Where Science Meets Fitness

No matter what your current fitness level or former athletic experience, you can learn to train like an Olympic-caliber athlete. I am Erin Borchard, a former elite springboard/platform diver (NCAA Champion and multi-year All-American at Stanford University, former member of the US National Diving Team, and two-time competitor at the US Olympic Team Trials), specializing in personal and small group training sessions. I am also a Phi Beta Kappa student with a B.A. in Human Biology; my strong science background is an ever present influence shaping and changing my training philosophy.

I want to help you push yourself to YOUR maximum...you'll be shocked to find the true athlete living inside of you.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Sunday Workout Group at my Home

Here's what we're up to tomorrow afternoon: (Level - Beginner/Intermediate)

Dynamic Warm-Up (using the length of my driveway)
*Walking Hamstring Stretch
*Walking Ankle Cross-Over I.T. Band Stretch
*Walking Lunge (opp. elbow touches opp. ankle)
*Duck Walk
*2 x: High-Knee March/Run there and Butt Kickers back

Conditioning (length of driveway)
*1 Minute of Mountain Climbers
*partner switch: 1 x Side Shuffle there-back

*45 Sec. Mtn. Climbers
*partner switch: 2 x Side Shuffle there-back

*30 Sec. Mtn. Climbers
*partner switch: 3 x Side Shuffle there-back

Tabata: Squat-Thrust-Jump (20 sec. ON/10 sec. OFF x 8 (total 4 min.))

In the Gym:

Superset #1: 2-3 x through
*Push-up + Hop-in/Hop-out (remain in plank) x 10
*Bird Dog x 10 ea. side
*Side-to-Side Band Walk x 15 ea. side
*Squat Jumps (bum touches low box) x 10

Superset #2: 2-3 x through
*Sumo Deadlift High Pulls w/ dumbbells x 1 Min.
*Overhead Press x 1 Min.
*Cross Body Punches x 1 Min.
*Bridge Hold w/ Heels on Low Step x 1 Min. (alternate 10 sec. hold w/ 10 pulses)

Abs:
*Lazy Bug x 20 ea. side
*V-Sit Tuck-ins x 20
*Single Leg V-Sit Tuck-ins x 10 ea. side
*Plank Arch-to-Pike x 15
*Plank Leg Jacks x 10

Friday, February 26, 2010

A Few Diet Tips

#1: Eat fewer calories than you burn...obviously!...but be conscious of this.
        ~Note: You can estimate your resting metabolic rate by multiplying your body weight by ten; i.e. 135 lb. woman's estimated RMR = 135 x 10 = 1350 kcal
        ~Total calories burned for the day can be estimated by adding your exercise/activity calorie burn total to your estimated RMR; ex: My est. RMR = 1350 kcal; I did an Athletic Conditioning class yesterday morning that probably burned about 500 kcal; other activity throughout the day: maybe 200 kcal??; so, a conservative estimate of my total daily calories burned = 1350 + 500 + 200 = 2050 kcal for the day (if I'm trying to lose weight, I should have eaten fewer than 2050 kcal yesterday)
#2: Eat a great breakfast...include carbs, protein, and healthy fat
(vegetable, nut, fish fats)
#3: Eat a significant snack mid-morning (instead of grabbing little
snacks here and there throughout the morning; plan your snack in
advance, and stick to only that), ex: half of a turkey sandwich, a
small peanut butter sandwich, a banana and a chocolate milk, an apple
and a handful of almonds, half of a bagel (or a bagel thin) with cream
cheese, etc.
#4: Eat a healthy lunch of moderate portion
#5: Eat a second snack in the late afternoon (just like in the
morning...plan it ahead of time and stick to it; same food options as
with the morning snack)
#6: Keep that dinner smaller...and make sure you're eating lean
protein, along with some whole grain carbohydrate (lots of varied
colored veggies, too)
#7: Whole grains!

#8: Occupy your mouth by chewing gum to avoid a craving (plus, some foods taste terrible post-minty freshness)
#9: Fill your tummy up with water...or better yet, my fave: Crystal Lite (mmmmm)

Workout of the Day

Below is the workout I put my 5:45 AM Athletic Conditioning class through this morning at the Morrison YMCA here in Charlotte:

