Spice up your Push ups with these variations!

MB (medicine ball) Close Grip Pushups

MB Close Grip Push ups

MB Close Grip Push midpoint

T-Push ups

Push up Start

T - Push up right

T - Push up left

MB – Feet on medicine ball Push ups

MB - Feet on MB Push ups

MB - Feet on MB Push ups midpoint

Enjoy!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger in 2012!
Nathan

Here’s a TRX inspired workout.

4 exercises that will give you an over all full body workout and strengthen your core at the same time!

Perform 3-5 sets 15 – 20 reps each exercise

Chest

TRX Push Ups - start

TRX Push ups midpoint

Quadriceps

TRX Reverse Lunge start

TRX Reverse Lunge midpoint

Back

TRX Row start

TRX Row midpoint

Hamstrings

TRX Body Bridge start

TRX Body Bridge midpoint

Enjoy!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger in 2012!
Nathan

Here’s a great Kettle Bell workout.

Perform 5 sets of the following exercises.

KB Swing – 15 reps

KB Swing - Silverback start position

KB Swing

KB Swing

KB Suitcase Carry – 25 yards left, 25 yards right

KB Suitcase Carry - left hand

KB Suitcase Carry - right hand

Enjoy!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger in 2012!
Nathan

Complete each exercise for 30 seconds in order; 5 circuits total

Sumo Squats

Sumo Squat start position

Sumo Squat mid 1

Sumo Squat mid 2

Sumo Squat mid 3

Sumo Push Ups

Sumo Push ups start

Sumo Push Ups mid 1

Sumo Push Ups mid 2

Sumo Push Ups end

Alternating Twisting Bicycles

ADV Twisting Bicycles start

ADV Twisting Bicycles left

ADV Twisting Bicycles midpoint

ADV Twisting Bicycles right

Have when this exercise circuit. It’s great for traveling or if you’re pressed for time!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger in 2012!
Nathan

I don’t think so!

Whoever said that probably didn’t win many races.

The same applies to your workouts. If you take your time and go slow with your weight training you will be very disappointed with your overall results. I don’t mean you should rush through sets and disregard form, technique and safety.

What I mean is taking your time between exercises or sets with long periods of rest. Keep rest periods to a minimum! You know best how you feel. If you need to take a longer break, then take one – but be honest. 

Another great use of time is completing abdominal exercises or other less-strenuous exercises during your rest breaks. This will shorten the time you spend in the gym and give you maximum benefits during your workouts.

Start Strong, Finish Stronger in 2012!
Nathan

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

If you ate an additional 200 calories a day during the holiday season, that was enough to gain an extra 10 pounds over the course of a couple weeks. If your clothes are fitting a little tighter and you’re ready to get back on track with your nutrition, then here is a helpful tip to getting those pounds off fast!

This tip is actually a little known secret in the fitness and nutrition industry. In fact, the average personal trainer doesn’t know this secret and those that do will be upset that I’m offering this up to the masses. That’s tough for them!

Easy Come... Easy Go!

The “law” states that if you consume more calories than you burn you will gain weight. If you consume less calories than you burn, you will lose weight. It’s really that simple.

If you can’t afford to hire a professional to assist you with your weight loss/ fat loss goal and don’t have any medical conditions that would restrict this approach, start by taking your weight and adding a zero to the end.

This number represents how many calories you should consume in a day.

Divide the total calories over 5 to 6 meals and you have the amount of calories you should consume with each meal.

Remember, these calories should come from visually equal portion sizes of a starchy carbohydrate, fibrous carbohydrate, and lean protein.

A little math for you!

Here’s an example: You weigh 180 pounds. Add a zero. This gives you a total of 1800. Divide 1800 by 5 meals per day, and the answer is 360 calories per meal.

This alone will help you shed those unwanted pounds. But don’t forget that you also have to challenge muscle, get some aerobic exercise and rest for the effects to be beneficial and long lasting.

If you’re looking for a program that will give you the weight loss and healthy goals you’ve set for yourself, we can help. Check out our TAKE 21 – 21 Day Transformation Program.

