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Kicking off the New Season with a Kick-Butt Workout
Still standing after the first Autumn of 2012 Central Park workout!
This Workout Wednesday marks a first for me. I’m spending it in Iowa City! While you read this post, I’m either on one of two flights or in my rental car heading to my hotel. I plan on hitting the fitness center soon after checking in so I can get the blood pumping after sitting on the plane.
So, while I can’t give this past weekend’s killer CrossFit UWS workout another go today, I wanted to share it with you in case you have the desire and opportunity to kick things up a notch in the great outdoors!
Seriously, this workout was tough and NOT one I’d recommend for any beginner. However, if you’ve got solid core strength and good form while performing the following exercises, then well, I’d love to hear what you think of what Roberto Murichi cooked up for his latest and greatest Saturday morning class in Central Park.
- Static stretching: Each of us focused on static stretching our tight areas, holding each stretch for 30 seconds. For me, that meant paying special attention to my calves and hips.
- Warm up: The concept was to complete three exercises within 90 seconds for a total of five rounds. Here’s what each round looked like:
- 20-second plank, 100m sprint, three squat thrusts
- 20-second plank, 100m sprint, six squat thrusts
- 20-second plank, 100m sprint, nine squat thrusts
- 20-second plan, 100m sprint, 12 squat thrusts
- 20-second plan, 100m spring, 15 squat thrusts
What made this warm-up deceptively “easy” was the fact that if we completed the exercises before the 90-seconds were up, we could rest before the “ding” sounded on Roberto’s iPad alerting us to the start of the next round. So, for the first round, getting through the plank, spring and three squat thrusts left me with nearly 30 seconds of rest time before round two. However, as the squat thrusts reps got higher, the rest time got shorter. Needless to say after the seven-and-a-half minute warm up, I was a little scared of moving on to the killer workout!
- Workout: For the purpose of this post, I’ll call it “30…20…drop!” It was “only” two rounds, but we were timed on how long it took us to complete them. For round one, we had to perform 30 reps of each exercise. For round two, we “only” had to get through 20. Oh, and each of the two rounds started with a 200m sprint. Now for the exercises:
- Push-ups
- Squats
- Sit-ups
- Walking lunges (30/20 total, so 15/10 for each leg)
- Bicycles (double count)
- Back extension (which some people call the “Superman”)
- Double-unders (I admit, I’m not coordinated enough to do double-unders, the jump rope always gets caught up on my feet! So for us single-under warriors, the reps broke down to 150/100 for each round)
- Burpees (UGH!)
- Box jumps (using the bend.) As a regression, we could do step ups/step downs
Well, someone in the group has to finish last and that was me. I wrapped the workout in 22:20. After I finally caught my breath, I couldn’t believe the rush I felt from the workout. Again, covered in dirt, sweat and grass with the echo of Roberto’s coaching us through lingering in my ears, I felt amazingly exhilarated!
So, I’m definitely following my own advice and mixing it up with the start of the new season. Maybe I’ll see some of you in the park one of these weekends. Click here if you’d like more information about the classes and CrossFit UWS.
If you’ve got a killer workout you’d like to share, please don’t be shy! Sharing information about new and exciting fitness routines is a great way to help everyone have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Simply Lovin’ These Outdoor Workouts!
Saturday Morning Central Park Warriors!
On this Workout Wednesday, I gladly share what I’d call my favorite workout in recent memory.
The fact that Mother Nature provided a picture-perfect morning for this kick butt CrossFit UWS group class in Central Park didn’t hurt. Here’s what Roberto Murichi cooked up for us to tackle:
- Active stretching: included walking lunges, reverse walking lunges and bear crawls.
- Warm up: Burpees Tabata followed by 50 meter walking lunge. Just a reminder on what constitutes a Tabata, the high-intensity training protocol features eight continuous intervals of 20 seconds of maximum intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest. Check out the clip below to see what a few of those 20 seconds of work looked like. Needless to say after we finished the burpees, adding those walking lunges provided one heck of a warm up!
- Workout: I really liked this AMRAP -“as many reps/rounds as possible” – combo. Our mission was to push out as many rounds as possible in a five-minute interval of the following exercises for a total of three rounds. We had one minute of glorious rest in between each round.
