Killer Arm Workout

I finally made it to a yoga class last night and it actually felt good! I was nervous since I have been super tight lately in my hips and glutes but I think the class really helped me stretch out so I am going to try to attend one yoga class a week.

This morning I had a duet training session at the gym with my trainer who usually focuses on kettlebells but this morning we strictly worked on arms using supersets.

Overhead press lying flat on the bench with straight bar paired with sitting concentrated biceps curls with elbow resting on your knee doing one arm at a time

This was done 4 times through with the following weights and reps.

25lbs overhead x 20
10lbs dumbbell x 15 each arm

30lbs overhead x 15
12.5lbs dumbbell x 12 each arm

35lbs overhead x 12
12.5lbs dumbbell x 13 each arm

50lbs overhead x 12
15lbs dumbbell x 10 each arm

Once I was done with this circuit I moved on to rows with the straight bar paired with overhead triceps extensions on the keiser machine.

This was done 4 times through with the following weights and reps.

30lbs straight bar x 20
13lbs on keiser x 20

35lbs straight bar x 15
15lbs on keiser x 15

50lbs straight bar x 12
17lbs on keiser x 15
55lbs straight bar x 10
17lbs on keiser x 12

Next it was on to a kettlebell ladder with a 10kg or 22lbs which consisted of high pulls and clean and presses.

10 high pulls on each arm
10 clean and presses on each arm

8 high pulls on each arm
8 clean and presses on each arm

6 high pulls on each arm
6 clean and presses on each arm

4 high pulls on each arm
4 clean and presses on each arm

The last set we did was a clean and press with a straight bar paired with a sitting reverse fly with dumbells.

25lbs straight bar x 20
10lbs dumbbell x 20
 12.5lbs dumbbell x 15
30lbs straight bar x 15

 
30lbs straight bar x 15
12.5lbs dumbbell x 15

35lbs straight bar x 10


Sorry for no pics but I really wanted to share this workout since it was a killer. I was sweating up a storm which I normally don't do if I am just lifting so needless to say I felt great after this workout, it may be a different story tonight when I have to take my 30 minute APC circuit class but we shall see.

Question: What is your favorite type of workout?
15lbs dumbbell x 10

TGIT

Today is like my Friday because tomorrow I have my annual summer work outing on an island off of the cape. I started my morning off at the gym with 15 minutes on the stair master doing intervals of 75 and 90 steps per minute followed by a 30 minute kettlebell training session.

I thought I would share two meals I had yesterday because they were both so good. For lunch I got a mango salad from Qdoba but instead of adding their chicken I added my own leftover ground turkey I had from Monday night tacos.

I had a massage last night so I decided to just pick something up on my way home for dinner. I stopped at The Healthy Kitchen and got an order of chicken lettuce wraps. They were so delicious and filling I couldn't finish them all. I want to try to make my own version of these sometime.

Question: Do you have a lettuce wrap recipe you love?

Kettlebell Training

I came across this article regarding Kettlebells the other day and I thought I would share it with you. I strongly encourage everyone to try out Kettlebells if you haven't already.

The Top 8 Reasons Why You Should Train With Kettlebells

by Jason C. Brown, CSCS, KBAKettlebell Athletics

Critics of kettlebell training simply dismiss it as a passing fad without a true understanding of the historical record and the shared history’s of kettlebell training and athletic development and fitness training.

I’m well aware of the volumes of hype that have been written about kettlebell training and it’s benefits, sometimes this hype is for marketing purposes, more often however, it’s for a good reason. Kettlebell training holds some distinct advantages over other training tools within the fitness professional and conditioning coaches’ toolbox.

Below are my Top 8 Reasons Why You Should Train with Kettlebells.

1. Kettlebell training amplifies your power output. This may be my favorite reason to train with kettlebells! Since classic kettlebell lifts such as the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk cannot be performed slowly, they develop a special quality known as power-endurance, or your ability to produce movements over an extended period of time. This differs from strength-endurance. Strength- endurance is your ability to produce force over an extended period of time. Power-endurance adds another time component; power-endurance is your ability to sustain fast muscular contractions over an extended period of time. While both strength-endurance and power-endurance are essential qualities to possess, power-endurance is usually what determines who the winner is in sport. Power-endurance training is also an excellent way to training for fat loss and conditioning.

2. Kettlebell training teaches your body how to contend with a constantly changing center of gravity. By design, the kettlebell’s center of gravity lays 6- 8 inches outside of your grip; this replicates the forces that you’ll encounter in sport and activities in daily living. This feature of the kettlebell will help improve this aspect of sports performance.

3. Kettlebell training builds powerful forearms and a strong grip. Kettlebells possess a thicker handle than their barbell and dumbbell counterparts taxing your grip and developing greater forearm strength. As our society continues to move away from manual labor our grip strength continues to decrease as well. Kettlebell training will help reverse this trend. The design of the kettlebell also adds another unique component to your grip training. Since the kettlebell’s center of gravity is usually in motion your grip training becomes a combination of dynamic and static muscular contractions in an attempt to control that fluctuating center of mass.

4. Kettlebell training improves your cardio –respiratory fitness. Since many kettlebell exercises take place with your arms in an overhead position the muscles responsible for assisting the breathing process are engaged in muscular activity, not allowing them to assist in the respiratory process. This forces the muscles most responsible for breathing to play an even larger role in cardio-vascular fitness.

5. Kettlebell training eliminates the need for a large training facility. The fitness industry is undergoing a change in thought and design…”Small is the new big…” Smaller, more focused fitness and sport training facilities increase in number daily and are much more profitable than larger, less personal studios. This makes kettlebell training ideal for small facilities. Kettlebells possess a very small footprint, meaning that they take up very little floor space. Kettlebells don’t require expensive racks; they can be stored in the corner or underneath other equipment.

6. Kettlebell training allows you to reduce overall training time, so you can devote your attention to other issues such as strategy, skill, rest and recovery. We all know how time-crunched everyone is today. A quick yet effective workout is the order of the day and kettlebell training delivers.

7. Kettlebell training bridges the gap between strength training and cardio; sport and real life do not respect the difference.

8. Kettlebell training allows you to never miss your workout. Again, we all know how busy people are today. Kettlebells allow you to train anywhere, the local park, beach, outside or inside.

Question: Have you ever trained with Kettlebells and if so what are your thoughts?

Two Time Thursday

Yesterday was a very busy day foe me. I was up bright and early to head to the gym for a quick cardio warmup followed by a 45 minute kettlebell session. During our session I was able to use a new kettlebell which they just got at the gym. The weight is 10kg so it is about 2lbs heavier than what I usually use and it made a big difference but in a good way.

Kettlebells

During our workout we did several rounds which included swings, figure eights, high pulls, and clean and presses. I love kettlebells so much since they are not only used for a great strength training workout but they also keep your heart rate elevated during the workout or round.

After I finished my workout it was home to shower, change and head to work. It was another day which flew by at work since I am training a new employee. Before I knew it the clock struck five and it was time to leave and head back to the gym for my bosu and bells class with Keri. My gym just finished a new Athletic Performance Center (ACP) which has turf and a bunch of other fun new toys to play with. We started our class tonight in the new ACP studio where we did some dynamic stretching and warmups. Then we did a bunch of ab work using some new weighted medicine balls, which we got to throw up against a wall. It was so much gin doing this plus it got out a little anger I had built up this week. After doing several exercises with the new medicine balls we headed upstairs to our normal studio and finished class using kettlebells, bosus and myoforce. I love when I can get two quality workouts in during one day, it makes me feel so accomplished.

Weighted Medicine Ball

Question: Do you ever do double workouts in one day?

Fitness Fun-Kettlebell Version

Since I have been experimenting in different exercise classes and various forms of exercises lately I felt like I should shares some of them over the course of the next week or so. I am going to begin with kettlebells.

