The Workout for Saturday December 31st

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Leg Press
Hang Power Cleans
Knees to Elbows

Who wants to sled?

Pushing the Prowler, 10:00AM at the studio tomorrow morning...who wants to join me?

The Workout for Friday December 30th

5 Snatch Grip DLHP 5 Press X 5 5 Muscle Snatch 5 Behind the Neck Push Press X 5 5 Snatch Balance/ Overhead Squat complex x 5 5 Power Snatch/Behind the Neck Jerk complex x 5

The Workout for Thursday December 29th

20 American Swings/10 Push Ups x 5 (swings get heavier each set)

20 Swings/10 Super Planks x 5 (swings get heavier each set)

20 Swing Releases/10 Burpees x 5 (swings get heavier each set)

The Workout for Wednesday December 28th

Three Rounds
From the starting position of the Turkish Get Up, with a kettlebell in your right hand, perform these six steps:
1. Sit up to the left elbow x 5
2. Sit up from left elbow to left hand x 5
3. Raise the hips, x 5
4. Pull the left leg under and back until the knee is down behind you x 5
5. Pull the left hand from the ground until your torso is upright x 5
6. Stand Up x 5
Return to the starting position as normal, repeat with the left hand.

Then the following Flow Drill (see video below)
Right hand:
Lunge Position Clean & Press/Windmill x 10
Windmill x 5
Hand to hand swing x 30
Left hand:
Lunge position Clean & Press/Windmill x 10
Windmill x 5
Hand to hand swing x 30

The O-lift workout for Tuesday December 27th

Warm up/mobility work

Then...

With 65% max clean or snatch

5 Deadlift/Power Clean complex

5 Snatch High Pull/ Power Snatch complex

X 3

5 Power Clean/Front Squats

5 Power Snatch/Overhead Squats

X 3

5 Cleans

5 Snatches

X 3

The Workout for Tuesday December 27th

As always, scale weights to ability and experience

Five Rounds
9 Deadlifts/18 Push Ups on Barbell
225# Men
155# Women

Five Rounds
6 Hang Power Cleans/12 Pull Ups
135# Men
95# Women

Five Rounds
3 Overhead Squats/6 Dips
95# Men
65# Women

In the Spirit of the Season: The Workout for Friday December 23rd

(Sing to the tune of "Jingle Bells")

Dashing 'cross the lot
With a one man Prowler sled
Your legs burn a lot
Tomorrow they'll be dead
K-Bells are swinging now
Making posterior chains strong
What fun it is to sled and swing
We'll be foam rolling all night long

Oh, Sled and Swing, Sled and Swing
Sweet hypoxia
Oh what fun it is to starve
Yourself of oxygen
Sled and Swing sled and swing
Sweet hypoxia
Oh what fun it is to starve
Yourself of oxygen

Just when you think you're done
With the whole painful mess
You find you have to get
Up like the Turk-ish
Briefly you may think
"Why am I doing this"
"Either I'm not too bright"
"Or some kind of masochist"

Oh Sled and Swing, Sled and Swing
Sweet Hypoxia
Oh What fun it is to starve
Yourself of oxygen
Sled and Swing, Sled and Swing
Sweet Hypoxia
Oh what fun it is to starve
Yourself of oxygen

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The Workout for Thursday December 22nd

45 Seconds work/15 seconds rest x 4

Part One
Deck Squats
Burpees
Jump Rope

Part Two
Hang Snatch
Plank
Mountain Climbers

The Workout for Wednesday December 21st

Three Rounds

10 Double Kettlebell Presses

10 Split Suitcases each side

10 Double Floor Presses

10 Bulgarian Squats each leg

10 Deep Push Ups on Kettlebells

10 Split Cleans each side

The workout for Tuesday December 20th

Four Rounds

15 Overhead Squats

25 Sit Ups

20 Wall Ball

15 Modified Pull Ups

Body Weight Exercise

Do you include body weight exercises in your routine?  Weights are my life long obsession, but sometimes your own weight can be a formidable challenge.  If you're looking for well rounded fitness, put down the weights, and pick yourself up!

The Workout for Monday December 19th

Five Rounds
3 Cleans @mid- thigh
3 Cleans @knee
3 Cleans @floor
Sprint to the fence and back (200 meters) after each round
Then...
Five rounds
5 Snatch Pulls
Run the stairs

The Workout for Friday December 16th

30 Seconds work/20 seconds rest
Swings
Shooters Push Ups
Side Step Deadlift
Alternating Bent Row
Goblet Squat
Alternating Dead Cleans
Lunge Chops right Lunge Chops left

The Workout for Thursday December 15th

Five Rounds

Sled

10 Dips

15 Sit Up Slams

The Workout for Wednesday December 14th

Five Rounds

5 TGU Thrusters, each side

10 Pull Ups

100 Jump Rope

The Workout for Tuesday December 13th

5-10-15-20-25 Dumbbell Cleans

50-40-30-20-10 Sledgehammer Drives

15-15-15-15-15 Burpees

The Workout for Monday December 12th

Four Rounds

20 Alternating Assisted Pistols


20 Super Plank Mountain Hopper Push Ups


20 Reverse Hyper Extensions


20 Modified Pull Ups

The Workout for Friday December 9th

Three Rounds

3 Snatch Pulls

3 Snatch High Pulls

3 Muscle Snatches

3 Overhead Squats

3 Drop Snatches

3 Snatch Balances

3 Hang Snatches

3 Snatches

Then...

Three Rounds

3 Overhead Split Squat Jumps each side

6 Behind the neck Split Jerks

Three Rounds

3 Hang Split Snatches each side

The Workout for Thursday December 8th

Five Rounds

20 Wall Ball

20 American Swings

20 Slams

20 Double Kettlebell Deadlift High Pull

The Workout for Wednesday December 7th

10 Deadlifts

20 Belly Busters

100 Jump Rope

20  Push Ups

10 Leg Press

O-Lift for Tuesday December 6th

Snatch Balance/Drop Snatch/Overhead Squat 3 x 3

Hang Pull/Hang High Pull/Muscle Snatch 3 x 3

Hang Power Snatch (mid thigh) 3 x 3

Hang Power Snatch (below knee) 3 x 3

Hang Snatch (mid thigh) 3 x 3

Hang Snatch (below knee) 3 x 3

5 Snatch Pull/5 Depth Jumps x 5

The workout for Tuesday December 6th

"Flow Drill"

Perform the following without stopping if possible:

Starting on the right

1 Arm Bar/1 Turkish Get Up (to the standing position)/1 Windmill/5 Clean & Press/5 High Pull-Snatch/5 Squats/5 Squat Press

Switch to the left

5 Squat Press/5 Squats/5 High Pull Snatch/5 Clean & Press/1 Windmill/1 Turkish Get Up (back down to the floor)/1 Arm bar

Rest and repeat, starting from the left side.


Then....
Full Body Defense x10
Full Body Attack x 10
Full Body Assault x 5

The Workout for Monday December 5th

Three Rounds

10 Dumbbell Shoulder Press

15 Modified Pull Ups

25 Hammer Drives

Three Rounds

20 Plank Rotations

20 Renegade Rows

25 Hammer Drives

Three Rounds

10 Dumbbell Cleans

25 Hammer Drives

The Workout for Friday, December 2nd

Four Rounds 500 Meter Simulated Rowing (clean grip DLHP from "shin to chin") 50lbs men, 35lbs women; one rep = 10 meters. 20 Push Ups 10 Double Dumbbell Snatches

You Only Have Until Tomorrow

This Month's Special Ends December 2nd

 With all the "Black Friday" sales going on I was starting to feel left out. So here is what I've 
 decided to do.  Anyone who signs up between now and December 2nd will receive 
 unlimited Boot Camp sessions from your sign up date through the end of the year for $99. 
 And while this offer is for new members only, I don't want to leave out my loyal existing 
 Boot Camp members so here's an added bonus for you.  Refer someone that purchases the 
 Boot Camp special or any other program and you will receive the same $99 rate for 
 unlimited sessions for one month.
Contact info@bodyfocusfitness.com for more details

The Workout for Thursday December 1st

Three Rounds

Complex 1: 1 Clean/2 Front Squats/3 Hang Power Cleans/4 RDL/5 Clean Pulls

50 Hammer Drives

Then...

Three Rounds

Complex 2: 2 Strict Presses/2 Behind the neck Push Presses/2 Push Jerks/2 Split Jerks

20 Burpees

The Workout for Wednesday November 30th

Three Rounds

15 Deck Squats

30 Jumping Pull Ups

15 Knees to Elbows

30 Box Jumps

15  Crunch Throws

30 American Swings

15  AB Wheel

30 Slams

The Workout for Tuesday November 29th

Four Rounds

20 Overhead Squat Jacks

15 Body Rows

20 Sidestep Squats

15 Push Ups

Run to the fence and back (200 meters)

The Workout for Monday November 28th

Continuous cycle for 12 minutes

10 Forward/Reverse Lunge Chops from the right side

20 Alternating Dead Cleans

10 Forward/Reverse Lunge Chops from the left side

20 Alternating Dead Cleans

Then...

