I found the base for this workout on Pinterest. There are so many simple, at home workouts on there! It’s like a treasure trove for crazies like me. At this point, I can look at a list of exercises and know if it will be the right level for me. I had to beef this one up a bit. Continue reading
Last night, at our workout class, we started the Spring Shape Up. Loads of patients are trying to get in shape for summer so to encourage them we issued a challenge: lose (at least) 5 pounds in 4 weeks and do it together. We have 30+ people doing it and it makes such a difference! Continue reading
Why do you workout? What type of workouts to do you? What’s the science behind them and are they effective? Do you know?
These 16-minute workouts have changed my body completely. I feel strong and capable and I don’t hate the thought of doing it every day. Here’s why: Continue reading
The weather is turning here in Peoria. It’s was gorgeous yesterday and now we’re getting some spring rain. I love being outside this time of year. Through the winter, all my workouts were indoors and I was fine with it. In fact, I loved it. But now I’m pining to get outside. So it’s time to switch it up.
Part of a lifelong commitment to working out is recognizing when you need a change. I am starting to get burnt out and need to start some new activities. So I will continue the 16-minute workout at least once a twice a week but maybe I’ll do it outside on the grass! I’ll also factor in some walks/runs and bike riding. It’s time to produce some Vitamin D!
And now … the workout!
Beginner through intermediate (12 minutes)
– 20 seconds on/ 20 seconds off
– each exercise 3 times in a row
Advanced (16 minutes)
– 30 seconds on/ 10 seconds off
– each exercise 4 times in a row
Exercises:
1. squat jumps
2. push ups
3. squat sidekick
4. crunches (feet on ground, legs at right angle, or legs straight in air. LIFT YOUR CHEST and SHOULDERS, not your head and neck)
5. plie squat
6. plank (on hand and knees if too hard, with swimmer kicks if it’s too easy)
If you’re legs don’t burn, you didn’t work hard enough. I hope you’re having a fantastic day! Love and a big smile – Ash
My workout class is growing as it’s wonderful. We’re getting lots of guests of patients and they’re starting to show up even when their original friend isn’t there! That class is my favorite hour of the week because I get to see people progress and get stronger right before my eyes. I love it. Maybe they can feel it and that’s why they keep coming back. Or maybe all they feel are their muscles burning the next day, who knows…I’m just glad I keep seeing their happy, sweaty faces every week.
Last night I kept yelling “Do you feel that in your bum?” Haha. I couldn’t post that in the title because my brain is just a little too dirty…anyway! This workout seems to workout the glutes more than usual. So enjoy it!
Beginner through intermediate (12 minutes)
– 20 seconds on/ 20 seconds off
– each exercise 3 times in a row
Advanced (16 minutes)
– 30 seconds on/ 10 seconds off
– each exercise 4 times in a row
Tip: As always, you’re the only one who can make this exercise hard. It’s only 12/16 minutes so just grin and bear it, push yourself to fatigue, it will all be over soon.
Exercises:
1. Speed Side Hops (beginner-side steps, advanced-jump very quickly over an obstacle, if it’s easy, use a bigger obstacle)
2. Frog Squats (only go as low and high as your flexibility and strength allows)
3. Pike Push Up
4. Jump Knee Tucks (land as softly as possible, if it hurts your knees, quickly tuck one leg at a time)
5. Fire Hydrant
6. Mountain Climbers
Your bum is going to be sore tomorrow but, in a week, it will be even more shapely. Yay!
Happy Wednesday everyone! 🙂
The workout we did last night, in our class, was very unassuming but JEEZ it was difficult. Getting out of bed this morning was a struggle. I could barely make my legs work! While this feeling really shouldn’t be happening every time you workout, it’s good to get it every once in a while. It means that you’ve found new muscles to work. Start to recognize where you feel the most fatigue after a workout and make sure you start working those areas harder in the future. Muscle fatigue shows you where your weaknesses are.
If these workouts aren’t hard enough for you…First, have you tried them? They may be harder than you think. Second, if they’re truly not hard enough, up the ante. I’m officially in training for bike racing next season so I’ve increased my workouts a bit. I am now doing each exercise 4 times with 30 seconds on/ 10 seconds off. WOWZA. It ends up being 16 minutes long and I am dying by the end of it. Actually threw up in my mouth the last two times I did it. (< gross. But it is weird that I get an odd sense of satisfaction out of this? I am sort of proud that I pushed myself that hard).
Without further ado, here’s the workout!
– 20 seconds on/ 20 seconds off (see above for the advanced version)
– 6 exercises, 3 times each
– PUSH YOURSELF. The effectiveness of this workout depends on your effort.
1. Side-to-side Hop (beginner-step side to side, advanced-jump over an obstacle)
2. Half Burpee (beginner-step one foot back at a time, advanced-jump feet between hands)
3. Leg lift (beginner-bend one knee at a time into chest, advanced-keep legs straight)
4. Pike Pushup (beginner-only bend arms slightly, advanced-touch top of forehead to ground)
5. One-leg Squat (beginner-hold onto a chair and bend only slightly, advanced-no chair and bend deeper)
6. Sit and Pray (beginner– bend knees only slightly, advanced-quads parallel to the ground, elbows between knees)
Anyone who was in my class last night: How did you feel afterwards?
I picked it up with the workout last night. People were getting complacent and you know what that means, whicooosh!
So just like every Wednesday the workout is as follows:
– 20 seconds on, 20 seconds rest
-6 exercises, do each one 3 times (12 minutes total!)
