Hello and welcome to your weekly dose of workout wisdom!
There is some bad news in this segment, so brace yourself. “The clients that come to us and grab body parts and say ‘I want to lose this…’ it cannot be done.” That’s the message from personal trainer Gigi Filer, but she also shares some good news … you can change your body with a holistic approach to health and fitness.
This week we’re back to workouts suggested by our colleagues but the person who asked about blasting the “bat wings” is choosing to remain anonymous. You know who you are. "The big triceps thing is all this flapping," says Gigi and we know that you know what she’s talking about! Fighting the flapping requires a multi-pronged approach. "I like to do a compound set,” she explains, “so we’re targeting one muscle group with two different exercises.”
Weightlifting is an important part of the plan and Gigi's showing us how to target those tiny muscles on the backs of our arms. "More weight isn't always best. Executing proper form is what's most important." Triceps kickbacks are first and this trainer makes sure there is no cheating! There’s also no rest between exercises... we go straight into skull crushers, again concentrating on form and fatiguing the muscle. If you're feeling ambitious, you can do four exercises in your compound sets. Triceps dips are a great option and all you need is a chair or a set of stairs. Follow those with triceps push ups and this little muscle group will really be fired up. Another bonus – no equipment needed and that means no excuses.
There are other elements to beating back bat wings and Gigi is quick to remind us about them. "If you're not doing cardio and not nourishing your body, you're still going to have what's left over and that's body fat!!!" And if you fail to slather on sunscreen, no one’s going to see those muscles you’ve worked so hard for because they’ll be hiding under sagging skin - so wear SPF 30 or higher when you bare those big guns!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Push ups in the park
Hello fitness friends!
This week’s workout takes us back outside for a brutal workout. “I’m going to have to you P90X core synergistics,” says Rebecca Ingham. Our response to that is “Huh?” Think Boot Camp, with an emphasis on core, and more variations of push ups than we’ve ever seen! "We do it here at Lion's Park or the Urbandale track and I'll make them run bleachers," Rebecca says with a sly grin. For us, she turns the park gazebo into a workout room and explains the day’s workout. "Core synergistics works everything from here to here,” she says – motioning between her shoulders and knees, “it’s everything you work in everyday life."
Right off the bat, we’re doing stacked feet-staggered hand push ups. They aren’t easy, but at least we’ve done them before – unlike the next move, which has us working hard and laughing hysterically. It’s called a “banana roll” and it torches your abs and back. Then it’s another funky push up, this one called the “sphinx” and neither one of us can really pull it off. Next we do two big power moves that get our heart rates up. Low, lateral skaters have us working that infamous “thutt” area and the lunge and reach exercise is a compound move that gets both our legs and arms burning. We don’t have time to recover and Rebecca shouts, “OK! Prison cell push ups are next!” What?!? Those sound awful! We quickly learn they are awful – Rebecca describes them as burpees on steroids. They leave us exhausted and out of breath and we still have to crank out X-Presses. They’re yet another total body move that surprise you with a cardiovascular work out.
The end of this routine includes a bunch of challenging abdominal exercises. The “Superman Banana”, leg climbers, and “Crunchy Frogs” create a strong finish. By the end, we’re beat but we also think this boot camp at the park bandstand is way better than being inside a gym!
If you’re interested in working out with Rebecca, check out her webpage www.BodyPowerFitness.com.
Keep the workout ideas coming and please contact us if you have a success story to share with our viewers. You don't have to be at your "goal" - we want to see the work in progress, too!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
This week’s workout takes us back outside for a brutal workout. “I’m going to have to you P90X core synergistics,” says Rebecca Ingham. Our response to that is “Huh?” Think Boot Camp, with an emphasis on core, and more variations of push ups than we’ve ever seen! "We do it here at Lion's Park or the Urbandale track and I'll make them run bleachers," Rebecca says with a sly grin. For us, she turns the park gazebo into a workout room and explains the day’s workout. "Core synergistics works everything from here to here,” she says – motioning between her shoulders and knees, “it’s everything you work in everyday life."
