Sunday Funday Weekend Workout

 By West SBSM Trainer Remi Hy. Short and sweet and to the point!

  1. 20 Tuck jumps
  2. 15 Tricep Dips
  3. 10 Lunges (per leg) weighted
  4. 10 Plank pushups
  5. 20 Minutes of Cardio
  6. 20 Tuck jumps
  7. 15 Tricep Dips
  8. 10 Lunges (per leg) weighted
  9. 10 Plank pushups

Add in a dynamic warm up (brisk walking, plank “inch worms”, walking lunges with rotations) and finish with 10 minutes of static stretching for an effective, full-body workout.

Weekend Warrior Workout

Today’s weekend workout is provided by JFK Trainer Ryan Johnson. Here is a short and sweet workout for fitness fanatics and weekend warriors that can be done anytime, anywhere! You don’t need to exercise for hours each day to reap the health benefits. Something is ALWAYS better than nothing. So here is a workout that will take only about 20 minutes, and if you’re itching for more, add a few more rounds or go on a run or hike when you’re dong!

For this workout, you will be performing 6 different exercises. In the first round, perform 2 reps of each exercise. Perform all the exercises in a slow controlled tempo (each rep should take 3-4 seconds, except burps). Perform 5 more rounds, adding 2 reps to each exercise, each round (i.e. first round – 2 reps, second round – 4 reps, third round – 6 reps, etc). But first, start off with 3-5 minutes of a general warm-up (walking, jumping jacks, jogging, etc).

Exercises:

  • Pushups
  • Squats
  • Burpees
  • Bicycle crunches

When you’re all finished, cool down with 3-5 minutes of walking and light stretching.

Friday Photo from DCIS

Students at Denver Center for International Studies (DCIS) working hard after school in the SBSM Fitness center. Helping students build a foundation of health and active living is one of the best things we can do for their long term health and wellness. Keep it up!

DCIS Crew2

 

 

Lucky 7 Medicine Ball Workout

By Bruce Randolph SBSM Trainer Ismael Lujan

Today’s weekend workout requires only a medicine ball. If you do not have one, get creative with household “weights” such as a jug of milk. After 5-10 minutes of a dynamic warm-up — exercises such as plank walk-outs, gentle walking lunges with torso rotations, jumping jacks, and brisk walking — go into the first set. (Or, if it’s as nice a day for you as it is for us in Colorado, add in a short jog before and/or after!) You’ll complete 3 rounds of each exercise, 8-14 reps each.

  1. Power cross chops. Stand with feet wider than hip-width, and hold medicine ball in front of you. Pivot your right heel off the floor and, rotating through the hips and torso, bring medicine ball up over the left shoulder. Then chop the ball down and across your right thigh, lunging as you pivot your left heel off the floor. Do the same on the other side.
  2. Figure 8 scoop. Hold medicine ball at chest level with feet wide. Step your left leg into a side lunge as you scoop the ball down and to the outside of your left thigh. Straighten back through center, lifting medicine ball above your head, then quickly repeating the movement on the other side. Think of tracing a figure-8 pattern with the ball as you move side-to-side.
  3. Rock and roll up. Lie down on your back (or mat) with knees bent. Hold a medicine ball, and extend your arms overhead behind you. Pull the knees into the chess, and then use the weight of the ball and your core strength to help you rock up and then into a standing squat position.
  4. Split push-up knee tuck. Get in a push-up position with feet wider than shoulder width. Place right hand on top of the medicine ball. Balancing on the ball, lower your body into a push up. As you push up, lift and bend your left knee across your chest, twisting your left knee toward your right hand. Come back to a plank position, and repeat. Once you’ve finished 8-14 reps, move ball to left hand, and repeat on the other side.
  5. Front leg pass under- Hold the ball at your chest with your feet together. Take a large step forward with your left foot. Lower into a lunge, as you lower pass the ball from your right hand to your left under your left thigh. Press back to starting position, and repeat on the other side.
  6. Balancing Burpee. Squat down and place the medicine ball on the floor while maintaining your arms extended. Shift weight onto the ball. Pressing your hands on top of the medicine ball jump your feet on to full plank position while maintaining balance. Jump feet back in to a squat. Quickly stand up and press medicine ball overhead
  7. Weighted boat rock. Sit on the floor and place the medicine ball between the ankles, lifting your lower legs up so your shins are parallel to the floor. Use your legs to hold the medicine ball, and extend arms towards your feet, palms facing up. Keep your core engaged as you shift your weight to the right, and then the left, without losing balance.

Finish with a 5-10 minute cool down of light activity and stretches. Make sure to rehydrate well so your mind and body feels refreshed and motivated to keep up an active life!

30 Minute Hotel Room/Travel Workout

By West Trainer Jake Spencer

Here is an amazingly simple yet effective full body workout that you can do almost anywhere. This workout will help to build muscle and burn calories with zero exercise equipment

Workout Steps:

  1. Warm up with 5 minutes of jumping jacks
  2. Complete Circuit #1: Push-Ups—-> Crunch—-> Overhead Squat — do each exercise to failure, ~10 minutes
  3. With no to minimal rest, go right into Circuit #2: Burpees—-> Bicycle Crunch—-> Step-Up on a Chair — do each exercise to failure, ~10 minutes
  4. Cool down with 5-10 minutes of light movement (walking, yoga, etc) followed by stretching, holding each stretch at the point of tension for 30-60 seconds.