10 Rounds

5 Punch Snatch/High Pull/Snatch - right hand

5 Burpees

5 Punch Snatch/High Pull/Snatch - left hand

***December Boot Camp Special***

With all the "Black Friday" sales going on I was starting to feel left out. So here is what I've 
 decided to do.  Anyone who signs up between now and December 2nd will receive 
 unlimited Boot Camp sessions from your sign up date through the end of the year for $99. 
 And while this offer is for new members only, I don't want to leave out my loyal existing 
 Boot Camp members so here's an added bonus for you.  Refer someone that purchases the 
 Boot Camp special or any other program and you will receive the same $99 rate for 
 unlimited sessions for one month.
Contact info@bodyfocusfitness.com for more details

The Workout for Saturday November 26th

Four Rounds

5 Wall Climbs

15 Body Rows

10 Jump Thrusters

Then....

Tabata Jump rope/Belly Buster - 16 total rounds

The Workout for Friday, November 25th

TGU/Jump Rope Ladder

Turkish Get Ups each Side 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1

Jump Rope 100-125-150-175-200-175-150-125-100

Adendum to the Boot Camp Schedule for Friday November 25th

For Friday, November 25th the boot camp schedule is:

7:30AM
10:00AM
12:30PM
3:30PM
5:45PM
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Boot Camp Schedule for Friday November 25th

For Friday, November 25th the boot camp schedule is:

7:30AM
10:00AM
12:30PM
3:30PM
5:45PM
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

The Workout for Wednesday November 23rd

Every minute, on the minute, for 30 minutes perform:

1 Clean Pull
1 Clean High Pull
1 Power Clean
1 Clean

The Workout for Tuesday November 22nd

Four Rounds
45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest

Ropes

Medicine Ball Slams

Modified Parallel Pull Ups

Planks

Mountain Climbers

Anchored Hip Raise

The Workout for Monday November 21st

Four Rounds
12 Kb Squat Press

12 Kb One Arm Rows each side

12 Kb Reverse Lunges each side

12 Burpees

Then....

Tabata Jump rope/Swing 12 intervals total.

The Workout for Saturday November 19th

Sleds and stuff (hehehehehehe)

The Workout for Friday November 18th

Three Rounds

20 Heavy Slams

10 Overhead Step Ups w/MB each leg

10 Super Plank on Medicine Ball

20 Wall Balls

Then...

Three rounds

20 Russian Twist w/MB

10 Sit Ups w/MB

Olympic Weightlifting workout for Thursday November 17th

1) 5 Push Press

2) 5 Front Squats/5 Push Press

3) 5 Power Clean from hip/5 Front Squats/5 Push Press

4) 5 RDL/5 Power Clean from hip/5 Front Squats/5 Push Press

5) 5 DLHP/5 RDL/5 Power Clean from hip/5 Front Squats/5 Push Press

6) 5 Power Clean/5 DLHP/5 RDL/5 Power Clean from hip/5 Front Squats/5 Push Press

7) 5 Cleans/5 Power Cleans/5 DLHP/5 RDL/ Power Cleans from the hip/5 Front Squats/5 Push Press

8) 5 Clean & Push Press/5 Cleans/5 Power Cleans/5 DLHP/5 RDL/5 Power Cleans from hip/5 Front Squats/5 Push Press

The Workout for Thursday November 17th

AMRAP 30 Minutes

3 TGU each side

50 Kb Swings

10 Kb Clean & Jerks each side

Run the stairs

The Workout for Wednesday November 16th

10 Overhead Squat Jumps

50 Mountain Climbers

10 Dumbbell Presses

20 Wide Stance Mountain Hoppers

10 Dumbbell Cleans

100 Jump Rope

X 3

The Workout for Tuesday November 15th

5 Power Snatches

10 Burpees/5 Power Snatches

20 Hammer Drives/10 Burpees/5 Power Snatches

30 Swings/20 Hammer Drives/10 Burpees/5 Power Snatches

40 Push Ups/30 Swings/20 Hammer Drives/10 Burpees/5 Power Snatches

50 Sit Ups/40 Push Ups/30 Swings/20 Hammer Drives/10 Burpees/5 Power Snatches

The Olympic Weightlifting Workout for Tueday November 15th

Snatch Pull 3x3

Snatch High Pull 3x3

Muscle Snatch 3x3

Press into Squat 3x3

Overhead Squat 3x3

Drop Snatch 3x3

Power Snatch/Overhead Squat x 3

Snatch x 3

The Workout for Monday November 14th

Mobility

Two Rounds

5 Arm Bar Half Get Up each side

5 Get Up Push Ups each side

10 Windmill Swings each side.

Then...

Four Rounds

10 Alternating Renegade Rows

20 Sit Ups w/Dumbbells

10 Dumbbell Cleans

10 Side Plank Snatches each side

The Workout for Friday November 11th, Veteran's Day

On those days when our great nation takes time to honor those who have served their country with military service, we like to pay tribute by performing one of Crossfit's "Hero" Workouts of the Day (WOD).  Tomorrow's workout is known as "The Chief". Here's a little background:

Each year in the United States Navy, a highly qualified and elite cadre of Sailors are selected and promoted to the join the ranks of Chief Petty Officer. Since 1893, "The Chiefs" have been relied upon by subordinates and superiors alike for their personal example, technical expertise and above all, their unique leadership capabilities. As the induction process for newly selected Chief Petty Officers is now underway throughout the US Navy, we thought it appropriate to inaugurate "The Chief" in honor and recognition of all past and present CPOs. Thanks to them and their families for their self-sacrifice, ability to adapt, tireless dedication to mission and devotion to country.

Thank you to all have and are serving the greatest country in the world.

"The Chief" goes as follows:

Five 3 Minute rounds of:
3 Power Cleans
6 Push Ups
9 Squats

Complete the cycle as many times as possible every three minutes. Rest one minute between rounds.

The Weightlifting Workout for Thursday November 10th

Warm Up:
2 Rounds
Over and Back w/PVC pipe
Deck Squats
Overhead Squats w/PVC pipe
20 Kb Swings
Hang Snatch w/PVC pipe
Hang Clean w/PVC pipe

Workout:
Clean Pulls 5-4-3-2-1

Clean High Pulls 5-4-3-2-1

Front Squat 5-4-3-2-1

Power Clean 5-4-3-2-1

Drop Squat 5-4-3-2-1

Clean 1-1-1-1-1

All Cleans and Pulls start below the knee

The Workouts for Thursday November 9th

Boot Camp

 1 Suicide

10 Swings

5 Snatches each side

2 Suicides

15 Swings

10 Snatches each side

3 Suicides

20 Swings

15 Snatches each side

4 Suicides

25 Swings

20 Snatches each side

5 Suicides

30 Swings

25 Snatches each side

 

The Workout for Wednesday November 9th

Five Rounds

20 Dips

50 Alternating Sledge Hammer

10 Deadlifts

Then....

Tabata: Alternating Dead Kettlebell Snatches

The Workout for Tuesday November 8th

Boot Camp Workout-All Classes

5-4-3-2-1 Turkish Get Ups each side, progressively heavier

21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Wall Ball
Burpee

1-2-3-4-5 Turkish Get Ups each side, progressively lighter

Olympic Weightlifting Workout-5:30PM class


Olympic Warm Up w/PVC
Burgener Warm Up

Increase weight on each set of the following:

Muscle Snatch 5 x 2
Power Snatch 5 x 2
Snatch 5 x 2

The Workout for Monday November 7th

For Time

Men 95# Women 65#

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Thrusters

Pull Ups

Rest 3 minutes

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Deadlift High Pull

Plyo Push Ups

The Workout for Saturday October 5th

AMRAP 30 MINUTES

30 Alternating Slams

20 Belly Busters

10 Ab Wheel

30 Slams

20 Russian Twists

10 Toes to bar

The Workout for Friday November 4th

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Suitcase

Double Kb Cleans

Double Kb Press

Burpees

The Workout for Thursday November 3rd

5 rounds

1 Barbell Clean starting from each of the following positions:
Hip
Mid-thigh
Above the knee
Below the knee
From the floor

30 Mountain Hoppers

5 Turkish Get Ups each side 

The Workout for Wednesday November 2nd

 Four Rounds

60 seconds work/15 seconds rest

Modified Pull Ups

Belly Busters

Dumbbell Cleans

Super Planks

Slams

The Workout for Tuesday November 1st

Five Rounds

Sled

20 Push Ups

20 Hammer Drives

20 KB High Pulls each side

The Workout for Monday October 31st

5 Rounds

3 Behind the Neck Press/3 Press into Squat/3 Overhead Squats

100 Mountain Climbers

5 High Pull Power/Power Snatch from mid thigh

Run the stairs

5 Snatches

150 Jump Rope

The Workout for Friday October 28th

Four Rounds

10 Superstar Press each side

100 Jump Rope

20 Lawnmower Starts each side

100 Jump Rope

20 Lunge Chops each side

The Workout for Thursday October 27th

60 seconds work, 15 seconds rest

Dumbbell Push Press

Box Jump or Alternating Step up

American Swing

Wall Ball

Dumbbell DLHP

Then...

