psycho-circuits.com

Use this workout for times when you have no time, or expand it to be a full-body challenge: as is, it should take 15 minutes. If you have more time, add in cardio intervals or core moves… This isn’t easy, but its over fast.  It will hit your body in every important way, challenging your neuromuscular system, fast twitch fibers, cardio system and every major muscle group.  Its a “geterdun” kind of workout that fills gaps and challenges you quickly.

4 times without stopping: 20 jumpsquats, 10 pushups, 25 bicycles, 30 second plank..

5 times without stopping: 20 burpees, 30 seconds (each leg) one leg line jumps, 25 basic crunches, 25 reverse crunches

2 times without stopping: 20 mountain climbers, 10 double-plyo pushups, crab crawl for 30 seconds.

Now you are done!  Add some wind-sprints for a really great ending to a short and intense workout!

This is an intense stamina-challenging and calorie burning workout.  The key is your intensity.  You really have to push yourself beyond your previous limit during the high intensity portions of it.  This workout will take about 60 minutes.  You will need two 20 pound dumbbells, a stability ball, several smaller balls (can be medicine, basketball, etc) and a step or stair.

For cardio, unless otherwise noted you will do a 2 minute interval.  The first minute at medium intensity and the second minute at all-out-lung-screaming intensity.  You can do those two minutes on any machine or up and down your stairs, as long as you push the intensity.

Absolutely no rest between exercises, 30 seconds rest after circuit is done.  Be sure to warm up and cool down and stretch after the workout.

Circuit A(Do twice):  25 full V-Ups…15 (each side) reverse lunges with 20 lb dumbbells…20 sumo-swing throughs with 20 lb dumbbell…2 minute cardio intervals as explained above. 

Circuit B(Do twice):  15 (each side) woodchops with medicine ball…15 (each side) balanced squats with 20 lb dumbbell…30 second plank with toes on stability ball…25 crunches…20 burpees…1 minute ball shuffle (explained below)… 2minute cardio intervals as explained above.

Circuit C(Do twice):  50 bicycles…50 leg raises…25 double-donkey kicks…15 deadlifts with 20 lb dumbbells…50 reverse crunches…2 minuted cardio as explained above.

Circuit D(Do twice):  20 sumo jump squats holding 20 lb dumbbell…15 pushups…50 crunches on the stability ball holding the medicine ball to your chest…2 minute cardio as explained above.

Ball Shuffle…(This is even better with ankle bands on and can be done alone or with a partner, any ball can be used but medicine balls work the best)  Set four to six balls on the floor in pairs about 10-20 feet apart from each other.  Start on one side, squat and pick up a ball and RAPIDLY side shuffle to the other balls.  Squat down and set down the ball you are holding and pick up another.  Rapidly shuffle back, repeating the squat, release ball, pick up ball, shuffle sequence. 

Everywhere in life you will see that you grow when you step out of your comfort zone.  This is true intellectually, mentally, spiritually and physically.  It is especially true with exercise.

I am going to be fully honest and forthright: if you want to believe you can be stronger, slimmer and better by comfortably watching your favorite program and “gently jogging” on the treadmill for the bulk of your workouts, then you should probably get off this website and get on one that has a bunch of crap to sell you.   

I’m not saying that “gentle cardio” does not have its place.  In fact, I recommend it twice a week in your exercise program. However, anyone with any life experience knows that true growth rarely happens without a price. The things that are the most worthy and important require the most work.

Working out to achieve true growth is hard and requires dedication.   You need to get out of your comfort zone.  So you have been lifting the 20’s for your military press?  Great.  Now do 25s but for less reps. You’ve been running for 30 minutes at 6 mph?  Throw some 7.5 mph intervals in there!  Get the hell out of your comfort zone.

If you feel “comfortable” during the majority of your workouts, that’s fine, but understand you are only maintaining, if best.  If you want to grow and get better, stronger, faster, slimmer, healthier, then expect to push yourself at least once a week.

If you want comfort, go to your Grandma’s house.  If you want to achieve more physically, commit to stepping out of your comfort zone at least once a week during your workouts.

The medicine ball is a great tool.  It is inexpensive and portable, but more importantly its an effective tool for resistance training, plyometrics and cardio! Yes, cardio!

This cardio workout can be done alone or combined with one of the medicine ball workouts for a great interval training workout!  Do one or all of the exercises rapidly in succession or by themselves repeatedly.  You can use any of the following as your “cardio interval” in any of my workouts.

 I recommend a medicine ball about 10% of your body weight for beginners, up to 20% for advanced exercisers and athletes. There are two main types of medicine balls: firm (bouncy and usually made of hard rubber) and squishy (does not bounce, is usually filled with sand).  Get one of each, they are worth it.  (I have found both types of balls at discount stores such as Burlington Coat Factory, TJ Maxx and Marshall’s for less than $20.  You can’t beat that price for a great piece of exercise equipment.  You can also find them at nearly any sports supply store or large chain store.)

Following are ways you can use the medicine ball for cardio and get some muscle training as well. 

