Intense Total Body Workout

As a fitness professional our job is two-fold. One to be innovative and create new and challenging workouts. However, you must also be able to spot a great workout or technique and instantly make it yours! Stealing is not always a bad thing :o)

The following workout I stumbled onto while browsing youtube. Initially I thought, this looks like a pretty easy workout but I wanted to give it a try. 3 minutes into the workout I was drenched in sweat (Ok, I normally sweat easily but you get the point.) Instantly, I made this mine! It is now a staple in my personal routine when I want a quick but effective high intensity workout with no equipment, toys, or props.

So here's the breakdown:

60 mountain climbers
40 twisting knee to elbow mountain climbers
30 froggers
20 burpees
10 tuckjump burpees
2 min plank (active recovery)
10 tuckjump burpees
20 burpees
30 froggers
40 twisting knee to elbow mountain climbers
60 mountain climbers

Game over! Pretty simple but one of my favorite fast workouts to do.
I can normally finish in under 20mins but you want to pace yourself as this is tough.

                                                       Tips and Pointers
Mountain Climbers - Every 2 count as 1 rep, so left leg, right leg =1rep. You can either go from high plank or on your elbows. I like to change it up per workout or do my 1st set in high plank and my last set on my elbows.

Twisting Mountain Climbers - Try to bring your knee to your elbows.  Same count as Mountain Climbers

Froggers - Start in the high plank position and jump your feet in as far as you can, then jump them back out into the plank position. Do this as fast as you can for 30 reps.

Burpees-  There are so many different ways to do burpees, so do ones that are appropriate for your skill level. With mine, I make sure to do a pushup and since the next set requires a tuck jump, I just stand up with these and don't jump up from the squat position.



Tuckjump Burpees- Ok, these burn! This is the full out, give it all you got, SUPER BURPEE!!! Add the pushup, and explode up from the squat position as high as you can go! Tuck your knees to your chest at the highest point of the jump! Here is where the fat just gives in and runs off your body for fear of having to endure this the 2nd time!!!

Plank- I can normally hold a plank for ever but at the end of this series I collapse before I hit 30 seconds. It's amazing how FATIGUE changes our ability to perform movements that are normally easy!

Give it a go, let me know how you do. Post your completion times!
 

More entries on the way...

I hope life has been treating you kind if you are reading this. The last week has been pretty busy and frustrating for me to say the least. Life seems to bring problems in bunches however I guess this adds to the beauty of life. You truly never know what tomorrow has in store. I've been tempted to drink, endulge in junk food and high fat snacks however I was able to stay the course. Discipline is a must, even when the times get tough. After all, how can I preach a good game if I can't live it, right?

More articles are on the way though. Just had to take care of some pretty pressing issues. Luckily, nothing is life threatening or even health related. I'm about to put the overtraining theory to the test.

On a brighter note! It's starting to feel like FOOTBALL Season! Go Saints!

*Warning* -This is CT Fletcher- Profanity is almost guaranteed to be in the video below.

RAW SPAGHETTI AND NOODLES courtesy of www.gumbohair.com

If you have ever gone raw then you probably have gone through that phase where you start missing spaghetti! The following post addresses that issue. Now, it is not a direct substitute but I will admit that the sauce is hearty and the best raw version I have come across. For more raw recipes and healthy hair tips check out my wife's blog-   www.gumbohair.com

As I posted earlier, I'm going raw for at least 30 days with a good friend of mine. I decided to change it up a bit today and make a raw spaghetti sauce and "noodles". I have tried this recipe several times in the past with little success...my husband couldn't stand it. Secretly, I didn't like it either but I still ate it because I wanted something different while raw. Today, I decided to look at several videos on youtube and take what I liked from each recipe to make my own version.

In the past, my sauce would take on a pinkish color which I didn't like at all. Well, I learned today that the secret is beet juice. I should have figured this out a long time ago considering I have a recipe for making red velvet with beet juice. I will post it one day. 

Lastly, I've learned that red pepper and medjool dates add a chunky texture plus gives the sauce some sweetness which cuts the acidity levels in the tomato sauce. I made the noodles out of zucchini with the help of a spiral vegetable device. Dh and I are planning on growing San Marzano tomato plants this summer. I want to make fresh homemade sauce whenever possible from now on. So wish us luck as we try to grow as many tomatoes as possible this summer...

Raw Spaghetti Sauce and Noodles:

2-3 cups of cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes 

4-5 medjool dates

1/2 of a red pepper

dash of sea salt

pepper (to taste)

4-5 fresh basil leaves

dash of oregano

dash of thyme

1/2 of a clove of garlic (a very small piece)

1/2 cup of raw beet juice

Noodles:

2-3 Zucchini 

Add the tomatoes first, then the rest of the ingredients in a high power blender. Blend until mixed but not too much if you like the chunkiness. Then put on top of your prepared spiral zucchini noodles.

                                                                     So Thick and Chunky



DO YOU HAVE ANY GOOD RAW RECIPES? PLEASE LEAVE ANY TOMATO PLANT GROWING TIPS AS WELL...

New Orleans Personal Training Package on sale!!!

To celebrate my father's 70th birthday I am running a 5 for $70 special. This is the same great session at a fraction of the price. Sessions must be purchased here in advance. Simply click on the link and send me an email and we can get started ASAP! Make preparations to live to 70 in your life. Start today, let's get FIT!!!

Motivational Video - DREAM

I saw this on another fitness channel and thought it was worthy of a repost. So here you go.

Take a second and watch. It may re-ignite the spark inside you! Always DREAM!