1. low jacks
2. backward lunge (keep shoulders over hips)
3. burpees
4. crunches (feet on floor OR knees at right-angle OR legs straight in the air. lift SHOULDERS not head)
5. elbow-in push ups (on the wall OR on your knees OR on your toes in plank)
6. toe taps (tap each foot in front of you QUICKLY but stably, tap the ground, an elevated surface, or a fitness ball)
photo credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Ashley Life Update: It’s a weird feeling to be settling into such a hectic lifestyle. I guess routine can get you anything and everything. I’m finally figuring out how to work my 50 hours at job #1 and 5 hours at job#2 plus keeping the house clean, cooking healthy meals, and working out. This is what normal people do, plus kids!?! My respect for my parents and grandparents goes up with each year I’m alive. Anyway, regardless of the routine, I’m exhausted and SO excited for a real rest at Thanksgiving.
Also, yesterday I had 70 followers and today I have 69. Someone stopped following me! That’s kind of an odd feeling. Like someone found it worth the time and energy to stop reading my words. But I’ve done it to other blogs so I guess I can’t be sad. It just happens. Welp, that’s my life right now, learning all these weird, important lessons from all these normal, tiny things.
Anyway, I hope you’re all having wonderful days. I want to send some love out to my family right now. I’m missing you all exceptionally. Love and hugs (and weird texting pictures),
Question for YOU:
What have you been taking charge of in your life recently?
Well hidey ho there blogosphere neighbors! Yesterday I led another great workout class. It was a 12-minute workout, just like last week but I remembered to tell the class about my Two Basic Rules.
Rule #1- BREATH. I learned this from lots of weight training and lots of yoga. Make sure you establish a breathing rhythm right along with your perfect form. If an exercise is a huge challenge for you, focus on (imagining) that you’re breathing into that part of you body. Better breathing means more oxygenated blood and muscles=better workout.
Rule #2-BRACE. Ok, put your hand on your lower belly, now flex it. Flex it so that you feel like it’s reaching back to your lower back. It should sorta feel like you’re (excuse my language) pooping. If you can hold this position throughout your exercises, especially when they get really difficult, then it will support and strengthen your back, belly, and the entire rest of your core.
Now that we have those out of the way. Here was the workout we did yesterday.
– 20 seconds on/20 seconds rest
– each exercise 3 times
– total of 12 minutes
– if you don’t push yourself, this doesn’t work. if you do, holy cow it’s amazing!
1) Side Hop – jump over something, or just step side to side as fast as you can.
2) Good Mornings – do it without a barbell, just with your hand on your head
3) Push Ups – plank position or on your knees or even on the wall if you have shoulder problems
4) Crunches – don’t bend your neck! Just lift your head and shoulders towards the ceiling
5) Plank – with speed kicks if you’re extra awesome
6) Frog Squat
‘Twas another great workout with so many people! I beginning to love teaching this class.
What workout will you do today?
🙂
Last night I led my first workout in front of more than 5 people! It was so flipping fun. We had very fit people as well as people who haven’t worked out in a while. We had kids there (seriously, 3 year olds) as well as ladies in their fifties. And every single person was sweating. Again, it was so fun!
Here’s the workout:
– SIX exercises
– do each exercise THREE times
– do it for TWENTY seconds, then rest for TWENTY, then do it for another 20, and on…
– it’s VERY important to do as many of each exercise in 20 seconds
Exercises:
1) low jacks
2) toe taps – tap on the ground or find a stair
3) burpees – follow the image and put a push up in the middle
4) speed squats – squats, as fast as you can while keeping form
5) tricep dips
6) high knees
Best part is, the workout only takes TWELVE MINUTES!!
Who’s gonna try this? Tell me if you do!
Whatever your workout today, I hope it is wonderful! 🙂
Last Wednesday I had a crazy busy morning and didn’t have time to squeeze in a workout. I resolved to workout if I got a long enough lunch break or to just save it until after work. I am proud to say that I managed to workout, shower, eat lunch, get ready, and make a smoothie all within a 45 minute lunch break. That’s right, I am Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman
In the end, all of my time efficiency comes from having a routine for each of these things. I had the blender on while I was getting dressed and I was eating lunch while my hair dried. It’s all about thinking out a plan on the car ride home and not dawdling even a little bit. Which is what I’m trying to do this very morning so moving on…
The workout I did was quite unique. I realized on the drive home that I wouldn’t have time to look up a workout with the lovely Zuzana Light so I made up my own. I just chose some full body exercises and a time crunch that would make me sweat AND hurt at the same time. Sounds like fun right??
Here was my workout:
3 rounds of 5 exercises. Do each exercise to the max for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, start the next exercise. Repeat each round 3 times.
Exercises:
1. Pushups (from my knees because my pecks are strangely weak)
2. Crunches (with my legs straight in the air)
3. Squat to shoulder press (with weight, use water bottles if you don’t have weights)
4. Lunge Jump (lunge down then jump up and switch legs)
5. Leg raise (Lie on the ground and lift legs up to 90° angle, keeping them straight, then lower them)
This workout ended up being killer and I felt pretty awesome for formatting my own. Some rules to help you do the same:
– Make sure you know the correct form for an exercise before you do it alone. Wrong form makes you prone to injury. (If you don’t know, just google or youtube it!)
– Establish reachable goals for the workout like “I want to do 30 crunches in each 40 second time period.”
– Keep the whole workout under a time limit so that you feel like you’re really accomplishing something in a tiny bit of time.
– Record all your numbers so that you can look back and try again in a few weeks. Track your progress!
– Be proud of what you’ve done and build on it, nothing’s better than self-propelled success.
I repeat: nothing is better than self-propelled success. So get off your bum and get it done!
And be sure to SMILE in between grimaces 🙂
A Happy Lass 