Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Fat Loss Circuit, Sunshine Kicks

Equipment: mat (optional), chair

Warm-up 5 minutes jog/walk, stretch

Fat Loss Circuit
Do each exercise for 1 minute with little rest in between exercises. Repeat circuit 2-3 times with a quick water break before starting Sunshine Kicks, finish with Abs and stretching. For beginners start with 30 seconds each exercise for the Fat Loss Circuit and work up to 1 minute as your fitness improves. Remember to keep good form and to have your core muscles engaged throughout the exercises.

• Body-weight squats
• Pushup-do it on your knees if you have to
• Reverse Lunge-standing with knees slightly bent right leg goes back to the lunge position, lunge down and up, and return to standing. Repeat with opposite leg
• Plank-elbows and toes touch the ground keep body straight like a board, no sagging or high hips!
• Close-grip pushups or tricep pushups-arms are kept closer to body and elbows come in at your sides instead of out like wings.
• Side Plank-1 minute each side
• Mountain Climber-hands and feet touch the ground bringing alternating knees up to chest and back to starting position

Adapted from Craig Ballantynes 7 minute fat loss circuit

Sunshine Kicks
Using a chair or resistance ball to balance with, start with your left leg, knee bent. Put all of your weight on this leg-foot is directly under chest. Your hands are resting on the back of a chair, you are in a bent over fashion, with the weight on the left leg, begin by lifting the right leg as high as you can in the air going straight back. Do not throw or swing the leg!

10 reps straight back with both right and left legs
10 reps out to the side with both right and left legs

Repeat 3-5 times

Adapted from Renee’s Sunshine kicks on turnstep.com

Abs
• Single Crunches x12
• Up for 3 down for 1 x12
• Up for 1 down for 3 x12
• Reach alternating hands under bent knees, 30 reps total 15 each side
• Big circles with legs 12 each direction, hands under bum for support
• Criss-cross legs x12 right leg in front, left leg in front = one, hands under bum for support
• Superman x 30 up and down not resting on the ground
• Hip bridges x 30 toes flexed so only heels touch the ground
• V sits x 20 both legs brought to ceiling while arms and upper body reach up to ceiling simultaneously

Stretch 5 minutes

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Weight loss Boot Camp

Found from the freeworkoutsguide.com

Equipment: Bands or weights, bike, elliptical machines. If you don’t have access to cardio machines than run, walk or jump rope the cardio portions following the same format.

Perform exercises 1-11 for reps/sets indicated going from one to the next without resting in between. This includes your warm-up, core exercises, body weight exercises, and fat burning cardio intervals. Run, walk, or jump rope, if you don't have access to cardio machines.

Seated Bike
Starting Position: Adjust the seat so that your legs have just a slight knee bend when your foot is at the bottom position.
Increase the resistance until you are challenged yet can keep good cycling form.


Trainer's comments:
2 min. high resistance moderate paced warm-up alternate for 4 min. between: 30 sec. moderate resistance fast paced interval 30 sec. moderate resistance moderate paced interval 2 min. low resistance moderate paced interval


Belly Blaster
1. Start in a plank position with your elbows and forearms on the ground, your body parallel to the floor and up on your toes.
2. Make sure your belly button is drawn in toward your spine and raise your hips up into the air and hold for a 1 second count.
3. Return to the starting and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Trainer's comments:
30 reps


Bridge (Plank) on elbows
1. Start by lying face down on the ground. Place your elbows and forearms underneath your chest.
2. Prop yourself up to form a bridge using your toes and forearms.
3. Maintain a flat back and do not allow your hips to sag towards the ground.
4. Hold for the required time limit or until you can no longer maintain a flat bridge.

Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
30 seconds


Squat Jump
1) Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, trunk flexed forward slightly with back straight in a neutral position.
2) Arms should be in the “ready” position with elbows flexed at approximately 90°.
3) Lower body where thighs are parallel to ground.
4) Explode vertically and drive arms up.
5) Land on both feet and repeat.
6) Prior to takeoff extend the ankles to their maximum range (full plantar flexion) to ensure proper mechanics.

Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
30 seconds


Side Plank
1. Lay on the ground on one side. Raise your body using one forearm and support it in this raised position for the required time.
2. Lower your body and repeat on the other side.
3. Remember to keep your head, neck and body in a straight line.

Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
15 seconds each side


Supine Double Leg Raise
1. Start by lying on your back and a slight bend in your knees.
2. Raise your legs to a perpendicular position to the floor. This is your starting position.
3. Slowly lower your legs until you are no longer able to keep your abs tight and your low back on the floor.
4. Raise your legs back up to the starting position and repeat.
5. Only lower your legs as far as your abs have enough strength for.

Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
30 reps


Jumping Jacks
Start with your legs side by side and your arms by your side.
In one motion jump and spread your legs out to the side while your arms raise out and up over your head.
Land in this position and then return to the starting position and repeat.


Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
30 seconds


Plank Knee-ins
1. Start by getting on your hands and knees in a push-up position.
2. Keeping your abs tight and your trunk parallel bring one knee in towards your chest.
3. Return the foot back to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
30 total reps


Power boat pose
1. Start by sitting on the floor and extending your legs and arms.
2. Lean back keeping your legs straight with your arms extended in front of you.
3. Hold this balanced position maintaining proper positioning for the desired time limit.
4. Rest and repeat for the desired repetitions.

Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
30 seconds


Power Jacks
1. Start in a shoulder width stance with your knees slightly bent.
2. Jump up into the air and spread your legs out into a wide stance and land in this position.
3. Immediately proceed into a squat and then stand back up into a jump to land with both feet at a shoulder width stance.
4. Repeat this movement for the recommended repetitions.

Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
30 seconds


Elliptical
Place your feet on the foot plates and grab the arm handles.
Set your resistance so that it is challenging and start the elliptical motion by pulling machine arm with one arm and push the other machine arm.
Pick a pace that will elevate your heart rate yet let you stay on the machine for a while.


Weight loss Boot camp Workout Instructions:
30 sec. moderate paced interval alternate for 2 min. between: 20 sec. fast paced intervals 10 sec. moderate paced intervals 30 sec. slow paced interval

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Cardio Sculpt

Equipment: Bands or weights heavy enough to challenge you after 10 reps keeping good form.

Warm up Jog/Walk 5 minutes, stretch

Shoulder/Squats 3 sets

  • Over head press 10 reps
  • Deep squat 10 reps (feet shoulder width apart, weight over heels try to go down to a 90 degree angle with thighs to the floor)
  • Repeat 2 times

Jog; 3 minutes

Chest/Hamstring 3 sets

  • Bench press 10 reps (lay on floor, keep weights over sternum or band goes behind back and choke up on the band until adequate resistance in achieved)
  • Hamstring push 10 reps (put weights on hips, push heels into floor to lift hips) Or if no weights have partner apply pressure on hips as you push heels into floor to lift hips.
  • Repeat 2 times

Skip; 3 minutes

Back/Lunge 3 sets

  • Back Row 10 reps (together or one arm at a time)
  • Stationary lunge 10 reps each leg
  • Repeat 2 times

Sprint the long sides of the gym, jog the short sides; 3 minutes

Bicep/Legs 3 sets

  • Bicep curl 10 reps (both arms together)
  • Side step sumo squat 10 reps each leg (stand center and take a big side step into a squat, return to center, grunt :) )
  • Repeat 2 times

Jog; 3 minutes

Tricep/Butt 3 sets

  • Tricep kickback 10 reps each side (on hands and knees)
  • Donkey kick 10 reps each side (on elbows and knees, weight behind knee, lift and lower)
  • Repeat 2 times

Adapted from: Kristin Calpino’s 20 minute sculpt on turnstep.com

ABS

Superman; lay down on belly, lift legs straight out and up and arms extended forward and up. Lift legs/arms up and then down till almost touching the ground, repeat for 1 minute

V-sits

· Lie on the floor, stretched out. At the same time lift both legs and upper body up into a V-position with arms reaching up on an angle, shoulders down and chest lifted. Slowly return back to out stretched position. Repeat 8x

· Next come up in same V-sit but twist to the right then return back down. Come up in same V-sit but twist to the left then return back down. Repeat 8x

· Next come up in same V-sit, but bring right leg up, then left leg up, then return both back down. Repeat 8x

· Finally come up in same V-sit, but weighted hands ( or hands on ground) are use to brace you as you lift both legs up and hold for 5 seconds then return back down. Repeat 8x.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Healthy Bits

Just added a blog page dedicated to health information I have collected/put together. I added a post on exercise during pregnancy and a post on workouts you can do with no weights and little space. Look for the link to this new blog page under the gadget "useful links" I have named it Healthy Bits. The address is: www.tidbitsonhealth.blogspot.com

Cardio Stations

Equipment: Jump rope, chair, step/stair
Warm Up-Jog 5 minutes, stretch

I made 4 stations with a poster on each wall of the gym. Each poster had 2 exercises. We went through all the number 1's then went through all the 2's. 1 minute each exercise and enough rest time in between to get to the next station (about 20 seconds) we repeated until we went through all exercises 3x's.
POSTERS:
1)Run
2)Skip

1)Fast feet on a step/stair
2) Leap Frog

1)Jump Rope
2)Jumping Jacks

1)Hold a chair over head and High knee, march or jog in place
2)Squat Jump

Get drink, and get ready for abs!

125 SIT UPS

20 Crunches, knees bent
20 Elbow to knee twists, alternating sides, left leg-right leg equals one
20 Hip raises or reverse crunch, feet up 90 degree angle
20 Double crunches (reverse crunch and crunch together)
20 Scissor leg lifts (one leg straight up, one down, straight legs) left leg-right leg equals one
20 Bicycles, left leg-right leg equals one
5 Slow roll ups for the grand finale

Drink, stretch...your done!

