Cardio blast

How are you all feeling? Are you almost back into your regular routine and detoxed from all the chocolate you ate over the last few days??? Coming back down to reality can be a bit of a bump especially when you are coming down off a huge sugar high too...

I'm interrupting my suspension training vids with a do-at-home cardio blast which is short, sharp and intense - get your heart rate up and get your metabolism burning. As mums you have to make the most out of every second of your workout time so make sure you ALWAYS work up a sweat, you never get this workout or the time you spend doing it back so make the most of it and reap the rewards.

At warm up pace  working at about 7 out of 10
(1 being doing nothing, 10 being working as hard as you possibly can)
2 min warm up jog
30 secs high knees
30 sec bum kicks
30 sec high knees
30 sec bum kicks

20m sprints jog back x 5
Box jumps (or jump onto a step) jump up with two feet then step down x 15
Mountain climbers x 25 each leg
x3

ALSO complete 60 burpees however you can throughout the session. i.e.all at once OR in sets spread throughout

Enjoy ladies

Suspension training take 2

Here's the second installment of my do-at-home holiday workouts - if you don't have a TRX you can replace the rows with standing rows using an elastic (make it heavy!)

Suspension training

You will soon be seeing the TRX (or other suspension training tools) at your Body Beyond Baby sessions.  Here is a do-at-home workout I put together on our last holiday on the south coast.  There are 4 in the series - I'll post them all over the next few days.  Enjoy

CrossFit Open workout 3/4/5

Here are workouts for weeks 3, 4 and 5

Week 3
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 5 minutes of:
Squat clean (110lb / 50kg)  Jerk (110lb / 50kg)

This weight is too heavy for me - I can't lift 50kg overhead (yet)

Week 4
10min AMRAP of:
60 Bar-facing burpees
30 Overhead squats (90lbs / 40kg) 
10 Muscle-ups 

Again the 40kg overhead squat at this point is too heavy - and I cannot yet do any muscle ups so I did a VERY modified version to make sure I got a workout in.  I will keep training those muscle ups for next year!


Week 5
20min AMRAP of:
5 Power cleans (100lbs / 45kg)
10 Toes to bar
15 Wallball 

Again a 45kg Power Clean is too heavy for me at the moment.  I dropped the weight and completed the workout with a lighter weight but could not submit a score.


Unfortunately I could not submit scores for any of these workouts this year as I couldn't meet the requirements..... here's to working hard throughout the rest of the year and trying again next time.

Ten minute treat

Most of us mums are time poor and I know that most of you probably intend on putting more exercise into your week than you sometimes manage.  So here is a workout with ten exercises that can be done and dusted in ten minutes flat.

Perfom each exercise for 1 minute before moving on to the next.  Count how many reps you do all up.

Squats
Mountain Climbers
Push ups
Steps ups
Squat Row
Burpees

Tricep dips
Alternating lunges (or jumping lunges if you can)
Alternating side to side prone (on knees OR feet depending on your strength level)
Sumo Squas


If you do find yourself with more time simply rest for 1 minute and repeat up to three times.  Aim to complete the same number of reps (or more) in each ten minute circuit, this will keep you pushing hard throughout.

What comes inside an Easter egg?

Easter is nearly upon us - I can't believe how fast time flies.  I remember as a child how time used to take forever to go by and you were always wishing the days away waiting for an exciting event, a holiday, birthday or Christmas.... not any more.

So with Easter comes Easter eggs and we all know what is inside that shiny egg shaped wrapping don't we?? 

Marley had an Easter egg hunt at kindy this afternoon and I received a phone call (as they know my stance on the types of food I would rather he eat - or not) asking me if he was 'allowed' a little chocolate egg.  I was at the cash register in David Jones and was caught a little off guard, I ummed and aarred for a few minutes, asked what they were, how many they were being given (two) and if there was any alternatives, feeling torn between not wanting my child to feel as though he was missing out but really deep down not wanting to say yes.  In the end I said "okay maybe just give him one".....putting the phone down, swearing and being given a strange look by the sales assistant I felt a little deflated that given Marley's only real taste of chocolate to date was about three smarties at his second birthday party he was now going to be given chocolate when I really didn't want him to be.... I had succumbed to peer pressure.  I am not stupid, I know that there will come a time, and that time is coming nearer, that he will be presented with more junk food - he will know what mini M&M's are rather than running his fingers through the bowl and exclaiming how colourful they are (as he did at the last birthday party we went to) he will ask for lollies at the shops or chocolate in the supermarket cue and we (my husband and I) will have to decide on the way forwards.....we will talk about everyday foods and sometimes foods and aim to keep him eating as cleanly and as healthily as possible. 

