ROD 040512

April 4, 2012 By 2 Comments

Thursday, 05Apr12

 

Pre-workout:  Everyone will take a turn at performing 7 half burpees while the rest of the group performs DB thrusters.

15 Minute AMRAP

  • 7 Burpees
  • 7 Box jumps
  • 7 Box handstand pushups (feet on box and hands on floor with bicep by ears) inverted overhead press.
  • 7 Plank jacks
  • 100m Sprint

Post times to comments !

______________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You  Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This High Intensity Super Boxing Circuit class is a 1 hour ass kicking class that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

________________________________________________________________________

Running 101: How Often Should You Run?

Here’s how to choose the right number for you.

Frequency—or how often you run—is one of three fundamental variables of training. The other two are duration (how far you run) and  intensity (how fast you run). Research shows a person needs to run at least a couple of times a week to get any progressive benefit from it. Many elite runners run as often as 14 times per week. How often should you run?

There is no single right answer to this question. While considerations such as your goals, life schedule, and running experience can and should be used to establish boundaries of too much and too little running frequency for you, within these boundaries you can choose any of a number of different running frequencies based on personal preferences and needs and get the results you seek.

The Minimum

Let’s first consider the boundary on the bottom end. The most important piece of advice I can give you in this regard is that it is necessary to do some form of exercise almost every day to optimize your general health. Every man, woman, and child on earth, whether a competitive or recreational runner, whether a runner at all or a non-runner, should aim to exercise every day. The research is very clear on this score. If you exercise daily you will have lower risk of chronic disease, be leaner, and live longer than if you exercise just a few times a week.

This doesn’t mean you have to run every day, however. If you care about running enough to seek some form of progress, you need to run at least three times per week. On the other days you can swim, do yoga, lift weights, whatever. However, if you choose to run only three times per week—and if, again, you care enough about your running to want to improve—you need to make those runs really count. Most weeks those runs should be a tempo run to develop intensive endurance, a speed workout to build speed, and a long run to increase raw endurance. The popular FIRST marathon training program developed at Furman University prescribes a weekly training schedule comprising the three types of runs just mentioned plus two cross-training workouts. In my opinion this system defines the minimum effective training protocol for runners.

The primary reason to run only three times per week is to minimize injury risk. As we all know, running has a high injury rate, and the rate of injury increases with running volume. Many runners cannot run every day without getting injured. If you are such a runner, or if you simply fear getting injured if you run daily, then stick to a schedule of three to four purposeful runs plus a few cross-training workouts per week and feel confident that you are not sacrificing any of the performance you would get from running daily (presuming you actually could run daily without injury).

The most common running frequency for non-elite competitive runners is six to seven times per week (that is, daily with one scheduled day off or daily with rest days taken only as needed). I don’t know of any research addressing the matter, but my experience-based belief is that some runners are better off running daily and not cross-training, others are better off running three or four times a week and cross-training on non-running days, and many runners are able to fare equally well on either schedule. Use factors such as your durability (can you handle daily running?) and your personal preferences (would you rather chew glass than do any form of exercise besides running?) to set your personal routine.

Running Twice Per Day

Only the most serious runners habitually run more than seven times per week, which necessarily entails a certain amount of doubling, or running twice a day. Personally, I think more runners should consider it, as some magical things can happen when you push your running volume beyond the amount you can practically squeeze into one run a day.

There’s a simple rule that runners can use to decide whether or not they should double: If you plan to consistently run more than 70 miles per week, double at least once or twice a week. The rationale behind this rule is that every runner’s training schedule must include some easy runs, and if you try to pack more than 70 miles into just six or seven runs each week, none of those runs can be very easy. You can double if you want to on a schedule of fewer than 70 miles per week, but it only really becomes necessary when you run more.

As you continue to add mileage to your weekly schedule, continue to add doubles as necessary to keep your average run distance from creeping above 10 miles. So, for example, if you run 100 miles a week you should run at least 10 times.

Ease into doubling by inserting one or two very short, easy runs into your schedule. Gradually increase the distance of these runs and add more doubles until you reach your weekly mileage target, but keep the pace easy in all of these extra runs. Never try to perform two hard runs in a single day.

Some runners do an easy run in the morning and a longer and/or faster run in the evening. Others do the opposite. It’s a matter of personal preference.

Cross-Training

Just as a casually competitive runner can exercise more than three or four times a week without running more than three or four times a week, a serious competitive runner can exercise twice a day without always running twice a day. The question is, should he or she? While there are many examples of very successful runners who run 14 times a week and never cross-train, I believe that in most cases, runners who train nine or more times a week are better off running seven times and lifting weights and doing plyometrics two or three times than they are making every workout a run.

In fact, there’s research proving this. In a famous Norwegian study, elite runners improved their 3K race times by replacing 30 percent of their running with plyometrics—not adding plyometrics to the running they were already doing, but replacing a chunk of their running with plyos. Based on such evidence, I advise runners who train nine to 10 times per week to perform two or three strength/plyo workouts and run the rest of the time. There’s no need to do strength and plyometrics training more than two or three times per week, so if you add any workouts beyond 10 per week, the rest can and should be runs or non-impact cardio alternatives to running such as cycling.

What’s the absolute maximum amount of training any runner should consider doing? Many elite runners thrive on a schedule of two runs per day every day plus three strength/plyo workouts per week. If you can handle all that, more power to you!

 

Filed Under: AMRAP, Boxing, Conditioning, HIIT X-treme, Ready For Anything Tagged With: , , , , , ,

ROD 040312

April 2, 2012 By 3 Comments

Tuesday, 02Apr12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________________________________________

7pm

 

 

 

 

Are You  Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This High Intensity Super Boxing Circuit class is a 1 hour ass kicking class that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

_________________________________________________________

8pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*400m Run  (202 Industrial Loop and back)

30 seconds of work 30 seconds of rest non-stop for 4 rounds

  • Atlas Stone lifts
  • KB Row
  • KB Swings with release
  • Pull Ups
  • BB Front Squats

Then Run 400m (202 Industrial Loop and back) for time

 

Filed Under: Atlas Stone, Boxing, HIIT X-treme Tagged With: ,

ROD 032912

March 28, 2012 By 2 Comments

Thursday, 29March12

 

 

 

 

 

 Pre-workout - perform 20 Alt DB Ground to Overhead Snatch (10l/10r) then:

7 rounds for time of:

  • 10 Deadlifts (75%bodyweight)
  • 10 Lateral jumps over bar w/ burpee

Post-workout – perform 20 Alt DB Ground to Overhead  Snatch (10l/10r)

Post workout counts toward your time ! 

_______________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This High Intensity Super Boxing Circuit class is a 1 hour ass kicking class that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

Filed Under: Boxing, Deadlifts, For Time, HIIT X-treme, Post to Comments Tagged With: , , , , ,

ROD 022812

February 27, 2012 By 6 Comments

ROD

Tuesday, 28Feb12

 

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This Super Boxing X-Treme class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

____________________________________________________________

This class is built for speed, agility and strength. This class is not for convenience, nor is it for those who want to use light weights. This class is for those who are looking to take their fitness  to the next level. The movements expected in this class are advanced.  Every participant will be expected to perform the suggested lb’s for each movement and post their time or rounds completed when applicable to comments. Those of you who do not want to meet these requirements are invited to the Boxing class. We have members who want to go outside their comfort zone and take their fitness to another level.

Ladder This For Time

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 reps on of these 4 movements for time:
  • DB Thrusters (w 20lb or > / m 30lb or >)
  • Clapping Push-ups
  • Box Jumps
  • Kettlebell swings (w 20kg or > / m 24kg or >)

Post times to comments…..

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How Should Children Exercise?

People often ask questions about children exercising. And you might find this surprising, but the plurality of kid-related questions I receive pertain to exercise. Not food  – So I’ll go through two of the most common queries, paraphrased, and answer them, then follow up with my recommendations for ideal – but totally achievable and realistic – kid fitness.

But first, let’s go over the dire situation we currently face. Kids are not very active. They are fatter, more sedentary, and more unhealthy than the previous generation of kids. Whereas in 1969 42% of American children walked or biked to school, just 16% did so in 2001 (and I imagine the number has decreased since then). This isn’t me crowing about the good old days of kids walking uphill backward and barefoot in freezing snow to school while the blazing hot sun paradoxically burns overhead and having to stop along the way to haul hay bales and fistfight bullies all while doing arithmetic without calculators and researching term papers without the Internet (although let’s face it – those were good times). These are incontrovertible facts, confirmed via empirical evidence and by counting the number of kids you see with noses buried in iPads. Preschoolers are sedentary (even during outdoor playtime), children from low socio-economic households are sedentary (PDF), teens are sedentary, and don’t get me started on those lazy infants.

And the evidence is pretty clear that active kids and teens become active adults, while sedentary kids and teens become sedentary adults. If that’s true, the next generation of adults is going to be more sedentary than the current group unless you guys – the parents – do something about it. Notice that I said nothing about the government stepping in. They can make recommendations (the same ones they’ve been making for decades to little effect), but it comes down to you. Are you going to start walking and exercising and playing so that your kid follows your example and maintains interest in movement from an early age? Because that’s what it’s going to come down to. It’s not even a big deal. Kids love to move. They are born with the desire and innate drive to move throughout the world, climbing and lifting and throwing things. We stifle that with our chairs and school schedules and passive modes of entertainment, but the drive to move is there. This isn’t an obese diabetic with bad knees you’re trying to motivate. This is a kid brimming with kinetic energy who will engage in intense activity, given the chance. Take advantage of that and give it!

Okay, now that the ugly stats are out of the way, let’s get to the meat.

Does lifting weights stunt growth?

Everyone’s heard that kids who lift weights will suffer stunted growth. When Carrie and I were having kids, it was even the official recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics that children not be allowed to strength train, with the justification being it would damage growth plates and retard bone growth (and thus height). Before we examine the evidence, let’s talk about growth plates. What are they, exactly?

At either end of “long bones” (bones that are longer than they are wide) are epiphyseal plates, also known as growth plates. A bone grows at the ends and as it does, the growth plates are constantly in flux. The chondrocytes are always dividing to produce more and newer bone, and this renders the “energy-absorbing capability” of the growth plate “lower than that of bone, ligament, or tendon.” In growing kids, the growth plates are more susceptible to injury than ankles or other common areas of injury because they will “fail first.” About 85% of people with growth plate injuries enjoy normal, uninterrupted growth, but the potential for interrupted growth nonetheless exists.

That being said, no research has ever shown that weight training actually stunts growth in youth. In fact, just like adults who lift, kids who lift enjoy stronger bones (which extends into adulthood), increased lean mass, improved insulin sensitivity, and overall better health. A recent review (PDF) of all the epiphyseal injury literature found that the bulk of epiphyseal injuries occur on the football field, and that of the injuries attributed to weight training, 7.4% were epiphyseal. Of “all sports,” 10% of injuries were epiphyseal. The takeaway from the review is that growth plate injuries can occur in any sport, not just weight training (and even there, it’s not as heavily represented).

So, you see, the answer isn’t as simple as “yes” or “no.” Weight training with excessive loads, improper technique, and/or poor programming can lead to epiphyseal growth plate injuries, just as they can and do lead to general injuries in weight lifting adults, but so can football hits, snowboarding accidents, and bike mishaps. Injury can happen anywhere and in any activity. I’d even argue that because strength training takes place in a controlled environment – no bodies flying at you from across a field, no split-second decisions, no quick movements in either direction, just you and the weight – it is safer than many other forms of childhood physical activity. The evidence (what little there is) seems to support this contention.

If your child is going to lift weights, get the kid’s form dialed in and checked by an expert. Have him or her lift for higher reps and lower weights; no heavy singles or five rep maxes until later adolescence, when the growth plates have closed. Lift with your child, and don’t let them lift alone. If enthusiasm gets the better of them and they try to go for a max and you’re not there to supervise, bad things could happen.

Can kids benefit from regimented programs like NLP?

Potentially. Fitness programs are only necessary because physical activity is no longer required for survival. I have to make the decision to go for a walk or a hike because I no longer have to walk to get food or water. I lift heavy things in the gym because I no longer have to do manual labor or hunt animals to live. All exercise programs are replacements for once-compulsory activity that’s no longer compulsory. Of course, I’d argue that activity is compulsory, but not in the sense that most people mean it. Being a couch potato won’t kill you today. It’ll kill you down the line.

However, if your kid is naturally active, a highly regimented program isn’t really necessary. Strict programs will help kids who have “forgotten” how to play and move around.

PBF’s movements are perfect for younger kids because they focus on manipulation of their own bodyweight. Even the most strident naysayer of youth weight lifting would admit that kids are equipped to safely move their own bodyweight.

My “Guidelines” and Recommendations

Here’s what I’d do if I had to raise a kid all over again and I wanted them to become a healthy, active, strong human. These are my soft guidelines and recommendations.

Provide Ad Libitum Play

Play must be the foundation. Play is fun, and the way kids play is usually active. You let kids play, then, and they’ll do so by moving their bodies and exploring the world, and this will create a powerfully positive association with movement and physical activity. Then, if you want to introduce something more regimented later on, they’ll be more open to it. But play must always form the basis of children’s movement.

Many adults can get away with grueling workouts as the basis of their leisure time (not me), but kids cannot.

Focus on Form and Technique

Untouched, unmarred kids will generally show pretty good – maybe flawless – form when squatting and lifting things. They’re bendy and flexible and mobile and their connective tissue hasn’t hardened or stiffened up from misuse or disuse. Thus, if you can instill excellent form and make sure they maintain that form from an early age, they’ll be set for life.

Most exercise injuries come from bad form and technique. If you want to avoid those dreaded growth plate injuries, whether your kids are weight lifting, doing plyometrics, running, playing sports, or just playing, focusing on form is essential.

Keep “Workouts” Short and Snappy

Don’t linger too much on one exercise. Instead of putting your six year old on Starting Strength for toddlers, work the movements into everyday life so your kid gets short bursts of activity. Bust out with squats in the middle of a walk to school. Do some Grok crawls down the produce aisle. Sprint to the stop sign. Pick up every rock you find on your hike, making sure your kid displays a proper hip hinge every time (this is a good way to cement excellent form for both parent and child).

When you do a workout, keep things moving. Don’t prescribe specific reps and sets every single time you exercise.

“Disguise” Your Workouts

Instead of five founds of Grok crawls, box jumps, and pullups, set up an obstacle course in the front yard or at the park. Tunnels that you have to crawl through, cones that you have to jump over, and a tree that must be climbed. Let kids be kids and keep things fun.

Push sports, but don’t put too much pressure on your kid, especially by focusing obsessively on one sport or activity to the detriment of overall general development.

Pressure breeds resentment and kills enjoyment. While an adult weight lifter going for a max deadlift probably benefits from his workout partner (read: peer) screaming in his ear to “Pull!”, a ten year-old kid isn’t going to get better at free throws because his dad (read: parent, authority figure) screamed at him to do so. You’re trying to organically foster enthusiasm for movement, sport, and fitness, and you do that by letting the kid discover his own path and being there to nudge him in the right direction when asked.

Get baseballs, soccer balls, footballs, and basketballs. Your kid should play the sport your kid wants to play, not the one you wished you could play.

Participate!

You’re not a coach. You’re the parent. Join in with your kid. Use him or her as a weight. Wrestle with them. Go outside with them. Race them. Climb trees with them. I see parents at playgrounds staring at their phone while kids play, often alone, and I shake my head at the missed opportunity. Get in there and play too!

Buy a small kettlebell for your kid. Make some sandbags, clubbells, and slosh tubes in adult and kid sizes.

Let Them Climb Stuff

Trees, pullup bars, ropes, fences. If you can, see about installing a pullup bar or rope climb at your place of residence. Have that kid climb on that thing as much as possible as soon as those opposable thumbs are functioning.

Let Them Jump Onto and Off of Stuff

Kids fall, a lot. Teaching them how to launch themselves into the air and handle themselves while there will help avoid many of the potential downsides of the inevitable descent. It may even lower the incidence rate of accidental falls, and it will certainly improve their ground-foot interfacing skills.

Let Them Balance on Stuff

Balance is an essential skill that will pay dividends down the line, in both everyday life and athletic endeavors. Simple planks of wood laid out in the yard make for a safe, effective balance beam. This will also make expert maneuvering of the cracks in the sidewalk (and avoidance of maternal lumbar fractures) possible.

Let Them Swim

Swimming is a valuable skill that will stay with your child for life. It’s like flying. At least, that’s how I saw it when I was a kid.

Relax!

Kids do dangerous things as a rule. They ride skateboards and make jumps. They climb trees and fall from them – sometimes on purpose to “see what happens.” They play football, get in scuffles, and make hairpin turns at breakneck speeds while dribbling a ball (with either hands or feet). Sports are dangerous, sure, but so is just about anything you do involving your body and the laws of physics. Let them figure it out. You’ll be there if something goes wrong.

It basically boils down to this: get kids moving and balancing and playing early, get them strong, mobile, and agile, and you’ll improve their ability to handle their own body in a dangerous world, thus reducing the chance that any serious injury will occur. And just like you never forget how to ride a bike or swim once you’ve learned it as a child, a kid who is active from the start will never lose that ability – or desire – to move as an adult.

That’s about the best gift you can give your child, if you ask me. (And in case you didn’t notice, all those guidelines are pretty effective for non-kids, too.)

So, parents and everyone else, what do you think?

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-should-children-exercise/#ixzz1nbtzcfSP

Filed Under: Boxing, Conditioning, HIIT X-treme, Kettlebell, Muscle Endurance Tagged With: , , , , ,

ROD 022112

February 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Tuesday, 21Feb12

 

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This Super Boxing X-Treme class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

___________________________________________________________________

 

Fight Gone Bitchin’

In this workout you spend one minute at each of five stations, resulting in a a five-minute round after which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. This event calls for three rounds. The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of ‘rotate,’ the group must move to the next station immediately.

The stations are:

  1. Wall-ball, 10 ft target
  2. Barbell Sumo deadlift high-pull
  3. Box jump
  4. Barbell Push-press
  5. Row

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Coaches Corner

Nutrition tip of the day: 10 Snacks Under 200 Calories

1. Raw Almonds and Raspberries- 79 Calories

2. Chobani Greek Yogurt (Blueberry) w/ Ground Flax Meal
Yogurt (1 Container)- 200 Calories

3. 10 Baby Carrots and 10 Cherry Tomatoes with 2 tbsp spoons Hummus
136 Calories

4. Banana with Almond Butter w/ Roasted Flax Seeds
Small Banana- 100 Calories

5. Almond Milk and frozen Fruit Smoothie 
1 Cup Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
Half Cup Frozen Unsweetened Raspberries
Half Cup Frozen Unsweetened Blueberries
Half Tablespoon Organic Agave Syrup
142 Calories

6. Unsweetened Apple Sauce with Cinnamon- 100 Calories

7. 1/2 cup Beets and 1/4 Avocados with 1 Tbsp EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar
180 Calories
8. 1 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese with 1 small Zucchini- 180 Calories

9. Tomato Slice Rolled in 3 pieces of Sliced Turkey with 2 tsp. Mustard
106 Calories

10. 1 cup Kale Chips and 2 tbsp. White Bean Dip- 115 Calories

Filed Under: Barbell Training, Boxing, Conditioning, Fat Burner, High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT X-treme, Muscle Endurance Tagged With: , , ,

ROD 021612

February 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Thursday, 16Feb12

 

This class is not for convenience, nor is it for those who want light weights at every workout. This class is for those who are looking to take their fitness game to the next level. The movements taught in this class are advanced. Do not show up to this class if you think an 8k kettlebell is just right for you. Every Thursday this class will meet at the scheduled time to perform heavier than normal advanced movements. In this class you are required to post your time and weights used, to comments. Those of you who do not want to meet these requirements are invited to the Boxing class at 8:00 pm. We do have members who want to take their fitness to another level and we ask you to respect their rights to do so. Please do not show up to the class just because it fits into your schedule that week.

30 seconds work / 20 seconds of rest for 6 rounds of the following:

  • KB Dead alternating dip and switch
  • KB Snatch (long cycle switching at each rd))
  • KB Seated See saw presses
  • KB Windmills (switch each rd)
  • KB Tactical Lunges

Every 2 rounds a 1 minute rest will be given.

________________________________________________________________________

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This Super Boxing X-Treme class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

______________________________________________________________________

 

Filed Under: Boot Camp Training, Boxing, Conditioning, HIIT X-treme, Kettlebell, Muscle Endurance, Power & Strength Tagged With: , , ,

ROD 021412

February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Tuesday, 14Feb12

 

Today’s class will begin at 7:15 pm so be there

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

_____________________________________________________________________

127 Day’s till Summer… So what are you doing about it.

A healthy diet and the right fitness routine are key to looking and feeling healthier. Follow these tips during the spring and you’ll be in swimsuit shape once summer starts.

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

In the springtime, the days get longer and the weather warms up. Swimsuit season isn’t far away. Start now in order to be ready to sport that summer bikini. Plan on two to three months to safely drop any extra pounds you put on over the winter and tone your muscles so you’ll be fit and confident in swimwear and other summer clothing.

Get in shape for the summer

The key to achieving a healthy body is having a plan, says Jim White, RD, a registered dietitian and personal trainer in Virginia Beach, Va. “When you have a plan for fitness and nutrition, you’re more likely to stick to it,” says White. Write down your “Healthy Body by Summer” plan and sign a contract with yourself to help you stick to your goal.

Here are some strategies your diet and fitness plan can include:

  • Eat five meals a day. It’s better to have five or six small meals a day than to skip meals or eat only two or three larger ones, says White, who is also a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. Depending on how active you are, each meal should have 200 to 400 calories and contain protein and carbohydrates. By eating small amounts frequently, you will maintain your energy and stabilize your blood sugar levels. “You won’t be starving and overeat, especially late at night,” White says.
  • Make healthy menu choices. A healthy diet is one that emphasizes fruits and vegetables. “During spring, fill up on non-starchy, seasonal vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, and greens,” White says. To help curb hunger, have some protein at every meal, such as fish, chicken, and lean meats. Include some low- or non-fat dairy products such as fat-free milk or low-fat yogurt two or three times a day. Grill, bake, or broil your foods rather than frying them in fat. If you plan your meals around these healthy foods and leave out choices with empty calories, such as soda and chips, you’ll be better able to maintain a healthy weight.
  • Plan menus a week at a time. It’s easier to follow a healthy diet when you have the proper foods to cook with at home. If you’re busy during the week, prepare meals and snacks during the weekend and freeze weekday meals. That way you’ll control your portion sizes and also have healthy, low-calorie foods ready for taking to work or when you’re short on time.
  • Schedule aerobic exercise. Beginners should start with at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise — such as walking, jogging, biking, rollerblading, or dancing — three times a week. As you build stamina, you can increase to 30 minutes and work up to 60 minutes. By summer, strive to do aerobic exercise for 60 minutes at least five times a week, White says. If you choose an activity you enjoy, you’re more likely to stick with it.
  • Build muscle. White also recommends weight training at least two days a week for at least 30 minutes each time. This helps build muscle and speeds up your metabolism. Women should start with 5- to 10-pound weights and do one set of 10 to 15 repetitions per exercise. Check in with a gym trainer who can ensure you’re doing the exercises correctly. As you gain strength, you can increase the number of sets per session. By 12 weeks, you could be doing several sets. “Most people recommend that you do one set per body part,” White says, but for efficiency he suggests full-body exercises. “That’s where you combine two exercises into one, like a lunge curl or a squat with an overhead shoulder press. That way you’re killing two birds with one stone and keeping the whole workout intense.” You can use bands, weights, kettlebells, dumbbells, or medicine balls — anything that creates resistance will improve your fitness. Find out more about losing weight by building muscle.
  • Find a friend. Partner with someone who is also motivated to be swimsuit-ready come summer. “You will get better results if you exercise with a friend. This not only gives you camaraderie, but can provide some healthy competition,” White says. An experienced friend also can show you the fitness ropes.
  • Weigh in. Every two weeks, weigh yourself first thing in the morning. Step on the scale after using the bathroom, and weigh yourself without clothes to accurately chart your progress. Watching your weight on the scale go down can be very motivating. However, it’s possible that you’ll lose body fat but not overall weight, so get a tape measure and wrap it around your waist at your belly button to assess your progress.

The spring weather can be a great motivator to drop your winter weight gain and improve your health. Follow these simple diet and exercise tips and you’ll be in swimsuit-ready shape for summer.

 

 

Filed Under: Boot Camp Training, Boxing, Power & Strength Tagged With: ,

ROD 020912

February 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Thursday, 09Feb12

 

X-treme ROD

4 rounds for time…of

  • 10 Deadlifts
  • 10 Pushups with KB pull throughs
  • 10 Goblet Squats
  • 10 KB Shoulder passes
  • 10 KB Cleans (5r/l)

______________________________________________________________________

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

______________________________________________________________________

Turning to Kettlebells to Ease Back Pain

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR

Kettlebells, cast-iron weights that have been used for centuries to train Russian soldiers and athletes, appear to be a promising therapy for back and neck pain, new research shows.

Although many people with backaches and other pains shy away from weight lifting for fear of hurting themselves, studies show that strength training can reduce pain and prevent reinjury. While most research has used traditional weight training exercises, researchers in Denmark set out to study whether a kettlebell workout offered therapeutic benefits to back pain sufferers.

The weights, named for their resemblance to a tea kettle with a looped handle, began showing up in American gyms about 15 years ago and have gained a popular following among exercise buffs looking for a quick full-body workout. Unlike traditional weight training, which typically focuses on lifting exercises, a kettlebell workout requires both swinging and lifting of the weights, which for beginners can be awkward and difficult to control.

In a study published last year, the Danish researchers recruited 40 pharmaceutical workers, mostly middle-aged women with back, shoulder and neck pain, who were randomly assigned to either a regular kettlebell workout or a control group that was simply encouraged to exercise. The first group trained with kettlebells in 20-minute sessions two to three times a week for eight weeks, according to the report, published in The Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health.

At the end of the study, the kettlebell exercisers reported less pain as well as improved strength in the trunk and core muscles, compared with the control group. Over all, working out with kettlebells reduced lower back pain by 57 percent and cut neck and shoulder pain by 46 percent.

The study’s senior author, Lars L. Andersen, a government researcher in Denmark, noted that workers who spend much of the day sitting are particularly vulnerable to back, shoulder and neck pain because they develop tightness and weak spots along the posterior muscle chain, which includes the muscles running from the lower back down to the glutes, hamstrings and calves. Kettlebell workouts strengthen the posterior muscle chain, and the increased blood flow to the back and leg muscles also may lessen pain by reducing the buildup of lactic acid, the authors wrote.

