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The Fit Dad’s Workout 5/15/12

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

I haven’t been able to train since last Wednesday and it’s been driving me a bit bonkers.

My sweetie and my babies

Not that I didn’t want to train, and to be totally honest I probably could’ve fit it in but I would’ve hated every second of it and been totally wiped out, which defeats the purpose of the Lifestyle.

Andrea was out of town for 4 days so it was just me and the kids, which meant a lot less productive time and a lot more kid time and that was totally awesome.  Getting to spend so much time with them and them alone is very cool.  They’re only this age once and I don’t want to look back and say “I should’ve spent more time with them before they started school.”

But that meant I had to make a choice – workouts or being productive after they went to bed.  I chose productivity.

I’m back at it now and it feels awesome. I think taking that forced break from regular 10-minute workouts did me well.  It allowed my knee to fully heal (I also had to cut out some client sessions which meant I did less work there too), allowed my nervous system to rest up and I’m fully getting rid of caffeine and I’m just coming out of that fog (and over the weekend it was horrible).

I’ve been doing a little experimenting with my personal workouts.

Well, I don’t know how much of an experiment it is in the sense of blowing things up and putting them back together, so I guess “tweaking” them would be a better word to use.

Yes, they’re still quick and focus on my basic Workout Philosophies, but I’m using fewer exercises per circuit, while increasing the demand of those exercises.

If that makes absolutely no damn sense, take today’s workout as an example and I’ll do some splaining at the end.

7-Minute Circuit #1:

1A) Dips – 12 reps

1B) Feet Elevated Inverted Row – 12 reps

1C) 1-Arm Overhead Squat (used a KB) – 10 reps each arm

After doing those 3 exercises as many rounds possible in 7 minutes, I took a 60 second break and moved on to…

7-Minute Circuit #2: 

2A) Jungle Gym XT Dips – 6 reps

2B) DB Row – 8 reps

2C) KB Swing – 20 reps

After doing that for 7 minutes, I took ZERO rest and moved on to two sets of 15 reps for a couple arms exercises, and then did a couple Power Wheel exercises for about 3 minutes.

All told the workout took just over 20 minutes, not including the warm-up.

If I were pressed for time, or needed a longer warm-up, I would have removed the arms exercises and Power Wheel stuff and just stuck with those 2 7-minute circuits (15 minutes of work).

A lot of the 10-minute workouts I’ve given you over the months and years have focused on 4 or 5 exercises that really work the entire body, without a specific point of “work” where it’s obvious with these two circuits I wanted to focus on my Dips and Pulling, and get as much done in a short period of time.

I’m not out to get crazy strong or crazy big.  I’m just looking to work, and when this is combined with my afternoon 10 minute CTDS workout, it works like gang busters to strip the last bit of fat off (along with the diet of course!).

You could substitute those big exercises with Chin-ups and a difficult push-up variation, or Push Presses and a different style of Inverted Row, or a Squat and Dips, etc.

The point I’m using with this workout is that I’m picking a couple big exercises to focus on, while still keeping the overall workout time to a minimum.  The big thing I always focus on is getting as much done in the least amount of time possible – Get in, get it done and get out.  No screwing around and no long, drawn out workouts just to get “more done.”

Make sense?

Cool.

Give that workout a try, or substitute those exercises with something similar and create a few workouts to rotate and give it a go for a few weeks and then tweak.

Laters,

ed

10 minute workout from home

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Core Workout Tips (Video)

Friday, May 4th, 2012

“Why does a core workout have to be different than a regular workout?”10 minute workout from home

That was a WONDERFUL question posed by one of my training clients, and to be totally honest it made my liver smile.

He reads the magazines and surfs the web and always noticed the same thing I did – authors trying ot separate the abs and core from the rest of the body.

He wanted to know why they did that.

Beyond marketing, and simply getting you to read their articles, there really isn’t a good answer, at least to my trainer brain, as to why you have to separate a core workout from a general full body workout designed for fat loss.

