21 Day Ab Workout

There is a personal trainer from Texas; Bertie Ranger, or The Bertinator. She is great. Look up her blog, find her on Facebook, or both. A friend of mine likes her on Facebook and so I discovered her through my friend. Last month she did a Bad Lass 21 Day #fababs Challenge. What it included was doing a specific ab workout to a specific song each day. So, really, you were doing 5 minutes or less each day for an ab workout. There were other rules included in the challenge. Like, drinking a gallon of water a day, no processed food, no wine, doing cardio 3-5 times a week, eating 3 cups of green vegetables a day, and taking a before and after picture for accountability (and to see changes). She finished the 21 day ab challenge and now has moved on to a Bad Lass 21 Day #bootyblast Challenge.  To see the workout for each day, just like her on Facebook. It's fun, quick, and a good workout.

Track Workout

Last Saturday my normal 6:30 am basketball was cancelled, so I headed to the track to do a track work-out. I actually had quite a bit of time before I was going to head over to a sale at a nearby consignment shop, so I decided to do three track workouts together. What a great workout I got in!! It felt good, and I was sore for a couple of days afterward. Here are the workouts I did. I got them from a personal trainer I follow on Facebook, The Bertinator. She has her own website and blog, and I like to incorporate some of her workouts in with my own.

Workout 1
Warm-up 1 lap
1 mile for time
5 - 100 meter sprints
1 lap jog curves, side shuffle burpee on straightaways (do a burpee, then a side shuffle, burpee, side shuffle, ...)
Cool down 1 lap

Workout 2
Warm-up 1 lap
1 lap sprint straights; jog curves
1 lap lunge straights; jog curves
1 lap power skipping straights; jog curve
1 lap travel burpee straights (same as above); jog curve
1 cool down lap

Workout 3
Run 1 minute
10 mountain climbers
Run 1 minute
10 squat kicks
Run 1 minute
10 Tricep Push-Ups
Run 1 minute
10 burpees with a push up
Run 1 minute
10 walking lunges
Run 1 minute
10 opposite elbow/opposite knee plank
Run 1 minute
10 jumping jacks
Run 1 minute

This took me about an hour and 15 minutes to do. I wore my Garmin and ended up doing 5 and a half miles around the track, but of course my speed decreased when I started doing lunges and burpees. One thing was the track tore up my hands doing the traveling burpee, so by the second lap of that I put my hands in the grass on the field and my feet on the track. That felt a lot better, and I should have started with that. Overall, a great workout though.

10 mile workout

Here are activities that when together burn the calories of running 10 miles, without actually running 10 miles. Although, just running 10 miles would probably be easier. Ha ha.

1 mile jog
100 push-ups
250 squats
500 crunches
100 burpees
100 tricep dips
250 dead lifts
500 russians
1,000 stairs
1 mile jog

It's hard to believe I'd do 100 burpees over running a mile (although 100 tricep dips instead of a mile isn't a bad trade off), but this is a good variation for burning calories, while getting a strength workout in.

Resistance Band Tabata Work Out #2

Remember the format of a Tabata workout? It is simple:

• 4 minutes long (whole Tabata Session)
• 20 seconds of intense training
• 10 seconds of rest
• Total of 8 sessions or rounds

While a true Tabata workout is requires you to train at 170% of your VO2 Max during work-out intervals, this format can be applied to many cardiovascular and strength exercises. Therefore, although this workout is mainly a strength workout I am going to use the Tabata format and you will still be working on speed (with proper form, of course) to get your heart rate going while strengthening those muscles.

Here is a Tabata workout where you need some equipment: a resistance band. If you do not have a resistance band feel free to substitute weights. Take a one minute rest in between exercises.


Squat and One Handed Pull

Attach the resistance band to a stable surface. Step backward. Start with feet at least shoulder width apart and toes pointed forward and resistance band in left hand. Go down into a squat, not to exceed 90 degrees and with your knees behind your toes. Push up through your heels. As you stand up pull the resistance band with your left hand until your elbow is at ninety degree. Extend elbow as you squat back down. Repeat throughout the duration of the exercise. Repeat exercise with resistance band in right hand.

