circuit training - fitknitchick

#FatblasterFriday | A Bosu Circuit Workout that won’t embarrass you at the gym

April 26, 2013 by Tamara 22 Comments

Last week I asked my Facebook group (not a member yet? Click on the link and ‘like’ the page) for some suggestions for my next #FatblasterFriday real time workout video (subscribe to my YouTube channel so as never to miss a workout).

My favourite response?

“bosu stuff that I could use in the gym (nothing I’d be embarrassed having people see me do if you know what I mean lol)”

Yes, my friend, I know EXACTLY what you mean

We’ve talked before about why I love the Bosu. All of the wonderful things it can add to your workout. How it can be used for strength and cardio as well as core. How it challenges muscles that you didn’t even know you had…

Today’s #FatblasterFriday workout is a whole body, 5-move Bosu circuit workout that will strengthen your muscles, elevate your heart rate and challenge your core, all without EMBARRASSING you in the gym

Set your timer for 10 rounds of 45 s work and 15 s rest. All you need is a Bosu (and perhaps a mat, if you need to come to your knees for pushups).

CLICK on the video below and DO the workout WITH ME!

Did you like this workout? Then PLEASE

WATCH and DO the workouts with me
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Disclaimer: Although I am a registered Personal Trainer, I am not YOUR Personal Trainer. Always adapt workouts to suit your body and fitness level. Always consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise program.

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#FatblasterFriday | Strength, speed and balance training on the BOSU

March 15, 2013 by Tamara 39 Comments

I used to teach a weekly Bosu class. Sixty minutes of balance training, core, speed, agility and strength. I gave it up because it conflicted with Sunday family time.

But I miss it (and my body misses it; the ‘use it or lose it’ principle definitely applies to balance training ).

Never used a Bosu balance trainer before? Here’s what you’re missing out on:

improved balance (guess that’s why it’s called a ‘balance’ trainer)
better core stabilization (just standing on the dome activates all sorts of tiny stabilizer muscles; muscles you probably didn’t even know you had)
stronger knees and ankles (a must if you want to protect yourself from falling on ice or tripping over your children’s toys)
enhanced proprioception (knowing where your body is in space)

Today’s #FatblasterFriday workout combines upper and lower body strength moves with some plyometrics and a bit of fast foot work. Only 6 exercises, performed circuit style, 30 s on, 10 s off. Twice through the circuit and you’re free to get on with your day!

You’ll need a set of hand weights and a Bosu balance trainer (but don’t fret if you don’t have one or somebody let the air out of yours… I’ve included Bosu-less options as well).

Did you like this workout? Then PLEASE

WATCH and DO the workouts with me
SUBSCRIBE to fitknitchick on YouTube
CHECK OUT the #FatblasterFriday Playlist for more, real time workouts
PIN the above WORKOUT PHOTO
GIVE me your FEEDBACK on YouTube or in the COMMENTS section below
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{39 Comments }

#FatblasterFriday | The ‘hit the wall workout’

March 1, 2013 by Tamara 17 Comments

The phrase ‘hitting the wall’ is often used in fitness to describe a point at which you either can’t do any more (as in, “at the 20 mile mark, I hit the wall”; I wish!)

or you’ve reached a plateau and you’re no longer progressing on your current program (and well all know how to remedy that situation, right? A change is as good as a rest!).

I sometimes use the term literally in my group fitness classes, telling my participants to “hit the wall and give me 20″ (wall squats, pushups, medball slams, whatever).

Today’s workout requires a stability ball and an optional set of dumbbells. Oh, and a wall, of course!

The “Hit the Wall Workout” is a timed circuit. Five exercises, 30 s of each, resting for 15 seconds before moving on to the next. Get through it at least twice for a quick, whole body workout! Four rounds is less than 2% of your day. Just sayin’…

And for those of you who want something they can Pin or print out and take to the gym…

Your response to these workouts has been incredible! Don’t let me ‘hit a wall’ with page views!

Please SHARE this video with your friends!