Throw/Chase otherwise known as “beat the ball” - Stand holding the medicine ball above your head or at your chest (or alternate each time)throw the ball as far and hard as you possibly can.  As soon as you have let go of the ball, sprint forward.  Try to “beat the ball”, meaning get there before it stops rolling.  Immediately pick it up, turn around and do it again.  The key is to really sprint and push yourself to “beat the ball”.  This works core and shoulders as well as cardio.  Works best with squishy ball, hard ball increases difficulty level.

Slams with squats- do this quickly to get a cadio workout while strengthening your abs, shoulders and glutes.  Hold the medicine ball high over your head using both hands.  Suck your abs in and slam the ball down in front of you while contracting your abs, use your abs to slam the ball as much or more than you are using your arms.  Immediately do a full and deep squat to retrieve the ball and push back up into starting position.  Repeat rapidly.  Works best with squishy ball.

Wall Ball with Squat:  Holding the medicine ball above your head, throw the ball against the wall about 4 feet above your head.  As soon as the ball leaves your hands, do a full squat (or jump squat).  Catch the ball as you are returning up from the squat.  Works best with hard ball, but squishy can work, too.

Burpee-Slurpee with medicine ball- this is what we refer to as a “character builder”.  It works your entire body as well as your mental strength.  Use a squishy ball for this.  Hold the ball above your head as you would in the slam, contracting and using your abs, slam the ball directly below you,  immediately put both hands on the ground on both sides of the ball.  Thrust your leg out (burpee style) you should now be in pushup position with the ball below your face.  Do a push up.  In one movement, pull your feet up to where your hands were. Grab the ball and immediately repeat the movement.  Its basically a slam-burpee-pushup.  Fun stuff!!!  Time yourself on how many you can do in 30 or 40 seconds or time yourself how long it takes you to complete 20.  Then try to beat your numbers.  Let me know how you do, I’d love to participate in a burpee-slurpee online competition.

Courtesy of the American Dietetic Association (ADA)  - in this article they took some of the toughest diet problems and ran them by some of the top dietitians in the US: RDs who, in addition to their private careers, serve as media spokespersons or heads of specialty practice groups for the ADA.

Here’s what they said. These tips are solid gold, learned from successful experience with thousands of clients. Some tips are new. Some you’ve heard before, but they’re repeated because they work. This treasure trove of RD wisdom could change your life-starting today.

http://health.yahoo.com/weightloss-motivation/100-smartest-diet-tips-ever/prevention–19984.html

If you are ready to really challenge yourself, this is the workout for you!  Its great for athletes as well. 

The circuit sets combine weights, plyos and bodyweight exercises, tapping into both fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. 

 You will need the following equipment for the workout:  a jump-rope, a set of 20lb dumbbells, a band, a bench or step, an ankle-strap band and a medicine ball.  If you don’t have all of the equipment, you’ll still get a great workout.

If you do the entire workout with little or no rest, it should take about an hour.  Try to do the circuits with no rest between exercises, resting for 30-60 seconds after each set has been completed in the prescribed number of times.

Warm up very well before starting.

Set A (Do this set three times quickly with no rest)  15 sumo-swingthroughs…20 bench jumps…25 hanging leg raises…25 resisted reverse crunches…50 jump-rope jumps

Sumo-swingthrough-get in low sumo-squat position(legs wider than a normal squat with feet angled out about 45 degrees) with a dumbbell between your legs.  Grab the dumbell with both hands, while raising up from the sumo squat, raise the dumbbell above your head.  When lowering back down into the squat, lower the dumbbell back down in a very controlled motion.

Bench jumps - using a Rebok-step or something you can jump on that is about 12 inches high, place feet on both sides of step, the step below you and between your feet, jump up onto the bench, bringing feet together, jump up and out again, landing as you started.  Repeat rapidly and with explosiveness.  Make sure you land with soft feet and knees.

Resisted Reverse Crunch- attach ankles to a band or cable machine for resistance, lay on your back, knees bent, feet near ground, pull knees back to your chest, repeat.  It helps to keep your hands under your tush for lower back support.

Set B (Do this set 3 times with no rest)  15 single leg squats (each side)…15 jumpsquats with medinicine ball floor touch…50 bicycles…10 plyo burpees…20 slams.

Single leg squat-elevate on leg about 12 inches, squat holding a dumbell, and using only the leg that is not elevated.

Jumpsquats with medicine ball floor touch- hold medincine ball, squat down and touch floor with ball, while raising ball above head, explode out of squat, you should jump 6-12 inches into the air, land with soft knees and feet, repeat.

plyo-burpee-jump before doing a squat-thrust

slam- hold medicine ball above your head with straight arms, engage abs and use your abs to slam the ball to the floor, squat down, pick up ball and repeat

Circuit C (Do this circuit 4 times) 15 reverse lunges with dumbbells…10 lunge jumps…50 crunches…50 reverse crunches

Circuit D (Do this circuit 3 times) 25 double donkey kicks, 60 side shuffles with band resistance…25 leg raises…15 jumpsquats

Circuit E (Do this circuit 2 times) 15 deadlifts with dumbbells…jump-rope 50 jumps.