Kettlebells

A typical round would consist of one minute of swings (I have worked up to a single arm swing so I do 30 seconds with each arm)

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Followed by1 minute of figure eight to a hold

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Followed by 30 seconds of a high pull on each arm

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Followed by 30 seconds of clean and press on each arm then 30 seconds of just presses


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Finished with a another minute of swings. Below is a one arm swing.

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This what I would consider one of my typical rounds of kettlebells.

Question: Have you ever tried kettlebells, if so what are your thoughts on them?

Yoga Success

So I have been sticking with my goal to attend at least one yoga class a week. Last night I attended another vinyasa yoga class and I am actually starting to enjoy it. My body feels so stretched and relaxed  after class is over. Even after May is over I am going to continue my goal of attending at least one class a week and maybe even two if I can fit it into my schedule.
 


After yoga class I went home and made my broccoli rabe and sausage as I had mentioned I would in my WIAW post (which for some reason has now disappeared) from my blog.  Then it was time to cuddle on the couch for a little with Joe since I feel like I haven't seen him all week.

This morning I got to sleep in a little since I wasn't meeting for my duet session until 6:15 this morning.  This session was a kettlebell workout where we completed a full round (which consists of swings, figure eights, high pulls and cleans and presses), worked on shoulder stabilization and did a ladder (which was a round of swings followed by cleans and presses then just presses on each side and finished with a round of swings). During the ladder round we did a decreasing ladder which went from 8 to 6 to 4 of each exercise on each side.

Here is an example of a swing

Question: What is your favorite yoga class to take?



Tired Thursday

So I took my first yoga class in a long time last night. The class was vinyasa yoga in a heated room. I was very proud of myself since I could do most moves except crow, which will now be my another goal of mine to be able to do that. I felt great during yoga as it really helped me stretch my sore muscles and I even got a little sweaty which made me feel like I got in a good workout.

My goal is to look like this

Dinner last night was leftover pasta from the night before. Joe went out to watch the bruins and play trivia so I had the night to myself, which is nice every once in awhile.

This morning I literally had to drag myself out of bed, I was so tired but I did it! I headed to the gym around 5:30 for a quick cardio workout on the elliptical before my appointment at 6:00 with my trainer Cheryl and another member at the gym. We do duet personal training to save a little bit of money. I am so glad I got up though because we had a great upper body and kettlebell workout.

After I left the gym I knew that I wouldn't be able to get through the day without a toasted almond iced coffee from nowhere else but Marylou's!


Waiting for the train enjoying my iced coffee

I made a quick smoothie when I got home for breakfast and took my vitamins, 2 fish oil capsules and a multivitamin.

Spring has arrived flowers in bloom and pool is open

Question: Do you take any supplements, if so which ones?

Pasta Tuesday

I get to sleep in a little on Tuesday  since I don't have my kettlebell class until 5:50. I love kettlebells mostly because I think it is a bang for your buck luck kind of workout. You not only get a great strength training workout but you also get tour heart rate up.

Breakfast was a banana almond smoothie which was delicious and just what I wanted. This mornings snack was my usual Greek yogurt, apples and cinnamon but today I remembered to take a picture.

For lunch I made a sandwich out of leftovers from last nights chicken with mixed greens on top and I paired it with an asian pear.

After work I headed to the gym even though I was exhausted and wanted to blow off this workout. I met with my trainer for a 30 minute strength training session. My trainer Keri is awesome and always pushes me to my limits. She helped me loose 20lbs and get into the best shape of my life!

Dinner was sausage and broccolini with whole wheat pasta. This was super easy to make. I chopped the ends off the broccolini and boiled it for a few minutes. I then cooked the whole wheat medium shells all while cooking the italian chicken sausage (casing removed) and garlic in a pan (no oil used). I kept breaking up the sausage into crumbles as it cooked. Once fully cooked I added the broccolini and cooked pasta and mixed together. I then added some red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese and chicken stock (just enough to wet the pasta but not make it soupy.

It was the first time I made this and Joe and I decided it is a keeper!

Finished product!

Question: Have you ever tried kettlebells, if so what were your thoughts?