Fit Villains: Selfish, Shameless, Sassy, Fitness.

Hey there,

Effectiveness is relative (depends on your level, goals, and weaknesses), but there’s PLENTY of exercises you can do with little to no equipment. Tons, really. TONS.

Off the top of my head…(note, there are TONS of modifications even within each of these exercises)

• Pushups
• Pullups
• Squats
• Lunges
• Single leg deadlifts
• V-Ups
• Planks
• Burpees
• Tricep Dips
• Step Ups
• Running
• Stairs
• Jumping Jacks
• Mountain Climbers
• Plank Jacks
• High Knees
• Tuck Jumps
• Wall Sits
• Firehydrants
• Donkey Kicks
• Calf Raises
• Divebombers
• Pike Presses
• Cobra Lifts

and more…

One of my favorite bodyweight only workout circuits is…

• 10 Burpees
• 20 Squat Jumps
• 10 Pushups
• 20 Walking Lunges
• 10 Tricep Dips
• 20 Single Leg Squats

Depending on the workout, this can be a warm-up, or I may play with the reps a bit (doubling or tripling them) for a more challenging workout for MY level (which may not be yours). The reps above are a pretty good starting point for most people. :)

Hope this helps! See the post below for tips on how to build your own circuit. :)

D.I.Y Fitness- Build Your Own Workout

Hey there,

The app’s awesome, isn’t it? Seriously, one of my favorite tools.

The last update was last December (came with a few new celebrity workouts, and bonus workouts in all categories). No other update has been issued (you probably already have it installed). 

Not sure what you mean by updated version? Nike hasn’t released anything new on the App in a long time. (there ARE videos available online that look like the ones on the App, but they are not from the App itself).

xo

Hey there,

That’s a little nuts, lol.

The tucking is important: it’s proper form. Keep practicing, it gets easier with time. A good way to “target” that form is to perform a kegel: it’s the muscle that stops your pee mid-stream (you can even flex it now).

Tucking it in, is about drawing your pelvis under your hips and pulling your belly button towards your back: if you’re on the floor, this position allows you to make contact with your lower back ON the mat. If you can, try standing with your back against a wall, then squat down slightly. Keep your shoulders, low back and top of your butt against the wall, then tuck your pelvis under while maintaining full back contact. From here, draw your belly button in. Do you feel the difference?

It’s okay if it’s hard: it’s supposed to be. Unlearning and re-learning form for different styles of fitness is tough (some people take months and/or years before they master proper form for things like squats, lunges, pushups etc). Hang in there, it’ll get easier with time!

In terms of strange-looking, puffy abs? That’s nuts (and a horrible way to shame students into using proper form). Using the right form, the moves target more than just the outer abs, digging deeper into your “corset” (the inner abs). Without proper form, most people only work the top part of the abs, which can stick out if over developed (though it’s incredibly hard to do, especially without additional weight). In other words, don’t worry about it. Focus on using good form.

Hope this helps!

xo

Hey there,

The goal is to avoid curving your back and keep your body in one line (instead of your butt in the air, like downward dog). Your head shouldn’t be looking forward, but in a neutral position, you should be able to see the floor a few feet in front of you. If you can’t, it’s likely because your head and neck are facing behind you: towards the feet.

When you look down in plank position, your head should fall between both hands and your eyes should fall just a few inches in front of your finger tips. In this position, your neck should be in line with your back, not arched upwards, and you should be able to naturally see a few feet in front of you on the floor. Your head should still face the floor. Your chin should be relaxed, and not curved in towards your chest. 

If you’re craning or arching your neck to look forward, your neck will be over-strained.

If the move is too difficult in this position, try it with your hands on an elevated surface, like a chair, couch or bench. If your wrists bother you, you can also place your hands on a set of dumbbells to reduce joint tension/strain.

Hope this helps!

xo

Hey there,

Sadly, I don’t make the rules in your gym class (it’s up to the teacher and he/she is often limited by their curriculum and educational requirements set by your state, province or school board).

But… when we refer to spot training, often we’re referring to fat loss. 50 crunches won’t do much to make your abs show, but it does work the outer ab muscles. And while there are tons of ways to train your abs, that’s NOT the goal of gym class. In other words, gym class isn’t supposed to be tailored to your specific fitness goals. It’s a general class, designed to get students active. That’s all.

When it comes to overall fitness, there’s rarely a “wrong” way to do it. There are more efficient ways, there are different ways to train for specific results (strength, fat loss, muscle gain, endurance, agility, power, speed, general fitness etc). But none of that has anything to do with gym class.