SIDE NOTE: I emphasized heart rate today and had everyone check their heart rate after completing each circle around the gym (4 stations).

To find Target Heart Rate: Take 220-age= Max Heart Rate (MHR) I.E. 220-30 year old = 190
MHR x .6 = Low end of Range I.E. 190 x .6 = 114
MHR x .8 = High end of Range I.E. 190 x .8 = 152

We took our Heart Rate for 6 seconds making sure we started counting with zero. Take the number you get and times by 10 to find heart rate.

Try to keep your Heart Rate within this range through out the cardio portion of the workout for maximum cardio-respiratory benefit.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Band Mania Workout

Equipment: Exercise band
5 minute jog/walk warm up

"15 up 15 down" technique: Start with 15 push-ups, then immediately do 15 sit-ups. Without rest, continue this repetition with 14 push-ups, 14 sit-ups, 13 push-ups, 13 sit-ups, etc... counting all the way down to one. (We ended up going down by 2’s when we reached 10)

bands, shoulder width apart, palms down.

8x Reverse biceps curl hold last up
8x Shoulder press (make sure not directly above head, slightly forward of face)
8x Combo

Feet move wider for squats, toes forward for balance, band under feet and brought to shoulder height palms wide and forward. Works medial delts.

8x Press up (from shoulders to band at top of head, not full arm extension).
8x Squat
8x Combo (squat while pressing up)
8x Feet together squats (stresses outer quads)
8x Hips side to side feet together squats (right-up-left-up, count a right and left as one)

Step wider, toes forward,

8x Squats
8x Squats, rise on toes in up position
8x Squats, hold low on last one
8x Toe taps to tempo

Stay low

8x Heel taps
8x Squats

Turn out feet to plie (focuses on inner thigh, glutes)

8x Plie

Raise right heel high

8x Plie

Change heels

8x Plie

Heels down

8x Plie regular

Lay on ground back flat, knees bent. Open arms wide, elbows bent

8x Pec flies, hold together at top on last one, turn palms down to feet
8x Chest press (shoulders come off bench, elbows straighten and come close at top of move)

8x Combo press/fly end with hands in down press position.

Keep hands near clavicles, palms down, raise elbows until they point at your hips. Keeping upper arm in place, bring dumbbells to your knees. Then raise straightened arms up to sky, back to knees, fold at elbows, bringing hands back to chest. Don't let upper arms point to floor during mvmt. This works triceps.

8x Triceps scoop
16x Single arm triceps

Lie on your stomach with arms one on top of the other so that your forehead can rest upon them. Bend your legs up and bring your heels together (like a butterfly) so that your knees are facing slightly outward in opposite directions. Also, make sure the feet are flexed so that they are pointed toward the ceiling, not the wall.

Now, very slowly lift the legs and thighs up off the floor, pressing the heels to the ceiling. Depending on the strength of the lower back, some may be able to lift higher than others. That's okay, as long as they are lifting the heels to the ceiling.

Also, make sure to cue them to keep their head resting on their arms to keep the spine in neutral alignment. Looking up and around will prohibit them from getting the most out of the exercise and may actually cause some lower back discomfort.

Perform 3-5 sets of 8, resting for about 20-30 seconds in between sets. At the end of the set, make them hold it and pulse for 8-16 count and they will be GROANING!!!!
Get a drink, grab a band, go to one side of the room and tie band around ankles, feet shoulder width apart, no further. Tie in bow so they don't trip, keep band flat or it hurts.

Side squats. Have the students side step through the rows,like a step touch with a squat, for abductors.

Other side.

Walk deep. Have them walk across taking deep steps for hip flexors.
Walk wide. Have them walk with feet wide like a sumo wrestler for abductors and laughs. If they are rubbing their hips, they are done. If not,
Side shuffle. Have them shuffle sideways high and quick, both sides. Lose the band.
Walking lunges across aisles. Great for glutes and upper thighs.

Version one, lunge, step feet together. Other leg.
Version two: step from one lunge directly into the next.
Version three: lunge low, rise while kicking slow mo with heel waist high.

Laying down, both knees bent, on toes, hips still high.
8x Hip raises.

Stay curled in, hips up, raise a leg to sky, ankle flexed.
4x Hip raise, pressing heel to sky. Switch legs. Serious burn on hips and core!

Raise feet off floor.

16x Hips up, down. Low abs.
8x Hips and shoulders up.

Welcome!


Welcome to the new blog dedicated to posting whatever crazy workout I have put together or taken from turnstep.com! Last Tuesday we did a lot of new moves and worked out muscles some of the ladies never knew could get sore. ;) I love to hear that! If anyone has any questions about the workouts or wants clarification on some exercise please post a comment and I will be glad to help you out! Also if anyone has any requests on types of exercises or muscle groups to work on please let me know and I will try to incorporate them in or give you info. Thanks!