Easy Run: These light runs are best done at a conversational pace. Meaning, if you can’t run and recap last night’s episode of “The Bachelor” at the same time, you’re going too fast!
LSD: Excuse me?! No, not that LSD. In this case, the acronym stands for long slow distance, or the week’s longest run. The only kind of trippin’ runners might be doing out on the road is over their own shoelaces.
Recovery Run: Also lovingly referred to as “junk miles,” a recovery run is a short, slow run that takes place within a day after a long, harder run. This teaches the body how to work through a fatigued state - a dress rehearsal many runners will be thankful for at mile 19 of a marathon!
Speedwork: Aimed at improving running speed, these types of workouts can include intervals, hill repeats, and tempo runs (all explained below). In addition to getting faster and increasing endurance, speedwork, well, usually hurts a lot, too!
Interval Training: By alternating specific time periods of specific high and low intensity during a run, intervals are just one way to get faster, build strength, and see calories melt away.
Hill Repeats: Runners make like Jack and Jill and go up the hill (again and again) in this other cruel form of speedwork. Heading up at a 5K pace and recovering down at an easy jog or walk, the number of hill repeats per workout depends on experience and fitness levels. But the benefits from the pain? Speed, strength, and confidence!
Fartleks: A fartlek not only makes us giggle, it’s an easier form of speedwork for beginners. Meaning “speed play” in Swedish, fartleks are easy runs broken up by quick sprinting bursts. When changing speed though, the runner calls the shots (unlike more rigid intervals). So newbies can make it as fast and as hard as they can handle. That’s what she said.
Tempo Run: Usually done just once a week, tempo runs are a tougher form of speed training. Runners challenge themselves to hold a “threshold” (or comfortably hard) pace for a 20-minute period during a run - along with a good warm-up and cool down, of course.
Pick-Ups: Short, gentle increases in speed, or pick-ups, at the end of a run help aid recovery. Sorry, they unfortunately have nothing to do with these cheesy lines.
Strength Training: Runners need muscles, too! Among its many other benefits, strength training, or exercises performed with or without weights (think push-ups, squats, and planks), helps runners become stronger and prevent injuries. Their bodies take quite a beating while hammering it out on the road, so they need all the help they can get.
Cross-training: Runners should also squeeze in time for cross-training, or sports and exercises other than running that improve overall fitness and strength. Great examples of cross-training for runners include cycling, swimming, yoga, water running, and weight training.
Rest Day: Choosing the couch over the road at least one day a week allows a runner’s body to recover and repair muscles. We say rest days can still be all about marathons though - a “Friday Night Lights” marathon, perhaps?
These work.
These are killer! I love em 😝
(Source: giuliajustdoit)
WORKOUT LINKS and STUFF (found on tumblr)
DON”T HAVE TIME?!: Here are QUICK WORKOUTS
Spark People:
10 Minute Jump Start Cardio Workout
10 Minute Cardio Kickboxing Workout
10 Minute Jump Rope Cardio Workout
BodyRock:
BodyRock Cardio Exercise Workout:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5Insanity:
Jillian Michaels:
30 Day Shred:
Ripped in 30:
6 Week 6 Pack:
Banish Fat Boost Metabolism
No More Trouble Zones
Yoga MeltdownCarmen Electra:
The Biggest Loser:
Biggest Loser 30 Day Jump Start Workout
Biggest Loser Cardio Max Workout
Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga
Biggest Loser Boot Camp Workout
Turbo Jam:
P90X:
Tone It Up:
Diet Health:
POP Pilates:
Slimming Inner Thighs & Calves
Standing Pilates for Legs, Butt & Obliques
Getting Fit: A challenge for beginner runners or those of you who want to start running.
Week 1: Run one minute. Walk 90 seconds. Repeat eight times. Do three times a week.
Week 2: Run two minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat seven times. Do three times a week.
Week 3: Run three minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat six times. Do three times a week.
Week 4: Run five minutes. Walk two minutes. Repeat four times. Do three times a week.
Week 5: Run eight minutes. Walk two minutes. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.
Week 6: Run twelve minutes. Walk one minute. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.
Week 7: Run fifteen minutes. Walk one minute. Run fifteen minutes. Do three times a week.
Week 8: Run thirty minutes continuously.
Okay seriously noting this for myself. I am doing this when I get back to the gym in a week and a half or so. Yes please!
I’ve been putting off posting this for months because I keep finding more awesome workouts! I hope you guys find this helpful and have fun trying out all these great workouts. May you burn lots of calories, sweat buckets, and look hot :)
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Cardio & High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Tone It Up Beach BABE video
BodyRock.tv Hot Body Workout video
BodyRock.tv 4 Minute Workout video
BodyRock.tv Hardest Workout Ever video
BodyRock.tvHard Bodies Getting Harder Workout
BodyRock.tv 6 Minute Workout video
BodyRock.tv Run The World Workout video
BodyRock.tv Hot Attack video
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All Over Body Toning
Tone It Up Arms, Abs, and Legs Pyramid video
Tone It Up Bikini Abs & Thighs video (with yoga ball)
Tone It Up Sandcastle Workout video
Tone It Up Bikini Body Workout with Self Magazine!