Descending Interval Planks
Work/Rest
60/30
50/25
40/20
30/15
20/10
10/0

The Workout for Wednesday October 26th

10 Rounds

10 Burpees

10 Deck Squats

10 Fighter Stance Dumbbell Thrusters

The Workout for Tuesday October 25th

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Super Plank

Squat Jump

50-40-30-20-10

Mountain Climbers

Swings

5-4-3-2-1

Turkish Get Ups each side

Agility Ladder

The Workout for Monday October 24th

Three Rounds

Run one lap

10 Kb Snatches each arm

Then

Five Rounds

5 Barbell Cleans

Run to the fence and back

Then

Barbell Rollouts 3x10

The Workout for Friday October 21st

Three rounds

10 Inch Worm Push Ups

20 Mountain Hoppers

20 Mogul Jumps

20 Burpees

5 Combo Push Ups 

The Workout for Thursday October 20th

4 Rounds

10 Weighted Step Ups each leg

15 Modified Pull Ups

50 Overhead Walking Lunges w/weight plate

10 Kb Rows each arm

Run the stairs

The workout for Wednesday October 19th

5 Rounds

Sled

10 Dumbbell Snatches each side

20 Side Step Push Ups

50 Alternating Sledgehammer

The Workout for Monday October 17th

Three Rounds

30 Swings

15 Burpees

20 Double Kettlebell Cleans

20 Double Crunches

Three Rounds

10 Swing flip Squats

10 Hindu Push Ups

Then

Tabata Jump Rope

The Workout for Friday October 14th

AMRAP in 30 minutes

50 Alternating Sledgehammers
50 Mountain Climbers
25 Medicine Ball Slams
25 Burpees

The Workout for Thursday October 13th

5x 
5 Snatches/ Windmill/ Turkish Get-down (right side)
10 one-hand swings (right side)
5 Snatches/ Windmill/ Turkish Get-down (left side side)
10 one-hand swings (left side) 
Sled to trash cans and back

The Workout for Wednesday October 12th

4x
5 Deadlifts / 10 Barbell Rollouts (think ab roller with the barbell)
4x
5 Sumo Deadlifts / 20 Anchored Hip Raises
4x
5 Single Leg Deadlifts each side / 10 Floor Wipers
4x
5 KB Suitcase Deadlifts / 20 Russian Twists

The Workout for Tuesday October 11th

One minute rest between rounds, perform each exercise for one minute

Round 1: Weighted dumbbell squats

Round 2: Weighted dumbbell squats, jump rope

Round 3: Weighted dumbbell squats, jump rope, KB figure 8s

Round 4: Weighted dumbbell squats, jump rope, KB figure 8s, pushups

Round 5: Weighted dumbbell squats, jump rope, KB figure 8s, pushups, run length of room

Round 6: Weighted dumbbell squats, jump rope, KB figure 8s, pushups, run length of room, assisted pullups

The Workout for Monday October 10

5x, 30 seconds work, 15 seconds rest

KB Clean and Press right
KB Clean and Press left
Extra Super Planks (super plank plus inch worm)
Farmer's Walk
Burpees
KB Row right
KB Row left

The Workout for Friday October 7th

30 Minutes AMRAP

Sled Push

10 Kettlebell Burpees

10 Deck Squat Wall Balls

Playing With Deck Squats

A couple of deck squat variants

Swing/Clean/Swing/Snatch

Complex

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

The Workout for Thursday October 6th

A Flow Drill

10 Hand to Hand Swings/5 High Pull Snatches each side/10 Figure 8 w/hold/5 Reverse Lunge Presses each side/20 Swings

Then with two kettlebells perform the following complex:

Swing/Clean/Swing/Snatch x 10

Start over with the flow drill and perform two more times.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

The Workout for Wednesday October 5th

5 Rounds

3 High Hang Cleans

3 Cleans from knee height

3 Cleans from below the knee

3 Cleans

Then

5 Rounds

5 RDL

5 Front Squats

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

The Workout do Tuesday October 4th

15-20-25-20-15

Sledgehammer right

Sledgehammer left

Sledgehammer middle

Modified Pull ups

Reverse Lunges

Push Ups

The Workout for Monday October 3rd

Three rounds

20 Side Step Swings

10 Goblet Squats

20 Half Turn Swings

10 Shooters Push

Run one lap around building

Then...

Three rounds

20 Side step Snatches

10 Swing flip Squats

The Workout for Saturday October 1st

Three Rounds

25 Flying Burpees

10 Kipping Toes to Bar

10 Star Jumps

Then

Three Rounds

30 seconds work, 15 seconds rest, one minute rest between rounds

Right hand Sledge Hammer

Left Hand Sledge Hammer

Alternating Sledge Hammer

Middle Sledge Hammer

5 Sets

Snatch Pull/Snatch High Pull/Muscle Snatch/Hang Power Snatch x 3

5 Sets

Snatch x 2

5 Sets

Burpee Deadlift/Burpee Clean x 5

The Workout for Wednesday September 28th

12 - 10 - 8 - 6 - 4 - 2

__Snatches each side

Run to the fence and back

__High pulls each side

Run the stairs

__Cleans each side

Sprint to the cans and back

The Workout for Tuesday September 27th

Three Rounds 10 Olympic Dumbbell Snatches 10 Modified Pull Ups 100 Jump Rope Three Rounds 10 Dumbbell Split Snatches 10 Modified Side to Side Pull Ups 100 Mountain Climbers

The Workout for Monday September 26th

Up the Ladder with 5 progressively heavier kettlebells; then down the ladder

20 Swings

10 Push Ups

Up the ladder with 5 progressively heavier kettlebells; then down the ladder

20 Swings

10 Burpees

The Workout for Saturday September 24th

2 Rounds

10 Swings

Run to the fence w/Kettlebell

10 Swings

Run back

10 Snatches each side

Run to the fence w/Kettlebell

10 Snatches each side

Run back

10 Clean & Jerk

Run to the fence w/Kettlebell

10 Clean & Jerk

Run back

The Workout for Friday September 23rd

Flow Drill-Four Rounds

Swings- 30 seconds

High Pull/Snatch right hand- 30 seconds

Hand to Hand Swings-30 seconds

High Pull/Snatch left hand-30 Seconds

Figure 8 with a Hold-30 seconds

Press right hand-30 seconds

Hand to Hand Cleans-30 seconds

Press left hand-30 seconds

Swing Flip Squats-30 seconds

Alternating Turkish Get Ups-60 seconds

The Workout for Thursday September 22nd

Barbell Complexes 5 Romanian Deadlift/5 Hang Power Clean/5 Squats/5 Jerks x 5 5 Low Start Power Cleans/5 Squat Presses x 5 5 Low Start Clean and Thrust Jerk x 5

The Workout for Wednesday September 21st

30 Minutes AMRAP 21 Swings 15 Modified Pull Ups 21 Tire Jumps 15 Knees to Elbows

The Workout for Tuesday September 20th

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Dumbbell Cleans

Mountain Hoppers

Run the stairs after each round.

Then...

Tabata Deck Squats

The Workout for Monday September 19th (Sorry for the late post)

10 Overhead Squat Jumps w/Barbell

10 Pull Ups

X5

20 American Swings

20 Push Ups

X5

30 Slams

30 Sit Ups

X5

The Workout for Friday September 16th

1 Double Suicide before each round

40-32-24-16-8 Belly Busters

30-24-18-12-6 Push Ups

20-16-12-8-4 Pull Ups

10-8-6-4-2 Pistols each side

The Workout for Thursday September 15th

Three rounds

20 Hand to Hand Swings

10 Hand to Hand Snatches

5 Clean/Reverse Lunge Press right

5 Clean/Reverse Lunge Press left

10 Rack Squat right

10 Rack Squat left

Then...

Three rounds

10 Reverse Lunge Chops each side

20 American Swings

The Workout for Wednesday September 14th

Four Rounds

Circuit 1:
30 seconds work, 15 seconds rest

Overhead Squat

Snatch Grip Deadlift High Pull

Power Snatch

Rest one minute, then

Circuit 2:
30 seconds work, 15 seconds rest

Deck Squat

Rope

Burpee

Rest two minutes and repeat

The Workout for Tuesday September 13th

Four Rounds

10 Dumbbell Power Cleans

10 Step Ups each leg w/Dumbbells

10 Bar Dips

10 Toes to Bar

200 Jump Rope

The Workout for Monday September 12th

1 Snatch/Turkish Get Down each side

5 Jumping Slams

10 Mountain Hoppers

Run to the fence and back

3 Snatch/Turkish Get Downs each side

10 Jumping Slams

20 Mountain Hoppers

Run to the fence and back

5 Snatch/Turkish Get Downs each side

15 Jumping Slams

30 Mountain Hoppers

Run to the fence and back

7 Snatch/Turkish Get Downs each side

20 Jumping Slams

40 Mountain Hoppers

Run to the fence and back

The workout for Friday September 9th

1 deadlift

3 Dumbbell Cleans

5 Kettlebell Thrusters

3 Deadlifts

5 Dumbbell Cleans

7 Kettlebell Thrusters

5 Deadlifts

7 Dumbbell Cleans

9 Kettlebell Thrusters

7 Deadlifts

9 Dumbbell Cleans

11 Thrusters

9 Deadlifts

11 Dumbbell Cleans

13 Kettlebell Thrusters

The Workout for Wednesday September 7th

5-4-3-2-1 Perform the complete ladder, (i.e. 5 left hand 5 right hand, 4 left hand 4 right hand etc.) on each exercise before moving to the next exercise KB Dead Hang Power Snatch: Men 53-70# Women 26-44# Off-set Push Up: One hand on the KB handle, one one the floor KB High Pull: Men 44-62# Women 20-35# Floor Press-Arm Bar TGU: Men 35# Women 18# KB Dead Clean: Men 62# Women 35#