A properly designed workout program, be it for weight loss or any other thing, should include exercises that strengthen your core (which is kind of a dubious term anyway).

What do I mean?

Take this video for example where I show you how to turn ANY workout into a core workout and show you two exercises for core strength. Read More→

10 Minute Workout Program

Saturday, April 28th, 2012

Hey!

How’s everything in your world?

Today I thought I’d do something a bit different.10 minute workout from home

In the past I have given you my workout programs, both 10 minute workout programs and those that have taken longer, but only in text form.  Rarely have I filmed my actual workouts and shared that with you.

I’ve also given you videos of individual 10-minute workouts to do from home, or on the road, but haven’t really put them together into any type of flow that you can follow for a few weeks (for many reasons).

I’ve given you many, many add-on workouts whether they be for your abs, arms or legs…

…But I haven’t given you a selection of workouts and workout videos that you can print out and follow through with (unless you’ve ordered my Fat Loss To Go program, or became a member of FPF Monthly…hint, hint).

So today I thought I’d share a 10-minute workout program so that you can Bookmark this page, save the videos to your favorites in Youtube and use them as needed.

I want you to put these workouts into practice.

Don’t just read this post, watch the videos and not act.  Results don’t happen via osmosis…you gots to move.

Okay enough of the talky-talky, let’s move on with the worky-worky.

I’m going to share the videos first, with the layout of the workout below.  After those 5 videos/workouts I’ll share a couple add-on workouts with you as well.

Cool?

Okay, let’s roll.

Day 1:

Quick and Simple 10 Minute Workout

YouTube Preview Image

Here’s the layout of that 10-minute workout:

Perform the following 3 exercises in a circuit for 8 minutes…

1A) Alternating Bent Over Row – 8 reps/arm

1B) DB or KB Swing – 20 reps

1C) Push-up w/Jack Knife – 8 reps

After 8 minutes, perform the following exercise in “Tabata-style” where you go 20 seconds on/10 seconds off for 2 minutes

2) Burpees

Day 2:

10-Minute Fusion Conditioning Workout

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Here’s the layout of that home workout:

1A) Stationary Lunge w/Shoulder Press – 8 reps/leg

1B) Burpee – 10 reps

1C) DB Bent Over Row – 8 reps

1D) Stability Ball Jack Knife – 15 reps

Day 3:

Fusion Conditioning Fat Loss Workout

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Here’s the layout of that 10 minute workout:

1A) Medicine Ball Push-up – 10 reps

1B) Medicine Ball Touch & Hop – 10 reps

1C) Squat w/Shoulder Press – 15 reps

1D) Renegade Row – 8 reps/arm

Day 4:

Quick 10-Minute Fat Loss Workout

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Here’s the layout of that home workout:

1A) Push-up – 10 reps

1B) BW Reverse Lunge – 15 reps/leg

1C) Mountain Climber – 20 reps/leg

1D) BW Squat – 15 reps

1E) Squat Thrust – 10 reps

Day 5:

At Home Weight Loss Workout

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Here’s the layout of that weight loss workout:

Perform the following 3 exercise in a circuit for 8 minutes.

1A) Stationary Lunge w/Shoulder Press – 8 reps/leg

1B) Rear Fly – 8 reps

1C) Mountain Climber Push-up – 8 reps

After 8 minutes, perform the following exercise in a “Tabata-style” for 2 minutes

2) Mountain Climber – 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

Alright so there’s the basics of the workout program.

Do you think you can implement those into your schedule?

Remember you can do them from home, while on the road or even while paying gym memberships…but they’re best when done from home.

Also remember that 10-minutes is the base.  If you only have that amount of time to do the workout, that’s fine.

But if you have more time, and more energy, and want to expand and branch out from those 10 minute workouts, then give these add-on workouts a try!

Add-On #1:

Quick Abs Workout

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Here’s the layout of that add-on abs workout:

Perform the following exercises in “Tabata-style” for 4 minutes.

1A) Reverse Crunch – 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

1B) Mountain Climber - 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

1C) DB or KB Swing - 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

1D) Plank Extension - 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

Add-On #2:

Strong and Defined Arms Workout

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Here’s the layout of that workout:

Perform the following circuit for 5 minutes

1A) Close Push-up Pulse – 15 reps

1B) Bicep curl w/Slow negative – 8 reps

1C) Lateral Raise – 8 reps

Add-On #3:

Six Pack Abs Workout In 4 Minutes

YouTube Preview Image

Here’s the layout of that add-on abs workout:

Perform this circuit in a “Tabata-style” for 4 minutes

1A) DB or KB Swing – 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

1B) Mountain Climber – 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

There you have it!  You are now armed with a 10-minute home workout program that you can do for the next 3-6 weeks and you will absolutely see results.

Want to lose weight?  It’ll do it.

Want to lose stomach fat?  Done.

Wanting to increase your energy and just feel better?  Check!

Trying to improve your posture?  Done, done, done.

Want to do all that and more?  Coolio cause it’ll do it!

Now either print those workouts out, or write ‘em down and come back to this page to watch those videos as needed and get moving!

Cool?

Of course it is!

Do those 10-minute workouts and add-on workouts and you will see results!

later,
ed

Quick and Effective Tabata Workout (8 of ‘em)

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

A few weeks ago on my Facebook page I mentioned the workout I did that day and received a pretty good response – and a good responsetabata workouts for fat loss is either “Awesome!” or “Holy crap that sounded horrible!” – both of those make me smile deep down in my liver.

The kicker was this workout, like most I design, was really quick.

After warming up on the foam roller and doing a few bodyweight exercises, it only took about 18-20 minutes including rest periods.

It left me feeling all kinds of warm and fuzzy and by that I mean I was sweating profusely, had a smile on my face, and felt all kinds of awesome.

Nothing too freaky – I could have quite easily gone and played with the kids and I wasn’t overly sore the next day.

It required no dumbbells, kettlebells or any other equipment.

I did it in the bedroom (get your mind out of the gutter) after getting home from training a few clients.

What was this excellent workout?

It was a Tabata Workout – more specifically it was 4 separate tabata-styled workouts.

If you’re not familiar with the term, a Tabata-styled workout is where you pick 1 or 2 exercises and alternate between 20 seconds of exercise and 10 seconds of rest for 4 minutes.

Say you chose push-ups and bodyweight squats as your two exercises.

You’d get on the floor and do as many push-ups as you could for 20 seconds, then rest 10 seconds and then go into squats for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds and go back to the push-ups.

You’d continue on in that fashion for 4 minutes.

You could do 1 exercise, you could do 2 or even 4, but my favorites are when only 1 or 2 are chosen for the 4-minutes.

I’ll give you a few now that you have a little rundown on what a Tabata workout looks like.

Let’s start with what I recently did:

Read More→

Fat Blasting Workout Assignment

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

Hey hey!

So how was your weekend?

How have your workouts been coming along?

Have you been doing them consistently?

Have you been working intensely during your workouts or going through the motions?

Those are the two most important aspects of any workout programconsistently and working hard.

If you’re not consistent, you can’t expect results.

If you’re not working hard, you can expect poor results…or none at all.

Remember it doesn’t take long to fit in a quality workout, but you have to work while working out.

On that note, let’s dive into this week’s Assignment.

Last week’s assignment was nutrition related, and if it’s possible, I’d like you to continue on with that assignment because there’s no reason to stop.

This week’s assignment is workout related.

Actually it only involves one exercise, but I’m asking you to do a lot of them.

What exercise might that be?

