Workout: The Foundation - Beginner

When I put up this blog I was hoping that I would have lots of time to post something up at least once a day. Well... it looks like I over estimated the amount of time I actually have. None the less, I'll still be posting as frequently as possible!

Since it's been  a week since my last workout post, I figured that I should probably post something up. I was wondering what I should post; Workouts that I'm doing? Good workouts that I give my clients? Workouts for just beginners? I just wasn't sure what exactly I should post up - then I thought of my mother! In my hopes that one day she'll read my blog and follow what I promote, I decided that I should post something for the ULTIMATE beginner. Thus, I put together what I like to call "The Foundation Workout".

Why foundation you ask? Because out of all the new ways of working out and out of all these new "revolutionizing"equipment that promises you results, all exercises are based from just a few basic movements. If you learn these basic exercises you'll be able to perform countless other exercises as you progress in your fitness level. In this workout will be focusing on building your foundation, meaning we'll be working all our major muscle groups, and preparing ourselve for slightly more advanced moves.

On a side note, I forgot to include some ab exercises but you could easily add a few at the end of the workout. (For example, try doing the Absolutely Abs workout without the skipping in-between!)

If you have any special requests or ideas that you would like to suggest I would greatly appreciate it! Leave your comment below and I'll try my best to answer!

• Equipment Needed:
• Step or Low Chair 
• Dumbbells or any heavy object
•  Fitness Level:
• Beginner
• Exercise How-To:
• Step-ups
• Girly Push-Ups
• Squats
• Bent-Over Row
• Lunges
• Bench Dips

Workout: Alternating Circuit - Beginner

As I promised to my Makati class, here is the Circuit workout that we did last night. Although I won't be posting every workout that I teach, I will be posting as many as I can so that you'll never have an excuse not to workout. :P

The Alternating Circuit is a great full-body workout that you can basically do anywhere, all you need is a pair of dumbbells or some kind of heavy object (Books, Water Bottles, Canned Goods, etc). I didn't include the reps in the image since you can adjust the reps to what is challenging but manageable to you. For beginners, try starting out with 10 reps each side/20 reps total and then, if you can, increase reps to increase intensity.

• Equipment Needed:
• Dumbbells (at least 5 pounds) or Heavy Object
• Fitness Level:
• Beginner
• Exercise How-To:
• Alternating Forward Lunge
• Alternating Chest Press
• Alternating Close-grip Press
• Alternating Back Lunge
• Alternating Bent-over Row
• Alternating Hammer Curl to Shoulder Press

How Often Should You Be Exercising?

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently came out with a recommendation for how often you should be exercising. The following are the guidelines.

 For Weight Maintenance: Aim for 150 – 250 Minutes a week (2.5 – 4 Hours a week)  

• Sample Schedule:
• Up to 1 hour 4x a week
• 30 minutes every day

For Weight Loss: 150 – 420 minutes a week (2.5 – 7 hours a week)

• Sample Schedule:
• 1 hour every day 
• 30 Minutes twice a day everyday 

For better weight loss results, all exercise programs are best when combined with a slight caloric reduction.

Workout: Fast and Furious - Beginner to Advanced

Today's workout is inspired by the ultimate car movie, "Fast and Furious 5." Although, the movie was laugh-out-loud predictable it was still pretty good - Again, if you're a car fan. I have to be honest though, I hate watching movies like these! I mean, after watching this movie it's so hard not to feel the want to buy a muscle car, speed on the freeway, learn how to drift, or all of the above. So instead of getting myself put into Jail or the Hospital, I decided that I should probably redirect my aspirations to something else. Thus, leading me to the character played by former Miss Israel, Gal Gadot.

Gisele became the instant favorite of mine since not only was she a beauty, but she was also "The Muscle." She was a tough chick that no one wanted to mess with and even if she knew that she was skilled she would still  push herself to achieve more. Although body-wise she was too skinny for my taste and goals, her tough girl yet feminine attitude gives you something to look up to.