5-4-3-2-1 Perform the complete ladder, (i.e. 5 left hand 5 right hand, 4 left hand 4 right hand etc.) on each exercise before moving to the next exercise KB Dead Hang Power Snatch: Men 53-70# Women 26-44# Off-set Push Up: One hand on the KB handle, one one the floor KB High Pull: Men 44-62# Women 20-35# Floor Press-Arm Bar TGU: Men 35# Women 18# KB Dead Clean: Men 62# Women 35#

The Workout for Tuesday September 6th

Five Rounds

5 Power Clean/Front Squats

25 Belly Busters

100 Jump Rope

The Workout for Labor Day 2011

35 Minutes AMRAP Sled Push 200 feet 25 Axe Chops Farmer's Walk 200 feet 25 Lift and Stack Waiters Walk 200 feet 25 Hammer Drives Sandbag Carry 200 feet 25 Sledgehammers right, 25 Sledgehammers left

The Workout for Saturday September 3rd

Four Rounds 10 Burpees 10 Goblet Squats to Ball 10 Zig-Zag Burpees 10 Side Step Squats 10 Over-the-Stick Burpees 10 Side to Side Squat Jumps

The Workout for Friday September 2nd

"Bells Gone Bad"

60 seconds work, 15 seconds rest, four rounds of:

Suitcase Jump
2 Kb Push Press
American Swing
Swing Flip Squat Push Press
Two Hand Snatch

The Workout for Thursday September 1st

Four rounds

10 Step Up Cleans each side

10 Snatches each side

5 Turkish Get Ups each side

Then

30 seconds work/20 seconds rest x 8

Lunge Chop Squat Press

The Workout for Wednesday August 31st

50-40-30-20 Swings

25-20-15-10 Push Ups

20-15-10-5 Knees-to-Elbows

Then...

100-90-80-70 Jump Rope

50-45-40-35 Sit Ups

100-90-80-70 Mountain climbers

The Workout for Tuesday August 30th

Up the Ladder

1-2-3-4-5
w/2 KB's Full Body Attack/Snatch

Five Rounds
5 Barbell Hang Snatches
30 Hammer Drives

Down the Ladder

5-4-3-2-1
w/2 Kb's Full Body Attack/Snatch

The Workout for Monday, August 29th

AMRAP 25 Minutes

7 Dumbbell Thrusters

9 Pull Ups

7 Dumbbell DLHP

9 Diamond Push Ups

Saturday's Workout August 27th

Part One

50 Burpees

Then

Kettlebell Complex

AMRAP 5 Minutes

Starting with the right hand:

Snatch/Clean/Reverse Lunge Press/Lunge Chop
Figure 8 w/hold transition to the left hand:
Snatch/Clean/Reverse Lunge Press/Lunge Chop
Figure 8 w/hold transition back to right hand.

Part Two

50 Burpees

Then

Kettlebell Complex

10 Swings right then 10 Swings left
10 Cleans right then 10 Cleans left
10 Snatch right then 10 Snatch left
10 Squats right then 10 Squats left
10 Press right then 10 Press left

Part Three

50 Burpees

5 TGU right 5 TGU left
4 TGU right 4 TGU left
3 TGU right 3 TGU left
2 TGU right 2 TGU left
1 TGU right 1 TGU left

The Amended Workout for Friday August 26th

Full Body Supersets

5 Suitcase/15 Push Ups x 5

5 Leg Press/15 Pull Ups x 5

20 Swings/10 Dips x 5

The Workout for Friday August 26th

Full Body Supersets

5 Leg Press/15 Pull Ups x 5

5 Suitcase Lifts/15 Push Ups x 5

The Workout for Thursday August 25th

Five Rounds

Barbell Complex

3 DLHP/3 Hang Power Clean/3 Front Squat/3 Split Jerk /3 Squat Clean/3 Power Jerk

2 DLHP/2 Hang Power Clean/2 Front Squat/2 Split Jerk /2 Squat Clean/2 Power Jerk

1 DLHP/1 Hang Power Clean/1 Front Squat/1 Split Jerk /1 Squat Clean/1 Power Jerk

Good Luck Sandy!

In what has become a trend as of late, we are losing another member who is moving on to pursue educational opportunities. Boot Camp member Sandy Olson is moving to New York City tomorrow to study at a prestigious acting school. Good luck Sandy! Knock 'em dead!

The Workout for Wednesday August 24th

5 Kettlebell Dead Clean & Jerks each arm

5 Burpee Kettlebell Snatches each arm

30 Side Step Swings

5 Kettlebell Bent Rows each arm

5 Walkover Push Ups each side

The Workout for Tuesday August 23rd

Five Rounds

Snatch Grip Hang Pull x 5

Snatch Grip Hang High Pull x 5

Overhead Squat x 5

Hang Snatch x 5

Then

Snatches 3 x 5

The Workout for Monday, August 22nd

5 Rounds

Inch Worm 


7 Dumbbell Overhead Squats each side


Walking Push Up

7 One hand Dumbbell  Cleans each side
 



        

The Workout for Friday August 19th

33 Burpees

10 Pull Ups

32 Burpees

10 Pull Ups

31 Burpees

10 Pull Ups

30 Burpees

10 Pull Ups

29 Burpees

10 Pull Ups

The Workout for Thursday August 18th

Barbell Clean & Jerk 5x5

Then...

Five Rounds

RDL/Hang Power Clean/Reverse Lunge each leg x 5

Push Press/Squat Jerk x 5

The Workout for Wednesday August 17th

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Swing Flip Squat Push Press

Modified Pull Up

Hindu Push Up

KB DLHP

Double Sit Up

The Workout for Tuesday August 16th

Power Snatch 5 x 5

Then...

Five Rounds

Back Squat/Snatch Balance/Overhead Squat x 5

Snatch Pull/Hang High Pull/Hang Snatch x5

The Workout for Monday August 15th

Warm Up with 5 minutes of alternating TGU's

Then...

20 minutes AMRAP
20 Swings
10 Burpees

Then...

Hold a plank for as much of a 5 minute period as possible, resting as little as possible.

The Workout for Friday August 12th

Four Rounds

15 Dead Lift High Pulls, Men 75# Men, Women 50#

25 Push Ups

15 Thrusters, Men 75#, Women 50#

25 Modified Pull Ups

Class Cancelled 12:30PM 8/12/2011

12:30PM Class Cancelled for 8/12/2011

Dear Body Focus Fitness Clients,

The 12:30PM class on Friday, August 12th is cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. All other classes on Friday are unaffected and will be held as usual.

Sara's Farewell (for now) Workout Thursday August 11th

6 Rounds

Run one lap around the building

20 Slams

15 Overhead Squats

10 Toes to Bar

The Workout for Wednesday August 10

5 Rounds

5 Wall Climbs

20 Wall Ball

20 American Swings

20 Mountain Hoppers

Then...

Tabata Burpees

The Workout for Tuesday August 9th

10 Minutes AMRAP: 10 Double Suitcase/Farmers Walk 100 feet/10 Double Cleans

10 Minutes AMRAP: 10 Kettlebell Squats/20 Alternating Walking Presses/20 Double Swings

5 Minutes AMRAP: Alternating TGU's

The Workout for Monday August 8th

Five Rounds

50 Sledgehammer right

10 Pistols Right

50 Sledgehammer left

10 Pistols left

50 Hammer Drives

10 Double Jump Burpees

Charles Staley on the thigh bump during the barbell clean

The Workout for Friday August 5th

Three rounds

10 High Pull/ Snatch/Clean R & L

10 Swing/Clean/Squat R & L

10 Figure 8/Snatches R & L

10 Lunge Chop/Squat Presses R & L

The Workout for Thursday August 4th

Morgan's Farewell (for now) Workout

5 Hang Squat Cleans

5 Burpees

5 Hang Squat Cleans

10 Burpees

5 Hang Squat Cleans

15 Burpees

5 Hang Squat Cleans

20 Burpees

5 Hang Squat Cleans

25 Burpees

The Workout for Wednesday August 3rd

Four rounds

15 Step Ups w/Kb on each leg

20 Push Ups on parallettes

10 Goblet Squats 

10 Floor Press w/roll on each side

 Run the stairs

The Workout for Tuesday August 2nd

Five rounds-

5 Strict Presses-

20 Anchored Hip Raises-

5 Push Press-

10 Barbell Rollouts-

5 Jerks-

20 Floor Wipers

The Workout for Monday August 1st

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Deadlifts with 75% of one rep max
100 reps of Jump Rope after each deadlift set

The Saturday Workout July 30th

Four rounds

Run to the fence and back with a medicine ball over head

20 Slams

20 Russian Twists

10 Lunge Cocktails each side

10 Push Ups on the MB

20 Wall Ball

Then....

The Workout for Friday July 29th

30 minutes AMRAP

3 Turkish Get Ups each side

5 Wall Climbs

7 KB Squat Press each side

9 Burpees

The Workout for Thursday July 28th

5 Hang Power Cleans/10 Pull Ups x 5

5 Hang Power Snatches/10 Knees-to-Elbows x 5

The Workout for Wednesday July 27th

Three rounds

20 Squat Jumps

10 Push Aways

20 Air Squats

10 Hindu Push Ups

20 Squat Hops

10 Super Planks

10 Burpees

Then...

