Thursday's Total Body/Cardio -- Fat Burning Lower Impact Quiet Cardio

I've been having some issues with my right knee--mainly due to the step classes that I teach.  Since I'm off the next 2 days for the July 4th holiday, I thought I'd do a lower impact workout.  I found this 30 minute workout on Jessicasmithtv.

Tuesday's Trunk and Core -- Upside-Down Pilates - Resistance Band Work

The challenge for this week was to try something different, so I thought I'd find some new types of workouts to post.

Don't worry, you don't have to stand on your head to do this workout!  Upside Down  is the name of a Pilates studio in Hawaii and also the name of a YouTube channel I recently found.

In this workout, you will use a resistance band.  You can use one like they show in the video, or one with handles, adjusting your grip to provide the right amount of resistance.  The focus in this 30 minute workout is the abdominal and back muscles.

If you are unfamiliar with Pilates, or don't have a resistance band, you can do the workout without it.

Saturday's Stretch and Flexibility -- Meditation Music

Today, rather than post a stretching video, I decided to post a link to some great meditation music that you can do your own stretching routine to.

Tuesday's Trunk and Core -- Dynamic Pilates Core Strength

Today's workout comes from efit30.  It is a 30 minute Dynamic Pilates workout that focuses on core strength.

Wednesday's Wild/Warrior Workout -- HIIT -- Inferno Fat Burning

Today's crazy workout comes from D180Fitness.  It is a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout that consists of 7 circuits.  He explains each of the exercises performed for the circuit before you do them.

There is no warm up--it's really important to do one, especially when doing a HIIT workout.

The first circuit is for the upper body.  It consists of 3 exercises:  dive bombers, plank jacks and break dancers.  He gives a modification for the dive bombers and the break dancers.  You will do 5 reps of each and then repeat the circuit for as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) for 50 seconds.

The second circuit focuses on the lower body.  The exercises are:  jump squat and glute busters, 10 of each continuing again for 50 seconds.

Circuit 3 goes back to upper body.  Here you will do 3 reps of the following 3 exercises:  inch worms, donkey kicks and plank hops (watch the video to see how all of these are done), again for 50 seconds.

Circuit 4 --lower body--alternating jump lunges and cross squats, 10 reps each for 50 seconds.

After a break, you will now repeat each of these circuits again with less time between circuits.

Circuit 5 -- upper body --starts with a plank challenge--60 seconds in front plank, 30 seconds in side plank,  30 seconds on the other side--he gives a modified version if you absolutely need it.  You will do this 3 times.  Remember, for the front plank, keep the abs engaged and the body in-line from the crown of your head to your heels--don't let your hips drop either.  For the side plank, keep your chest open and your shoulders back and down--envision your upper back is pressed against a wall.  This one is 6 minutes long--hang in there!

Circuit 6 --lower body--30 seconds of speed squats, 30 seconds alternating (jump) lunges, 30 seconds of glute busters and 30 seconds of jump squats--1 time each.

Circuit 7 is a tabata--4 minutes total 20 seconds work 10 second rest for 8 rounds.  The exercise is pulse push ups--do what you can in that 20 seconds.

Circuit 8 is another tabata--1 arm burpees 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds--again he gives a modification using both hands--if that's too much you can step it back and forward instead of jumping.

Don't forget to cool down and stretch afterward--this is a total body workout--stretch your entire body.

The link to the workout video is below the picture.

Inferno Fat Burning Session

Tuesday's Trunk & Core -- Core and Upper Body Strength

Yes, I missed another Monday post.  Monday's are really busy for me, so I decided to make Monday about Motivation.  I will post something motivational to start your week, along with the usual weekly challenge that I usually post directly to Facebook.

Since I post the Wild Workout on Wednesday, and Total Body on Thursday--you will get plenty of muscle work posts for the week.

Don't let this be an excuse for you to skip your workout on Mondays--there are plenty of past posts and videos on YouTube to choose from.

Enough about Monday, today is Tuesday, so that means core work.  Today's video comes from FitnessBlender and includes upper body strength training as well.

It is about 28 minutes long and consists of 3 groups of 3 exercises that are performed for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest in between.  Each group is repeated twice.

You will need dumbbells, a bench, table, chair or step and a mat or carpeted area.

A warm up and cool down/stretch are both included.

From the website:

What if some of these exercises are too advanced for me?
These exercises are easily modified in order to be more beginner friendly. For example, if the full staggered hand push up is too hard, you can do the same push up from your knees. If a pike push up is too hard for you at this point, switch it out for a simple overhead press with dumbbells. Move as slowly as you need to (you can do fewer reps than Daniel does in the video), and only lift as heavy of a weight that you can control through the entire range of the exercise.

Thursday's Total Body/Cardio -- Fat Burning Cardio

Today's workout comes from FitnessBlender.  It is a fat burning cardiovascular workout that will hit all the major muscle groups while burning a ton of calories.  It is about 35 minutes long.  It is a body weight workout.  No equipment is needed.

A warm up and cool down are both provided.

Here's the structure of the workout from their website:

Workout Structure: 40 seconds each exercise with 15 sec jog/boxer shuffle in-between each exercise. Do alternating sets of each group of two exercises for a total of two sets per exercise.

