Bikes & Bells - Hill Circuits

Tonight's Bikes & Bells class was alot of fun (as they all are).  I was pretty tired going into it, and I wasn't quite sure that I'd have the energy tonight. However, once we got on the bike and started spinning, it was all good!  After a 5-minute warmup, the rounds were designed as 5:00 on the bike and 2:00 on the bells. Tonight's bike portion was focused on hill climbs. We pushed heavy resistance and even hit a few breakaways, which were left us winded and working anaerobically for short periods of time.

Warm-up: 5:00 Bike

Round 1
5:00 Bike - Seated Climb
2:00 KB 1H Swings (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Round 2
5:00 Bike - Standing Climb
2:00 OH Squats (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Round 3
5:00 Bike - Run with resistance; Jumps on Hill
2:00 KB Snatches (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Round 4
5:00 Bike - Breakaways
2:00 Racked KB Squat/Presses (1:00 L, 1:00 R)

Round 5
5:00 Bike - Sprints on Hill
2:00 Dead Cleans (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Round 6
5:00 Bike - Freeform Climb
2:00 High Pulls (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Cool-Down: 5:00 Bike

Enjoy!

You Look Like a Sweaty Water Bottle...

Tonight's Bikes & Bells Class was another good one!  The humidity was pretty high and the temperature outside was about 95 degrees. The gym was hot and sauna-like, just the way I prefer it.  I was full of energy and ready to rock it out tonight!  We kept class very simple, but it was a really good time.  This week was our designated recovery week, so we tried to keep our session relatively simple and short.  We worked for about 50 mins and had 15 mins of well-deserved stretching. 

The funniest comment of the night was when my client said that I looked like a sweaty water bottle.  We laughed sooo hard!!  I love it!  I was retaining a ton of water, so the perspiration defintiely helped. I actually lost 5.5 pounds during the workout - HA!

 

Cheers folks!  Sweat it out!!

This Morning's Workout: 5x5 Kettlebell Cardio Circuit

I designed this workout a few days ago. My clients did it last night (completed rounds 1-4 in about 65 mins). Since I was too exhausted, I did it this morning in its entirety.  It builds upon the Bikes & Bells Workout we did on Tuesday, but has longer strength circuit rounds.  I called it "5 x 5" (5-by-5) because it consists of 5 minutes of cardio followed by 5 minutes of strength conditioning.  It took me 75 minutes to complete the workout, and I burned approx 780 calories.  I did all of my cardio rounds on the treadmill so that I could get my 2 miles in for the day.  I exceeded the target slightly and completed 2.07 miles total.  The cardio rounds were a little longer than 5 minutes to allow for transition time and ramp-up. The objective, though, was to have 5 minutes of active working time in the cardio round, followed or preceeded by up to 1:00 of walking/jogging to get prepared.  Enjoy!

Warm-up: Treadmill 5:00

Cardio 1: Treadmill 5:00
Circuit 1 (5:00)
KB Swings  (Cycled through ~0:30 on the 16kg, 20kg, 24kg for the 5:00 time)

Cardio 2: Treadmill 5:00
Circuit 2 (5:00)
Alt Front Lunges with KB x 5/side (10 total reps)
KB Squat & Kick x 10/side
Step-ups x 10/side

Cardio 3: Treadmill 5:00
Circuit 3 (5:00)
Turkish Getups (2R, 2L, then alternate 1/side to finish out the clock)

Cardio 4: Treadmill 5:00
Circuit 4 (5:00)
Complete as many rounds as you can in the 5:00 time
KB Dead Clean x 5L
KB 1H Swing x 5L
KB Snatch x 5L
Repeat all on the opposite side

Cardio 5: Treadmill (5:00)
Circuit 5 (5:00)
Complete as many rounds as you can in the 5:00 time
TRX Squat x 10
TRX Row x 10
TRX Chest Press x 10
TRX OH Tricep Press x 10

Later this evening, I will have a 30-minute endurance cycling class with my clients. It should be relaxing. My objective between now and then is to fuel my body properly and to hydrate. I woke up this morning pretty dehydrated, so I need to work on replenishing myself today. I was also drenched after this morning's workout, so I'm sure that my trace minerals are completely gone.

Until later....

