High Intensity Fitness Training for Youth Fitness or Rapid Fat Loss - Tabatas

Tabatas

4 sets each series. 20-10's. Perform each exercise maximum effort 20 seconds ON, 10 seconds OFF. Tabata.

(click on picture to see larger view)

This is to be done with high intensity, for youth fitness training or rapid fat loss training.

Have fun!!

Sexy Back Boot Camps in Kansas City with Kri Chay

Wednesday Rapid Fat Loss Challenge Workout - 30 minutes or Less!! Can you do it??

Perform 4 sets of each series.  (Example: Do exercise a, b, a, b, a, b, a, b... and then move to series #2, and perform 4 sets of that series.)

Your goal is to finish all four series within 30 minutes. 

Choose your fitness level. Bronze, Silver or Gold for letters (a) and (b).

Split the group into each exercise, pairing teammates.

See which team finishes first in each fitness level in a little mini contest.

(Be sure to separate those who choose Bronze, Silver, and Gold)

Have fun!!

#1
a) Chest - Bent-knee push ups (12, 15, 20 reps)
b) Core - Bicycle crunches (20, 25, 30 reps)

#2
a) Legs – Frog Hops (12, 15, 20 reps)
b) Core - Vertical leg crunch (20, 25, 30 reps)

#3
a) Back – Bent over Reverse DB Flyes (12, 15, 20 reps)
b) Core - Reverse floor crunches (20, 25, 30 reps)

#4
a) Shoulders - Standing DB Shoulder press (12, 15, 20 reps)
b) Core - Plank to push ups (aka. Dynamic planks) (20, 25, 30 reps)

How Does Strength Training Rev Up Your Weight Loss Efforts?

Strength Training

By Cassandra Forsythe-Pribanic, PhD, RD, CSCS

Q) I've heard that strength training increases my metabolism. How does it do that and will that help me lose weight?



A) Strength training, which involves using weights, bands, kettlebells or other forms of resistance that challenge your body to work harder than it does in everyday life, definitely does increase your metabolic rate. However, so does endurance exercise (such as running). The difference is how long and how much these activities boost your metabolism that really has an impact on your overall ability to lose body fat and/or decrease your weight.

Just so we’re all on the same page, let’s talk about the components of our metabolism:

First we have our resting metabolic rate, or RMR. This is the energy needed (quantified in calories) to keep our bodies alive – our heart beating, our lungs breathing, etc. Your RMR makes up about 60 to 80 percent of our total metabolic rate. The variation in RMR is due to individual differences among people, the foods we consume, and the activity we engage in which can directly change RMR.

Second we have the Thermic Effect of Activity, or TEA. The more active you are, the more your total metabolic rate will be increased. TEA includes all activity from mowing your lawn (with a push mower, that is), to playing basketball, to walking across the room. It’s not just structured activity, but also the activities that we engage in every day to live our lives.

Third, we have the Thermic Effect of Feeding, or TEF. This is the amount of energy expended to eat and digest food and use those nutrients to create more energy.

So our metabolism, known as total energy expenditure (TEE) = RMR + TEA + TEF. Each component is different for each person, resulting in unique metabolic rates.

Strength training increases our TEE by elevating the amount of calories expended in activity (TEA). The harder you strength train, the greater the amount of calories you burn through exercise. In turn, if your food intake does not highly exceed your needs and consists of quality choices, you will lose weight and body fat.

Interestingly, strength training also increases the amount of calories expended in your RMR. The reason it does this is by increasing the amount of lean muscle mass you carry, which requires more energy to maintain and repair than fat tissue.

Both strength training and endurance exercise will increase your energy expenditure at the time of activity, and for a few hours afterwards, when they are conducted at the same intensity (you all have experienced that increase in hunger after a good workout, whether it be strength or cardio work).

However, strength training is unique in that if you perform multiple sets of a challenging weight to failure, scientists have shown that the energy expended afterwards, known as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) can be elevated for 24-36 hours. Some people call this the “Afterburn” effect of serious strength training.

