Booty Butt Kicker

A perky butt is something you need to work hard to achieve and once you reach that point, you need to work equally hard to maintain.

Gravity is not kind to the glute area and this is why we need to dedicate at least two days a week to training this muscle group. Of course, you can’t work the glutes without giving the legs a workout too, so there’s some incentive and an added bonus for all those sweat hours you’re about to invest.

This is a timed circuit that should be performed straight through, resting only to change positions or exercises. At the end of the circuit, take a long deserved break of about two minutes, sip on some BCAAs to keep those muscles pumped and burning fat and start over for a total of 3 to 4 sets.

Booty Butt Kicker

Side Lunge Slide – 3 – 4 minutes each side

Assume a speed skater’s stance with your outside leg on a towel. Make sure your other leg, your anchor leg, has a firm grip on the floor so that you don’t accidentally find yourself in the splits! Ouch! With a straight back and tummy tucked in tight, slide the outside leg out until your knee is at a 90-degree angle, then slowly pull the leg back in to return to the beginning. This one you’ll feel in your inner thigh too. Take your time on this one as it requires some balance and poise. Use your arms to help with balance. Repeat for 3 to 4 minutes then switch sides and repeat on the other leg.

Plié Squats – 1 minute

You can use a dumbbell. kettlebell or medicine ball for this exercise. Holding the weight in both hands, standing with a straight back and feet in a wide stance and toes pointing outward, knees slightly bent. Inhale as you bend the knees in a controlled fashion and lower you body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pushing your body up, keeping your back straight and the weight in your heels, straighten the legs. Repeat for one whole minute.

Chair Pose to Reaching Lunge – 1 – 2 minutes

This is a combo move that involves some plyometrics for some explosive movement that will help elevate your heart rate and burn more fat. Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, lower your butt down as if you’re about to sit in a chair (you can use a chair or bench behind you for more support, but don’t touch the seat). From this position, you’ll power out from the left leg, sending it back, bending the front leg for a full lunge, reaching the arm out in front as you establish the position. Jump back up into Chair Pose and repeat on the opposite leg. Keep alternating between legs for one to two minutes.

Plyo Lunges – 2 – 3 minutes

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart and hands on your hips, jump into a lunge, then hop up and switch legs. Keep alternating legs for a full two to three minutes.

Squat to Warrior III – 4 – 5 minutes

Starting in a full squat, raise yourself up, kicking the left leg back and tilting your body forward reaching the arms out in front of you to balance, keeping the core strong and parallel to the floor. Return to a full squat position and repeat on the opposite leg. Keep alternating between legs for a full four to five minutes.

You can repeat this circuit for a total of 3 to 4 times. If you aren’t a little wobbly after this workout, then you’re doing something wrong!

Sexy Arms Workout

Sexy, sculpted arms are the envy of just about everybody, which is why we’ve put together this demanding arm workout.

The beauty of this workout is that you only need two pieces of inexpensive equipment both of the spherical type – a Swiss ball and a medicine ball!

How do you choose the right size ball for you. For Swiss balls, it depends on your height:

• Height = 4’6″ to 5’0″ –> Ball Size = 45 cm
• Height = 5’1″ to 5’7″ –> Ball Size = 55 cm
• Height = 5’8″ to 6’1″ –> Ball Size = 65 cm
• Height = 6’2″ to 6’7″ –> Ball Size = 75 cm

Medicine balls are a great piece of equipment to have and are used primarily for strength training. The weight can range from 1 lb to 30 lb. If your workout is more of a cardio workout, then you will want a lighter ball. If you’re trying to increase strength, then a heavier ball would be necessary. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that “the ball should be heavy enough to visibly slow the motion, but not so heavy that control, accuracy or range of motion are lessened.”

For this workout you will want a moderately heavy medicine ball.

Swiss Ball Push-ups

Get yourself into a push-up position with your legs on a Swiss ball – thighs for beginner, shins for intermediate, or feet for advanced on the Swiss ball. Perform as many push-ups as you can till failure and try to beat this number for each set.

Medicine Ball Curls

This exercise imitates a close-grip barbell curl and isolates the bicep muscle nicely. Stand with the medicine ball in both hands in a lowered position in front of you, palms facing up. Flex your arms up for a bicep curl, lower and repeat. 10 – 16 reps.

Overhead Triceps Extension with Medicine Ball

Sitting on your Swiss ball and holding the medicine ball, raise it up above your head and bend your elbows back so you’re holding the medicine ball behind your head. Next, extend your forearms straight up to work the triceps and repeat for 10 – 16 reps.

Medicine Ball Toss

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, grab the medicine ball in both hands and toss it above your head, then catch it and toss it back and forth four times, then repeat. This is one rep. Perform 12 – 16 reps.

