DO AND BE

Success in life comes in cans, and failure comes in cant's!

Round One:
1) Elliptical- 10 minutes/Resistance- 7-9;increase every 2 minutes/Incline- 8; increase every 2 minutes/Strides Per Minute- 165-185 (If you can keep this pace for 10 minutes great...if not, please set your work load and incline for your specific fitness level. Try to make this a challenge that you work toward).
2) Body Weight Squats (no rest/continuous motion)- 100x
3) Push-ups- 10x
4) Body Weight Alternating Lunge Steps In Place (Stepping Forward)- 50x
*Make sure it is continuous without stopping
5) Push-ups- 10x
6) Body Weight Alternating Lunge Steps In Place (Stepping Backward)- 50x
*Make sure it is continuous without stopping
7) Push-ups- 10x + Sit-ups- 25x + Bicycle Pumps (2 pumps on each side)- 50x
8) Step-Mill- 10 minutes/Resistance 8-10; increase resistance every 2 min/For each minute that you are stepping, you will do the following: 1st-30 sec step on each stair; 2nd-30 sec. skip each stair. (If you can keep this pace for 10 minutes great...if not, please set your work load for your specific fitness level. Try to make this a challenge that you work toward).


Round Two:
1) Body Weight Walking Lunges- 1 lap around the track or 200 Lunge Steps
2) One Crunch + One Sit-ups (2=1)- 15 times
3) Core Plank- 1 minute
4) Six Laps around the track- on every 2nd lap- do 10 squat jumps at each corner
*For example- Run 1st lap regular/On 2nd lap do 10 squat jumps at each corner of the lap/3rd lap-regular…
*If you don't have access to a track- Run in Place 30sec + 10 squat jumps after each 30 sec mark (do this six times. You may also decide to create your own cardio challenge for this round. Always be creative! :)5) Core Plank- 1 minute
6) Roman Chair- (knees-to-chest)- 15x
7) On Bench- Reverse Crunches (roll knees-into-chest)- 25x
*keep your heels close to your butt/lead from your belly button not your legs
8) Wall- Sit- 30 sec + 10 Squat Jumps/Wall-Sit- 40 sec + 15 Squat Jumps/Wall Sit- 50sec + 20 Squat Jumps/Wall Sit- 60 sec + 25 Squat Jumps (watch your form/make sure you are sitting in an L (legs form an L-shape on your wall sit; Squat low and jump from the bottom and land in the bottom on squat jumps).
*ABSOLUTELY NO REST! Your rest time is when you are sitting on the wall.

Nice Work...You Did It! Way To Get After It! :)

BOTH SIDES UP

Exercise balls have been around for more than 100 years. The balls that can turn simple exercises such as crunches into core-building exercises that work many of the major muscle groups of the body. Why are exercise balls so effective? They are effective because you must stabilize your entire body to do the exercises.

The BOSU Ball (a half ball mounted on a platform) has some similar properties as a regular exercise ball. What makes this piece of equipment so unique is that it also requires muscle power for balance, but provides enough stability so that you feel comfortable and don't get injured. This piece of equipment helps build strength and endurance in the major muscles of your legs and trunk that will tone you up and prevent back pain. The BOSU can be the ultimate challenging exercise tool...you can challenge yourself by doing several upper and lower body exercises on both sides of the BOSU Ball...each side has a different component (one side being soft and where the half ball is located/the flip side being hard...the black platform side) that makes each exercise different, unique, and challenging.

Always mix things up. If you haven't tried using a BOSU Ball...give it a try. There are so many possibilities available to you when you use this unique piece of equipment.

IDEA Personal Trainer, Feb., 2003.

The Center Of Your Universe

LISTEN UP EVERYONE...I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE AND I AM GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN.  

Do you know how important your abdominal muscles are to your overall health?

Did you know that when you are doing an activity, your abdominal muscles help stabilize your body during start-and-stop movements. This is important because if you have weak abdominal muscles, it is your joints that will absorb all the force--putting too much pressure on them.

Did you also know that when you run, bike, play a sport, or even just walk...it is your core that is the essential muscle group used to perform all these activities. Your core strength gives you the power to perform. So for example, if your golf swing is weak, strong abs will improve that. Researchers have found that abdominals fired first among all the muscles when playing sports or doing any activity.

SO WORK THAT CORE! KEEP IT STRONG AND HEALTHY! IT IS THE CENTER OF YOU!

IT IS TIME TO DEFY GRAVITY, TIME TO RISE UP

I will test my mettle, pull hard against these restraints. I will not let conventional thinking rule me. As I stand here, the chain will bury deep into my sides, the resistance weight will pull me down. But I WILL FIGHT. I WILL DEFY GRAVITY. If I fall, I will get right back up. Life is short and every minute that passes hurtles us closer to the end. In the time that I have, I have bound myself to this chosen life and it to me--these words are the contract that binds me to my body...to my fitness...to my health. I will do whatever it takes.

