"These are a few of my favorite things..."

As promised, I've posted a couple of my favorite workouts. The first I did today, and the other I like to perform as a simple but effective workout when I'm not pounding pavement. Enjoy!


Chest/Back Workout--4 Sets/8 Reps Each
Warm-Up:
*Light stretching, 10 mins of cardio
Set 1
*Dumbbell Pull-over w/ Stability Ball
*Chest Press w/ Stabilitiy Ball (Dumbbell)
Both of these moves deserve their own video. Take a look to see how to execute them.

Set 2
*Reverse Flye w/Stability Ball (Dumbbell)
*Flat Bench Press (Dumbbells or bar)

Set 3
*Bent-Over Row (curl bar or Smith Machine)
*Decline Press (Dumbbells or bar)

Set 4
*Cable Squat Row
*Push-ups (Military or w/ bent knees)

Cool-Down
*10 mins of stretching

The key for this workout is to use speed. You can go as light or as heavy on weights as you want to, but do not rest for more than a minute between each set. I suggest cycling through the workout at least twice. I did my workout today with heavy weights, so two cycles was just fine. As always, I recommend starting off light weight to use proper form, then build your weight from there.


Leg Workout
On days that I'm not running, this is a good workout to build muscle and sculpt your lower body. Because it's a bit varied, I would use a treadmill or track.

Warm-Up
*Eight to 15 mins of walking

Set 1
*Run for five minutes on moderate to high speed
*Perform 20 squats; hold hands out straight in front for balance, or use dumbbells or a medicine ball for an advanced move


Set 2
*Run for five minutes on moderate to high speed
*Perform 30 mountain climbers (video below)

Cycle through these sets at least 3 times, giving you about a 30 minute workout. This may seem easy, but I assure you, it's not at first! You will feel the burn in your chest and your legs for sure, but it hurts so good.


Alright. I do believe that's it for me today. If anyone has questions about these workouts, please feel free to respond in the comment section. Happy Training!


--Ash