Yesterdays strength sets

Right then - don't forget that tomorrow you need to be doing your strength sets if you want to look like Sarah C - (she has been doing these routines for 8 weeks now and is beginning to look pretty damn good - if I may say so).

Usual routine 3 sets of 6 exercises performed with good form for 30 seconds each and with a 10 sec. transition/rep count.

Post your rep counts on this post and I will record them and award a special prize to the best improver - last session was awarded to Sarah French who won the dubious prize of an hours free 1 to 1 personal training session - bad luck Sarah!

For those of you that like popcorn....
...here is another Crossfire home movie production to help you remember. As usual it is rubbish and I appear to have cut my head of, but hopefully it will steer you in the right direction.

have fun

Rod 
www.cfire.co.uk

Mothers Day workout

"Failures do what is tension relieving, while winners do what is goal achieving."
Dennis Waitley


That said lets test ourselves to failure today.  (Yes, I know, It's Mothers Day - A sneaky little 15 minutes or so is perfectly acceptable if you are the warrior that your family all believe you are.)


Press ups ( 3 sets back to back) - Standard wide arms, military (narrow arms at sides), inverted (feet raised).  
no rest
Sit ups (3 sets back to back) - Reverse crunch, Russian twist, full sit-up with double punch. 
no rest
Chins (3 sets back to back) - Wide overhand, narrow overhand, narrow underhand
no rest


Repeat 5 times.


Perform each exercise until your body fails, move immediately onto the next exercise and, again do to failure (you will probably not be able to do many by the 2nd and 3rd exercise).


Tough...I lasted 17 minutes - which my wife will tell you is a long time for me ;@)


How long can you last??

15 minute Strength routine - 3rd week

We're into our 3rd week and these are a little harder as we have added some more explosive movements that will get your heart pumping and your thighs and bum burning.

As always 3 sets of each exercise performed for 30 seconds with a 10 second break to write down your rep count and for the transition to the next exercise.

Click here to join our fitness group on Facebook - you don't have to live in Sussex (or even the UK) to join in!

Click here to join our fitness group on Facebook - you don't have to live in Sussex (or even the UK) to join in!

RODs WOD 23/2/12

Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.
~ William Barclay

Shall we test ours today. Whatever your best run is, I want you to go out and smash it...go for an extra 20% on your distance.

If running isn't your thang then fast walk and if you can't get out then this is for you:

5 mins spot jog
50 burpees
50 press ups
200 crunches
200 squats
5 mins spot jog

Crash through each set as fast as you can, 1 min rest and into the next. Write your time down on completion.

Rod
Www.cfire.co.uk

ROD's WOD 9/2/2012

"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." -Ernest Hemingway


Only just over a week until we do our 2nd fitness test - it's nearly been a month already and, if you have been doing at least 3 of these WOD's a week, then you should be starting to see quite a difference in your strength, weight, shape, and cardio fitness.


Todays workout is a workout for the abs - again, it needs no equipment and just a small amount of floor space and should take you about 6 minutes in total and should leave your abs burning.


Do each exercise for 30 seconds, take 5 seconds to change to the next exercise and then do 30 secs and so on.  When you do all 8 exercises start immediately again for 2 more complete sets.


Crunches
Reverse crunches
Point and shoot
Scissors
Russian twists
Prone plank
Side plank - left
Side plank - right


As always let me know if you  aren't sure of any of these and I'll pop a video up for you.


Have fun!


Rod
www.cfire.co.uk

RODs WOD 6/2/2012

Fall seven times, stand up eight. - Japanese proverb


Now doesn't that sum up determination - so, lets follow that old Japanese rule with another 'snowball' burpee day.  


Fall down, do a press up, get back up again!


Remember start with 1 and then do an extra 1 every half an hour so that by the time you hit 8 hours you will be doing how many in a set?  


Quite a lot! 


Be determined.  


Get fit!


Rod
www.cfire.co.uk

RODs WOD 3/2/12

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. - Frank A. Clark

With this in mind, lets put that to the test shall we.  


If you can, get outside and head out to my playground in the woods.  Get off of the path (look for a deer track) and get a jog in.  If you meet an obstacle then jump it, climb it, crawl under it.  I want you to try and get a good 45 minutes of exploring in.  Be as quiet as you can as you do it - when you go into 'stalk mode' your core tightens, your breathing is more controlled and the effort to become lighter on your feet intensifies the workout on your legs.


If you cant make it to the great outdoors then create your own path - at the office, in the gym, at home.  Create as many obstacles during the day that you have to climb over, jump off, crawl under - add some sit-ups, press ups and squats just to keep it real - 


Probably best that you print this page off though...


