40 Love!

Atomic Pushup

Ahh! Remember me?! SOOO, it's been awhile, but here is a great workout to get back into it!

I call it "40 LOVE" and here is how it goes:

1/2 mile RUN or 1/4 mile WALK (we were in a group so this kept our time close)

40 Atomic Pushups (TRX or with a ball)

1/2 mile RUN or 1/4 mile WALK

40 Duck Unders (We used a bar, but can do low side squats)

40 Wall Toss (Medicine Ball-8lbs+)

1/2 mile RUN or 1/4 mile WALK

40 Hop Overs (Hands on bench 6 risers high and hops side to side)

40 Squat Thrust (10lbs+ dumbbells, hands in front, palms facing each other, squat then press arms up)

1/2 mile RUN or 1/4 mile WALK

40 TRX Pike (Can be done on ball)

40 Squat Jumps (I HATE these!)

1/2 mile RUN or 1/4 mile WALK

Should take about an hour to do it all!

ENJOY!

A Week of Push-Ups!

This week we are focusing on Push-Ups and some of the variety of push-ups I've talked about on this blog will be demonstrated on #katsmoveoftheday starting with the breakdown of a BASIC PUSH-UP, and then also ELEVATED FEET, ELEVATED HANDS, GRASSHOPPER, and STAGGERED. 

As I make the videos, I'll add the link to this page or just check Instagram daily for the new move!

ENJOY!

All You Need is a Seat!

I'm finally back from vacation and I managed to work out once. 

Pathetic I know!

The funny thing is, I worked out in my old bedroom where all I had 

was 5lb weights and a window seat.

There is A LOT you can do with those two little items!

Heck, there is a lot you can do with just that seat!

Here are some things you can do in a limited area with a limited item!

 Step Ups: Alternate Legs or stick to one for 1 minute straight and then switch!

You will totally get your heart racing plus sculpt your legs!

Dips: Straighten your legs to make this move harder. This will tone and tighten

your "wavebacks" (you know, that part of your arm that waves back as you wave!).

 I don't even know what to call these, but they are my favorite move!

Slowly slide down but do not rest your foot on the floor!

Then you slide back up!

Your thighs and behind will be screaming their thanks!

Bulgarian Squats: With your back leg elevated, simply preform a lunge. 

The key is to make sure your form is still correct (no front knees over the toes).

After 16 on one side, switch sides!

Elevated Pushups: This move is a quick way to engage your whole body!

Hold it in a plank position if you can't quite do the pushups.

Either way, you will be toning!

There you go! Five moves to get moving with only a stair, window seat, chair, or whatever

you may have handy. Maybe it's a park bench as you are running? Or perhaps

a hay bell that you have sitting in your field 

(okay, I'm from Idaho! and actually that would probably be really painful! Forget the hay bell!)!

Most likely it's the edge of your couch as you are watching Sesame Street 

with your kids! Whatever it is, keep moving!

ENJOY!

Compound It!

Compound moves are a great way to hit two birds with one stone. 

Double the work for half the time. 

Great, right?!

Here are a few Compound Moves to work your muscles!

 Lunge/Curls: Step forward into a lunge, add a biceps curl, step back to standing. Switch legs.

Works quads, behind, and biceps.

Plie Squat/Lift: Plie squat with your hands in front. As you go to stand, keep elbows out and pull

hands up. Press it back down and return to squat.

Works inner/outer thighs, behind, quads, hamstrings, upper back.

Squat Press: Holds hands together, palms in. Squat and as you raise to standing, press

your hands up. Return to start.

Works quads, behind, shoulders.

Plank Jacks

Planks are such a great move to attack your core and give you some amazing results.

I love a good plank variation, and Plank Jacks are some of my favorites.

When Googling a picture for this move, this is what came up:

(Get it?! "Plank Jack"! I thought that was funny!)

Anyhoo, this is the REAL move:

Start out in a plank position. "Jack" your legs out and in. The key is to keep your

booty low and stick in the plank position. 