Our workout for today is inspired by her, we're not doing what she did to get that skinny but rather we will try to take her characters mind-set about challenges and put it towards our workout. This workout is fast and a very effective workout if you're short on time but would like to break a good amount of sweat. Depending on how much time you have, you may complete this workout anywhere from 1-4 rounds and you're assured in getting a all over butt kicking. Remember Gisele as you go through this workout, say to yourself "I'm a strong and beautiful woman, I can exceed my expectations!"

•  Equipment Needed:
• Chair or Step
• Fitness Level:
• Beginner to Advanced 
• (Advanced: do as many rounds as you can without resting in 20mins)
• Exercise How-To:
• Burpees
• High Knees
• Push Ups
• Mountain Climbers
• Bench/Chair Dips
• Back Extensions
• Crunches
• Leg Raise
• Bicycle

Workout: Lunging Pretty - Beginner to Intermediate

Hello everyone!
Here's a quick workout that will be hitting every major muscle group. To make the workout easier try doing incline Push-ups instead of full push ups, and normal romanian deadlifts instead of the one leg romanian deadlifts. The reps for the lunges and the one leg romanian deadlift are 10 each side, a total of 20 reps all in all.

• Equipment Needed:
• Dumbbells
• Fitness Level:
• Beginner - Intermediate
• Exercise How-To:
• Alternating Lunges
• Push Ups
• One Leg Romanian Deadlift
• Bent-Over Row

Workout: Pull It Together - Beginner to Intermediate

Hello everyone! Today's workout is Pull It Together and it's actually a part 2 to Keep Pushing, if you haven't tried it out you I suggest that you do especially if you would like to do today's workout. Reason being is that in Keep Pushing we were working our legs and our pushing muscles, chest, shoulders, and triceps. Naturally we have to let those muscles rest so today we'll be working our leg and pulling muscles, back & biceps.
Have fun and remember that with every workout we're reaching closer to our goals!

• Equipment Needed:
• Dumbbells
• High step (stairs, chair, sturdy box, etc.)
• Fitness Level:
• Beginner to Intermediate
• Exercise How-To:
• Step-Ups
• 30 seconds each side
• Dumbbell Bent-Over Row
• Dumbbell Side Lunge
• Plank Row
• 1 Leg Romanian Deadlift

Workout: Keep Pushing - Beginner to Intermediate

Do you ever feel like you can't do something even before you try to do it? I know I have! But I learned that sometimes the best things in life are the things you thought you couldn't do, to come to this realization all you have to do is go at it with a drive. Push away any negative thought you have when going into it and don't let your worries get in the way of a possible achievement for yourself. If you feel like you can do it, but others think you can't - Push them out of your way! Show them that you can and you will!

Today's workout is all about this, pushing to reach for our goals! You'll complete the following 5 exercise, 1 minute each, then rest about 1 - 2 minutes. Try to aim for 3-4 Rounds with pushing in mind. Every time you feel like you can't complete another rep or round just tell yourself you can! Imagine that with every push your showing the haters out there that there's no stopping you.

Keep pushing guys!

• Equipment Needed:
• Dumbbells or Heavy Objects
• Bench, Chair, or Edge of Bed
• Timer

• Fitness Level
• Beginner to Intermediate

• Exercise How-To:
• Surfers
• T- Push Ups 
• If you can't do full push ups, bring your knees down to the floor.
• Thrusters
• Bench Dips
• The straighter your legs are the harder it is, adjust to what you can do.
• Split Jumps

Workout: Absolutely Abs - Beginner/Intermediate

For those of you who would like to focus a little on getting bikini worth abs, let me introduce "absolutely abs!" For this workout you'll be pushing yourself through the exercises as fast as you can until all have been completed. Once completed rest for 1-2 minutes then go through it again trying to beat the last rounds speed. Complete 2-3 rounds.

By the way, I hope you like the new layout of our workouts! I decided to make the program picture-size so that you're able to grab the photo and just save it to your phone, now you'll be able to do our workouts with out having to write it down! Plus, who doesn't like looking at things nicely laid out? :) To save me some time on posting, I decided to just revert you to YouTube links that will teach you the form of each exercise, this way I can focus more on giving you more of my "client-approved" workouts! Enjoy the burn that you'll feel with this workout!

