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Reverse graffiti
Reverse graffiti, also known as clean tagging, dust tagging, grime writing, green graffiti or clean...
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Snow and Charming know what’s up…
Love this.
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The final Stefon sketch from Saturday Night Live.
The Stefon bit was one of my favorites. I’m gonna miss him
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Me for the past three days!
Why do you workout?
People work out for different reasons & having a goal is important (whether or not you’re losing weight, trying to get fit, or mastering a technique). But goals aside, there’s ONE common denominator of successful fitness freaks: they mix up their workouts! Different workouts are like different kinds of menu options. You might LOVE one thing on the menu, but if you have it everyday, you’ll get sick of it fast. You may also be limiting yourself by not exploring new favorites.
Trying something new & incorporating different kinds of training is key to sticking with the program longterm both mentally & physically. Our bodies & minds crave new challenges & new ways to train. When we’re stuck on ONE kind of workout, we may be limiting ourselves to a WORLD of possibilities.
I’m very eclectic when it comes to my workouts (like workout A.D.D.). I certainly have my favorites, but I try new things constantly and go through ‘phases’. When my workout ‘lust’ has dwindled for a certain type of workout, I switch things up sooner rather than later. A week of my workouts might include a little Turbo Kick, NTC training, Insanity or P90X, TRX, sports drills, running, yoga, dance, Crossfit WOD’S, Body Rock, Pilates, strength training etc. Sometimes I plan it, sometimes I work it out on the fly. But the common denominator is that I shake things up and stay open to trying new things. It keeps me from getting bored, keeps my body challenged and helps me find new favorites.
And it makes me feel BAD ASS. I’ve got lots of tools in my toolbox, and even when I suck at something (ugh, Zumba), I know I’m still getting a good workout.
This week: Try something NEW! A class, a DVD (the library has tons), or even a change of scenery. If you workout from home, try heading to the gym or to the park this week. If you’re a gym rat, head outside or take a class in a new location. If you work out solo, ask a friend to join you! If you’re all about the weights, try some body weight work. No yoga in your repertoire? Namaste it OUT. Try changing 1-2 things in your routine for a quick motivation (and results) boost. :)
Monday Motivation Playlist
Need new tunes? This is what I’m using today! (lots of Madonna. Her new album MDNA
Sniff, sniff. :) Workout playlists won’t be the same!
The Phoenix IS AWESOME.
I’m sooo excited for this one! It’s a little different than the others & will be the BIGGEST rep challenge I’ve posted. It’s tough, but do-able for ALL levels, beginners & psychos alike. Decide to ‘rise up’ to meet the challenge and you WILL.
I wanted to make sure you guys have all the motivation you need for this one and a fierce Phoenix-worthy playlist to get you through it. Already have a few suggestions from Facebook (thanks Priya & Dawn), but need another 7-10 songs. Since y’all tend to be ‘hip’ with it (geez, I sound like my mother), I thought I’d ask for your awesome suggestions yet again!
Think fast, furious, funky, fun, FIRE. New is GOOD, but old favorites are sometimes too awesome for words. Step out of the box, all genres, all styles. I’m not picky! Will make more than one playlist if we get enough suggestions.
What do you want to hear on the ‘Phoenix’ playlist?
We had an awesome, sweaty time at bootcamp yesterday! The girls brought their A-game, and we got down to some oldies (oh god, I can’t believe these are oldies).
Promised to post them here, and wanted to share them with you in case you need a little ditty update! Music is an awesome motivator, and switching it up from week to week can help you get the most of your workout.
(P.S - Anyone else remember the Spice Girls ‘Stop’ choreography? Apparently ALL of us did last night, lol).
It’s Monday! New week, clean slate and motivation time!
I love this playlist, and used it for some Booty Murder this weekend. It’s over 30 minutes long, but sometimes a girl just needs a few extra tunes to dance to. :)
MOTIVATION CHALLENGE!
Pick ANY of the following workout challenges and get ‘er done TODAY! Set aside 30 minutes to get sweaty and feel BAD ASS. (Short on time? Cut the challenges in half, or only do 1 circuit. 10-15 minutes of sweat is better than nothing, and you’ll feel better afterwards, I promise).