Do 3 sets of 10 and call yourself amazing!

ENJOY!

Staggered Elevated Pushups

I love a good variation of an old classic, and what's more classic than a pushup?!

One of my favorite variations is a staggered elevated pushup.

(I promise it sounds scarier than it really is!)

You start with one arm on the floor, and one arm elevated on something.

This can be a step, a stair, a medicine ball, a buso ball, a stack of books . . . you get the idea!

Do a number of these on one side, then switch sides to even it out.

Easy Peasy!

Here's a Pyramid Challenge:

8R (right arm elevated)

8L (left arm elevated)

4R

4L

2R

2L

4R

4L

8R

8L

Rest when needed.

ENJOY!

Pump It (louder!)

I'm going back to a "what we did today" post!

As most of you know, I teach a hardcore cardio class. 

Also, I recently joined in on a personal training bootcamp!

So combining these two awesome things, this is what we did today!

Weight Size: Heavyish. Probably 10-15lbs Dumb Bells

Sets of:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

of:

Deadlifts

Rows

Cleans

Shoulder Presses

Front Squats

*My pictures are all with a bar. We used dumb bells. Either work just fine!

Dead Lift

Row

Cleans

Shoulder Press

Front Squat

Enjoy!

Pyramid Planks

Alright, last pyramid for the week! Today we are doing Plank Jacks (where from plank position you jumping jack your legs out and in) and Mountain Man (both right and left leg come up for 1 rep).

This one is honestly not bad, so don't be afraid to repeat!

9 Plank Jacks - 1 Mountain Man

8 Plank Jacks - 2 Mountain Mans (or Mountain Men?!)

7 Plank Jacks - 3 Mountain Mans

6 Plank Jacks - 4 Mountain Mans

5 Plank Jacks - 5 Mountain Mans

4 Plank Jacks - 6 Mountain Mans

3 Plank Jacks -7 Mountain Mans

2 Plank Jacks -8 Mountain Mans

1 Plank Jack -9 Mountain Mans

Enjoy!

Pyramid Abs

For todays workout, you can either use a TRX Suspension Trainer (LOVE) or a basic

workout ball (also love)!  We are going to be doing BALL ROLL INS or TRX CRUNCH, and PUSHUPS!

Ball Roll Ins--Pushup will be done from A.

TRX Crunch and Pushup

 The Workout:

9 Crunch/Roll ins : 1 Pushup

8 Crunch/Roll ins : 2 Pushups

                              7 Crunch/Roll ins : 3 Pushups
                              6 Crunch/Roll ins : 4 Pushups
                              5 Crunch/Roll ins : 5 Pushups
                              4 Crunch/Roll ins : 6 Pushups
                              3 Crunch/Roll ins : 7 Pushups
                              2 Crunch/Roll ins : 8 Pushups
                               1 Crunch/Roll in : 9 Pushups

                                                ENJOY!

Pin This: Burpees from Hell (not really, but I thought I would be dramatic!)

Burpee/Squat Pyramid

Fun Kat Fact: I just ordered this same bra in black and I'm SUPER excited for it to show up!

Pin Here

Original Post Here

The Breakdown:

9 Burpees: 1 Squat

8 Burpees: 2 Squats

7 Burpees: 3 Squats

6 Burpees: 4 Squats

5 Burpees: 5 Squats

4 Burpees: 6 Squats

3 Burpees: 7 Squats

2 Burpees: 8 Squats

1 Burpee: 9 Squats

Basically by round two I was sucking for air! I thought squats would be the "break" as

my body recoups for the next set of burpees, but your legs are engaged the whole

time so the legs are SCREAMING by the time the squats occur! Great drill! Stellar on its

own or in addition to your regular workout! I'm scared how my body will be feeling tomorrow!

ENJOY!