Start Strong, Finish Stronger in 2012!
Nathan

Here’s your first workout of 2012! If you need assists with your New Year’s resolution to get in shape or ramping up a current fitness program, we’re here for you. Click here for a free Fitness Consultation.

After a 10 minute warm up perform these exercises. There are 2 separate circuits. You will complete 4 sets of the first circuit of exercises before moving on to the second set.

Circuit #1

24 Speed Squats
24 Speed Reverse Lunges
24 Split Squats
24 Squat Jumps

Circuit #2

10 SB – Push ups (hands on stability ball)
15 Straight Bar Bent Over Row
20 DB Push ups w/ Alternating Row

note: this video is part of a serious we use to train athletes. Any mention of dates or times are in the past.

Enjoy!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger in 2012!
Nathan

K.I.S.S.

Keeping it simple can also apply to working out. Too many times I see trainers as well as fitness enthusiasts trying the latest and greatest techniques from the monthly muscle/fitness magazines.

fitness magazine hype

All that stuff is great and looks really cool, but unnecessary when it comes to a lean, toned body.

If you’re looking to get maximum efficiency without a lot of time spent in the gym, then I suggest amping up your intensity and complete full body workouts 3 to 4 times per week. In addition to full body circuit workouts, cardio exercise should also be at a high intensity too. Now, if you have injuries, aren’t very active at the moment or don’t know your way around the gym, I suggest slowly working up to the training routines I’m focusing on this month.

Now, we’ve talked about this before. Circuit training workouts aren’t new. Nor is there a secret to the exercises.

Circuit Training Diagram

Although there are new chain gyms claiming that their training and certifications are the only ones that have these types of programs, circuit training and body weight training methods have been around for hundreds of years.

As long as you are working every muscle, during every workout and working right below a submaiximal level you will be guaranteed a lean, toned body before the holiday parties start!

An example of a circuit workout could include; squats, lunges, chest press, row, and shoulder press. This in its simplest form can give you unbelievable results.

In addition to challenging muscle, cardiovascular exercise should include interval training. Intervals are a combination of high intensity and low intensity segments. This allows the body rest times throughout the workout, but not enough to recover completely.

Intervals should only be completed when you are fully rested. Yes, you can perform them after weight training, however, you may need to modify the rest time accordingly.

An example of an interval would be using a treadmill. After a proper warm up, 5-10 minutes, start by running at a high pace (you can choose to sprint) something that puts you right at the high end of your THZ. 30 seconds or a minute, then followed by 30 seconds to a minute of light jogging or walking. Complete 5 to 10 times and follow with a cool down.

Interval Training Diagram

That’s the basics to circuit and interval training.

If you are still unsure of performing these programs on your own, you can contact Trinity at404.966.KICK (5425) and we can assist you with options we have for getting you on the path to your fitness goals.

Trinity’s Finish Strong! Boot Camp program is a great place to start! Contact us for more information or go to Finish Strong! boot camp.

Start Strong, Finish Stronger in 2012!
Nathan

With Christmas just days away are you pressed for time? Here’s a great workout you can do that’s quick and should get you in and out of the gym in 30 minutes or less!

The video refers to a workout we used for our Tough Mudder Team training. Any references to training times and dates is in the past.

After a 10 minute warm up, complete 5 sets of the following exercises in order.

Rope – 100 Alternate Up Downs

BW – 15 Squats

BW – 20 Side to Side Push ups

MB – 30 Lunges w/ Overhead Swing (15 each leg)

MB – 25 Shoulder Press

MB – 20 Side Twists (10 each side)

20 Body Bridge

50 Alternating Twisting Bicycles (25 each side)

Have fun!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!
Nathan

Here’s a quick workout designed for Team Trinity’s Tough Mudder team.

After a 10 minute warm up, complete each exercise in order for 10 sets.

Each set will have 25 Jumping Jacks, decrease the number of push ups by 1 and the rowers by 2. Complete the 50 yard sprint after every set.

25 Jumping Jacks

Jumping Jacks

10  Push ups

Push Ups

20 Rowers

Rowers - start

Rowers - midpoint

50 yard sprint (no photo, just run!)

Have fun!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!

Nathan