• Equipment Needed: 
• Jump Rope
• Dumbbells or Heavy Object 

• Fitness Level: 
• Beginner - Intermediate

• Exercise How-To:
• Alternating Toe-Touch
• Dumbbell Overhead Sit-Up
• Lying Leg Raise
• Bicycle

Interval Circuit: "Bunny Burn"

After a week of Birthday treats and Easter feasting, I feel like the Easter bunny left more than just candy for me. I am totally feeling the extra slices of cake on my thighs, cookies on my arms, and candies, chips, and popcorn, everywhere else on my body. Needless to say, I needed to give myself a major sweat breaking workout! I like to call the following program "Bunny Burn" since I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who ate too many "bunny gifts" and also because we'll be doing a lot of hoping like bunnies ourselves! hehe :P

Today's Workout:

• LEVEL: Beginner-Intermediate
• EQUIPMENT USED: Dumbbell, Jump Rope, & Interval Timer
• PROGRAM STYLE: Interval Circuit
• TIMER SET-UP: 10 Intervals, 1 Minute Each, No Rest 
• TOTAL TIME: 20-30 Minutes

• EXERCISE PROGRAM:
• 1 Arm Shoulder press with Reverse Lunge (Right Side)
• 1 Arm Shoulder press with Reverse Lunge (Left Side)
• Jump Rope/Jumping in place/Jumping Jacks
• Plank Row 
• Jump Rope/Jumping in place/Jumping Jacks
• T-Push up 
• Jump Rope/Jumping in place/Jumping Jacks
• 1 Arm Dumbbell Swing (Right Side)
• 1 Arm Dumbbell Swing (Left Side)
• Jump Rope/Jumping in place/Jumping Jacks 

• HOW-TO: With timer set up to 10 Intervals, 1 minute each, complete 1 exercise as many times possible within 1 interval/1 minute. Once interval is completed move onto next exercise completing it in the same manner and continue until timer ends or all exercises have been completed. Rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat program an additional 1-2 times, having done a total of 2-3 rounds.

Learn The Exercises:

1 Arm Shoulder Press with Reverse Lunge

1. Standing with feet hip-width apart, bring right arm up about ear level height, palms in, keeping elbows pointing down towards floor.
2. With abs flexed and back straight, press right arm up above head while bringing right leg back into lunge. (As Shown)
3. Return to starting position and repeat. Once the 1 minute interval is complete, switch sides and repeat.

Jump Rope / Jump In Place / Jumping Jacks

If you don't own a Jump Rope, don't know how to Jump Rope, or if Jumping Rope is too hard, you may do mini jumps in place or perform jumping jacks. Do as many jumps as you can in 1 minute.

Plank Row

1.  Get into push up position with legs straight and hands on dumbbells, palms facing each other. Extend arms straight keeping abs tight and supporting self with toes.(If position is too hard to hold you may bring your knees down to floor as shown above)
2. Bending the elbow, raise one dumbbell up to side of waist or upper hips squeezing shoulder blades together. Shift body weight to one side to keep balance.
3. Lower dumbbell to starting position and repeat with other arm. Continue alternating arms until 1 minute is complete.

  

T-Push Up

1. Starting out in the classic push up position, lower body right above floor then push yourself upward rotating body all the way so that right arm extends up and above head, palms facing out, fingers to ceiling. Your arms and body should form a T. (If position is too hard, keep knees on floor)
2. Return to starting position then repeat, this time rotating to opposite side. Continue alternating sides for 1 minute.

1 Arm Dumbbell Swing

1. Starting with feet placed wider than hips,hold a dumbbell with one hand, palms facing back towards you. While squatting down swing dumbbell between legs with arm completely straing, making sure to push hips back and not letting back round.
2. With arms straight and dumbbell between legs, push hips forward swinging dumbbell to up to nose level as you stand. 
3. Continue swinging dumbbell back and forth, after 1 minute switch hands and continue for another 1 minute.  

Beginners Workout #1