• Slow Burpee
• Jumping Jack
• Lateral Step And Reach
• Ventral Jacks
• High Knee Pause
• Fly Jacks
• Bicycle Crunch
• Lunge Jack (Alternating lunge, when in lunge hands at front ankle, stand with hands over head)
• Plank Slaps
• Stutter Jack (regular JJ motion but pause three times bottom, top and half way on the way up and down)
• Lateral Hops
• High Knee Jack (hands clap under thigh every time knee goes up, alternating)
• Side Leg Raise w/ Oblique Crunch
• Plank with Rear Leg Raise
• Toe Touch Kick (alternating)
• Jumping Jack

Modify wherever you might need to.

Thursday's Total Body/Cardio -- Cardio Barre Dancer's Body

I posted the introductory Cardio Barre video a couple of weeks ago.  This 38 minute workout is a bit more advanced.  If you find it too advanced, go back and do the introductory video again.

Remember, pulsing and bouncing are not the same thing.  Pulsing is controlled.  Keep your core engaged throughout the workout.  Many of these exercises are Pilates based and are meant to give long, lean muscles.

From the YouTube description:

Cardio Barre: Dancer's Body Workout is a full body-toning, 38-minute high-energy strength and cardio exercise routine that combines dance-inspired barre work and light weights with continual fat burning motion to sculpt lean muscle, strengthen the core, and boost your weight loss potential. This workout guides you through several basic result-driven moves that will activate the core, strengthen the back and challenge the abdominals to promote beautiful posture and improve balance. 

You will need a barre or sturdy high back chair, a mat or carpeted area and set of light weights.  You can do the workout barefoot or while wearing athletic shoes.  A warm up and stretch are included, stretch more if you need to.

Wednesday's Wild/Warrior Workout -- HIIT (33:44 seconds to death)

Today's crazy workout comes from another new channel I found on YouTube called D180Fitness.

It is an intense HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout that first takes you through 6 exercises (push ups, jump squats, mountain climbers, jump lunges, burpees and glute busters) with no rest time in between for 2 rounds.

Secondly, you will go into a ladder workout with burpees (without push ups), dive bombers and jump lunges starting with 10 reps down to 1.  This is a time challenge, getting as far as you can in 3-1/2 minutes.

From here you will have three 1 minute circuits.  First, you will have 3 different upper body exercises (bear crawls, cross climbers and in/out push-ups) performing each 5 times for a total of 1 minute.  Then 3 different lower body exercises (glute busters, in/out squats and criss cross squats) are done the same way but 10 reps of each for 1 minute.  The next 3 exercises (side to side squats, burpees with a spin jump and pendulum swings) are back to 5 reps each.  These 3 circuits are repeated again with only a 10 second rest in between (take more time if you need it).

Finally, it ends with a squat challenge, 30 seconds of squats and then he slows the squats down for a bit and you finish up with another 30 seconds of squats.  WHEW!!!

It is challenging--c'mon, it's not called 33:44 to death because it's easy!!!

There is no warm up or cool down.  Please do those on your own.  If you don't want to jump, just pop up onto the balls of your feet.  If you have knee issues, do not take the knees past 90 degrees on the squats. Do the highest level of each exercise that you can with great form.  This workout is meant to exhaust you.

Thursday's Total Body/Cardio -- BeFit GO 30 Minute Total Body Burner

Today's workout comes from BeFit.  It is part of the mobile "GO" series. These exercises can up uploaded to a mobile device so you can take your workout with you.   It is a 30 minute high intensity interval training  (HIIT) workout.  The exercises are performed for 30-60 seconds with no rest between.  They are done in 4 blocks of 5-7 exercises (some exercises are two sided) with a 60 second rest between each block.

You will need the following equipment:  a set of dumb bells, a kettlebell (or one heavier weight--or you can use a milk jug filled with water--completely full is around 8 pounds), a medicine ball--if you don't have one, do the exercises without, and a mat or carpeted area.

The first two exercises are meant to be your warm-up.  I recommend doing your own warm up first and then using these two exercises as part of the workout.

I have several form/safety cues before you begin.

For the Bulgarian Split Lunge (she says squat--it's a lunge), you can use a coffee table, step or just do them with both feet on the floor.  Make sure to keep that front knee at 90 degrees--your knee should stay in line with your ankle.

You can modify the plank rows and regular planks by coming to your knees.  Only do this when you absolutely have to.  Remember to keep your bottom down--your alignment is the same as with a full plank, only your knees are now on the floor.

While performing the Sumo Deadlift with High Pull, as you lift keep your elbows in line with your shoulders.

For  the Single Leg Deadlift, remember to keep your back flat, chest up, shoulders down and back from your ears.

While doing the Froggers--go only as deep as you can--keeping your chest up.  Do not round your back!

If doing the plank row with rotation is too difficult--do it without the weights.  You can also modify further by going down to knees--coming up to 1 knee on the side rotation.

Only come up as far as you can for the Weighted Sit-ups.  You can also do these without the weight.

If jumping is an issue for you, perform the plyometric moves without jumping.  Take big steps and make big movements even if you go slower than she does.

They provide a couple of stretches at the end.  In addition to those, I'd recommend doing the full body stretch video.

For more mobile workouts from BeFit, follow this link:  Mobile Workouts