At the risk of sounding like a mom, and hopefully NOT discouraging you from speaking up at other times, at the end of the day you may just have to ‘deal’ with it. It’s not unsafe, and though it’s not the MOST effective way to train your abs, there’s no reason gym class has to meet YOUR fitness goals. It’s simply supposed to get you active, according to the standards set, and in a way where most of the students will be able to do the movements. Things like planks, burpees, stability exercises and more may NOT be the best for a mandatory gym class setting (though you’re likely to see them in a bootcamp OR in sports training).

Hope this helps! Don’t stress over it! :)

xo

It’s COMING! I’m excited too!

Check back tomorrow morning for the calendar & first workout! I’ve tried to design it so it requires no equipment, takes little room and can be squeezed into a busy schedule, but there’s enough room to play to suit your needs (i.e. add them to your current routine, modify them to suit your needs, or follow along).

Check back tomorrow!

xo

Hey Students! 16 Day Dorm Room Challenge On Its Way!

Hey there,

If a workout doesn’t challenge you, you can do three things with it: save it for your “easy” days, shelf it all together OR tweak it so it meets YOUR level. There’s no rule saying you have to do it exactly the same way your instructor does. There are ways to make ANY workout harder for your level.

With DVD’s, many people feel like they HAVE to stay in the box, or follow the instructor to the letter. Remember, it’s YOUR workout. Most DVD’s have to cater to a wide audience and a wide variety of levels: once you’ve passed it, there’s no need to stay there (harder DVD’s will be marked advanced). And no matter what Jillian says, she actually CAN’T see you, lol.

Beginners can make the moves easier, take breaks when needed, or only do what they can (no need to match rep for rep). Some people get de-motivated because they compare themselves to the advanced students on the DVD. There’s no need. If you can’t do it the way THEY do, do it the way YOU can. You can also swap some moves that are too hard for others that you CAN do. Level up when you’re ready, and remember that EVERY mistake burns calories and works your muscles.

ADVANCED exercisers can do the same thing by making the movements harder. Adding dumbbells to moves, even if the DVD doesn’t. Adding jumps to moves, even if the DVD doesn’t. Going deeper, faster, harder than the people in the DVD. Working out at YOUR level (and pushing slightly past it) is ideal.

This is an idea of how you can make Level 1 Ripped in 30 feel more like level 4 (note: you don’t have to use EVERY modification, but swapping in just a few can make your workout feel much more intense). Another way to get a more intense workout is to pause after each circuit and repeat it again (circuit one twice, circuit two twice etc).

ALMOST ALL THESE MODIFICATIONS involve moving faster, deeper and adding heavier weights. Adding instability (trying moves on one leg) also helps. But YOUR workout intensity is something you need to bring to the table. Try to move out of your comfort zone: each interval is only about 30 seconds long.

Warm Up: Go faster and deeper in the movements. No need to move at a snail pace when you’re a centipede.

Circuit One

1. Pushups (go faster, even if you need to take breaks)
2. Squat & Press (use heavier dumbbells, and go at double the pace: they move REALLY slowly. Power up through your squat, then drop back down explosively).
3. Lunge & Kickback (again heavier dumbbells, but move up and down in your lunge instead of holding it).
4. Quick feet (add a jump! Quick feet for 5 seconds, then jump up explosively. Brings your heart rate up nicely)
5. Skaters (get deeper and move faster)
6. Plank hold (try it lifting one leg up)
7. Boat Pose (try adding pulses up and down)

Circuit Two

1. Deadlifts (make these single leg deadlifts instead. Lift a leg up as you lower. Alternative: heavier weights)
2. Swings (again heavier dumbbells OR do one arm at a time. Since you repeat the circuit twice, you can do both)
3. Good mornings (heavier weight, on one foot and/or faster pace)
4. Running man (get MUCH lower. Try to think of it as keeping your torso in one straight line, and just your feet switching. The lower you are, the harder the move. Then add speed).
5. Punches (go faster, and add a jump like the quick feet. Punch for 8, then jump up in the air. Repeat.)
6. Side Plank Dips (come up to one leg if you can: leave one in the air. Move faster if you can).

Circuit Three

1. Chair pose flys (Try a sumo squat and fly instead: take legs out wide, squat down, then fly out to the side)
2. Side Lunges w/front raise (stay on the same side: again, there are two circuits. Lunge deep to the side, and move quicker)
3. Lunges with bicep curl (stay on the same side, use heavier weights, and move quicker)
4. Butt kicks: FASTER!
5. Side to side hops: add distance & jump further to the side.
6. Basic Crunches: Try V-Ups instead.

Above ALL else, intensity is KEY to getting a good workout. It’s not always about the workout or the moves you do: it’s about how hard it FEELS. If it doesn’t feel hard (or your body has gotten used to it), it’s up to you to change it!

Hope this helps!

xo

Hey there,

It’s very common! And it can be due to a lot of things.