Tonight's Workout: FitGirl's Bikes & Bells Class

Tonight, I have my "Bikes & Bells" class with my clients. I've been feeling out of it for the past 2 days. All I've wanted to do is sleep, and I have been feeling incredibly (unusually) dizzy all day today. I'm not sure if I have a touch of food poisoning.  I made some korean style short ribs last night, but I bought the meat on Friday night. It may have sat too long in the fridge.  Anyway, I hope to make it through my workout tonight. I'll post back with the verdict..lol...

ETA: This workout was JUST what I needed!!  It was kick a$$ and FANTASTIC!!  The body of our workout was right at 60 minutes, with about 7 minutes of stretching and post-workout chatter :-). 

I set my GymBoss in manual mode with 2 intervals (5:00 and 3:30 to allow 30-seconds to transition off the bike to the bells).  This was one tough workout!!  Here's how we broke it down:

Warm-up: 5:00 on bike
Bike: 5:00 speed drills
Bells: 3:00 Swings @ 24kg (even did some 1H swings...a first for me!)
Bike: 5:00 Jumps on Hill
Bells: 3:00 Snatches (alt 3/side) @ 16kg
Bike: 5:00 Hills (4:00 at Standing Climb)
Bells: 3:00 Alternate between 5 Squats & 5 Alt. Lunges @ 16kg
Bike: 5:00 Sprints (4-0:30 sprints, mixed with recovery on flat)
Bells: 3:00 Triple Threat with Squat used 12kg and 16kg -- was really tough to curl 16kg
Bike: 5:00 Breakaways x 3
Cool-Down: 5:00 on bike
STRETCH

I burned about 740 calories with this workout (and my HRM is calibrated per my resting heart rate and limits are set using the Karvonean formula, so it's relatively accurate as far as estimated calorie expenditure is concerned.) 

Anyway, give this workout a shot if you have an indoor cycling bike at home!

Tonight's Workout: Skogg Intervals L3

Tonight, I did Skogg Intervals L3. It was AWESOME!  I used the 12kg for rounds 1 & 3, and the 16kg for round 2.  That workout is tough, but I love it!!  I finished up with about 10 minutes on my cycling bike.

I also had an excellent check-point meeting with my nutrition coach. He offered some sound advice and suggestions. He also reminded me to keep my OCD in check and offered hints for conquering some bad habits.

Tonight's Workout - Circuit Training

Tonight's workout was just fantastic!  I'm getting so much energy and endurance back. The eating plan for the 60-day challenge is working. I'm seeing noticeable results, feeling good about myself, and all of that encourages me to push harder & longer during my workouts and eat clean outside of the gym.  I put together a really fun workout tonight. I just loved it, and I pushed myself to the limits once again.

Warm-up (5 mins): 5:00 on the elliptical + light stretching

Circuit Workout (40 mins):
Complete the following circuit as many times as possible in 40 minutes:
2H KB Swings x 20
KB OH Squat x 5/side
TRX Rows x 10
Push-ups x 10
Treadmill x 2:00-3:00 (take a few seconds to warm-up, jog or run for 2:00, take another few seconds to come down)

Cool-Down (15 mins):  5:00 treadmill walking, 10:00 spin bike

My Results: I made it through 6 complete rounds in 40 minutes, and I was going HEAVY on those swings. I really focused on getting a good bend in my knees, creating a powerful hip snap, and "hiking" the bell through my legs on the decent.  I was drenched in sweat after this workout. I put my clients through the same main circuit tonight; they alternated between the bike and treadmill on the cardio segment. They did great, and made it through 4 rounds plus final 1:30 of treadmill/bike.

Exercise	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6
2H KB Swings	16kg	20kg	20kg	24kg	24kg (5-2H, 5-1HL, 5-1HR, 5-2H)!!	20kg
KB OH Squats	16kg	16kg	12kg	12kg	12kg	12kg
TRX Rows	Mid-Row	Mid-Row Alt Leg Lifts - 5L, 5R	Mid-Row Alt Leg Lifts - 5L, 5R	Low Row	Low Row	Low Row on knees!
Push Ups	On Toes	On Toes Alt leg up - 5L, 5R	Spider PushUps On Toes	On Toes Stacked	On Toes	On Knees Slow & Deep
Treadmill	2:20	3:15	2:30	2:05	2:15	2:10

Oh, and I burned about 750 calories during this workout! AWESOME!

