Next Up!

So, first and foremost…next up for July is abs.  I run free and non-product driven monthly challenges on Facebook for a little extra workout.  Extra from the couch or from your other workouts!  Here is the calendar we’re  using for July.  Email me to be added to the group!

 

Next, and very relative to my last post…I have a PiYo accountability group coming up on 7/7 to celebrate the launch and test out this new program.  The group helps with keeping you on track while working out at home.  You get me, every day, helping to get you from beginning to end.  Deadline to order for this group is 7/1, so get on it or I’ll get you into the next multi-program group (so you can use anything!), likely end of July.

Now, what you’ve been (maybe) waiting for.  What new, fun products are coming out soon??  Okay.  I’ll tell you.  Announced at summit was P90.  The program can be used as an on ramp to the more extreme/advanced P90X series of workouts, or can just be used to get results!  It’s a multilevel workout program, similar in style to the extreme ones, that can be done by anyone.  So if you’re of the mindset that P90X or P90X3 is just too much but looks good otherwise, this one’s for you.

So that’s what I’ve got!  Not much coming up for me personally…I pretty much had up to this weekend planned for months and now go to nothing.  Which I could use.  I have the Color Run on Sunday which should be a blast!

Have you done a color run before?

Went to Vegas, Came Back and…

Silence!

Sorry about that!  I have so many things to say that it’s hard to know where to start.  I went to Las Vegas for Beachbody’s Coach Summit over the weekend.  A place to learn, motivate, hear success stories, and workout.  It was crazy!  So many people with so many of their own stories.  It was truly inspirational!  So much so, next year’s summit, announced and opened last Thursday, was sold out before I got home on Sunday!  Next year is in Nashville…a lot closer to home!  I am already excited.

So, to get started on my trip, I’ll go into the new programs released over the weekend!

First, as everyone was waiting for it, is PiYo!

 

So what is PiYo?  PiYo is a low-impact, high-intensity body-transformation program. It uses the most effective Pilates- and yoga-inspired moves set to a fast pace to help you burn fat while you sculpt long, lean muscles.   You’ll carve every inch of your body without jumps, without weights, and without straining your joints.

This format has been in gyms for years, but is now coming into your home!  If you order soon though…it’s rumored that it may sell out!

Next is the 3-Day Refresh, a 3-day cleanse to quickly reset the body.  It helps you fast-track your weight loss, kick-start healthy eating, and get a clean break from bad nutrition habits.  For 3 days you’ll follow a program of 3 shakes a day, a fiber drink, plenty
of water, plus a wide array of fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats throughout the day to keep your energy and metabolism going.

I’ll be trying this down the road.  3 days is totally doable for me.  There is also the 21-day Ultimate Reset, but finding 3 days to do something is much easier than 3 weeks!  When I can cleanse, I’ll be hitting the 3 day one hard!

The other program available right now is the 21 Day Fix in Spanish!  All of the 21 Day Fix goodness, translated (the workouts are dubbed…no staring at the tv!)

 

All of these programs are available NOW and the challenge packs are on SALE!  New stuff and a deal…sign me up!  Comment or email for more information.

Stay tuned for what’s coming soon!

 

 

 

P90X3 – Incinerator

Scary name, tough workout!

P90X3‘s Incinerator workout is kind of oddly named tome.  When I first saw the name, I expected to be doing a calories blasting workout…incinerating calories if you will. But this is an upper body workout setting your muscles on fire.

Everything here is a set.  Two moves, one for 10 reps (usually) and a second for time.  Both working the same muscle.  So, you pick a challenging weight for the ten reps (not too challenging! Don’t forget about exercise two!).  Then do all you can to burn it out in 30 seconds.  Wow!

This uses weights, a mat and your pull up option.  Anyone else feel like pull ups are just the worst?  I do them because they’re good for me, but I am really glad they’re in the beginning of this workout…get them over with!

Sometimes I mention this, sometimes I don’t, but this workout has a substantialburnout section at the end.  No pull ups though! You’re in plank, sphinx and doing push ups mostly.  All at Tony’s command!  As I write this, I’m feeling the soreness. In a good way of course!

