Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Boot Camp and Personal Training Offer!

6:33 PM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
Since the holiday season is upon us, I know a lot of us are going to be joining in on countless festivities for the next 2 months or so. At said festivities, we are also going to be enjoying lots of delicious food that some of us might feel a little guilty about indulging in...especially when New Years rolls around.

Who's ever made a resolution involving fitness?? Whether it's to shed the Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas pounds or to do a triathlon by June or even to simply start a better exercise routine, I can help you get there! Goals are so hard to accomplish alone. I know. I have tried and failed at several, but I have a lot of people to thank for helping me accomplish those goals I have met.

So here's the deal. Come January, I will be offering free boot camp classes and personal training. Details:

Boot Camp 
If you are interested in taking a group fitness class (great support system, by the way!), 
1.  Contact me (see info at bottom of post) and let me know you want to start a class. This class will be free for you and everyone in your group. 

2.  Feel free to bring friends too! It'll be free for them as well. No trick here, guys. Promise.

3.  After you have gotten a group together (at least 4 people please, preferably 5 or 6), send me the names of everyone in your group and what days and times work for you. 

***Based in Utah. Contact me to see if I can come to your area.***

Classes start January 2nd.

Personal Training
If you're wanting something a little more personalized,
1.  Contact me and let me know you're interested in personal training. Again, this is free. Also, you can bring up to one other person. It will be free for them as well.

2.  Let me know a date and time we can meet for your consultation.

3.   Let the training begin!

REFERRAL REWARDS!
*For anyone you refer, they will get a free consultation, 1 free 1-hour session, and 50% off their remaining sessions. You will get a $10 gift certificate to the place of your choice if they end up training with me.*




Contact me at:
beenworkingout@gmail.com
***YOUR INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL***
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Thursday, October 20, 2011

At home fitness toys I can't live without (and HIGHLY recommend!)

4:11 PM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
Sometimes I have crazy busy days and I can't make it to the gym. I know y'all have never had an experience anything like that...right??

So just in case you do, here are some "toys" that make working out at home a lot easier and more productive. I have all these things and I LOVE them! You can get them at Walmart, on line (Ebay and Amazon are great), or at any sporting goods store.

Pull Up Bar
This handy little piece hangs on your door frame. It is easy to take on and off and can support plenty of weight for you to do a variety of creative arm, shoulder, back, and core workouts on.


Ab Straps
These things go right along with your pull up bar. Some bars even come with the straps. These are excellent for isolating the abdominal muscles and giving them an intense workout without the assistance of other muscles. Make sure you don't swing back and forth during your leg lifts!


Ab Wheel
3 words: HURTS SO GOOD!!!
This little treat tones you up and strengthens you fast. It is also incredibly difficult the fist few rounds. Very effective though. It works your arms, lower back, abs and obliques. My personal favorite.


Perfect Push-ups
You haven't done a push-up till you've done it on one of these suckers. These allow your wrists to rotate and boost your arms, giving you a deeper push-up.


Jump Rope
So basic, yet so awesome! Jump rope makes for great cardio and a sweet little calf workout. Plus, it's fun. Get a few and have competitions with friends and family. See who can go longest, fastest, on one foot, switching feet, backwards, etc. Be creative. It's still a workout.


Yoga Ball
You can work pretty much any part of your body with a good yoga ball. Get one.


Stretch Cords
These are great for resistance workouts. These can help with biceps, triceps, shoulders, forearms, thighs, calves...pretty much everything. And you'll definitely feel the burn.




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Monday, September 19, 2011

The fatty truth.

4:00 PM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
Did you know there are 3500 calories in a pound of fat? That means that to lose just one pound, you need to burn 3500 calories! (That's some powerful logic there...)

(Pound of fat)

Let's say you need 2000 calories to get through they day.
Case 1: Usually people eat more than what they need. Let's say you consume 2100 calories. That's 700 extra calories a week which results in gaining roughly 10 pounds per year!
Case 2: You realize you've gained 10 pounds and you desperately want to lose that weight, so you only eat 1500 calories per day. This may work for awhile, but your brain is hard to trick. Your hypothalamus realizes your body is not getting enough sustenance and goes into starvation mode, meaning your body takes everything you put into it and stores the fat. Fat takes less energy to burn, so to help preserve your body, your brain tells it to increase its fat reserves. Not the image you had in mind for yourself, right?