Pin This: Medicine Ball Workout

Today's Pin: Medicine Ball Workout

Pin Here

Website Here

My thoughts: This workout is awesome! Burpees with the ball add an extra torture factor

that makes you core scream! I love Russian Twists, and Sit and Reach's (both of these moves

can be done with no ball or with a weight instead). Planks are stellar for the core, 

but adding the ball adds an extra balance challenge that engages the core as well. 

Toe Taps are honestly just a great way to get your heart pumping. 

This workout is definitely worth the PIN and definitely worth a try!

ENJOY!

Crossfit Inspired: Katrina Approved

This is one of my favorite Crossfit Inspired workouts!

I found out that I'm subbing a class Resistance Interval Plyo Something-or-other class at 8:30am

  (after teaching a sculpt class at 5:30am),

so this is what I'm going to make THEM do!

(I may sit there and sip some chocolate milk or something!)

*the numbers indicate how many you do per round, so 21 squats, 21 jump . . . then 18 squats, etc*

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Squat (30+lbs bar)

Jump Jacks or Rope

Deadlifts (20+lbs)

Box Hops

Sadly, this won't fill the whole hour class, so we'll see what else I'll make them do. Try this routine at home! It's great and takes about 20 minutes after a proper warm-up! Add some

abs at the end and you have a stellar workout!

ENJOY!

Challenge: How Many Can You Do?

I'm not gonna lie. I'm still feeling like crap! Dang allergies!

AND I had to go to the dentist today, so my face is still slightly numb!

(The plus side, my dentist is a hottie! AND I have 3 kids with him!)

As a result, it's 4:30pm and I'm finally posting a challenge for the day!

Today's Challenge: How many PUSHUPS can you do in 3 minutes?!

3 Minutes!

That's EASY, right?!

Try it! And let me know!

(I'm going to go take some more medicine before my lifting class tonight!)

ENJOY!

Move for the Day: Buso Ball Burbees

Want a single move that will attack your whole body?! Try burpees with a buso ball! 

Here we have a regular burpee . . . let's be honest, these are terrible by themselves!

Now do the same move with a buso ball! I find they are easier (for the fact that you have to 

go slower), yet you will feel a burn in your shoulders after about 4 thanks to the

weight of the buso!

Today's Challenge: Make it a Tabata! 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for 4 minutes.

With or without the buso ball, these will NOT disappoint! 

Move for the Day: Handstand Pushups

Today let's talk about a crazy way to sculpt your shoulders! I give you: 

HANDSTAND PUSHUPS!

It's definitely straight out of a Crossfit style workout! Use the wall as your support and bend your elbows as much as you can and push back up. Voila! You have a handstand pushup!

If that's a little to extreme for you, I give you option #2. 

SHOULDER PUSHUPS!

Start out in Downward Dog position, arms slightly wider than normal. Bend at the elbows

until your head is close to the ground and then push them straight again.

Try it out! See what you are made of!

Enjoy!

Kick Some Thass

I was recently reading the latest issue of Self Magazine and Julianne Hough talked about the body area she liked to work the most. She lovingly called it her THASS. At first I thought it was kind of funny. Then I thought it was kind of genius! Who doesn't want to make that part of their body better?! I'm not gonna lie, I'm fine with my behind and fine with my legs, but it's that area in between that's not so cute! So THAT'S exactly what we are going to work on!

Five Moves For Your Thass (you know, between your thigh and your ***)

One Legged Squats

Hamstring Roll Ins

Deadlifts

Side Lunges

Donkey Kicks

Rather have a cardio option? 

On a treadmill, elliptical, or spin bike (but go standing), get into a heavy climb.

Keep up a nice pace (think to the beat of a Michael Jackson's song "It's black, it's white . . .).

Gradually add to the climb while keeping the beat. Yeah, you should feel the burn

in your thighs and your thass!

Stretches

People generally forget that stretching is just as important as cardio and strength training in the 

scheme of getting in shape. It's vitally important to stretch out your muscles at the end of your workout, when the muscles are warm. I should give you a heads up, a lot of these stretches are used in Yoga. 

If you haven't tried yoga yet, it really is a great form of exercise to incorporate in your routine even once a week! I've noticed a difference in just once a week for a month now! 

If you are just focusing on stretching (and not right after working out) start out with some sun salutations (remember this post) to warm up. 

Today we are primarily hitting the lower body to work on flexibility and ease muscle pain.

 We will do upper body later!

-Back-

Torso Twist

Keep you upper body on the floor as you bring your knee across the body, twisting the spine.

Cat/Cow

On all fours, round your back up, and then arch your back, driving your belly down.

I loved this stretch when I was pregnant!

Child's Pose

Lower back stretch. Push those hips back.

Plow

You can keep your knees up, or drive them to the floor for a deeper stretch.

Upward Dog

Arch your back as you stretch your back and abs.

-Inner Thigh-

Butterfly

With the bottom of your feet together, open up the knees to the floor.

 Gently lean your body forward for a deeper stretch.

Deep Lunge

Make sure your knee stays stacked over your ankle. Keep the back knee on the floor

and push the hips forward for a deeper stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.

Pigeon

(I think this picture explains the positioning better than I can!)

Variations: You can hold your body up, bend the back knee and grab the foot, or lean

forward-resting your head on the floor. I LOVE this stretch! Hold for awhile and switch sides.

-Glutes-

Cowface Pose

Stack your knees and lean forward to deepen the stretch. Switch sides.

(I like to swing the upper leg back and take this stretch to the pigeon stretch ((above))).

Reverse Pigeon

Ankle across the knee, and pull the bottom leg towards your body. If you want to

deepen this stretch, grab the bottom foot. Hold for awhile and switch sides.

-Hamstrings-

Runners Stretch

Bring one foot in, and extend one leg. Lean towards the extended foot. Sit up tall and

take a deep breath in and as you exhale, try to lean even further forward.

Switch sides.

Standing or Seated Forward Fold

This move can really be done standing or seated. With each exhale, focus on sinking

deeper into the stretch, feeling the pull in the back of the legs.

 

Standing or Seated Straddle

Another move that can be done either standing or seated. Focus on stretching both sides and the center.

With each exhale try to get deeper into the stretch.

Enjoy!

Top 10: Exercise Ball

The exercise ball. So versatile and an effective tool to strengthen your core and the rest of you!

-one-

Back Flies

With the ball at your hips, and weights in each hand, squeeze your shoulder blades together 

as you lift your arms. This will work your total back!

-two-

Bicep Curls

Use the ball to stabilize your arms as you perform the curl.

-three-

Chest Press

Keep the ball at your upper back, hips pressed up. Bring the arms down across the chest and 

press back up. You will feel this in your chest, and your glutes!

-four-

Stretching

The ball can be used in stretching tool as well as a sculpting tool. My favorite is a simple back

bend. The ball supports your body as you stretch it out!

-five-

Basic Crunch

On the ball, this crunch takes on a whole new dimension making it hurt! (in a good way, I swear!)

-six-

Hamstring Roll-ins

Misery. Keep those hips up, feet on the ball, and as you roll in the feet towards you, 

prepare to hate me.

-seven-

Hip Press

Feet planted on the ball, press the hips straight up and return to start.

Great for the glutes.

-eight-

Pendulum Abs

Pass the ball from your feet, to your hands, keeping the lower back down the whole time.

-nine-

Leg Lifts

This is an advanced move. Start in plank position. If you feel like you have the balance down-

lift one leg at a time, squeezing the glutes as you do. Repeat 8-16 times and switch legs.

-ten-

Wall Squat w/Front Extension

Start with the ball at your lower back, pressed against the wall. Squat down to a seated

position and back to standing. Can make it a one-legged squat or add a front arm 

extension, biceps curls, or t-raise to the squat.

More great moves here and here.