Are You Tough Enough???

Try this workout for a little something different and high intensity! 

Walking Lunges

Push Ups

Inverted Rows

2 Minute Sprint

Alternating Step Ups

Ball Slams

Walk Overs

2 Minute Sprint

Stiff Leg DeadLift

Renegade Row

Jump Squats

2 Minute Sprints

Make sure not to rest in between each exercise of the set.  After each set of the circuit, make sure to have 2 minutes of recovery.  After each circuit, make sure to have 2 minute rest as well.  Be sure to listen to your body...this is an advanced endurance workout, it is hard!

For each circuit, complete 2-4 rounds.  Guaranteed to give you a great workout!!!

As far as the rep range goes, there are different types you can do.  You can set a numeric goal of 15 to 30 reps or you can set a time goal (time under tension) of anywhere between 30 and 60 seconds, depending on time available and fitness level.

Make sure you have water for proper hydration during the workout and also to decrease the time needed for a water break.  You also might want to bring a towel, you will be wet by the time you leave!  Enjoy your workout and good luck!!!

 

The Ultimate Holiday Fat Loss Workout

Today's post is from one of our trainers, Joseph Mattingly.  Even though the holidays are over, you can still use this workout to burn some fat!!  The holidays are a tough time to achieve fitness goals, and for most people to just maintain their current fitness/leanness level is a major victory.  To anyone in this predicament here is a workout that will really stoke the metabolism and burn major calories.  It’s a simple workout and all you need is a pair of dumbbells and a jump rope.   If you don’t have the space for a jump rope, just feigning the movement will work well enough.   It can be done at home, on the road, or PROMATx Health Club!!  In general, whole body workouts are going to burn the most calories and this series of movements should more than cover all the major muscle groups.  Now on to the workout….

The workout will be done in a circuit fashion for as many rounds as you can do for at least 30 minutes.  Try to rest as little as possible, preferably going from one exercise right into the next if you can.  Try to avoid complete failure and sloppy repetitions, until the last round of the workout, as you will save your nervous system from early decline and get more overall quality repetitions and volume out of the workout.  If you must rest, try to only rest after each circuit is completed.

1. PUSHUPS:     From the knees or full pushups depending on your ability.  For me, this usually means sets of 30-50.  It may mean 10 or 20 for you.  However many you do, just make sure you are not going to complete failure right out of the gate.
2. BENT OVER ROWS:  (15 reps)  Main key here is to keep a tight core and low back arched with eyes ahead. Don’t jerk the weight up, squeeze it up.
3. JUMP ROPE:    (60 seconds)   Variations of the regular jump will ramp up the intensity and hence calorie burn, and are encouraged.  These would include high jumps, double jumps, one leg at a time, high knees, lateral bounce, jumping jack (feet land close together and then wide) etc.
4. THRUSTERS:   (15 reps)    Go into a full squat holding two dumbbells at shoulder level.  As you come out of the bottom of the squat, start pressing the dumbbells overhead until you are standing with the dumbbells extended overhead.
5. ONE-ARM ROW:   (20-25 reps)  Do these free standing to make them more difficult.  You support yourself with opposite arm on knee/thigh, instead of bench or other fixed support.  If you have heavy dumbbells, then drop down to 10-15 rep range. 
6. LATERAL JUMPS:  (30 seconds)   Find a line on the floor or lay your jump-rope down in a straight line.  Now jump laterally over the line and back, trying to never step on the line/rope.

Do this workout with as much intensity as possible, as little rest as possible, for as long as possible, and reap the results.  If done on an empty stomach your fat burning will be increased even more.  Happy Holidays!

Big Muscles, Big Burn: Increase the Efficiency of Your Workouts

Today's blog comes from one our PROMATx Health Club's personal trainer, Joseph Mattingly. Read on as he talks about getting the biggest bang for your buck in the gym!!

As a personal trainer, every day I see people wasting time in the gym and being overall inefficient with their time spent working out. For many people, squeezing time at the gym into their busy schedule is one of the biggest obstacles to weight-loss and overall fitness success. For the masses who have this problem, the following is a guide to achieving your fitness goals within a limited time frame. In this post is a suggested workout outline with tips, selected from anecdotal and scientific evidence, on how to achieve your fitness goals with limited time spent in the gym. I understand that there are different body types, workout preferences, and that equipment is not always available for use, therefore I have provided alternatives to each of the preferred lifts.

Getting Started

As soon as you walk into the gym, head to the cardio area and get in a quick 5-8 minute warm-up to prepare yourself mentally and physically for the fast paced, intense workout to come. This workout is ideally done 3 times a week for maximum benefit, with a day in between for muscle recovery. If you have the time, feel free to get some cardio and core work done on your recovery days. I would suggest 20-30 minutes of interval-style cardio and 4-6 sets of core work. Stretching afterwards is highly encouraged, especially for those who already have creaky joints, bad backs, shoulders etc.

The workout - “Big Muscles”

This workout is composed entirely of compound exercises involving multiple muscle groups being recruited at the same time. This allows for maximal efficiency, muscle recruitment and caloric burn. All of this combines to speed up your metabolism, both during and after the workout. You should never rest more than 90 seconds between sets or exercises, and preferably keep the rest periods to 60 seconds.

 

Circuit 1, done 2-3 times, preferably in this order 

1. Bench Press - Barbell or Dumbbell.................................8-12 reps
2. One Arm Rows – Dumbbell.........................................12-15 reps
3. Squats or Leg Press.................................................15-20 reps
4. Plank or Bicycle Crunches..........................................To failure

Circuit 2, done 2-3 times

1. Shoulder Press (seated or standing) - Barbell or Dumbbells..........12–15 reps 
2. Pulldowns or Pullups.......................................................10-12 reps 
3. Lunges or Straight Leg Deadlifts.........................................15-20 reps or steps
4. Leg Lifts or Cable/Dumbbell Twists.....................................To failure

If done with the appropriate intensity and focus, these two circuits should recruit virtually every major muscle in your body AND increase your metabolism and lean body mass. The 16 to 24 sets should be plenty of volume and should take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your pace. Done correctly and frequently, along with an appropriate diet and hydration, you should be on your way to a better body with less time spent at the gym.

Give this workout a try. If you still have questions or are unsure on how to perform some of these exercises, be sure to stop by PROMATx and talk with a fitness professional. Remember, we are your body transformation specialists!!