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Leave me a COMMENT or three (comments make my day!)

Disclaimer: Although I am a registered Personal Trainer, I am not YOUR Personal Trainer (although I could be! Check out my NEW ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM). Always adapt workouts to suit your body and fitness level. Always consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise program.

{17 Comments }

#FatblasterFriday | The ‘snowed in’ home workout

December 21, 2012 by Tamara 13 Comments

As important as it is to plan and schedule your workouts (“failing to plan is just planning to fail”), sometimes life happens and you can’t get where you need to be when you need to be there. The key to success is being flexible. Change your plan to work with what you’ve got, rather than ditching your workout entirely.

Take this week. Tuesday morning I awoke to Vancouver’s first big snowfall of the year. (If you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow, please don’t laugh; this is a ‘big dump’ for us!)

As beautiful as it was, there was no way I was driving kids to school (2 miles and uphill all the way…). That also meant I wouldn’t be heading to the gym. Wednesday brought more of the same with the added bonus of a vomiting child. Children at home, a Christmas tree filled living room and too cold to work out outside meant that I needed to get creative.

While I managed my own limited-equipment-at-home workout, filming a workout video for this week’s #FatblasterFriday was out of the question. Rather than leaving you up to your own devices , I thought I’d share one of the workouts I did while snowed in.

All you need is a set of hand weights (I used 15 lbs, go lighter if you need to), the bottom step of a flight of stairs and your own body weight. Work through the circuit at least twice, stopping only after the burpees to grab a quick drink and catch your breath!

home workout

If you’re one of those people that really needs company when exercising, check out my #FatblasterFriday playlist on YouTube. I’ll be happy to work out with you if it keeps you from skipping your workout entirely!

Did you like this workout? Then PLEASE

SUBSCRIBE to fitknitchick on YouTube
PIN the above WORKOUT PHOTO
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Does it snow where you live?

Favourite snowy day activity?

{13 Comments }

#FatblasterFriday | The Virtual Partner Workout

December 14, 2012 by Tamara 22 Comments

Last September I attended Fitbloggin. During the Reebok-sponsored Crossfit workout, I was lucky enough to be partnered up with Brendon Payne of Sequel Life Fitness. An incredible athlete, enthusiastic coach and all-round great guy, he lifts weights, runs AND practices yoga!

(Great hair and smile too, don’t ya think?)

We had so much fun we promised to schedule another fitness collaboration; a bit of a challenge given that we live in different countries and on opposite sides of the continent! Who doesn’t love a good partner workout?

Thank goodness for video cameras, Skype and iMovie!

Although Brendon and I did this workout together (well, ‘virtually’ together), you can do it with or without a partner. (Partner workouts are a blast IF you have the RIGHT partner…).

Today’s #FatblasterFriday is an interval partner workout;

6 body weight exercises (actually there are 7; I snuck an extra one in. Can you find the second ’5′ in the video?)
30 s of HIGH INTENSITY effort
15 s RECOVERY between exercises
2 or 3 times through

You can take turns performing the 30 s of work (thereby earning a 45 s rest) OR each perform all of the moves as written above. Your choice.

Note that we purposefully didn’t plan the workout in advance. Neither of us knew what move the other would request, setting the stage for ‘pay back’ lest one of us be too demanding!

You can use the same format (and different moves) next time you do a partner workout (just be sure and go first….he, he!). And even train with friends who live nowhere near you! (I seriously LOVE Skype!)

If you LOVED this workout, please share it via Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter (sharing buttons are at the bottom of the post). We promise, it will make our day!

Who did you think was better at following directions (I have a very thick skin…)?

Will you do this workout solo or with a buddy?

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#FatblasterFriday | 8 Resistance Band Exercises for Home or Travel

November 23, 2012 by Tamara 21 Comments

Well, the turkey and mashed potatoes are finished. The last of the pumpkin pie cheesecake was eaten for breakfast. The wine bottles have been carried to the curb. Another Thanksgiving dinner is over and done.

resistance band exercises

Now’s the perfect time to haul yourself off the couch and squeeze in a quick workout!

