Sculpt Your Body and Burn Fat

If you want to challenge yourself and burn some calories, here’s a workout that will do just that.

This is a full body workout based on a timed circuit that is sure to test your mettle. Working on each exercise to failure or as many reps as possible (AMRAP), start with three sets of each round. As you get stronger over time, increase the number of sets to five, further increasing the intensity by bumping up the weight you’re using.

You can perform this workout three times a week. Make sure you are following a high-protein nutrition plan to feed and assist your muscles in repair. With a higher intake of protein, you will burn more fat, while increasing your lean muscle mass. And not that doesn’t mean huge muscles. It simply means you will sculpt your body to reveal the hard-earned muscles you have developed over time.

Begin each workout with the mobility warm-up listed below and finish each circuit with a cool down of 5-10 minutes of light cardio and some stretching for active recovery.

Warm-Up

• 10 Overhead Squats (little to no resistance)
• 20 X 360 Degree Lunges (10 each side)
• 10 Spiderman Crawls (5 each side)
• 10 Inchworms
• 16 One Leg Toe Touches (8 each side)

AMRAP Workout

45 seconds work each exercise, 15 seconds rest for transition to next exercise

Round One

• Thrusters (front squat to overhead press)
• Stiff Leg Deadlifts
• Dumbell or Kettlebell Alternating Snatches
• Rest 60 seconds

Round Two

• Lateral Lunge with Hammer Curl
• Walking Push-Ups
• Figure 8 Medicine Ball Weaves (from a seated position, alternate weaving a medicine ball over and under each leg as you flutter each leg up and down on)
• Rest 60 seconds

Round Three

• Jump Lunges
• Burpees
• Rocca Press for Shoulders (begin in a pike position on your toes and hands shoulder-width apart, perform a push-up, keeping the pike position and only lowering from your upper body, bringing the top of your head towards the ground)
• Rest 90 -120 seconds then repeat from the top.

T-Boosting Power Circuit for Men

It’s Men’s Health Month and for all you guys out there, it’s time to get your physiques in shape.

If you want to maintain muscle tone and build firm muscles, you need to work out in a way that stimulates testosterone. With high intensity training or HIT, testosterone is stimulated, lean muscle mass is increased and fat is burned, leaving you with the physique of your dreams. This is also a very efficient way to train and helps you burn the most calories in the shortest period of time.

This power circuit below is designed to target all of your muscles and burn the most calories. It should be performed three days per week. For the other three days, focus on cardio and core strength exercises.

There are three things you can expect from this workout routine:

• Boost free testosterone levels
• Boost your resting metabolic rate for hours afterwards
• Boost bone density and growth hormone levels

After warming up for 5 to 10 minutes, run through the entire circuit with little to no rest in between each exercise. It should take you less than 15 seconds to jump from one exercise to the next. When you complete one full circuit, rest for 30 to 45 seconds only to help boost GH levels. Each exercise is to be performed for 12 reps and this circuit should be repeated twice.

Ass-Kicking Power Circuit

• Jumping Jacks – holding 5-8 lb dumbbells (stay humble when choosing your weight)
• Skater Lunges – with dumbbell row (keep elbow high on row)
• Traditional Dumbbell Deadlift – with upright row
• Reverse Lunge with Torso Twists – hold 1 dumbbell at your chest with both hands
• Single Leg Dumbbell Calf Extensions to 30 seconds of Jump Rope*
• Full Plank – with alternating straight leg lifts
• Plyo Push-Up with Hand Clap – keep knees on the floor
• Swiss Ball Crunch with Tricep Press Combo (keep elbows in) to Lying Dumbbell Overhead Lat Pulls*
• Swiss Ball Knee to Chest Roll In – hands on the floor and shins on ball
• Arnold Presses (curl to military press) to Pause Technique Shrugs*
• Swiss Ball Seated Bent Over Row to Hammer Curls*
• Swiss Ball Corner Push-Ups – one foot elevated
• Dumbbell Olympic Snatch – one-handed

Supersets are marked with an asterisk (*).

Originally published @ FITLODE.COM

Matthew McConaughey Workout

There are a few things that Matthew McConaughey does to keep his beach-buff body in shape and that’s running, surfing and dancing.

Staying in shape is one of McConaughey’s passions and he finds a way to exercise every day, come rain or shine. Whether it’s shadow boxing when it’s raining outside or following some grueling training program to get him ready for his next movie role, McConaughey embraces it all.

This weight training workout below focuses on strength, flexibility, agility and endurance. Perform 8 to 12 reps of each exercise, unless stated otherwise.

