WALL CLIMBS: Not Just a Cool Party Trick

http://jbwebtv.com/index.php/fitness/101-challenge-of-the-week-with-erin/126-challenge-of-the-week-1

Watch the video at the link above to find out why wall climbs are more than just a way to show off.  Handstands (holding handstands, working your way into handstands, handstand push-ups, etc) are one of the most efficient exercises you can do.  A handstand works just about every muscle in your body all at once.  By taking baby steps, you CAN teach yourself to execute this move and to use it in your weekly workout routine.

W.O.W. #2 Has Posted at www.jbwebtv.com

W.O.W. #2 is up and running online at: http://jbwebtv.com/index.php/fitness/98-wow-complete-episodes/120-wow-2-the-three-minute-threat

Check out "The Three Minute Threat."  Workout breakdown is as follows:

1) 3 min. x Goblet Squat w/ 5 Tuck Jump (mod: Knee-Ups to Opp. Elbow) on ea. 30s

*1 min. Glide (choice: fwd., bkwd., sideways, mtn. climb., inchworm, crab, in-place)

2) 3 min. x Split Squat Plyos (mod: In-Place Lunge) w/ 3 Crouch Push-Up on ea. 30 sec.

*1 min. Glide (your choice; try to change it up and choose another method)

3) 3 min. x Uneven Push-Up (mod: knees) w/ 10 OH Press on ea. 30 sec.

*1 min. Glide (your choice)

4) 3 min. x Burpee (remember modifications) w/ 4 Side Lunge w 1 DB Floor Touch

*1 min. Glide (your choice)

5) 3 min. x See-Saw Stiffleg Deadlift High Pull (mod: D-L, no high pull) w/ 6 Renegade Row on ea. 30 sec.

*1 min. Glide (your choice)

Be sure to watch the video titled, "Erin's 5 Basic Moves," for a review on form and technique.  

http://jbwebtv.com/index.php/fitness/119-wow-5-5-of-erins-basic-moves


Remember to modify all exercises to a level that suits your needs.  No sense in beating yourself up on your first go at it.  You will see better results when you do the exercises correctly...that may mean that you need to do push-ups on your knees and squat-thrust-jumps instead of burpees for the time being.  Let me know how it goes for you!  Post a comment here on my blog or at jbwebtv.com.

100-Burpee Challenge

I read an article/ blog on CharlotteObserver.com today all about one woman's fitness challenge to herself.  She and her husband have decided to embark upon "The 100-Burpee Challenge."  Beginning with 1 burpee on night one, increasing to 2 burpees on night two...50 burpees on night fifty, etc., they will work their way to 100 burpees in one day by day one hundred.  Just to refresh your brain, a burpee is a squat down to the floor, followed by a hop out to plank position, then push-up, hop in, stand up, and jump up.

I LOVE the idea of this challenge.  Choose a single full-body exercise that is difficult for you and try this yourself at home.  I'm certain you'll be amazed at your improvement.  One single rep may be difficult for you at the beginning, but by day 50, 20 in a row may seem like a breeze.

See the article at: http://obspoundingaway.blogspot.com/2011/05/im-trying-new-challenge.html

I posted a comment to the article; below is a copy of my response:

Oh, the burpee....the dreaded burpee. Elizabeth, I am a certified group exercise instructor at the Y and a certified personal trainer, as well as being a former elite athlete (member of the U.S. National Springboard/ Platform Diving Team). I am also the fitness expert on our local morning show, "Charlotte Today." I use some form of the burpee in almost every class I teach and with nearly every client I train each and every day. 

The burpee is not only a brutal move, but just as you mentioned in your article, it is an efficient one working every major muscle group in one single effort. In performing this exercise, you get the dual benefit of both a weight training and a cardio workout: you use your own body weight as resistance (muscle toning/ sculpting) and by nature of the difficulty of the move and by performing it with some speed, you sky-rocket your heart rate (cardio benefit). It is surely a calorie-buster!

Did you know that there are an infinite number of varieties of the burpee? Make sure you reach your 100-Burpee Goal without boredom...change it up! Try the sideways burpee, the frog-hop burpee, the sumo burpee, the inverted burpee...and the list goes on. You can Google/ YouTube videos and explanations of each of these variations. Changing it up will also enhance your results...hit different muscle groups, slightly alter how you work each muscle, and confuse that body into giving you results. 

Good luck!

Read more: http://obspoundingaway.blogspot.com/2011/05/im-trying-new-challenge.html#ixzz1LVcskNZU

More Photos from Today's W.O.W. Workout

Photo 1 (top): Basic Lunge
Photo 2: Goblet Squat
Photo 3: Tuck Jump
Photo 4: Renegade Row

W.O.W. #2 In The Books!

Julio and I filmed our Workout of the Week this morning.  Our second go at this was much more efficient; we're like a well-oiled machine now=)  It was nice knowing what to expect this time around for each of us.  Julio knew where exactly he wanted to film, how he wanted to light it, etc.  We also just have a far better idea of how we want to outline these videos, break them up, post them, and even explain the exercises and workouts.  See the below photo from today's session.  The breakdown of W.O.W #2 was posted here on the blog yesterday (take a look at it!; posting dated 4/28), and the online video should post sometime this coming Monday (5/2).

