The Gift(s) That Keep Giving

With the average cost of a gym membership hovering around $50 per month along with hefty initiation fees, the nationwide median cost for a new gym member is around $800/year.

That's a lot of cash to be putting out in these times.

If you are the type of individual who can self motivate yourself, consider investing in a few key pieces of equipment or, better yet, put some of your 'must haves' on your holiday wish list and perhaps Santa and Hanukah Harry will help root you on to a healthy and fit 2011!

You can put together a killer at-home gym (for you, or someone you love!) at your disposal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you think you cannot get a killer workout in at home, give this a try ...

The CFB 400 Basement (or Backyard) Workout

100 Yard Farmers Walk. 100 yards is equivalent to 300 feet, so plot out a path and you're good to go. I grab my dumbbells and head down to the basement in my apartment building for my Farmers Walk, but this can easily be accomplished using a backyard or driveway.

WARNING: Neighbors may smirk at you while they're sitting on their couches stuffing their mouths with chips and beer. It's all good.

What you'll need: Women - Two 25 lb dumbbells; Men - Two 50 lb dumbbells

If you don't already have dumbbells at home, consider an adjustable dumbbell set. If you're looking for a set that goes up to 40 lbs, you can't beat this deal for under $41 (includes shipping!) - Cap Barbell 40-Pound Dumbbell Set.

There are some very fancy options on the market (PowerBlock, Bowflex) in the $300 - $350 price range that may better meet the needs of those looking for 50 lb dumbbell sets. You may want to consider going with the 40 lb Cap set and looking to pick up 50 lb plates or dumbbells at a local flea market, Craig's list or a local sporting goods store.

100 Step-ups (50 per leg). I use my 18" weight bench for step-ups, but you should start out with a height that is comfortable for you.

What you'll need: Something to step-up on to. If you don't have a weight bench or step, consider a plyo box. There are several good options available through Amazon - Plyo Boxes

100 Yard Power Wheel Crawl. Ok, truth be told, unless you've been working your core for a while, it's unlikely you'll start out with 100 yards. It makes no matter. Start using the Lifeline USA Power Wheel IIand build your way up to 100 yards.

What you'll need: A Power Wheel. Free shipping is available through Amazon, so all in the Power Wheel will cost you $58.11.

Jump Rope. 100 jumps.

What you'll need: A jump rope. Any jump rope will do. If you're placing an Amazon offer, you can pick one up for as little as $7.69 - Valeo Deluxe Speed Jump Rope


Complete each exercise and move immediately to the next exercise. Complete a total of 4 sets as quickly as possible. Be certain to time yourself and work on beating your time each time you do this workout.

Train hard; stay strong, and consider giving (and receiving) the gift of fitness this holiday season!

Peace.

Susan

Maximize Your Gym Time

'Tis the season to find yourself shopping, cooking, baking, and partying. Gym time will be at a premium, so make certain to maximize that time following these 3 simple rules:

1) Have a Plan. With all of those other activities it's easy to find yourself missing a workout or two (or three, or four) along the way. Guess what? The more workouts you miss, the more pounds you are likely to pack on.

Staying on top of your training routine will take some planning and serious time management skills.

What works for me is keeping a printed calendar of all of my workouts for the month. I actually plan the time of day I will be working out and jot that on the calendar so that I can make certain not to schedule a conflicting event.

It's important to be detailed. 'Winging' it is when we get ourselves in to trouble - especially this month when there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done.

2) Turn Up The Volume With Interval Training. There was a time not too long ago that interval training was used solely in conjunction with cardio workouts such as cycling, running and rowing. Well, no more!

Interval training consisting of short bursts of intensive effort interspersed with more moderate stretches not only improves cardiovascular fitness but helps to burn more body fat.

Here are three ideas for interval training workouts you can start today - no treadmill required.

a. Bodyweight Intervals

When putting together a bodyweight cardio circuit consider:

a) A fast, dynamic bodyweight exercise
b) A total bodyweight warm-up exercise
c) An easy push-up (kneeling is ok if you are a beginner)
d) A single leg exercise
e) An upper back exercise
f) Another single leg exercise
g) A total body core exercise
h) Another total boy, fast paced, dynamic exercise

Do this a 1 giant circuit with no rest between exercises. Rest 1 minute at the end of the circuit and go through the circuit 1 - 3 more times, depending on your level of fitness.

My interval workout for today is a modified version of the Week 1 Turbulence Training Bodyweight 1000/Bodyweight Challlenge Workout:

30 Jumping Jacks
40 Squats
10 Push-ups
20 Walking Lunges (10 reps per side)
10 Assisted Pull-ups
25 Bulgarian Squats
Plank (2 minutes)
25 Mountain Climbers


b. Tabata Dumbbell Intervals

I can already hear the moans and groans from those of you familiar with Tabata intervals. They're killer (limit Tabata's to 2x/week). Then again, they're also highly effective.

For those of you not familiar with Dr. Tabata's work, his research concluded that 8 sets of 20-second work intervals (at maximum intensity), alternating with 10-second rest intervals are most effective for improving VO2 max.

To perform a Tabata interval workout using dumbbells, we're going to focus on an exercise that incorporates a large number of muscles -- the dumbbell squat-press.