• Diet (you may have a sensitivity to something and not know it)
• Time of day (some people tend to experience symptoms earlier in the day)
• Illness (maybe there’s more to it. Acid reflux and a sensitive stomach may be signs of something else or a sensitivity you may have)
• Coffee and acidic foods (citrus, some teas etc)
• Complications/Side effects from medication you’re taking
• And many, many more factors.

The first step is finding out what it MAY be: take a look at what you’re eating (or not eating) in the 12 hours before your run, experiment running at different times of the day, drink more water etc. If nothing you do seems to help, it may be something you want to mention to your doctor: there are medications that can help with acid reflux (many runners take Tums before a run to help).

Things like coffee, citrus, dairy and other foods may be the culprit too: take note of what you eat before your runs and your symptoms. It’s trial and error, but it may help you find what works for YOUR body.

Hope this helps!

xo

Thanks!

I use the Gymboss App for iPhone! Find it here.

xo

Hey there,

Just do your best: 10 minutes is a LONG time to hold this move, especially if you’re not used to it. Work in shorter intervals (1-2 minutes on, rest 30 seconds, and repeat).

Squatting this low requires a great deal of hip flexibility: most people who have trouble breaking parallel with squats (where your butt is lower than your knees) simply don’t have the hip flexibility to do it with good form. Work on opening up your hips if this is your trouble area (hip stretches like pigeon, happy baby, runners lunge etc).

For the BEST tips for this kind of squat, take a look at how a baby or toddler squats down: they have the BEST form for this (we actually “unlearn” it as we grow older). See below.

For DEEP squats, there are only three MAJOR rules to follow…

1. Weight should be in the heels of your feet. A quick test is wiggling your toes. If you can’t, your weight is too far forward.

2. Chest should be up and open. Head above the heart and eyes facing forward.

3. It’s okay for your knees to track over your toes (especially if your taller). As long as your weight is in the heel, it’s fine.

Don’t worry if you can’t go as low at first: it’s something you can work up to with time. :)

Other Things I Learned About Squats (these are general: not for the hold necessarily)

1. Often people move their weight forward in a squat and not DOWN. To fix it, try squatting facing a wall: toes should be 2-6 inches from the wall. Squat down AND back, pushing your hips behind you, without faceplanting into the wall. Focus on keeping good posture and sink down like an elevator (torso in one straight line). Keep your chest up and imagine your torso is an elevator: up & down.

2. Eyes forward. Quit looking at your toes. A glance is fine, but no need to monitor them, lol.

3. It’s okay to break parrallel. This will improve with hip flexibility (if your hips are tight, it’s hard to get down far). Try to take your feet out wider and turn toes out to the side to help get low. Adding hip opening stretches to your routine will help your squats dramatically. Yoga-ahhhhh.

4. Your body weight should be in the heels of your feet (as I stated above). A quick test? Wiggle your toes at the bottom of the squat. If you can’t, your weight needs to shift further back.

5. Beginners are often told to prevent the knees from tracking over the toes. This is a great tip at first, but you can break this rule as squats become easier. Taller folks should expect a little hinge forward: you’ve got longer limbs! Trying to keep them from naturally moving forward can do more harm than good. If you’re tall, don’t worry about it too much; just make sure your weight is in the heels of your feet and you’ll be fine.

6. Practice pushing your hips BACK by squatting in front of a chair or bench. Face away from the chair (the back of your knees just barely touching or within 2 inches of the seat). Tap your butt down (don’t sit). As you get better, find shorter and smaller surfaces (books, a crate, an upside down mini-trash bin etc.

7. Really focus on using your hips and booty to do the lifting: not your quads (front of the thigh). Just the act of thinking about the muscles you’re working can help you really get the most out of each move.

8. Squeeze your tush at the top. Bonus. Plus, it engages your hips. Tuck your tailbone slightly as you stand: engage your core.

9. Pop up instead of raising up. Get a little explosive about it. Down, pop, down, pop. Work up to it, spending less time at the top.

Hope this helps! :)

xo

Hey there,

When most people think gaining muscle, they think gaining SIZE. Let me correct that: when most WOMEN think gaining muscle, they think gaining size. That’s not the case for the VAST majority of women: it’s incredibly difficult for women to gain significant size in their muscles. And certainly not with 2Kg dumbbells. Or 5Kg. Or even 10Kg.

Muscle is KEY to fat loss. It is THE secret. Muscle burns fat while we’re sitting at our computers. It burns it while we sleep. It boosts our metabolisms. It allows us to torch more calories during our workouts and after. One of the reasons people hit a “plateau” or reach their weight goals without seeing much change to their body is because they don’t have enough muscle. Often, I see women diet more and more restrictively, adding more and more cardio, and can’t figure out why they aren’t losing fat. When your body is being deprived (either by not eating enough or creating too big a deficit with cardio… or both), it prioritizes fat maintenance, and goes after muscle instead. The result is a body with more fat and LESS fat burning capability.

