Wednesday, May 29 Lunchtime Boot Camp!

Another great lunchtime boot camp this week! Seven lovely ladies pushed themselves and thankfully the storm stayed away until we were back in the office. Today's focus was interval training.

Mid-Week Intervals...

Warm-up
15 jumping jacks
15 mountain climbers
- repeat

Tabata (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds)
1) squats
2) push-ups
- alternating each set

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
1 minute stairs (walk, run, doubles)
30 seconds active rest 

Tabata (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds)
1) walking lunges
2) triceps dips
- alternating each set

Core - 10 reps each
- double leg drop (on back with straight legs, keep low back arch flat on ground as legs lower and return)
- reverse crunches (bend knees, keep low back arch flat, lower feet to ground and return)
- crunches (feet on ground, hands on head, crunch lower ribs to hip bones, lower)
- bicycles (lift feet off ground, rotate to bring opposite elbow to knee, fluid motion)
- scissors (on back, one leg straight hovering above ground, other leg straight in air, switch legs)
- v-sits (sit with knees bent and hands beside hips, lean back, lift feet off ground bring knees and chest together, then apart)
- russian twists (seated, feet on ground, lean back, hands together and twist side to side with breath)
- plank (low plank for 30 seconds, from toes or knees, core tight)

Enjoy!!

Wednesday, May 22 Lunchtime Boot Camp

Well ... It was our first official Lunchtime Boot Camp today and it was great! At least I thought it was. I had six beautiful ladies join me in the sunny river valley for a great 30 minute workout.  

A Little Bit of Everything ...

Warm-Up - 30 seconds each 
- grapevine (running sideways crossing feet front, then back, using core)
- walking lunges (continuous lunging while walking, make sure knee stays above ankle)
- side walking squats (squat low, pivot, squat low facing the other way)
- forward run 
- push-ups (from toes or knees, keep core tight)
- squats (push weight back over ankles, keep knees behind toes)
- plank jacks (from forearms, jack legs out and back, walk out and back if needed, core tight)
- speed skaters (side lunge crossing leg behind other, touch ground, hop to opposite)

Circuit 1 - group split in two
Group A - stairs!! (until Group B complete their circuit)
Group B - 15 squat jacks (jumping jacks with low squat at bottom)
                - 5 burpies (jump, hop down into low squat, hands on ground, hop to high plank, jump back to standing)
                - 15 mountain climbers (high plank, knee to chest and touch toe on ground, repeat in jogging motion, 2 feet = 1 rep)
                - 15 v-sits (sit with knees bent and hands beside hips, lean back, lift feet off ground bring knees and chest together, then apart)
Switch!

Circuit 2 - partners
1) Partner A - sprint there and back. Partner B - jumping jacks
2) Partner A - sprint there and back. Partner B - mountain climbers
3) Partner A - sprint there and back. Partner B - push-ups

Core - 10 reps each
- double leg drop (on back with straight legs, keep low back arch flat on ground as legs lower and return)
- reverse crunches (bend knees, keep low back arch flat, lower feet to ground and return)
- crunches (feet on ground, hands on head, crunch lower ribs to hip bones, lower)
- bicycles (lift feet off ground, rotate to bring opposite elbow to knee, fluid motion)
- scissors (on back, one leg straight hovering above ground, other leg straight in air, switch legs)
- v-sits
- russian twists (seated, feet on ground, lean back, hands together and twist side to side with breath)
- plank (low plank for 30 seconds, from toes or knees, core tight)

Stretch

Enjoy!

BBQ Lemon Garlic Chicken and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Clean [and delicious] summer eating!

BBQ Lemon Garlic Chicken

2 lean, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon, squeezed
4 garlic cloves, chopped finely or pressed
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp basil

Marinate the chicken breasts in the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Fire up the BBQ and place chicken on grill. Cook for 10-15 minutes per side, until cooked through. 


Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2 cups brussel sprouts, with ends cut off and sliced in half
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely or pressed
pinch of sea salt
ground black pepper to taste

Cover baking sheet with foil. Spray foil lightly with olive oil non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. 


Enjoy with someone who loves you for who you are!

enjoy the journey.

Just like our life on this earth, health is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy each moment. Celebrate your successes. Learn from your failures. Pick yourself up and try again. You are stronger than you think you are. That hill is smaller than it appears. The finish line is sweeter than you can imagine. Remember to breathe. Love your sweat. Smile. 

Enjoy the journey. 

Lunchtime Boot Camp - Friday, May 17

Happy Long Weekend!

I have started "hosting" a 30 minutes lunchtime boot camp for co-workers once a week. My plan is to post the work out in the days following boot camp so that people who enjoyed the session can have it to use again on their own time, or for those who missed, they can try it at home!

Unfortunately, the first session we were supposed to have needed to be rescheduled due to a meeting. The changed time did not work for many, as it was Friday of a long weekend (completely understandable to take this day off!), however, two lovely friends joined me in the river valley for a fun little workout! It was a beautiful and sunny day ...but next time I think I will bring bug spray! 

Full Body on Friday

Warm-Up - Stairs 

- combination of jogging up/down and hopping two at a time 

Arms vs Legs - Tabata Style (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest x8 sets)
- Push-Ups (from toes or knees)
- Bench Steps (alternating legs)
- alternate between push-ups and bench steps until 4 sets of each are complete

Cardio Circuit
- 5 Burpies
- 20 Walking Lunges
- 15 Plank Jacks (low plank from toes, then "jack" feet out and back)
- 15 Triceps Dips
- 30 Mountain Climbers

Stairs

Arms vs Legs II - Tabata Style (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest x8 sets)
- Army Crawl (start in low plank position from toes or knees, push up to high plank, then lower back to low plank. Keep core engaged and try to keep hips level while moving "up-up-down-down)
- Prisoner Squats (start in a wide standing position, with feet slightly out-turned. Hands on head, bend knees to lower into squat. Keep core tight and shoulders over hips)
- alternate between army crawl and prisoner squats until 4 sets of each are complete

Repeat Cardio Circuit

Stairs

Stretch

Enjoy!