Medicine Ball Slam

Starting in the same position as the Overhead Triceps Extension exercise, with a forceful motion bounce the ball on the ground, then catch it and return to your starting position to repeat for 24 reps.

Stand with your feet parallel and knees slightly bent. Pull the medicine ball up and back behind your head (without over arching your back), and forcefully throw the ball down to the ground as hard as possible. Catch the ball on the bounce up from the ground and repeat.

Front Raises

Holding the medicine ball in both hands down by your thighs with feet shoulder-width apart, raise the ball up to shoulder height, hold for 3 seconds and repeat for 16 reps.

Start standing with the medicine ball between your hands and your arms straight in front of your thighs. Lift your arms, keeping them straight but not locked, up to shoulder height. (Remember to keep your abdominals tight and your back straight). Slowly lower your arms down to your waist and repeat.

Once you’ve worked through this circuit once, return to the beginning and repeat for a total of 3 to 4 times. You can perform this workout twice a week.

Burn 800 Calories an Hour with Cardio Kickboxing

Burn 800 calories in one hour with an energized cardio kickboxing workout you can do at home.

Cardio kickboxing first surfaced in 1992 as a circuit training workout developed by Frank Thiboutot to help promote the sport of kickboxing. The beauty of cardio kickboxing is that you don’t need a partner to spar with, you can do it on your own and you don’t need any previous knowledge of kickboxing or martial arts in general.

Benefits of cardio kickboxing

• Energizing
• High Intensity
• High Calorie Burn
• Easy to Follow
• Whole Body Workout
• Increased Balance
• Increased Strength
• Improved Muscle Tone
• Improved Flexibility
• Improved Kickboxing Skills

With so many cardio kickboxing workout videos available and many other interactive sports gear like Wii, it’s something you can easily do in the comfort of your own home. In fact, you can turn it into a family event and get fit together.

With an estimated 800-calorie burn in just one-hour class, you can see the appeal of this workout. It’s fast moving and demands focus. The result is a refreshed mind and a well-toned body.

Some things to bear in mind before starting out with a cardio kickboxing workout, especially if you’re planning to do it unsupervised at home.

1. Before you start, practice some of the punching and kicking moves in front of the mirror to get the proper technique down. This will help you to avoid injury and gauge your fitness level before you start.

2. If you’re a beginner, avoid high kicks until you’ve developed more flexibility in your joints.

3. To avoid injury, do not overextend your limbs or lock your joints, especially with your punches and kicks.

4. Observe proper body alignment throughout your workout, especially when you feel yourself getting tired.

5. Wear proper shoes.

6. Avoid too many repetitions of the same movement, especially with high-impact movements. If you’re balancing on one leg, stick to an eight count before switching sides.

7. Do not add weights to your cardio kickboxing routine.

8. Find the right balance between intensity and safety. Work at your own pace, while pushing yourself to your limits.

With any kind of intense workout, you need to feed your muscles and nourish your body.

15 Minute Pick-Me-Up

Get your workout out of the way first thing in the morning and chances are you will stick to it.

Before you know it, getting up half an our early won’t seem so bad and you’ll be exercising out regularly before any of the distractions of the day zap the energy and motivation out of you. Working out in the morning has also been proven to be more effective at burning fat and helps to keep your energy levels up during the day.

Exercising in the morning also increases your productivity levels as it sets off your day with an energizing kick in the metabolism and a wake-up call to the body to get and go! You will be more alert at work and will find dealing with stress is a lot easier to do.

By the end of the day, you’ll be ready for bed and you’ll find exercise helps improve the quality of your sleep. It’s a positive cycle – exercising out in the morning – because it improves your sleep and energizes your day, you wake up with lots of pep and the motivation to get up and sweat!

Here’s a quick morning fitness fix that will burn calories and add some kick to your day.

15 Minute Pick-Me-Up

Warm-Up

• 30 seconds of jumping jacks
• 30 seconds jumping rope
• 30 seconds split jumps
• 30 seconds jogging on the spot
• 30 seconds plyo skaters’ lunges

Repeat twice for a total of five minutes.

Down Dog to Plank to Push-Ups – repeat for six
Mountain Climbers – for 30 seconds
Burpees – for 30 seconds
Leaning Side Plank – for 30 seconds (use a table or bench and perform a side plank on an incline)

Cool down by repeating the warm-up one through from beginning to end. Then make sure you have a good stretch afterwards.

Killer Workout for Abs that Pop!

Probably the most popular area that people want to improve is their waistlines. Everybody wants six-pack abs!

Besides putting in the work and dedicating a chunk of training time solely to ab work and core strength, cardio and clean eating are two crucial elements that most people overlook. If you want to look cut and shredded, you need to make sacrifices in the kitchen.