MB45 Advanced DVD - Pre-Order now available!

I posted a few weeks ago raving about the MB45 Essentials workout.  It's actually one of the 2 DVDs that I have in my workout rotation for this month in conjunction with Skogg System workouts.  I mentioned that an Advanced version of MB45 is in the works. Well, I received the announcement today that the pre-sale for the new Advanced DVD is here!!  I think the DVD will ship sometime in early June, but don't quote me on that. You can find the MB45 Advanced workout in the MBody store. If you don't yet have a copy of MB45 Essentials, I also suggest that you pick that up too; you need it in your life :-) (and keep in mind that Essentials does not mean Easy...my any stretch of the imagination - lol). 

Bottom line: I am very impressed with MBody Strength. The way they train in their gym is the way that I like to train myself. I enjoy their articles, videos, and training programs alot.  Keep doing good work, MBody team!!!

Disclaimer Note: I am not being remunerated for my endorsement of this or any MBody strength product. I simply really loved the Essentials DVD and have been excited about the release of the Advanced version. I plan to add it to my DVD library and can't wait to do so!

Here's a description of the MB45 Advanced workout (from the product page at the MBody store):

The long awaited sequel to the MB45 Essentials is finally on its way!

The MB45 Advanced Workout is going to take your strength and conditioning to a whole new level with tougher exercises, combinations and sets then the MB45 Essentials.

The MB45 Advanced Plan is geared to drop serious body-fat and gain some serious strength!

You'll need two Kettlebells for this barrel of fun!
With exercises like:
-Double Snatches
-Double Swings
-Gorilla Cleans
-Outside the Leg Cleans
-Alternating Floor Press
-See Saw Press
-And much more!

With the MB45 Advanced you will get:
-Three full-body workouts that will take under 50 minutes and tons of cool new exercises. These workouts ain't yo momma's kettlebell workouts. These are the real deal! A killer combination of strength and conditioning.

-A short core workout that will take under 20 minutes. This is a great workout to loosen up from a tough week while giving your core a great workout.

-Full instructional section

-Full nutrition plan designed from our in-house nutrition specialist and trainer, Sam. She's not gonna just throw some crazy eating plan at you. This is based off of her years of research and studies.

-Full schedule that will give you the BEST results from this plan.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT SOME RANDOM PLAN!

As with all plans from MBody, this program was and is still being used by groups at the MBody Training Center with our clients getting great results as well as a handful of Secret Service agents.
The consensus has been the same all around…

This workout is BRUTAL!

However, if you don't feel ready for something that intense don't fret. There are ways to make it easier which are fully explained during each session so there is a workout for everyone.

Of course, anytime you have questions you can contact us at info@mbodystrength.com and we will be more than happy to help!

A great way to get results and show us that the plan is working for you is to take before and after pics. We love to see the results people get. They can truly be life-changing!

If you're convinced then scroll on up and hit the order button. You will not be disappointed! If you are we'll be more than happy to send your money back. That's how confident we are in this program.

Don't delay! It's time to get you into fighting shape and get your body to it's ultimate potential.

Tonight's Workout - Circuit Training

Tonight's workout was another good one!  I did my workout immediately after my client left. One person in the group didn't show up, so I actually did part of the workout with the person who came.  Anyway, the main circuit was loosely inspired by a workout that I saw in Men's Health Magazine.  Of course, I made my own modifications and substitutions to change the overall flow of the drills and account for the ability level of my class.
After class, I completed another round of the main circuit, but instead of taking the 0:30 of rest, I did treadmill work anywhere from 0:45 to 2:00 of jogging/running. I trended on the longer end of 2:00 treadmill rounds once I got the hang of it. Once I reached a mile, I did steep, slow incline walking during the transition periods. I was definitely on a mission as I completed it.  As I've mentioned before, I just despise running/jogging of any type.  However, tonight I was just focused on meeting the goal.  I was so proud of myself. The workout was tough on its own, and the treadmill work just made it all that more demanding. I finished with 1 round of bonus circuit 1. It took me about 45 minutes. I was DRENCHED at the end of my workout!
Circuit (2-3x)
Perform each exercise for 1:00, with 0:30 rest in between.
More advanced exercisers can either do jogging sets during the rest periods or shorten the rest to 0:20.
DB Goblet Squats
Mountain Climbers/Glute Bridges (can be done on the floor, stability ball, TRX)
2H KB Swings
TRX Chest Press (could sub with Push-Ups or T-Pushups)
Jumping Jacks/High Knees (0:30 per exercise)
1-Arm DB Rows (0:30/side)
3-Way DB Lunges - Front, Side, Back (use bodyweight if DB's are too challenging)
DB Matrix: Bicep Curl into OH Press into RDL (this is a very slow, deliberate exercise)
Rest 2:00

