This winter has been brutal. Lots of snow and ice. It’s easy to skip your workout – no one wants to risk his or her life in order to squeeze in a trip to the gym! If you are stuck at home but really want to work out, check out some of my favorite at-home workouts included below. They are bodyweight workouts that require no equipment! Click on the image to link to more detailed instructions for the various movements.
Read moreFit February Challenge: 5-Minute Workouts
As a trainer, if I could have one “wish” come true, it would be for more people to just get moving. I’m not talking about taking on a huge, new workout regimen or trying the latest fitness craze. I want people who haven’t had the time to start exercising or have struggled to get back into the habit of exercising to just move. For 5-10 minutes. That’s it.
The logistics of starting an exercise program can be daunting – where to do it, how to do it and when to find the time to do it. My goal for February is to set small, five-minute goals that are manageable and logistically doable.
So, here is my challenge for this week: five minutes of activity, three times a week. You pick the days…just get moving for three days. Challenge a friend or spouse to join you.
Read moreIndoor Workout You Can Do With Your Kids
In December, I had an insane amount of continuing education credits to finish because I had put the classes off…for two years. One of the classes I took was about exercise and kids. I was reminded that kids need a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity a day. While taking the class, I started to worry that my son wasn’t getting enough activity each day. As a result, I’ve been trying to focus on ensuring that he gets at least 30 - 60 minutes of activity each day.
Much to my son’s dismay, I’ve started making him exercise with me in my gym. Knowing he wasn’t crazy about the idea, I’ve been trying to come up with workouts that are fun and distracting. We just want to burn some energy! This is an alphabet workout we did recently, and it was a success! I spelled out “Happy Valentine’s Day, Finn.” He had to do the exercises associated with each letter!
Read moreUltimate Core Workout
Although we covet and drool over an impressive set of abdominal muscles, we often overlook how much support those muscles provide in our bodies! Your core (abdominal muscles, back muscles, pelvic core muscles and diaphragm) is the support system for a multitude of movements: bending forward, straightening up to standing, bending back, bending to the side, twisting your torso as well as stabilizing your spine.
When we think about working our core, we often just focus on abdominal movements, but we need to be working our backs and strengthening our pelvic core muscles, too! Many people suffer from lower back pain, and strengthening your core is a great way to help combat back tightness and weakness.
Read more"No Time to Exercise" Workout
I’m a personal trainer, and even I have to scramble to fit in my workouts on some days. No matter how well I organize my week, I’m often struggling to squeeze in a quick workout. I create 20-minute workouts all of the time, yet I always need more.
Today was one of those days. I wanted a full-body workout, but I didn’t want to be tied to a specific piece of equipment. As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) workouts are my go-to format on days like these. I can push myself a little harder because I’m competing against the clock, and I know I’m going to be done in 20 minutes. It’s a win-win!
Read moreHeading Back to the Gym: Bodyweight Workout
I have a love/hate relationship with the month of January. I love the idea of a fresh start for the new year, but I dislike that the month also brings that annual pressure to lose weight and get in shape. I’m always in favor of trying to incorporate more exercise and activity into my life, but I think the pressure and expectations of resolutions and big goals set us up for failure. Most people who make big, sweeping changes rarely maintain their new “normal” for a lifetime. It usually requires an insane commitment that most people can’t sustain.
Read moreFeel the Burn Dumbbell Workout
Strength training gets a bad reputation. We often think it has to be this lengthy, intense process that takes hours to complete. That’s not the case at all – just a few minutes can have an impact! We also associate resistance training with the gym, but you can easily do a full-body workout from home.
I’m including a workout that you can do with minimal equipment. Grab a set of dumbbells, and you are good to go.
Read moreThe Ultimate At-Home Strength Training Workout
This is a workout you will feel the next morning! It combines strength training exercises with a slow count lifting tempo. You are going to follow a 3-1-3 timing format for your workout.
Read moreHow to Squeeze in Workouts During the Holidays
As the craziness of the holidays take over our schedules, it’s harder to find time to fit in workouts. I’ve found that if I identify small blocks of time for workouts, I can usually fit in a quick workout. I aim to work out for 20 minutes. That’s it. Sometimes 20 minutes seems impossible, so I set my timer for 10 minutes and walk the stairs. Any kind of activity is beneficial - it doesn’t have to be an intense, hour-long class at the gym!
Read moreWant to Start Strength Training? Try This Beginner Workout
Are you wanting to start a strength training program but have no idea where to start? Rest assured, you are not alone! I used to be a cardio-only workout person. I didn’t particularly enjoy lifting weights, and truthfully, I had no idea where to start. If I could get past being totally intimidated by the serious lifters, I’d walk into the workout area and just stare at the gym equipment wondering where to start. I’d grab a few free weights, do a random number of repetitions and slink back to the treadmills!
