Fitness - Workout #1

I don't talk about fitness on the blog near as much as I should since it's an integral part of who I am. I've been contemplating adding a Fitness page to the blog for a while now, but it seemed like an overwhelming task. But really, it was just me being lazy.

You may or may not know that I teach 4 -5 group based workout classes every week for Northern Arizona University...now you know! It's a great way to bring in some extra income, challenge myself to stand in front of large groups of people, and share my love for an active, healthy lifestyle.

One of my core beliefs about fitness is that a workout should never be the same, our muscles thrive on being challenged, engaging in new activities, and testing our strengths. Therefore, I rarely ever teach the same work out twice in my classes - I want my students to be engaged the in the workout and not expect what's coming next. Also, most of my workouts include minimal use of equipment, perfect for training at home. If you don't have the equipment that the workout calls for, it most likely can be substituted for something else, or a different exercise.

For years, I've kept all my workouts written in a pink Five-Star notebook. I teach a variety of classes including indoor cycling, BOSU, stretch and tone, and core strength. That notebook is rather full, and falling apart, so what better way to document my workouts than right here on my blog? Brilliant!

So now, as often as I can, I'll be updating the Fitness Page on the blog, it will be located on the side bar just underneath the About Me section. You can click that page at any time to see my collection of workouts, beginning with this one:

Conveniently, I had this picture that we used as a table number for our wedding, Workout #1, starts here!

This is the workout that I taught on Monday to my Core Strength class, it's a combination of core, leg, back, and cardio.

Equipment:

Medicine Ball

Weighted Bar

Warm up:

Do each exercise for 30 seconds, repeat 2 times. 

Alternating side lunges

Front kicks

Mummy kicks

Workout:

Do each series 3 times, resting in between each series for 1 minute.

Series 1 - Single leg dead lift with a weighted bar (12) alternate legs with each repetition of the series, high knee run holding a medicine ball for 30 seconds.

Series 2 - While grasping the weighted bar, sit in a v-up hold position and "row" the bar as if it were a paddle (I call this rowing with a bar) for 30 seconds, burpees with the medicine ball (8)  

Plank Session: 

Hold each plank for 30 seconds.

1 - Alternating leg lift

2 - Elbow to wrist walking

Series 3 - Turkish get ups (12) alternate right and left with each repetition of the series, reverse crunches (12)

Series 4 -  Single leg dead lift with a weighted bar (12) alternate legs with each repetition of the series, plank jumps (12)

Series 5 - Toe touches with the weighted bar (12), burpees (8)

Plank Session:

Hold each plank for 30 seconds.

1 - Wide stance with a leg lift

2 - Plank jacks

Cool down and stretch

Since this is the first workout that I've ever tried to explain in writing (without explaining step by step instructions) please feel free to ask for clarification and I'll help out as best I can!