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!

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.

Tabata Time

We know the drill of Tabata's now. 

20 sec on, 10 sec off for a total of 4 minutes.

Take a 1 minute break between rounds.

Today's Rounds:

ONE

Skaters

TWO

Plank Jacks

(move breakdown)

THREE

Pushups

FOUR

Jump Rope

FIVE

Prisoner Squats

(move breakdown)

Plie Squats

We know I LOVE plie squats! What other move works so many muscles?!

(inner thigh, outer thigh, hamstrings, quads, behind, and add a toe lift for calves!)

I think I've gone over this move a billion times so here's the key reminders:

1-Keep your booty tucked under NOT out like a BASIC SQUAT.

2-Keep feet WIDE. Otherwise your knees create a diamond look which is wrong.

3-Sink down LOW. Your legs can take it!

4-Keep chest LIFTED. Don't allow it to lean forward.

Okay. We busted out 60 squats today, right?!

See you tomorrow!

ENJOY!

10 Minutes to Lift

Today we are lifting for 10 minutes! 

THAT'S IT!

The catch: I want you to go as hard as you can for that 10 minutes!

(Use whatever weights you have, 5lb+ and bust out as many reps as you can!)

plie squat

The Drill

10 squats

10 bicep curls

10 plie squats

10 shoulder presses

10 pushups

repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat until you 10 minutes is up!

ENJOY!

Bootilicious

Today we are going for a 3 move, booty challenge! Easy Peasy, right?!

You will do each move for 2 minutes, and can rest 1 minute in between for a total of 8 minutes! 

Your behind and lower back will thank me!

Leg Beat
Lift the legs off the floor scissor/crisscross your legs. Alternate which foot is on top.
Go for 2 minutes.

Frog Lifts
Keep your knees wide and feet together. Lift the legs up.
Go for 2 minutes. 

Bridge
Push your hips toward the ceiling. Hold it high and stay there!
Go for 2 minutes!

Enjoy!

Pyramid Ball Toss/Squat

Today's Pyramid involves medicine ball wall throws and regular or plie squats (I'm honestly never picky!). If you are doing the toss, make sure the wall you are throwing it up on is solid! Otherwise, you can do what this lovely pictured fellow is doing and just do a shoulder press. You can use a basketball if a medicine ball is not available, otherwise, I like a 6lb-10lb medicine ball.

Here we go:

9 Ball Tosses - 1 Squat

8 Ball Tosses -2 Squats

7 Ball Tosses - 3 Squats

6 Ball Tosses - 4 Squats

5 Ball Tosses -5 Squats

4 Ball Tosses -6 Squats

3 Ball Tosses - 7 Squats

2 Ball Tosses - 8 Squats

1 Ball Toss - 9 Squats

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: Yoga for Weightloss

Yoga for Weightloss

Pin Here

Website Here

This originally came from an article in Prevention, and I'm telling you, Yoga is great, but these 

moves make it a little more challenging, which I LOVE! Here are my favorites:

Chaturanga Push-ups

Bridge with Leg Lift

Downward Dog to Knee Tap

Reverse Warrior to Side Angle

Warrior III with Crunch

These moves are really great and really engage the core! I love the stretching aspect  the moves also,
and you will feel your muscles go crazy with the challenging moves! Big Fan!

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!

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! 

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: Resistance Bands

Resistance Bands are inexpensive, light, and can be used everywhere! They are a great tool

for at-home workouts or stroller groups! I use them occasionally in my sculpting classes

too because they are a great way to make your muscles work differently!

Here are 10 great moves you can do anywhere to attack your body!

(I conveniently used a bunch of these moves in my class last night, so I added my thoughts! Yay!)

-one-

Front Extensions

Keep your back foot on the center of the band and tighten your core as you lift your

arms straight up to shoulder height. Control the arms back down to start.
(Kat's note: two thumbs way up!)

-two- 

Flutter Kicks

(this picture is no help)

Put your feet in the handles, and hold the band in the center. Scissor your legs, so when the right

one is down, the left is up and switch. Play with the tempo to see what works your legs the best!

(Kat's note: Just eh. If you play with the resistance you can get it to really work your glutes!)

-three-

Standing Row

I like this variation of the row because with the balance challenge you are engaging your core!

Lift one leg up-band under foot-and pull those elbows back, squeezing your shoulder-blades as you do.

Repeat 8-16 times and switch sides.

(Kat's note: I ended up wrapping my band around my foot once to add resistance and holy moly this was hard and a great balance challenge!)

-four-

Lat Pull Downs

I really don't think I could explain this better than the picture. Enjoy!

(Kat's note: I felt this in my upright arm. It's a goody!)

-five-

Triceps Press Up

Keep your arms straight by your sides as you press them to the back, keeping your spine nice and

straight. Press as high as you can and slowly bring back to the start. Can add pulses.

(Kat's note: HARD!)

-six-

Basic Row

Sit tall with the band around your feet and crossed creating an X. Pull the elbows back to perform

the row. Palms in and elbows back or palms down and elbows out and high.

-seven-

X-Raise

Stand with feet hip-width apart, the end of a band under each foot. Hold the other end in the opposite hand so bands crisscross in front of you, hands at sides. Bend knees and squat, extending arms out slightly to sides. As you straighten legs to stand, simultaneously reach up and out (as shown). Return to squat for one rep. Do 12 reps.

-eight-

Outer Thigh Press

Band under feet, band crossed. Open your legs, keeping the resistance on the outer edges of the 

feet, and return to start. Works those forgotten hip flexors and outer thighs.

(Kat's note: BIG fan of this one! I will definitely be using it more often!)

-nine-

 Basic Shoulder Press

Once again, I think the pictures speak for themselves!

-ten-

Biceps Curl

You can change the intensity of this move depending on where you stand on the band.

The closer it is to the other handle, the easier this will be. Repeat 8-16 times on one side then switch.

Thanks for joining me the past 10 days for the Top 10!