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.

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