Free Workout Friday: Another Great Total Body Circuit Workout

Get your Free Workout today with a Total Body Circuit that has a lot of variety!

It feels great to do a total body workout, one that leaves your legs as tired as your arms, and your core just as fatigued.

The goal is to get through each set, with as little as rest as possible.  (Want to challenge yourself?  Time each section and record it in your logbook.  Next time you do the workout, try to do it with less rest and you'll know you're getting stronger!)

If you're new to working out, you might do just half of the exercises and give yourself some rest in between each exercise.  As you get stronger, add another exercise, or decrease your rest.

Short on time?  Do two out of the three sets.  Choose upper and lower body today and complete the core workout tomorrow.  Want to double up on core tomorrow?  Simply repeat the entire core set again, or for a real challenge, complete 2 minutes of each exercise.

If you're not sure of any of the exercises, leave me a comment, and I'll post a picture, or a short video.  Have a great day and a great workout!

Live 365fitt,
Kathy

ps.  Check out more free workouts, under resources, at www.365fitt.com, or on Pinterest!

Free Workout Friday: Best Fun 15 Min "When No One is Looking" Workout

It's Free Workout Friday and here's a super fun workout that you can do in just 15 minutes!

It'll get your heart rate up.

It'll tone your entire body.

It'll stretch your muscles.

It'll make you feel good.

What?  You don't feel like it?  You'll look stupid doing it?  That's why I called it the Best Fun 15 Minute "When No One is Looking" Workout!  Throw away your inhibitions, crank up your tunes, and move your body.

For more great free workouts, visit 365fitt.com.

365fitt is about training for the event called LIFE, focusing on physical, nutritional and emotional wellness through lifestyle adaptations.  Kathy is available for personal training and wellness consultations and corporate wellness.  365fitt invites you to participate in a Healthy Active Living trip to incredible destinations.  Please visit 365fitt for more information.  Live 365fitt!

Free Workout Friday: 3 Outdoor Rides

I say it a lot, riding your bike is easy.  And, I think that for a lot of people, the old saying is true:  

You never forget how to ride a bike.

But for others, it may not be that simple.  For some, there's some fear and anxiety about riding a bike.  Let's take a look at "who" some of those people might be.

The Overweight Individual

The overweight person is afraid that their overly large bottom will swallow the saddle, and that can't be comfortable. Or that their thighs will rub together like sandpaper, leaving red uncomfortable patches.  Or that people will look at them like they have no business riding a bike.  Or, that they will literally die while trying to ride a bike.  To them, I say, "Get out and ride anyway!"  I am always impressed by people who make an effort to live a happy healthy active life, regardless of size.  Size is not an indicator of fitness.  It's just the body we live in.  There are ways around those uncomfortable thoughts.  You can get a larger softer saddle, bike shorts to prevent chafing, and even recumbent bikes may be a good option for the overweight person.  You have to start somewhere, so it might as well be on your bike today!

The Individual with Bad Knees

Biking has been shown to actually help bad knees because it strengthens the muscles surrounding the knee joint.  People with bad knees can often ride a bike painlessly, yet cannot walk a mile without pain.  If biking makes your knees creak with pain, try adjusting your bike.  Raise your saddle to the point where your knee is "slightly" bent, but doesn't feel overly stretched at the bottom of your pedal stroke.  Then, check to make sure that your knees do not extend beyond your toes when your foot is at the "3 o'clock" position.  If your knees extend beyond your toes, this would give you pain at the front of your kneecap.  Move your saddle back until you can just see your toes.  A recumbent bike is an excellent option for the person with bad knees because it puts less downward pressure on the kneecap.  Finally, a strength training program which includes squats, leg extensions, straight leg raises and hamstring curls will help improve the strength of the knee joint.  A knee replacement may be necessary at some point, if the joint has deteriorated, but these exercises can not only delay surgery, but will speed in the recovery process if exercises are done prior.