Round one
- 10 pistols: Another term for single-leg squats. We used the park benches as a start/end point for the exercise. As a regression, we could switch to “regular” squats as needed.
- 10 box jumps: We used the park benches for these, too. The regression was to do a step-up and step-down.
- 10 push ups
Round two
- 100 meter sprint
- 10 walk out push-ups
Round three
- 100 single-unders (jump rope)
- 25 situps
Just to further clarify the AMRAP concept: in round one, we’d bang out the 10 pistols, 10 box jumps and 10 push ups, then start over with the pistols again and keep repeating as many rounds of the three-exercise combo until we heard the blessed buzzer on Roberto’s iPad. After the five minutes were up, we had one minute to drink some water, stretch and catch our breath before moving on to rounds two and three featuring the different exercise combinations.
The endorphins generated by this killer workout kept me energized from the moment I banged out my last sit up right right through the last out at Yankee Stadium where I happily watched my beloved Bronx Bombers beat the Devil Rays. I’m already pumped to see what Roberto has in store for us next time around!
If you’re beyond the beginner level and looking to kick things up a notch, this kind of workout won’t let you down! Click here for more information about CrossFit UWS.
Remember, regardless of your fitness level, mixing up your exercise routine with different workouts and different venues is a great way to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Another Killer Outdoor Workout Wednesday
With CrossFit UWS Co-Owners Roberto & Ashleigh
Happy Workout Wednesday!
For this week’s installment, I gladly share another kick-butt workout courtesy of CrossFit UWS head coach Roberto Murichi.
I survived..I mean enjoyed…this workout with seven other Saturday morning warriors in Central Park. Here’s what we did:
- Active stretching: included walking lunges, reverse walking lunges, side hops and knee-up hops.
- Warm up: 200 m run followed by the maximum number of push ups we could do before having to drop to our knees. The alternative was to hold a plank as long as possible before dropping. Three rounds total.
- Workout: Roberto put together another heart-pounding combination of exercises. This time, each of us was timed upon completion of the following three rounds:
Round one
- 100 m run
- 21 burpees
- 21 squats
- 21 push ups
- 21 box jumps (using park benches)
- 21 sit ups
For rounds two and three, we again started with the 100 meter run and moved on to the exercises in the same order. The only thing that changed was the number of reps. For round two, we dropped to 18 reps for each exercise and for our final round, we were down to 15.
Honestly, after 21 burpees, I had no idea how I’d make it through the rest of the exercises in the first round, let alone get through all three.Yet, thanks to the positive coaching from Roberto, shout-outs and high fives from the rest of the group, I somehow made it to the last sit up and heard myself shouting “Time!” I finished in 17:05.
Workout completed, I found myself covered in sweat, grass and dirt, feeling completely spent and exhilarated at the same time. Then, the heavens opened and we all welcomed the soaking rain as we sprinted out of the park to get to our next Saturday morning destinations.
It’s been great adding this outdoor workout to my weekly fitness routine. Being in the park offers a break from the ordinary, and having Roberto cheering us through the reps and rounds while keeping an eye on our form offers some great motivation. If anyone lives in the city and wants to give the workout a try, click here for more information about CrossFit UWS.
If you’re beyond the beginner level and looking to kick things up a notch, this kind of workout won’t let you down! Regardless of your fitness level, mixing up your exercise routine by venturing into the great outdoors is a wonderful way to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
It’s-All-About-Me Monday
Self-Doubt? Knock It Out! Photo by Leslie Hassler
Welcome to another Monday and a new shot of motivation to kick off the work week!
Today, I want to address one of the worst things we can do to ourselves when we make the decision to pursue a healthy lifestyle and start exercising. Do NOT waste your energy comparing yourself to others!
Whether you’re out for a power walk, sweating it out on the elliptical, lifting weights or taking a group exercise class, you should be working out at a pace that feels good for you. The reality is there will always be someone who can walk or run faster, lift more or be more graceful at Zumba than you. Who cares?