Bonus Circuit 1
Advanced exercisers should double the reps on all exercises
KB Squat (hold bell by belly) x 5
KB Squat & Push Press (hold bell by belly) x 5
Rack KB Squat & Kick x 5/side
KB Squat & Push Press (hold bell by belly) x 5
KB OH Back Lunge x 5 (if back lunges are too tough, change it to a front lunge)
KB Squat & Push Press (hold bell by belly) x 5
2H KB Swings x 10
KB Squat & Push Press (hold bell by belly) x 5
BW Squats x 10

Bonus Circuit 2
Beginners should complete 2 times (L, R).
Intermediate exercisers should complete 4 times (L, R, L, R).
Advanced exercisers should count one time on the Left and one time on the Right as 1 time through the circuit and do 5 total rounds.
TGU x 2L
OH Squat x 2L
Windmill x 2L
2H Swing x 10

An Interesting Observation about Swings

Over the past few months, I've come to the realization that my body has become incredibly efficient at performing the kettlebell swing.... almost too efficient.  What say you?? Too efficient?? How can this be?!?

 

Let me be very clear about my statement. I did NOT say that the kettlebell swing is by any means easy or ineffective.  I simply said that after many years of swinging, my body has become used to the movement and very efficient at performing it.  I do not feel the key activation in my posterior chain as much as I used to. 

 

My efficiency with the swing really became prevalent to me when I was watching Skogg 101 - the instructional DVD of the Skogg System (yes, I do like to revisit basics time and time) and again when I taught a kettlebell orientation to my newest group of clients about 2 months ago.  My training partner also commented that she could tell that I was used to high rep swings and snatches, which is true.  I also recall an old AOS Minute of Strenth video (#162 - embedded below) that addressed this very issue.  I actually perform my swings much like Collin demonstrates in the first part of the video. 

 

I don't have a Bulldog Collar (shown in the video) to help make my body overcome the complacency in the movement.  However, I do have a simple solution that I've been practicing on my own, and I find that it's working for me (and, like Anthony says, using a heavier bell hasn't always been the answer for this one). 

 

My Solution: I am actually bending my knees a more and forcing ("football hiking") the bell back farther through my legs. BUT, there is a marked difference between bending my knees more to perform the swing and squatting. I am not squatting at all (nor should you).  I am placing the emphasis on loading my hamstrings, using a powerful hip drive/snap, and creating the crease/fold at the top of my hips to execute the swing.  Thus far, increasing the bend in my knees is accomplishing several things for me during my swing:
1) I am re-loading my hamstrings more with each repetition
2) my hip snap is powerful and more pronounced
3) my heart rate is getting up higher and feeling more like it did when I picked up the bell the very first time (and was sucking wind when I tried to do a 2 consecutive minutes of swings..lol - memories!)

I'll keep practicing, with variations of swings and kettlebell sizes, and see if this helps my body see the swing as a new exercise again.

 

Anyway, those are my thoughts for today.
Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms out there!

 

The break down continued from art of strength on Vimeo.

