Who is sharing a circuit workout ...

 It is here - Friday Friday Friday!  And not only is it Friday ... it is .... FITNESS FRIDAY!!! 

First I want to say that I had an AMAZING birthday! I felt very loved and lucky all day and then I got to share an incredible meal with my hubby at Real Seafood Company in Ann Arbor. 

Shoutout to Ann Arbor readers - I want to make sure you all know about the birthday deal at all Mainstreet Venture restaurants .... any restaurant owned by MainStreet Ventures (Real Seafood, Chop House, Gratzi), lets you have 50% off your meal if you are dining with 1-2 people ... amazing!!

The birthday continues this weekend because my parents are coming to visit and we are going to the Michigan football game and more eating =)

Back to the workout!!! It has been awhile since I have shared a bodyweight workout on the blog, so I am here to share a doozie!

The temperatures are starting to drop (starting to feel like FALL!!), which means it is the PERFECT time to take your workout outside. This workout involves a tiny bit of prep - but then once you write out the exercises, you can do the workout again in the future without prep. It is a great workout to do with a group or a partner.

Equipment Needed:
- Yourself (bodyweight)
- 11 Flashcards or pieces of paper

1) Before you start the workout, take time to write out the following 11 exercises out on flashcards or pieces of paper. You can click on the exercise to see a demonstration to make sure you know what you will be doing and you do each move with good form (maybe soon I can link to myself doing a demonstration?!?). Hopefully I introduce you to some new exercises that you can do anywhere!!

• 10 Burpees
• 20 Alternating step back lunges 
• 20 Froggers Jump 
• 10 Walkout Push Up with Swivel 
• 15 Squat Jumps
• 10 Kick Downs
• 10 Tuck Jumps
• 20 Arm Circles both forward and backwards
• 15 Jumping Jack Planks
• 20 Tricep Dips on the ground
• 16 Skater Jumps 

2) Go outside and form a large circle with the 11 pieces of paper (large enough that running around all of the paper would take you 10 or more seconds) - and keep them in the order listed above because I tried to alternate between cardio and strength.

3) Once you probably warmup (by running or doing something to get your heart rate up and muscles warm) ... you are ready to begin the workout! The workout is made up of 3 rounds.

1st Round: 
- You set the timer for 16 minutes. For the whole 16 minutes you will continuously complete the exercise at a certain station and then run (or sprint) around the circle and then complete the exercise at the next station and then run again and so on.

Give your self a 2 minute break after the 1st round to grab a drink and catch your breath

2nd Round: 
- Set the timer for 8 minutes. This round you run after every other exercise or station, therefore you will complete an exercise, complete an exercise and then run and repeat for 8 minutes.

Give yourself another 2 minute break

Last Round:
- Set the timer for 4 minute. There is no running this round, you will simply complete each exercise and move onto the next exercise.

And you are done!! If you are pushing yourself - this is an intense workout! Make sure you take the time to stretch out your muscles!

Also, if this workout seems too intense - you can make modifications by decreasing the repetitions you do for each station, or decreasing the time of each round.

Good Luck!!!

Have you done any good workouts this week?? Or what weekend plans do you have??

Who shares some NYC pictures ...

It is FITNESS FRIDAY!!
I want to share a simple idea with you in honor of Fitness Friday - go on a run or a walk somewhere new and fun! Summer is coming to a close, so take advantage of the amazing weather and go explore a new area. I run the same running routes around my house every morning and they can get boring and can make running seem like a chore. Something as simple as picking a new path or running route can really freshen up your routine and remind you why you love running and working out so much!

I travel for work, and when I am in a new city I LOVE exploring new places to run!!

I was in New York for work this week and I wanted to share some pictures. New York City is unlike any other city in the USA (and I mean that mostly as a compliment). It can give you so much energy, but it can also make you feel very small too. NYC is a concrete jungle, but there are many beautiful things about it too - especially my favorite place ever .... Central Park!

Early morning flight lets me watch the sunrise ABOVE the clouds!

SO many buildings and high rises!

The cutest store front ever - look at the hanging ball jars with flowers

Cute shops around ever corner

My trip was really quick, but I was staying close to Central Park, so I had the chance to take a long walk around it one evening and then do a tempo run through it one morning too. Here are some of my favorite views of the park. I love the high rise building contrasting against the green and the water of the park!

Ahhh!! So pretty!

Also - I feel very lucky that I get to travel with my job and explore new cities, but sometimes traveling for work is not as sexy as it seems.

