Maximum speed

Yuhuu,

my friend asked if I would like to join to run in Helsinki City Run in May! :D Maybe, I could do a half marathon... ?  My longest run ever was 14 km, so it would be interesting to test. The idea of having a clear goal for running would really motivate, so next week, I will start to run in an organized way (I will post the program here).

Today, we made a little test runing fast speed 3,5km (19 min) with Robert. So very short, but intensive :D
I was little afraid of running fasr, since I was not sure, how far I could keep the pace, or if I would be lagging far behind Robert. Awful thought! :D

On the other hand, if you learn to push yourself sometimes over your normal limits, it will get easier in the real life too, developing also the mind. It also increases the metabolism and increases your speed even when you run longer distances. So you could also try, what is your fastest 3km or 5km, just to know your level and to better find out how you should define your goals. Next week, we will test the 10km time.

So, starting small, but powerful! I guess this Spring could bring some nice new challenges!

Best,
Sara

Helsinki City Run

Let's do it!                 

Killer functional kettlebell/dumbbell workout for legs and core.

Hey!
    
Never skip leg day!

Todays challenge will be focused on legs and core. We will do three rounds each pattern, trying to minimize the breaks in between! Between is pattern pair, have a 1-2minute break. We combine leg movents with abs, in order to hold the legs up, so that they can regenerate. While your legs will recover like this faster, you can do the whole workout untill the end. Even though, I must say that it was brutal! The idea of the workout is to improve the functional movements and power of legs, but to avoid the stiffness and tiredness with the active recovery for the legs in between. We did it with dumbbells (5kg and 10kg) you can also do with kettlebell. Good luck!

Always alternate between these two sets

1- A) 50 front kicks (25 per side)       B) 20 Kettlebell swings

 2- A) Lunges (10 per side)                 B) Bicycle abs (40)

3- A) 15 Front squats (as low as possible)  B) 30 russian twist

  

4- A) one legged romanian deadlift and row (8 per side)       B) 16 leg raises

5- A) 10 kettlebell high pulls             B) 15 Rower Sit-Up

      
                                                

6- A) Wall sit (1 minute)                   B) 100 toe raises

 

 By,

Robert

 

Decrease stress, run faster

Hi,

I was (once again) busy and stressed. It was also raining and icy outside, so the weather was not the motivation for my jogging. My motivation was to be a faster runner.  Robert is faster than me, with his long legs, so I have to little practice, if I want to keep up with my boyfriend's speed :D  Secondly, I read that the sprints not only make you faster and increase your metabolism, it is also good for the stress hormone cortisol levels (National Institute of Health) When compared to my normal 5km jogging route with a steady speed, sprinting does not raise the cortisol levels, whereas steady speed does according to the studies. (Long, 1-2 hour running does not increase cortisol levels)
(KuntoPlus)

Stress fools your brain to think that you need to save all the energy that you can get and store it to your stomach area "just in case". So... Not so good, when thinking about the goal to be healthy and fit! Haha, and already having enough stress :D Just leaving to Germany and packing my stuff.



So therefore I did today a simple running workout consisting of:

Warm up 5-10 jogging

10 times 
1 minute sprint + 1 minute slow jogging
(=16 minutes)

5 minute cool down

and strecthing afterwards.


Huh! Sometimes one minute can feel extremely long! :D This is also funny exercise, because you can again test your limits and then there is the slow minute to recover. 

For the people who are interested in calories:

Burnt about 375 calories during this time :) Should have measured also the after burn, because it is supposed to also contribute quite a lot! ( I did 12 minute HIIT training and burned 125 calories and then afterwards another 200kcal in 30 minutes just by chilling!)

HOw did you feel like after your run?


Best,
Sara

Faster! Stronger! Harder! I bet u can do this 12 min arm +cardio workout!

Hi,

writing my thesis, but then got distracted. Seriously needing some sports now! I want to make it intensive, to gain the benefits but also to save some time today (In a hurry, so less than 15 minute workout really beats the +2 hour "go to gym -do sports -come back" project.

Since you are only competiting against yourself, you decide your pace. Try your max! :)



So do this twice, altogether 12 minutes :) 50sec work per movement with 10 sec break.

1. Jumping jacks

2. Push ups and side plank

3. Burbee

4. Push ups with narrow grip


5. Shadow boxing

6. Hindu push up


During the first round, try to set your bar to the max. The second round you already know the movements, so break the record from the first round! Okay, if your hands are not dead... Do one extra round :D

Best,
Sara

Effective upper body workout

Hi dear,

Today is upper body day! It is so important to train the body evenly and keep the whole body strong. For example the Women Running.com commented how the elite runners use their whole body to run faster, therefore, strong upper body improves also your running performance. Aaaaaand, for guys, chest, shoulders and abs are the hottest body parts. Yes, true story. So, let's do it.



I have been talking with lots of friends, and the friends who do not like gym, most probably are not sure what to do. If you haven't been in the gym, you can test these movements first at home, to check how does it feel to do them :) You can do this workout also at home, if you have 3-10kg dumbbells.


So!

1. 3x 12 clean and press with 30-60s breaks

2.4x 10 squats with 30-60s breaks


3. Alternate these two movements for three rounds

a)12 push-us
b)20 bicycle abs

4. 12x3 Incline bench press
 

5.Alternate these two movements for three rounds
a)12 arms raise (front)

b) overhead extensions


6.Alternate these two movements for three rounds
a) 10  bicep curl

b) 12 arm raise (sides)




Last thing!

Alternate for 3 rounds (altogether 3 minutes)

a)side plank (left) 30s
b)side plank (right) 30s



Yey :D

And stretching 2-3 hours after :)

Perfect!

by,
Sara

Simple leg day workout

Hi!

Huh! You know, I tried to check something ready-made that I could just easily copy-paste here. But when I was googling in the gym after a dance lesson lower body workout for runners, I found a lot of motivational talk, but not so many easy and simple workout-sets. So, I created one by combining all the all-time favorites and basic movements!

And, no matter, what is your goal, run faster, be stronger or have a booty that will amaze others later, they are all valid sources for motivation! Yes, you heard correctly, runners too benefit from good muscles.






























If you are a beginner, it is better to do with a little bit lighter weights and a bit more reps to build up some strength. But! When you handle the movements, and you have already done some weightlifting, you should go for more weights! :D
:D




Have about 30-60s breaks between each sets. You can stretch your muscles or for example do abs.

1. 3x 12 Squats
2. 3x 10 Romanian dead lifts

-remember to have straight back! And keep your abs and whole body tensed!


3. Alternate these movements
a)jump to a box (40cm-80cm depending on your fitness level) 10 times
or step to a box with 10-20kg extra weight


b)do 20 bicycle abs

4)Alternate these movements for 3 sets

a) 12 lunges per side with 10-20 extra weights
b) 12 push ups

5) 3x 12 Barbell hip thrust

6) 3 x30 calf raises



Enjoy, remember to stretch :)

Best,
Sara

SUNDAY WORKOUT

Hello!
Sundays are always very likely to be spent at home, especially in winter when it is cold... Therefore I have a little workout that can be done from the sofa!

You can do as many sets as you wish!

- 20 squats: do as you would take a seat on the sofa but stop 2 cm before

- 10 sofa dips:

- 20 sofa climbers: arms on the sofa, not the floor :)

- 10 side-to-side sofa walk: same bosition as above (plank with hand on the sofa) and move from one side to the other of the sofa


- 15 leg raises: sitting on the sofa, raise your legs 20 times


- 16 raised leg circles: holding your legs in the air, make circles. Alternate the direction of the circles


So that was it, not so much huh? Have fun!!!!

15 minute HIIT training for lower body

Hi,

today, let's do something simple but effective. We will be using only body weight, but I can guarantee that it is going to be hard. We will do the maximum amount of clean repetitions against time. You have always 50 seconds per movement and after a 10 second break. You can use online timer or download an app, for example intervaltimer.com. But, in order to work properly, you will have to give your all during these 50 seconds! After all, it is only 15 minutes! :D And, you will get harder, better, faster, stronger... :D

1.Squat

2. Spider push ups

3. One-leg squats with bench, alternating after every 10 reps

4. Hold yourself on all fours (without knees touching- so only your palms and toes) 

and step your legs open and close 

5. runner's lunge

Repeat 3 rounds, 50 seconds every movement and 10 sec break

Check the movements below :)

 Spider push up

One-leg squats with bench, repeat 10 reps per side and alternate

Runners lunge, repeat 10 times per side and alternate

Sweat baby, sweat! :D

By, Sara 

Run Forrest, run! -5km!