Today's Workout - Keith Weber Extreme Kettlebell Cardio vol 1

Today was an outstanding workout!  I was very proud of myself for getting through it. Today, I wanted to conquer Keith Weber's Extreme KB Cardio, vol 1.  I've never been able to complete the workout any of the three times that I tried it in the past.  In fact, I only made it through the first round at with effort. I simply felt that the pace was too fast for me (but something to work up to), and I think that I kept going too heavy with my kettlebell. I absolutely love this workout, and was ready to make it mine today!  Since this is an endurance workout (similar to AOS Newport), I decided to use my 8kg bell (as recommended). Instead of following along with the DVD, I wrote the entire workout down, and went at my own pace.  It took me about 70 minutes to do the workout (included a few water & talking breaks :-) ). Regardless, that was the ticket...I am so proud that I finally completed the entire workout, and it was so much fun!  I can't wait to do it again!!  The 8kg was just right.  It will take a while to graduate up the 12kg for this workout, very similar for my personal experience with AOS Newport as well.  I'm looking forward to sticking to my goal of doing this workout a few more times this month.  The cardio effect is incredible.  This workout was a great booster, and I definitely feel it metabolically 7 hours later.  I'll plan to move to vol 2 later in the summer :-)

As for the earlier part of this week, my training has been great (although my blogging has not - lol).  I got in 3 KB-only workouts this week (Sun, Mon, Sat), 1 indoor cycling class COMBINED with kettlebells (Thurs), 3 treadmill cardio workouts (Sun, Mon, Wed), and 2 days off (Tues/Fri).  It's been a really good week.  I was very weak on Thursday due to "lady issues," but I'm back in action now.  I still plan to get in some additional cardio later tonight. 
My nutrition this week has also been pretty good, but there were a few days when I didn't eat quite enough (stress again).  It's a constant balancing act, but I'm getting better at it.

How has your training week been?

Cheers!

Tonight's Workout

Man oh man...Tonight I put together a great workout for my clients. I've been doing parts of it for the past few days. It's a good one. I did portions of the workout with them tonight :-) I'll be doing the full, uninterrputed version later this week. Yippeee!!

Circuit 1 (2x)
1:00 per exercise, 0:45 rest in between each exercise
KB Dead Squat-Catch-KB Squat (similar to AOS Providence Round 8, minus the flip)
Push Ups (or step-ups depending on how strong you feel, 0:30/leg)
Stability Ball or Floor Crunches
KB Floor Chest Press (0:30/arm)
Treadmill Walk/Jog/Run/Sprint (pick whichever option works best for your fitness level)

Circuit 2 (2x)
KB Triple Threat with Squat (KB Curl, Press, Tricep Extension, Squat; all holding bell by the belly) x 10 reps
DB See Saw Presses (in lunge position) x 12-16 (borrowed from Shaun T's Asylum Strength)
"Squat Thrust Climbers" x 5-10 (DB Squat, Jump Back, 10 Mountain Climbers, jump in, stand up)
"Triple Squat Thrust Climbers" x 5-10 (3 DB Squats, Jump Back, Push Up, 10 Mountain Climbers, jump in, stand up)

Circuit 3 (1-2x)
2:00 per exercise, 0:45 rest in between each exercise.
(alternatively, you can perform 1:00 per exercise, depending on how you feel)
Alt DB Lunges
KB Snatches (alternating 3/side)
KB Swings - Mixed
TRX Jump Squats/Squats

Finisher (1x, time & energy permitting)
Max Reps per exercise, using either your body weight or the TRX:
TRX/BW Squats
TRX/BW Push-Ups
TRX/BW Mountain Climbers
TRX/BW Planks

Tonight's group made it through circuits 1-3. They performed circuit 3 once and chose the 1:00 option. They did a fantastic job!! It's hard to believe that 7 weeks ago, these ladies were brand new to exercising, and they now have the endurance and strength to make it through a workout like this. They had never seen a kettlebell, and they are now swinging and snatching like experts. I am truly awed by them, and am very proud of all of their progress and accomplishments. Way to go!!

Day 8: Skogg Flow Level 1

Man, today has been really tough to get myself on track.  I had a very important meeting/interview all morning.  I was under alot of stress getting myself ready for it.  When that happens, I have a hard time focusing on my eating.  We also had lunch as part of my interview today.  I ate sensibly, which I was proud of. However, afterwards, I felt the need to "treat" myself, and it went downhill from there.  I feel really lost today....lost in terms of focus. I'm making poor choices for no real reason.  Perhaps this is an emotional response to the stress that I've been under. No matter what, I have to get things in check....tomorrow is a new day and a chance to start again...I did get in a flow workout (my favorite), and it felt really nice tonight!
I am having some anxiety about the rest of the week.  I have class on Wed and Thursday night, which means several hours of sitting. I usually get somewhat stressed out on class nights because I am left trying to figure out how to squeeze my workout in. 

