Strength & Cardio Workout #1

I. STRENGTH

Complete 10 rounds
1 set of all 5 exercises = 1 round
Perform exercises in the order listed below
Once you have performed all 5 exercises rest 1 minute then begin next round
After 10th round begin cardio portion of the workout


1. Body Weight Isometric Squat :30 - :60
Hold bottom position of the squat (top of thigh parallel to floor or below)


2. Isometric Push Up :30 - :60


3. Isometric Lateral Lunge :30 - :60
Hold bottom position of the lunge (top of thigh parallel to floor or below)


4. Burpees x 10 (NO push up)


5. Trunk Twists x 8 (8 right & 8 left)


II. CONDITIONING (Beginner)
100m stride x 5

Use the straight (100m) of a track for all repetitions
Stride/Run (70% effort) 100 meters
Active Rest (Immediately walk back to the start)
Once you return to beginning/starting line turn around and begin next stride

*CONDITIONING (Intermediate)
100m x 5
Use the straight (100m) of a track for all repetitions
Stride (85% effort) 100 meters in :16-:20 seconds
Active Rest (Immediately jog back to the start)
Once you return to beginning/starting line turn around and begin next stride
*Use a 3:1 work to rest ratio.
Example= finish stride in :20/jog back in 1 minute
= finish stride in :19/jog back in 57 seconds
= finish stride in :18/jog back in 54 seconds
= finish stride in :17/jog back in 51 seconds
= finish stride in :16/jog back in 48 seconds
Once you return to beginning/starting line turn around and begin next stride

Should I stretch before a workout?

Yes! You definitely want to stretch before vigorous activity. However, most people perform the stretches that should be done after a workout (static stretches), at the wrong time. You all know what static stretches are. We grew up on them, and carried them out mindlessly during PE. You sit down with your legs straight and touch your toes, or maybe cross your arm across your chest, and hold these positions for 15 - 30 seconds. These are the stretches you want to do AFTER a workout. Why? You will get a better stretch out of muscles that are warm.

Static stretching does serve a purpose. It will help increase range of motion in the joints, and will decrease muscle stiffness as well. However, studies prove that if done before activity, static stretching can produce a decrease in strength and power production. If this is the case, then what is the proper warm up?

A Dynamic warm up will definitely prepare your body for activity. These are a series of moving stretches that will increase the heart rate and increase oxygen and blood flow to the muscles, increase range of motion in the joints, prepare the body for upcoming activity, and target core and joint stability.

In the near future I will post videos of different movements you can incorporate into your own dynamic warm up. This blog however, will focus on different static stretches you can do after a workout. These stretches can be done with a stretching strap (pictured in the photos), a resistance band, or long towel. Using an implement only helps intensify the stretch by applying added pressure.

1. Hamstring

-Sit down and grab the strap, resistance band, or towel.
-Place band over sole of foot, then lie down on your back.
-Keep leg with the strap and the bottom leg straight.
-Apply pressure and pull your leg towards your chest.
-Keep the legs straight so that you fully stretch the hamstrings.
*If you are bending your leg, release a little of the pressure so the leg remains straight.


2. Inner Thigh (Adductor)

-Sit down and grab the strap, resistance band, or towel.
-Place band over the sole of foot, then lie down on your back.
-Allow the leg to fall to the side (without touching the ground)
-Stretch will be felt in the inner thigh and groin region.
-Keep the leg straight so that you fully target the inner thigh.


3. IT (Iliotibial) Band




-Sit down and grab the strap, resistance band, or towel.
-Place band over the sole of foot, then lie down on your back.
-Allow the leg to fall across the body.
-Keep foot flexed and rotate sole of foot toward the ground
-Stretch will be felt on the outside of the thigh.
-Keep the leg straight so that you fully target the thigh.
*Not feeling anything? Keep leg parallel to floor and move it toward your head.
* See that white stripe on the side of my shorts? That is where you should feel the stretch.

3. Glute


-Sit down and grab the strap, resistance band, or towel.
-Place band around ankle, then lie down on your back.
-Bend leg, as shown above, and pull straight down on the band towards the chest.
-Stretch will be felt on the glute of the bent leg.

4. Quadricep


-Sit down and grab the strap, resistance band, or towel.
-Place band around the top of shoes, just above the ankle, then lie down on your stomach.
-With both hands pull the band up and forward so that bottom knee lifts off the ground.
-Once the knee is lifted keep pulling to keep tension constant.
-Stretch will be felt in hip flexor and quadricep

5. Calf


-Sit down and grab the strap, resistance band, or towel.
-Place band over sole of foot, then lie down on your back.
-Keep leg with the strap and the bottom leg straight.
-Apply pressure by pulling down on band so foot becomes flexed.
-Stretch will be felt in the calf.

6. Chest and Biceps


-Grab strap, towel, or resistance band at both ends.
-Lift strap over and behind your head.
-You will feel a stretch in the chest once the band is over head.
-Continue to lower band behind the body and biceps will begin to stretch.
*If you have had a previous shoulder injury, lowering the band too far behind the body may cause too much pain or discomfort. Limit the range of motion of this movement if necessary, or use a wider grip on the band.

7. Triceps


-Grab strap, band, or towel with top hand.
-Allow strap to fall behind the body.
-Grap opposite end with lower hand and apply downward pressure.
-This will stretch the tricep in the top arm.
* Each picture shows a different grip with the bottom hand. Use which ever grip (palms out, or palms in) that will facilitate a greater stretch.

Need somewhere to do the Recess Renegade workout in the East Bay?

I just posted the first workout from the Recess Renegade series. If you live in the east bay, near the Oakland area, you will have all that you need at Montclair Park!

*In between Moraga Avenue and Mountain Boulevard

No Exercise Equipment? No Problem (Workout #2)

Sometimes you want to get a workout in, but you're short on time. This is when you can get back to the basics and perform a variation of simple exercises. There are a variety of ways to execute a push, squat, and lunge. This workout will incorporate isometric variations of these movements. If these are exercises that you do normally, then using a different method to carry out the movement will wake your muscles up! (Ever heard of muscle memory?) This will be a great way to counteract potential plateaus if you do squats, push ups, and lateral lunges regularly.

Essentially you will be holding the bottom position of all of these exercises. For the body weight squat, lower your hips so that the top of your thigh is parallel (or below) to the floor. Hold that position for 30 seconds without moving! Try not to stand up, (or give up), before the 30 seconds expire. To enable proper oxygen flow to your muscles you must breath steadily. In other words, do NOT hold your breath! Do the same with the push ups and lateral lunges as well. For push ups lower yourself as low as you can into the bottom of a push up. Hold that position without lifting your hips to rest, or dropping them to low (to further increase the chance of low back pain). For lateral lunges you will lower your hips so that the top of your thigh is parallel to the floor (on the bent leg). Hold that position without letting your torso lean too far forward. Do all of the isometric exercises first.

The work to rest ration will always be 1:1. This means you will work for 30 seconds, and rest for the same duration of time. Once you have done your isometric squat, rest 30 seconds and move onto push ups. After lateral lunges, utilize your rest time and start back at the top of the list for the next set. If you are doing an advanced version for :45 seconds or more, then your rest time will be the same as your working time. Once you have done 5 sets of ALL of the exercises, then move on to the 2 core exercises. These will be performed regularly.

This should only take about 15 minutes. This may seem simple but believe me it's a challenge. You will be feeling the burn all 15 minutes!! Once this routine gets easy for you, increase the time of the hold. Once you can do these for 1 minute, increase the amount of sets to 6.

Good luck!

ISOMETRIC EXERCISES:
1. Body Weight Squat: x 5
*Beginner: 30 second hold
*Advanced: :45 second - 1 minute hold


2. Push Ups: x 5
*Beginner: :30 second hold
*Advanced: 45 second - 1 minute hold


3. Lateral Lunge: x 5
*Beginner: :30 second hold
*Advanced: :45 second - 1 minute hold


CORE:
4. ABC's: 2 x 10 (2 sets of 10)
(30 reps total if you count the 3 reps within 1 repetition)


5. Lying Trunk Twists: 2 x 10 (2 sets of 10 (each side))

Recess Renegade Workouts

I have yet to post the first workout of the "Recess Renegade" series. I have pretty much filmed the entire workout, except for the negative pull ups. That's one exercise that is going to be tough to film by myself! Once I recruit someone to shoot that footage of me, I will finally be able to share the workout.

Sometimes people get too comfortable at home, and find it difficult to motivate themselves to workout. Having to physically travel somewhere can often make people more accountable. It's also fun to exercise at parks and beaches because the scenery is a tad different than your living room or garage. The Recess Renegade series will incorporate exercises that utilize free equipment like bars and rings that are available at local recreation areas.

Stay tuned! I promise it wont' be long until the first workout is available.

No Exercise Equipment? No Problem! (Workout #1)

Pyramid

Imagine an inverted pyramid where the bigger base of the form is at the top. It gradually gets smaller as your reach the point at the bottom. This workout is a similar concept. You're going to start the first set performing 20 reps of all 6 exercises. Then do 19 reps of all 6 exercises. Then perform 18 reps, then 17 etc. Be sure to do the exercises in the order below.

Example: Set 1 will be 20 squats, then 20 mountain climbers, followed by 20 isometric push ups etc. After you have done the last exercise (:20 second plank), start back at the top and perform another set of all of the exercises (with one less repetition than you did before). The only exception is on ABC's. In the video 3 repetitions equal 1 rep. For the purpose of this workout each hyper-extension will equal one rep. (Otherwise you'll be doing 60 reps that first set!) Once you've done 1 repetition of each exercise you're finished! Use a stopwatch to keep track of your time. The next time you do this workout try to finish in less time than you did your first time!

*Variation: Perform the prescribed number of repetitions for each exercise every single set. Be sure to ALWAYS do the exercises in the same order. Performing all 6 exercises equals one cycle. See how many cycles you can do in 20 minutes!

For either workout be sure to work quickly, but efficiently. Executing the exercises incorrectly will not allow your body to benefit from strength gains. You could also injure yourself if you are not in control of the movements. Don't sacrifice form for speed!

1. Body Weight Squats x 20
2. Mountain Climbers x 20
3. Isometric Push up x :20 sec
4. Lateral Lunges x 20 (10 each leg)
5. ABC's (superman variation) x 20
6. Forearm Plank x :20sec


1. Body Weight Squat


2. Mountain Climbers

3. Isometric Push Up

4. Lateral Lunges

5. ABC's


6. Forearm Plank

Single Leg Dumbbell Olympic Lifts (Because I'm on the injured list)

After finding out I had chondramalacia (arthritis underneath my knee cap), I had to schedule an arthroscopic procedure to help remove some damaged cartilage. The procedure was on June 14, 2010. As of today, August 1, I still cannot perform body weight squats or low impact plyometric exercises. I have been cleared to do some light stretching and isometric exercises with my injured leg, but my lower body strength training is limited. I have done body weight pistol squats, lateral lunges, and dumbbell RDL's with my healthy leg, but I've been itching to kick it up a notch!

I miss doing Olympic lifts (clean and jerk, snatch), and I won't be able to do them regularly for a while. However, this happens to athletes all of the time. They get injured, begin a rehab program, and sooner or later come back into the weight room to resume training. They have to do modified exercises, limit range of motion, or perform single arm/single leg variations of certain exercises until they are back to 100%. What I am posting is a video of a single arm, single leg dumbbell snatch.

Usually I have athletes do a single leg variation of the DB snatch by having them jump, or pull, off one leg and land on two. A single leg catch position requires more core stability and balance, but I dig the challenge! I still find that I can be explosive on the pull, and get triple extension in the ankle, knee, and hip. Check out the video!

*Please be sure to speak with your physician, physical therapist, or certified athletic trainer before attempting any exercises following an injury.