Eating Chipotle in my hotel room, while studying - not super glamorous (but delicious!).

So --- I will end this post by encouraging you to go explore a new running path, or even a new fitness studio! Freshen things up and energize yourself!!

Where do you want to explore?? And what is your plan for Labor Day weekend?

Who runs fartleks ...

The word fartlek is just kind of funny ... so I wanted to use it in the post title! 

As the picture says ... it is Monday - so take the week by the horns kick ass and take some names.

I have been talking a lot about biking and swimming on the blog, and running was starting to feel left out ... so today's post is all about running!

To hold myself accountable, I thought I would give you a little update on my Detroit Marathon training.
It is still pretty early in the game, but things are going pretty well. I originally said I wanted to take this marathon training super serious and hit every workout and long run - but I forgot that running is not my career and life happens. For example, the next 3 weekends I am either traveling or have guests - so I have to be strategic about getting my long runs in ... and I am ok with it!  I am trying to plan ahead and squeeze them in during the week (hard to do), or break them up into 2 "longish" runs on the same day. I would rather run 16 miles straight, but this weekend I did 8 miles in the morning on Friday and 8 in the afternoon - it is just what worked best and I am still getting the miles on my legs.

I have done a few speed workouts, but I want to focus more on this aspect. Hopefully in the next few weeks I can do some hill workouts, intervals and fartleks. I always feel so accomplished after a workout and I know they can REALLY help - I just need to do it.

I use the words interval and fartlek on the blog, and I wanted to make sure you knew what they meant and share an example workout for each term!

Interval Workout

As defined by Runner's World - Interval training, also known as interval workouts or interval runs, are short, intense efforts followed by equal or slightly less recovery time. An interval workout is more structured than a fartlek and in an interval workout - you want to push above your red line (aka - really push yourself), because you will get a recovery. 

An interval workout can be on a track or can be on the roads, but you will usually be running a marked, specific distance. 

I am going to share a traditional track, interval workout that is hard, but awesome! I got this idea from my awesome running group - PR Fitness.
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First ----- Make sure you properly warm up - I usually run 2 miles to get sweaty and get the blood pumping!

Another difference between an interval workout and a fartlek run is that in an interval workout, you normally stop after the warm up run and do a little stretching before you jump into the workout. 

The workout is a series of 800 meter repeats - I would recommend either 4 or 6 repeats depending on your fitness level and desire to really push yourself.

Instead of just the traditional 800 meter repeats with equal rest ... there is a twist =)
The recovery (either jogging or static) between each 800 meter repeat starts at 1 minute and 20 seconds, and then decreases by 10 seconds every repeat. The idea is to hold the pace from you first 800 meters, even though you are getting less rest time. 

Just like you need to hold the pace in a race, even when you are tired! 

After the 800 meter repeats, make sure you cool down - I usually run 1 to 2 miles. The warm up and cool down help you reach you mileage goals. 

Fartlek Workout

As defined by Runner's World - Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play," and that is exactly what it’s all about. Unlike tempo and interval work, fartlek is unstructured and alternates moderate-to-hard efforts with easy throughout. A fartlek helps you work on stamina and helps you work on pacing and knowing your different paces. 

Fartleks are very easy to incorporate on normal road runs. If you are heading out on a 6 mile run, you can use the first 2 miles as a warm up and run them at your normal "everyday" pace. Then, you can play with speed and pick up the pace for a certain time period (or even pick a tree to run hard to) and then bring the pace back to a jog to recovery. During a fartlek, you want to be running hard, but you do not want to be killing yourself. It is about stamina. 
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Here is a simple pyramid fartlek run:

1. Pick a 5 or 6 mile running route, and run the first 2 miles as a warm up pace.
2. Run hard for 2 minute and then run at a slow jog for 2 minutes (slower than "everyday" pace)
3. Run hard for 3 minutes and then run at a slow jog for 2 minutes
4. Run hard for 4 minutes and then run at a slow jog for 2 minutes
5. Run hard for 4 minutes and then run at a slow jog for 2 minutes
6. Run hard for 3 minutes and then run at a slow jog for 2 minutes 
7. Run hard for 2 minutes and then run at a slow jog for 2 minutes

This workout is stated easier by calling it a: 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, with 2 minute recovery. Therefore, you will be running hard for 18 minutes.

These times can all be alternated and you can make it less structured too by just running hard and not always timing every detail. The awesome thing about fartleks are their flexibility and how easy they are to incorporate into your weekly runs!

I hope this information is helpful! When I start talking about running ... I can get long winded!