One great thing mentioned in the video is that a push up is a push up.  Knees aren’t the go to modification here.  Limiting your range of motion is, by not lowering as close to the ground.  See how that feels to you if you usually go to your knees.

Can you do a pull up?

P90X3 – Eccentric Lower

Moving on with our P90X3 workouts, here comes Eccentric Lower!

This is similar to Eccentric Upper (go figure) in that you are working the negative, or eccentric part of each exercise. For the lower body, some examples are the down motion in a squat or lunge, or the up motion in a glute bridge.

The workout uses resistance, so get out your weights or bands. You’ll also need a chair and I’d suggest a mat for the floor exercises.  The chair is used in a one-legged squat exercise, not just for balance, so do have one nearby!

The hardest move in this workout for me was the Tony’s triangle based move…a side plank with leg raise.  I have major difficulty with the full exercise (and most leg raise type moves) but modifications are shown.  Pay attention to these your first time through!

I love leg workouts, and this didn’t disappoint.  The three counts/one count exercises are definitely going to work your muscles!

What is your favorite way to work the legs?

Vegas!

By the time you read this, I’ll be headed to Las Vegas for Beachbody’s Coach Summit!

I’m excited to hang out with some of the most positive people I know, to learn a lot, and to get in some amazing workouts!  I’ll be keeping up the P90X3 posts hopefully and have lots of Piyo info and anything else they throw out at me!

 

So, what do you want to know about?  What big fitness news would bring a smile to your face?

P90X3 – Triometrics

Nope, not a typo!  P90X3‘s Triometrics is like plyometrics times three!

It’s not ALL jumpy plyo though (thank goodness).  But it’s explosive moves, using three levels of each move.  So on average, you do level one for 20 seconds, level two for 20, and then level three for 20.  The recommended modification is to stay in level two instead of moving to level three.  One thing about this – you can modify some moves and go all out on others.  Don’t just decide that you’re sticking with two for the workout.  Go by the exercise and how you feel!

Many of the exercises have a balance component, which is fun and challenging.  For most, you aren’t even jumping in level one or two if it is a jump move.  I think my point here is that this sounds like a very intimidating workout.  Yes, it is challenging, but wasn’t nearly as scary in reality.  I enjoyed the progressions – you aren’t doing anything for too long, and it goes by quickly.  You’ll feel it in your legs…promise!

There’s no equipment used here.  I pull out my jump mat and use it for some exercises and not others.  It also has a triple speed skater, so move the furniture to the side!

When you hear “Triometrics” what do you think ?

P90X3 – Eccentric Upper

It’s time to tell you all about the next P90X3 workout!  I’m on my third time through the block 2 workouts this week and it’s flying by!  After this week, there are just 7 more to go.  Is it time to kick it up a notch?  Not sure I need to…I haven’t been holding back!

So the eccentric workouts (check out lower later this week) work the negative or eccentric part of the move when the muscle lengthens (concentric is when it shortens).  For example, in a push up, it is the down portion.  In a biceps curl, it is the way back down.  All of the exercises in this workout follow a 1:3 timing ratio, so one count on the positive, three on the negative.

For most of the workout, you get three moves and then a little break.  Mostly just to write down your weights and grab a sip of water!  There are many types of push ups and pull ups along with weighted moves.  I am still working on pull ups.  I’ve gone from a chair assist to the chin up max, but I usually don’t do all of the reps.  And that’s okay!  That is why we write down what we did – so we can improve and adjust.  I made a note last week to go down in weight on one of the exercises…that’s okay too.  Form is number one, and I couldn’t keep my form for the 10 reps with the heavier weight.  So this time I dropped down and did 10 perfectly.

I’ve been using the P90X app to record my workouts, but paper and pen works too.  I know I always have my phone, so I never have to look for my paper.

The big move of this workout for me (and I’m sure a lot of others!) is the plyo push up.  You do a push up and keep going up!  The first two times through the workout, I did hands only (keeping my feet on the ground), but yesterday I went for it!  I got my hands and feet (slightly) off the ground in nine out of ten reps!