I’m still working on getting over my own insecurities. While my love affair with fitness dates back to my childhood, I got certified in the fitness industry “late” in life. Many of my new fitness friends have been personal training or teaching group exercise classes since the days I started my journalism career. That’s about 15 years ago. Others got certified at the same time I did, but they’re 10 years younger. They recover from some of the tougher workouts more quickly than I do at the age of 38. Comparing myself to any of these peers is pointless. Instead of feeling inadequate about my capabilities, I’ve decided it’s much more productive to turn to these fitness friends for motivation and information on everything from human movement science to exercise program design.
So, stop comparing yourself to that “ripped” girl or guy on the machine next to you. Focus on yourself. Do what you can, as best as you can and remember, you’ve made exercise a part of your life to make your heart healthier, your body happier and your mind a little saner.
Sometimes, we all need a reminder on why it’s important to be our biggest cheerleader when it comes to following through on the plan to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Friday’s Food for Thought: Back-to-School Edition
We all survived the post-Labor Day back-to-school, back-to-the-grind work week!
I wrap up this fitting-fitness-into-your-fall-schedule-themed week with some simple reminders about how to get your healthy eating habits back on track. Remember, diet and exercise go hand in hand. If you want your body to perform at its best, you need to give it the right fuel.
As a happy follower of the everything-in-moderation lifestyle, none of my “diet tricks” involve extremes:
- A Little Prep Goes A Long Way: Every weekend, I stock up on easy-to-chop or no-chop-needed produce like baby carrots, celery, peppers and cherry tomatoes. At some point on Sunday, I pack up five ready-to-grab containers and so I have no excuse for not having veggies with my lunch every day at work. Same goes for fruits. I chop strawberries and bring a large container to work on Monday and divvy out portions each morning with non-fat plain Greek yogurt and high fiber cereal. Add a pre-workout banana, and this all adds up to a no-brainer approach to getting multiple servings of fruits and veggies during the day!
- Take the guesswork out of staying hydrated: Save your dollars and the planet by stocking up on a few reusable water bottles. Keep one in your backpack, briefcase, purse, gym bag and/or at the office. Reports differ on how much water each individual needs, but the general rule is eight, eight-ounce glasses each day. I keep a 16-ounce water bottle in my office and I fill it at least three times while I’m at work. So, between my post-work workout and at least one glass of water with dinner, I hit my daily intake without even thinking about it.
- Don’t wait until you’re famished to eat: I have to eat every 3-4 hours or I get sluggish. I also make sure to eat a snack about an hour before my workout so you don’t burn out too quickly. My new favorite pre-workout snack is a chopped medley of one banana and three or four pineapple strips. I enjoy the mix with a side of string cheese and big glass of water.
- Keep healthy snacks handy: There are few places I’ll go without a Fiber One bar or some raw almonds. If you find yourself sans snack, chew on a piece of gum or have a glass of water to take the edge off before scarfing down something less healthy.
- Be realistic: When a craving gnaws at you, it’s not always a bad thing to give into it. Ignoring a guilty pleasure for too long can end up being worse. It’s amazing how the desire for one cupcake on Monday can turn into inhaling a colossal sized one meant for four people to share by Friday.
I leave you with this final thought: there will be “off” days. Even as a lifelong fitness enthusiast, there are times I simply don’t want to workout and all I want to do is drink red wine and eat chocolate. It happens. Don’t let one bad day throw you off course. Just wipe off the crumbs, prep your gym bag and remember tomorrow is your next chance to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Workout Wednesday: Back in Action!
Don’t forget to pencil in some time for fitness!
This is always a strange time of year for me.
Even though I’m not a mom, the back-to-school, no-more-beach-weekend mode always arrives with a shock to the system. Here in New York City, all the people who spent a good part of the season in their summer homes are back. Students crowd into the subways along with the rest of the commuters. The incessant buzz of the city that never sleeps kicks up a notch back to its norm.
Wherever you live, we’re all faced with leaving the lazy-days-of-summer schedule behind. No more summer Fridays away from the office. The kids may have new school schedules and new after-school activities. There may be life changes that involve new responsibilities, too. If you’re trying to fit “working out” into your fall schedule, here are a few tips to make things a little less overwhelming:
- Be realistic: Saying you’re going to exercise two hours a day, seven days a week is sabotage. The first day you miss, you’ll be discouraged, and could wind up saying, “Well, I just blew the whole week, so why bother going back?” A better approach is to aim for two or three days each week for the first month. Trust me, as you start experiencing the benefits from exercising, you’ll want to spend more time working out.
