Boost your cardio workout with this 30 min leg workout

Hi,

I guess this goes for all the ladies who love to go to lessons in the fittness centers. Yes, so do I! So I guess you might have been dancing, doing aerobic or bodycombat before. With this extra 30 minutes, you can easily get the full benefit out of the visit to gym. :) A little extra will take so much faster to the summer body :)


I did it after bodycombat, so I was a bt out of breath afterwards. There is no harm to do heavy whole body movements, like deadlifts, I usually incorporate those movements to all the workout. But with this workout, I played safe, because I di not want to risk to be injured because of bad form. Usually the more tired the body is, the less power it has to maintain the correct technique. This workout will keep your body burning the calories while increasing power :) Do not let super long breaks, about 30-45 seconds between sets.

1. Warm up: Cardio of your choice (for me 50 min of bodycombat)

12x3 leg press. If you can, increase weights with every round!



2. 3x12 leg extensions

Now you can do the following two movements either as separate movements, or continue to the movement 4. directly after movement 3 without a break and then combine the two.  In this way, you make it extra hard for you! So: first 12 back extensions. then directly 15 kettlebells swings, then a small break and repeat his cycle three times :)

3. Back extension 12x3



4. Kettlebell swing 15 x 3


5. Lunges on the stepper
    1. first round, do 10 per side with light weights
    2. Repeat again 10 per side, but now raise your knee when you are standing on the stepper
    3. Repeat again 10 per side, but now do it with a jump!
    4. Do still 15 small pulses per side, without a step





6. 12 x3 sumo squats (with a heavy dumbbell, kettlebell or bar on your shoulders)


Yees!!! :D I counted that this workout only burned more than 400 kcals, without any cardio included, which is quite good for a gym workout :)

And then to relax in the sauna <3 well deserved!


By,
Sara

Choosing Your Gym + Full-Body Workout in the Gym

Hi!

Today is an interesting day, since we go to the gym first time together! We are going to the test a new gym, in order to check if it would be beneficial to take a monthly card there. I love it, that usually you can test the gyms before, sometimes even a few times, before you have to decide. Since, if you are going to invest your tiem and money for going to gym, better make it worth the value.


Most of the times, the gyms would like you to commit for a long time. this would mean a yearly contract or even 2-year contract. It is a very good decision adn commitment, if you will make it, but it is also decision that should be seen as an investment. So, when you are thinking seriously about a gym with a nice smiling trainer who has just offered you a nice cup of coffee and maybe even 2 personal trainer visits vwith the contact, keep in mind the facts:

• Distance from home/work
• Athmospehere
• People
• Price
• Any friends there?
• Equipment
• Space
• Any lessons offered (les mills)
• Changing rooms
• Music
• How to get there (parking lot, easy acces with public transport)

Or even if you need a gym, maybe you would prefer crossfit or working out at home?

If you are choosing a gym, remember, that if it is a new place, it will take some time to form a habit of going there regularly. Therefore, the closer to you it is, the easier it is to go there. If you have already friends there, they might motivate you to go there too. You need to also know, what you really value, the lessons together with a trainer or a big gym area. Of course, the whole athmosphere affects your decision. I think price should be compared to the quality offered and therefore it is relative.

You can test your gym for example with this simple but effective workout.

The Full-Body Workout that we did with a classic movements for all the major muscles:

1. 10x 3 Squats
2. 10x3 Deadlifts
3 .3x10 Bench Press
4. 3x15 dips
5. 3x12 Dumbbell presses
6. 3x30 Standing calf rasies
7. 3x15 hanging leg raises
8. 3x12 Barbell curls

Check the movements here

Good luck with choosing your gym :)

First day of 12 week Half-Marathon Project -link to the program

Hi!

I found a plan for a beginner, like me, and now going to make the first run! I just wanted to post the already now. I can't say how excited I am, since it sounds something achievable, but challenging. Secondly, many of my sisters and friends have already successfully run the 21 kilometers, so I would be happy to join that group! :D I guess, this will greatly support also my summer body wishes! It will also be convenient program, because even though I will be travelling back and forth between Finland and Germany, and having irregular schedules, it does not matter, since one can do running anywhere. :D

I found this free training plan from running.competitor.com The instructions can be found from the website, but for the first week, you need to only know the meaning of strides, which is: "Strides are 20 to 35-second sprints at 85 to 95 percent of top speed. Strides help you work on your running mechanics in short increments and serve as a speed maintenance session."

So, here we go! First run is only 6 km and 4 sprints, so not so bad! Join me now, and run a half marathon in 12 weeks!

Best,
Sara
H

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!                 

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

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!