Walk on Down the Road .... To Better Health

Twelve days of success! You ready to amp up your activity?

I hit the gym really hard this week.  Lot's of crossfit, and some running.  I must say that for the time being I am totally addicted to Crossfit.  It gives me the chance to use my muscles and keep up with the boys.  I have always been a muscular person even over weight, so it is right up my alley.  

Spin and Yoga on the schedule for today....  What is on your exercise agenda for today?

Hit the Road

Sometimes, simple is better! Simple things like real food, sound sleep, and having fun with family and friends all make you healthier. Turns out that an exercise routine doesn’t need to be complicated, either.

If you’re brand new to exercise, or need to incorporate some lower-intensity movement sessions into your current routine, try walking. You can walk every single day if you want to! But if that seems unreasonable given your schedule, aim for walking 3-5 times a week, incorporating some of these higher-intensity variations:

• Hills or hiking. Walking up and down hills or hiking in the mountains is a great way to challenge yourself physically. Adjust your pace as needed, but concentrate on the challenge of moving at a consistent speed up the hill, and using the downhill portions to catch your breath.
• Strap on a pack! Feeling like you’re ready for an extra challenge? Strap on a backpack loaded with 10-30 pounds… and go! The extra weight will provide extra cardiovascular benefits.
• Stairs. Find a local stadium, park, or beach area with lots of stairs to climb, and get to it. Take them two at a time for more of a challenge (but don’t run down them, as that can be hard on the joints).
• Intervals. Whether you’re walking in the park, climbing stairs, or strapping on a pack, inserting intervals into your walking routines is a great way to incorporate some higher-intensity activity. Walk for two minutes, then walk/jog/run for 30 seconds to one minute. Repeat for 20 minutes.

Swing Those 'Bells

Made out of cast iron, kettlebells look like cannonballs with handles. Though they may look different from the free weights and machines that occupy most gyms, they are one of the most efficient fitness tools on the market, for a variety of reasons. Kettlebell training is for people of all fitness levels, and offers full-body conditioning, improved aerobic and anaerobic capacity, improved mobility and range of motion, and increased strength. (Kettlebell exercises can also be big-time calorie-burning!) To get started with your kettlebell training:

• Find a coach. Kettlebells aren’t something you should just pick up and swing around—you need proper coaching on the movements and good form. Find a local RKC or HKC certified kettlebell instructor near you, and request an introductory lesson.
• Train anywhere. One of the best things about kettlebells is they’re totally portable, which means you can get a good workout anywhere—at the beach, the park, or your own garage. Cheap kettlebells usually aren’t a bargain—they’re less comfortable to use, and don’t stand up to average use or weather as the higher quality versions. For a splurge, we think Dragon Door kettlebells are the best on the market, but for a bargain, try Ader brand.
• Learn new moves. There are tons of books and DVDs on the market to teach you the kettlebell moves, but we love RKC Sarah Lurie’s Kettlebells for Dummies, and line of Iron Core kettlebell DVDs. We also like The Kettlebell Boomer, by Master RKC Andrea Du Cane, for those of you “baby boomers” looking to start kettlebell training.

No Equipment? No Problem!

Here is a list of bodyweight (no equipment needed) workouts you can do anytime, anywhere, compiled in part by our friend and two-time U.S. Olympian Eva Twardokens. Any of these can be turned into a high-intensity session (just do them “for time,” or as fast as you can), but remember, when it comes to high-intensity training, more isn’t always better! Aim to perform high-intensity training no more than 3-4 days a week, keep your sessions short and hard, and add a few days of lower intensity activity like walking or easy kettlebell work to aid with recovery.

• Run 1/2 mile + 50 air squats – 3 rounds.
• 10 push-ups + 10 sit-ups + 10 squats – 10 rounds.
• Run 200m + 10 squats + 10 push-ups – 5 rounds.
• Sprint 200m + 25 push-ups – 3 rounds.
• 5 push-ups + 5 squats + 5 sit-ups – 20 rounds.
• Bear crawl :30, crab walk :30, walking lunge :30, broad jump :30, for 12 minutes.
• Bear crawl 400 meters.
• 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of sit-ups, with a 100M sprint between each set.
• 21-15-9 of air squats and push-ups.
• Run 1 mile for time.
• Do one air squat, then take one breath, do 2 and take 2 breaths etc…up to 10, and then come back down to one.
• 3 vertical jumps + 3 squats + 3 long jumps – 5 rounds.
• Handstand hold for 30 seconds + 10 squats - 8 rounds.
• 10 push-ups + 100M dash – 10 rounds.
• 5 X 400M sprints. (Recover completely between sprints.)
• 10 X 100M dash. (Recover completely between sprints.)
• Run 1 mile, lunging 30 steps every 1 minute.
• :30 on/:30 off jumping squats (4 minutes) + split jumps (4 minutes) + tuck jumps (4 minutes)
• 10 vertical jumps + 10 push-ups + 10 sit-ups – 4 rounds.
• Run 1 mile, doing 20 air squats every 1 minute.
• Handstand 1 minute + hold bottom of the squat for 1 minute – 5 rounds.
• Sprint 100 meters + Walk 100 meters – 10 rounds.
• 100 push-ups.
• Run a 5K (about 3 miles) for time.
• 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 burpees + sit-ups.
• 50 sit-ups + 400 meter run – 3 rounds.
• Plank position + bottom of squat + hollow rock hold, 30 seconds each for 10 rounds.
• 50 air squats x 5. Rest equal amounts as it took to do each 50.
• Run 1 mile and do 10 push-ups every 1 minute.
• 100 jumping jacks, 75 air squats, 50 push-ups, 25 burpees.
• Run 1 minute, squat 1 minute – 5 rounds.