The Metabolic Run

Tested this out this morning in my driveway with my two favorite clients...making sure it's usable for my hard core 5:45 AM Athletic Conditioning crew tomorrow.

METABOLIC RUN: The sprints are the length of a long driveway, one length of a block in your neighborhood, or the horizontal/sideways length of a soccer field

*Use one set of dumbbells (as heavy as you can tolerate; I used 15 lbs. this morning)

1) Sprint there and back - 15 sec REST
2) 10 total Push-up to Row (w/ dumbbells) - 15 sec REST
3) Frog Hop there, Sprint back - 15 sec REST
4) 10 Squat Jumps (w/ dumbbells held down at sides throughout) - 15 sec REST
5) 20 Overhead Press to Side Shuffle there and back - 15 sec REST
6) 15 Sumo Dead Lift High Pulls to Sprint there and back - 15 sec REST
7) Suicide Run (run fwd to half-way mark, run bkwds back, run full length, run bkwds back) - 15 sec REST
8) 10 Burpees - 15 sec REST
9) 20 Air Squats to Spring there and back - 15 sec REST
10) 15 Squat Thrusters to Karaoka there and back - 15 sec REST
11) Sprint there, 20 Squat Jumps, Spring back - 15 sec REST

Today's Workout: Count Up/Count Down

You can do this #/rep scheme with any set of two exercises you choose.  I tried to pick two exercises per set that 1) worked different muscle groups, that 2) consisted of opposing pushing and pulling movements, or that 3) forced a lot of work getting up from and down to the ground over and over again.

The Rep Scheme: Count Down/Count Up (counting down from 10 to 1 for exercise A; counting up from 1 to 10 for exercise B) (**no rest until complete count down/count up set is complete!)

Ex. A x 10
Ex. B x 1

Ex. A x 9
Ex. B x 2

Ex. A x 8
Ex. B x 3

Ex. A x 7
Ex. B x 4

Ex. A x 6
Ex. B x 5

Ex. A x 5
Ex. B x 6

Ex. A x 4
Ex. B x 7

Ex. A x 3
Ex. B x 8

Ex. A x 2
Ex. B x 9

Ex. A x 1
Ex. B x 10

I did this rep scheme 3 times through; below are my choices for Exercises A and B for each round.

ROUND #1:
Exercise A - Squat Thruster (squat to overhead press w/ a set of medium weight dumbbells)
Exercise B - Sumo Dead Lift High Pull (stiff leg dead lift to upright row w/ same set of dumbbells)

ROUND #2:
Exercise A - Straight Leg Sit-Up (keep legs straight out in front and arms pinned and crossed across chest throughout)
Exercise B - Lunge w/ One Weight Held Overhead (lunge L and lunge R counts as 1 rep)

ROUND #3:
Exercise A - Single Leg Dead Lift (balance on one leg, hold one dumbbell, squat as low as possible trying to touch dumbbell to floor, maintain flat back throughout, never put other leg down on floor, may need to hold onto something for balance)
Exercise B - Side Bend (hold one dumbbell overhead, suck belly button into spine and tilt R and L)

Second TV Appearance

I had my second appearance this past Monday as a fitness expert on "Charlotte Today," the morning news/variety show on Charlotte's NBC affiliate, WCNC.  I had a ball doing it, and I can't wait to do it again soon I hope.

Here is the link for the online clip: http://www.wcnc.com/charlotte-today/How-to-get-Michelle-Obama-arms-90638084.html

Enjoy!

Good 'Ol Supersets

I've been so focused on the CrossFit type workouts ever since I got certified that I kind of lost sight of my old tried and true superset workouts: 4 resistance exercises done in a circuit type manner 3 times through with as little rest between exercises as possible.  Here's what I did today.  Nice to switch it up and get back to the old stuff sometimes.

SUPERSET #1: 3 x through
*15 x Bosu Squat-Thrusters (turn Bosu over so that the dome in on the floor (unstable surface), jump feet out into a plank position with hands on edges of Bosu, hop feet in, stand up, and thrust Bosu in arc (straight elbows) up overhead in a quick, dynamic movement)
*10 ea. leg x Single Leg RDL at Weight Stacks
*10 x Kipping Pull-Ups; 5 x Pull-Overs
*30 sec. Single Leg Bridge Holds w/ Hell on Med Ball

SUPERSET #2: 3 x through
*10 x Donkey Kick to Overhead Press (use a step w/ 2 risers on ea. side, hands on step, feet straddling step lengthwise, kick heels to butt, land in squat, then overhead press 10 lb. dumbbells while remaining in squat position
*30 x Plank Walks on Step (2 risers ea. side) (in plank position with hands on bench and feet on floor, walk hands up and down on and off bench)
*15 x Plyo Push-Ups (hands on med ball in plank position, drop hands to side of med ball, do a push-up and hop hands back up onto balanced position on med ball...SO hard!)
*10 ea. leg x Single Leg Deadlift (12 lb. dumbbells in each hand, balance on one leg, squat down to floor so that dumbbells touch floor, then rise up using that one leg to do the work)

Monday's Athletic Conditioning Class

This is what I did with my AC Class Monday morning.  Keep in mind that I have a stress fracture in my foot (ugh, such a bummer!)...no running or jumping for me...I forced my poor class to suffer right along with me: no running or jumping for them either!  So, I had to get a bit creative.  What total body/multi-joint moves can you do that don't involve anything below the knee??  Hmmmm, LOTS of squatting and shoulder work...ouch.


AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) in 4 Minutes of:
*10 Wall Balls (10 lb. Med Ball)
*10 ea. leg of Split Squat Wall Balls (do not switch legs b/w reps, all 10 on one side then switch, throw ball horizontally directly at wall (not overhead))
*10 total Push-Up to Row (10 to 15 lb. dumbbells)
*Single Arm Snatch (using one 15 lb. dumbbell)

-perform 2 rounds of this 4 min. AMRAP workout with one minute of rest in between sets, then do rounds 3 and 4 with same AMRAP/time scheme, just alter the exercises to:
*10 Double-Dip Wall Balls (2 squats for every overhead throw of the med ball)
*10 ea. leg of Split Squat Wall Balls
*Rolling Med Ball Push-Ups
*Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (two 15 lb. dumbbells)

-this ends up being 4 x 4 min of work, with 1 minute of rest between sets...for a total of 20 minutes