1) Conditioning with a Partner - each person at opposite ends of the long length of basketball court
*Partner 1: Bosu Burpees for 1 minute
*Partner 2: Wall Balls for 1 minute
-partner switch (1 minute)
-then partners alternate:
*Side Shuffle there-back x 1
*Side Shuffle there-back x 2
*Side Shuffle there-back x 3
~quick rest
*Partner 1: Bosu Burpees (w/ 2 push-ups) for 1 minute
*Partner 2: Wall Balls (w/ 2 full squats) for 1 minute
-partner switch (1 minute)
-then partners alternate:
*Side Shuffle there-back x 1
*Side Shuffle there-back x 2
*Side Shuffle there-back x 3
2) Tabata with Cross-Body Punches (ladies: 3-8 lb. dumbbells; guys: 10-12 lb. dumbbells)
       -8 x 20 sec. ON/10 sec. OFF for total of 4 minutes
3) Strength/Conditioning in Aerobics Room or over Short Length of Basketball Court: (gliders and heavy dumbbells; ladies: 12-15 lbs., guys: 20-25 lbs.)
*20 Overhead Press to Glide Forward there/Glide Backward back
*15 Squat Jumps to Suicide Run
*10 ea. Single Arm Snatch to Glide Fwd there/Glide Bkwd back
*5 ea. Push-Up to Row to Suicide Run
*15 Squat Thrusters to Glide Fwd there/Glide Bkwd back
*40 total Mountain Climbers with Gliders to Suicide Run
*20 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls to Glide Fwd there/Glide Bkwd back
*15 Dumbbell Squat Swings to Suicide Run
*15 ea. Single Arm Squat Thrusters to Glide Fwd there/Glide Bkwd back
4) Abs: (mat)
*40 Hollow Body Rockers
*40 ea. Side-Laying Side-Ups
*20 Full Tuck-Ups
*20 ea. Side-Lean Tuck-Ups
*20 ea. Single-Leg Tuck-Ups
*5 ea. Plank-Twist-Toe Touches

Monday, February 22, 2010

Starting a Saturday AM Group at AIM - I think!

I am planning on starting a Saturday morning small group workout at AIM Fitness.  Beginning March 6th, from 9 AM - 10 AM every Saturday, I will be hosting a boot camp for $20.  I have only 2 people signed up so far...any other takers?

SIDE NOTE: Unfortunately, I will be unavailable 2 of the 4 Saturdays in March.  If you are interested, however, we can come up with a plan for makeup sessions.  Looks like we're on for all Saturdays through both April and May, though.

SIDE NOTE #2: By paying for 4 sessions up front (i.e. one month), you get a $10 discount...$70 for 4 sessions.  If you sign up for weekly planning of the rest of your week's workouts, it's only $10 extra per month.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Morrison Family YMCA Boot Camp: 3/8 - 3/12

I will be joining three of the most popular YMCA group exercise instructors in the South Charlotte area (Leonard Wheeler (former NFL player), Michelle Crawford (former member of the US National Field Hockey Team), and Kelly Schwartz (another incredible trainer at AIM Fitness)) in hosting a week-long boot camp at the Morrison Family YMCA.  It will be a week of super high-intensity cardiovascular and strength training in a fun, competitive, and encouraging environment.  You will not find a better jump start to bathing suit season.  Registration is open now at the Morrison Y; $50 for the entire week - March 8 through March 12 from 9:30 - 10:45 AM.  You will be pushed to your limits, and I guarantee you will be beyond proud of yourself once you've finished with it (you WILL see results).

Friday, February 19, 2010

Saturday Boot Camp at AIM Fitness (2/20/2010)

Below is the workout I have planned for my boot campers tomorrow morning.  Only three ladies signed up so far...anybody else care to join??

WARM-UP:
*Jog track lanes there-back x 4
*Fire Hydrants (both fwd and bckwd) there
*Butt Kickers back
*Lunges there
*Broad Jumps back

CONDITIONING: 3 times through of -
*30 sec. Box Step-Ups for speed
*30 sec. Single-Leg Push-Offs (R leg)
*30 sec. Single-Leg Push-Offs (L leg)
*30 sec. Squat Jump Thrust

STRENGTH: 3 times through of - (w/ med balls)
*10 Fwd. Squat Wall Balls
*20 Med Ball Tricep Dips
*10 Med Ball Push-Ups
*Hold R Lunge: 10 Fwd. Wall Balls
*Hold L Lunge: 10 Fwd. Wall Balls

*1 to 10 Count-Up Series of Upright Row to Bicep Curl to Overhead Press

TABATA: 8 rounds of 20 sec. ON/ 10 sec. OFF of Air Squats

ABS:
-2 times through of:
*20 Scissor Kicks
*20 Leg Lift Pulses
*10 Full Leg Lifts
-2 times through of:
*Crossed Leg Oblique Crunches (15 R; 15 L)
*Crossed Leg Suitcase Crunches (10 R; 10 L)

Fantastic CrossFit-y Workout for my Super Fit Followers

As suggested by my friend/super fit quasi-athlete, Liz Naum, try this CrossFit-type workout.  It sounds SO much easier than it actually is!  For demonstrations of each exercise, go to www.crossfit.com, and look under "Exercise and Demos."