 

 

 

 

Sweet and Simple Weekend Workout

Today’s workout is sweet and simple, and can take less than 20 minutes to complete. The focus is a combination of whole body high intensity intervals and core conditioning. Start with a 5-10 minute dynamic warm-up of exercises such as plank walk-outs, walking lunges with a torso rotation, knee-to-chest hugs, or if the weather allows, brisk walking. Then start into this 10-exercise workout, which alternates 2 high intensity exercises and 2 core conditioning exercises, each for 30 seconds. You’ll repeat this entire circuit 2-4 times, depending on how much time you have, and your fitness level. Rest as needed, but not more. Minimizing your rest will maximize results!

  1. High knees in place
  2. Wall jumps (stand against a wall, jump to touch as high as you can, and immediately repeat. As soon as your feet tough the ground, jump again)
  3. Plank with alternating knee to elbow
  4. Cannonball sit-ups
  5. Back lunge to kick
  6. Burpees (with pushup)
  7. High plank to forearm plank (alternate which arm pushes back up to high plank)
  8. Straight leg lying toe touch (try to lift both hips and shoulder blades to touch toes)
  9. Jump lunges
  10. Half push-up pulses

Finish with 5-10 minutes moderate cardio and stretching to cool down. Take each stretch to the point of muscular resistance, and hold for 30-60 seconds. Throughout this workout, remember to listen to your body. Push yourself, but the goal is to get a great workout not feel horrible. On a scale of 1-10, with one being no effort at all, and 10 being so hard you feel like you might die, your goal is to stay between a 5-8 throughout the workout. Enjoy the challenge!

7 Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

By Abraham Lincoln Trainer Michelle Beachem  So often I see people coming to the gym, cleaning up their eating, and generally thinking they are doing exactly what they need to do to lose weight. However, we all know the story isn’t that simple — even people who adopt healthier habits can struggle to shed those stubborn pounds. Here are seven common reasons why.

  1. Not drinking enough water. Besides keeping you hydrated, drinking water regularly throughout the day, according to recent studies, can help you lose weight. Drinking a glass of water (8oz or more) before a meal helps encourage portion control, and eating foods that contain a lot of water (like fruits and vegetables) helps to fill you up faster, and in turn helps you to eat less.
  2. You over indulge in healthy foods. Nuts are healthy for sure (especially as an after workout pick-me-up) but they aren’t exactly devoid of calories. You still need to watch how much you eat of the good stuff. Portion out proper serving sizes of nuts and other calorie-dense healthy foods in to containers for easy snacking so that you don’t have to worry about over-consuming them.
  3. You only do cardio. Cardio is good for you, this much is true. However, if you are trying to lose weight you need to add in resistance training to help speed the process along. Weight training helps you gain muscle mass which helps to raise your metabolism, which in turn helps you to burn more calories.
  4. Your partner isn’t on a healthy path. A partner who’s on a healthy path can be a huge help to your weight-loss goals, but if your partner is not on board, then your relationship may be contributing to keeping you fat. You can’t expect to lose weight if your partner constantly suggests ordering delivery for dinner, wants to go out for ice cream, or is guilt tripping you into sleeping in instead of exercising. Communication is key and letting them know that you need their support in losing weight is a great first step to keeping the lines of communication open. You don’t want to end up resenting your partner or vice-versa, especially if it is simply from not communicating your needs.
  5. You don’t sleep enough. Making time for your workouts can mean less time for sleep, but it’s important to get enough z’s if you’re trying to lose weight. You need extra energy to keep up with your exercise routine, and skimping on sleep can affect your body’s ability to control its appetite; not enough shut-eye increases the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin, and decreases leptin which helps you feel full.
  6. You don’t eat breakfast. Skipping breakfast may seem like a great way to save calories, but your body will likely hold on to stored fat because it thinks it needs to save fat rather than burn it. People who eat breakfast tend lose more weight than people who don’t. Make sure to eat breakfast each morning to jump-start your metabolism, but don’t just grab anything — make sure to include a rich source of protein along with a complex carbohydrate to give you long lasting energy and enough fiber to keep you feeling full for hours.
  7. You still drink soda- Soda offers literally no nutritional benefits. None. Continuing to consume soda will sabotage your weight-loss goal, even if you are only drinking diet soda. Studies have shown that individuals who drink two diet sodas a day or more had waistlines that were significantly larger than the nondrinkers.

If you’re guilty of any of the above common mistakes, try incorporating these healthy strategies into your lifestyle. You might be surprised at the progress you’ll make!

