Workout Archives - Page 4 of 8

Stabilization Strength Training Workout

March 23, 2015 by Jenna

When I was taking my classes to become a personal trainer I learned all about NASM’s Optimal Performance Training (OPT) model. This model is designed to systematically progress clients through three phases of training (stabilization, strength, and power) leading them to reach their fitness goals.

Last week a friend and I got into a conversation about strength training, because he wasn’t seeing the results that he wanted. Long story short, I started telling him all about the OPT model. It was probably way more than he wanted (or cared) to know, but I was getting really revved up about it.

I left the conversation feeling super energized. It helped remind me why I wanted to get my personal training certification in the first place. This stuff is just so interesting to learn about and discuss with others.

Interesting to me, anyways.

With that said I wanted to talk a little bit about the initial phase of the OPT model: stabilization. I will focus on the strength and power phases at a later date. Feel free to start getting excited about it now.

The primary focus on the stabilization phase is to increase muscular endurance while enhancing coordination (or “neuromuscular efficiency” if you wanted to get technical). Basically, the exercises in this stage are performed in an unstable environment with low intensity and high repetitions.

Rather than progressing to higher intensities (from 5 lbs weights to 10 lbs weights) we progress through various levels of unstable environments (single leg, stability ball, foam pad, bosu ball, etc.).

Another key piece of the stabilization phase is the tempo in which the exercises are performed, which is described as 4/2/1: 4 counts for the eccentric movement, 2 counts for the isometric, and 1 count for the concentric. Let’s walk through some examples:

Biceps curls: Lower the dumbbells in 4 counts, hold at the bottom for two, and curl back up in 1 count.
Squats: Lower from a standing position to a squat position in 4 counts, hold the squat for 2 counts, and rise back up to standing in 1 count.

It’s a little difficult to grasp at first, but you’ll get the hang of it. When in doubt, do the “harder” piece of the exercise in 1 count. This is usually the concentric movement: the curl, the press, the extension.

During the stabilization phase we also focus on correcting any muscle imbalances so that proper form and alignment are developed and can be maintained. This is always important, but will become even more important when progressing to the strength and power phases.

Ok. Now let’s get into this stabilization strength training workout.

Here are the cues to guide you through the exercises:

Squat Jumps with Stabilization: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Lower body into a squat, making sure knees stay behind your toes. Jump up, extending arms overhead. Land back in the squat position ensuring proper alignment. Hold for 3-5 seconds before jumping again.
Ball Squat, Curl to Press: Stand with a stability ball between a wall and your low-back region, feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Lower into a squat, making sure knees stay behind your toes (starting position). As you rise to stand, curl the dumbbells up with a biceps curl. When you are completely standing press the dumbbells overhead until both arms are fully extended. Slowly lower your body back to starting position.
Push-Up: Begin in push-up (plank) position. Keeping your body in a straight line with your core engaged, slowly lower your body while bending your elbows to 90 degrees. Push your body back up to starting position.
Ball Dumbbell Row: Lie face-down on a stability ball with the ball under your abdomen, your feet straight back behind you, and your arms extending in front of you toward the floor with a dumbbell in each hand (starting position). Make sure to engage your legs for stabilization. Row the dumbbells back by bending your elbows and pushing your shoulder blades together. Slowly return to starting position.
Seated Stability Ball Military Press: Sit on a stability ball with toes facing forward hip-width apart. Hold dumbbells at shoulder level with palms facing forward (starting position). Engage your glutes and core for stabilization. Press dumbbells overheads until both arms are fully extended. Slowly lower dumbbells to starting position.
Single-Leg Dumbbell Curl: Stand on one foot with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (starting position). Keeping your core engaged and your elbows at your side, curl the dumbbells up to shoulder level. Slowly lower dumbbells to starting position. Switch legs half-way through the set.
Stability Ball Dumbbell Triceps Extensions: Lie on a stability ball with the ball at your shoulder blades, feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward, and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Engage core and glues to keep the shoulders, hips, and knees all in line. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms straight above you (starting position). Keeping your upper arms and elbows still, slowly lower your forearms down until the dumbbells reach the sides of your head. Raise dumbbells back up to starting position.
Step-Up to Balance: Stand facing a box or step with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (starting position). Step onto the box with one foot and push body up so that you are standing on the box or step balancing on one leg. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Step back down to starting position. Repeat with other leg.
Ball Crunch: Lie on a stability ball with the ball at your lower back, feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward, and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Your head and the top of your shoulders will extend off of the ball. Place your hands behind your head with elbows sticking straight out (starting position). Engage your core and crunch up until your shoulder blades are off the ball. Slowly lower back to starting position.

I would encourage you to try this stabilization strength training workout 1-2 times per week over the next few weeks. Concentrate on the 4/2/1 tempo and your balance as you work in the unstable environments. I have some personal issues with balance (AKA, I fall over a lot), so when I started doing some stabilization phase training it really helped out!