Unless you have a Gymboss or another interval timer, you will need the ability to see a wall clock with a second hand while performing this exercise.

Here's what you do:

- Perform as many reps as you can for 20-seconds. Work at maximum intensity.
- Rest for 10-seconds
- Repeat 7 more times
- Be kind as you're cursing me under your breathe (what you have left of it!)


c. Shuttle Runs

For those running fools out there, try getting off the treadmill and giving shuttle runs a try!

Anyone who has been on a soccer or basketball team has likely performed shuttle run drills. To perform the exercise:

- Set up markers (such cones or tape) 25 yards apart
- Sprint from one market to the other and back. That's one rep.
- Do 6 reps as fast as you can (300 yards total)
- Time your results for the entire 6 reps
- Rest 5 minutes
- Repeat the drill
- Add the times for both drills together and divide by 2 to get your average time
- Work to beat that time your next session!

So that you have a goal to shoot for, according to the US Military Academy, West Point, the top West Point men score 52 seconds and the women score 58 seconds. Their maximum acceptable time is 65 seconds for men and 79 seconds for women.

Regardless of your results, I guarantee this drill will help to increase your endurance, speed and overall quickness and of course, it will give you one heck of a workout.

3) Get Pumped. Dollars to donuts, strength training will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Over the course of any given day, 60 - 70% of the calories we burn is based on our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). The more lean muscle mass we have, the higher our RMR. If you have limited time to exercise, consider a strength training routine utilizing Supersets and integrating your ab workout during your 'rest' period between sets.

Note: Make certain to have your physician's approval before beginning an interval training program, or any exercise program.

Note 2: CFB is an affiliate for both Turbulence Training and the Gymboss Interval timer. You can find more information on these products and CFBs affiliation with them here.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Stay Focused And Fit This Holiday Season

As we enter in to the holiday season you will likely find yourself over-committed with office functions, family dinners, holiday shopping, and the typical end of year revelry.

It’s difficult enough to find time to prepare healthy meals and get to the gym the other 11 months out of the year. Between Thanksgiving and New Years it seems nearly impossible.

Now more than ever, you need to prioritize. First and foremost, be realistic in regards to your fat loss efforts. Rather than focusing on weight loss, for the next several weeks focus on maintaining your current weight. Keep in mind that maintaining your weight still requires planning, so the next issue to address is how you should best utilize your limited time.

As your Mother may have told you, you are what you eat.

Your first priority should be your diet. A good nutrition program will enable you to

• improve your body composition
• improve your health
• improve your stamina

Fact is you cannot out train a bad diet. However, you can lose/maintain weight without exercise. If you have limited time on your hands my suggestion is to focus that time on meal planning and preparation.

Keep up with your food journaling and take adequate time to prepare healthy meals. The effort it takes to eat healthy, nutritious meals now is much less than the effort it will take to burn off a Whopper and fries later on.

If time allows, you certainly want to continue with your workouts. If those workouts will be limited use this time to focus on strength training. Why? Because over the course of any given day the bulk of the calories we burn is based on our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). The more muscle mass we have, the higher our RMR.

If twice per week you can squeeze in an extra 20 minutes at the gym, focus on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

HIIT is done by alternating brief periods or high intensity work (85% or more) with a brief recovery period. HIIT is an example of an anaerobic exercise, which means that an inadequate amount of oxygen is being delivered to working muscles during the course of the exercise.

When compared to steady-state cardio, HIIT results in significantly more calories burned in a much condensed period of exercise.

To summarize, if you find yourself with limited time over the remainder of this year and are concerned about packing on pounds, your order of priority should be:

1. A focused nutrition plan
2. Strength training
3. High Intensity Interval Training

Wishing those celebrating a very happy holiday!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Note: This is a "Best Of" article that originally appeared on Catapult Fitness Blog in November 2008.

Research Flash: A Warm-Up Of Static Stretching May Reduce Endurnace In Runners

There is interesting research out of the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences at Florida State University that suggests that static stretching a part of a runner's warm-up routine may have a negative impact on performance during endurance events.

The research, published in the September 2010 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, nvestigated the effects of static stretching on energy cost and endurance performance in trained male runners.

For the purpose of this study 10 well trained male runners age 25+ ran for 60 minutes on a treadmill on two separate days. One day they warmed up with 16 minutes of static stretching using 5 exercises for the major lower body muscle groups. A week later the warm-up consisted of 16 minutes of quiet sitting.

The results were that when the runners stretched during the warm-up period, their average running distance was 3.4% less than when they ran without stretching.

"Our results suggest that stretching before an endurance event may lower endurance performance and increase the energy cost of running," write Jacob M. Wilson, PhD, CSCS, and colleagues of The Florida State University, Tallahassee.

This research specifically addresses static stretching and makes no claims on how other forms of stretching (e.g., dynamic stretching) may impact performance.

While this research is most definitely of interest for highly trained runners competing in endurance events, the results seem negligible for the average fitness runner. With that said, taking this research in to consideration as well as previous research posted here on CFB, there doesn't seem to be much to gain by focusing on a pre-workout stretching routine either.

My recommendation would be to save the stretching for your post workout routine, forgo stretching prior to running and focus on the core exercises you'll be performing for the purpose of a warm-up routine.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan