"I'd Rather do Burpees"

Ever think you'd say the words: "I'd rather do burpees"? Well, after the workout we did this morning in UXF Tabata, that was just the case for a few brave souls.

The workout, designed by my fellow Coach, Brooks Dyer, consists of the following:
5 RFT, 24min time cap

• 20 jump squats
• 20 push-ups
• 20 TRX rows
• 20 power cleans
• 20 seesaw press

It's heavy on the upper body but such a great workout! I highly recommend it!

For the WORKOUT OF THE WEEK:
Doublet ladder: going from 1 --> 15 burpees while doing 15 --> 1 KB swings
So the sets look like this:
1 burpee, 15 KB swings
2 burpees, 14 KB swings
.... [+1 burpee, -1 KB swing]
14 burpees, 2 KB swings
15 burpees, 1 KB swing

In total, you'll end up doing 120 burpees and 120 KB swings!

Now, along with these awesome workouts above, I also want to take a second to review nutrition. Refueling after an intense workout is crucial!! While a lot of my clients and fellow workout enthusiasts have an individual goal of trying to lose a few pounds or drop a pant size, proper nutrition after stressing your muscles is not only going to HELP you lose weight and be healthy in the end, but it's also going to ensure efficient recovery for your muscles. There will be a variety of "experts" out there telling you that you must have "X number of grams of this-and-that exactly such and such minutes [made-up number...] after finishing your workout" and this isn't some hard-fast rule. Yes, it's important to replenish your muscles and body with water, electrolytes, protein and healthy fat and carbs soon after a workout, but that doesn't mean you need to buy into some ridiculous GNC product and consume it a set-time after. Just get home, make tuna+avocado with an apple on the side or have some greek yogurt (I like Fage 0% Plain because there is NO sugar!) with fresh berries (real sugar) and granola.

The worst thing you can do though? Is not eat because you think that it's going to help you lose weight. You're messing with your metabolism and not helping your fatigued muscles heal, which could lead to feeling overly sore the following day (for your next workout).

Hope everyone has a fabulous week!

Love Your Body

With Valentine's day this weekend, and conveniently, the month of February is National Heart month, this week's workout is dedicated to keeping your body healthy and energized to protect on of the most important organs: your heart!

Make sure you spend enough time with some cardio (elliptical, treadmill, hiking, biking) before you do the weights portion of this workout. Increasing your heart rate while weight-lifting helps raise your resting metabolic rate: so your muscles continue burning fuel even while you're sitting at your office desk or watching TV on the couch at home. In order to achieve the maximum cardiovascular benefits from a workout (to prevent diseases like hypertension), you'll want to calculate the ideal HR (in bpm) range:

First, find your maximum HR (MHR) = 220 - Age
Your optimal cardiovascular range is [85%*MHR] on the low end, and MHR (minus about 5, you want a little buffer). When you're on the treadmill or elliptical, you can check your heart rate by holding on to the metal handles. Alternatively, there are some great fitness watches that not only track your mileage / time on a run but also, in real-time, track your heart rate.

Fitbit Surge $250

Workout:
21-18-15-12-9 (*must do every exercise listed below 21 times before starting the 18 reps, etc)

KB Clean and Press
Crossfit sit-ups
Box Jumps

No more snow!!

So... who's done with winter?

Don't let all this snow and cold weather bring you down though, time for a great workout! And what better day to celebrate the Patriot's amazing Super Bowl win with a Pats-themed workout than the day of the Parade!

4x through (TB12 now has 4 rings):
28 OH Plate (45#, 25#) squats
24 Push-ups

Go for time. Feel free to do an additional 30-minute cardio workout afterwards (run, elliptical, bike, walk)