Sneak Peek at W.O.W. #2 (filming tomorrow, 4/29)

5 OF ERIN’S BASIC MOVES - EXPLAINED, SIMPLIFIED, AND MODIFIED (MADE EASIER)

1. Basic Squat - Air Squat and Sumo Squat (use box/ step); Jump Squat
2. Basic Lunge - Dumbbell racking options; Split Squat Jump; Bulgarian
3. Basic Push-Up - Incline, Knee Push-Ups, variations (X-body, reptile, S-L, santana)
4. Burpee - Squat-Thrust-Jump; walk in/ out; no push-up
5. Deadlift - Regular, Stiff Leg, and Sumo; w/ and w/o High Pull

(W.O.W #2) “The Three Minute Threat”

3 min. Strength Intervals w/ Change-Up Challenges on ea. 30 sec. + Glider Work

-using variations of ea. of the 5 basics above

1) 3 min. x Goblet Squat w/ 5 Tuck Jump (mod: Knee-Ups to Opp. Elbow) on ea. 30s

*1 min. Glide (choice: fwd., bkwd., sideways, mtn. climb., inchworm, crab, in-place)

2) 3 min. x Split Squat Plyos (mod: In-Place Lunge) w/ 3 Crouch Push-Up on ea. 30 sec.

*1 min. Glide (your choice; try to change it up and choose another method)

3) 3 min. x Uneven Push-Up (mod: knees) w/ 10 OH Press on ea. 30 sec.

*1 min. Glide (your choice)

4) 3 min. x Burpee (remember modifications) w/ 4 Side Lunge w 1 DB Floor Touch

*1 min. Glide (your choice)

5) 3 min. x See-Saw Stiffleg Deadlift High Pull (mod: D-L, no high pull) w/ 6 Renegade Row on ea. 30 sec.

*1 min. Glide (your choice)

Skill Work Challenge: WALL CLIMBS

Thank You for Your Positive Feedback!!

Feedback is rolling in from our first W.O.W (online video Workout of the Week) - check it out, if you haven't already done so, at www.jbwebtv.com (click on my picture).  Thank you to all of your for your positive responses and encouragement.  You keep me thinking that this all might just pay off in the end.  Below are some emails/ conversations I've had with friends regarding the first workout video:

FACEBOOK CONVERSATION WITH MY FRIEND, MICHELLE B.:
*MICHELLE: Hey Erin, thanks for posting your WOW workout. I've been
doing P90x since November and I'm getting burned out on it. How many
times a week should I do your workout that you posted today?

*ERIN: Michelle, I'm a HUGE fan of P90X's theory of "muscle
confusion." I would start by doing Part A of this workout one day; do
Part B the next; then on days 3 and 4, do something else entirely.
Take a class at the gym, etc. OR, stick with the same pattern of my
posted workout, just swap out the exercises for different full-body
functional exercises. On day 5 or 6, try my workout again, and see if
you can do Parts A and B in one fell swoop with as little rest as
possible. Try to beat your times from your first go at it. We'll
hopefully post a new W.O.W. this coming Monday; then do the same with
that one. Hope this makes sense and seems doable. I try to hardly EVER
do the same thing much at all.

*MICHELLE: Ok, so I tried part A tonight and it took me about 30
minutes to do the whole thing. I consider myself to be in "decent"
shape and that was an awesome workout. I'm drenched in sweat and my
quads are on fire....love it. Can't wait to try Part B tomorrow. Thank
you so much!


*MORE FROM MICHELLE; 2 DAYS LATER: Ok, so part B took me about 45 minutes.  My quads are very sore from the part A workout, and I tried to push through the burn!!!  The single leg squats were tough and I wasn't able to get very low.  I'm anxious to try this one again, though, because I know I'll see improvement in my ability.



EMAIL FROM FORMER STANFORD DIVING TEAMMATE OF MINE, KARI K.:
"I just sent your WOW video and TV show video to my capoeira teacher
and friends.  I'm hoping that my teacher incorporates some of your
exercises into our training.  We do a lot of calisthenics and
sometimes do stations where we rotate.  Seriously I wish you were
closer to me to train me.  Awesome work Erin."



FACEBOOK MESSAGE FROM FRIEND AND FORMER DIVER AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY, KARA M.:
"Erin, I love your video! I am in a rut, and your WOW video is just what I need. In October, my husband and I moved to Richmond, VA, and I now take a 2-hour train ride to and from work in DC each day. This has been more manageable than most people expect, but it leaves me little to no time for weekday exercise, which has been a hard adjustment. Your quick but intense workouts will be perfect for me! The challenge will be making myself do them even though I am tired (and being able to complete them now that I am a bit out of shape), but you provide great inspiration! Keep up the excellent work; I look forward to following along!"




Thank you, friends and clients!  Keep the feedback coming; I welcome the negative, as well as the positive.