Overall, strength training can boost your metabolism, but it has to be more challenging than activities you do every day. You can’t expect 3lb dumbbells to make much difference to your metabolic rate if your children (that you carry around) weigh more, or your grocery bags are heavier. Your body needs to remember that strength training requires “strength” so you have to load your exercises accordingly. Otherwise your body won’t get the challenge it needs to build muscle, lose fat and look better in your clothes – and that’s what we’re all looking for, right?

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Twork it out!

Coach Kri Chay
Sexy Back Boot Camps in Kansas City

Day 13 of 20-Day Sexy Back Fitness Challenge to Lose Weight

Day 13 of 20-Day Sexy Back Fitness Challenge to Lose Weight

Day Thirteen

Activity challenge:
Get in at least 15 minutes of walking done today.

Exercise challenge:
Do a steady, light-medium cardio tworkout session for at least 20 minutes or more.

Flexibility challenge:
Perform the following stretches.
1. Cat stretch
2. Iron cross
3. Scorpion
4. Single leg quad stretch

Nutrition challenge:
Take a look at your eating habits and diet and determine if there’s a new way of eating you can try for one day.

Mental challenge:
3-minute total relaxation

Record your workouts and meals in your food journal

If you haven't completed some of the things on this checklist, make a note of what you still need to do and when you'll do it:

If you did complete all the assignments, write down what you found the most challenging and why:

Day 11 of 20-Day Sexy Back Fitness Challenge to Lose Weight

20-Day Sexy Back Fitness Challenge
Day 11

Activity Challenge:
Avoid all escalators, elevators, and anything assisted. Use stairs when possible.

Exercise Challenge:
Do at least 30 minutes of cardio and push yourself to go harder, faster, or higher at least three times during your workout.

Flexibility Challenge:
Perform stretches 2 x 30 seconds each.
• Bend over, right over left/left over right hamstring stretch
• Feet wide, bend over reaching to both sides
• Iron cross
• Lunge/hip flexor stretch

Nutritional Challenge:
After one meal today, take 5 minutes to write in your food journal recoding what you ate, how much you ate, and how you felt eating (too full? Still hungry? Satisfied?). Find one small way to make that meal healthier.

Mental Challenge:
Choose one chore you’ve been putting off and spend 5-10 minutes doing it.

If you haven't completed some of the things on this checklist, make a note of what you still need to do and when you'll do it:

If you did complete all the assignments, write down what you found the most challenging and why:

Day 9 - Sexy Back Boot Camps 20-Day Fitness Challenge

20 Day Sexy Back Fitness Challenge List

Day 9

Exercise Challenge:
Complete a cardio workout with no distractions (no music, TV, talking, etc.)

Flexibility Challenge:
3 x 30 seconds each

Cat Stretch
Bridge
Downward Dog to Upward Dog

Nutritional Challenge:
Cravings!! ==> Check your cravings by writing down when you have them, what you're craving and any emotions, stress or other issues you're experiencing.

Cardio Challenge:
Complete a cardio workout routine with no distractions

If you haven't completed some of the things on this checklist, make a note of what you still need to do and when you'll do it:



If you did complete all the assignments, write down what you found the most challenging and why:

Sexy Back Boot Camps Challenge – Day 4 of 20 Day Challenge

Sexy Back Boot Camps Challenge – Day 4 of 20 Day Challenge

1) Flexibility:
Perform the following stretches today. 3 x 30 seconds each.
• Side lunge stretch each side
• Hip flexors stretch
• Bend over, hamstring stretch
• Full body stretch

2) Exercise:
Perform a 20-minute Tabata set. 20-10’s. Perform 20 s ON with 10 s OFF in 4-minute intervals. Rest one minute between interval sets. Choose four exercises, mixing upper body and lower body, and create a Strength Workout for yourself.

3) Activity:
Time your meals. Grab your phone and set it to go off/vibrate every three hours. Eat your breakfast, and set your alarm for every 3 hours from there. The first alarm should be your morning snack, next is lunch, next is afternoon snack, the next is your dinner, and last is an optional evening snack before bed. This should equal six small meals.

4) Nutrition:
Go through your pantry and determine whether a food item is healthy or if you need to find a substitute. Throw away everything that will not help your towards your fitness goals.