On a regimented daily basis, you need to stop eating:

• Sugar and anything the contains sugar
• White flour (bread, pasta, cakes and pastries)
• White rice
• White potatoes
• Deep fried foods
• Processed foods
• Refined foods
• Most vegetable oils (unless they’re healthy MUFAs)
• Too many fruits and fruit juice
• GMO foods

On a regimented daily basis, you need to start:

• Drinking more fresh, filtered water
• Eating more vegetables, especially dark, leafy greens (low in carbs)
• Eating more Omega3 fats and MUFAs like extra virgin olive oil
• Eating more protein
• Eating more organic food options
• Eating more wholegrains and wholesome foods
• Eating smaller meals more frequently

In order to show off those six-pack abs, you need to reduce your BMI and that means fat-burning cardio and high intensity interval training. Long cardio sessions are becoming a thing of the past. Science is now pointing to short-burst, high intensity interval training as the safer, more efficient option to work out.

Once you’ve got your fat burning and nutrition sorted out, next comes the grueling ab training. Here’s a killer workout that you should incorporate 2 to 3 times a week for well-developed abs. The secret is to use weighted training for your ab routine.

Killer Ab Training for Abs that Pop!

Hanging Leg Raises with weight between your legs or ankle weights – raise legs to 90-degree angle and repeat till failure

Barbell Roll Outs – using a barbell with 5 to 10 lb weights, start in a jack knife and roll out to a push-up position. Then squeeze in your abs and roll back to the starting position. Repeat for 10 – 12 reps.

Cable Crunches – using cables with a rope attachment, kneel down with your back to the machine – pull the weight down while folding in at the waist to engage the abs. Repeat for 10 – 12 reps.

Plank – hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.

Double Press-Ups – lying on an incline bench with a barbell with 5 or 10 lb weights – move into a chest press and transition all the way up into a shoulder press to finish, straightening up your body. Roll down and repeat for 10 – 12 reps.

Once you’ve completed one circuit, take a 2-minute break and sip on some intra-workout Aminocore. Then complete another 2 circuits for a total of 3.

Make sure you fuel your body afterward with a high quality whey protein isolate shake for rapid recovery and increased lean muscle.

Originally published @ FITLODE.COM

Beach Body Boot Camp

It’s never too late to get into shape. With this weekly workout regimen, you can fast track your fitness goals and get that body beach-ready in no time.

To get the full benefit out of this weekly routine, make sure you’re eating a healthy diet full of fresh, wholesome, low-fat, low-carb foods and that you supplement your diet with a whey protein to help with recovery and muscle repair.

Sunday

AM – Power Yoga (Bikram) 90 min class

PM – Lower Body Training

• Heavy Plié Squats
• Squats with Arnold Press
• Seated Calf Press
• V-Ups
• Hanging Straight Leg Lifts
• Mountain Climbers
• Single Leg Dumbbell Dead lifts

All exercises should be performed for 3 sets, 12-15 reps, with 60% max of load.

Monday – Upper Body (Front)

• Swiss Ball Alternating Chest Press
• Seated Machine Chest Press
• Alternating Reverse Lunges with Military Press
• Lying Reverse Crunches
• Cable Curls with Rope
• Standing Cable Crunches with Rope
• Push-Ups to failure

All exercises are to be performed in order for 3 sets, 12-15 reps at 65% of 1 rep max (1RM), followed by 30 minutes of Elliptical trainer for active recovery.

Tuesday

AM – 1-hour Spin Class

PM – 15 minutes of Yoga poses focused on deep tissue stretching

Wednesday – Upper Body (Back)

• Seated Machine Cable Rows with T-Bar
• Cable Rope Triceps Extensions
• Wide Stance Stiff Leg Dead Lifts with Dumbbells
• Cable Rope Dead Lift (pronated grip) with Row
• Flat Bench Triceps Push-Ups with Feet On Medicine Ball
• Seated Rear Delt Bent Over Fly

All exercises should be performed for 2 sets to failure at 70% of 1RM, followed by 20 minutes of power walking (4.2 and above on speed setting) on treadmill with 6 incline for active recovery.

Thursday

AM – 1-hour Cardio Kickboxing

PM – Lower Body Training

• Medicine Ball Planks with Straight Leg Lifts
• Lying Medicine Ball Sit-Ups to Lateral Raise
• Kneeling Donkey Kicks to Heavy Plié Squats
• Single Leg Calf Press
• Plié Jump Squats
• Single Leg Dumbbell Heel Raises
• Walking Lunges with Dumbbells

All exercise should be performed with light weights for 3 sets and 20 reps, followed by 20 minutes of Stairmaster for active recovery.

Friday

AM – 1-hour Treadmill for Steady State Jog

PM – 15 minutes of Yoga poses focused on deep tissue stretching

Saturday

REST and ONE cheat food.