The Individual with Bad Balance

Bad balance can come from numerous problems, including a general lack of strength, disease  such as Parkinson's, or a combination of both; think of the person who just underwent cancer treatment, and is now weak and unsteady.  The person with bad balance may be able to ride a bike, and this determination should be done on a case by case basis.  It may be helpful to have a professional help assess the situation before putting an unsteady person on an outdoor bike.  Individuals with bad balance can actually improve their balance by riding a stationary bike.  There are even stationary bikes out there that sway and move side to side.  General movement, and low intensity aerobic exercise can improve the center of the brain that affects balance.  If an individual with bad balance still wants to get out and ride, I might suggest finding a partner to ride a tandem bike.  This will enable the person to actually be outdoors riding, but with the added stability of a partner.  On the bike, speed is your friend.  If you go too slow, your movements on the bike are magnified and balance is made worse, so try to pick up your pace and keep your feet moving.  It doesn't have to be fast, but it should be steady.

Here's your workouts.  Now, get out and ride!

365fitt is about training for the event called LIFE, focusing on physical, nutritional and emotional wellness through lifestyle adaptations.  Kathy is available for personal training and wellness consultations and corporate wellness.  365fitt invites you to participate in a Healthy Active Living trip to incredible destinations.  Please visit 365fitt for more information.  Live 365fitt!

Free Workout Friday: ZONING, Adding Variety

It's Free Workout Friday and it's about adding variety to your cardiovascular routine.  

Special:  Use Coupon Code FITT0743 at checkout to instantly save $5 on a Blink heart rate monitor, AND, receive a free copy of Sally Edwards book, ZONING, Fitness in a Blink.

Why add variety?  Adding variety to your cardiovascular routine has been shown to improve cardiovascular health and improve exercise adherence.  Basically, your heart muscle becomes stronger and, because of the variety, you don't become bored, or stagnant and you enjoy exercise more.

365fitt has partnered with ZONING Fitness because it is one of the best cardiovascular solutions out there.  It's simple and easy to use.  And, while the use of a Blink heart rate monitor is not necessary, it guarantees that your intensity is dialed in just right so that you're getting an effective workout. (Additional information on the Blink heart rate monitor is available on my website.)

The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) states that you should get approximately 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise 3-5 times a week.  And, if you don't have a tool to measure your intensity, how on earth would you know you were exercising hard enough?  Perhaps, you're working out too hard?  Either way, the Blink heart rate monitor and ZONING are a great combination that can help you get on your way to improved cardiovascular fitness.

I've included some information on setting your Blink heart rate monitor and there's a very clear video on Youtube that will help as well.  Watch it.  It's worth it.  

Watch the video...

Click the image to download the pdf.
Check out our Blink heart rate monitors.  Use Coupon Code FITT0743 to save $5 on any Blink!

For more information on ZONING, read more...

365fitt is about training for the event called LIFE, focusing on physical, nutritional and emotional wellness through lifestyle adaptations.  Kathy is available for personal training and wellness consultations and corporate wellness.  365fitt invites you to participate in a Healthy Active Living trip to incredible destinations.  Please visit 365fitt for more information.  Live 365fitt!

Free Workout Friday

I'm making Free Workout Friday a whole lot easier for everyone.  Now, all workouts will be saved as a .jpg, so you can view it, print it, use it!  I'll post to my Blog, facebook, twitter and Pinterest.

Today's workout is so easy...and pretty self explanatory.  Just get moving!  

For those of you who are doing ZONING Fitness...just put on your Blink heart rate monitor, warmup in blue...and progress so that all your walk/jog time is in yellow.  When you get to the 30 second "Go Hard", try to get your Blink to flash red just once.

As always...share it and pass it along!

Free Workout Friday Countdown Workout

Free Workout Friday

5 4 3 2 1 Total Body Workout

This is a great workout because it's for those with a little attention deficit.  You said you couldn't stay on a treadmill for 20 minutes because it was too boring.  You said you couldn't do any long sets of legs, core, and arms, because your mind drifted.  Well, I responded to your "excuses" with a workout that will keep your interest for 50 minutes start to finish.

Remember that a warmup is important to getting the blood flow to your working muscles, so please take more time to warmup if needed.

The basic design of the workout is as follows:

• 5 minutes of warmup
• 4 minutes of moderate cardio
• 3 minutes of leg strengthening
• 2 minutes of arm strengthening and toning
• 1 minute of core
•  Repeat 4x (not including the warmup)
• 5 minutes cooldown

See the attached sheet for some suggested leg, arm and core strengthening exercises.

