Summer Shape Up Challenge Is Here! Start Today!

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Ready, Set, Go!  It’s time to kick your workouts into high gear to get ready for summer, starting today!  I will provide you with 3 workouts per week to help you amp up your fitness routine.  I will also provide some dietary and nutrition tips along the way.  You need to supply the motivation and dedication!  The Challenge will last the month of April. Ready?  Start today, not someday!

Start by:

  • Weighing Yourself – Write it Down
  • Measure your
    • Waist – right around your belly button area
    • Hips – right on and around the hip bones
    • Thighs – measure in the middle of the thigh, equal distance between the hip bone and the knee cap.
  • Make a commitment to yourself and to the program to complete it!

Don’t re-weigh or re-measure until the end of the challenge.  It’s pretty easy, just follow along with the workouts.  You will remeasure on April 30th.

WORKOUT #1

This workout focuses on hitting the cardio hard for 10 minutes at a time.  Push yourself to go as hard as your can for 10 minutes.  You don’t want to go so hard that you peter out in 2 minutes, but not so easy that you can have a conversation without being slightly breathless.  Be honest and kick yourself in the pants with these 10 minute cardio intervals!

  • 10 minutes on the Stepmill or Stairmaster.  Go at a pace that leaves you breathless but that you can maintain for 10 minutes
  • 10 Assisted Pullups and 10 Assisted Dips.  2 sets back to back.  Do the Pullups then the Dips, back to Pullups and then Dips again with no rest in between.  Choose a weight that barely allows you to get to 10 repetitions.
  • 10 minutes on the Treadmill.  This really depends on your knees.  If you can run for 10 minutes then do.  If your knees say “no” then walk on a 5% incline at 3.8 speed for 10 minutes.
  • 10 Assisted Pullups and 10 Assisted Dips.  2 sets back to back.  Do the Pullups then the Dips, back to Pullups and then Dips again with no rest in between.  Choose a weight that barely allows you to get to 10 repetitions.
  • 10 minutes on the Elliptical.  Choose an elliptical with arms that move.  Choose a setting that keeps your slightly breathless the whole time.  If you aren’t breathing hard, then it’s too easy.
  • 1 minute Wall Sit.  Sit with your back against the wall and your hands out in front of you, not on your thighs or hips.  Sit at chair level, with your knees over your heels, not over your toes (this is bad for the knees!).  Hold for 1 minute.  Rest for 1 minute and then repeat.
  • 5 minutes on the Rowing Machine.  Just Row!  No settings or anything to adjust.  Just Row your little heart out!
  • 5 minutes on the Arm Ergometer.  Pedal those arms at either 3.5 or 4.0 resistance for 5 minutes.  Do 2.5 minutes pedaling forward and 2.5 minutes pedaling backwards.
  • 1 minute Wall Sit.  Sit with your back against the wall and your hands out in front of you, not on your thighs or hips.  Sit at chair level, with your knees over your heels, not over your toes (this is bad for the knees!).  Hold for 1 minute.  Rest for 1 minute and then repeat.

Done!  This should take you about an hour!  You’ve done your cardio and some upper and lower body for today!  Nice job!

 

 

 

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