Originally published @ FITLODE.COM

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

Tank Top Workout

With the promise of warmer weather tempting us out of our baggy sweaters and into skimpier clothes like tank tops, the sight of our arms for the first time in months may come as a shock to most people.

But before you run out to the store to buy some long-sleeved tees, give this upper body circuit a try for four weeks and see if you don’t notice a difference in those arms.

These exercises are grouped into pairs called supersets for ultimate calorie burn and muscle tone. Perform the entire circuit, only pausing between supersets to reposition yourself and grab a sip of water or BCAAs – an intra-workout protein supplement that can greatly increase your lean muscle mass.

Once you’ve completed one complete circuit, rest for 120 minutes and repeat the entire circuit for a total of 3 times.

Tank Top Workout

Superset 1:

Diamond Push-Ups – get into a push-up position but bring your hands together, so that your thumbs and index fingers touch to form a triangle. This will target the triceps when you lower yourself down into a push-up. Perform as many push-ups as you can, before moving straight into the next exercise.

Lying Bicep Curls with Resistance Bands – roll over onto your back and grab your resistance bands. Wrap the bands under the feet and bring your arms to your sides. Flex your arms into a bicep curl and repeat for 12 repetitions.

Superset 2:

Standing Overhead Triceps Extensions – holding a medicine ball with both hands above your head, bend at the elbow, sliding the medicine ball down the back, then extend your forearms up to work the triceps. Perform 12 reps.

Shoulder Presses – in the same position, press your arms up above your head straight up from the shoulders to work the top of your deltoids. Perform 12 reps.

Superset 3:

Overhead Medicine Ball Slams – holding the medicine ball above your head like you did in the standing overhead triceps extension exercise, extend your forearms, only this time slam the medicine ball down so that it bounces off the floor. Repeat for 12 repetitions.

Side Lateral Raises – using two medicine balls, one in each hand, raise your straight arms out to the side, up to shoulder height, pause for a second or two and lower down to repeat for 12 reps.

Superset 4:

Front Lateral Raises – with two medicine balls, one in each hand, raise your straight arms up in front to shoulder height, pause for a second or two and lower down to repeat for 12 reps.

Medicine Ball Backhanded Slams – these are like triceps pressdowns with a twist. With two medicine balls in hand and your back to a wall, press down to straighten your arms but with force so that you let go of the balls to slam against the wall at the right time – when your arms are fully extended. Perform 12 reps.

By supersetting these exercises, you tire out your muscles for increased tone and fat burn. Make sure you replenish your body with a high quality whey protein shake for increased lean muscle mass and to help your body recover more efficiently.

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

Get in Shape in Four Easy Moves

If you want to get into the best shape of your life, there are two things you need to do – exercise regularly and eat healthy, wholesome foods.

Circuit training is the most efficient way to get into shape and creating your own circuit can be fun. All you need to do is consider what kind of workout you want to do. Do you want to focus on the upper body in one circuit and then the next day, focus on your lower body? Or do you want a full body workout? The answers to these questions will be determined by the amount of time you have to dedicate to working out on a daily basis. With the right circuit, you can get in shape in 15 quick minutes a day.

The secret to a good circuit training workout is to incorporate compound exercises so you’re covering more ground in one exercise. The other thing is to limit your resting time both in between exercises and at the end of each circuit.

Here’s a great circuit that will leave you feeling energized and tone and trim your body at the same time.

After you’ve warmed up with a few dynamic moves for about 5 minutes, proceed with the first exercise and continue through until you reach the end of the circuit. Pause long enough in between exercises to get a drink of water and reposition yourself for the next move. Remember, form and technique should always come first before anything else.

Lunge and Curl – place a dumbbell at the front of your mat and stand at the other end. Bring one foot forward into a lunge, then lean forward and pick up the dumbbell, performing a bicep curl in the lunge position. Place the dumbbell down on the ground and switch legs. Perform 10 – 12 repetitions on each leg.

Hidden Warrior – standing with feet together, bring your knee up into your chest to work your abs, then reach your arms out in front of you while extending you leg back into Warrior III pose. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat on the same leg for 10 – 12 reps.

Plyometric Side Lunge – holding a couple of handweights, stand with feet wide apart and bend down into a side lunge. If you’re lunging to the left, extend your left arm back for a tricep extension and bring the other arm up in front for a lateral raise with bent elbow. After you’ve mastered the technique, add a little hop coming out of the lunge to repeat 10 – 12 times each leg.

Plank Trio – get yourself into plank position and hold for 15 seconds, then perform 3 push-ups, followed by 10 mountain climbers. Repeat this move 6 – 10 times.

Rest for 60 – 90 seconds and repeat the circuit from the beginning.

To fuel this workout, consume a protein shake right after training to increase lean muscle mass and help with recovery.

Originally published @ FITLODE.COM