I am going to sleep early, as I feel completely drained from the stress of today.  I'm glad it's over (and it went VERY well), but I am so wiped out...

Nighty night all...

Skogg 60-Day Challenge: Day 3 + Overcoming Plateaus

I've been getting to bed later than usual this week, and it's catching up with me.  Today I woke up feeling very tired, and I slept in a little later than usual. I haven't been resting that well (alot on my mind these days).  I'm also kind of sore today.  Anyway, here's my plan for the day, and I'll update at the end of the night with my results.   

Nutrition Component
I started my day off with a solid breakfast, and plan to get a workout in either at lunch time or after my clients; it all depends on how I feel energy-wise. I also plan to make another shrimp/avocado/spinach salad today!  YUMMY! :-)  ETA: I missed one of my evening meals due to spending time with my clients.  I didn't overdo it for my last meal to compensate, but I did eat it much later than usual (around 11PM).  My BF and I watched "Unstoppable" late last night, and I didn't get to bed until after 1AM.

Exercise Component
I plan to do a Skogg Intervals Level 2 workout today. I would also like to get in some cardio, and I've planned to either do a spinning workout or the elliptical.
ETA: I wound upon only getting in the Skogg workout today. I did Ladders at L2, but only made it through the first 3 rungs at 16kg.  I was so exhausted, so I stopped my workout there.  I actually got about 30 minutes in, as I did some swing and high pull drills before the DVD.  My hands were also killing me last night, so I just decided to stop early instead of risk injury or over-exertion.

Some Reading on Overcoming Plateaus
Last night before bed, I read a post that Marcus Martinez of MBody Strength wrote about plateaus.  He entitled it "Push or Be Pushed." For me, it was a very timely post, and I found some good inspiration from it.  I've been hitting plateaus left and right over the past 2 years, but I haven't given up.   In fact, today, I hit a major milestone. I dropped 5.4 pounds in the past 6 days from good clean eating, consistent exercise, and not giving up!

I also found last night's episode of The Biggest Loser to have been a good one. I can definitely relate to what Courtney is going through with her plateaus. Her positive attitude about it all is very refreshing, and she helped give me a pep talk too.   Here's a link to last night's episode (Week 14) on nbc.com if you missed it. I have the utmost respect for the contestants on this show. They seem to really treasure the gift they've been given, and I really like the personalities of the people on the 'couples' show vs. the original. I also like the new trainers, Brett & Cara.

Have a great day, everyone!

Wake-up Workout: Skogg Ladders L1 + Turbo Fire

This morning I decided to do a Skogg Ladders workout.  This was my first time doing the Ladders workout, and I loved it!  Whenever I do a Skogg workout for the first time, I always try each workout first with a 12kg bell and at Level 1.  Next time, I'll try using my 16kg and move up to Level 2.  The workout is designed with the following maximum ladder rungs per level:
Beginner Level 1: 3 Max Rungs
Intermediate Level 2: 4 Max Rungs
Advanced Level 3: 5 Max Rungs
Warrior Level 4: 6 Max Rungs 

I used my 12kg bell. It felt heavy today, probably because I worked out first thing in the morning.  I worked up the ladder and took short breaks in between each rung. When I worked down the ladder, I worked straight through, with no breaks in between the rungs. It was great!

Warmup - 3:00

Ladder Circuit @ 12kg
Performed Reps Left then Right
Max Rungs: 3
Rep Order:
   1, 2, 3 (I took short breaks in between each rung)
   3, 2, 1  (I didn't take any breaks in between rungs, and moved smoothly through top to bottom)
Exercises: Skogg 6 (foundation moves)

Took a 10minute break then moved to Turbo Fire. I was needing some Chalene today! :-) I did the first 15 minutes of Fire 45 EZ. I wanted to finish the workout, but my stomach was screaming for breakfast!
"I'm a bad girl..break me like the law.."