Remember, we are looking for progress.  Not perfection, not that you can do everything in the videos like they do.  Just that you keep getting better!

What are you getting better at today?

Getting Back

So, I went away for less than 48 hours and it took me forever to get back to normal!  I went through the motions of my normal days, working out, working, prepping foods, all the other good stuff.  But a lot of little daily things I do fell off my plate.

Why was it that hard to get back on track?  I think it was the weekday trip and that I got in so late on Wednesday.  I got in about 2am, got up at about 5:30am to start Thursday (I’m sure my husband would have let me sleep in, but I missed my baby!).  Both Thursday and Friday were also not typical weekdays with some other mid-week plans thrown in.  At night, I was still overwhelmed with the list I had to get done and the need for some much needed sleep.

So I rebooted this weekend, but I’m doing it again this week!  For a little more fun, a few more days, and a bit further of a trip.  I’m off to Las Vegas on Thursday for the big Beachbody Summit.  It’s my first time going, so I’m trying to prepare as best I can but not letting that stress me out.  I am not packed yet, but I still have time.  I don’t have that much clothing to decide between!

4 days from yesterday!

This trip should be super motivating, but I’m finding a funny little thing…I’m also motivated now with it coming up!  That’s a lovely bonus.  I can’t wait to spend a few days with so many inspiring people.

It’s also going to be the release of the home version of Piyo, one of the formats I’m certified in.  It’s a low impact, mind/body inspired strength workout that is nothing like what you expect from that!  Expect great music, unexpected results, and to smile through it.  I’ve been adding more Piyo into my schedule to get ready for the launch.  I’m excited for more people to get to experience this workout.

 

 

 

I also took off a few days after I get back, so I’ll be able to recover to normalcy quicker.  And more importantly, hang with my family.  What are you looking forward to this week?

Pressure!

I think I’m allergic to something at my office.  Every time I go in, I leave with sinus pain.  Luckily, I don’t go in much, but it is tough to deal with when I do.

I went in yesterday, waking up at 4 to get in my workout and came home with such pressure in my head.  I tried to go to bed early, but I have a hard time sleeping when I have this kind of pain.  So I’m up but with little sleep.  And in a few hours, I’m getting on a plane to a work seminar in Chicago.  I’ve been on a plane with a sinus infection before (coming home from our Honeymoon – went straight to the ER when we got home!) and it was not fun, so I’m hoping to knock it out before I go.

In my arsenal – water and tea (there will be coffee too!), a nice shower, sinus rinse, and some sinus meds.  I’ve also heard that oil pulling can help, so I’ll add that in.  I tried to go spicy last night to help, but it didn’t work.

I will get in my P90X3 workout today (Triometrics) and I hope that helps a little!  I can’t remember if it had much head movement, but I’ll do what i can.  Working out helps me feel back to normal, so I keep it up when I can.

I should have expected this…I always get sick before or during trips!  Hopefully this means I’m safe for the trip I’m taking next week.

I’ll miss this face while I’m gone.  Off to enjoy her for a little longer.  Have a great day!!

Pausing

I’m taking a pause on writing about the P90X3 workouts.  I’ve written about the workouts for each day in Block 1 prior to the transition week, and I only did some of those workouts once.  I like to have more experience with a workout before I post about it.

I’m now in the first week of Block 2, doing all new (to me) workouts.  I think I like the second time through a workout the most.  I’m not yet anticipating what comes next, but it isn’t all new.  The first time takes the most focus to figure out what you’re doing, what equipment you want to grab, etc.

To that, I moved my weights recently to make them easier to grab!  I workout in my living room (not a workout-specific place!) and have usually stored my weights under one of the couches.  I had them under the couch near the wall, which is behind and to the side of where I workout.  I moved them to the couch that I move to workout.  So now, I move the couch and the weights are ready to go!

Now you see them…

Now you don’t!

This was very much a “Why didn’t I think of this earlier?” moment!  Besides being conveniently located, now the weights are far enough under the couch when not in use that little hands don’t try to play with them.  And they are still out of the way enough when I workout that the weights aren’t in my way if the workout doesn’t use them.

Do you have a dedicated workout space or are you stashing weights like me?