Tabata Mountain Climber/Ski Hop

The Workout for Tuesday July 26th

Three Rounds

50 Swings

10 Deck Squats

40 Swings w/ Release

10 Squat Thrusts

30 Hand to Hand Swings

10 Belly Busters

20 American Swings

10 Hip Raises

10 Swing Flips

The Workout for Monday July 25th

Four Rounds

15 Dips

10 Reverse Lunges with Dumbbells

10 Dumbbell Presses

10 Dumbbell Squats

Then....

Three rounds

10 Thrusters

10 True Push Ups

The Workout for Friday July 22nd

Four rounds

10 Kettlebell Burpees

15 Modified Pull Ups

10 Double Kettlebell Snatches

Then....

10 Get Up Sit Up Press x 3

The Workout for Thursday July 21st

40-30-20-10 Hammer Drives

20-15-10-5 Burpees

40-30-20-10 American Swings

40-30-20-10 Slams

Then...

Four rounds

20 Wall Ball

20 Push Ups

The Workout for Wednesday July 20th

Five Rounds

5 Power Cleans

5 Turkish Get Ups each side

10 Pull Ups each

The Workout for Tuesday July 19th

Four rounds

10 Pistols

50 Jumping Jacks

20 Step Ups

100 Mountain Climbers

10 Bulgarian Squats

150 Jump Rope

The Workout for Monday July 18th

The timer is set for one minute intervals. Minute one do one Kettlebell Clean, one High Pull,and one Snatch, minute two do two of each, minute three do three of each and so forth until you run out of time, then repeat with the other hand.

Then....

30 seconds work, 15 seconds rest x 8 of Lunge Chop Squat Press

The Workout for Friday July 15th

Four Rounds
40 seconds work/20 seconds rest
Dumbbell Push Press
In and Out Squat Jump 
Rope
In and Out Push Up 
Dumbbell Front Squat
Sledgehammer Drives

The Workout for Thursday July 14th

5 Deadlifts/10 Get Up Sit Ups  x 4

5 Sumo Deadlifts/20 Anchored Hip Raises  x 4

5 Barbell Single Leg Deadlifts each side/20 Russian Twists x 4

20 Swings/10 Deck Squats x 4

The Workout for Wednesday July 13th

Three rounds

20 See-Saw press w/Kb

20 Racked Reverse Lunges w/ 2Kb

50 Mountain Climbers

10 Floor Press w/roll w/Kb

10 Overhead Squats each side w/Kb

100 Jump Rope

The Workout for Tuesday July 12th

Four rounds

12 Pull Ups

20 Double Crunches

12 Dumbbell Upright Rows

 20 Belly Busters

 12 Kettlebell Bent Rows

Then...

 Tabata Renegade Hoppers

The Workout for Monday July 11th

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

KB Thrusters 

Shooters Push Ups

Step Ups each leg 

Run the Stairs

The Workout for Friday July 8th

Four Rounds

100 Jump Rope

50 Mountain Climbers

75 Jump Rope

30 Swings

50 Jump Rope

20 Side to Side Slams

Then....

Double Tabata: Squat Jumps/Push ups 16 rounds

The Workout for Thursday July 7th

Five rounds

45 seconds work/15 seconds rest

Hang Power Snatch

Ab Wheel

Overhead Squat

Plank

Snatch Grip DLHP

Mountain Hopper

The Workout for Wednesday July 6th

The Warm Up: Slo-Mo Progressive Turkish Get Ups 3-2-1 per side

Kettlebell Flow Drill: with the right hand perform 5 High Pull/Snatches, 5 Reverse Lunge Press, 5 Squat Clean & Side Press, 5 Lunge Chops; then transition to the left hand with 5 Figure 8's w/a hold and perform all of the above exercises left handed.  Repeat the Flow Drill after minimal rest with 4 reps per movement, then with 3 reps per movement, then 2 reps per movement, then 1. The number of Figure 8's w/a hold on the right-left transition stays at 5 for each round.

The Cool Down: 5-4-3-2-1 Windmills per side.

The Workout for Wednesday July 5th

The Warm Up: Slo-Mo Progressive Turkish Get Ups 3-2-1 per side

Kettlebell Flow Drill: with the right hand perform 5 High Pull/Snatches, 5 Reverse Lunge Press, 5 Squat Clean & Side Press, 5 Lunge Chops; then transition to the left hand with 5 Figure 8's w/a hold and perform all of the above exercises left handed.  Repeat the Flow Drill after minimal rest with 4 reps per movement, then with 3 reps per movement, then 2 reps per movement, then 1. The number of Figure 8's w/a hold on the right-left transition stays at 5 for each round.

The Cool Down: 5-4-3-2-1 Windmills per side.

The Workout for Tuesday July 5th

10-15-20-25 Hindu Push Ups

15-20-25-30 Tire Dips

20-25-30-35 American Swings

25-30-35-40 Sledgehammer

30-35-40-45 Air Squats

The Workout for Monday July 4th

 In recognition of the sacrifices that have been made in the name of freedom, we have established a tradition  of performing Crossfit "Hero" Workouts on holidays that recognize those sacrifices. So on this day, we will perform two such workouts.

"Erin"

15 Dumbbell Split Cleans

21 Pull Ups

Then....

"Randy"

75 Power Snatches (with two dumbbells)

Men 30# dumbbells, Women 20# dumbbells

The Workout for Friday, July 1st.

10 Minutes AMRAP

100 Jump Rope                       

20 Wall Ball

10 minutes AMRAP

20 Slams

20 Modified Pull Ups

10 Minutes AMRAP

One Turkish Get Up/Windmill each side.

The Work Out for Thursday June 30th

Cleans 5x3 increase weight each set

Then....

Five Rounds

5 Clean High Pulls

25 Tire Sit Ups

The Workout for Wedneday June 29th

Three Rounds

25 Sledgehammer strikes-right hand

10 Kettlebell Clean and Jerks-right hand

20 Step Ups-right leg

25 Sledgehammer strikes-left hand

10 Kettlebell Cleans-left hand

20 Step Ups-left leg

Then..... 

Three rounds 

20 Hammer Drives

10 Swing Flip Squats

5 Burpees

The Workout for Tuesday June 28th

21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Dumbbell Thrusters
Pull Ups
3-6-9-12-15-18-21
Dumbbell Deadlift High Pull
Dips

The Workout for Monday June 27th

Agility Ladder x 5

30 seconds work/15 seconds rest x4 of

Side Split Jumps

Plank Side Walk

Agility Ladder x 5

30 seconds work/15 seconds x 4 of

Jumping Skiers

Super Planks

Agility Ladder x 5

30 seconds work/15 seconds rest x 4 of

Split Burpees

Agility Ladder x 5

30 seconds work/15 seconds rest x 4 of

Strict Burpees

The Workout for Monday June 27th

Agility Ladder x 5

30 seconds work/15 seconds rest x4 of

Side Split Jumps

Plank Side Walk

Agility Ladder x 5

30 seconds work/15 seconds x 4 of

Jumping Skiers

Super Planks

Agility Ladder x 5

30 seconds work/15 seconds rest x 4 of

Split Burpees

Agility Ladder x 5

30 seconds work/15 seconds rest x 4 of

Strict Burpees

The Workout for Friday June 24th

Kettlebell Complexes

Three Rounds

1 Turkish Get Up/5 Snatches X 3 each side

Lunge Chop/Squat Press each side X 10

High Pull/Clean/Side Press X 5

The Work Out for Thursday June 23rd

Tabata Tap Squats

Tabata Squat Thrusts

Tabata Push Ups

Tabata Mountain Hoppers

Tabata Squat Jumps

Boundaries

Most of us are under the misconception that fit people work hard and spend most of their lives deprived in order to achieve their amazing bodies.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

I'll let you in on a little secret...It's not hard to get and stay fit. It's not about hard work and deprivation.

It's all about boundaries.

Let me explain...

When you were a child your parents set boundaries around you. They were the authority on what was or wasn't acceptable behavior. You had to complete your chores before dinner. You had to finish your homework before going out to play. You had to eat all your vegetables before dessert.

If you failed to comply with these boundaries then you knew that there would be consequences.

As an adult you, and only you, are the authority on what is or isn't acceptable behavior. You are in the position to set boundaries around yourself. These boundaries serve as a framework of order around you - a rock of support in an otherwise chaotic world.

With self-imposed boundaries you can assure your success in anything...specifically with weight loss.

Your fitness boundaries have to be self-imposed—no one is going to do it for you. Don't look at this as a bad thing! Self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.

Let's face it, you've been living life without fitness boundaries.

• You eat whatever you want, whenever you want it.
• You use any excuse to avoid exercise.
• You indulge whenever it feels good.

Your Fitness Boundaries

It's time to introduce boundaries back into your life. These boundaries are the key to unleashing your ideal fit and healthy body.

1. Fitness Boundary One: What you eat

If you were to be perfectly honest with me, you could list off the foods that are unhealthy and fattening. So why are you still eating them? You know that refined, fried, processed and sugary foods are not good for you.

Place boundaries around what you will allow yourself to eat. Acceptable food items include whole foods, vegetables, fruits, and lean meats.