...just in case the boss questions what the heck you're up to - just tell them 'Rod made me' and get him to join in! 


Rod
www.cfire.co.uk

ROD's WOD 2/2/12

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." - Michael Jordan

1/2 mile jog warm up
30 body weight squats
20 press ups
1/2 mile jog
20 lunges
4x25 meter sprints (rest 1 minute in between)
1/2 mile jog

RODs WOD 1/2/2012

“We would accomplish manymore things if we did not think of them as impossible.” C. Malesherbes


Today I want you to think about your posture.  Sometimes  that tummy can be exaggerated by slouching so, conversely, sitting upright can help to flatten the bulge.


Throughout the day consciously sit up or stand tall (shoulders back chest out as they used to say).  If you are sitting down at a desk, every time someone calls you, tense your stomach, sit tall and lift your feet off of the ground by an inch for the duration of the call - don't hold your breath though, its bad form and ruins the conversation!


Rod
www.cfire.co.uk

RODs WOD 30/1/12

"Endurance is patience concentrated. "
Thomas Carlyle

21,s again folks-same basics as usual (45 on 15 off, 3 sets, 1 min rest)

Squats
Press ups
Lunges
Crunches
Dips
Burpees
Reverse crunches

23 minutes of concentrated exercise.

If its too easy then add weights (dumbells, cat, small child, big chicken) and repeat.

Rod
Www.cfire.co.uk

RODs WOD 28/1/12

The bigger the girth the harder it is!


That got your attention, but it's true - especially when it comes to tree hugging.

I
ts a beautiful sunny saturday and todays WOD is just that -
Find yourself either a forest of deserving trees or a space with one that you are particularly fond of
and try and hug 30 trees for 30 seconds each!  In between, get a jog or sprint on and, if its only the one tree that you have chosen, sprint away and jog back for another cuddle.  Pick thinner trees for easier hugs and big fat ones for harder hugs.

Should have your core muscles burning away nicely and your heart overjoyed with love.

Rod
www.cfire.co.uk

RODs WOD 26/1/12

We shall neither fail nor falter; we shall not weaken or tire...give us the tools and we will finish the job. ~ Winston Churchill


Today is an upper body routine aimed at defining shoulders, beefing up the chest and toning the arms


All of these to be done with a light weight (2kg to 12kg depending on your strength) and from the floor - ie no bench required.  Don't forget your interval timer (I use 'interval timer' an app for iphone), pad and pen.


21's again today (3 sets of each exercise - 45 seconds on, 15 second rest - 1 minute break between sets).  The benefit of 21's is a quick cardio and resistance blast in a short space of time (23 minutes in total) - these are done to your own personal, maximum potential with the measure of improvement coming from the reps log that you track during each 15 second break.


Anyone serious about getting in shape should be able to squeeze 23 minutes in each day-right?

1. Overhead press
2. Double bent over row
3. Bench press
4. Reverse flye
5. Lateral raises
6. Close grip bench press
7. Front raises

As always, pm me if you want help with any of the exercises.


Good luck


Rod
www.cfire.co.uk

RODs WOD 25/1/12

"Don’t cry to give up…Cry to keep going." - Eric Thomas


This saying sums it up for me with a busted calf muscle!  'Active' rest called for so todays WOD will reflect just that.  The leg gets a good rest which gives me the perfect opportunity to focus on other bits of the body that need special attention!


Core workout


21's again, as before (7 exercises x 3 sets - each for 45 secs on and 15 secs off - rest 60 secs between sets).


Reverse crunches - (see silly video clip)
Plank
Woodchops - (see silly video clip)
Sit ups with twist - (see silly video clip)
Press ups
Full sit ups
Bicycles


result - rested leg - sore abs!


Give it a go and remember to write down your count during your 15 sec rest!

RODs WOD 24/1/12

"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." -Ernest Hemingway



I've noticed just lately that it only seems to be the girls that are out jogging in the wind, the rain and the dark!  It's windy, it's rainy and it's not dark yet...but it will be, you just see!


Get out there and get a 45 minute jog in.  If you're a beginner then break it up into 5 minute brisk walk, 5 minute jog, 5 minute brisk walk, 5 minute jog and so on.  If your advanced then make sure that you are running and not just jogging - no shufflin' allowed here!


'But it's raining Rod' 


- good, it will keep you cool and when you get home to that lovely hot bath that the other half has run for you, you can lie back and say - yay, I did it in the rain and loved it!!!!!

RODs WOD 23/1/12

"There comes a day when one must rest. Not stop. Not quit. But plan. There is much to be done and a quiet heart and mind is where such plans are made." - Unknown

Nice day off?