Squat Push Step

Attach resistance band to stable surface. Face away from resistance band, step away to add resistance, and grab band in each hand. Start with feet at least shoulder width apart and toes pointed ahead. Go down into a squat, not to exceed 90 degrees and with your knees behind your toes. Push up through your heels. As you stand up push the resistance band forward with both hands, until elbows are extended. Squat down again, bringing your elbows again to 90 degrees at your side. Repeat throughout the duration of the exercise.

Split Stance Bicep Curls 

Place resistance band under one foot, making sure it is securely neat the arch of the foot so as not to slip off. Step back with your other foot. Slightly bend both knees. Start with arms down to your side, each hand gripping the resistance band. Bend your elbow up, feeling the resistance of the band. Slowly lower. Repeat as many as you can throughout the duration of the exercise.

Split Stance Tricep Extensions

Attach resistance band to secure surface. Stand with one foot in front of the other, knees slightly bent. Put arms up over your head, elbows slightly bend. Extend elbows in front while bringing torso slightly forward. Continue bending and extending elbows throughout the duration of the exercise.

Tabata Training

Tabata was founded in Japan by Izumi Tabata. He conducted tests on two groups of athletes; comparing moderate high intensity training with high intensity interval training.

The results were that the athletes training in high intensity interval training improved their aerobic systems as well as their anaerobic system. The athletes who did the moderate high intensity training only improved their aerobic system and had little to no increase in their anaerobic system.

Any exercise can be incorporated into the Tabata training. However the basic outline of the Tabata training method are as follows:
• 4 minutes long (whole Tabata Session)
• 20 seconds of intense training
• 10 seconds of rest
• Total of 8 sessions or rounds

It's nice because you can get a good workout in a short amount of time. If you only have ten minutes, just do two sessions with two different exercises. If you have 15 minutes, do 3; 20 minutes do 5. You get the picture. Also, it is high intensity so you do as much as you can in those 20 seconds and even though it is only 4 minutes of exercise - you will feel it.

Here are some examples of exercises to use with Tabata training:

Jump Squat/Jump Lunge Variation

For this exercise you are going to hop forward with your left leg into a lunge position, then kick back and switch legs to hop forward and out (off the the side) into a lunge on the right leg, then kick back and with both legs hop into a squat. Then, hop forward again with your left leg. Repeat.

Forward/Backward Jump Squats

Leap forward into a squat, then push off jumping backward into a squat, repeat jumping forward and backward while squatting.

Alternating Jump Lunges

Begin in a lunge position and jump up, switching feet in the air, landing with the other foot forward in a lunge.

Burpees

Stand with your feet together and squat down with your arms outside your legs and hands on the floor. Next,  kick your feet backwards until you are in the push up position maintaining a straight back. Without pausing, jump your feet back forward between your hands and jump up as high as you can. Repeat.

Jump Rope with High Knees
With or without rope

Squats

With feet shoulder width apart push bottom back and lower down, keeping your knees behind your toes, until thighs are parallel to the floor. Push up through your heels and repeat.

Push-Ups

On toes, lower into a push up as low as you can or until chin touches floor. Extend elbows to push back up and repeat, keeping your body in a straight line. If push-ups on toes are too difficult, go on your knees. If that becomes too difficult as well, move into a wall push-up.

Sit-Ups

Start with your knees bent and the balls of your feet and heels flat on the ground. Cross your hands over your chest or behind your head. keeping your heels and toes flat on the ground lift your head, then your shoulder blades off the ground. Sit all the way up, then lower your torso back to the ground and repeat.

So, pick and choose which exercises you want to do, or do them all. 4 minutes does not seem too long, but you'll feel it!

Circuit Training Workout 3

Squats with Overhead Press

Holding medium to heavy weights just over the shoulders, squat as low as you can (not to exceed 90 degrees) and do 3 slow pulses, only coming halfway up. On the fourth pulse, stand up and push the weights overhead. Repeat for 12 to 16 reps.

Plyo-Jacks

Begin with your feet together and jump up, taking feet out to the side while circling arms overhead and land in a squat. Jump up and bring feet back together, circling arms back in. This is just like a slow jumping jack, but really use power when pushing into the jumps. Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds.