2. Fitness Boundary Two: How you exercise

I know that you're not an Olympic athlete, but that doesn't mean that you can simply pass on exercise. By now you are well aware of the host of benefits that exercise provides. With regular exercise you'll look great, feel amazing and have more energy than ever.

Place boundaries around how often you must exercise. Choose exercise that is challenging and fun - don't be afraid to try new activities that improve your strength and endurance.

3. Fitness Boundary Three: When you indulge

Let's face it, we live in a world where indulging has become the norm, rather than the exception. When you live life without fitness boundaries, everyday is an opportunity to indulge. These indulgences all add up quickly, causing your clothes to become tight and your energy levels to drop.

Place boundaries around when you can indulge. You'll find that by limiting your indulgences you'll end up enjoying them even more.

Putting It In Action

Sit down and take a long, hard look at your lifestyle. Are you eating as healthy as you could be? Are you exercising 3-5 times each week? Are you indulging too often? Answer the following questions:

1. What 3 food items can I eliminate from my daily diet? (These should be nutritionally void items like high-calories beverages, fast food, packaged snacks, high-fat food, candy or desserts.)
2. When can I schedule exercise into my week? (Pick 3-5 days, and select a specific time frame. Example: I'm going to exercise on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 5am-6am.)
3. When will I allow myself to indulge? (Don't go overboard here, especially if you need to lose weight. Enjoy a treat a couple times each month, and do so guilt-free knowing that you've maintained healthy food boundaries the rest of the time.

Remember that self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.

Fitness boundaries put your fitness results on autopilot. If you know what constitutes an acceptable meal, then choosing what to eat just got a whole lot easier. If you're committed to exercising 3 times a week, soon it becomes second nature.

The Workout for Wedneday June 22nd

4 Rounds

20 Parallette Dips

12 DB Upright Rows

100 Jump Rope

4 Rounds

30 Jumping Pull Ups

12 DB Presses

100 Mountain Climbers

Video for today's workout

The Workout for Tuesday June21

It's a rare occasion that I borrow a workout from someone, but this one from the Spartan Race Workout of the Day was too good to pass up.

7 Rounds

4 Burpee Deadlifts

3 Burpee Power Cleans

2 Burpee Cleans (that means "with a squat")

1 Burpee Clean (see above) and Jerk

Looking forward to this one.

Stretching: If you should, and when you should

Some good advice on stretching from trainer Shin Otake of Max Workouts.com

Have you ever gotten a pesky injury from either a workout, playing sports, or some other activity?  Ugh, it just seems to nag and nag.  Sometimes it even goes in waves...  Like you're fine for a while and then, *BAM*, it's back again.  I know, it totally sucks. 

Then you start thinking back about what you could have done differently that could have prevented it in the first place -- and then it finally comes to mind... "Darn it, I knew I should have warmed up more."

Well, yes and no.

First of all, injuries can be pretty complicated and your lack of warming up may not totally be to blame, but one thing is for sure:  Warming up WILL help you reduce your risk of injury.  You need to get yourself moving and get that blood flowing to your muscles to properly prepare your body before you get all crazy with the dumbbells. 

Problem is, most people have been taught that stretching is part of warming-up.  After all, isn't that what they tell you to do when you take a fitness class at the gym?!  Lemme tell ya, that couldn't be further from the truth and it'll land you straight in the doctors office if you keep that up.

I even had a client a couple years ago who kept pulling his hamstring.  I asked him to stop stretching before working out and he wouldn't.  He just could couldn't buy into that idea - it didn't make sense to him because he didn't understand how the body works.  His old ways were too ingrained.  Well, he finally got fed up with the recurring (and painful!) injury and took my advice (it took some convincing).  And whaddaya know?  No more hamstring pulls.  Not a one since then.

Here's why:
#1 Stretching before your workout can increase your risk of injury:
There's a common misconception that stretching reduces your risk of injury by "loosening" up your muscles.  Well, it's not all wrong...static stretching can help elongate and relax your muscles, tendons, and ligaments.  But here's the catch: static stretching reduces your muscles' ability to contract. 

And since your muscles need to be ready to contract (concentrically and eccentrically) at vigorous rates as soon as you start exercising, you want them to be ready for action -- NOT in a long and relaxed state. You're much more likely to pull a muscle when you suddenly try and exert force (like lifting weights) from a relaxed state.  This is why static stretching is not the activity of choice prior to working out.#2 Stretching is NOT warming-up:
Your warm-up should be a lighter version of what your actual workout is going to be (I call it a "Dynamic Warm-Up".  For example, if one of the exercises you plan on doing is lunges with dumbbells, then make lunges without weight part of your warm-up.  You should do all the low-intensity versions of the exercises you'll be doing in your workout to properly prepare your muscles, ligaments and joints.  This is why it makes all the difference to plan what you're going to do before you go the gym ;-)

The whole point of warming up is to get your heart rate up, get your blood flowing and pump more oxygen to your muscles so you can prepare to dive into your workout.  If you stretch during your warm-up, you're going to let your heart rate back down and allow your muscles to relax...and "undo" what you were trying to accomplish in the first place!

When should you stretch?

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater...stretching is really important (I stretch everyday), but my point is you shouldn't do it until AFTER your workout.  I want you to have good flexibility because that helps reduce risk of injury too, but it's crucial that you don't work on it until after your workout when you're cooling down - that's the right time to lengthen and relax your muscles.

The Workout for Monday June 20th

5 Rounds

20 Squat Hops

20 Alternating Offset Push Ups

20 Bulgarian Air Squats each leg

20 Modified Pull Ups

The Workout for Friday June 17th

five rounds

30 Slams

5 Medicine Ball TGU each side

25 Jumping Slams

10 Medicine Ball V-Ups

20 Alternating Slams

20 Medicine Ball Russian Twist

The Workout for Thursday June 16th

Four Rounds

Snatch Complex (wide grip high pull/power snatch/snatch) x 5

20 Tire Sit Ups

15 Overhead Squats

10 Dips

The Workout for Wedneday June 15th

Four Rounds

5 Cleans

10 Burpees

100 Jump Rope

10 RDL

20 Belly Busters

Run the Stairs

The Workout for Tuesday June 14th

Four rounds

Bear Crawl 100 ft.

12 Modified Pull Ups

12 Step Ups each leg (18" women/24" men)

12 Hindu Push Ups

12 Flying Mountain Burpees

The Workout for Monday June 13th

Three Rounds

5 Floor Press each side

5 Half Get Ups each side

5 Windmills each side

5 Reverse Lunge Presses each side

Then...

Three Rounds

10 Swing Flip Squats

10 Bent Rows each side

10 Snatches each side

The Workout for Friday June 10th

AMRAP 30 Minutes

5 Hand Stand Push Ups ( modify if necessary)

10 Toes to Bar

5 Turkish Get Ups right

5 Wall Climbs

10 Knees to Elbows

5 Turkish Get Ups left

The Workout for Thursday June 9th

Three Rounds

10 Hang Power Cleans

Run The Stairs

10 DLHP

100 Mountain Climbers

Then.....

Three rounds

10 Front Squats

Two laps around the stairs

The Workout for Tuesday June 7th

Seven rounds

7 Deadlifts

7 Plyo Push Ups

7 Dumbbell Thrusters

7 Pull Ups

The Workout for Monday June 6th

Four Rounds:  50 Hammer Strikes alternating right and left/50 Mountain Climbers/50 Slams alternating right and left/50 Wall Ball/50 Close Stance DLHP (simulated rowing)

The Workout for Friday June 3rd (Amended)

Every 90 seconds perform 6 Kettlebell Rows each hand and then Hand-to-Hand Swings for the remainder of the 90 seconds.  Six rounds with no rest between rounds.

Every 90 seconds perform 6 Kettlebell Clean and Jerks each hand and then Two Handed Swings for the remainder of the 90 seconds. Six rounds with no rest between rounds.

One Turkish Get Up each side continuously for 5 minutes

The Workout for Friday June 3rd

For 15 minutes:  Every 90 seconds perform 6 Kettlebell Rows each arm, whatever time is left over until the next bell you will do hand-to-hand swings.
For 15 Minutes:  Every 90 seconds perform 6 Kettlebell Clean and Jerks each arm; whatever time is left over is your rest.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

The Workout for June 2nd

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Hang Power Snatches and Burpees

The Workout for Wedneday June 1st

Four Rounds. 60 seconds work, 15 seconds rest of Box Jumps, Push Press, Rowing Machine, Ball Slam, Sumo Deadlift High Pull.

June Fitness Challenge

The Fitness Challenge For June is Jump Rope/Running/Rowing. On every Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the month perform any one of the following: Jump Rope for 10 continuous minutes, run one mile for time, or row 1500 meters.

The Workout for Tuesday May 31st

Four Rounds

50 Hand-to-Hand Swings

75 Jump Rope

5 Renegade Rows each side

75 Jump Rope

10 Double Dead Cleans

75 Jump Rope

15 Snatches each side

75 Jump Rope

The Workout for Memorial Day, May 30th

"Murph"

Run one mile

100 Pull Ups

200 Push Ups

300 Squats

Run one mile

In memory of Lt. Michael Murphy

New Mobile Site

Here's a preliminary look at my new mobile website. It's called FFIT System on the Go . I plan to post the days boot camp workout, a weekly fitness tip, and an occasional recipe.  This site is optimized for viewing on your phone or mobile device.  Check it out!