So what now? Your body needs 2000 calories to function, so give it those calories. To shed the pounds, exercise! If you burn 300 calories in a single workout session, that's 1700 calories still in your bank. Your body has had enough to run, but you are still able to decrease what you have at the end of the day. Keep this up and you're looking at -1 pound roughly every 2 weeks. This is a healthy rate at which to lose weight.

If you start gaining weight from muscle mass, don't worry. Muscle takes a lot of energy to maintain, so the more muscle you have, the more you burn without trying! It's like an investment.

Eat right and exercise well! Good luck!
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Exercise ideas that'll work your butt off...literally!

4:37 PM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
This one actually consists of a lot of leg workouts, but a lot of exercises you do for your upper legs can work your gluts quite nicely as well! So kill 2 birds with one stone and try a couple of these out.

Squats.
Yes, you hate them and it's all you ever hear about but squats are great for your quads, gluts, and even your inner and outer thighs. Try these fun variations:
Wall sits: with your back to the wall, sit till your legs are bent at a 90 degree angle (sit even lower down to make this harder!). Hold it for 30 seconds, stand up, and repeat. See if you can do 45 seconds for the second set and 60 for the last one. Be sure to tighten your core, keep your hands off your knees, and keep your butt firm during the exercise.
One-legged: You can do this one of 2 ways. One way is to put a yoga ball between your back and the wall. Stick one leg out in front of you (it doesn't have to be too high off the ground) and keep your balance by tightening your core, gluts, and thighs. Slowly lower yourself down till your legs are at a 90 degree angle, hold for a moment, and roll yourself back to a standing position. The other way is to use a bar at about chest level. Hold the bar in both hands, feet on the floor beneath the bar, and raise one leg in front of you. Squat deep, almost till you're sitting (but not quite!), pause, and then stand up again. Do either of these about 10-12 times per leg, 3 sets/leg.
Sumo squats: Spread your legs slightly wider than shoulder level. Rather than having your toes point forward, point them outward slightly. Clasp your hands in front of your chest and squat. Tighten your butt, core, and thighs and stick your butt out a little as you go down. This might help with form and will really help you feel the squat. Do 3 sets of about 8-10 of these.
Jumping squats: Lower yourself into a standard squat (feet about shoulder-width apart, toes and knees forward, knees in line with toes) and jump. When you land, land directly back into your squat. 3 sets of 10-12 should get your heart rate up and your legs burning.

Lunges.
Like squats, also great for legs and gluts. Here's a couple variations:
Touchdown lunges: From a standing position, lunge one leg straight out behind you. Bending low on your forward leg, lean down and forward till you touch the ground with both hands on either side of your forward leg. Bring the back leg forward again as you return to a standing position. 3 sets of 20 per leg.
Squat lunge: Is it a squat or a lunge?? Go into a lunge position and pump yourself up and down about 20 times. Stand, switch legs, repeat. Again, 3 sets of 20 per leg.
Medicine ball lunge: Hold a light medicine ball or something that weighs 4-6 pounds in front of your torso. Lunge forward and twist your body toward the forward leg. As you stand, bring your body straight again. Lunge forward with the other leg and twist slowly an with control toward that leg, and so on. Take about 30 steps.

Thigh Squeeze.
This is a good one to help firm up that jiggle that might be going on between your legs. Lie on your back, raise your legs in the air, bent at 90 degrees (knees in line with hips), and place a yoga ball (or a few fat pillows) between your knees. Squeeze the ball/pillows as tight as you can while still keeping a steady breathing pattern and hold for 30 seconds. When 30 seconds are up, pump your knees (maintaining a grip on the ball) 20 times and the squeeze for another 30 seconds. Do 3 sets (Squeeze, pump, squeeze, pump, squeeze, pump).

Donkey Kicks.
Get down on all fours, knees below hips, hands below shoulders. If you have a heavy can, an 8 pound dumbbell, or something similar, it is highly recommended. Place the weight in your "knee-pit" (where your leg bends) and perform the exercise in one of the ways shown in the image. This one is a lot easier to illustrate than explain.