STATE OF THE ART Customized Training Station

Entrance of Strength/Force/Power. A Couple Of Exercises Performed On The New Dofitness Multi-Training Station. Two Forces Becoming One Inter-Connected Process. Combined Forces of Strength And Beauty...Mind And Body- Through Each Other Promising To Transform. A Strength Training Realm.

Smile Now Cry Later

SMILE NOW CRY LATER… 

Smile- To Act Happy When Everyone Is Around You.

Cry- When You Are All Alone.

Smile- To Put On A Brave Face Each And Every Day.

Cry- It Hurts So Bad...Deep Inside Nobody Knows.

Smile- You Are Trying To Do The Best You Can And You Are Not Giving Up.

Cry- To Have To Fight Day In And Day Out.

Smile- To Have Positive Thoughts For The First Time In A Long Time.

Cry- It Is Still Too Hard To See With All This Pain Deep Within You.

Smile Now Cry Later…Is What Life Is All About. Holding onto life tightly and afraid to let go. Life is short and is full of grief and pain. To put a smiling face on and face what needs to be done and at the same time face your truth- the battle cry and confusion of your unknown. Find out for yourself what is true, so that you are able to face the world with the ability to understand yourself and your purpose in this world.

Pleasure and Pain Exist For The Other. Instead Of Opposites, They Are Complementaries And Each Is A Function Of The Other. If You Had Not Felt Pain, How Can You Distinguish Pleasure?

To Be Whole, Let Yourself Break. To Expand, You Must Shrink. To Strengthen, You Must First Weaken. To Raise Up, You Must Be Knocked Down. You Win By Losing. You Lose By Winning. You Smile By Crying. You Cry By Smiling. 

STAY STRONG!!!

Strengthen Your Abs For Better Performance

No Excuses-Endless Options Of Training

"The potential of the average person is like a huge ocean unsailed, a new continent unexplored, a world of possibilities waiting to be released and channeled toward some great good." - Brian Tracy

Please take this quote seriously and really believe in it...keep it close to your heart. Each and every one of you has that potential to go all the way. You must believe in that potential and put forth that effort in wanting to succeed. I BELIEVE IN YOU!

I had a couple of requests today on what exercises you can do when training outside the gym and/or training on the road. This is actually a very good topic and a highly requested one. In many instances, I have had several clients tell me that they just couldn't workout when they went on vacation because there wasn't a gym in the hotel or that they had the time when they traveled but just didn't know what they should do for their workout. YOU HAVE ENDLESS OPTIONS OF TRAINING! AREN'T YOU SO EXCITED, I KNOW THAT I AM. I AM EXCITED FOR YOU!

First, you must understand the effectiveness of bodyweight exercises. I hear so many people say you just can't get a good workout with bodyweight exercises or I don't feel like my body is working so hard when I do bodyweight exercises! That is an IGNORANT WAY OF THINKING!

Bodyweight exercises are effective if they are done correctly and can deliver the results when the need for equipment is unavailable. I do also suggest that when you are traveling take a jump rope and a resistance cable, which are two pieces of equipment that are easy and light-weight to pack. You can use these two pieces of equipment to make a solid intense workout for 30 minutes. Creativity is important when designing a workout on the road. Each round should include a strength exercise, endurance exercise, and a power exercise (which involves upper and/or lower body plyometrics).

SAMPLE WORKOUT:
*GOAL: TRY TO COMPLETE THIS WORKOUT WITHOUT RESTING
1. Sit-ups- 25 times + Core Plank- 1 minute
2. Push-ups- 20 times + Superman/woman lifts- 45 seconds
3. One Crunch + One Sit-up- 25 times + Core Plank- 1 min 30 sec
4. Two-Motion Push-ups (2=1) + Superman/woman Hold- 45 seconds
5. Jumping Jacks in Place- 100 times + Squats- as many as you can do in 2 min.
6. Squat Jumps- 25 times + Walking Lunges- as many as you can do in 2 min
7. Split Squat Jumps- 20 times each leg + Two-Motion Squats (2=1)- same as above
8. Burpees or Mountain Climbers- 30 sec + Wall Sit- 2 min
9. Sit-up Twist/Twist- 25 times + Finger-Facing Push-ups- 20 times + Core Plank- 1min
10. One Crunch + One Sit-up Twist/Twist (2=1)- 25 times +
2-motion Finger-Facing Push-ups (2=1)- 20 + Core Plank- 1 min

DONE! YOU DID IT! WAY TO GO!
As you can see, after doing this workout, your body is fatigued and your heart rate is up. Key points to remember- use full range of motion on all exercises, make sure you are contracting the right muscle groups at the right time, add resistance in your mind on both the positive and the negative for each exercise, stabilize from your core at all times.
And most importantly, FUEL YOUR TRAINING WITH INTENSITY. CHALLENGE YOURSELF AND DON'T GIVE IN TO FAILURE.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU DO!