Beginners can do this workout 1x through for a 20 minute workout, and may also take more rest in between each exercise.

Short on time?  Do this workout 1-2x through fast and hard.  No rest, crank it out!

Intermediate enthusiasts can do this workout 2-3x through for a 30 or 40 minute workout.

Advanced individuals should do this workout 3-4x through, with little to no rest in between and can increase their cardio effort from moderate to hard.

Have fun this Friday and every Friday!  Share this workout with a friend!

Kathy

Free Workout Friday - Monthly Workout Plan

Sometimes, you just need someone to give you some organization so today's Free Workout Friday- Monthly Workout Plan will carry you forward an entire month.  This plan includes all the aspects of a well balanced program, for an all-over body workout, although it is probably a little light on stretching. 

This program is appropriate for intermediate levels of fitness because of the "volume" of activity - 5-9 hours/week, depending on the week.  Beginners should cut all work by 50% for starters, and gradually build up duration and intensity.  Individuals who are more advanced, can simply increase duration and intensity, but should maintain the progression from week one to week four as a build in total load.

• Cardio can be done on any piece of equipment that you choose, or, outside with your choice of activity, biking, running, walking, skating, or swimming!  The intensity is described as easy, moderate or hard, which is pretty self explanatory.  I have also used the colors blue, yellow and red which correspond with the Blink heart rate monitor.  A heart rate monitor is an excellent way to make sure that you are adding variety- both easy and hard - to your workouts, giving you lots of variety and challenging the heart muscle appropriately.
• Strength training for core, arms and legs has been specified in duration only and is not specific as to what exercises you might do or how much weight you might lift or resist.  Please consult any of my other free workouts for suggestions on specific exercises.  A qualified health professional or personal trainer is an excellent resource for muscle specific exercises.
• Stretching can always be incorporated at any time, for any duration.  Always start with light stretching for major muscle groups first.

Finally, all good programs include an element of rest and recovery and play.  Rest is essential to helping your muscles recovery and rebuild from work and fatigue.  It is only when you rest that your muscles repair and make themselves stronger.  You should also include an element of play in your workouts because the more fun you have with them, the more likely you are to enjoy and stick with your workouts every day of the year.

Enjoy - live 365fitt!

Free Workout Friday

Today's free workout is for those of you who are on the go, traveling her and there, or are without the means to get to the gym or have access to equipment:  365fitt Traveling Theraband Workout.

All you need is a theraband, approximately 5 feet in length.  Therabands come in several different thicknesses for easier or harder resistance.  They are often color-coded.  I use a medium resistance band because I find I can often alter the resistance myself using my own body.  I like the band, because when folded, it will fit into your back pocket, your purse, or an envelope.  Hands down it is my favorite piece of equipment.  You can typically by them for about $1 per foot.  (If you need one, I can sell one to you for $1/foot plus $3 shipping and handling for $8.  Just email me.)

So, pack your band and get ready for about a 30 minute workout of the legs and arms.

I've chosen these moves because they strengthen the joint.  Why do we care about the joints?  After all, you're trying to tone, right?  Well, toning and strengthening the muscles and protecting the joints go hand in hand.  Take the shoulder, for example.  Just look at the diagram of the shoulder joint (a complex ball and socket joint that flexes, extends and rotates in all directions).  There are numerous muscles that attach in a multitude of directions to different points on and surrounding the shoulder joint to keep it stable and allow it to move in all appropriate directions.  By strengthening the muscles around the joint, you help "stabilize" the joint and prevent it from slipping out of place and/or wearing out prematurely.

On a personal note, my mother recently reported to me that she felt "off balance" and "weak in the knees", like her joint was "slipping" or something similar.  What she was reporting was a lack of strength, primarily in the quadriceps muscles (thigh above the knee), hamstring (back of the thigh), adductor and abductor (inner and outer thigh/hip) and gastrocs (calf).  All of these primary muscles help keep the knee in place.  When the muscles surrounding and supporting the knee are properly strengthened and the knee joint is strong, a resulting improvement in balance is often seen.