Total body toning, with cardio. This time challenge lets you go your own pace, and try to complete as many rounds as possible. 12 exercises, 12 reps each. 30 minutes.
Cardio from head to toe! This one’s a sweaty challenge that will improve your power, strength and get your heart rate WAY up. About 24 minutes, plus warm-up.
My glutes are still sore! Do this with or without weights. You’ll need a mat, a chair, and some serious game. Calorie torching booty WORK.
Nike Training Club At Home - NEW Patrick Goudeau Circuit (A La Kix)
You don’t need the Nike Training App for this workout. Watch Patrick Goudeau explain the moves in this seriously tough workout. Go your own pace, but push yourself! You’ll need an interval timer, and hot music is a must!
Body Rock TV - Booty Challenge! - 10-15 minutes
All you need is a chair and a KILLER attitude. This workout takes focus and is great to add to your workout (or add to Booty Murder for a CRAZY glute day). All you need is a chair. Psychos: you can add weight.
Total Body Murder - 600 Rep Challenge (can you handle it?)
This one’s tough, but do-able! Go your own pace, and see if you can beat your own time.
For those of you who like having a workout buddy! This Tag Team workout lets you go your own pace, highlight your strengths, and motivate each other to finish the 700 rep goal. Find a friend at a similar fitness level (or make adjustments if you need to - no shame, we’re all working hard with this one!)
‘Unravel The Tension’ 20 Min. Yoga Sequence & Sunday Yoga Detox
Need a recovery day? Try either of these full length 20 minute Yoga sequences to stretch out & get your week started right.
I teach A Crazy Bitch Bootcamp on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and we had SOOOO much fun with this playlist. Wanted to post it for my girls, but thought you might like it too!
I’ve always preferred working out with music. It motivates me through the harder exercises, pushes my intensity through the roof, and makse the time fly by if I plan it accordingly. I design most of my own workouts these days, so I’ve become better at identifying which songs may work with which movements, and what speed I should be aiming for to keep myself challenged. But anyone can plan & manage their own workout, with a few quick tips.
Some tips/ideas for how to make your playlist work for your workout…
- Choose carefully and listen to the songs first, to get an idea of how fast they are. Faster songs (like Rockafella Skank) are great for cardio:running in place, jump rope, jumping jacks, and burpees. Slower songs (not that slow, but slower) are better for strength moves like squats, lunges and pushups. Feel free to mix it up!
- It’s fun to mimic words in the song. If a certain song mentions “dropping”, “getting low”, “jumping” or “throw your hands up in the air”, plan on using those movements - it can make a big difference in your intensity.
- Typically, I choose 2-4 different exercises per song, alternating between them or doing them in a row. If a song is about 4 minutes long, doing 4 moves for 30 seconds a piece (and repeating) will cover you. If it’s longer (like 6-7 minutes), I’ll usually opt to do each move for 45-60 seconds instead. (note: usually I use the music AS a timer: 1st verse, bridge, chorus etc).
- You can repeat a combination for more than one song, but break it up with a different combo in between. I did the same moves for ‘On The Dancefloor’ & ‘Where Dem Girls At’ because they were similar lengths and tempos, but added some booty work for ‘Cozza Frenzy’ in between.
- It’s easier to alternate between strength and high intensity cardio (also allows you to actively recover). Focus on cardio for one song, then strength for the next.
- Don’t forget to include a song to warm up to, and a song to cool down to. Stretching is important: find soothing, less intense music for the end of your workout (in this playlist, we did Sun Salutations for M.I.A’s $20 and ab work for Nelly Furtado’s Maneater remix).
- Group certain muscle groups well together: you can separate the songs by which muscle groups you want to work. Maybe booty & Cardio for one song. Abs & Upper Body for the next. Thighs & Triceps for one song. Back and Core for another. It’s up to you, but you should spread them out to give some groups a wee break while working others.
- Listen to your body and write down what works. If a certain combo REALLY works with a song, write it down for next time.
- Songs (most of them anyways, not all) work on an 8 count. As such, I usually plan my reps in the 8, 16, 24 & 32 count zone. Some moves are complex (like burpees with a pushup) so those moves can take 8-16 counts on their own. Some moves like squats or jumping jacks can be done on every count, or every two counts.
- I like to use the first 32 counts (the intro) as a quick water break, but you can take breaks whenever you need to.
- It’s YOUR workout. You don’t have to be perfect, and if you feel like busting out in dance, GO for it.
Have fun & explore your options!
Warning: This is a CRAZY workout!
You’ll get a SICK calorie burn with this circuit from Patrick Goudeau! I adore the moves in this workout: they work multiple muscle groups at the same time to boost your burn & shoot your heart rate WAY up. It’s challenging, but IT IS DO-ABLE (don’t worry if you can’t get all the moves down perfectly). It’s intense, so it doesn’t need to be long. Set aside 25-30 minutes to kill this BIG time.
IMPORTANT: this isn’t yet available on the NTC App! I’ve created my own circuit based on Patrick’s latest moves that you can do with an Interval Timer
How to do it:
- Watch the video above for all the moves in this circuit, or use the list at the end of this post.
- Warm up for 5 minutes (those of you who have the App, you can do a warm up from any of the Get Toned Or Get Strong workouts, then pause). For everyone else, a minute of each of the following: jump rope, walking lunges, run in place, straight leg kicks & side to side shuffles, then rest one minute.
- Set your Interval Timer
- Repeat the 7 minute circuit 2-4 times for a SERIOUS total body workout.
- Cooldown (walk around for 1-2 minutes) then stretch.
* If you prefer to do it without a timer, aim for the recommendations in the video demos, and move quickly from one exercise to another. Total time after the warmup should be about 20-30 minutes)
Total Time: 25-40 minutes
You’ll need
- A set of medium to light dumbbells (or as heavy as you need to. You do not need weights if you don’t have them - simply pretend you have them, and keep good form. Soupcans aren’t the sexiest tools, but if that’s all you got… ).
- A mat
- Bottle of water
- Great playlist (see below)
- An interval timer or stop watch.
BEGINNERS! I’ve added some ideas for modifications you can use if you need them! Read below!
Here’s MY playlist, but feel free to use your own!
Watch all the moves in the video above (do them each a few times half-assed before you start to make sure you have them down), set your timer and get ready to move!
Patrick Goudeau Meets Chichi Kix - Nike Training Club Circuit
* Do 60 seconds of each move, then rest one minute. Repeat 2-4 times!
1. Belly Ups
Modification options: Step back instead of jumping back, add a modified pushup instead, or remove the pushup all together.
2. Straight Leg Lunge to Bicep Curl
Modification options: Tap your foot on the ground anytime you need help with your balance, and keep one foot on the floor if you can’t lift the knee.
3. Rollbacks
Modification options: Use your momentum to help you up, and feel free to use your hands/feet to get up more slowly (still intense!). You can stand & catch your balance, before you add the jump, or take it out if you need to catch your breath.
4. Crab Curl to Press
Modification options: Placing your upper back & shoulders on a couch can help keep them steady. You can also do a hip lift (bridge) instead, take the dumbbells out, and just do the chest press instead of the bicep curl. Make the move work for you.
5. Side to Side Shuffles with a Side Lunge
Modification options: Don’t go as deep or as fast, and reach down as far as you can go if you can’t touch the ground.
6. Lunge Press to Flyback
Modification options: Step back instead of the jump back, and go as slow as you need to. No need for dumbbells if you’re having a tough time: this one’s hard for a full minute!
7. Rest. Don’t stop moving, get some water, and get ready to do it all again!
KILL IT!
Nothing keeps me motivated during the holidays like holiday themed workouts!
I get bored with the standard fare pretty early on in the season, but I solve my holiday music woes by finding worthy, new remixes. I’ve been in a dubstep haze lately, so a lot of these songs are dubstep mixes of holiday classics.
The BPM is a little slower than I normally post, but it works REALLY well with strength training exercises and yoga/pilates training. Taught bootcamp using a lot of these songs and it was a raging holiday success!
Enjoy!
Runners: you’ll like this one! A little music motivation :).
Bam! I’m in LOVE this playlist!