5) Be alone. Spend time with yourself for five minutes. Relax your mind and body by focusing on your breathing. Take deep breaths in through your nose and out your mouth.


6) Record your workouts and meals in your food journal.

If you have not completed some of the things on this checklist, make a note of what you still need to do and when you will do it:




If you completed all the assignments, write down what you found the most challenging and why:

Fitness Myths Busted - December/January Issue of Kansas City Fitness Magazine

Fitness Myths Busted - December/January Issue of Kansas City Fitness Magazine -

By Kri Chay - PES, CES
Sexy Back Boot Camps

1. THE TRADITIONAL MODERATE CARDIO EXERCISE IS THE BEST WAY TO BURN FAT MYTH
a. You will not find a vacant treadmill across the nation from New Years through around Valentines Day. Aerobic cardio exercises should be intense, brief, and varied if you want to maximize your fat burning efforts. Start with walking and then speed it up every week.



2. THE STARVING YOURSELF IS THE BEST WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT MYTH
a. If you want to downshift your metabolism, starving yourself is the quickest way to bring your weight loss efforts to a standstill (Not to mention unhealthy). Your body wants to hang onto fat if it feels like it’s not getting any food. Eat small portions spread through the day to keep the metabolism revved up.



3. THE AB EXERCISES ARE GOING TO TIGHTEN, TONE, AND FLATTEN MY TUMMY MYTH
a. Avoid the mat, burn more fat. Huddles are going to be formed around the mats in every gym after the New Year. Do yourself a favor and burn more calories doing total body exercises to bring sexy back. Stay away from the mat. Try this exercise: Squat to 2-arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Winter Coats and Sexy Back Boot Camps in Kansas City

Every Saturday is a "fun" day of training at Sexy Back Boot Camps.

It was SOOOOO much fun for me to watch these ladies just totally kill it!!

This was a tough workout.

Winter time is coming so so fast!!

The average female gains 12 lbs of unwanted fat between the end of summer and New Years!!

Basically, they put on a special "winter coat" :) (not cool)

Ashley and Romy of the Presentation crew refuse to wear a "winter coat"!!

They've dropped a combined 18 pounds of fat in only four sessions at Presentation!!

How?

They are serious. They take their vitamins, follow the online nutrition plans, and train on off-days with cardio and Tabatas from the CD I handed out.

Simple. Super simple. Just follow the plan.

If you want to write your own plan and do what you have been doing prior to class... be my guest.

Make a commitment to yourself and to the other ladies of class, to come train with us and kick butt!

They kicked butt this past Saturday!!

It required cooperation between teams.

The "b" person had to finish their exercise before person "a" could stop.

Without compromising form, they were to do their exercises as fast as they could.

Totally fun for me to watch them dripping with sweat on the early 7:30 am class at GAGE.

Where were you at?

Come join us next time at GAGE on a Saturday!!

a. Squat Thrusts
b. Push-ups to bear crawl - 10 yards

a. Mountain Jumpers
b. Sandbag squats - 40 reps

a. Prone DB Push up Rows
b. Squat jumps (quick) - 60 reps

Monday's Training:

50-10's: 3 sets - vertical loading

a. Russian deadlifts with DB
b. Bent over DB Y's
c. suicides

a. Goblet squats
b. Wall sits
c. suicides

Try these out at home on our off-days or whenever you miss a class

Sexy Back Boot Camps Camper of the Week - Janet Price

Congratulations to Janet Price for becoming Camper of the Week!! At first, I wasn't sure if she was going to last. She had asthma, a busy job and her life to take care of. She had and still has every excuse in the world to NOT come to class. However, she never misses a class that she says she's coming to.

In life, you have to have a balance in order to operate efficiently. Janet has placed her health and fitness into my hands and has allowed me to teach her how to make all the variables work in sync. She takes care of horses on a daily basis and plays basketball every Thursday night... AFTER our training session!!

Now that's a freakin' ROCKSTAR!!

She is someone everyone needs to talk to, to ask her how she manages her life and still put her health and fitness number one priority.

ADD her as a Facebook Friend HERE ==> ADD JANET

NOW, watch the video below and read the testimonial, and please leave a comment below to let us know what you think. Thank you!!





