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

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

Whats the best time of day for a workout in order to burn fat?

The morning will be best, particularly if you can get some resistance training in as well. Not only are your glycogen levels at their lowest - meaning that you will have to dive into your fat reserves to perform your workout - but also, the workout elevates your metabolic rate for several hours after the actual session so you will feel the benefits throughout the day. 

Even better, if you can get an early morning in and then a quick turbo charge at lunchtime - a 20 minute strength circuit should fit nicely in before you have lunch and will make sure that your calorie burn continues throughout the afternoon too!

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!

Prisoner of War

Prisoner of War

John Cleese would be proud of this one - I had great fun doing it and nearly wet myself laughing on the playback-what a twit!  However, this is a great exercise and has my clients screaming to make me let them stop!

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.

RODs WOD 17/1/12

"We acquire the strength we have overcome." Ralph Waldo Emerson 

High intensity interval training today (HIIT)


Find your particular 'comfort zone' whilst walking, jogging and running, the sprint section takes you beyond this zone for the given period of time.


20 minute warm up within your comfort zone (CZ)

10 second sprint
10 second CZ
10 second sprint
20 second CZ
10 second sprint
30 second CZ
10 second sprint
20 second CZ
10 second sprint
10 second CZ

Repeat this section 3 times

10 minute jog as above

RODs WOD 14/1/12

"Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way."

~Satchel Paige

Lets try and get some distance tomorrow. It's the weekend - get out an enjoy it. The best way to break up a long run or hike is to incorporate some strength sets periodically in your long aerobic efforts. So during a 1-2 hour run put in some sets of lunges and sit ups every 15 minutes!

ROD's WOD 13/1/12

Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. ~ Pat Riley
Time to concentrate on finding your core -no excuses on this one:


Look for 10 opportunities to challenge your bodies balance and list them here.


Examples: 


Stand on one leg whilst brushing teeth
Walk along the curbside without falling off
Hop to the photocopier
Lift both legs right out of the chair




Everytime we challenge our balance our bodies 'engine' kicks in to compensate, burning calories, tightening muscles and reprogramming our ability.

RODs WOD 12/1/12

“The simplest things are often the truest.” - Richard Bach

Lets get outside today while its so lovely.  If you're at home all day then try and get an hour in - brisk walk 15 mins, stroll 15 mins, jog 15 mins, brisk walk 15 mins - you can break these up into 2 halves if it helps.
 
If you're working 15 mins lunchtime before you eat - brisk walk, 15 mins, jog 15 mins, brisk walk 15 mins.


If this is too easy turn it into jog, run, jog and if thats too easy, run, jog, run.


As always - post your times for me!

RODs WOD Wed 11/1/12

“The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt.” -Max Lerner
30 sec plank every hour on the hour while you are awake in the day. 

Stop what you are doing and plank.  

Simples!

RODs WOD Tuesday 10/1/12

Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. -John Maxwell 

Ok yesterday's may have been a bit tough on some ;@)

Try this today for time again
 15 lunges
12 crunches
7 press ups
5 Burpees
 Repeat twice

 Post your times Good luck

RODs WOD

I will be posting a daily workout aimed at beginner/intermediates that want to try and get into shape in 2012. Try and keep up with the workouts that I set and post your timed results back here.

 Good luck and here's Day 1 

Success is sweet: the sweeter if long delayed and attained through manifold struggles and defeats. -A. Branson Alcott 

Here's RODs first WOD as promised

Do the following and register your time:

10 lunges
10-20 push ups
run/brisk walk 1-2 miles
20 body weight squats
10-20 push ups
run/brisk walk
1-2 miles
2 sets 20 crunches

 If you don't have time for the run/walk then try and get the body weight stuff in and a walk when home from work.

 Good luck and and don't forget to  post your results

Rod

Tabata intervals

Today we mixed some Tabata interval training on a heavy punch bag into our upper body weights routine.  This routine lasts only 4 minutes but OMG. if you use max. effort, it's a killer. 


