale and exhale is to exhale when your exert (the two “e’s” go together). For example if you are doing a biceps curl, begin with an inhale, then on the exhale (when the muscle is exerting or working) curl the bicep lifting the hand up towards the shoulder. The breathing does not have to be a massive inhale and exhale, just keep it close to natural breath.
Enjoy these tips, they are easy enough to apply to your current fitness routine or the new routine you are beginning this season.
For more training routines you can check out my fitness and inspiration book, “Fast and Fierce Fitness Made Fabulously FUN!” This is a twelve week program, complete with exercise descriptions, photos of each movement, motivational guidelines, tracking system, progressions for each level of fitness, weekly upgrades on fitness programs, and most of all, FUN creative workouts that leave you more energized, looking great, and feeling fantastic!!! Or if you would like a more specialized program to specifically meet your needs and goals be sure to check out my online training programs or online nutrition.
Outdoor Training Routine Made FUN!
July 13, 2011
It’s summer time and hopefully you are out and about enjoying the summer weather, beaches, and parks. This is the perfect time of year to take advantage of nature and a moment to step away from the gym.
Here are three key points to remember when you are exercising outdoors. First, carry a water bottle with you to not only keep hydrated, but you can also use it for a light resistance weight. You can do curls, triceps, shoulder raises, and many more exercises while you are walking with the water bottle.
Second, be sure to exercise earlier in the day or later in the evening after the hot temperatures have cooled down. This will prevent over exposure to the suns most harmful rays during the day. In addition, you will stay cooler and therefore have more energy for exercises.
Lastly, be sure to use a sunscreen, even if you don’t think you need it on the off hours. A sunscreen of about 30-50 will be enough. Anything more than 50SPF will only protect you about 2% more according to research reviewed by skin specialist Doctor Weiss.
Here is an outdoor circuit training that I just enjoyed today. Bring a stop watch, heart rate monitor and your water bottle.
Warm-up 5 minutes of brisk walking
20-30 pushups on bench
2 minute long stride walk
50 squats on picnic table bench (add a body resistance squeezing bicep curl for more benefit)
2 minute brisk power walk
20-25 dips on bench
2 minute long stride walk
15 lunges on each leg, with foot up on step
2 minute brisk power walk
20 (each side) side leg kicks over a waist high object (done for speed and accuracy) stretching the same arm out squeezing the triceps
2 minute long stride walk
30 second Side plank balance on each arm
2 minute brisk power walk
15 traveling Plie squats on each side
2 minute long stride walk
20-25 dips
2 minute brisk power walk
50 your choice abdominal exercise
5 minute long stride walk
5 minute stretch
You can complete this in about 30 minutes depending on how quick you are with each interval. I burned just over 300 calories according to my polar heart rate monitor watch.
Have fun and enjoy the outdoors!!
Photography by Thomas Oed, of Impact Image Photography
Fit Ball Ab Routine
June 20, 2011
The fit ball is not only my favorite ab accessory, but also I believe it’s the most effective tool to use to tighten the belly, shrink the waist, and develop that six pack. (Remember this only works along with your healthy eating and cardio programs.)
Here’s how to safely and effectively get started using the fit ball for your ab routine. Begin sitting upright on top of the ball. Roll your body forward so the ball is on the lower back. The feet should be shoulder width apart and the knees bent about 90 degrees. The hands are placed behind the head to support the neck. The elbows should remain out to the sides so the hands are not tempted to pull on the neck. (If the neck is pulled is can strain the neck and it will take all the work off the abdominals. No one needs to have strong “neck-ups”.)
To work the Rectus Abdominis, which is the long ab muscle that attaches originates at the pelvic bone and inserts at the Xiphoid Process (the area where the ribs meet in the middle). Place the hands behind the head and leave the elbows out to the sides away from the ears. On the exhale begin to lift your body at an upward angle feeling the abs pull in towards the spine. Repeat this for 20-50 reps.
Obliques are another muscle group you can target on the fit ball. These are the diagonal abdominal muscles that help your body twist and also keep that tiny waist in tack. Using the same start position as the regular crunch, on the exhale lift your left elbow up as if you are reaching the elbow up towards the sky, (not over your body), and just above your right shoulder. Inhale to release your body down to almost a flat position. Instead of letting the body totally relax, keep tension on the abs by keeping the shoulder blades off the ball. Repeat on the other side by lifting your right elbow up as if you are reaching the elbow up towards the sky and just above your left shoulder. A common mistake is to twist over too far and not concentrate on squeezing the ab muscles in toward the spine. Repeat this for 20-50 reps on each side.
One combination I like to use myself and with my clients is the “four count crunch”. The first crunch is to the center, the second lifts up to the right, the third lifts to the center and the fourth lifts to the left. It is four crunches for the price of one! Repeat this series for 10-20 reps which will give you 40-80 crunches. You can also do it in three’s where you crunch right, left, and center. Repeat this series for 20-30 reps which will give you 60-90 total ab movements.
If this begins to feels easy, change one of the following variables. You can vary your speed by doing 10 fast and 10 slow. Try holding a dumbbell in one hand keeping it right above the chest, while the other hand stays behind the head to support the neck. Lastly, you could try doing two crunches up and two crunches lowering. These are smaller movements taking you two steps to lift the upper body and two steps to return to the start position. These variable changes will work for both the regular crunch and also the oblique lift.
Enjoy working your way to a strong core, healthy body, and slim waistline!
“Luscious” Legs workout
May 29, 2011
This was one of my favorite contest training days, and here is an actual workout I used to practice. You will have to decide what a challenging weight is for you to use. You can see the repetitions are higher on all of the exercises.
Each group that is placed together is a superset of two or three exercises. This entire workout should be done in 30-40 minutes. This targets all parts of the legs including the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. The interval training is mixed together is strengthening, plyometrics, and flexibility.
Enjoy these 9 “Kick Butt” exercises!!
3 x 30 Abductors
3 x 30 Adductors
3 x 20 (each leg) Walking lunges
4 x 20 Weighted jump squats
4 x 30 Mountain climbers
4 x 15 Leg curls
4 x 30 Wide stance Leg press
3 x 15 leg extensions
3 x 1 minute each leg, step ups on bench
Be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you feel after this luscious leg day! 
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