The fitness movement started in 2000 and is now practiced at over 6000 gyms in the country. But you don’t have to go to a gym to enjoy the benefits of this intense fitness program. Follow these beginner workouts to get started in the Crossfit world. The best part about it, it can be done at home. Below there are five workouts to start with and as your fitness level increases you can do multiple workouts in a session or add to the amount of rounds you complete.

Workout #1
10 pushups, 10 squats, and 10 sit ups (5 rounds)

Workout #2
20 lunges and 10 pushups (5 rounds)

Workout #3
10 pushups and 5 burpees (5 rounds)

Workout #4
20 jumping jacks, 20 sit ups, and 20 squats (5 rounds)

Workout #5
20 Lunges, 10 pushups, 5 burpees, and 10 sit ups (5 rounds)

Photo courtesy of orangecoastcrossfit.com/crossfit-for-women

Choose the workout that works best for your current fitness level. The intermediate workout involves walking with a varying incline but don’t let that fool you, it is a difficult, fat blasting workout. The advanced workout involves walking and running on a varying incline. Both workouts will have you sweating the fat away during and long after the workout has ended.

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Photo Credit: photostock, published on 18 March 2011 Stock Photo – image ID: 10035231

This routine is all about interval training. You will use varying amounts or speed and resistance to blast calories and keep your metabolism boosted all day long.

**Speed is difficult to gage as no elliptical is created equal. Follow the chart below to make the workout more personalized what may be your 3 could be my 5.

1: Slow, leisurely walk. “I can do this all day.
2: Deep Breaths “I can’t keep up a conversation at this pace.”
3:  Feeling good. “I can stay here 20-30 minutes.”
4: Really tough. “I can keep this pace for 5 minutes.”
5: ALL OUT sprint “I can only do this for a minute.”

Photo Provided by photostock, published on 23 August 2011Stock Photo – image ID: 10054353

The moves for this challenge are basic abs moves. If you have questions on performing them correctly, follow the links listed below.

PLANKS
CRUNCHES
BICYCLE CRUNCHES

I spent this past weekend and earlier this week in Portland, Oregon visiting friends in family. Four days spent in beautiful weather was just the thing I needed to recharge my batteries. Although, fun and exciting vacations can also be difficult and exhausting. During a vacation, it is hard to stick to your diet and workout routine and if you are anything like me, you love routine. Normally, I stress about keeping my diet strict and finding time for long workouts.

I decided to approach this trip a little differently. To let loose, enjoy the trip, and get back in routine when vacation was over. I enjoyed every bit of vegan chocolate and every bite of a black bean burger I put into my mouth (it was Oregon). I didn’t forsake all workouts either. I attended group fitness classes and went bouldering. Bouldering is a form of rock climbing without the use of ropes and harnesses. I spent a couple of hours in the gym and boy was I sore in the morning. Read more about bouldering in this book Bouldering: Movement, Tactics, and Problem Solving. Just some of the benefits of bouldering include:

1. Improves Cardiovascular Health
2. Improves Balance and Coordination
3. Improves Strength
4. Tones underused muscles

My forearms almost fell off the next day and I felt pain in places I didn’t know were there. Trying a new workout challenges your body and muscles, beats boredom, and can help conquer a plateau. I was able to enjoy my vacation to the fullest, spend time with friends, and get in great workouts. Taking a break from my normal routine was just the kickstart my body needed and trying something new was equally as challenging to my body and mind. I am ready to get back to my training and clean eating to accomplish my goals. Don’t wait until your next vacation to try something new and reap the benefits.

Stay tune for vacation-ready workout. Little to no equipment required.

Image curtsey of The Circuit: Bouldering Gym in Portland, Oregon.

Or maybe 30 minutes fits your schedule. This fat blasting, tone-up circuit fits in any schedule. One round is exactly ten minutes and will get your heart moving, tone your muscles  and blast 100 calories. If you have more time, do the circuit multiple times and watch your fat cry! Do each exercise for one minute followed directly by the next exercise. Ten moves completes one circuit. If you are doing multiple circuits, rest one minute in-between. Use a Gymboss Interval Timer and Stopwatch to help keep track of time.