Time to get back on it, get that body pumping, those legs moving and that fat disappearing!

Lets start with a 15 minute brisk walk, jog to warm up

We are going with the theme of 21's - ie 7 exercises  performed over 3 sets - each exercise performed for 45 seconds with a 15 second rest and then straight onto the next without rest.  When you reach the 7th, grab yourself 2 minutes rest, a glug of water and then crack on with the next set.

write down your number of repetitions on a piece of paper during the 15 second rest.

High knees

Press ups

Sit-ups 

Squats

Wood chops

Lunges (alternate)

Reverse crunches

As usual, if you need help with any of the above then PM me or request a video upload of the exercise.

Good luck...oh and post your scores!

RODs WOD 21/1/12

 Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second.
~William James

Inspired by Anke who is sand dune running in harsh wind and sand storms in the dessert as I type this, we are going to try and spur her on by doing the same today!

Find yourself some hills - anything will do, don't aim for the South downs if you're a beginner though and don't opt out for a riverbank if you're a marathon runner!  As a guide, the hill has to be mildly challenging for you to walk up.  Aim for a minimum of 20 meters.

Now 15 minutes brisk walk, jog to warm yourself up, loosen up your hamstrings with a nice hamstring stretch - (toe touching will do) - and off we go.

Facing at a diagonal to the hill, jog up and immediately sprint down. - Repeat this 5 times.

1 minute rest and repeat for 5 sets

That's 25 sprints in total.

RODs WOD 20/1/12

"All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get." 
Morarji Desai


Did you manage yesterdays Power Pressup Hour?  Not to worry if you didn't.  Here's todays circuit style workout.  Perform 45 seconds of each exercise followed by a 15 second rest and then straight onto the next without a break.  When you reach the end, recover for 2 minutes and start again.  Repeat 2 more times.


Burpees


Crunches


On the spot run


Press ups


Alternating lunges


Plank - count this as 3 if you do not fail and knock off 1 for every restart (eg plank held for 30 secs, restarted for 15 secs more so 2 scored)


Squat


As you go count the number of reps and write down during the 15 second rest.  On the second set do your best to improve on the first and similarly with the third.  Total your reps for each exercise and post them here.  Any problems then PM me or request a video upload.


Rod
www.cfire.co.uk

RODs WOD 19/12/12

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be. ~ John Wooden

Power hour of push-ups: 2-10 push ups every minute on the minute for one hour! Time crunch? go for 30 minutes...just do more per minute.

Burpees

Burpees

 'There's a dog watcher walking me' - d'oh.

This 'all over' body workout is simple, effective and do-able anywhere (except a small tunnel or on a wobbly bridge maybe).

Try incorporating burpees into your other routines to up the intensity.  I tend to add sets every quarter of a mile on a long run for example.  

RODs WOD 18/1/2012

Today is about finding where you are at.

We are going to do a series of 7 exercises against the clock and for each exercise I want you to count how many repetitions you managed.  if you only manage 1 that's fine, this is to set yourself a fitness benchmark that we are going to revisit in 30 days time.

I will set the exercises along with a brief description.  If anyone needs help with these or any other exercises then I can post a video feed for you.

Clear some space in the living room, garage, garden, office.  No equipment needed other than some form of timer.  For each exercise I want you to work for 50 seconds and rest for 10 before moving on.  When you have finished then take a 1 minute rest, a gulp of water and repeat  2 more times (that's 3 in total).
Use your 10 seconds to record your score on a pad.

Ready?

Here we go:
Squat jumps - squat as if sitting and jump up in the air, land softly into another squat and repeat.  If you have dodgy knees then leave the jump and just squat.

Push ups - chest to the ground.  If you cant manage this then do from a kneeling position.

Burpees - drop to the ground, press up as above, jump up with arms in air  - that's 1 count

High knees - From a standing position run keeping your knees as high as possible - use the palms of your hands to slap your knees to keep the height.

Jumping lunges - Start in a lunge position and leap into the reverse position.  Each side counts as 1.  If you have dodgy knees then leave out the jump.

Tuck jumps - From the standing position jump up and tuck your knees to your chest.  If you have bad knees then leave this one out.

Sit ups - lying flat on the floor, plant your feet firmly into the ground without using an anchor point sit all the way up with your hands resting at your temples.  If this is too hard then rest your hands on your thighs and slide them up towards your knees.

That's it - 23 minutes in total

Write down your personal scores (ie how many sit ups in total over the 3 sets) keep a record an post them on here for comparison.

Good luck!!

Rod
http://www.cfire.co.uk