Right off the bat, we’re doing stacked feet-staggered hand push ups. They aren’t easy, but at least we’ve done them before – unlike the next move, which has us working hard and laughing hysterically. It’s called a “banana roll” and it torches your abs and back. Then it’s another funky push up, this one called the “sphinx” and neither one of us can really pull it off. Next we do two big power moves that get our heart rates up. Low, lateral skaters have us working that infamous “thutt” area and the lunge and reach exercise is a compound move that gets both our legs and arms burning. We don’t have time to recover and Rebecca shouts, “OK! Prison cell push ups are next!” What?!? Those sound awful! We quickly learn they are awful – Rebecca describes them as burpees on steroids. They leave us exhausted and out of breath and we still have to crank out X-Presses. They’re yet another total body move that surprise you with a cardiovascular work out.
The end of this routine includes a bunch of challenging abdominal exercises. The “Superman Banana”, leg climbers, and “Crunchy Frogs” create a strong finish. By the end, we’re beat but we also think this boot camp at the park bandstand is way better than being inside a gym!
If you’re interested in working out with Rebecca, check out her webpage www.BodyPowerFitness.com.
Keep the workout ideas coming and please contact us if you have a success story to share with our viewers. You don't have to be at your "goal" - we want to see the work in progress, too!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
It's as hard as it sounds!
Hello and Happy Tuesday fitness fans!
This week we continue our workouts with our colleagues and friends, with Emily Carlson.
"I like it because you work really hard and you sweat." That's how she describes one of her favorite classes at Gold's Gym in West Des Moines. I missed this shoot, and I'm really bummed about it. Sonya says it was brutal. Instructor Jessica Carlson describes Body Combat this way, "It's a mixture of cardio kick boxing, Thai boxing, tai kwondo, there's some Brazilian fighting in it." First, she schools participants on proper technique - then the warm up begins - and so does the sweating. "It's obviously a cardio vascular workout," says Jessica, "there's a lot of core, every time you do a jab, hook, uppercut it's always strengthening your core and obviously leg strengthening too when you're doing your kicks."
Ah yes, the kicks. When you start using those big muscle groups your heart rate soars. Add lunges and squats and it doesn't take long for your quads, hamstrings and glutes to start burning. According to Sonya, Emily makes all of this look easy but she also tells me Jessica was a great motivator - even when things got tough. And Body Combat not only works your body - it's also empowering. "I like it because you not only work really hard, you get to punch and kick and get rid of some aggressions," says Emily with a a grin.
If you're interested in giving Body Combat a try, visit Gold's Gym at 1550 22nd Street in West Des Moines. You can also call ahead, 225-9900.
Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
This week we continue our workouts with our colleagues and friends, with Emily Carlson.
"I like it because you work really hard and you sweat." That's how she describes one of her favorite classes at Gold's Gym in West Des Moines. I missed this shoot, and I'm really bummed about it. Sonya says it was brutal. Instructor Jessica Carlson describes Body Combat this way, "It's a mixture of cardio kick boxing, Thai boxing, tai kwondo, there's some Brazilian fighting in it." First, she schools participants on proper technique - then the warm up begins - and so does the sweating. "It's obviously a cardio vascular workout," says Jessica, "there's a lot of core, every time you do a jab, hook, uppercut it's always strengthening your core and obviously leg strengthening too when you're doing your kicks."
Ah yes, the kicks. When you start using those big muscle groups your heart rate soars. Add lunges and squats and it doesn't take long for your quads, hamstrings and glutes to start burning. According to Sonya, Emily makes all of this look easy but she also tells me Jessica was a great motivator - even when things got tough. And Body Combat not only works your body - it's also empowering. "I like it because you not only work really hard, you get to punch and kick and get rid of some aggressions," says Emily with a a grin.
If you're interested in giving Body Combat a try, visit Gold's Gym at 1550 22nd Street in West Des Moines. You can also call ahead, 225-9900.
Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Battle the post-baby bulge
Hello fitness fans! Thanks for stopping by the blog. This week we continue our workouts with our coworkers. Lynn Melling asked for a routine to blast her our of her post-pregnancy plateau and we all got our butts kicked because of it!
From a lack of time and sleep to too many hormones and diapers - new moms have a lot to juggle. Oftentimes - exercising is not on the "to do" list.... but it should be. I think that’s what’s so hard with a new baby,” says Lynn, “you feel like you can’t leave him or her, and where do you find the time?!?” This workout shows you how to get started, and how to whip that post-baby body - or any body - into shape.