The Workout for Friday May 27th

Five rounds

1 Sled Suicide

50 Hammer Drives

50 Swings

Waiters Walk--200 feet

The Workout for Thursday May 26th

Four Rounds

15 Deck Squats

15 Hindu Push Ups

15 Lunge Chops each side

15 Ab Wheel Burpees

10 Assisted Pistols

The Workout for Wednesday May 25th

Five Rounds

7 Double Kettlebell Squats

21 Double Kettlebell Swings

21 Mountain Hoppers

150 Jump Rope

Then....

Tabata Mountain Climbers

The Workout for Tuesday May 24th

Four Rounds

20 Jumping Dips

20 Tire Sit Ups

20 Jumping Pull Ups

20 Belly Busters

10 Burpees

Run the Stairs

The Workout for Monday May 23rd

Three Rounds

Clean & Split Jerk 6

Hang cleans 6

Push Press 6

Single Leg Deadlift 6 each leg

Hang High Pull 6

Barbell Jump Squats 6

Time for Fun in the Sun?

Despite our unseasonably cool weather of late, summer is just around the corner and that means outdoor activities like trips to the lake, tubing, and pool parties will undoubtedly get you out to bask in the sunshine and get some much needed vitamin D.

But wait, doesn't the sun cause skin cancer?  Shouldn't I be telling you slather on some SPF 50 before stepping foot outside?

Not exactly...

Unfortunately, dermatologists have made any sun exposure an evil affair that must be avoided at all costs. However, someone who gets moderate sun exposure may be healthier than
someone who avoids sun exposure for fear of cancer.  

I'm not saying you should go and buy a lifetime membership at your local tanning salon. But the truth is, even though too much sun can cause skin cancer (as well as old wrinkly and weathered looking skin), lack of sun can also cause
health problems like:

- fatigue
- restless sleep
- chronic pain
- muscle cramps
- headaches

And those are just the minor symptoms!  

Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to increased risk of breast cancer as well as heart disease...roughly 50% of all adults in the US and Europe do not get enough vitamin D, due to lack of sun exposure!

Plus, a lack of vitamin D can cause your body to retain more FAT...

A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
Metabolism found that 59% of women who participated in the study increased their body fat and decreased strength due to a vitamin D deficiency.  Who would have guessed vitamin D had anything to do with an increase in body fat?!

So how much vitamin D do you need?

A little sun goes a long way in keeping your health optimal.However, I want you keep in mind that the amount of sun you need varies with your skin complexion. If you have a fair complexion, you may only need 10 minutes a day.  If you have a dark complexion you may need up to 2-3 hours a day of sun exposure to get enough vitamin D in your body.

If you aren't sure, or if you lifestyle doesn't permit you to get your "sun quota", try getting some sun a little at a time along with talking a vitamin D supplement.  This way you avoid the risk of getting sun burned, while still getting enough vitamin D to boost your health. I'm not a fan of supplements in general, but it's better than the alternative. And obviously if you have a sun related skin condition, or sun damaged skin, a vitamin D supplement is your best bet.

So, I f you're going to go outside, enjoy the sun! And wait a little while before putting on your sun block ;-)  

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21127286
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110403205232.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100305112157.htm

The Workout for Friday May 20th

Four Rounds

5 Wall Climbs

10 Toes-to-Bar

20 Super Planks w/feet raised

20 Modified Pull Ups

100 foot Bear Crawl

10 Ab Wheel

20 Flying Burpees

The Workout for Thursday May 19th

Two 40 yard sprints, and then on the right side with a kettlebell do 10 Floor Press, 5 Get Ups, 10 Bent Rows and 10 Presses. Then two more 40 yard sprints, and repeat  on the left side. This constitutes one round. Do four rounds.

The Workout for Wednesday May 18

6 rounds
Sled drag
6 Barbell Hang Power Snatch
20 Plank Rotations

Hard work pays off

Today's boot camp workout was a tough one.  Modified pull ups, push ups and heavy kettlebell swings then ending with one of the more demanding kettlebell movements, one I call Full Body Assault.  This movement (video posted earlier) calls upon just about every aspect of physical ability. Core strength, upper and lower body strength, balance, hip mobility, posterior chain strength and muscular endurance all come in to play in accomplishing this movement, and it will definitely highlight your weak points.  The participants of the boot camp are a highly varied lot, with the days attendees ranging from high school students to women in their mid-fifties.  For the Full Body Assault I paired people together, and Vicki , working mother of four and Dianne, a bank executive in her late fifties ended up sharing the pair of 26lb kettlebells.  As I watched  them take on this very difficult movement it dawned on me that there are so many people who will never realize their full potential because of preconceived or misguided notions about what they "should" be doing.  There's a common misconception that age and gender are separators when it comes to exercise. there's no way that a 45 year old man  and a 27 year old woman should do the same type of workout, right?  By and large if both individuals are healthy and have similar goals, then the major difference should be in the scale of the workout, not the type.  Human bodies respond favorably to resistance training, interval training and the appropriate amount of rest, no matter who they may be.  As I was coaching Dianne through her first set, there was a point where she looked at me with great doubt in her eyes and voiced her concern that she couldn't handle the weights she'd been given.  I quietly told her that I believed she could do it and she pressed on.  Over the next few minutes both she and Vicki took turns tackling the kettlebells, encouraging each other and digging deep to tap into the strength they had spent the last several months building.  In the end they finished, with celebratory hugs and high fives, knowing that they had just accomplished something that would have been beyond them a few short months ago.  How did they get to this point?  Endless hours on the treadmill? Set after set of high repetition/lightweight lifting?  No, they got to this point by challenging themselves to improve their physical abilities.  They pushed through the boundaries of their comfort zones and found something out about themselves on the other side. 

The Full Body Assault

The Workout for Tuesday, May 17th

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Modified Pull Ups

Push Ups

25 Swings after each set

And then....

3 x 5 Full Body Assault

The Workout for Monday May 16

Three rounds, 60 seconds work, 15 seconds rest: Jump rope, Wall Ball, American Swing, Mountain Climbers, Slams. Then a Tabata Circuit: 20 seconds Rope Jumping Jacks/10 seconds rest, 20 seconds Hammer Drives/10 seconds rest, 20 seconds Air Squats/10 seconds rest. Repeat four times.

The Workout for Friday May 13th

Four Rounds

5 TGU

7 DLHP

9 Floor Wipers

11 Thrusters

The Work Out for Thursday May 12

3 Rounds

20 Super Planks

2 Suicides

20 Reverse Lunge Down and Up

100 Jump Rope

20 Dips

50 Mountain Climbers

Today's Workout Wednesday May 11th

Five Rounds
10 Pull Ups
200ft Sled Push
15 Kettlebell snatches each side

The Workout for Tuesday May 10th

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Barbell Cleans
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Shoulder Presses
20-19-18-17-16-15-14-13-12-11 American Swings
Run the "stair course" after each round.
Example: 10 Barbell cleans, 10 Dumbbell Shoulder Presses, 20 American Swings and then run to the stair course.

The Work Out for Monday May 9th

6 Rounds
10 Walking Komodo Push Ups
10 Squat Jumps from a low start
10 Knees to Elbows
10 Push-a-ways
10 Step Backs each leg
10 Inchworms

There's a good chance that you'll find yourself in a bathing suit sometime within the next month.

If you are like most people then that realization will 1) bring a grimace to your face and 2) will motivate you to lose some weight.

While I commend your desire to slim down before baring it all, I'm here to warn you of the 5 myths that most people fall for. Don't waste your time on these:

Myth #1: Starve the pounds away.

Attempting to lose weight by starving yourself is not only ineffective, it's also dangerous. It may seem that severe calorie restriction would deliver the quickest weight loss, but your body is complex and by doing so you'll disrupt your metabolism and slow your results.

Tip: Don't starve yourself - instead eat healthy small meals throughout the day.

Myth #2: Take diet pills to boost your effort.

It's so tempting! The commercials make compelling claims about the power of diet pills, but don't fall for it. The 'magic pill' has yet to be discovered (it has been discovered - exercise. It's just not in pill form…). Diet pills are more likely to damage your health and burn your pocketbook than to slim you down.

Tip: Don't pop a pill - instead burn calories with exercise.

Myth #3: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.

We all want our midsection to look toned as we stroll down the beach, but excessive crunches aren't the answer for tight abs. In order to achieve a lean look you'll have to focus on burning off the layer of fat that is covering up your abs.

Tip: Don't obsess about crunches - instead focus on fat burning.

Myth #4: Eat packaged diet foods for speedy results.

It is amazing to see the kinds of foods that are packaged as 'diet' or 'weight loss' aids. More often than not these products are packed with refined sugar and other artificial ingredients that your body doesn't need.

Tip: Don't eat packaged diet foods - instead stick with nutritious whole foods.

Myth #5: You have to spend two hours a day working out to burn fat.

The days of the "one hour of weights, hour of cardio" workouts are over. Circuit training with weights and cardio intervals are far more effective at burning calories, and can reduce your workout time by half.

Tip: Don't waste time with isolation movements, do multi-joint exercises and use cardio as your "rest" i.e. jump rope, running or jumping jacks between sets.

Now that you know what not to do in order to look great this summer, it's time to go over your beach ready game plan. Here's what you need to know in 3 simple steps:

* Step One: Cut out the junk.

