Monday, May 2, 2011
Bodyweight exercises check-in
Today's time, including 5 min warm up and 5 min cool down was: 25 minutes! Not bad! Saving interval training for tomorrow.
Today, I start my first full week of TT Bodyweight 1000. I was supposed to workout at 9:30, but didn’t feel strong enough, so I’m waiting till 3:00. If you look at Friday’s workout, you’ll see what bodyweight exercises I’m doing.
By the way, it might burst your idea of what a good solid workout looks like. There’s no dumbbells, no fitness balls, medicine balls, kettlebells and no video. There’s nothing to it, just my bodyweight and a chin-up bar that adjusts to two different height levels in my doorway.
I guess we’ve gotten so brainwashed that you have to have lots of equipment, a gym, an instructor or a video in order to get a real workout, that we forget that gymnasts and the military develop strength using bodyweight exercises .
It has it’s pros and its cons. The biggest pro is I can do this anywhere. When I'm out hanging with the cats, I do squats, lunges, elevated push-ups, and several other exercises. The cats find it annoying because they're not getting my full attention, but hey! I get a side workout in. : )
Then there’s the cons. The biggest one - the cats love it when I do push-ups and bicycle crunches. It’s like for some reason they think it’s fun to try and shove their butt in my face.
Anyway, I’m listing here my weaknesses so it will force me to work on them.
1. I do sissy push-ups. Since my strokes (4 of them), and Dystonia (neuromuscular illness, that without my meds I look like a mini-Michael J. Fox), I stay pretty weak in the upper body, so my goal is to get back to being able to do “real” push-ups.
2. I do assisted chin and pull-ups. My goal by the end of the month is to do 1 real pull-up! or chin-up. I’ll take either one. It may not sound like much, but have you ever tried to do a pull-up? : )
There’s a bunch of different bodyweight workouts, and eventually I'll get around to doing most of them. So, how about this! Rather than just stop by and read my challenge for myself every day, how about joining me? Here’s a video, if you want to try the 100 version.
By the way, it might burst your idea of what a good solid workout looks like. There’s no dumbbells, no fitness balls, medicine balls, kettlebells and no video. There’s nothing to it, just my bodyweight and a chin-up bar that adjusts to two different height levels in my doorway.
I guess we’ve gotten so brainwashed that you have to have lots of equipment, a gym, an instructor or a video in order to get a real workout, that we forget that gymnasts and the military develop strength using bodyweight exercises .
It has it’s pros and its cons. The biggest pro is I can do this anywhere. When I'm out hanging with the cats, I do squats, lunges, elevated push-ups, and several other exercises. The cats find it annoying because they're not getting my full attention, but hey! I get a side workout in. : )
Then there’s the cons. The biggest one - the cats love it when I do push-ups and bicycle crunches. It’s like for some reason they think it’s fun to try and shove their butt in my face.
Anyway, I’m listing here my weaknesses so it will force me to work on them.
1. I do sissy push-ups. Since my strokes (4 of them), and Dystonia (neuromuscular illness, that without my meds I look like a mini-Michael J. Fox), I stay pretty weak in the upper body, so my goal is to get back to being able to do “real” push-ups.
2. I do assisted chin and pull-ups. My goal by the end of the month is to do 1 real pull-up! or chin-up. I’ll take either one. It may not sound like much, but have you ever tried to do a pull-up? : )
There’s a bunch of different bodyweight workouts, and eventually I'll get around to doing most of them. So, how about this! Rather than just stop by and read my challenge for myself every day, how about joining me? Here’s a video, if you want to try the 100 version.
Friday, April 29, 2011
A Wedding & A Workout
Image by Getty Images via @daylife Can't believe I've been awake since 2:45 AM, and all for Prince William and the now Princess Catherine's wedding which was really nice. It never dawned on me until a few minutes ago that I'm starting a new workout program today that's pretty tough, and I've got to do it on only 4 hours sleep. This is what my bodyweight 250 workout looks like:
Warm up: 2x’s through circuit
12 T-squats
6 per side off-set pushups
12 stick ups
6 per side spiderman climb
5 per side 1-leg RDL
Workout:
30 jumping jacks
20 close grip pushups
10 jumps
10 pullups
40 squats
25 pushups
20 walking lunges (10 each side)
15 underhand inverted rows
30 bicycle crunches (15 each side)
25 squats
25 jumping jacks
I’m doing this for one week. Later today I’ll do interval training on my recumbent exercise bike. Week to 2 will be a bodyweight 501 workout. Well, if I survive the 250. lol
Anyway, the bodyweight training is my new TT experiment. I like doing bodyweight because I can do part of my workout when I’m out playing with the cats. It’s nothing to do squats, pushups and stuff outside. You can’t do that with weights.