1) How has Sexy Back Boot Camps changed you, mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually? at work, at home, with family and friends?

Sexy back boot camp has made me very aware of what I put into my body. I found out I was way to sedentary, even though I didn't know it. I sleep better, have more energy and have a desire to eat better.

2) What were or are your short term goals (one week or one month) and long term goals (12 weeks or 6 months or one year)?

Short term: I would like to lose at least 25 pounds in the next month.
Long term: I would like to lose a total of 30 pounds in the next 6 mos and maintain healthy eating and exercise.

3) Toughest challenges - how do you keep your focus because it's so easy to let other factors distract your focus?

Kri helps me stay focused with his CONSTANT emails and encouragement during class to make me want to be a better me.

4) Least favorite exercise:

My LEAST favorite exercise is suicides. They are VERY rough on my lungs. I am still trying to get control of my asthma and those make it tough.

5) Favorite exercise:

My favorite exercise, HMM? I like the crunches were you have your legs straight up in the air. I seem to get results with that exercise. Also, squats are helping get my but and thighs in shape.

6) What keeps you coming back to the classes?

Kri and the girls in class make me want to keep coming. Kri is very encouraging, makes me want to work hard for myself and the other girls work just as hard.

Kentucky Grilled Crap

By now, I am sure you have heard all about this new Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

And while I have no doubt that this is a better option than the Church’s fried chicken alternative, it’s still nowhere near an ideal food choice.




Congratulations! You are eating “grilled” chicken with a bunch of garbage on the side. Lord knows that mac and cheese and biscuits aren’t going help you look any better naked!

KFC says the grilled chicken has significantly fewer calories and fat, plus much less sodium, than its Original Recipe fried chicken that launched the brand more than a half-century ago.

After all, just as, if not more, damaging to our waistlines are the high calorie side dishes accompanying the chicken which are filled with refined starches and sugars and unnecessary amounts of saturated fat.

For too long now the fast food industry has made a killing on misinforming consumers about what is and isn’t healthy.

KFC claimed that it recently did switch cooking oils to eliminate all trans fats from their products- a noble effort indeed.

But upon further review, this does not look to be the case…

Here are the ingredients directly from their website:

KFC ® Grilled Chicken

Fresh Chicken Marinated with: Salt, Sodium Phosphate, and Monosodium Glutamate Seasoned with: Maltodextrin, Salt, Bleached Wheat lour, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Monosodium Glutamate, Spices, Palm Oil, Natural Flavor, Garlic Powder, Soy Sauce (Soybean, Wheat, Salt), Chicken Fat, Chicken Broth, Autolyzed Yeast, Beef Powder, Rendered Beef Fat, Extractives of Turmeric, Dehydrated Carrot, Onion Powder, and mot more than 2% Each of Calcium Silicate and Silicon Dioxide Added as Anticaking Agents.

Contains Wheat and Soy

I don’t know about you, but this certainly doesn’t sound like a nutritional powerhouse. First of all, “Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil” is not good for you and is a form of trans fat.

Trans fats are synthetic fats that are essentially foreign agents in our bodies. There is truly no room for them in a healthy diet.

Plus, a great rule of thumb is that the fewer ingredients in a food item the better it is for you, ideally less than 5 ingredients being a good marker. Well, if you count the ingredients in this “health” food, there are well over 20!

Fast food and convenience store marketing campaigns make it very hard for us trainers to do our jobs.

When a company says:

“Our _____ (name of product) is good for you because it’s low in fat or fat-free”

OR

“Our _____ (name of product) is good for you because it’s got no sugar”

OR

“Our _____ (name of product) is the perfect snack because it’s only 100 calories.”

In general, here are some great user-friendly guidelines to cut through all of the BS these money-hungry B!+ches are sending our way:

Beware of “Fat-Free or Low Fat” Foods:

These food choices are often high in sugar or contain added sugar to make up for taste lost which wreak havoc on your energy levels and prevent fat loss.

Look Out for “Sugar-Free” Products:

These food choices are typically made with artificial ingredients and sweeteners and/or are sometimes higher in fat to make up for taste lost and/or often contains sugar-alcohols that tear up your digestive system.

