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Get It Up, Your Heart Rate That Is: Full Body Experience

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

The other night I felt the need to get my heart rate up and to sweat. I really enjoy a good circuit workout, but I thought I would start by spending some cardio time on the trusty old Precor elliptical (set a fixed 20 degree incline) and follow up with strength training circuit. It was great and I slept well last night! For the cardio section, when it says "recover" move at a pace similar to a jog. Here’s what I came up with:

Cardio

Time	Level	Speed
0:00–5:00	6	130-140
5:00-6:00	7	0:10 sprint, :20 run – repeat
6:00-7:00	7	recover
7:00-8:00	8	0:10 sprint, 0:20 run – repeat
8:00-9:00	8	recover
9:00-10:00	9	sprint
10:00-11:30	9	recover
11:30-12:30	10	sprint
12:30-14:00	10	recover
14:00-15:00	11	sprint
15:00-16:00	10	recover
16:00-18:00	9	recover
18:00-19:00	9	steady pace
19:00-20:00	8	forward no hands
20:00-22:00	8	backwards

To see the second half of the workout, just read more

Circuit – Repeat twice

Exercise	Time/Reps	Weight
Step Up	1 minute	12" step
Alternating Forward Lunges	8x sets	5 to 10 lbs
Single Leg Bicep Curls	8x each leg	5 to 10 lbs
Wide Squat with Overhead Press	10x	10 to 20 lbs
Bent Over Rows	15x	5 to 10 lbs
Squat with Side Arm Raise	10x	5 to 10 lbs
Alternating Backward Lunges	10 sets	5 to 10 lbs

Cool Down

	Exercise	Time/Reps
Core Work	Elbow Plank into Downward Dog	Hold each 30 seconds, 3 sets
Ab Work	Crunches	25 reps
	Pulsing Crunches	25 pules at top of crunch
	Bicycle Crunches	25 rep ( a rep being both sides)
	Boat Pose	hold :30, 3 times
Stretch	Hamstrings Quads Inner thighs Glutes Chest Back	Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, 2 times

Try it and tell me what you think. Click here for a printer friendly version.

Circuit Workout by Celebrity Trainer Jason Walsh

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Since you all chose Jessica Biel's trainer Jason Walsh as your favorite celebrity trainer, I asked him to share a workout with us.

Jason thought this three part circuit workout that he does with his clients would be fun for us too. It will get your heart rate up and strengthen your body at the same time. That is what I call a win-win workout. It is full of mutli-joint exercises that work more than one muscle group at a time and the more muscle you use in a movement the more oxygen you need for those working muscles.

Keep track of your rest times and weights, so you can decrease the rest time and increase the weights from week to week. If you are new to weight training, Jason recommends starting with no weights and 1 min rest between sets. On the flip side, decrease the rest time if it feels too easy, but remember you have a lot to do so don't get ahead of yourself.

To see the workout just read more.

You will need: dumbbells (DB) or a medicine ball (MB), a step ( I used one of my daughters' kiddie chairs), and a pull up bar or lat machine (if you are trying this at home just improvise – I used the top of a door jam with a chair and did super slow supported pull-ups). This circuit take 25 to 30 minutes to perform depending on how long you rest in between sets.

Warm up	Active Stretch
5 to 10 minutes light to moderate cardio	Hamstrings Quads Inner thighs Calves Pecs Torso
Circuit 1	Repeat 3 times ( rest :60 between sets)
Side Planks	Hold :30 each side
Jump squats	15 reps
Push ups (use knees if necessary)	10 reps
Circuit 2	Repeat 3 times ( rest :60 between sets)
Squat to press (DB or MB)	15 reps
Pull ups or Lat pulldowns	10 reps
Bent over rows (DB)	15 reps
Circuit 3	Repeat 3 times ( rest :60 between sets)
Lateral lunge	10 reps each leg
Step ups (onto bench)	10 each leg
Straight leg sit ups	15 reps

I just did this workout, started with 10 minutes on the elliptical to warm up, stretched and then went for it. It was fun and challenging and I feel like my entire body got worked! Just a word of caution for those with lower back problems: straight leg sit ups can put a lot of pressure on the lumbar spine, try 90 seconds of crunches instead. Try it and let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Reality Check: Ashlee Isn't a No Carbs Kind of Girl