Although we used the punchbag for sport specific training, it is equally effective on bikes, treadmills, skipping ropes, as squats, burpees or whatever other method rapidly increases your heart rate without prematurely fatiguing your muscles (for example heavy weights squats would not work as your legs fail with the weight before your heartrate gets up to max).


Tabata Summary 

Tabata Intervals consist of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This cycle is repeated 8 times (for a total of 4-minutes). Although Dr. Tabata used a mechanically braked cycle ergometer, you can apply “Tabata Intervals” to several forms of exercise, such as hitting a heavy bag, sprinting, jumping rope, or fast paced bodyweight squats.

Your first reaction might be, “How effective can this protocol really be with just 4 minutes of exercise?”

Let me answer this question for you… VERY EFFECTIVE!

You will be amazed at how intense 4 minutes of exercise will feel. This form of training taxes both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Tabata Intervals are excellent for those athletes who participate in high intensity sports such as boxing, MMA, or wrestling.

After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity along with a 14% increase in V02Max. The 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off interval system improved both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems significantly. These results were witnessed by physically fit athletes. Many tests are conducted on deconditioned subjects, which makes the test results more difficult to evaluate. Dr. Tabata's test was much more effective, as it produced a positive response on individuals who were already in shape.

This form of training is also effective for fat loss. Tabata Intervals will raise your body’s metabolic rate long after the exercise session is completed. You will continue to burn fat throughout the day. Recent studies have shown that intense interval training will elevate the rate that your body burns calories by up to 142% more than low-intensity, continuous exercise

As mentioned, you can perform Tabata Intervals with several forms of exercise. The most obvious is sprinting. For example, sprint 20 seconds, and then rest 10 seconds, and continue until you have completed 8 x 20 second sprints. Always begin with a moderate warm-up and cool down session.

Spartan HIIT

3 mile beach run this morning with 200m sprints intervalled with 

tag - 1 on 1
sumo - 3 x 60 sec. bouts
swim - 100m sprint
rock carry - load 100 kg up the beach and then unload back down against the clock
Ukemi (rolling breakfalls) - over and under beach obstacles
Shurikenjutsu -target practice with heavy rocks working on distance and accuracy
wrestling  - 1 on 1, 1 on 2 and 1 on 3
belly crawls - keeping low to the sand crawl along shoreline 100 min and out of waves
Tobi (jumping) - reactive speed jumping
Balance run - running lengths of break water
100 challenge - 100 x sit-up 100 x press up timed race
Climbing - walls, breakwaters, trees on shoreline
Plyometrics - bounding
                     bunny hops
                     lunges
                     Box jumps

Prepared for anything!

Spartan Training continues

Today we hit the beach at high tide.

Equipment used was a set of 20kg dumbells. No need for anything else as the breakwaters, deep shingle and crashing waves provided the needed resitance today!

The draining effect of the stones is not to be under estimated - our hearts and lungs were bursting throughout and there were several occasions when sickness was knocking at the door as our legs caught light!

Warm up: 2km run through decline shingle, jumping deep breakwaters (up to 10ft) on the way out and climbing back over on the return

No rest

2' 6" step-ups carrying 40kg dumbells, fast pace for 30 seconds - back-to-back with
Alternate plyometric lunges onto 2ft braekwater. - 3 continuous sets

15 second water break

Side step-ups onto 2ft breakwater, alternate legs with moving 40kg shoulder press- 10 reps
Breakwater leaps, double leg jump over 1ft breakwater and immediately bounce reverse back to shingle - 15 reps non stop. 3 sets

30 second water break

200m sprints in deep shingle - 2 sets. Timed. Killer.

30 second water break

100m bounding in deep shingle intergrated with bunny hops, walking lunges

Plank crawls - assuming plank position, crawl along the beach, legs burning and through breakwaters for 1 minute - 3 sets.

Stretch.