Stay Away From “100 Calorie” Items:

These low calorie bags contain ZERO nutritional value with little to no protein and are low in fiber and natural, healthy fats. Plus, these weight-gainers by another name do not fill you up between meals.

Probably the most infamous “healthy” marketing campaign is 100-CALORIE SNACK PACKS.



Which is better for you body: 100 calories of carrots or 100 calories of mini-muffins?
GET IT?

I know personally I could easily eat 10 of these packs without getting stuffed- I guess that would be a 1,000-CALORIE SNACK PACK ;)

Unfortunately, we live in a calorie-conscious society, and marketers truly take piggyback on this.

But you don’t need to be a freakin’ idiot like the rest of them.

Educate yourself.

Educate your friends.

Educate your family.

Remember, the market determines the direction companies will go. If we choose not to put this garbage in our bellies anymore, they will make less of it!

Twork it out!

Kri

PS- I just know you have got something to say about this hot button issue. Please make a comment to this blog post about what pisses you off the most about this KFC Grilled Chicken, or any other fast food marketing campaign for that matter!

Making It Happen - Campers of the Week

When I was in college and even after college, I loved to party and for me, that meant drinking tons of alcohol, all the time. Along with alcohol, came lots of junk food. That was five to ten years ago and luckily I was in sports and very active every single day or otherwise, I would’ve put on tons of fat like my peers. They talk about the freshmen fifteen, well my cousin Pin put on 30 lbs. My friend Grant put on 75 lbs his freshmen year!! Holy crap!! Later this week, I will give you some tips on how to mix it all up and combine not-so healthy nutrition choices and exercise to still drop the fat and not gain that freshmen fifteen.

Last week, I noticed a change in two boot campers that stood out. It was tough to choose, so I went with both. They are great ladies and great boot campers that are kicking ass and making things happen. They won’t take NO for an answer and gave their all, plus some. They each have won $25 gift cards to the best salon in Kansas City, Bolero Salon and Spa in Independence – The Official Salon of the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders and are last week’s Campers of the Week!!



Congrats to Kelly Thurber for winning Camper of the Week. Even with a busted head awhile back, she still came back to class and fought through it. She ran TWO 5K’s this past weekend!! If you don’t know, they’re 3.1 miles each!! The Truman Run and The Mother’s Day Run. Two other campers also ran both events. I will post pics from the runs later on this week, along with the Trolley Run from two weekends ago. Kelly also did not miss any classes plus she usually stays for the six and the seven pm classes. Thank you Kelly for being a great example and leader of the class.

Also, congrats to Joanna Farris for winning Bridal Camper of the Week. She is the party girl that loves going out and having fun but also wants to be healthy and feel good. She did not miss a single day (which is not normal) and that deserved recognition. She complains here and there (I’m just picking on you) but she still gives her all. Thank you Joanna for taking charge and improving every week.

Read what they have to say below by click on their names or scrolling down:

1. Kelly Thurber

2. Joanna Farris

Camper of the Week

Kelly Thurber – 5/10/09



1. How has Sexy Back Boot Camps changed you, mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually? At work, at home, with family and friends?

Sexy Back Boot Camps had changed me in all the categories, but especially emotionally and mentally. Because I can SEE the physical changes in my body, I am a much more up-beat and happier person at home and work.

2. What were or are your short-term goals (one week or one month) and long-term goals (12 weeks or 6 months or one year)?

• My short-term goals: I have registered to run a 5K on June 6, 2009; I want to run under a 12-minute mile.
• My long-term goals: I have participated in three 5K runs in the last two months, I would like to participate in a half to whole marathon in one year.

3. Toughest challenges - how do you keep your focus because it's so easy to let other factors distract your focus?

It's funny you ask about challenges and keeping focus, I have been really distracted the last two weeks, I mean I have a grandson that I had NO idea was coming. But, I find that working-out means that I can focus on ME for just a little bit before going back to the craziness. (It's ME TIME, and I need that)

4. Least favorite exercise:

If I have to pick a least favorite exercise, I guess it might be the ones that involve "jumping".