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:00:02 -0800

Even though she lives the So Cal lifestyle, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz told Women's Health that she doesn't starve herself for a Hollywood figure; she simply loves food, and one of her favorite feasts features Mexican fare. Once a week Ashlee and her hubby, Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz, invite family and friends over for taco night. Ashlee told the mag that she's not afraid of cheese, eats cheeseburgers with ranch dressing, and indulges in French fries. But don't spread the rumor that she's eating for two, because she's not, and Ashlee shares that she's even slimmer than ever.

She boasts about devouring whatever she wants, doesn't deprive herself of the foods she craves, and still has such a great figure. To find out what she asys is her secret, read more.

Ashlee's secret weapon is Bronx Pilates! Her 1-year-old son is in her arms all day, and carrying around that extra weight has helped to really tone her arms.

Before she gave birth, Ashlee had gained 50 pounds, and her breasts were up to a size E when she was nursing. So once baby Bronx was two weeks old, she was ready to start losing the extra pounds. A home-delivery meal plan didn't work since she's a big eater. She says, "If I want a grilled cheese sandwich, I'll eat a grilled cheese sandwich." So she turned to exercise, and with the help of a personal trainer, the new mama set up a home gym and started circuit training. Four weeks later, Ashlee had lost half her baby weight. Her diligent workouts have definitely paid off. Of course, this young actress also has her youth and genes to thank. Though she looks amazing now, Ashlee dispels the notion that her bod was a result of Hollywood stress. She says, "I wasn't in a rush to get back to this body for anyone else. It was more like, 'I wanna look good [for me]? I wanna feel good.'"

Ashlee is feeling great and very appreciative of her family and all life has blessed her with. On top of a great career and a healthy son, her hubby is a great source of comfort and support. "Pete isn't worried about stretch marks, " she says, "He always makes me feel sexy."

The way she explains it, she doesn't really do anything currently to maintain her figure. Do you believe it?

Jamcore Fitness Video Podcasts

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 11:30:00 -0800

Looking for a new podcast workout system to try? Well there is a new kid on the block - Jamcore Training premieres today.

Videos, created by former competitive body builder Jamo Nazzi and his team of fitness experts, lead you through different programs of exercises. There is a home program (you need some props like a physio-ball), a gym workout with weight machines, and even a 30 minute routine for the office (if you feel comfortable lying on the floor in your cubicle).

You can join for $19.95 a month and then download exercise videos and nutritional advice from the website. The catch is to benefit from Jamcore you have to actually do the work, but the videos are pretty motivational and Jamo's accent is pretty intriguing too. The site is easy to navigate and it looks like it could be a great way to get into a fitness routine.

LilSugar Exclusive: Celebrity Trainer Provides Postpartum Exercise Tips

LilSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:28 -0700

Eating for two may sound like fun during pregnancy, but after the baby arrives, the reality of nine months of eating quickly sets in. While 75 percent of LilSugar readers kept track of their weight throughout their pregnancy, the thought of returning to a regular exercise routine is a task few new mamas are ready to tackle. From group exercise classes to at-home videos, there are a variety of methods for shedding baby weight.

Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak, creator of 5-Factor Fitness and Diet Plan who helped Milla Jovovich lose the 70-plus pounds she gained during pregnancy and is now working with Jennifer Hudson, recently provided us with his take on how to jump-start a postnatal workout routine.

Following a vaginal birth with no severe tearing or complications from gestational diabetes, Pasternak recommends checking with your doctor and beginning this routine:

Start slow. Begin with one 10-minute walk each day. Slowly add a minute a day thereafter until you reach the 30-minute mark.

Add strength training. Once the doctor gives you the green light, begin with only one set per body part. Work your way up with multiple sets and gradually increase resistance and intensity.

Keep it simple. Don't turn to the most difficult machines you used prior to delivery. Stick with simple movements using your own body weight, dumbbells, barbells, or a HarleyBar for some light weight training.

Avoid high-impact movements for a while. The body is still filled with hormones that increase joint laxity, so it is important to monitor your activities.