So, I arrived at kindy to pick Marley up this afternoon, my mum was with me and I was telling her about the phone call and that I felt a little disappointed that I had 'caved'.  No sooner are we through the gate when we were met by Clare, one of Marley's teachers, who told us that when the children were being told about the Easter egg hunt she held up a foil covered  egg and asked them all what was inside......most of the children yelled out "CHOCOLATE" but Marley, he shouted "CHICKS" and it was then she decided to over rule my phone call and give him some crackers as the other children ate their chocolate..... he was non the wiser, enjoyed his snack and was happy to tell me that he had crackers after his Easter egg hunt.  I am grateful to Clare for being in the situation, judging what was best and knowing that chocolate (or any junk foods) are not readily available in our house.   I asked Marley what chocolate was a few weeks ago and he replied "something I don't have Mummy"..... mean some might say, overkill others but saying no to certain foods is no different than saying no to Daddy's beer - there will come a time that he will try it but, for now, for us, this is not that time.

P.S. we will be having our own little Easter egg hunt a week on Sunday but I have bought little plastic eggs that can be cracked in two and little gifts put inside.  I am sure he will enjoy that as much if not more than the chocolate version and there will be no sugar high (or crash) in our house.  Happy Easter

Full Body Fun

Use this full body workout to challenge your body , get your heat rate up and every muscle working - move from one exercise to the next without stopping then rest for 60 seconds before starting again.  Complete 3 times.

Squat press (using elastic) x 15
Push-up into side prone x 6 each side
Step ups (up up down down) x 25 each leg
Squat row x 15
Walking lunges x 10 each leg
Burpees x 15

Legs that Lunge (and buns that show it)

We all want buns of steel and lunges are great for toning your behind.  Here's your second workout for this week - we will be making the most of those elastics for your lunge (as per picture to the left)


Warm up squats x 15 (no elastic)
Static lunge x12each leg (using elastic)
Push up into side prone x 12 (6 each side)
x 2 sets


Use a stop watch for 2 minutes cardio of your choice e.g. shuttle runs, steps ups, burpees, mountain climbers, stair climbs, skipping (if you are SURE you have no pelvic floor weakness) feel free to mix it up if you like.

Walking lunge x 10 each leg (no elastic)
Row x 12 (using elastic, standing is best but if your only anchor point is donw low you can do a seated one)
x 2 sets

2 minutes cardio of your choice

Box lunge (as per picture to right) x 12
Triceps dips x 12
x 2 sets

2 minutes cardio of your choice

Marley does burpees

Well done to all the ladies that have completes Tuesday's do-at-home workout AND those that completed ALL of those burpees in this mornings training session - great effort all round.

Here's a little video of my son demonstrating his burpees on holiday this year - very cute

I LOVE Burpees

Yes you guessed it - our first workout for the week has burpees, and lots of them.  not sure if you can do a burpee??  Watch the video below for four versions of the typical burpee - if you come along to our sessions you will know which level of burpee you currently do so start there.  If not check the video and start with the easiest version, building up to the more challenging.  Take into account that if your bub is still very small or you have any pelvic floor weakness, knee injuries or pain, breast tenderness or generally don't like the idea of jumping at the moment to adopt the non impact versions where you walk your feet in and out.

Now you have watched the video you are ready for this weeks first do-at-home workout - elastics at the ready.

Squats x 10 with elastic
Burpees x 5
Push-ups x 10
Burpees x 5
Sumo Squat x 10
Burpees x 5
Standing Row with elastic x 10
Burpees x 5
Triceps dips x 10
Burpees x 5

Complete 5 rounds of the above for time - rest when you need to, spit water when you need to but the aim is to keep going throughout.  I'd love to know how you get on so feel free to post your results in the comments section or on Facebook.

Don't have an elastic? Click here to order one now