Putting on SIZE, requires lifting incredibly heavy weights repeatedly. And eating TO put on size (eating more than you probably are). I’m not talking about 5Kg heavy. For women, think 5-10 times that amount. And even at that, chances are you won’t look anything like the very muscled women in body building competitions.

Don’t think about muscle as gaining size: basic strength training won’t do that. What it will do is condition the muscle and make it better quality (more efficient and stronger). This allows you to do more, burn more, and allows your body to use fat like it’s supposed to for energy.

You cannot get into the “best shape” possible without resistance training (I don’t believe you HAVE to lift weights, though I encourage it. Resistance exercises like pullups, pushups, tricep dips and plyometrics -jump training- can all improve strength and condition muscle). In order for your body to be able to do more, burn more and achieve more in the gym (and out), you need to challenge your muscles in more than one way. 

Fitness is about what you can do, not what you look like. To get “fitter”, you need to push yourself a little harder (and gradually) and do hard stuff. As the ‘hard’ stuff gets easier, you make it a little harder by adding range of motion, speed, resistance, intensity etc. And when that gets easy, you make it a little harder still. It’s a progression, a journey, and it’ll change as you go along.

1. Don’t be scared of gaining muscle, and lose the idea that gaining muscle means putting on size. Unless you’re lifting INCREDIBLY heavy weights (and have a diet tailored to GAIN, not just maintain or fuel), it won’t.
2. A little of everything makes for an all around fit person: cardio, strength training, balance work and flexibility. All four. I like to work on flexibility on cardio days, and include balance work with my strength training. I also combine my workouts (interval training): I work on strength, and recover with high intensity cardio intervals. Helps cut down on time.
3. Invest in heavier weights for home (or use heavier weights at the gym). I like this adjustable set for beginners.
4. Focus on your weaknesses: pushups, squats, lunges etc. Getting better at these moves will make you better all around.
5. Diet. Diet. Diet. No, not A diet. Eat plenty, but keep it clean. Loads of veggies, lean proteins, and less sugar/processed crap.
6. Be flexible. If this is all new to you, try just moving 20-30 minutes a day. A walk. A walk/jog. Playing sports. Add in intensity slowly and gradually. Don’t go in with balls blazing.
7. If this isn’t all new to you, add intensity (not time) now. Add H.I.I.T to your cardio (short intervals of high intensity), boost your weights and try harder movements.

P.S- Trimming all the fat will kill you. You need fat for survival. ;)

Hope this helps!

xo

Hey there,

There’s always time to eat.

There’s time to pee. Time to poop. Time to take important phone calls. Finding it may SEEM like a problem, but making it is easy. Just requires a little prep.

If you’re short on time, that means you need to make your lunch and bring it with you. A wrap. A sandwich. Crackers & cheese. A salad. Anything. Maybe several “lunches”: if you’re eating often enough (every 2-3 hours), you can make small meals and small snacks to nosh on more frequently.

Our bodies need food to regulate our blood sugar, energy level and function all day long. And not just for physical reasons: the more mental work required of you (lab, lec, lab, lec) the more important it is for you to eat. Our brains use 25% of the total calories we need in a day (more than most muscle groups). Being hungry, even if you’re not physically hungry, makes it harder to focus, concentrate, assimilate and form critical thought.

When we’re at our busiest, it becomes more important to plan ahead. The busier your schedule is, the more planning you’ll have to do, but it only takes a few minutes to put lunches together (I often make a big dish on purpose on Sundays, and eat the leftovers for a few days if I’m busy). Find foods you like that are fast, easy and require little thinking… then grab them before you head out the door. 

Hope this helps! EAT.

xo

Hey there,

Aside from illness, metabolism only slows when we’re not eating enough, over-training or stressed/not getting enough sleep (or a combination of all three). If you’re gaining weight, it could also be over eating or eating more than you need (sometimes appetite is stirred by training).

Take a look at what you’ve been doing, and see if anything above rings true for you. You may need to boost your calories, take more rest days, lower the frequency and intensity of your workouts (if you’re overtraining), and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. If you’re eating normally and aren’t hitting the gym too hard, it might be helpful to monitor your eating for a few days to get an idea of what you’re actually consuming, and whether it’s enough, too little or too much for you. Cleaning up your diet (eating more veggies, fruit, lean protein and less processed junk/sugars) and eating more frequently can also give you a metabolic boost.

Hope this helps!

xo

Hey there,

Cardio (cardiovascular exercise) isn’t so much about the activity you choose, but rather your heart rate. Cardiovascular is derived from HEART: you’re training your heart muscle (and lungs along with it).