So, that’s my schedule for the day. Heading off to get it done before I fall to sleep again. : )
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Weight Loss for Women At Home
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
A woman's workout should consist of leg raises, biceps curls with soup cans, and triceps kickbacks with water bottles.
Can you believe that silliness?
Neither can I, but that is what passes for "professional fitness advice for women" these days.
I could see this info being accepted in the 1930's (maybe?), but in the year 2011? Please...
Does anyone really believe that biceps curls with water bottles is going to prepare women to carry their children to bed, a bag of heavy groceries in from the car, or swing a sledgehammer during home reno's?
No way. You need real-world workouts and fat loss advice. Not fluff.
Am I the only one that finds those types of recommendations disrespectful to the physical capabilities of women? You'd think that Linda Hamilton's chin-up scene in Terminator 2 would have turned the tide of female fitness, or perhaps Demi Moore's GI Jane.
I've watched women get fit fast at almost any age with Turbulence Training. In fact, we've had girls from 18 to 82 years young kickin' butt with Turbulence Training.
Today, I want to share the story of a classic "supermom", you know the mom with 3 active kids that has to drive them everywhere, eat on the run, and still find room for workouts. Her name is Brandy Kirton, and she'll show you how real women train, eat, and find the time to do it all with proper planning.
CB: Brandy, tell us about your past exercise and nutrition experiences. At what point did you find out about Turbulence Training and what persuaded you to start using it?
BK:
I started working out back on high school. I'm 30 now. I became a personal trainer for a few years in my early 20's. So I learned a lot about nutrition and weight training. I have been in great shape and not so great shape in the last 10 years. I think I found Turbulence Training just surfing the web and decided to give it a try. I was desperate to lose weight after my 3rd kid.
CB: And how was this a change from what you had done in the past?
BK:
I was doing 30 minutes of cardio and then lifted for 30 mins 3 to 4 times a week. That was if I actually could make time.
I would not work out if I knew I couldnt get it all in. I would think, "What's the point of 20 mins?".
CB: What kind of results have you achieved with Turbulence Training? And is there anything else, besides the results, you love about the Turbulence Training programs?
BK:
I love how it changes every month so I never get bored. I also love that I have no excuse about not having time to fit it in.
My results have been great. I am getting toned up and consistently loosing inches. I also have a lot more energy.
CB: Do you workout at home or in a gym?
BK:
I have to work out at home. No time to get to a gym.
CB: Has Turbulence Training had a positive impact on your lifestyle?
BK:
Turbulence Training has made a huge impact on me. I dont feel like it takes up my whole day or get bored of the same thing day in and day out.
I feel strong and love the daily emails. It helps me stay motivated. I work full time, have three kids 9, 5, and 11 months, and a husband. My older two kids play every sports so there really
is no extra time.
I have to get up at 5:30 to work out before they wake up but its worth it. I feel great after I am done and no matter what happens that day I have already got my work out in which feels great.
CB: Do you have any social support? If so, how has this helped
you?
BK:
My mom comes over in the mornings to work out with me. I need that accountability so that I don't sleep instead. Its hard to get up but I always feel so much better when I do.
CB: What are your daily obstacles and temptations that you have to avoid with respect to nutrition and training? And what strategies do you use?
BK:
With all the practices, games and running around I have to do its hard not to grab McDonald's with the kids.
I try to either bring food with me or wait until I get home. If I have to eat out I do try and find grilled chicken or subway.
CB: How do you plan your nutrition?
BK:
I have to go shopping on Sunday to stock up on all my healthy food. Otherwise I will eat whatever I can find which usually is not good for me.
CB: Thanks Brandy, keep up the great work.
****
The message is clear. Plan, prepare, commit, and be consistent. Brandy didn't use any magic pills or potions to succeed, she simply found a great workout plan, and did what she had to do.
As a supermom, Brandy practically has to create time out of thin air in order to do her workout, but again, she knows what she has to do and she does it. She's committed. She has social support. She knows the correct options for eating on the run. She has made the effort to plan for the obstacles (lack of time, workout motivation) that we all come across. And by doing that, she's cleared a simple path to success.