Here are the 2 video previews for both workouts today:
SKOGG SYSTEM


Chalene Johnson's Turbo Fire
Need I remind you how beautiful all of the women in this cast are?!?! They are simply breathtaking. I especially love the way they did the trailer. The woman in the first reel of the promo is simply amazing, and Chalene is of course one of the best! Go Ladies! I remember thinking that this series was going to be cheesy, but it isn't. It's hard work and ALOT of fun - great music, great instructor, great energy! I highly recommend it if you like intense cardio and kickboxing.

MB45 Essentials - Workout 1

Tonight I did Marcus Martinez's MB45 Essentials workout 1.  This was my first workout in about a week, as I've been sick. I still wasn't at 100% today, but I really wanted to get some activity in.  The workout was GREAT!  It was relatively short (around 30 mins), but well sequenced and moved quickly.  I enjoyed the entire thing, and I'm looking forward to doing some of the other workouts on the DVD.  It's a great value for the price. You get 2 DVDS - one is instructional and the other contains 5 workouts: 2 beginner workouts and 3 follow-along workouts of increasing intensity.

I heard that Marcus is releasing a second volume of this DVD series targeted towards the more advanced exerciser. I'm looking forward to it!  I'll post more details as they become known.

Skogg 60-Day Challenge: Official Start Date Selected

Per my post about a week ago, I finally selected my official start date for the Skogg 60-day Challenge.  Since I've been sick for the past number of days (and am still not feeling my best), I plan to officially start the challenge on Mon, 4/4/2011.  The current round of Skogg participants are in their 5th week, so they're just about at the halfway point. 
To remind you of what the challenge entails, I'm reposting the details from a week ago:

Dates: Mon, 4/4/2011 - Sat, 6/4/2011 (60 days)
Overview: The 60-day challenge has both an exercise component and a nutrition component, combining clean eating and consistent exercise. 
Exercise Component: Commit to doing 4 kettlebell workouts per week (minimum), ideally using the Skogg DVDs. I have elected to include additional cardio and flexibility training into my own personal program, with perhaps a full-body circuit training day thrown in there every 1.5 weeks or so. 
Nutrition Component: The objective for the diet is to elminate all sugar, processed foods, wheat, rice, white potatoes, and alcoholic beverages, with no cheat meals during the entire 60 days.  I will also continue with 1 gallon of water per day (minimum) and a good supplementation program.  My diet is going to be approximately 1400 calories per day.

My Thoughts
The diet will no doubt be the most challenging part, and will be the part that is most imperative to success.  Since I don't usually drink, the 'no alcohol component' will not be difficult for me.  However, I have taken a strong liking to rice, bread, and sugar again, which will be harder to overcome.  Eliminating those 'comfort foods' is always the most challenging part of an eating plan for me.  However, this eating plan actually seems more balanced.  I know it sounds counter-intutive because on the surface it looks so restrictive, but at least it's not a total elimination of starch/grains, which will help keep my energy levels up.  I'll have to pay close attention b/c my caloric intake may have to adjust depending upon my activity level. I'm pretty sure that my activity level justifies at least 2100 calories per day, but I've not eaten that much food on a daily basis in a very long time.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to this challenge. I have an incredible support system in place, and I feel strong enough to see it through this time.  After all, it's only 60 days, and my body, mind, and spirit will really appreciate the consistency. (Note: I have a nutrition coach helping me with my diet this time around, which is why I know that it has variety.  I won't reveal who I'm working with until the end of my challenge. If I don't get the results that I want, I don't want it to be a reflection on this person.  After all, the execution of the eating plan is all up to me.)

Let's see how I do....I can only take it one week at a time and do my best :-). I've given my word that I'll commit to it, which means that there is no turning back now!

Skogg + Circuits

Activity Report: I was able to squeeze my workout in after my clients tonight.  I did Skogg Intervals L1 and added a few KB circuits that I used in class tonight. I decided to do Intervals L1 again because I liked the workout, it was short, and I wanted to increase my weight to 16kg.  I felt strong, especially after having gotten adequate rest yesterday/last night.