Matthew McConaughey Workout

Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Superset 1

• Cable Crossovers
• Incline chest press
• Swiss Ball Knee Tucks
• Repeat 2 to 4 times

Superset 2

• Pull-Ups to failure
• V-Ups
• 8 X 30-second sprints with 90-second speed walk in between each sprint
• Perform this set only once

Superset 3

• Bench Dips
• Cable (with rope) triceps overhead extensions
• Medicine Ball Lunges – reaching for the ball and passing under your front leg as you lunge forward
• Repeat 2 to 4 times

Superset 4

• Medicine Ball Press and Slam – push out from the chest, then reach overhead and slam the ball down on the floor
• Stair Sprints
• Ladder Drills with High Knees
• Repeat 2 to 4 times

Superset 5

• Squat to Calf Raise to Shoulder Press
• Woodchoppers
• Bicep Curls with Cables (rope)
• Repeat 2 to 4 times

Superset 6

• Jump Rope – perform 100 to 200 jumps as fast as you can
• Stair Running – run up 10 stairs, then back down; repeat, increasing stairs to 20, 30, 30, 20, and 10
• Perform this set only once

Tuesday/Thursday

Strictly cardio days – 45 to 60 minutes of running

Weekend – Rest and Dancing!

This workout requires a pre-workout stim like MusclePrime to get your head into the game and your heart pumping. During your workout, sip on some BCAAs with Aminocore, then finish off your workout with a replenishing whey protein shake like ISOFLEX to enhance muscular development and aid recovery.

Originally published @ FITLODE.COM

Power Circuit Training for Ultimate Fat Burning

Circuit training is by far one of the best ways to stay in shape and it’s time-efficient too.

The trick to burning fat and getting your heart rate going with circuit training is to make sure you keep moving from set to set without resting in between. Your reward will be a 2-minute rest at the very end of the circuit. So hang onto that thought as you sweat your way through this circuit.

These exercises can be done with kettlebells, dumbbells or resistance bands. You will also need a jump rope and an exercise mat. Make sure to keep hydrated throughout the circuit and maintain proper form and technique to avoid injury.

Power Circuit Training

• One Arm Kettlebell Snatch
• Push-Ups
• Standing Triceps Press
• Jumping Jacks – 90 seconds
• Bentover Dumbbell Rows
• V-Ups – start with 30 seconds and gradually work your way up to 90 seconds
• Biceps Curls
• Jump Rope – 90 seconds

Perform this circuit 3 to 4 times and aim for 10-12 reps of each exercise.

It’s important to nourish your body after working out with a source of protein like a whey shake. Immediately after working out, up to 45 minutes, replenish your body with a protein shake and your body will perform better. Protein after working out helps the muscles repair and it stimulate generation of new muscle tissue growth, which means leaner muscles and a sleeker you.

Originally published @ FITLODE.COM

Busy Mom Weekend Workout

When you’re a busy mom with a thousand things to do and a thousand places to be, there’s very little time on the weekend to fit in a workout.

So what’s the secret?

Power circuit training. Take six compound exercises and form them into a circuit. Perform the circuit 3 times through with a two-minute rest in between. You can either perform timed circuits (say, 45 seconds for each set) or number of reps (10-12 repetitions per set). If six exercises are too many and take too much time, reduce it down to four exercises and you’ll still have a decent circuit that you can do in a pinch.

Make sure you warm up with some dynamic exercises and light cardio like marching, jogging, jumping rope and jumping jacks. After about five minutes of warming up, you should be ready to begin.

Busy Mom Weekend Workout

Burpees – start in a standing position, drop down to the floor into a plank position, then perform one push-up and come back to standing, finishing the burpee with a little jump at the end and arms raised in the air.

Plyo-Step-Ups – you can either use a step/stair or a sturdy chair. Place one foot on the step and bring the other leg up to raise yourself up and hop at the top of the position. Switch legs and repeat.

Mountain Climbers – get yourself into the push-up position and alternate your legs, bringing your knees into your chest without arching your back. Pump the legs for a total of 20-24 reps.

Supermans – lying on your stomach, lift and stretch your legs and arms out and off the ground to lengthen the spine, squeezing in the glutes and abs as you hold the contraction.

Kettlebell Swings – you can do this with a dumbbell or medicine ball as well. Holding the kettlebell with both hands in front of you, bend at the knees for a squat and propel yourself up, swinging the kettle bell up for a lateral raise in the front.

Dips – with your back to a chair, place your hands on the seat and extend your legs out in front of you to rest on the ground. Use your arms to dip yourself down to work the triceps.

Cool down and stretch out the muscles worked.

Originally published @ FITLODE.COM