So, train the joints for a lifetime of wellness.  It should be noted that when you train the joint, train it in all directions:  front/back and left/right.  A well-rounded exercise routine should do that.  In our free workout this week, our hip exercises focus on front, back, and sideways movement.  Our arm exercises focus on bicep/tricep and  front deltoid/back deltoid, to name just two.  (In a few cases, over-zealous body builders have been reported overtraining certain "beauty" muscles like the pecs (chest) and biceps (known as the "guns"), resulting in an "imbalance" of muscle and joint problems.  Not a pretty sight.) 

Have fun and stay 365fitt even while traveling!
Kathy

Free Workout Friday: Total Body

You'll need a little bit of a push to get through today's free workout:  Total Body With Intervals! Tough it out, and you'll be glad you did.  Here's how to adapt it for yourself:

Everyone starts with a 5 minute warm-up that is easy and conversational.  Everyone can also spend the next 5 minutes building intensity.  That means that your effort increases.  Now, here's where we begin to make a distinction;  individuals that are new to exercise, should increase intensity a little, while individuals who have been exercising regularly can increase intensity a bit more.  Your body should be adequately warmed up.

After the build, you'll be 10 minutes into your workout and will be ready to begin the interval set.  The goal of intervals is to give you variety, change your metabolism, and make your heart stronger.  The more you change your heart rate (adding variability), the more your fitness improves.  Here are some tips:

• Beginners should change their heart rate (or effort) just a little, while intermediate and experienced individuals should change their heart rate as much as they are comfortable (or slightly uncomfortable).
• How much you change your heart rate is totally up to you.

• For best results, use a heart rate monitor (see below)

• Use the grips on most machines, if working out indoors and look for a 5-20 beat change, depending on your fitness level

•  If working out outdoors, use a heart rate monitor, or play a game of "fartlek", which is increasing your speed or tempo to the next streetlamp, corner or tree, then recovering to the next corner or tree, etc...

• Use perceived exertion on a scale of 1-10 (modified Borg) for rpe (rating of perceived exertion):

"Easy" is conversational and breathing is fine; 1-3rpe

"Moderate" is more "strained" with increased breathing and conversation more difficult; 4-7rpe, and

"Hard" is where breathing is deep and rapid and conversation is difficult; 8-10rpe

• These intervals are equal parts work and recovery in a 1:1 ratio.  That means that you will "go hard" for 1 minute, followed by a 1 minute easy recovery.

A heart rate monitor is one of the best ways for you to know if you are exercising at the right intensity.  For example, using a Blink heart rate monitor (available on my website), you can pre-program YOUR thresholds (easy to do with my help, or with this youtube demonstration).  Then, your very own heart rate monitor will blink "blue" when easy, "yellow" when moderate, and "red" when hard.  Individuals new to exercise would therefore complete their intervals using just blue (for recovery) and yellow (for moderate).  Individuals who have been exercising for awhile, may choose to use either blue or yellow for the recovery and "red" for the hard.

And...while supplies last, you can get a copy of Sally Edward's newest book, ZONING, Fitness in a Blink with any Blink heart rate monitor purchase on my website.

The rest of the workout is a total body workout, if you're not sure of anything, please let me know and I'll demonstrate it for you with a Youtube video or answer it on the blog.

Have fun!

Kathy 

Free Workout Friday: Abdominal Workout

Everybody loves to work their abs, so we will start out 365fitt Free Workout Friday with an abdominal workout.

Keep these tips in mind:

• If you're new to exercise, always start slowly and build to the full exercise gradually.  This might mean doing only 1 set of each exercise.  One set typically consists of 8-15 repetitions. 
• Individuals with intermediate fitness can do 2 sets of each exercise.
• Advanced individuals can do 2-3 sets, and can challenge themselves, perhaps by performing exercises while standing on a Bosu or other  piece of stability equipment.
• Always hold in your abdominal muscles!  This will help protect your lower back!
• When standing, a wider stance is more stable than when your legs are closer together.

 Get your first free workout:  Abdominals_1 here!  And remember, please share it (facebook, twitter) and (link, please) to my website at 365fitt.com.