Here's the breakdown of what I did (note: my legs felt really great after the workout!):

Warm-up: 2:30 TGU @ 12kg followed by Skogg Scorpion Warm-up

Skogg Interval 1 @ 16kg
Rest 0:30
Skogg Interval 2 @ 12kg  - the high pull is finally starting to feel more comfortable. I'll try it with 16kg later this week.
Rest 0:30
Skogg Interval 3 @ 16kg
Rest 0:30

2:00 Swing Circuit from class @ 16kg
Rest 0:30
2:00 Squat & Press/1H Swing Circuit from class @ 12kg
Rest 0:30
2:00 Squat & Kick/Lunge & Press Circuit from class @ 12kg
Rest 0:30

Stretch & Cool Down

Nutrition Report: My eating today was actually pretty good, and I consumed all of my water.  I ran out of time before my clients, so I had to split up my (salad with flax oil) and (3oz ground sirloin/couscous) into 2 separate meals.  But, the cravings were down, and I felt satisfied with each meal.  I wasn't super hungry at breakfast, so I skipped the oatmeal today.  I'll probably need it tomorrow though.  Anyway, so far, so good :-)

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I haven't planned my workout just yet, as I'm not sure if I'll have clients in the evening. I do plan to do either a kettlebell workout or a circuit workout.  Wednesday will be cardio day and a rest day from kettlebells.

Cheers!

Taught Kettlebell Seminar

This morning  I taught a 2-hour kettlebell seminar at my garage gym.  I hosted the 2 women who are currently participating in one of my small groups. They did a fantastic job!  They learned all of the foundational movements, plus a few more.  I was very surprised at how quickly and easily they learned the snatch and the clean. They didn't even really bang their wrists! I guess I've been driving home the point about the hip drive :-).

Anyway, that definitely counted as my Saturday workout!  My body is feeling really tired and drained, so I'm probably going to take Sunday off as a rest day and to get  my mind and kitchen ready for the 60-day challenge eating plan.

Skogg: Interval Level 1

This week has been pretty draining for me.  I've had long days and nights, and had clients every night this week. I also had graduate school class two nights this week for over 3 hours per session (we usually only meet once).  I know that I somewhat overdid it because I slept in until 10AM today (and I still feel tired). 
Long story short, my own workouts were somewhat pushed to the side this week.  However, I still had plenty of activity through coaching my clients, especially since they are still new, I have to demonstrate alot of movements for them (which is great), and I even did some of the workout with them to keep them encouraged. 

Anyway, tonight I decided to do a light workout.  I choose Skogg Intervals Level 1 with a 12kg bell.  It felt great!  The workout got my heart rate up, but didn't leave me feeling overly taxed. This is a good thing b/c I have clients tomorrow morning for a 2-hour kettlebell lesson, so I'll need my energy.  I also really enjoyed the warm-up.  I tacked on a few turkish getups at the end of the workout, just to balance things out a bit.

Now, it's time to enjoy a lovely dinner, and then get prepared for the morning!

Have a great weekend. Spring is officially here in 3 days!

Awesome Workout!

Tonight's workout was outstanding!  I did a whole body strength circuit, with lots of heavy swings thrown in there.  I put in work on the 24kg bell, which felt fantastic!  I did a circuit, and it took me about 40 minutes to complete, including warm-up, cool down, and an unplanned interruption.

Warm-up: 3:00 rowing machine followed by swings @ 16kg
I didn't time my swings, but I did about 2 mins worth, alternating between 2H, 1H, and H2H.  My grip was still a little sensistive.  I wanted to do some snatches, but decided against it.

Circuit 1 - Chest: (2x)
Flat Bench Press - Smith Machine @ (Bar + 10/side) x 12
Incline Bench Press - Smith Machine @ (Bar + 10/side) x 12
DB Chest Flys @ 15# DB's x 15
TRX Chest Press x 15
*No rest in between exercises, 1:00 rest at the end of each round*

Circuit 2a - Legs: (2x)
24kg Swings x 30
Smith Machine Squats (Bar + 17.5/side) x 12
*Took 0:30 break in between round*

Circuit 2b - Legs: (1x)
Front/Back DB Lunges @ 15# DB's x 12 total
Lateral DB Lunges with reach @ 15# DB's x 12/side
*Took about 5:00 rest in between exercises, as someone came to the door and messed up my flow!*

Circuit 3 - Back: (2x)
TRX Low Row x 12
KB 1-Arm Row @ 16kg x 12/side

Finisher
Complete 3 timed rounds:
Jump Rope (0:30 seconds)
24kg Swings (0:30 seconds)