While isolation exercises like curls and presses have their benefits, kettlebell movements recruit multiple muscles and teach the body “to move as one unit,” said J.J. Blea, a certified kettlebell instructor and an owner of Firebellz in Albuquerque, one of the top kettlebell gyms in the country.

Because kettlebells can be difficult to control, it’s important to learn proper form from a certified instructor or a kettlebell class at a gym. The cornerstone of the kettlebell workout requires the exerciser to swing the kettlebell between the legs. In the Danish study, women started with a 17.5-pound kettlebell and men with a 26.5-pound kettlebell.

“When you’re doing a swing, you squeeze your quads, you squeeze your glutes, and you squeeze your abs,” said Mr. Blea. “By squeezing these muscles, you protect your back. It creates power, and it increases strength.”

Kettlebell training is also surprisingly aerobic. A study by the American Council on Exercise found that a 20-minute kettlebell workout burns about 21 calories a minute, the equivalent of running at a six-minute-mile pace.

 

Filed Under: Boxing, Conditioning, Fat Burner, HIIT X-treme, Kettlebell Tagged With: , , ,

ROD 020712

February 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Tuesday, 07Feb12

 

NLP Boxing at 7pm

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

_____________________________________________________________________

HIIT Xtreme at 8pm

30 seconds of work 20 seconds of rest non-stop for 4 rounds

  • Pull-ups
  • Wall Ball
  • Ball Slams
  • DB Single leg alt step-up jumps

Then a 2 min rest…then the following for another non-stop 4 rounds

  • Dynamax log throws
  • T-Stab push-ups
  • Bosu jump & touch down
  • Push Press

_____________________________________________________________________

 Our own Humanitarium

Kelly Graham is one of our motivated veteran athlete trainees here at NLP. This is Kelly’s second year with us and she is constantly training to better herself and the sport she loves, Softball.

This is Kelly back in Jan 2011     Nice form Kelly!!

Kelly went to Guatemala at the end of January with an organization called, “Beyond the Walls”. She went to a very poor town where the people have virtually nothing. She successfully raised funds to help build a house for a family who lives there. She’s now back from Guatemala and fulfilled her promise of building a nice house for the Vargas family. It’s funny because when asked about the experience, Kelly made reference on how the training at Next Level helped her in lifting heavy buckets of wet concrete and performing various laborious tasks that left her colleagues sore while she felt no soreness whatsoever. She writes;

 Hey Juan and everyone from NLP,

I just wanted to thank you for your support. My trip was very
successful and the family is beyond grateful for the home we have
provided to them. We have two people to thank, the first being God for
making all of this possible, and second being all of the supporters,
whose funds were what put the roof over the heads of the Vargas
family.

The photo I have attached is my group along with the Vargas family.

Thanks again!

Kelly Graham

                    

 

No, thank you Kelly for your selfless assistance to those in need. You are a true humanitarium. NLP is so proud of your efforts and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. ~ NLP Staff

Filed Under: Boxing, Conditioning, Fat Burner, High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT X-treme Tagged With: , , , ,

ROD 012612

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ROD

Thursday, 26Jan12

 

X- treme ROD

This is a timed set of 30 seconds on and 20 seconds rest for 5 rounds ~ No Rest

  • Deadlifts
  • Weighted Step ups
  • Wall Ball
  • Dbl KB Swings
  • Ball slams

___________________________________________________________________________

Ready for Anything Training!!!!!

This class is a 1 hour ass kicking circuit that will leave you in a puddle of sweat.

Your cardiorespiratory and muscle strength will benefit from our motivational, challenging and fun circuit training set to energetic music.

Let’s see what you’ve got!!!!

Filed Under: Barbell Training, Bodyweight, Conditioning, Deadlifts, Fat Burner Tagged With: , , ,
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