- Adjust the Attitude: Think of exercise as a “chore,” and you’ll be done with the new routine in no time. Instead, think of exercise as “Me Time.” No matter what’s going on in my life, the time I spend working out is the one time my brain goes into neutral. Use exercise as a break from the ordinary, and before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to sweating out whatever ails you.
- Research deals: Backpacks and computers aren’t the only things you can get a good price on at this time of year. Many gyms are offering back-to-school membership rates. Just remember to make sure it’s convenient for you to get to. I don’t care if a gym is offering a free membership. It if takes you an hour from the house or office to get there, chances are you won’t go based on the distance.
- Reward yourself: No, not with cupcakes or candy. Instead, treat yourself to a new pair of sneakers, a hoodie or refresh your playlist with some new high-energy workout tunes. Really want to splurge? Set up one or two sessions with a personal trainer so you can receive a proper assessed and start on a safe program.
- Give yourself a break! If you’re starting on an exercise routine for the first time in your life or getting back into it after an unexpected hiatus, you can’t expect to see drastic changes overnight. Habits take about six weeks to take root in your psyche, so take it day by day, week by week and focus on the positive responses from your body.
Stay tuned for Friday’s post where I’ll offer some food for thought on getting your healthy eating habits back on track, too.
For now, remember even though getting back to the grind can be daunting, it’s also the perfect opportunity to sharpen your focus and welcome a whole new season filled with countless opportunities to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Last Hoorah!
Here’s to a sun-and-fun-filled Labor Day weekend!
TGIF!
For lots of people, including me, it’s getaway day for the last long holiday weekend of the summer of 2012.
Like many other summer weekends, we can look forward to kicking back at the beach or pool, maybe packing a picnic for the park or heading to a backyard barbecue. Whatever’s on your agenda this weekend, be sure to make make the most of every minute and enjoy the downtime!
Wherever you’re headed, I thought I’d offer some timely reminders on how to fit some fitness into the holiday weekend and make some smart food choices.
Click on these links for:
- Some beach workout ideas
- Other exercises you can get done outdoors
- A barbecue game plan
- Alternatives to high-calorie cocktails
Here’s to a Happy Labor Day weekend filled with plenty of reasons to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous! See you in September!
Mindful Monday
Now’s the perfect time to take stock of what makes you smile!
Photo by Leslie Hassler
I can’t believe we’re one week away from Labor Day. I’m part of the group that considers the holiday the unofficial end of summer.
When I was a kid, that meant dealing with a mix of dread and excitement in anticipation of a new school year. Now that I’m a grown up, (not that I always feel like one) even though I don’t have kids, I find this back-to-school time one of the best times to take stock of where I’m at and figure out where I’d like to go from here.
What does that mean exactly? It’s time for me to get out the big planner and set up a new schedule and some new deadlines for some new adventures. That involves taking all of the following into consideration:
- Reality: The hours involved with my Monday through Friday work schedule.
- Current deadlines: That includes the writing I do for the posts here each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Necessities: Working out on my own and the group exercise classes that my body and spirit can’t live without.
- New projects: I’ve been collecting information for a new writing project for quite some time and I need to get my butt in gear and start putting things together. I also want to lure some guest bloggers to appear on my site and hopefully get some of my writing on other sites in return. There’s a lot of social networking ahead of me!
- Down time: Yes, I plan to designate which days and/or nights I’ll be social and which ones where I’ll be alone to work on all the other “stuff” or simply chill out.
What’s my motivation for getting my fall plan on paper in the week ahead? Because when you have a to-do list in your head, it can be overwhelming. You stress about all there is to do, and with no plan, the stress festers and nothing gets done.
If you’re busy helping the kids get ready for the new school year, why not use this time to also get your own September schedule in order. Maybe this is the autumn you put it on your schedule to get to that gym class or meet a friend for a walk one or two days a week after you get the kids out the door. If the afternoons are better, then schedule an hour to get some exercise before you have to pick the kids up from practice or other after-school activity. While they’re busy with their extra-cirriculars, maybe that’s your hour to spend on a project you’ve had on the back burner for too long. Have you wanted to start your own blog or write a book? Or maybe now’s the time to find out what the Zumba craze is all about or take that photography class.
