-Art of Strength - Providence-

Since i'm smitten with kettlebells, they have become the cornerstone of my workout routines...so many exercises, so many options, and so many benefits! I LOVE the fact that with one piece of metal, you can improve your strength, improve your endurance, get leaner, and do all this with time-efficient workouts! I HATE getting bored with my workouts...I mean, who doesn't? If you haven't tried kettlebells, I highly suggest you give 'em a shot...and if you're completely stumped on how to go about learning all the fancy exercises, well, let me know. I plan on getting certified one day (super-expensive b/c I have to travel to BFE to do so and pay a gazillion dollars for the cert...but HIGHLY worth it, as i'll gain a heckuva lot more competence in INSTRUCTION)!

Anyhow...I also want to open a studio one day...and I know what kinda I wanna open...a PUNCH Kettlebell Gym. To do this, not only do I need to be certified, but I must be certified through AOS (Art of Strength), which is Anthony DiLuglio's system...this means travelling again to go do so, paying for the cert, AND then paying a gazillion more dollars for the franchisee cert (not to mention MORE travel expenses)...

Anyone wanna start up a collection for me? :)

iIm serious about getting all this done. Right now is the time b/c there are a handful of affiliates through Punch, and although it seems everyone and their dog has hopped on the kettlebell bandwagon, there are very few CERTIFIED kettlebell instructors.

Okay...so, today's workout was my own rendition of Anthony's Art of Strength "PROVIDENCE" workout:

The art of Strength: Providence is a total body workout that has 14 different exercises done in two minute intervals with a minute of rest in between. The workout is as follows:

Round 1: 2-handed swing, one arm swing, hand-to-hand swing
Round 2: Cleans
Round 3: Chest presses
Round 4: Squats/sumo deadlifts
Round 5: One leg deadlift
Round 6: Windmills into an overhead squat
Round 7: clean and press
Round 8: Flip and squat
Round 9: Tactical lunges
Round 10: Triple crush
Round 11: Sling shot into a figure 8 with a static hold
Round 12: Seated press
Round 13: One arm row
Round 14: Pullovers, Russian twists, Sicilian crunch
Round 15: 3 minute snatch test

Here's my workout:
WARMUP:
2 rounds of the 10 min ETK (Enter the Kettlebell) warmup (10 wall squats, 10 kettlebell halos ea. direction, 10 pumps)

WORKOUT:
*all kettlebell exercises done with an 8kilo kettlebell...I have a 12kilo on the way! yay!
1 = 40 sec left hand swing, 40 sec rt hand, 40 sec alt hands (exchange in mid-air)
2 = 1 min jumping jacks
3 = kettlebell cleans 5 ea side for 2 min
4 = 1 min crunches
5 = kettlebell one arm chest press (lay on back) 10 ea arm for 2 min
6 = squat thrusts 1 min
7 = 20 sec squat w/kb in left arm, 20 sec with right arm, 40 sec sumo deadlifts, 40 sec squats with kettlebell behind neck
8 = plank 1 min
9 = single leg deadlift 1 min left, 1 min right
10 = side plank 30 sec ea side
11 = kettlebell windmill/overhead squat combo 1 min left, 1 min rt
12 = crunch feet up 1 min
13 = kettlebell clean and press 1 min ea arm
14 = crunch with left and right reach 1 min
15 = kettlebell swing flip and squat 2 min (KILLER)
16 = plank 1 min
17 = kettlebell tactical lunge (swing it under your front leg when you step into reverse lunge) 2 min (KILLER)
18 = active straight leg hamstring stretch 1 min
19 = kettlebell "triple crush" (basically a curl, overhead press, and overhead triceps extension) 2 min
20 = crunch 1 min
21 = kettlebell figure 8 to a hold (pass between legs and grab behind, then sling it up and stop it with free hand) 2 min
22 = rest 1 min
23 = seated overhead press (legs straddled) 5 reps ea side for 2 min
24 = crunch 1 min
25 = 1arm kettlebell row 5 reps ea for 2 min
26 = pumps 1 min
27 = kettlebell pullovers 40 sec, kettlebell russian twist 40 sec, crunches 40 sec
28 = 15 snatches each arm. (couldn't do 1 1/2 min of snatches each arm...hell no, not yet!)