"For new moms, they’re dealing with a lack of sleep and concentration,” says personal trainer Angie Gallagher, “so you don't want to do exercises that require a lot of complicated choreography." And Angie should know … she’s the proud mom of two little ones. "Also, there are hormone issues that relax the joints so be careful about high impact moves and over-stretching." If you’re a new mom, you want to make sure your doctor has cleared you to exercise. Once it’s ok, you can even use your baby in your at-home routine. Lynn is able to entertain her son Jack while doing modified push ups and kneeling bird dog moves. In minutes, he’s smiling and laughing and mom is getting some crucial ab and back work accomplished.
"Those last ten pounds are the hardest, and those last few inches!" That's where Lynn finds herself stuck, one year after having Jack and Angie has created what she calls the “Post Baby Plateau Buster!” It’s eight cycles of resistance training and cardio and it moves fast. "The nice thing about this workout is a lot of different muscle groups at the same time,” Angie explains, “it’s all compound moves." What that means for us, is our heart rates staying high during the entire workout. Lynn is training for a marathon, putting in many miles every day and she’s surprised that this hour is pushing her to her limits. We are doing everything from burpees and tricep dips to lunges and speed skating, and all three of us have to take breaks at different points in time. This routine is not for beginners and Angie keeps reminding us that it’s the struggle that gets results. “It will get easier eventually, just because your body is so efficient to adapting.” And that’s when she’ll change things up all over again. Angie may look sweet, but she will push you hard. If you need a jumpstart, contact her at 710-6987 or fitnesswithangie@gmail.com
Also - there are two great new programs starting at Gigi's Pilates & Personal Training. The first is C.U.R.L. ... "Change UR Life." It's for kids in third through eighth grades who are struggling with weight. It starts Monday, September 13th. "KRUSH" is a program for adults with fifty or more pounds to lose. It starts the 20th, but auditions are happening this Sunday, the 12th and Monday the 13th. If you're interested in either program check out www.gigispilatesstudio.com or call 279-0242.
Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
From a lack of time and sleep to too many hormones and diapers - new moms have a lot to juggle. Oftentimes - exercising is not on the "to do" list.... but it should be. I think that’s what’s so hard with a new baby,” says Lynn, “you feel like you can’t leave him or her, and where do you find the time?!?” This workout shows you how to get started, and how to whip that post-baby body - or any body - into shape.
"For new moms, they’re dealing with a lack of sleep and concentration,” says personal trainer Angie Gallagher, “so you don't want to do exercises that require a lot of complicated choreography." And Angie should know … she’s the proud mom of two little ones. "Also, there are hormone issues that relax the joints so be careful about high impact moves and over-stretching." If you’re a new mom, you want to make sure your doctor has cleared you to exercise. Once it’s ok, you can even use your baby in your at-home routine. Lynn is able to entertain her son Jack while doing modified push ups and kneeling bird dog moves. In minutes, he’s smiling and laughing and mom is getting some crucial ab and back work accomplished.
"Those last ten pounds are the hardest, and those last few inches!" That's where Lynn finds herself stuck, one year after having Jack and Angie has created what she calls the “Post Baby Plateau Buster!” It’s eight cycles of resistance training and cardio and it moves fast. "The nice thing about this workout is a lot of different muscle groups at the same time,” Angie explains, “it’s all compound moves." What that means for us, is our heart rates staying high during the entire workout. Lynn is training for a marathon, putting in many miles every day and she’s surprised that this hour is pushing her to her limits. We are doing everything from burpees and tricep dips to lunges and speed skating, and all three of us have to take breaks at different points in time. This routine is not for beginners and Angie keeps reminding us that it’s the struggle that gets results. “It will get easier eventually, just because your body is so efficient to adapting.” And that’s when she’ll change things up all over again. Angie may look sweet, but she will push you hard. If you need a jumpstart, contact her at 710-6987 or fitnesswithangie@gmail.com
Also - there are two great new programs starting at Gigi's Pilates & Personal Training. The first is C.U.R.L. ... "Change UR Life." It's for kids in third through eighth grades who are struggling with weight. It starts Monday, September 13th. "KRUSH" is a program for adults with fifty or more pounds to lose. It starts the 20th, but auditions are happening this Sunday, the 12th and Monday the 13th. If you're interested in either program check out www.gigispilatesstudio.com or call 279-0242.
Have a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com
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