Ok. That was a lot of information to read through, especially on a Monday morning. I’m impressed that you made it all the way down to this sentence. I hope you found it interesting and helpful. Feel free to shoot any questions or comments in the comment section, I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Superset Tabata Clover Workout

March 17, 2015 by Jenna

Hi friends. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I put together a fun clover-inspired superset Tabata workout that will leave you feeling as happy as a leprechaun… assuming that leprechauns are super happy. I think they probably are. You know, all those pots of gold and stuff.

This workout doesn’t require any equipment. Meaning, you can do it anywhere.

It will take you less than 20 minutes to complete. Meaning, you can squeeze this in between work and meeting up with friends for a green beer and a dinner of corned beef and cabbage.

How perfect is that? It’s a lucky day for all of us.

This Tabata features four supersets, one for each lucky clover leaf. In true Tabata form we are going to work really, really hard for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. We will switch between the first and second exercises in first clover leaf until 4 rounds (4 minutes) has been completed. Then we rest for a minute and move onto the second clover leaf following the same pattern.

Here’s the game plan:

Each clover leaf features one strength and one plyometric/cardio exercise. We want our heart to work and our muscles to be sore. Remember, the key to Tabata workouts are to really push it for those 20 seconds so that afterwards you get to experience all of those metabolism-boosting, fat-burning rewards afterwards.

Feel free to progress the squats and alternating lunges by adding weights or biceps/hammer curls with dumbbells; however, drop them when you get to the jumps. I have used the Seconds and Interval Timer apps to keep time, but there are a lot of free ones out there too! If you have questions on any of the exercises or how to progress/regress them, just shoot me a note in the comments!

Do know this, just because this is a St. Patrick’s Day clover-inspired workout you are welcome to do this on other days of the year too. Lucky clovers are applicable everyday. Plus, you could also consider it 4-H themed, which is also relevant year round.

Shout out to all the Irish and 4-H’ers out there!! Have a happy St. Patty’s Day!

PS – If you liked this one make sure to check out these: Superset Tabata, 20-Minute Plyo Tabata, 4th of July Tabata Workout.

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The Fit 5: Triceps

March 2, 2015 by Jenna

Hello! Welcome to March and to the 3^rd installment of “The Fit 5”!

In January we talked about shoulders, learned what the heck the coracobrachialis is, discovered that the shoulder is the most moveable joint, and did rows, raises, presses, and shrugs.

In February we learned all about biceps, how it is an awkward sounding single noun and it inspired the word “muscle”. Then we did a lot of different curls.

Today, we move to triceps!

TRICEPS. They are my least favorite muscle group to train. Also, probably, my weakest. Coincidence? No. Not at all. However, I do know how important they are to strengthen and work on. No body wants to see flabby underarms.

So. Today I am going to give lots of love to the triceps. First, we’ll learn. Then, we’ll do.

LEARN…

If you can recall The Fit 5: Biceps I mentioned that the word biceps refers to a muscle that has both a long head and a short head – two heads. Based on that logic how many heads do you think a triceps muscle has?

If you said three, you are both brilliant and correct. The triceps brachii muscle has three heads: long, lateral, and medial. Now here are some more Fit 5 Facts about the triceps muscle.

And guess what?! It’s another awkward sounding singular noun. Hurray! As if I weren’t awkward enough.

DO…

Now that we know more about the triceps, let’s strengthen them. It’s almost summer, so before we know it we’ll be wearing tank tops and waving to people all over the place.

Right?! Summer is almost here?! Or at least spring? Or at least 30-degree weather?!

Blah. This is what we are going to do to get them into shape for whenever the weather starts to turn (or I hop on a jet plane to somewhere warm).

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: adapt these exercises to get the results that you are looking for. To work on your stability, perform the standing triceps extensions on one leg or sitting on a stability ball and do the lying triceps extensions lying on a stability ball instead of a bench. To build muscle use heavier weights and low reps; to maintain lean muscle use lighter weights and higher reps.

It is good idea to mix up the variables (reps, sets, tempo, intensity, rest, frequency) from time to time. If you are always using 8 lbs dumbbells for you triceps extensions, try bumping up the weight to 10 lbs or 12 lbs once a week. Also, play with your tempo. Try slowing things down and really focus on contracting and extending your tricepses. They will hate you and then they will love you.

I am going to pledge to you that I will start giving more love and attention to my triceps and fitting more of these exercises into my normal routine. Here are some ways that I am thinking:

Alternate these with the biceps exercises. Triceps and biceps are essentially opposite muscles. While one contracts the other extends, so let’s keep them even.
Perform an upper body circuit with biceps, shoulders, and triceps.
Pick two of the exercises for this week. Early in the week use light weights and high reps, then later in the week use heavier weights and lower reps. Then next week pick two other exercises any follow the same pattern.
Perform all 5 exercises with a set of squats and/or lunges in between.

People, the possibilities are endless.

As always, reach out in the comments with questions! Otherwise start working on those triceps!

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Jumping Jack Circuit Workout

February 23, 2015 by Jenna

You guys. What a weekend. So great. There was Betty Danger’s, a run with a friend, the first Minneapolis City Running Tour of 2015, many episodes of Comedy Bang Bang (so funny), freshly baked muffins & coffee followed by yoga at a new studio with some friends, Grandma’s Marathon registration (!!!), this delicious butternut squash macaroni-n-tease pasta, The Oscars, and lots of productivity mixed in between. Basically, perfect. I hope yours was fantastic too.