You can bring your bent leg up to hip-level and down (see image 1 and the lady in the orange), out to the side and down (like a dog marking its territory), in and out (2), whatever. Make up your own variation! Do about 3 sets of 20 of these.

Good luck!
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Sunday, September 11, 2011

Swimming: The Schpeel.

10:17 AM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
Call me biased based on my high school experience, but swimming is one of the greatest workouts a person can do! It's low impact, works your whole body, and can help keep you in shape as you heal from injuries. An added bonus: no sweat! Well...OK you do sweat but it washes off in the nice, refreshing water so you don't notice.

To get an effective workout when you swim, you need to have (guess) GOOD FORM. For a great little tutorial, check out this Jimmy D'Shea in this little video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYuSMumlUk4
His freestyle tutorial goes till about 1:45. That's what the workout in this post will consist of, so don't be intimidated by the whole 6 minutes.

Form can be very difficult to get down when you're on your own, so it can help to have a buddy come with you to give you feedback. Just make sure they can give you good feedback first!

A little background information before I post the workout: Most pools are 25m in length, so 1 lap (there and back) is 50m. Olympic size pools are 50m in length, so 1 lap would be a full 100m. If you are unsure of the length of the pool, simply ask a lifeguard or staff member and they should be able to tell you.
So if an exercise looks like this: "10x50 free," it means that you will swim 10 sets of 50m freestyle.

So next time you get in the water, try this little workout:

Warm Up
5x50 free
4x50 kick (do this on your back in a streamlined position. Google image "streamline position" if you don't know what that looks like)

Workout
10x50 free: start slow and increase speed with each 50, 30 sec rest between sets
2x50 Kick, 15 sec rest
Ladder (rest 20 s between sets)
1x25 free
1x50 free
1x75 free
1x100 free
Rest 1 minute
1x100 free
1x75 free
1x50 free
1x25 free
***Repeat ladder 1-2 more times***

Cool Down
4x50 free (slow and easy)

Good luck!

I love writing swim workouts! Contact me if you want a more customized workout, or you can check out http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/swim-cgi/

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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Burn calories and lose weight with effective cardio!

3:40 PM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
Maybe this applies to you: you run every day. You're pouring sweat and your legs feel like jello. You might even be sore the next day or so. At first, you feel great! Maybe you even dropped a few pounds. But after awhile, you stop seeing results. The workout becomes boring and monotonous. Maybe you've even gained some weight (gasp)! All that hard work...for what?

This is discouraging to say the least. If this is similar to your case at all, it is probably because you have fallen into the cardio trap of death. Here's the trap: the idea tht (a) cardio itself will make you lose weight and (b) doing cardio every day is sufficient to lose/maintain weight and increase cardiovascualr health, regardless of the type of cardio you're doing.

Here's the thing: yes, cardio is necessary in the weight loss process and yes, doing your daily cardio will help incresase your health and fitness. BUT there is a reason you start to plateau.

Your muscles have a memory. When they do something they are unfamiliar with, they struggle and this works them hard. As your muscles familiarize themselves with the movement, it becomes easier and the muscles become stronger, more flexible, etc. So that exercise, whatever it is, still works that muscle, but becomes less effective.


So how do you prevent yourself from falling into this cardio trap of death? If you're thinking of running every day, you're missing the point. Correct answer: MIX IT UP!

***Quick disclaimer: I am not in any way saying that running every day is bad or incorrect or ineffective. In athletics where running is important (soccer, track, cross country, triathlons, and so on), by all means, train your heart out! Muscle memory is very good when you're training! This post is only meant to help dishevel your plateau.***

OK, I know not everyone out there has a PhD in Cardio Variety Methods. I don't either, because I made that degree up. But I do have several suggestions  for options besides running in place on a moving belt for half an hour.

1. Elliptical
The elliptical is a great tool for working your legs and getting your heart rate up. Most ellipticals have several settings for low impact cardio (usually noted as Fat Burn) and high impact (Cardio), among others (Personal Trainer, Aerobics, Hill, Interval, etc). For a great (new!) workout, select one of these programs, follow the diresctions the machine gives you, and work hard as you can.