I know, you’re not at home and you don’t have any equipment other than that resistance band I suggested you pack

resistance band exercises

This week’s #FatblasterFriday workout is a short and sweet, whole body strength workout, perfect for regular exercisers and newcomers to fitness alike. Just twelve reps of each of 8 resistance band exercises and you’re done (unless you had seconds on dessert; then you need to do the circuit two more times…).

Tips for working with a resistance band?

always check your band for tears and holes before you begin your workout; a band that snaps during exercise will leave a nasty bruise on your arm, leg or face
bands with padded handles are easier to use than bands without
bands generally come in 4′ and 6′ lengths. The longer the band, the more versatile (you can always shorten it when more resistance is needed; see below)
make sure there’s tension on the band at the beginning of each exercise; no tension, no added resistance
increase the resistance on the band by shortening the distance between the handles, either by wrapping the excess band around your wrists (as demonstrated in the video) or by stepping on the band with both feet (again, see the video for more details)

Ready to go? The “Resistance is NOT futile” Band Workout!

resistance band exercises

Did you like this workout? Then PLEASE

WATCH and DO the workouts with me
SUBSCRIBE to fitknitchick on YouTube
CHECK OUT the #FatblasterFriday Playlist for more, real time workouts
PIN the above WORKOUT PHOTO
GIVE me your FEEDBACK on YouTube or in the COMMENTS section below
LIKE and SHARE my videos with your friends via email, Facebook and Twitter

More VIEWS, LIKES, COMMENTS and SHARES –>> More VIDEOS!

{21 Comments }

#FatblasterFriday | Offset load squats and lunges workout

November 9, 2012 by Tamara 15 Comments

We all know that squats and lunges are your lower body’s best friends.

But did you know that by simply elevating one foot, you can also challenge your balance and work your core at the same time? The trick is to let your floor leg do most of the work; push through with the supporting foot, letting the elevated leg be light!

Offset load squats and lunges are truly ‘bang for your buck’ exercises!

Why?

By shifting most of your body weight onto one foot, you’ll be asking the muscles of the supporting leg to do more work than they would during a traditional squat or lunge.
You’ll also be using your obliques to hold your upper body ‘square’; no leaning to the side allowed!
And because single leg work requires more balance and control, your smaller, stabilizer muscles will be required to help out.

No fancy equipment needed; you can perform all of the moves in this workout using the bottom step of any old staircase. Of course, a step or low bench also works great. (Beginners, you can even keep both feet on the ground. I guarantee you’ll still feel your legs tomorrow )

To really challenge your core, try replacing the step with an unstable surface like a Bosu, a balance board or an Ugi ball, like me!

Today’s #FatblasterFriday is an offset load squat and lunge workout. We’ll be combining three different foot positions with three different upper body moves. In my bootcamp class, we call this routine ‘Squats and Lunges Around the World’. Expect to get a full body workout, with heavy breathing and lots of sweat!

Grab your water bottle and a set of hand weights and click on the video below to get started!

Did you like this workout? Then PLEASE

WATCH and DO the workouts with me
SUBSCRIBE to fitknitchick on YouTube
CHECK OUT the #FatblasterFriday Playlist for more, real time workouts
GIVE me your FEEDBACK on YouTube or in the COMMENTS section below
LIKE and SHARE my videos with your friends via email, Facebook and Twitter

More VIEWS, LIKES, COMMENTS and SHARES –>> More VIDEOS!

Squats and lunges; love ‘em or hate ‘em?

What’s your all-time, favourite leg exercise?

{15 Comments }

#FatblasterFriday | Spartacus Workout for Women

November 2, 2012 by Tamara 17 Comments

A few months ago I posted my own version of the popular Spartacus Workout.

My Spartacus Workout for Women focuses on four ‘trouble’ spots that most of my female group fitness participants and personal training clients want to work on;

triceps
tummy
thighs and
tush

The Spartacus Workout for Women combines whole body, fat-blasting moves with exercises that target the 4 T’s.