The good news is that it’s not nearly as mysterious as it seems.
Read moreThe Ultimate Leg Workout
I have spent years learning how to embrace my curves; although I have become more comfortable with my body’s natural shape, I still try to work on the areas where my body likes to store fat. I am a pear-shaped body type, so I tend to gain weight in my butt and thighs. I try to work my lower body often because I want to have as much strength in my glute and quadricep muscles as possible, and I would rather have muscle than fat.
This workout is one that will get your heart rate up but also strengthen your legs.
Read moreLow-Impact Workout for Bad Knees
I am a firm believer that you CAN workout even if you have bad knees, an artificial hip, sore wrists or a sensitive back. You just have to be cautious of what movements you do.
Today’s workout is knee-friendly, so you can squeeze in a workout without irritating your knees. If anything bothers your knees, stop what you are doing and return to a movement that is comfortable. Our goal is to do no harm!
Read more10-Minute Upper Body Workouts
Strength training doesn’t have to be an hour-long endeavor. Many of us don’t have hours to devote to working out. We often look at strength training as an all or nothing pursuit – either we have the time to do it or we don’t do it at all.
Today’s workout is intended to combat that mindset. I’m including two upper body, equipment-free workouts that you can do in 10 minutes.
Read moreHeart-Pumping, Bodyweight Ladder Workout
I created this workout while we were on vacation. I just happened to be reading a Men’s Health magazine the night before, and one of their articles/workouts inspired me to create this ladder workout. (I LOVE Men’s Health magazine. They have some of the best workouts.)
This workout starts slow, but by the time you get into rounds 10-15, you are feeling it. If you struggle doing push-ups or any movement that places pressure on your wrists or hands, check out the wrist-friendly version included below.
Read moreWhen to Breathe During Strength Training Exercises
Recently, a client asked me about the timing of her breathing during a strength training workout. When should she exhale? Inhale? The easiest rule to remember during a strength training workout is to exhale when you are exerting force and inhale on the recovery. That’s easy to master – in theory. Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what is the exertion portion of certain exercises. Let’s look at some popular strength training moves and identify when you should exhale and inhale.
Read moreSore Knees? Try These Knee-Friendly Exercises
When I was younger, I would jump and hop around with little to no thought about the impact on my body. Now, I cringe when I see someone doing repeated tuck jumps or box jumps. It hurts my knees just watching someone else do it!
Often times, if we have an injured body part, we assume we just need to give up fitness. But, that’s not the case – you just need to find exercises you can do to keep yourself active but not further aggravate your injured area. The important thing to keep in mind is that if you do feel pain in your knees (or any other body part) while doing a movement, stop. No workout is worth injuring your body!
Read moreFull-Body Dumbbell Workout
Some of my favorite workouts are created by accident. This workout is a result of one of those recent workout sessions. I knew I wanted to do a strength training session with minimal equipment, and I needed it to be full-body.
The only equipment this workout utilizes are dumbbells. If you don’t have any dumbbells, you can easily do this workout with bottles of water or no weights at all. Repeat each circuit for a total of three times before moving on to the next circuit.
Read moreGet a Full-body Workout From Home in 20 Minutes
I love workouts that require no equipment and minimal space. This workout fits that criteria perfectly – it’s comprised of bodyweight exercises that can be done anywhere. There isn’t any complicated choreography in this workout, so you can focus on your form. Knee-friendly/ back-friendly modifications are listed next to each movement. This is an ideal workout if you don't have time to go to the gym or you prefer to workout from home. Set aside 20 minutes, find a small space in a room and get started!
Read moreTop 3 Bodyweight Workouts to Get Ready for Summer
Whether we are ready for it or not, summer is here. If you are easing back into working out or need a quick workout to change up your routine, check out these quick, bodyweight workouts that are guaranteed to get your heart rate up and make you feel better!
Read moreThe Beginners Guide to Tabata Workouts
Tabata training is a type of a High Intensity Interval Training workout that is highly effective and efficient. It is named after Dr. Izumi Tabata, who founded the workout format with his team of researchers at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo. Tabata and his colleagues found that this workout format burned more calories in this 4-minute circuit than would be typically be seen in a 4-minute segment of exercise. They also found that participants saw increases in both their anaerobic system (muscles) as well as aerobic system (cardiovascular); whereas participants who only participated in a moderate intensity program (that was not Tabata) only saw increases in their aerobic systems.
Often times Tabata is associated with cardio and plyometric exercise moves, but I like to use it with both cardio and strength training moves. Because of its intense interval format, you are only going to do it one or two times a week and never on consecutive days. If clients are completing it with the intensity that the workout prescribes, then I don’t usually do more than 4-5 circuits (20-25 minutes).
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