The best way to do this is to start by purging your kitchen. Get rid of sugary, processed and fat-filled foods. Once the junk has been cleared out don't buy any more of it. Remember that your beach ready abs depend on what you eat - don't eat junk!

* Step Two: Focus on whole foods.

Replace the junk food in your life with plenty of the following: cooked and raw vegetables, fresh fruits, moderate amounts of seeds and nuts and lean meats. Clean eating really is that simple.

* Step Three: Do intervals

Interval training is by far the most effective method of burning calories. Get away from the long drawn out cardio sessions with shorter interval workouts. Start with a 1:1 ratio of work to rest and when you're ready, kick it up to a 2:1 ratio. Remember, the greater the effort during the work period, the greater the calorie burn and most importantly AFTER the workout you will continue to burn calories at a higher rate.

Don't fall for the myths, the quick and easy and the two good to be true. Employ these tips consistently and you'll be poolside with confidence before you know it!

Sweet Poison

The correct answer to the following question will shock you.

Would you survive longer on a diet of just water OR on a diet of water and refined sugar?

The answer: You would survive longer on just water.

Sound impossible? Just ask the five sailors who were ship wrecked in 1793.

The ship was filled with sugar, thus giving the marooned five a diet of sugar and water. When they were finally picked up, nine days later, they were in a wasted condition due to starvation.

The story of the five sailors intrigued French physiologist Francois Magendie to conduct a series of experiments in which he fed dogs a diet of sugar. All of the dogs died.

Magendie proved that as a steady diet, refined sugar is worse than nothing.

How can sugar be worse than nothing? Plainly put, refined sugar is an anti-nutrient.

It starts out as sugar cane, and then goes through an extensive refining process that destroys all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals. What you're left with are empty, naked calories.

The problem is that the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals that were taken out in the refining process are needed in order to metabolize sugar and use it as energy. So instead they are taken from your own body.

So while you are enjoying that chocolate bar, sugar is draining vital nutrients from your body. Like a sweet parasite.

And it doesn't end there…

* Sugar creates false hunger (as a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in your blood sugar levels), which makes you overeat. This means a constant struggle with your weight in which you never seem to achieve your ideal size.
* Sugar promotes aging (due to the advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar). Sugar has even been dubbed the negative fountain of youth.
* Sugar weakens your bones - making you vulnerable for osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth - making you vulnerable for cavities (both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar).
* Sugar in excess is stored as fat (after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms).
* Sugar can impair brain functioning (as a result of depleted B-vitamin production).

If you're still not convinced of the danger of sugar here are more ailments linked to its over-consumption: varicose veins, constipation, hormonal imbalances, ADD and ADHD, increased emotional instability, depressed immune system, increased risk of cancer and degenerative diseases.

The average modern person consumes 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. That comes out to roughly 175 pounds of sugar each year.

And it's no wonder, since sugar industry is big business. They sneak sugar into any product that they can.

Go through the foods in your home and you'll see that sugar has been added to everything from ketchup and spaghetti sauce to crackers, oatmeal, peanut butter and even ‘healthy' items like weight loss bars.

Where does this leave you?

You are in a unique position. Your personal judgment determines the foods that you eat and the foods that you avoid. It is my hope that you approach sugar with new eyes.

While all other foods offer you caloric energy PLUS some nutritional benefit, sugar doesn't. Sugar is simply caloric energy with a sweet habit forming taste, and a hoard of health risks.

Use your judgment wisely and limit your sugar consumption - you'll love the benefits of low sugar living.

(Oh and if you're ever in a ship wreck with only sugar and water at your disposal - just drink the water!)

The Many Names of Sugar
While you're checking out nutrition labels for sugar content be on the lookout for the following names that all describe added sugar:

* Sucrose
* High fructose corn syrup
* Fructose
* Lactose
* Organic sugar
* Maltose
* Dextrose
* Glucose

Why Aren't You Motivated

A good dose of motivation can change your life almost overnight.

The best part of my job is seeing clients achieve results. Whether they drop a few sizes, lose the baby weight, get off their blood pressure meds, or shrink their waist the excitement is always contagious.

There really isn't a clear way to describe the euphoria that settles in once you've realized your fitness goal. You have to experience it.

Though each successful client is unique with different goals one element unites them.

They are all highly motivated.

I am in a unique position. I know how to get you into great shape. I can coach you through a 50 pound weight loss. I can guide you to a healthier body. I can even train you to be a finely tuned athlete.

But there is one catch.

You'll need to be motivated.

See, saying that you want to get into great shape isn't enough. You need motivation-and that's just half of the equation. The other part (and the most important) is ACTION.

Nothing happens until you take action.

You can want it, think about it, mull it over, ponder it, plan it, and then re-plan it. But nothing happens until you take action.

While I may not know your story-it's probably safe to assume that you are dissatisfied with your body and know that you can improve your fitness level. You want to look better, to have more energy, to experience fewer aches and pains, and to enjoy sweet satisfaction as you achieve your goals once and for all.

I know that all of my successful clients were once in your shoes. They wanted to change their bodies. They felt urgency. And then they did what most fail to do. They took action.

But there is more to it than that. They then committed to a program, put in the exercise, fixed their nutrition and met their goals. There's nothing more gratifying than getting back into those jeans that now sit in the back of your closet.

Those that take massive action get massive rewards. And those that simply talk about losing weight will continue to put weight on, pound after pound. I hate to put that way, but it's the truth.

So what do you want? How bad do you want it? How much motivation do you have? Enough to take MASSIVE ACTION?

The rewards are great... IF you do.

What about the kids?

A recent study from the University of Washington showed that more and more 2-year olds are regularly watching television. This sets the stage for a sedentary life with an increased risk for obesity and heart disease.

Now that last statement wasn't from the study - that was my own prediction.

But really, the statistics don't lie – a study done at Johns Hopkins concluded that a child's weight increases with the number of hours they spend in front of the television each day.

Are you cringing yet? What parent hasn't popped in a DVD to occupy the kids for a few hours?

And what about your child's diet? How often do you find yourself in the drive thru line ordering another cheeseburger and fries?

Childhood obesity is now described as an epidemic. It puts your child's health at risk, and makes them more susceptible to problems involving their cardiovascular systems, endocrine systems, and even their mental health. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression, and low self-esteem are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems looming over the heads of overweight children.

I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know. It doesn't take a study done at Johns Hopkins to discover that kids today are putting on weight in ways that we never did - you just have to open your eyes to notice.

The ‘why' is simple. It goes back to the basic equation for weight gain: energy in versus energy out. Kids eat too much and do too little.

But I have to ask... are you setting a good example by your eating habits? This may be a painful question to want to answer – but the truth sometimes hurts (and is good for us).

Maybe you've noticed that your child has begun to put on a little extra weight - what do you do about it? No matter what age your child is - weight is a sensitive issue.

What do your kids eat?
Think about your child's diet. Do they eat three balanced meals a day? Do they eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day? Are they limited in their servings of fried, processed, and sugary foods?

Maybe you aren't sure what your kids are eating. Do some investigation by observing and talking to them about what they eat.

Identify the foods your kids are eating that are rich in calories but lacking in nutritional value. Examples: candy, fast food, chips, cookies, soda pop, and pizza. Replace these foods with fresh nutrient dense foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy.

How much activity do your kids get?
Computers, video games, and satellite T.V. are our children's latest and greatest toys. Who has time to play outside when you are about to beat the hardest level, or your favorite show is about to start? Our kids participate in less physical activity and are more sedentary than any generation before.

Do you know how much physical activity your kids get each day? Some parents may think that kids are getting an hour of P.E. each day, only to find out that the school has dropped its P.E. classes.

A great way to encourage activity is to limit the time your children spend on sedentary activities, such as T.V and video games. Sign your kids up on a local sports team so that they can run and be active with other kids. Take the whole family to the park on a weekend instead of gathering in front of the T.V.

Monkey see monkey do
This issue really boils down to one factor: Parental Example. Your kids watch what you do even when you wish they wouldn't, and this is certainly true when it comes to diet and exercise.

Do you model good eating habits, or do your kids see you indulge? Do you exercise regularly, or do your kids see you on the couch in front of the television all weekend?

As a parent, it is your unique responsibility to teach your children the habits that lead to good health. Since you know that obese children have a greater chance of remaining obese into adulthood, thus greatly increasing the likelihood of serious health problems, this isn't a responsibility that you take lightly.

If your eating habits and activity level have slipped it may be time for you to turn things around. It's never too late to set a positive example for your kids – the key is to act now.

Work smart and hard.

"Work smarter, not harder" is a phrase thrown around by those who think they found shortcuts to the things the rest of us struggle to achieve. In some areas this valid advice. I believe however that the two aren't mutually exclusive as far as fitness and weight loss are concerned. To achieve your goals, you'll have to work smart and hard with consistency. There aren't any shortcuts despite what you've been led to believe by the infomercial hucksters. A defined program that challenges you to improve your physical performance will yield far greater results than a routine that is well inside your "comfort zone". However that doesn't mean that you should work yourself to exhaustion with every workout. Varying the volume, duration and type of workout, along with having planned days of recuperation is the best way to stay mentally and physically "fresh" and to insure that you will reap the rewards on your efforts.