Hi,

greetings from Finland :D It is nice and crispy -12c outside. Therefore, the challenge for today, 5 km run, was quite tough for me! You can just imagine how cold my legs got after the half an hour! But afterwards, it was really worth it :) I moved back to Finland last week, and the semester already started in the uni, so therefore it is great to go back to basics and do something that releases the stress. Like running. Aaaaaaand, one step closer to the summer body! :D

Make these trainings count. Motivation from Time to kick buts



So 5km in about half an hour. Goal is to get it under 25min! So.. More running! :)




Have fun running :)


XXX,
Sara

Workout bingo

Hey there!!!
Use your full name, and choose a movement for every letter in your name.  That's the workout of the day, and repeat if necessary :)

A- 50 jumping jacks

B- 20 crunches

C- 30 squats

D-15 push ups

E- 1 min. wall sit

F- 10 burpees

G- 20 sec arm circles

H- 20 squats

I- 30 jumping jacks

J- 15 crunches

K- 10 push ups

L- 2 min wall sit

M- 20 burpees

N- 25 burpees

O- 40 jumping jacks

P- 15 sec arm circles

Q- 30 crunches

R- 15 push ups

S- 20 burpees

T- 15 squats

U- 30 sec arm circles

V- 2 min wall sit

W- 20 burpees

X- 60 jumping jacks

Y- 10 crunches

Z- 20 push ups

If you have to do the same movement twice, you can also choose another ;)

Have fun!!

Short cardio and core training from our Krav Maga lesson

Hey!

Today's challenge will be a bit different to the ones I posted before. Usually, the warm up should be done running, but if you are at home, you can also do it stepping.

Warm up:

(stepping/running)
Every position at least 60 seconds
Make circles with the arm, alternating left and right.
Raise your knee until it touches your shoulder, change leg every 3-5 steps.
While stepping, make boxing movements. Raise the rhythm the longer you do it.
Jumping Jacks

 

This was the warm up, hold every position  for 1 minute!


1.  Go to squat position and hold. After half of the time, start raising repeatedly your heels and go down again.

2. Go to plank position and hold.

3. Upward dog position

4. Back to plank and bring your knee to your triceps and hold (one side)

5. Downward dog position

6. Back to plank and bring your knee to your triceps and hold (other side)

In 30 seconds, do the max. amount of push-ups (elbows next to body) you can do 

Lay in sit up position, do sit ups, but u cant be faster than 5 seconds for every move (5 sec. to get up, 5 seconds to get down)


So folks, have fun doing it! It will be a quite fast workout, so you can repeat it at least 3-4 times!

Upper body workout in gym (or at home with some modifications)

Hi!
I went to gym, and did an arm workout that you can use as an  example for your upper body workout. I did this when I was thinking how important the upper body is for most guys. These exercises are for the arms, chest and back, to get some 3D improvement! Hehe, have fun Robert! I enjoyed it too, since usually I always train only legs and therefore my arms are relatively weak compared to the rest of my body. So ladies and gentlemen, regardless of your gender,  let's start lifting :)

I did:

for warm up:
10 min with cross-trainer
30 kettlebell swings (12kg)

Start with muscle groups and proceed to smaller ones:

(Optional: 4 x 10 squats)

3x12 Bent over barbell rows 

Bent over row, instructions from Bodybuilding.com

3x12 Overhead barbell press

3x15 Lateral pulldown (or pull-ups, or modified pull-ups)

Like in Samsfitness.com.au

3x12 Bench press

3x12 Dumbbell bench press

3x15 Back extensions

3x 12 Close grip push ups

3x15 barbell curls

3x15 abs

Huh huh!

Remember stretching :)