10 TIMES THROUGH OF:
*10 Med Ball Cleans
*10 Box Jumps (18-20 in. high box)
*10 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Twitter

At the behest of several super-tech-savvy friends, I have also set up a Twitter account (user name: eborchard).  Feel free to follow me there, where I'll alert you to new blog postings with "teasers" and all (re: workout plans, diet tips, training updates/ events, etc.).  That way, you'll know when it's actually worth your while to check my blog. HAPPY TWEETING!

Tonight's Workout w/ Clients (2/18)

*Difficulty Level: Beginner - Intermediate (depending upon weight used)
-Beginner: 5 lb. dumbbells
-Intermediate: 8-10 lb. dumbbells

WARM-UP: (3 times through without rest)
-20 HIGH KNEE MARCH (40 total)
-8 REGULAR AIR SQUATS (legs shoulder width apart, toes pointed forward)
-8 PLIE AIR SQUATS (wide leg stance, toes pointed out)
-8 each ALTERNATING REG. AIR SQUATS AND PLIE AIR SQUATS

QUICK CARDIO: (any cardio machine, i.e. tread mill, step mill, stationary bike or elliptical)
-"TABATA": 8 rounds of 20 seconds ON (as hard as you can go)/ 10 seconds OFF (active rest; go easy) - 4 min. total
-NOTE: set resistance/incline/speed high and hard!!; for your 20 seconds ON, you should push yourself to your max, where 20 seconds is the max amount of time you can last

STRENGTH: 10 to 1 Countdown; 2 or 3 times through (no rest between exercises; rest 1 min. between full sets)
-10 JUMPING JACKS W/ OVERHEAD PRESS (use light dumbbells)
-9 ea. arm of SIDE-TO-SIDE PUNCHES (use light dumbbells)
-8 SQUAT THRUSTERS (full squat to overhead press) (use heavy dumbbells)
-7 FULL SIT-UPS (w/ weights in hands crossed across chest; keep elbows pinned to rib cage throughout)
-6 PLANK KNEE TOUCHES (hold plank on hands or elbows; bend knees to barely touch floor while keeping good plank form)
-5 SQUAT JUMPS (no weights) (full squat, lightly touch fingers to floor, keep back flat, reach up and jump as high as you can)
-4 ea. side of SINGLE ARM SNATCH (use 1 medium-heavy dumbbell)
-3 ea. side of PILLAR LUNGES (medium/heavy weights down at sides OR light weights touching overhead - elbows straight)
-2 BURPEES or 2 SQUAT THRUST JUMPS
-1 MINUTE BRIDGE HOLD (1 min. with both legs on floor OR 30 sec. each leg with single leg on floor)

CONDITIONING: (length of driveway or full length of basketball court); no resting
-RUN/SPEED WALK there-back
-ACTIVE RECOVERY: 5 DUMBBELL SQUAT SWINGS
-RUN/SPEED WALK there-back x 2
-ACTIVE RECOVERY: 10 DUMBBELL SQUAT SWINGS
-RUN/SPEED WALK there-back x 3
-ACTIVE RECOVERY: 15 DUMBBELL SQUAT SWINGS
-RUN/SPEED WALK: there-back x 4
-ACTIVE RECOVERY: 20 DUMBBELL SQUAT SWINGS

ABS: (equipment: Bosu and floor mat)
-PLANK W/ ELBOWS ON BOSU:
-30 SEC. PLANK HOLD
-10 PLANK KNEE TOUCHES
-10 PLANK PIKE BUTT-UPS
-30 SEC. PLANK HOLD
-LAYING W/ LOWER BACK ON BOSU:
-10 ea. side of SINGLE-LEG TUCK-INS
-10 ea. side of SINGLE-LEG PIKE-INS
-30 sec. ea. side of SIDE BRIDGE HOLD (one elbow on Bosu)

STRETCH

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Set Your TiVos!!


I will be appearing on WCNC-Charlotte's (NBC) newest daytime news show, "Charlotte Today," at 11 AM on March 1st! My friend and host of the show, Colleen Odegaard, recently asked me to appear on her morning lifestyle show to discuss a fitness topic of my choice. I'll be chatting about and demonstrating ideas about how to workout effectively without relying on cardio machines in order to maintain cardiac fitness and build strength - "Ditching the Cardio Machines." Please watch!...more importantly, though, just wish me luck! I'm a NERVOUS WRECK over it.

BOOT CAMP - Last Chance!

In an effort to get my new business up and running, I am currently running a boot camp of several small group training sessions at AIM Fitness. The deal on this boot camp remains that your first session is absolutely free of charge, with no further commitment required, either! Please join us in one or both of my remaining trial boot camp sessions: Thursday, 2/18 (tomorrow!) from 6:30 - 7:30 PM and Saturday, 2/20 from 10 - 11AM.