Making time for you doesn’t mean you’re being selfish. Prioritizing what you need to find your contentment will only make it easier for you and the people you care about to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Another Workout Wednesday – Beach Edition
Chilling out after a beach sprint Tabata
Still riding a high from my Montauk vacation, I thought I’d use this Workout Wednesday to remind everyone to soak up what’s left of summer by getting some exercise outside!
I know I’ve written a lot about my new obsession with Tabata training. Well, here’s another chapter in that love affair! (In case you forgot, the idea behind this four-minute high-intensity formula is eight continuous intervals of 20 seconds of maximum intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest.)
Here are two Tabatas I banged out four out of the five days during my recent beach getaway. There’s nothing particularly fancy about either of them. They just happened to be extra rewarding with the feel of the sun on my skin and the sand under my feet. Of course, let’s not forget the ultimate reward: being able to cool off in the ocean when the hard work was done!
- Plank Tabata: I got my mom to use my iPhone to capture me doing one. Enjoy!
- Beach Sprint Tabata. I know, I’m not a runner, but I actually motivated myself to use the beach as a distraction from an activity I normally don’t like to do. So, in true Tabata fashion, here’s how I worked it: For the 20-second max intensity portion of the interval, I simply ran as close to a sprint as possible while keeping good form on the uneven surface of the sand. Then for the 10-second “rest” period of the interval, I simply slowed to a walk. On the last two days of the trip, I managed to pull off a mini “Tabata Derby” by doing three sprint Tabatas in a row (with a minute of rest in between).
The kicker was that I got my “regular” elliptical and weight training workouts in at the fitness center each morning before 8:30. Then, usually just before or after lunch, I would use the beach for the Tabatas. Getting two workouts in on a day was another huge treat during my vacation!
Even if you’re not a beach lover, you can still do exercises like squats, lunges, side planks and crunches in a park or in your own backyard! Whatever the season, there are plenty of ways to take your favorite exercises to new places and find exciting ways to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Find Your Focus
Knock Out Distractions & Make Your Workouts Count!
Photo by Leslie Hassler
I’m proud to be a native New Yorker and absolutely love living in the Big Apple. However, one of my biggest pet peeves about living and working here is walking down the street and colliding with someone engrossed in texting or checking his or her smartphone. What’s even more annoying than dodging a shoulder shove on a crowded city street? Seeing people waste their energy on their smartphones when they should be focusing on their workout!
As we kick off another Workout Wednesday, I offer a simple but important tip: focus on making your workout count!
I love the fact that my iPhone carries all the tunes I need to keep moving. However, the same amazing device also gives me 24/7 access to texts, emails and yes, my Twitter and Facebook accounts. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, training my body has included training my brain to ignore all the distractions a smartphone has to offer.
You’ve made the effort to exercise, so remember, this is your precious time to focus on getting healthier and stronger. In our time-crunched world, many of us are lucky to get those 30 recommended minutes of cardio in on a near-daily basis. If you only have 20 or 30 minutes to commit to that power walk or weight training circuit, you owe it to yourself to get everything you can out of each of those minutes. That means focusing on what you’re doing. The text can wait, and you don’t need to tweet every time you complete a set.
Of course, I realize some people really do have to be “on” all the time, like those who work in emergency services or in the medical field and who may be on call during a workout. I also understand parents may need to keep an eye out for an emergency text from a spouse, partner or babysitter. For the rest of us, however, is the world seriously going to end if it takes another 30 minutes to respond to an email with a well thought-out response?
Working in public relations, I’m acutely aware of the fact that my job has nothing to do with saving lives. My boss knows I’ll check my work email eventually after I leave the office, but not while I’m focusing on my form or my breathing during an elliptical session or push-up Tabata and especially not during my all-time favorite Club Strength class. If taking a group exercise class will keep you from checking that smartphone, then find one you like and take it a few times a week. That way, you can truly focus on doing your body and mind some serious good during those precious minutes.
You made the effort to get to the gym, the park or the hiking trail. You owe it to yourself to focus on making that effort count so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!!
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