And she doesn't waste time in the gym with slow, boring cardio workouts. Instead, she sculpts her body in half the time with the Turbulence Training workouts.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
A woman's workout should consist of leg raises, biceps curls with soup cans, and triceps kickbacks with water bottles.
Can you believe that silliness?
Neither can I, but that is what passes for "professional fitness advice for women" these days.
I could see this info being accepted in the 1930's (maybe?), but in the year 2011? Please...
Does anyone really believe that biceps curls with water bottles is going to prepare women to carry their children to bed, a bag of heavy groceries in from the car, or swing a sledgehammer during home reno's?
No way. You need real-world workouts and fat loss advice. Not fluff.
Am I the only one that finds those types of recommendations disrespectful to the physical capabilities of women? You'd think that Linda Hamilton's chin-up scene in Terminator 2 would have turned the tide of female fitness, or perhaps Demi Moore's GI Jane.
I've watched women get fit fast at almost any age with Turbulence Training. In fact, we've had girls from 18 to 82 years young kickin' butt with Turbulence Training.
Today, I want to share the story of a classic "supermom", you know the mom with 3 active kids that has to drive them everywhere, eat on the run, and still find room for workouts. Her name is Brandy Kirton, and she'll show you how real women train, eat, and find the time to do it all with proper planning.
CB: Brandy, tell us about your past exercise and nutrition experiences. At what point did you find out about Turbulence Training and what persuaded you to start using it?
BK:
I started working out back on high school. I'm 30 now. I became a personal trainer for a few years in my early 20's. So I learned a lot about nutrition and weight training. I have been in great shape and not so great shape in the last 10 years. I think I found Turbulence Training just surfing the web and decided to give it a try. I was desperate to lose weight after my 3rd kid.
CB: And how was this a change from what you had done in the past?
BK:
I was doing 30 minutes of cardio and then lifted for 30 mins 3 to 4 times a week. That was if I actually could make time.
I would not work out if I knew I couldnt get it all in. I would think, "What's the point of 20 mins?".
CB: What kind of results have you achieved with Turbulence Training? And is there anything else, besides the results, you love about the Turbulence Training programs?
BK:
I love how it changes every month so I never get bored. I also love that I have no excuse about not having time to fit it in.
My results have been great. I am getting toned up and consistently loosing inches. I also have a lot more energy.
CB: Do you workout at home or in a gym?
BK:
I have to work out at home. No time to get to a gym.
CB: Has Turbulence Training had a positive impact on your lifestyle?
BK:
Turbulence Training has made a huge impact on me. I dont feel like it takes up my whole day or get bored of the same thing day in and day out.
I feel strong and love the daily emails. It helps me stay motivated. I work full time, have three kids 9, 5, and 11 months, and a husband. My older two kids play every sports so there really
is no extra time.
I have to get up at 5:30 to work out before they wake up but its worth it. I feel great after I am done and no matter what happens that day I have already got my work out in which feels great.
CB: Do you have any social support? If so, how has this helped
you?
BK:
My mom comes over in the mornings to work out with me. I need that accountability so that I don't sleep instead. Its hard to get up but I always feel so much better when I do.
CB: What are your daily obstacles and temptations that you have to avoid with respect to nutrition and training? And what strategies do you use?
BK:
With all the practices, games and running around I have to do its hard not to grab McDonald's with the kids.
I try to either bring food with me or wait until I get home. If I have to eat out I do try and find grilled chicken or subway.
CB: How do you plan your nutrition?
BK:
I have to go shopping on Sunday to stock up on all my healthy food. Otherwise I will eat whatever I can find which usually is not good for me.
CB: Thanks Brandy, keep up the great work.
****
The message is clear. Plan, prepare, commit, and be consistent. Brandy didn't use any magic pills or potions to succeed, she simply found a great workout plan, and did what she had to do.
As a supermom, Brandy practically has to create time out of thin air in order to do her workout, but again, she knows what she has to do and she does it. She's committed. She has social support. She knows the correct options for eating on the run. She has made the effort to plan for the obstacles (lack of time, workout motivation) that we all come across. And by doing that, she's cleared a simple path to success.
And she doesn't waste time in the gym with slow, boring cardio workouts. Instead, she sculpts her body in half the time with the Turbulence Training workouts.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)