Warmup took 6:30

Workout took 43:30

HAPPY CAMPER! GONNA BE SORE! Had a few "wanna hurl" moments but took a breather here and there and that helped...going for 2 min on ANY exercise SUCKS!

But I love it!

I'm also an Art of Strength affiliate, so if you want to order any of the awesome AOS DVD's or gear (such as kettlebells, Outlaw ropes, and the new adjustable Bulldog and Diva kettlebells), click on the AOS Link towards the top right of this page! I am convinced that AOS is the best in kettlebell instruction, affiliation, and innovation! Check 'em out!

-INTENSITY-

Allow me to get a bit "deep" with this post. :) I believe one of the most important factors in one's quest for improved fitness is INTENSITY. Crazy as it sounds, it's one of the most important factors, yet it's seriously lacking from many people's workouts. I'm going to venture off the "fitness" path for just a second to hypothesize that this has something to do with a lack of intensity in many people's everyday lives. Many people just "go through the motions" each and every day...get up, brush teeth, eat breakfast, shower, dress, drive to work, work, come home, sit on couch to watch tv, eat, sleep...do it all over again the next day. Blah blah blah blah...BORING! Add to this the fact that many people are "stuck" in careers which leave them feeling drained and unfulfilled at the end of the day.

Where's the excitement? Where's the challenge? Where's the LIVING?

INTENSITY = LIVING!

I'm not saying go out there and jump out of airplanes in order to prove you're living a "full" life...i'm saying that in order to get the most out of life, you gotta ACT...and in order to act, you gotta put forth EFFORT...and in order to put forth effort, you gotta have the right level of INTENSITY!

I feel there's a correlation between intensity and the ability for one to live a full, healthy life.

You see, if one is unable to put forth the right amount of effort in their workouts, they aren't gonna reach their fitness goals. Same thing goes for any life goal..I mean, you're not gonna make it into an Ivy League school without having a stellar GPA, excellent study skills, and top-notch test scores.

So, in my roundabout way i've made my point (hopefully). :)

If you're wanting to take things to the next level, no matter what the situation may be, you MUST be able to apply some INTENSITY! Get out there and go for it! No one ever got anywhere just sitting on their as*!!!!!!!! Got it? Good!

-BOOTCAMPS STARTING SOON!

SPREAD THE WORD!

-FIT *2* GO!- BOOTCAMPS START SOON!

THERE WILL BE MORNING AND EVENING GROUPS:

6:00AM MWF
6:30PM MWF (or TBD)

We will be working out at the levee (meet at the steps), City Park, and/or the LSU lakes! You will notified of our location as we begin the sign-up process!

WHAT IS IT?

Led by fitness professionals Sarah Rippel and Ashley Holden, FIT *2* GO! Bootcamp is a challenging, progressive program comprised of four weeks of three one-hour workouts!

WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

You can expect to sweat, work hard, get into killer shape, and have a blast doing it! :) You will learn safe and effective exercise technique, along with healthy nutrition strategies. You will also learn to fit exercise into your busy life...and actually look forward to it!

WHAT ARE THE WORKOUTS LIKE?

NEVER boring...that's for sure! Leave the pink sissy dumbbells at home with grandma! It's all about INTENSITY! Don't be scared, though...ANYONE can participate! Workouts will be tailored to meet the needs of all participants based on individual fitness levels.

We will GET STRONG!
We will LOSE FAT!
We will GET HEALTHY!
We will PUSH OURSELVES further than we couldn't do on our own!
and...
WE WILL HAVE FUN!

BOOTCAMP ROCKS!

SIGN UP NOW TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT!
SPACE IS LIMITED!

We will be forming a "waiting list" once spots have been filled. If you do not show up on Day 1, you will lose your spot.

FOR MORE INFO:

fit2gotraining@hotmail.com

We are accepting payments via PayPal as well as cash/check.
To pay via PayPal, simply click the button below. This button can also be found at the upper right of the blog, under the heading!