**Calories based on a 150 pound women.

Another way to track how many calories you’ve burned or how high your heart rate has gotten during a workout, or how long you’ve worked out is by using a heart rate monitor watch. There are many varieties out there. Some way more expensive than others. With the cheaper ones you might not be able to trust the accuracy. Here are a couple options that I recommend. Click the image to find it in Amazon.

Polar Women’s Heart Rate Monitor Watch – currently about $102 on Amazon with free shipping!

Oregon Scientific Se331 Gaiam Zone Trainer – currently $29.95 on Amazon.

Fitbit Zip Wireless Activity Tracker – currently $49.95 on Amazon. Measures every step you take during the day.

New Balance Life Trainer Calorie Monitor – currently $47.19 plus free shipping on Amazon.

There is a beginner or a more advanced option to choose from in this challenge. In the beginner challenge, you will start at 3 pushups and work your way to 20 consecutive. The second option you will start at 8 Push-Ups and move up to 40. To improve your strength even further try do multiple sets two days a week. For example on Mondays and Fridays, do 2-3 sets of pushups. Remember, keep your body tight and move through the movements slowly.

Cardio can be one of the most boring and tedious parts of a fitness routine if you make it that way. Follow these tips to trade in your boring routine for something that will keep you going and wondering where the time went.

Mix it Up

Four 60 minute sessions weekly on the elliptical aren’t going to inspire anyone to head to the gym. Try not repeating the same session in a week. It will keep things interesting and maybe you might start to look forward it.

Try a Class 

Participating in a class will keep you motivated through the entire workout. Try zumba, kickboxing, or cycle for some mega calorie burning. Or if you feel shy or uncomfortable taking a class, try watching workout videos at home like the Zumba® Weight Loss Program DVD. You’ll get the same results if you work just as hard in your living room as you would in the gym. If Zumba’s not your thing, try something like the P90X DVD Workout.

Include Intervals 

Performing high intensity interval training burns more calories in a shorter time than steady state cardio. Meaning you can get the same results in half the time. Try interval sprints on a treadmill. After a warm up, alternate between one minute sprints and one minute of jogging. You might need an interval timer, try the Gymboss HOT PINK Interval Timer.

Figure out What you Love 

And what you hate. There is nothing that I loathe more then the treadmill. If I want to run I go outside and avoid the treadmill. I choose stairs, hiking, cycling, and zumba for my cardio.

Break it Up

Instead of doing 60 minutes on the treadmill, try breaking up the routine. Do 20 minutes on the treadmill, 20 on the elliptical, and 20 on the bike to keep it fun. Or 15 minutes incline walking on the treadmill, 15 minutes of running, and 15 minutes stairs.

By photostock, published on 18 March 2011
Stock Photo – image ID: 10035252

Summer is officially here. Well, almost. But, if you live in my neck of the woods, summer arrived two months ago. I had to break out the tank tops and shorts earlier then planned. This workout focuses on your triceps, biceps, and shoulders as those muscles are the most revealed in a tank.

A Dumbbell Set or a Resistance Exercise Band is required and the above are recommended.
Welcome to the Gun Show

• 15 pushups 
• 12 Shoulder Press
• 15 Bicep curls
• 12 Tricep Kickbacks
• 15 Reverse fly
• 20 Hammer Curls only going halfway up
• 15 Tricep pushups
• 15 Lateral Raises

Repetitions can be adjusted based on the range of weights you have access to. If you can’t complete the allotted number, reduce it until you build more strength. Proper form is more important then repetitions. Complete the exercises in a circuit fashion. Complete all exercises rest for one minute and repeat two more times. A Gymboss HOT PINK Interval Timer might help make it more challenging.
Tank Tops here we come!