HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Welcome to 2012!  The year we are all going to find ourselves the healthiest we have ever been!  Excited to start the new year with you, but today is also the start of my new workouts, and I am already running late!!!  Time to get dressed and hit the weights and then 6 mile run.  Here is the new workout.  It is also on The Workouts! page.

This will be the basic layout of the workout plan. Front/Back Splits for 4 days of strength training and one day for Abs. You will also do at least 15 mins ofYou will take 2 rest days a week. Either Wednesday and one day on the weekend, or do your core and long cardio day on Wednesday and take the whole weekend off. It is up to you, but you will be doing 5 DAYS of structured exercise a week!

JANUARY 2, 2012

Monday – Circuit training(chest, shoulder, triceps, quads) and 15-30 min Cardio

Tuesday – Circuit training(back, glutes, hamstrings, biceps) and 15-30 min Cardio

Wednesday – Core Circuit and 30-60 mins Cardio OR Rest Day

Thursday – Circuit training(chest, shoulder, triceps, quads) and 15-30 min Cardio

Friday – Circuit training(back, glutes, hamstrings, biceps) and 15-30 min Cardio

Saturday OR Sunday – Core Circuit and 30-60 min Cardio or Rest Day

MONDAY AND THURSDAY:

Circuit 1 –

1. 15 Chest Presses – Lie flat on floor or bench. Make sure you press dumbbells straight up over chest. Exhale as you raise weights. Inhale as you lower weights. Take your time on these.
2. 15 Holding Chair Squats(feet shoulder width apart and drop like you are going to sit in a chair- but without the chair- arms out in front for stability, hold at the bottom for a count of 5 and then stand up=1 rep)
3. 15 Lateral Dumbbell Raises(hold dB in each hand at hips and lift straight out to sides at the same time.  Use a light weight for these, as the wt will be far from your center.)
4. 60 Seconds Cardio – Shadow Boxing

Circuit 2 –

1. 15 Seated Military Presses(Hold arms at a right angle so you look like a goal post.  Raise arms straight up over head and return to start.  Do NOT let arms go below 90 degrees between reps)
2. 15 Lying Triceps Extension – With dumbbell in each hand, extend arms straight up.  Lower wts to ears WITHOUT moving shoulders.  Keep elbows pointed to the ceiling!)
3. 10 Alternating Pendulum Kicks(start with R leg.  Kick front. Tap in the middle.  Kick back.= 1 rep.  Do 10 on each side.) http://youtu.be/oXiM5CC273M
4. 60 Seconds Cardio – Marching in Place

Circuit 3 –

1. 15 Triceps Kickbacks(One arm at a time so you concentrate on the squeeze of the tri at the top.  NO swinging the weights!)
2. 10 Split Squats each leg. Stand with feet hip width apart and take one large step forward with R leg. Hands on hips or weights in hands at sides. Drop Left knee as close to the ground as you can without touching. Make sure R knee does NOT go past the toes. Repeat for all 10 reps, and then switch sides.
3. 10 Up and Down Planks(start in push up position.  Go down to elbow plank position one arm at a time and then back up to push-up position)     http://youtu.be/K3oUsxweYAk
4. 60 Seconds Cardio – Jump Rope or Mock Jump Rope

TUESDAY AND FRIDAY:

Circuit 1

1. 15 One-Arm Dumbbell Row http://youtu.be/Tse02X_GDt4
2. 15 Sumo Squats – Stand with feet wider than hip width toes pointed slightly out, drop into squat. Stand up squeezing glutes at the top.
3. 15 Double Bicep Curls – Hold dumbbell in each hand palms UP, and concentrate on squeezing the bicep as you curl them up together. Keep core tight.  Do NOT let Db’s swing!)
4. 60 Seconds Cardio – Jumping Jacks

Circuit 2

1. 15 Double Hammer Curls – Dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. Curl up and squeeze bicep at the top. Lower weights and squeeze triceps at the bottom. Keep core tight.  Do NOT let Db’s swing!)
2. 15 Supermans – Lie face down on floor with hands extended .  Beginners keep feet on floor!  If you have done these, you can raise the feet up a couple inches off floor.  Raise up until chest comes off floor.  Return to start.)http://youtu.be/Bw9YuQTTc58
3. 15 Donkey Kicks each leg – Start on all fours and extend one leg up and back as high as you can go. Keep back straight and do not swing leg. Concentrate on your form, and squeeze glutes at the top.
4. 60 Seconds Cardio – Speed Skaters http://youtu.be/4tuKi6C48N8

Circuit 3

1. 15 Pelvic Hip Thrusts http://youtu.be/hDAVQcreQ6g
2. 15 Bent Over Dumbbell Reverse Flyes(Holding a dB in each hand, soft knees, bend slightly forward at hips. STRAIGHT BACK!  Lift by squeezing shoulder blades together) http://youtu.be/eXIU0lcbn5Q
3. 15 Dumbbell Deadlifts (Stiff-legged Deadlifts explanation – http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/stiff-legged-dumbbell-deadlift – Stand with feet hip-width apart with soft knees, bent at hips, booty back, and back FLAT!  Hold dB’s down by shins and squeeze glutes to stand up.)

4. 60 Seconds Cardio – Jumping Jacks

WEDNESDAY OR WEEKEND

30-60 mins Cardio and

Core Circuit – Repeat 3x’s

1. Elbow Planks – Lie face down on an exercise mat or carpeted
   surface. Rest on your forearms with your palms flat on the floor. Keep your
   spine in the neutral position. Push off the floor, so that your body is parallel
   to the floor, and rise up on your toes. Rest on your elbows. Keep your back flat
   and your body in neutral alignment from your head to your heels. Think of your
   body as a table being supported by two sets of “legs” (your arms and your feet).
   Hold this position for as long as you can, up to 60 seconds.
2. 15 Dumbbell Side Bends (each side)- Start with feet shoulder width apart, holding
   dumbbells. Knees should be slightly bent. EXHALE: Bend trunk to the left to a
   comfortable position and hold for 2-3 seconds. INHALE: Return to starting
   position and repeat to the right side. Do not let your weight take you forward
   or backwards.

1. 15 Standing Russian Twists (Hold a medicine ball or weight between both hands and stand tall with your back straight, and shoulders relaxed, abs engaged, legs straight, and feet placed slightly wider than your hips. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, holding the ball/weight at chest or shoulder level. EXHALE: Without dropping your arms, pivot on your left foot and rotate your ball/weight and your torso as far as you can to the right. INHALE: Return to the starting position. EXHALE: Reverse direction; pivot your right foot and rotate all the way to the left. INHALE: Return to the starting position to complete)
2. 15 Crunches(Optional if you have back problems)
3. 15 Reverse Crunches(Optional if you have back problems)
4. 25 Torso Twists – Stand up with feet shoulder width apart, hold a pole or broom on your shoulders and twist left then right. Twist only as far as comfortable. Complete twist to left and right counts as 1 rep.