*this picture does not show arm movement. Remember to add yous arms as in a normal jumping jacks. Also, this is showing a plie squat. For this exercise you want to keep your feet pointing straight ahead, not rotated to the outside.

Wall Sit with Chest Squeeze

Squeezing a medicine ball (or another type of ball if you do not have a medicine ball), slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold this position and keep pressure on the ball as you straighten your arms out in front of you and slowly pull them back in. Repeat the chest squeezes in and out for 12 to 16 reps, and then stand up.

Front Kick with Squat

Lower into a squat and, as you press up, kick out with the right leg. Repeat, squatting and kicking with the left leg. Continue alternating squats and kicks for 1 minute.

Walking Lunges with Lateral Raises

Step your right foot forward into a lunge and, with elbows bent to 90 degrees, lift your arms up to shoulder level. Step in, lower the arms, and repeat on the left foot. Continue walking lunges and lateral raises for 12 reps on each side.

Plyo-Lunge

Begin in a lunge position and jump up, switching feet in the air, and landing with the other foot forward in a lunge. Repeat for 30 seconds, rest and do 30 again it for 30 seconds more.

Low Lunges

Begin in a split stance, but with your feet closer together than a traditional lunge. Tip from the hips, keeping your back straight, and lunge down, taking the weights toward the floor on either side of the front foot. Keeping weight in the front foot, push halfway up and repeat for 16 reps, keeping the movement small and the weight on the front foot. Switch sides.

Push ups on the Ball

This is a very challenging move, targeting both balance and strength. Hold the ball wherever feels most comfortable for you and lower down until the chest touches the ball. Repeat for 12-16 reps. If you are struggling with balance, prop the ball against a wall. If you do not have a ball, do a regular push-up instead. 

Squat Thrusts

Stand with feet together. Squat down and place your hands on the floor next to your feet. In an explosive movement, jump feet backwards into a push-up position, jump feet back between hands and stand up. Perform 6 reps, briefly recover, repeat 6 more times.

Plank

Support the body on the elbows and toes, keeping the back straight and abs engaged. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.

For this circuit, there should be a rest of 30-90 seconds between exercises and 1-3 minutes between circuits. You can combine circuits or do the same circuit multiple times. If doing the same circuit, repeat 3-5 times. 

Quick Work-out

30 Jumping Jacks
5 Push-Ups
25 High Knees
7 Burpees
10 Crunches
7 Squats
5 Push-Ups
10 Crunches
5 Push-Ups
7 Squats
30 Jumping Jacks
1 Minute Wall Sit
5 Push-Ups
25 High Knees

Repeat 3-5 Times

Combination Exercise Workout

Here is a work-out that combines strengthening exercises to confuse the body and change up workouts in order to decrease the risk of plateaus.

Warm-Up: 5 minute jump rope (with or without rope)
Lunges with Shoulder Press
Step-Ups with Curl and Press
Squats with Rows
Stability Squat with Lateral and Front Raises

Perform each exercise 25 times. Repeat 2-4 times.

BOSU Work-Out

A BOSU Balance Trainer, or BOSU ball as it is often called, is a fitness training device, invented in 1999 by David Weck, consisting of an inflated rubber hemisphere attached to a rigid platform. It looks like a stability ball cut in half. The name is an acronym which stands for "BOth Sides Up" a reference to the two ways a BOSU ball can be positioned. The device is often used for balance training. When the dome side faces up, the BOSU ball provides an unstable surface while the device remains stable. This combination of stable/unstable allows a wide range of users, from the young, elderly, or injured to the elite level athlete. With the dome side up, the device can be used for athletic drills and aerobic activities. As the name suggests, the device can also be flipped over so that the platform faces up. In this position, the device is highly unstable and can be used for a wide array of exercises as well.

A BOSU trainer can be pricey as a piece of equipment (around $100), but it is a very useful fitness tool. A lot of gyms have BOSU trainers as part of their equipment. If you have access to a BOSU trainer, here is a basic work-out for you.

Bridges on BOSU
Plank on BOSU
Crunches on BOSU
V-Up on BOSU
BOSU Back Extensions
Mountain Climbers with hands on BOSU

Do each exercise for 1-2 minutes with 30-60 second rest between each exercise. Repeat 3-5 times.