-Fix Those Weak Links!-

Let's face it...most of us (well, myself not included, lol) work a 9-to-5 job and spend most of our day in a seated position. What does this have to do with fitness, you ask? Well, as you may already be aware, sitting at a desk for extended periods of time can wreak havoc on your body. What does it do? Well, for starters, it can contribute to what we in the industry call "upper crossed syndrome," which is basically a fancy term for protracted (slumping) shoulders, tight chest, upper trapezius/sternocleidomastoid (aka your neck)/anterior shoulder muscles, and forward head carriage. Quite often, this can lead to excessive neck tension and headaches. Not fun. Spending too much time in a seated position can also lead to a lack of proper lumbar curve, due to this upper crossed "cascade" of issues. Add to this the fact that one's hips can become very tight, thus leading to a lack of mobility and decreased hip/glute function. In a nutshell, the body is put under a tremendous amount of stress due to gravity itself, and the seated position that most of us adhere to more often than not just exacerbates the problem. If you exercise, kudos to you! If you don't, DO! Even simple exercises are better than none at all! Everyone should add some mobility work to their routine if they want to stay as pain- and injury-free as possible!

Yours in Health,
Sarah

The exercises are:
Dowel "Halos" x 5 ea direction
Stick-Ups (thumbs to wall) x 5-10
Overhead Squat x 15
Stability Ball Circles x 5 ea direction
Bird Dogs (hold 5-10 sec) x 5-10 ea
Side-Lying Hip Abduction + Raise (hold 5-10 sec) x 5-10 ea
Marching Bridge (hold 5-10 sec) x 5-10 ea

-How NOT to Exercise...Part 1-

I have been working out since I was a senior in high school...so that means, oh, roughly 14 years, give or take a few months :)

I will be the first to admit that over the years, especially waaaay back in the day, I have commited NUMEROUS "exercise sins."

Prepare to be enlightened!

My first suggestion...if you REALLY want to wreck your body and live in pain 24/7? Perform bodybuilding-style routines with as much weight as you can tolerate for 12-15 reps per set. What does this really mean, you ask? Well, bodybuilding-style routines revolve around "body part specific" exercises, such as biceps curls...exercises that typically involve ONE joint and mid-to-high reps with as much weight as you can handle.

DUMB. JUST PLAIN DUMB!

First off...all the reps...rep after rep, taxing a single joint...can we say, no...can we SCREAM tendonitis? Repetitive lifting in this manner WILL give you good-looking muscles...BUT at a price...it kills your joints. I had tendonitis in practically every joint, back in the day.

Aside from the fact that this kind of training can lead to overuse injuries and overtraining, it's completely non-functional! I mean, what everyday situation calls for a biceps curl? Yes, we pick up things throughout the day...we DO use our biceps...but NEVER in isolation.

Bodybuilding training THRIVES on isolated movements.

Real life, on the other hand, relies on compound movements that originate from the "core" muscles.

Would you rather have a good-looking body with painful joints
or
a balanced, even better-looking body with healthy, functioning joints?

You decide!

Stay Healthy!
S

Take Care of Yourself...NOW!!

I believe that total health and total fitness go hand in hand. To make the most of you life, you must be mentally, emotionally, and physically fit/healthy.
So....what are you doing to enhance your level of fitness? Or...what are you NOT doing that is causing you to be unfit? To get the most out of your life – you’ve got to stop! Face it, we only have control over a few things in life. It sucks, but it’s true.
So much in life feels, seems, and probably is, out of your control – but when it comes to your health – there is a lot you can do – or stop not doing – to be fitter, get healthier, and enjoy your life more.
Exercise more - this you have control over. Do it. You need to do cardio and resistance/weight bearing exercise regularly. It's common sense and such an easy concept... so why don’t people exercise regularly?
Your psyche: this is the all-important wild card. This is the thing that no one wants to talk about because, well, we haven’t quite figured out how to make it work for us. Well, some of us have, sort of.
We know that using repetition for mental conditioning works, so feed your mind positive images and thoughts of where you want to be, how you want to look, and what you want to do, throughout the day. Stop harping on what you don’t have – express your wants as desire, not coming from a place of lack.
We also know that you have to believe what you are saying way deep down inside for it to really manifest in your life, so say it, live it, and do what you can to feed your subconscious the messages that you do want to be healthy and happy.
And we know that if you live in the negative, you will stay in the negative, so stop berating yourself, stop not taking care of yourself, and stop putting everyone else’s needs ahead of yours.

The Skinny on Smoothies

Click here to see a recent story on Good Morning America about smoothies. It's the video titled "Skinny On Smoothies" on the right hand side. It's pretty crazy. You can never be sure that each employee at these smoothie places are using the same amount of ingredients. Be sure you know EXACTLY what is in your smoothies and make your own! See some of the recipes I posted on June 18!