So now let’s take this [figurative] weekend high and start the week on the right foot. Or in the air… with a lot of jumping jacks.

I am really liking this workout routine. For three primary reasons:

You can do it basically anywhere, because all you need is a set of dumbbells, a timer, and a mat; however, you really could do it without any of those things.
It is a full body workout in 30 minutes.
It’s fun.

Need I say more? No. This image says it all:

When you are doing this I don’t want to see any lazy jumping jacks. I know I won’t, because A) I won’t be watching you and B) you aren’t lazy, are you?

While jumping jack-ing (I guess that’s probably how you say it?) keep your core tight, make solid movements with your arms and legs, jump high, and make them count.

Make all these exercises count, not just the jumping jacks. Push yourself lower in the squats, do more pushups on your toes than your knees, bump up a weight for the bicep curls, don’t take a break halfway through the plank hold. You can do it. You really, really can. It’s only 30 minutes.

Your body will love you afterwards. And you will love your body. No unrequited love here, people.

Happy Monday!

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Run + Strength 30-Minute Workout

February 16, 2015 by Jenna

A full body 30-minute workout that alternates between treadmill running and strength training circuits.

On Saturday it was -3 degrees outside with a -20 degree wind chill. That’s not ok. I was volunteering at the photo stop for the Valentine’s Day TC 5K and it was so, so, so very cold. I bundled up in lots of layers, but my poor feet were frozen. Despite putting hand warmer packets between my layers of socks I still lost all feeling. It felt like I was walking on nubs.

BUT despite the cold, it was such a great event! There were hundreds of volunteers and runners out there making the most of the day. Evidence here. The running community in Minnesota never ceases to amaze me.

After my body fully thawed I hit the treadmill for 10 miles. That is the most I have ever run on a treadmill and the longest I’ve run since the Philadelphia Marathon. I’m not going to lie, it was hard. I went slow and took a few short breaks (for mental not physical purposes), but I’m glad I did it. Even though my hips are still a little mad at me right now.

Anyways, I put together a workout involving the treadmill; however, instead of running 10 miles we are only going to be doing three 5-minute sets. Between those sets we are going to do a strength circuit. It’ll be fun.

With this routine you will get a full body workout, plus some cardio, in under 30 minutes.

Pretty cool, huh?

I think so. Not as cool at -20 degrees though, which is a good thing.

PS – Did you watch last night’s 40th anniversary of Saturday Night Live?! Oh.My.Goodness. I was dying.

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The 10-Minute Quick-I-Need-A-Workout Workout!

February 9, 2015 by Jenna

This is your 10-minute quick-I-need-a-workout workout. Some days 10-minutes is just all that you have. But hey, that’s ok. 10 minutes is better than no minutes.

On Saturday my parents and younger brother were heading out early in the morning to drive to Sioux Falls for my sister’s birthday. I knew I wasn’t going to get a workout in, so I put this together as something we could all do quick in the morning before sitting in a car for 3.5 hours. My dad opted out, because he had to go “drive around and check things out” around the farm.

This workout consists of 10 exercises that you perform back-to-back for 1 minute each. It works your upper body, lower body, core and even includes a few cardio bursts. You can do this workout anywhere and the only equipment you need is some sort of timer – a stopwatch, a phone, an app, a microwave timer, whatever is convenient!

This is what you’ll do:

You may think, “10 minutes? What is even the point?” And if you do, I can totally see where you’re coming from, but I promise that his workout will still challenge you (Pushups for a minute? Not fun.) as long as you push yourself to work and make those 10 minutes worth it.

Plus, if 10 minutes is all that you have, then 10 minutes is what you should take.

So on Saturday morning at about 7:15am my mom, brother, and I started this workout. The first minute was spent doing jumping jacks while trying to stop laughing over the fact that we were doing jumping jacks… in a our dining room… while Taylor Swift played in the background. We were quite the sight. Another giggle-attack started during the lunges and then another during the pushups. The laughter just helped us burn a few extra calories! Regardless of the all the giggles, we did it and all felt better for it.

Besides being short and effective another bonus of this workout is that you don’t need to get re-ready afterwards. You’ll get your heart pumping, but you won’t be drenched in sweat. So if you need to squeeze in something during your lunch break, between work and happy hour, or even just on a super busy day, you won’t need to spend a lot of time to refresh yourself afterwards as you probably would after this workout or this workout.

This is perfect for all you business travelers out there! You can easily do this in your hotel room before heading out for the day or after work before going to dinner.

And what if you have more than 10 minutes? Do it twice. Or three times. Or add in a minute of burpees. Or a round of intervals on the treadmill. So many great options here!

The next time you don’t think your schedule will allow you to fit in a full on workout, try to at least carve out 10 minutes of time for this one! You won’t regret it.

As always, if you have any questions about the exercises feel free to ask them in the comments.

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