Stretch!!

This 30 minute workout will work your core which includes your abdominal muscles: rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis and obliques and your lower back muscles including the rotatores and iliocostalis lumborum.  By including two minutes of intense cardio after each set, you’ll get a quick fat-burning and core-tightening workout.

Cardio ideas: high-knees (run in place), jumpsquats, jumping jacks, sprints, run your stairs, mountain climbers, line hops. If you have a cardio machine, blast it up to the most intense setting you can handle and hit it hard!  I recommend doing 1 minute of 2 different options.

Start with 2 minutes cardio to warm up.

Repeat each set three times.

Core set A:  50 bicycles, 50 crunches, plank to failure….2 minutes cardio.

Core set B:  25 v-ups, 25 reverse crunches, 45 second superman hold… 2 minutes cardio.

Core set C:  20 (on each side) side-laying knee pulls, 50 scissor kicks, 50 toe-touch crunch…2 minutes cardio

Core set D: (if you have a medincine ball) 50 slams (squat down and with straight arms pick up medicine ball, as you raise up from the squat raise arms above head, holding the ball above your head, pull in abs and “slam” the ball down on the floor). 50 Crunch with medicine ball to ceiling. (Hold medicine ball stright above chest, pushing it toward the ceiling as you raise in the crunch) 25 (each side) Woodchops with medicine ball.

 side-laying knee pulls- lay on side, legs straight out and raised about 6 inches off floor, pull knees to chest and return.  2 minute  cardio

toe-touch crunch -lay on back with legs straight up in the air, touch toe with left hand, then right. ..2 minutes cardio

Training athletes is hard.  Training as an athlete is crazy hard.  A fellow athletic trainer I know and respect has a quote, “Winners train, losers complain” (See Corey Miccelli)

That said, I believe heavily in training SMART first, then training with everything you have.  You (athlete) have to understand that you train to win, or you waste a lot of puke and sweat.   Who trains to lose?  Surprisingly, a lot of great young athletes I have worked with just train, they have no idea why. 

When you work hard to be a champion, you should know the course you are on and you should be a part of planning it

Before you train with an athletic trainer, you should know why, what and how. The next issues of hockey workouts will focus on the major (and there are other minor things) issues you need to address to be in the best physical form to execute your skills.

Its your body and your effort that will take you to the extreme.  Know why and what your trainer wants from you. In the end, a really good trainer will teach you not to need them but how to apply what you learn from them.  You have to know and believe: you are your best trainer.  Nobody knows your body better. 

I will help you address the why, how and the when and mostly, the what.  Most important of all, YOU will do it and you will do it because you know how, why and where it helps you.  If you don’t see it helping you on the ice (field for other athletes), then you need to stop and assess. Every second of your off-ice workout should count on the ice.

Don’t just train.  Train to win.

Great article here: http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/139/the-20-worst-foods-in-america/

The short version…the majority of what we eat at restaurants is bad.

In fact, the average diner in this country underestimates his or her caloric intake by up to 93 percent when eating out. This means, you are probably eating 2x more than you should.

Forever, women have been afraid of weightlifting because they believe they will “bulk up” and then if they don’t keep it up, …..the muscle will turn to fat.

No, no and soooo not true.  The first issue that needs to be understood is that muscle and fat (as well as tendons and ligaments and bone) are not chemically the same.  Yes, they absolutely have an impact on each other, yet they no more “turn into” another  any more than Hillary will “turn into” Obamma!  One is one and the other is not. Muscles can’t turn into fat anymore than peanut butter will become grape jelly. In fact, the more you have of one, the less you have of the other.

The MOST important correlaction you need to understand is the correlation between muscle and fat:   Fat is a deposit of stored food, what the body reads as stored energy.   Muscle is something that needs to be fed, uses and burns energy:::: muscle eats fat.   (yes, I am simplifying)  But read that over:  Muscle ”eats” fat.   

Muscle mass increases “fat burning”.  Fat sits there and encourages more to join it.  The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. The less fat you aquire. Period. 

Ladies, gentlemen, guys, girls, there is no better path to a lean healthy body than including serious weight-resistance to your workout.  Cardio is good, its great. Resistance trainig is CRUCIAL!!  Believe it or not, its even more beneficial to women than men.   Don’t be afraid of “resistance training”. 

 You can pick up an iron dumbell, a rubber band, a jug of water.  Your muscles don’t care or know HOW they are being resisited, only THAT THEY ARE being resisted.

Muscle cells don’t think, they grow or die. You have to force them to grow. Think of yourself as the owner of a fleet of pet muscle cells.  How will you treat your fleet?   (I just rhymed, and it scared me a little)

Pick up the iron, fight the band, resist gravity and bodyweitht, pull the cable or slam the medicne ball, either way you chose to force your muscle cells into action, growth and repair, you just incinerated some calories.  Now and tomorrow.