Read More→

A Whole Bunch of Diet Information and Workouts

Sunday, April 22nd, 2012

Hey!diet help and workouts

How’s your weekend coming?  As of this instant, it is mid-afternoon on a beautiful Sunday and Nolan just woke up from his nap.  I was going to say Nolan was napping and Maren was coloring in her room, but I just heard the tell-tale signs of a 1-year old awakening…crying :)

I am currently sitting in my “office” at home, which is really just a desk in the corner of our dining room – I lost my office when Nolan was born – and started to think.

I was doing a bit of brainstorming on what topics I should write on in the coming weeks and began to think about all we’ve talked about over the past several weeks, minus a missed week due to exhaustion from other projects.

We’ve gone over quite a bit in terms of all of the Assignments/Challenges, and I have one more coming up for tomorrow (and it’s awesome!), but I thought it would be a good idea to recap everything.

Why would I want to do that?

I suppose if you think about it, all that we’ve talked about over the past several weeks is kind of like a Report, or mini-book, that’s just chunked out into separate articles and blog posts.

If you were to take all the articles and put them together, them focus on putting them into action for a few weeks, you could make some pretty big strides in your overall weight loss and fitness lifestyle.

Simple and easy.

Take the information, put them into a manageable plan, take action and watch the results.

You can do that, right?

Of course you can!

Click the links below to see all of the Assignments/Challenges we’ve done over the past several weeks…

Weird Diet and Nutrition Tip To Change Your Eating Habits

Eat These 3 Healthy Weight Loss Foods Every Day

Nutrition Challenge (Fruit)

10-Minute Bodyweight Workout

New Challenge – Water and Weight Loss

10-Minute Workout and Abs Workout

Healthy Smoothies Is This Challenge!

Bodyweight Workout Challenge

Want To Lose Weight and Live a Healthy Lifestyle?  Eat These 3 Foods Daily 

Simple and Effective Bodyweight Workout

Okay now that you have all those links to the previous Assignments/Challenges…get to work!

Come up with a simple plan on how you can implement some, or all, of those Challenges into your life and then take action.

Life rewards action takers.

Will you be rewarded?

Have an awesome day and I’ll talk to you soon!

Before I go, here’s another article you will find helpful…

Diet Help – Make The Mental Switch 

ed

Hey!

How’s it hangin’?

I got away from the Nutrition Assignments for a couple weeks and that’s because I’ve been working frantically on a few projects.

So I’m kinda sorry and I’m kinda not.  I’m sorry because I want ot help you lose weight and live a lean and strong lifestyle.

I’m not sorry because these projects directly effect you and are pretty stinkin’ awesome…but we’ll save those or later :)

Back to the task at hand…

This week’s assignment is nutrition related.

To be more specific, I’m going to share a few foods that you may, or may not eat on a regular basis, but that I want you to eat most days this week. 

When I give you this type of assignment, it’s to help break you out of an eating rut.  Sometimes we get stuck eating the ‘same old, same old’ and while that may be okay, it gets boring.

For some, these foods are already eaten on a regular basis.  Others may avoid them because they’re afraid.

Afraid of the sugar content or afraid of the fat content and those fears creaped into their head (maybe your head) from some tricksters.

What are these weight loss foods?

Here’s the quick list, followed with my “reason why.”

Read More→

Ever been confused about what to eat and when to eat it?

Should you eat a protein only breakfast or have some carbs and fat too?

What about meal timing for a workout?  Do you have to have a protein shake immediately after your workout if you want to see results?

Do you need to have a protein and carb snack before your workout to provide you with the energy you need to make it through the workout and perform at the level you want?

What about nighttime eating?  Is it okay to eat after dinner?

Should you have a protein shake, or other high protein food before you go to bed to help your muscles repair?

That’s a lot of questions and to be totally honest I could go on because I’ve received so many questions about this one topic in the past couple months it’s making my head spin.

I know the root of the questions and we’ll cover that in a bit, but first let’s clear something up…

Read More→