Thanks for your suggestions, I used as many as I could! It’s long, so feel free to skip and play the tunes you love the best! Starts out high energy for cardio, we rock out a bit for strength, and finishes with some terrifying tunes to stretch to. :)
Big BAD ASS thanks to these lovely followers who sent in their choices!
turbogirl
georgieboosh
sunlighthappiness
jac-losingit
myeverydayrambling
bmeli91
weareoneandthesame
ayoronniejones
cocoaandkisses
millionwordstojoy
clairecushing
tu158el
imaginebeth
31 Spooky Tunes To Sweat To
- Cabaret Aspirateur (Cabaret Hoover) - Bande Originale De Film The Triplets Of Belleville
- Disturbia - Rihanna
- Somebody’s Watching Me - Rockwell
- Time Warp - Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Monster Mash - Misfits
- Get Your Freak On - Missy Elliott
- Scary - Britney Spears
- Zombie (remix) - The Cranberries
- Jump In The Line - Harry Belafonte (Beetlejuice)
- Nobody Likes You When You’re Dead - Zombina & The Skeletones
- Witch Doctor - Armand van Helden
- Monster - Lady Gaga
- Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
- Freak - Estelle
- Heads Will Roll - Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs
- Skeleton Dance - Beat Antiques
- Breathe - The Prodigy
- Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) - Backstreet Boys
- Rock Lobster - B52’s
- Thriller - Michael Jackson
- This Is Halloween - The Vampires
- Don’t Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
- Everyday Is Halloween - Ministry
- This Is Halloween - Marilyn Manson
- Lotion - The Greenskeepers
- Halloween - Helloween
- Love Potion #9 - Rockapella
- Nightmare On My Street - Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff
- Closer - Nine Inch Nails
- Sugar Water - Cibo Matto (Buffy FANS: Do you know which episode this was from?)
- My Body’s A Zombie For You - Dead Man’s Bones
Here you go! This was fun! Send in other suggestions anytime, I love finding new ‘old’ favorites.
I mean seriously. When was the last time you heard ‘Getting Jiggy With It?’
It’s October and it’s apple picking season! Yay! Pies & snacks for all! Hope you can manage to get on out for some apple picking fun!
To celebrate, I thought a little dance party was in order. This playlist is a little bit all over the place, but I don’t care because I love it. I LOVE IT! Use it to inspire a new playlist of your own, or just enjoy the tunes! Or hate them, but keep it to yourself! Don’t burst my bubble. :)
The workout? Just DANCE! Have fun, don’t be too serious and let loose!
Remember: Music is one of the BEST workout motivators you can find. The higher your BPM, the harder you tend to work. Find new music to sweat to and remember to rotate new stuff in every couple of weeks (or every week if you get bored like I do).
This playlist dwindles down towards the end, for a nice Radiohead stretch after some Salt & Pepa & En Vogue. Plenty of new stuff too, but when it comes to abs & stretching, I really love my old favs.
SEND IN YOUR PLAYLIST SUGGESTIONS! I’ll be making a few follower MADE playlists next week and can use your input! I get fabulous suggestions from you all the time, so let me know what you’re sweating to!
Today was hump day, and SO many of you were complaining you didn’t have time to get a workout in! Save this one for tomorrow if you NEED to, but I’d prefer if you squeezed it in tonight!
Only 15 minutes, and 5 of those are in the warm-up!
Booty call! Do the warm up, then all 5 exercises. Repeat. That’s it! Do it 3 times if you’re feeling extra BOOTY-ful!
You’ll need: a mat and a set of dumbbells (you can do it without weights too). Try the harder variations if you can.
Workout Time! Remember form: keep knees over the tops of your toes, and push your booty BACK. Keep your abs contracted and move quickly between each exercise.
Recommended Music: From ‘Watch The Throne’ (playlist below!)
Warm up
- 1 minute light jog in place
- 1 minute jumping jacks
- 1 minute walking lunges
- 1 minute high knee run
- 30 second light jog
Rest 30 seconds. Then ONE minute of each of the following.
- Hip Raises (or one legged hip raises! 30 seconds per side if so)
- Side Raise Flamingo Lunges (30 seconds per side)
- Split Jump Squats (jump high, land soft!)
- One legged Toe Touch Squats (30 seconds per side)
- Squat Hold - 30 seconds (60 if you’re feeling it! GET LOW!)
- 30 seconds rest.
Repeat and you’re done! Bam, look at that booty!
See Also…
Smack That - Ultimate Booty Playlist 2 AND Workout!