Try a 5-Factor workout. (1) A cardio warm-up (2) A strength circuit with upper body (3) Lower body (4) Abs (5) Finish up with a cardio cool-down

Do these sound like tips you can put to good use?

Gabrielle Reece on Fitting Fitness Into a Busy Life

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:50:52 -0700

Gabrielle Reece is a fitness idol of mine, and I was lucky enough to speak to her about fitness and motherhood recently. I thought she was cool before, but now I wish she could be my new BFF.

Needless to say, Gabby is a busy lady, and many of you were curious about how she fits fitness into her daily routine. Simply put, she's aggressive about it. Comparing her commitment to working out to her obligations as a mother, she says that you wouldn't skip out on picking your kids up from school, so you shouldn't skip taking care of yourself. One way to ensure she doesn't blow off her workout is by running a circuit-training group of 10 women on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Since she's responsible for the class, she's there. Gabby saves the other two weekdays for cardio - biking or swimming. She explained her reasoning:

"It comes down to this . . . I am going to be a better wife, a better professional, a better mom, and definitely a nicer human being if I train. So I schedule it. And I think it's critical to schedule with other people because then you're accountable. You just can't blow it off."

To see how becoming a mom has changed her workouts, read more.
A mother of two young girls, Gabby knows that once you become a mom, you have a lot less time, and time constraints force you to be a lot more flexible. She explained that she has become more focused, too, when she has a scheduled workout.

"I have become a lot more serious about that time. If I have allotted an hour, I don't mess around with that time. I don't chitchat. This hour is golden and I am here to bust it. There have been days where I only have 20 . . . Instead of freaking out I say, 'Today is 20 minutes and 20 minutes is better than nothing.' With being a mom, you have a mix. I have become softer and harsher about it all."

As a working mother with two girls of my own, I fully relate. That 6 a.m. workout is the time I have to work out, so I make it work. Says Gabby: "When I am training, it's an opportunity to just be me, not do the mom thing. It's a chance to plug into my inner athlete."

Here's to a victorious inner athlete! Stay tuned for more on Gabby's food, abs, and working out with Laird, her surfer-pro husband.

You Asked: How to Start Strength Training

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:00:43 -0700

Hi Fit!
I love going to the gym for cardio and I usually do about 40 minutes of the elliptical and bike. However, I'm ashamed to say I've only twice visited the weight room . . . and both those times I was too nervous and too clueless to stay for very long. The truth is, all of these weights and machines look great, but I don't know where to start! How can I finally enjoy the weight room and see some strength-training results?
Looking to Lift

Great job on doing regular cardio. I think it's great that you are looking to get over your fear of the weight room and start strength training. To learn my advice, read more.

If you want to use weight machines, the best place to start is with a session with a trainer from your gym. Many gyms offer one free session with a personal trainer to help gym members learn how to safely use the weight machines. Ask at the front desk next time you're at the gym. If they are not free, check out the price for one session so someone knowledgeable can teach you how to use the machines. You can also skip the machines and start learning strength-training moves with free weights like dumbbells or ones that require no equipment at all. There are many moves you can do in the comfort of your own home to build your confidence and strength before heading to the weight room. But let's not get ahead of ourselves; first let's take a moment to go over the basic concepts.

It is recommended that healthy adults do eight to 10 strength-training exercises using the major muscle groups on two non-consecutive days a week. To maximize strength development, added weight should be used for eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise, resulting in muscular fatigue. Doing two to three sets of eight to 12 reps will work your muscles even more. Strength training three times a week will also enhance your efforts even more.

In terms of major muscle groups, think of them this way: lower body (butt, front of legs, back of legs, calves, hips, and thighs), upper body (biceps, shoulders, back, chest, and back of arms), and abs (sides, upper, and lower). And do know that over time you will need to increase the amount of weight you work with to keep challenging yourself. Plus, every month to two months you should change your strength-training routine to keep your muscles guessing.

Here are two full-body circuit workouts that you should try: the FitSugar Circuit Workout (no props required) and the FitSugar Full-Body Circuit Workout (with dumbbells). Read through these posts explaining how to use gym equipment and machines.

Good luck!