2. Bikes
Whether it's a spin bike, a funny little exercise machine, a mountain bike, or a road bike, your sweat glands will party as your heart rate soars with a nice, hard bike workout. Biking is one of those things that may feel easy and effortless at first, but go for distance, up your resistance, and pedal as fast as you can (while maintaining control!) and you'll find youself working harder than you thought you would be.


3. Treadmill/Running
Maybe you're already a bike or eliptical junkie and are avoiding the treadmill. Running is great cardio, as well as the one you can do anytime and anywhere. An excellent way to get the most out of your run is with a speed interval workout. This helps your heart work at full throttle for a brief time as you run your hardest and fastest, and continue to pump blood through your body as you walk or jog for a longer period of time. It also trains your legs to use their muscles differently throughout the workout, offering the variety you need to keep your workout effective. Besides all this, speed intervals help improve your speed, endurance, and stride. Simply alternate your pace suring your run; Walk as fast as you can or jog for 60-90 seconds, then run all out for 30-60 seconds. You will be pooped by the end of your workout.

4. Exercise Classes
There are countless classes offered at local gyms and rec centers in virtually every community. These can include (but are certainly not limited to) aerobics, zumba, kickboxing, plyometrics, power pump, tae bo, and so on and so on. Sometimes you can even find these classes in your community for free! These classes are also often offered in the mornings or evenings when it is most convenient for those who work or go to school (or both). These classes are fun and offer a group setting where there are people of every level, so there is always a place for you to fit in. Check out your local gym or rec center for more information.

Cardio is a very effective tool in wieght loss, incresasing your energy, improving your health, preventing disease, and building endurance. Use it to its fullest!

***P.S. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN MY FACEBOOK PAGE, CHECK IT OUT! There you can get advice, stay up-to-date with my blog, interact with others with similar interests, and post questions, comments, goals, accomplishments, complements...whatever you want! Please help me get the word out by recommending this blog and my Facebook page to your friends. Go to DEFINED PERSONAL TRAINING and click "LIKE".***
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Monday, August 22, 2011

Workout at home...WITHOUT equipment! No excuses now, guys!

11:16 AM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
If you're like me (or human), there are days when you don't feel like going all the way to the gym. Maybe you're feeling lazy or have a very busy schedule that doesn't allow you a 2 hour window to go to the gym, workout, get home, and clean up. Whatever the case, you don't have to have a home gym complete with machines, cardio equipment, a stacks of dumbbells and Olympic weights to get a good workout in. Here's a little routine to help you out in the comfort of your very own, average, everyday living room. If you have any questions on form or how to do a certain exercise, I posted some pictures to help you out, or you can email/comment. Good form is EXTREMELY important!!!!! So make sure form is a priority!

Cardio:

  • Start with a brief warm up to get your heart rate up and your blood flowing. Jog in place for about 2 minutes, then air-jump rope at an moderate pace for another 2 minutes. (You can even use a real jump rope if you have one).
  • After warming up, spend about 15-20 minutes engaged in more intense cardio. This is a brief Plyometrics routine. Do each exercise as fast as you can (while keeping good form) and try to land lightly on your feet. DO NOT REST UNLESS SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED IN THE WORKOUT!
    • 1 minute of mountain climbers
    • 1 minute of jumping jacks
    • 1 minute rest
    • 1 minute of mountain climbers
    • 1 minute of jumping jacks
    • 1 minute rest
    • 1 minute jump rope on one foot
    • 1 minute jump rope on the other foot
    • 1 minute rest
    • 1 minute jump rope on one foot
    • 1 minute jump rope on the other foot
    • 1 minute rest
    • 1 minute of star jumps
    • 1 minute of squat jumps
    • 1 minute rest
    • 1 minute of star jumps
    • 1 minute of squat jumps
    • 1 minute rest
    • 1 minute run in place with high knees
    • 1 minute run in place with butt kicks
    • 1 minute rest
    • 1 minute of high knees
    • 1 minute of butt kicks
    • DONE! Walk it off for a couple minutes to cool down.
Other Exercises To Do At Home:
  • ARMS: Start out with some basic push ups. Don't just do 50 and move on to something else. Make it work for you! Do 3 sets of 10-25 push ups (depending on your ability). Another way to make your arms burn is by doing a ladder of push ups: start with 10, then do 9, then 8, etc. Rest about 20 seconds between sets.
  • To continue working your arms, shoulders, and pecs, do another 3 sets of 10-25 wide push ups. These focus on a different muscle group. Then do another 3 sets of 10-25 tricep push ups. These focus on your....TRICEPS! (Surprise!)
    • Wide Push up
    • Tricep Push up
  • Find a chair, couch, ottoman, pile of books, or something and do 3 sets of 10-20 tricep dips.
  • ABS: see last week's video. None of those need equipment!
  • LEGS: If they aren't already exhausted from the cardio, work your legs with some squats. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Form is vital here. You can seriously injure your knees during leg workouts if you don't have good alignment! It helps to have a mirror to assure your form is good. Your knees should be straight as you squat; not turning outward or inward. 
  • Lunges are excellent ways to work your quads, hamstrings, and butt. Again, make sure you have great form as you perform 3 sets of 10-12 lunges/leg.
  • Wall sits are a fun way to challenge yourself and get your legs shaking. Put your back against a wall and slide down till your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle and hold. Do this 3 times: 1st time for 30 seconds, 2nd time for 45 seconds, and 3rd time for a minute. If this is too difficult, decrease those times to 15 seconds, 30 seconds, and 45 seconds.


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Monday, August 15, 2011

10(ish) Minute Abs

12:46 PM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
Here it is guys! Share it with your friends!

Instructions:
Perform these exercises in a circuit routine; Do each exercise, rest for 1-2 minutes, then do them again. Do the circuit 3 times. It should take about 30 minutes. 
Another way to use these exercises is sets/reps. Do one exercise 8-12 times (15-25 for harder workouts), rest 15 seconds, and repeat two more times. For timed exercises (like the plank), hold the position for 30-60 seconds and rest 20 seconds between sets. Continue this pattern for each exercise.


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Friday, August 12, 2011

Let's get this show on the road!

10:52 PM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
Wow, time sure does fly. Didn't mean to leave you hanging since January, but things came up like, oh, you know, work, school, my wedding, moving, one summer vacation after another, etc. However, I've been doing some scheming, planning, and research and starting this upcoming week, I'll be posting your first instructional video! Here's the plan for the rest of the month:

  • 10 Minute Abs
    • This will be a brief video giving some tips and instruction on some sweet, core-busting moves.
  • At Home Workouts--No Equipment Needed!
    • Ever feeling pressed for time or unwilling to travel? Workout at home! Do you lose motivation to workout at home because you don't have any equipment? Well this will leave you without an excuse.
  • Effective Cardio
    • Prevent yourself from just running on a treadmill for 40 minutes 4 days a week as your body adapts and the workout loses efficiency. Be creative as you work up a sweat!
As I mentioned before, comments and questions are welcomed, long as they're constructive and tactful. Let me know what you want to know!
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Saturday, January 8, 2011

Check it out!

5:41 PM | Posted by Kasey | | Edit Post
I get asked for fitness advice a lot...and that was before I became a personal trainer. So I thought, why not create a source for everyone I know and all their friends and all the friends' friends (etc.) to get their answers? Hence...a fitness blog! (Ta-da!)

Here's my plan in a nutshell:

  • Post instructional videos with exercises working specific parts of the body. I will make these upon request. I will also make them for fun, probably. Moving on...
  • Create written posts including health information, tips, answers to questions, etc. These will also be in response to questions/requests. I will also post as I learn.
  • Respond quickly to any questions/comments from followers. Your input is extremely important. It's not helpful for anyone to share information nobody cares about. The more I hear from all you readers, the more helpful I can be.
  • Post at least one new thing a week. Probably more. We'll see what I can do.

So keep up with the posts here and before you know it, random people you encounter along your merry way will be saying,"Hey you're looking good! Have you been working out?" To which you will give an affirmative reply and promptly refer them to this totally amazing blog.

First videos and posts will be coming soon! Spread the word!
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