Exercise and Metabolism

Provided by MLK Trainer Holly Wells 

There are many aspects of metabolism, including:

  1. The Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): the amount of energy required to maintain the bodily functions and processes when you are resting or awake.
  2. The Thermic Effect of Feeding (TEF): the amount of calories you use to eat and digest
  3. The Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA): the rate at which you burn calories while exercising and with normal activity

Our metabolism is the sum total of all anabolic (building up) and catabolic (breaking down) activity our body is engaging in every day. From restructuring bone mass and repairing mictrotrauma to digesting food and clearing toxins, our body is constantly working. More commonly though, metabolism is known as how many calories we burn or the energy we use as we engage in activities throughout the day. This is why there is much talk in the fitness industry about ways of increasing or speeding up our metabolism. The faster our metabolism, the more calories we can eat without gaining weight.

There are many factors that can influence our metabolism; it can vary from our genetic makeup and body composition to the foods we eat and the amount of physical activity we do throughout the day. Within a 24-hour period, 60 to 75 percent of the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is used when resting, 10 percent of energy use comes from eating and digesting food, the last 15 to 30 percent of our energy is spent engaging in daily activities and exercise. Exercise increases the amount of calories that we need throughout the day. One can boost their metabolism by participating in exercise 3-5 days a week and sticking to a diet consisting of nutrient rich foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.

Cardio training and weight training are two training methods that can prevent a drop in one’s metabolic rate, which typically happens with age. Weight training both burns calories (direct metabolic effect) and builds muscle that requires extra calories even at rest. One study was conducted where the participants completed a resistance-training program, and after 6 months the participants increased their resting metabolic rate and were burning and extra 100 calories per day. An example of this type of program would be to complete 12-15 repetitions on each major muscle group (abs, biceps, glutes, quads) twice a week. Cardio training is another training method that can boost one’s metabolism. In a similar study to that previously described, participants did moderate intensity cardio exercises 3 to 5 days per week for 20-45 minutes for 16 months. The results of the study showed that the average increase in resting metabolic rate of the participants was 129 calories per day. Interval cardio training is a more powerful method that will maximize one’s metabolism in a short amount of time. This training method raises the metabolism several hours after the interval workout. An interval workout usually consists of a 5-minute warm up, alternating 2 minute of moderate intensity cardio with 30 seconds of all-out effort for 10–20 minutes, and a 3-5 minute cool down.

Although some factors of metabolism are outside of our control (gender, body type, genetics, etc) exercise is prime example of an active choice we can make that will increase our metabolism, which has a direct impact on body weight and composition.

References

  1. http://metabolism-metabolic-rate.com/how-exercise-affects-metabolic-rate/
  2. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/understanding-metabolism-how-to-boost-yours-with-exercise.html#b
  3. http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/how-to-boost-your-metabolism

 

Sweet & Simple HIIT Weekend Workout

Provided by JFK Trainer Ryan Johnson

Today’s workout is sweet and simple, and will leave you with that great post-exercise feeling without setting foot in a gym or using any complex equipment. First, start with 3-5 min of low intensity warm-up (i.e. brisk walking, dynamic stretches, plank walk-outs). Next, perform the following circuit of exercises 2-4 times with minimal rest in between circuits:

  • 30 seconds high intensity cardio (i.e. sprinting, stationary bike, burpees, row machine, etc)
  • 10 pushups
  • 30 seconds high intensity cardio
  • 15 bodyweight squats
  • 30 seconds high intensity cardio
  • 20 mountain climbers
  • 30 seconds high intensity cardio
  • 25 bicycle crunches
  • 30 seconds high intensity cardio

Finish with a 3-5 minute cool down — easy walking, yoga, etc — and an optional 10-20 minutes of static stretching, holding each stretch for 30-60 seconds. Happy Sweating!

12 Days of Christmas Workout

This workout will help you get into the swing of the holidays, both mentally and physically. The 12-day workout is designed to progress from day to day, and similar to the song, each day we will be adding an additional exercise. Although a few primary exercises on the first few days may not seem like much, it’s meant to be a starting point, and can help you develop a health-focused mindset during a time of year when people tend to struggle the most. Feel free to add your own creative spark, maybe starting with a walk or jog. Then on day 12 you will perform all 12 exercise as a grand finale.

Day 1: 10 pushups

Day 2: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups

Day 3: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks

Day 4: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank

Day 5: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank, 10 squats

Day 6: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank, 10 squats, 15 Triceps Dips

Day 7: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank, 10 squats, 15 Triceps Dips, 20 lunges

Day 8:  10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank, 10 squats, 15 Triceps Dips, 20 lunges, 30 seconds running in place

Day 9: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank, 10 squats, 15 Triceps Dips, 20 lunges, 30 seconds running in place, 5 burpees

Day 10: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank, 10 squats, 15 Triceps Dips, 20 lunges, 30 seconds running in place, 5 burpees, 10 mountain climbers.

Day 11: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank, 10 squats, 15 Triceps Dips, 20 lunges, 30 seconds running in place, 5 burpees, 10 mountain climbers, 15 Crunches,

Day 12: 10 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, 30 second plank, 10 squats, 15 Triceps Dips, 20 lunges, 30 seconds running in place, 5 burpees, 10 mountain climbers, 15 Crunches, 12 lunges (6 on each leg)