Because I get so many ‘how to’ questions about this workout (my earlier post only listed the names of the exercises…hint, you can click through to the original post for a printable version of the workout), I thought we could do it together, today, on #FatblasterFriday!

Grab your weights, a mat and a bench or chair. Do a quick warmup (5 minutes of light calisthenics ought to do it) and click on the link below to sweat alongside me!

Show me how much you liked this video!

SUBSCRIBE to fitknitchick on YouTube
WATCH and DO the workouts with me
GIVE me your FEEDBACK on YouTube or in the COMMENTS section below
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And a huge thank you to my girl Rebekah (BexLife) for the fabulous #blissedin tank top! Want one of your very own or as a Christmas present for a special friend? Click through to her website and place your order!

{17 Comments }

A CrossFit style workout you can do at home

September 26, 2012 by Tamara 22 Comments

Yesterday, I was excited to see a free 90-minute window on my calendar. So excited, that I immediately Tweeted about it, asking my followers what type of workout they would fill it with. Running? Strength? A CrossFit style workout?

I had just psyched myself up for an upper body pyramid session at the gym when my 10-year old daughter got up and told me she wasn’t feeling well. She looked flushed and was running a bit of a temperature. I decided to keep her home from school (the parents of her friends can thank me later…). I cancelled my clients, drove the boys to school and made a backup plan.

Although I own lots of workout equipment, I don’t have a bench or an Olympic bar or heavy enough dumbbells or a place to do chin ups. None of the equipment that I needed to do the workout I’d planned. It would have been easy to let myself have a ‘rest day’. But I was still feeling the residual energy of the workouts I’d recently done at FitBloggin. In particular, the CrossFit style workout led by Reebok.

Why not create my own CrossFit style workout? And just because I know that many of you will also be faced with aborted workout plans due to sick children, pets or spouses, I decided to shoot a video and share it with you!

The entire workout is 12 minutes long. I did it in it’s entirety, but edited because not everyone has 12 minutes to watch someone else workout! Grab some weights, a skipping rope, a mat and a kettle bell (or use a dumbbell if you don’t happen to have a kettle bell lying around) and get moving!

P.S. If you like this workout, please SHARE it with your friends, LIKE it on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE to my channel!

{22 Comments }

Monday Motivation: a circuit training workout to kick start your week

April 9, 2012 by Tamara 7 Comments

My move to self-hosted is complete! Alas, my email and WordPress blog subscribers did not survive the move. Please take a minute and enter your e-mail address in the subscription box to the right. Thanks! Now you’ll never have to worry about missing a fun, fitness-filled post again!

While I love four-day weekends, I hate how difficult it is to get back into routine again come Tuesday morning. It’s like that extra two days off flips on the ‘vacation mode’ in my brain. (And I actually had two days off in a row; for the first time ever my gym was closed on Easter Sunday and I didn’t have to teach!). The only solution is to make a plan to get to the gym on Monday and kick start my fitness week with a short, but intense circuit training workout. Why don’t you join me?

Today’s Monday Motivation is a 10-minute circuit. You’ll need a set of weights, a mat, a bench (or chair), a ball, an interval timer and a TRX suspension trainer or Lebert Equalizer. Missing a piece of equipment? No worries, I’ve given substitutions below.

Set your timer for 10 rounds of 45 s work and 15 s rest. If you don’t have an interval timer you can watch a clock with a second hand.

Perform each exercise, in order, for 45 s (or stop sooner, if you’ve pushed yourself to fatigue before the work interval ends), followed by a 15 s rest. Make sure you use your rest to transition to the next exercise; no wasting time!

Have a bit more time? Take a 60 s rest at the end of the circuit and do it all again! Like it? Feel free to share and tweet and ‘pin’ it!

Fitknitchick’s Monday Motivation Circuit

(I had to cheat on the last one; do you know how hard it is to find an exercise that starts with the letter ‘N’? Negative chin-ups, but I didn’t want to do that to you all!)

Need a substitution?