I want to close by saying that incorporating a little speed work in your runs is good and appropriate for everyone. Sometimes I find myself thinking that since I am not an "elite" runner, doing workouts is silly -- but that is not true! Interval runs or fartleks can be good for everyone - it gives you variety and can help you improve too.

Are you training for anything - and how is your training going?
If you are not training for anything, how was your weekend??

Who is inspired by her momma!

My momma is my biggest fan!

Momma cheering me on at the Boston Marathon

She always makes me feel so loved and so special and is probably the best listener in history (and she has to listen to me blab a lot).

She is so selfless and would drop anything to help one of her kids or grandkids.

She is also a great role model when it comes to fitness. She has been active her whole life through tennis, walking, swimming and more. She used to wake up at 5am to walk around our neighborhood with a friend when I was little  ... and now I am following in her footsteps!

She does not let getting older hold her back either - she actually uses it as a motivator to stay active to keep her healthy. As she has gotten older, she has really started focusing on swimming and she has really excelled in it!

In 2009 she went out to San Fran with her best friend from College and they completed the swim from Alcatraz Island through the open waters of the San Fran Bay (shark filled by the way...). She and her friend were the oldest women to compete and they kicked butt!
My mom swam the 1.5 miles of wavy, currenty (that is an invented word) and cold water in 1 hour! So cool!
After the swim, my Mom won an award for her accomplishment and was featured in a huge article in her Alma Mater's magazine.
Here is a link to the well-written article - http://issuu.com/bgsuflipbook/docs/winter_mag_2010/10

We get to switch roles this weekend and I get to be her support system and cheer her on as she completes a 1.2 mile open water swim at a lake nearby Ann Arbor.

I am so proud of her and hope to be as active and fit as she is when I am her age!

Love ya Momma and kick some butt on Sunday!

Always include a Yosey pic =)

Who shares a "Crossfit" style workout ...

Happy Friday Friends!
Can you believe it is the end of July already ... I can't! This summer is flying by, but a short summer vacation is coming up, so I am very excited!!

I wanted to pop in this Friday and share a workout with you for FITNESS FRIDAY! This is a full body workout with no equipment! You can do it anywhere ... so no excuses =)

I am saying this workout is inspired by Crossfit ... but I have actually never tired Crossfit. I am uneducated about Crossfit because of my lack of experience - but I just do not think it is the right fit for me.
BUT - the following workout is inspired by Crossfit because it uses the AMRAP method. AMRAP stands for As Many Reps As Possible. Therefore, below you will find 3 separate circuit workouts, and you will try to go through each circuit as many times as possible (with good form) for the allotted time. This allows you to really push yourself for a certain time period and also allows you to really target certain areas with repetitive moves.

Also - you can keep track of how many rounds you get of each circuit and write it down. Then - go back and do this workout again and see if you can improve. Compete against yourself!

Let's get to it! Click on the exercise to take you to a link that will demonstrate the move.

AMRAP Bodyweight Workout

First, warm up with either a short run or dynamic warm up drills - make sure your body is nice and warm and you are starting to sweat!

Round 1
6 minute round

1) 20 alternating lateral jumps (total)
2) 20 basic squats
3) 20 knee hug crunches
4) 10 pike push ups

** Take a 3 minute break, but keep moving

Round 2
6 minute round

1) 20 mountain climbers (10 on each side)
2) 20 side tricep pushups (10 on each side)
3) 10 sea turtles (bent arm)
4) 15 plyo jacks

** Take another 3 minute break, but keep moving

Round 3 (put it all together)
12 minute round

1) 20 alternating lateral jumps
2) 10 basic squats
3) 20 knee hug crunches
4) 10 pike push ups
5) 20 mountain climbers
6) 20 side tricep pushups
7) 15 plyo jacks
8) 10 sea turtles

If you want a really intense workout you can go through the circuits again, or do a cool down and stretch!
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What are you up to this weekend?

Who hates the treadmill ...

Celebrate! Celebrate! You made it to Friday!
I am a big believer in celebrating accomplishments big and small (it makes life fun - and it is an excuse for champagne), and I try to not always celebrate with food -- so instead I will celebrate with.....

Dreadmill Cardio Workout

I truly hate the treadmill, I find it boring and time slows down when I am on the treadmill, because one mile feels soooo long! But - this past Monday morning I woke up for my usually AM run and there was a horrible thunderstorm. Therefore, I had to move on to plan B - which was running on the treadmill in the little indoor gym at our condo complex. Since I simply cannot run 4-5 miles straight on the treadmill I made up a workout that left me sweaty and tired ... so I thought I would share it with you.

