Intensity

The second letter of the fitt concept is intensity. A few things need to be mentioned here, mainly that intensity does not mean weight. The amount of resistance or weight that you are moving is only one of many ways to adjust the intensity of your workout. Other options include, but are not to, amount of rest, angle of attack, stability, order of exercise, and adjustment of proprioception(relation to space). If your workouts are not challenging enough but you are concerned about adding weight, thinking this will cause you to bulk up, give yourself less rest between sets or exercises. If overhead presses are too simple, try standing on one leg or doing them with your eyes closed. I understand that may sound bizarre but these are all proven training methods that will help strengthen and stabilize your body. Today we are only going to key in on adjusting your rest between sets or exercises depending on whether you are circuit training or not. Here is your workout!

5 min warm up
Stretch
3x 15 speed skaters
3x 15 squat thrusts(burpees)
3x 15 push-ups
3x 15 overhead presses
3x 15 inverted rows
2x 25 bicycle crunches
2x 25 reg crunches
2x 10 floor bridges
5 min cool down
Stretch

This workout should be completed with no more than 30sec. of rest between each exercise or set. Keep your eye on the clock and enjoy!!!

J

The First Key

One of the first keys to being able to understand the best way to train for your body,your goals, and your fitness level is to consider the F.I.T.T. principle. This stands for Frequency, Intensity,Type, and tempo or time. Today we are just going to touch on Frequency. The frequency of a workout depends on a few different components. The general rules are as follows: Cardio can be done as often as possible, Resistance training should not train the exact same muscles the exact same way two days in a row(there are some exceptions, i.e. abs). Generally speaking the more often you train a muscle the better the results both in tone and strength. Big muscles burn more calories and heal quicker due to more blood flow, meaning that they can be trained more often. These are just a few basic guidelines for frequency. Tomorrow we'll get into intensity!

5 min warm up
Stretch
20 min interval training(2 min. light, 2 min moderate to heavy)
4x 50 meter sprints
4x 25 crunches of your choosing
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Back Peddaling

Alright kids! I have been thinking about Headless's comment a few days ago and have come to some realizations. The biggest of these is the realization that i have taken for granted the basic knowledge of exercise science that the average human being has. My day to day language is mostly versed in kilojoules and kreb cycle optimization for peak metabolism. I forget that most of you not only don't fully understand what I am talking about, you really don't care. So here is the deal. I am going to start breaking this down a little further like a fraction and hopefully let you see better results with less frustration. I'll try to keep the ridiculous rhetoric to a minimum as well. Here is your work out for the day!

5 min warm up
Stretch
2x 20 push ups
2x 20 overhead presses
2x 20 step ups (each leg)
2x 20 bent flys
4x 30 sec. planks
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Baby It's Cold

The Temperature has plummeted and many are ready to hibernate. Take the day off and rest. Sunday is a good day for that and we have some new things to discuss this coming week, things that you will need to be fresh to take full advantage of. Have a great day!!!

J

The Mid Section

We are focused on abs today! This is going to hurt tomorrow and I am not sorry.

5 min. warm up
Stretch
3x 10 straight arm twist(each side)
3x 10 soccer throws(use your abs)
3x 10 wood chops
3x 10 bicycle crunches
3x 10 jackknifes
3x 10 regular crunches
4x 30 sec. planks
3x 10 floor bridge
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

First Friday

In many cities across the country, the first friday of the month is a day devoted to artists and their gallery openings. If you get a chance, brave the cold and go support your local artists. I'm just saying.

5 min warm up
Stretch
45 minutes moderate cardio
2x 25 meter side lunges (each side)
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

December?

Am I the only one who is a little blown away by the fact that it is December already? 2010 is drawing to a close, not that I am going to miss it terribly, but time is flying. I noticed a few things this year that seemed a little off but maybe we're on to something. First, what are Christmas decorations doing in stores at Halloween? Has Black Friday really become more popular than Thanksgiving? In all of these questions I have stumbled upon what I believe may be a stroke of genius. Why don't we just start New Years Resolutions now so we can focus on Easter entirely on January first? I mean, why not? If your considering any sort of physical change for a New Years resolution, whether it is weight loss, improved athleticism, quitting smoking, lowering blood pressure, or simply conquering a flight of stairs without getting winded, let's get started now. Go to work!!!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
2x 10 dive bomb push ups
2x 10 wide grip push ups
3x 15 inverted rows
3x 15 over head press
3x 20 leg extensions(see workout explanation page)(each side)
2x plank to failure
2x ABC leg lifts(draw the alphabet with your legs in a leg lift) (i prefer lower case, cursive)
5 minute cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!!!

J