Tone It Up Bikini Blast Circuit Workout video
Tone It Up Bikini Body Workout with Self Magazine!
Pop Pilates Till The World Ends video
Pop Pilates Summer Slimdown Part 1 & Part 2
Bodyrock.tv I’m Into You Workout video
skinnyyogagirl’s 1000 Rep Workout
skinnyyogagirl’s Full Body Cardio & Strength Workout
skinnyyogagirl’s Burning Body Workout
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Abs
Pop Pilates Flat Abs Challenge video
Pop Pilates 3 Minute Ab Challenge video
Tone It Up Tighten & Tone Your Abs video
Tone It Up Itty Bitty Bikini video
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Legs & Butt
Pop Pilates Slimming Inner Thighs & Calves video
Pop Pilates Inner Thigh Insanity video
Pop Pilates Saddlebag Shaver video
Pop Pilates Standing Pilates for Legs, Butt & Obliques video
Pop Pilates Butt Blaster video
Tone It Up Bikini Beach Bum video
BodyRock.tv Abs Now Workout video (I know it says abs but it works the thighs more)
BodyRock.tv 300 Squats Challenge
skinnyyogagirl’s Legs & Butt Workout
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Yoga
Dashama Sun Salutations video
Dashama Sun Salutations 2 video
Dashama Hip Stretches
Tara Stiles Bend It Like Tara video (my favorite stretching video)
sadienardini 40 minute yoga weight loss videos Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
exercisetv.tv Yoga Fitness Plus 45 minute video
exercisetv.tv Beginner Yoga 20 minute video
exercisetv.tv Yoga Sculpt 30 minute video
exercisetv.tv Yoga Fitness Fusion 45 minute video
Yogis Anonymous Hurts So Good Power Yoga 95 minute video
Yogis Anonymous Blissed Flow Yoga 90 minute (love love love this one!)
Post Running Stretch video from FlexibleWarriorYoga
always reblog for those who haven’t seen it!
Going to do this tomorrow. I need some yoga. I need to get back on the wagon.
(Source: fitnessloveaffair)
Weights and Aerobics: Which to do first?
There is no easy way to answer this question. It depends on what you’re trying to achieve, your schedule, your preferences, and what ultimately works best for you.
Of course, this question only comes up when you do both on the same day. But it’s not a bad idea to do half an hour of weights and half an hour of aerobics on the same day, two to three days a week, especially if that’s all the time you have for any kind of exercise but you can give a full hour of exercising on those days (and maybe another 5 to 10 minutes of stretching)
The advantages of doing it this way are:
- You work and rest your body as one unit
- Your muscles get more total recovery time between workouts
- You’re not a high risk for over training or burning out
The disadvantage are you might not get enough time to explore and enjoy different types of workouts, and if you are the fidgety type, you might get antsy on off days without any, even very gentle exercise.
Doing your weights, aerobics, and possibly your flexibility workouts on separate days had its advantages in that you have more time to devote to different types of workouts. Of course, the big disadvantage is you don’t get enough rest and you can easily over train and lose motivation.
All of this brings us back to the original question: Assuming you choose weights and aerobics on the same day, which should you do first?
For weight loss and fitnessDo weights first. With fresh muscles and a clear state of mind, you can focus better on form and working hard. Lifting weights takes skill and concentration. Get the tough stuff over with first. Lifting weights and aerobics both use glucose for fuel, although aerobic activity burns glucose (and fat) in the presence of oxygen and weight training does not. It’s best to come to your weight workout with a full tank of glucose, which will start to dwindle after 45 minutes. If you do 30 minutes of weights, without resting between sets, you’ll also get a moderate cardio benefit from your workout. If you do aerobics after weights, you’ll start using fat for fuel sooner and therfore begin burning more fat.
To clarify this last point, of you do aerobics first you’ll spend approximately 20 minutes burning through your glucose and only get about 10 minutes of fat burning. By the time you hit the weights your glucose will be down so you might feel too fatigued to train with enthusiasm.
Training for an endurance eventIf you’re preparing for a marathon, a hiking expedition, or a bicycles trip through Europe, do your cardio workout first because your endurance training is the most important. Supplement this with weight training one to three times a week in your spare time. Don’t forget to build in rest time. And don’t neglect your flexibility, either. Stretching can speed recovery and minimize soreness.
Training for skillIf you’re doing any athletic activity that has a high skill quotient (soccer, swimming, dance, tennis, etc.), practice skills first, when your energy is highest. Skill-building exercise often have built-in cardio and strength benefits.
LOWER BODY WORKOUTS :)If you don’t have access to a gym try these exercises at home:
- wall squats
- jump squats
- bridge/hip lifts (try them with your feet on a chair/bed)
- hip lifts on a balance ball (you’ll get an almost instant burn!)
- leg lifts
- inner thigh lifts
- the fire hydrant
- sumo squats
- suicides
If you have access to a gym try these machines & equipment:
- the leg/hamstring curl machine
- the leg press machine
- the leg abductor/adductor machines
- squats with a barbell and/or dumbbells
- barbell deadlifts
- lunges with dumbbells
- bulgarian split squat
These are my favorite leg videos:
15 minute lean leg, tight tush workout from Women’s Health Mag