1) Run 1 mile on the Treadmill (with the following pacing)

• 2 minutes at warm up pace (varies for everyone, conversational, easy)
• 2 minutes at race pace (breathing hard but not sprinting - could sustain for a whole race)
• 1 minute sprint 
• Repeat time cycle until you have run a full mile

2) Step off the treadmill and do the following cardio/strength drills (click on the exercise for a demo)

• 1 minute star jumps
• 1 minute up up down down elbow pushups
• 1 minute alternating jumping lunges
• 1 minute tricep dips (30 seconds right leg lifted, 30 second left leg lifted)
• 1 minute forearm plank hold

3) Repeat the mile on the treadmill and the drills (each round will be around 15 minutes depending on your running pace)

• Keep alternating the paced mile and the drills until you reach your desired distance     

** Once you have finished, make sure you leave time to stretch, because this workout is tough on the legs! **
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This workout broke up the monotony of the treadmill running and managed to give me a quick arm workout too! I ran 4 miles total and ended with running, so I did 3 rounds of the drills.

Also, if it is a beautiful day outside and you still want to do a similar workout - you can modify this workout and just run outside. It would be like a running boot camp ... run a mile (or pick a time if you do not have garmin, such as 8 minutes) and then stop and do the drills, and then start running again. 

Since it is Friday, it means it is weekend time! Any fun weekend plans? 
We are in town this weekend and I have multiple random activities planned - such as a tour of the Big House (Michigan's Football Stadium), and possibly going paddle boarding or a long bike ride with B! I have never gone paddle boarding, so I will obviously report back! 

Who wanted to share a workout...

I thought starting the day with a picture of Yosey would be appropriate - especially since it is Friday!!

I was on my morning run today, and I got the idea for a theme for Fridays (I am a big believer in working out in the morning, but that will be another post). I love alliterations, I love Fridays, and I love sharing workouts - so welcome to FITNESS FRIDAY! I will not have an alliteration theme for every day of the week, but on Fridays I will try and share a new workout - hopefully it will give you some inspiration to stay active over the weekend.

So drumroll please ... welcome to:

The picture for this Fitness Friday is appropriate because I will be sharing a "Deck of Cards" workout today.

Deck of Cards Workout

Preparation:
1) Get a deck of cards and take out all Aces, 2's,3's,4's, and 5's
2) Find a hill and put your deck of cards filled with 6's - K's on top of the hill

• First, you will need to warm up before you begin this workout. I think one of the easiest ways to warm up is to go for a run - 1- 3 miles. 
• Once you are warm, you will start at the bottom of the hill and run to the top and grab one card and run back to the bottom
• At the bottom of the hill you will perform the exercise that the suit tells you and do the number of reps that the number on the card tells you (Face cards = 11). Please click on the exercises listed below and that will take you to a video that demonstrates the proper form.
• Hearts - Burpees
• Diamonds - Marine push ups
• Spades - Jumping lunges
• Clubs - Plank Jacks 
• Once you are done with the exercise on the card, you will lay that card to the side and run up to the top of the hill and grab another card and come to the bottom and complete that exercise. 
• Completing the whole deck of cards could take a long time, so I usually set a time limit around 15 minutes and do as many as I can with good form in that time. 
• After your time is up (or you finished the desk - impressive!), you can cool down and stretch

~ This workout is very flexible and each time you do it, the suits can be a completely different exercise, or the suits could just represent what part of your body you want to hit and you could do different exercises each time. For example:

• Hearts - Arms (tricep dips, push ups, bicep curls ...)
• Diamons - Legs (squats, step ups, skater jumps ...)
• Spades - Cardio (high knees, sprints, jumping jacks ...)
• Clubs - Abs (sit-ups, russian twists, V-ups ...)

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Let me know if you try the workout or if you have any questions! It is a great workout to do in the summer because it gets you outside!

I want this blog to be interactive, so please leave comments and ask questions! Since it is Friday, do you guys have any fun weekend plans - especially any active plans? 
For me - we are staying in Ann Arbor this weekend and do not have too many big things planned! It will be a great catch up weekend. On the active side, I think B and I are going to take a bike ride tonight to a summer festival in downtown Ann Arbor and tomorrow B is busy, so I am filling the day with activity: a workout class, a hike with new friends, and a cookout!

I will leave you with a little quote because even if they are cheesy, I love them! Today is fitness themed for Fitness Friday!