I Tried It: Shape's "Drop 10 Pounds This Month" Circuit Workout

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

I like to head to the gym with a plan of action so I don't unconsciously skip some difficult exercise that I have not yet learned to love. I printed out Shape magazine's workout and headed to the gym.

The workout, from the article Drop 10 Pounds This Month, promised to burn 400 calories in 30 minutes. How could I pass up the opportunity to burn that many calories while strength training?

The circuit workout was created by Eric Von Frohlich, founder of RoadFit, and it is full of moves to improve balance, power, agility, flexibility, strength, and aerobic fitness. To see how the workout worked out for me, read more.

I really enjoyed this workout and felt pleasantly worked afterward, with sore hamstrings for a couple of days - that's a good thing in my book. For reasons unknown to me, the online printable version begins with exercise number two, so I decided to warm up with five minutes of cardio on an elliptical in lieu of exercise one. I was then only able to go through the workout two times due to time constraints (picking up my daughter from ballet), when it is recommended that you do the workout three to four times. Doing the eight-exercise circuit straight through the first time required a bit of reading to learn the moves. After resting the recommended three minutes between reps of the entire circuit, the second round went much faster.

In the 25 minutes I was able to devote to working out, including the five-minute elliptical warmup, I burned 200 calories. I am quite certain with two other rounds of the circuit I could have gotten close to burning 400. I love the plyometric moves, like jumping lunges, mixed with souped-up squats. Now that I know the routine, I will definitely be doing it again. This workout requires a medicine ball and a step - two things easily found at the gym, but not at my house. Try it and tell me how many calories you burn.

FitSugar Full-Body Circuit Workout

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:30:00 -0800

I love a good circuit workout for many reasons. These workouts are great for strength training, but they also keep your heart rate up, helping burn up the calories while building muscles. This full-body circuit combines many exercises so you work your arms while toning your legs. Plus your core, abs, and back will all be challenged. And you can do this workout in the comfort of your living room.

Not only is an at-home workout excuse-proof, it is also recession-proof since it is free and will only cost you calories! Check out this full-body circuit workout that fits in your living room. It takes about 20 minutes to do, and for the workout all you need is a set of dumbbells between five and eight pounds. If you don't have weights, you can still give it a go.

Instructions: After warming up with light cardio for five minutes, repeat each three-exercise circuit twice, resting for 60 seconds after completing one rep of an entire circuit.

Find the printable version here.

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geeksugar's EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge Begins!

GeekSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:55:01 -0700

Get ready, get set, because I've teamed up with the ladies over at Green Pixels for our 30 Day EA Sports Active challenge! I'm all warmed up after a some fun cardio and strength training exercises, and am excited to see what week two will bring.

Included in the EA Sports Active kit (which costs $57) is the Sports Active Wii disc, a leg strap which will hold the nunchuck in place while you hold the Wiimote, and a resistance band to increase the intensity of certain exercises like bicep curls and shoulder presses. To get started, I was able to create my very own personalized character, customize circuits based on my interest and fitness level and I even got some words of advice from my personal EA Sports Active trainer - Bob Green (as in Oprah's fitness guru Bob Green). This game not only provides you with various workout routines, but that it combines nutrition and lifestyle factors into your challenge as well! And if you have a Wii balance board, Sports Active is balance board compatible - which means you can decide whether you want to include it in your workouts (some days I use it, some days I don't).

Unlike Wii Fit (remember geeksugar's challenge last year?), this game is intended to get you moving and sweating with exercises like cardio boxing, volleyball, squat exercises, cardio dancing and more (tennis is one of my faves!). Let me tell you, the exercises got me sweating so the short cool downs after each workout were very much needed! The intensity you select will determine how long your workouts are (medium intensity routines can range from 25 - 40 minutes).

If you have EA Sports Active it'd be great if you could join our challenge as well! No matter where you are at - starting or finishing your challenge - it'd be great if you could participate. All I ask is that you leave your feedback about the game and some progress notes in the comments below. Keep checking back every Wednesday to read my updates and progress!

Check out how the ladies (and man) over at Green Pixels are feeling after their first few days!

To see more photos of my experience getting started with EA Sports Active just read more.

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