Let Nothing Stand Between You and Your Core

Strong Abs Can Help You Live Longer!
Facts:
1. Studies reveal that by developing a strong abdominal section, you'll reduce overall body fat and significantly cut the risk factors associated with heart disease, diabetes, and cancer-including colon, kidney, and breast cancers.
2. Abdominal strength offers protection to the rest of your body. A strong core improves the performance of your other muscles. Remember, the stronger your abs, the stronger you are-and the safer you are.
3. Abdominal fat leads to poor sleep. And we all know what poor sleep does to us overall. You feel sluggish and tired all day, so you turn to quick-energy junk food, which leads to more abdominal fat. Break the cycle and sleep easier by strengthening your midsection.
4. When you are doing any type of activity, your abdominal muscles help stabilize your body during start-and-stop movements. VERY IMPORTANT POINT: If you have weak abdominal muscles, your joints absorb all the force-putting far more pressure on them than they are built to withstand.
5. If you run, bike, golf, or just walk, your essential muscle group isn't your legs or your arms-IT IS YOUR CORE! Developing core strength gives you the power to perform. So if you're weak off your tennis serve, strong abs will improve that.
6. A flat stomach is the hallmark of people in control of their bodies...in control of their health and life. These people become the icons of strength and good health...they are telling the world they are disciplined, motivated, confident, and healthy.

Be Careful!!!!!!
Please be careful on how much alcohol you consume. It is okay to have one or two alcoholic drinks in your week, but there are many ways alcohol can get you into trouble. You must understand that alcohol adds empty calories to your daily eating regimen...these calories are known as empty because they don't actually make you full or decrease the amount of food you will eat. Liquor also makes you store fat, and the following pattern occurs once the alcohol enters your body.
***Your body sees alcohol as a poison and tries to get rid of it. So your liver stops processing all other calories until it has dealt with the alcohol. Anything you eat while you're drinking most likely will end up as fat. YIKES! SO BE CAREFUL...AND BE AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE YOUR BODY!

www.absdiet.com

An Indomitable Core

"Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress." - Alfred A. Montapert

This quote hits it right on the horse's head! I see so many people making this mistake when training abs. They will do a sit-up so fast that they're not sure where they are feeling the burn. Or even with crunches, they will use so much momentum and speed that their ABS JUST DON'T GET IT. Unfortunately, they use other parts of their body such as back, neck, and hip flexors. They don't get or see the results they want and eventually give up and lose the motivation to train the core.

First off, you must understand your core and how it works. The core involves both your abdominals (which consists of four paired flat muscles) and lower back. Many people get confused about effective core training and the result is an overlooked lower back. This unfortunately develops an imbalance in strength and posture...and then comes INJURY!

Next, the core is the center of your universe. It is the link between your upper and your lower body. Your core provides stability, strength, power, improves coordination, speed, but most importantly protection from injury (especially lower back pain/injury).

Training your core has so many benefits, but it still seems to be an area people hate to train. Many people will spend only 5 minutes after their workout to train their abs (not their core). Some will refuse to train them all together and others will make arrangements to have surgery. NO! NO! NO!

The point is that you must remember your core is like any other body part, and it must be trained with INTENSITY...A REGULAR DOSE OF HARD WORK! THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO A POWERFUL CORE!

Don't forget in order to train your core effectively...body position, form, and target- focus are key elements.
1. Make sure your body position is comfortable on the mat/bench/swiss ball
2. Make sure to find a breathing pattern that works for you
3. Make sure to locate the center of your core (belly-button area). Contract that area ten times before you get started. Make sure you are pushing your lower back down when you contract your belly button. THIS IS YOUR TARGET AREA!

Finally, consistency and variety are key elements to effective core training. Consistency will help with your progression and you will get closer to reaching your goals. Many make the mistake of limiting their core workouts to the same two to three movements. The core will have a tough time responding effectively so variety will help with progress, boredom, and motivation. So TRAIN HARD AND EFFECTIVE! Don't settle for anything else. YOU ARE WHAT YOU DO!

My challenge to you is to train your CORE: Four times this week. Write down your exercises and sets/reps. This will help keep you on track and you can refer to this tracking to see the progress you are making.

Challenge Your Core

Not only do you want to exercise intensely and incorporate ab contractions throughout your workouts, but understand that your eating regimen is key in developing and losing fat in your midsection. Cut down on starches (simple sugars), especially at night. 

These trigger the release of insulin, which increase fat storage. 
*If you exercise before breakfast...this forces the body to use stored fat as fuel. **If you exercise after dinner...you will use circulating sugar and will burn more fat at night. Lift weights to increase muscle mass and speed your metabolism. Try to eat several small meals during the day....it takes energy to digest food. 

The most important principle of fat control...take in fewer calories than you use.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, that if you train intensely your body needs food for fuel, so don't cut your calories too much on the days that you train hard. Pay attention to your body....your body will let you know if you need more calories (ex: by a decrease in energy and performance and a lack in toning/building lean muscle mass). Remember, if you don't cut weight gradually....you will lose too much muscle mass.

ACSM Health Fitness J., 5: 9-14, 2001.

The CORE Message

THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR:

IF YOU WANT TO GET STRONGER IN OTHER LIFTS AND STAY INJURED-FREE, DEVELOP YOUR ABS!