5. Favorite exercise:

I would have to say that my favorite exercises are the real challenging ones, like at the end of class because I am so tired, they challenge me the most.

6. What keeps you coming back to the classes?

What keeps me coming back to class, that’s easy, Kri and the ladies that I have met and formed friendships with.

Please leave a comment below for Kelly.

How To Do The Best Core Exercise Ever => Push-ups Part 1

The Push-up. I love push-ups. They can be done anywhere at anytime. You can do them on the ground, on a ball, on a wall, and even suspended in water. It is probably the most popular exercise of all time. But being popular doesn’t necessarily mean being well liked! In fact, I think it is safe to say that the majority of people really HATE push-ups. More specifically, the push-up tends to be the undying nemesis for people who carry extra body weight and for most females who feel they do not have the upper strength to ever be able to do anything but “girl push-ups” or modified push-ups on the knees.



The goal of this article is to address everything you need to know about performing the push-up with proper form in addition to learning how to do more push-ups ASAP. Remember, people only hate what they are not good at it. In other words, I am confident that though you may currently hate push-ups, by following this program you will finally unveil your true push-up potential. And though you may never be madly in love with push-up, you’ll at least be able to stomach them!

Benefits of Push-ups

Right next to pull-ups, a push-up is the greatest upper body exercise of all time. In fact, I believe push-ups to be one of the best total body exercises around.

Push-ups work primarily your chest, triceps, and front shoulders. However they also place a great demand on your core strength and stability. After all, your spinal stabilizers (transverse abdominis and spinal erectors) need to have the endurance to maintain that critical straight-line position throughout the duration of your push-ups for optimal safety and performance. In addition, push-ups engage your scapular muscles (shoulder blades) in a way that most pushing exercises do not, thus providing some much needed mid and upper back work that most trainees are missing out on. Furthermore, maintaining the proper push-up position requires that you tense and engage every muscle on the front side of your body from your feet to your front shoulders. Heck, if you squeeze your glutes (which you should as this helps protect your lower back), you even get your booty involved!



Finally, push-ups are the ultimate anywhere, anytime exercise that requires nothing but your body weight and space the size of your frame to perform.

How to Perform a Perfect Push-up

Though nearly everyone to grace this earth has attempted a push-up at some time in his or her life, the vast majority of people have never performed a full range of motion floor push-up with perfect form and technique. If this describes, don’t sweat it. It’s not your fault if no one ever taught you how to perform push-ups properly. I mean, haven’t we all heard this at some point before from an authority figure, whether it be an old school athletic coach or gym teacher:

“Alright 100 push-ups now! No, not like that, get lower! What are you, weak? It’s just a push-up! If you don’t do them right, we’re going to do them all day! I’ve got the time!”



But, what’s done is done. And though it was be a blast to kick the tar out of our former punishers, let’s focus on doing things right for ourselves. Below is a complete list of technique and coaching points regarding how to perform a perfect push-up:

- Simultaneously tuck your elbows to your sides and pull your shoulders blades down and back: It’s critical to keep your elbows close to your ribcage while performing push-ups. Letting your elbows “sprawl” away from your torso puts your rotator cuff at a much greater risk for injury. In addition, since most of us are so upper trap dominant, we tend to shrug our shoulders during push-ups. This scapular elevation can lead to clicking and grinding of the shoulder (known as shoulder impingement syndrome). To avoid these pitfalls, visualize trying to hug your elbows to your ribcage while cracking a nut between your shoulder blades during all push-ups.

- Simultaneously suck in your gut and brace your abs: As mentioned earlier, the push-up is a great core exercise that requires good muscular endurance for your deep spinal stabilizers. By pulling your navel to your spine and bracing your abs as if you we about to be kicked in the gut, you will best activate those key core muscles while performing push-ups.

- Simultaneously tense your thighs and squeeze your glutes: The straighter your legs during the push-up the more stable you will be. This is easily accomplished by tensing your thighs throughout the exercise. Furthermore, tense your butt cheeks- this helps relax overactive hip flexors, thus alleviating unnecessary strain on the lower back.



- Power breathing: In general, seek to focus on inhaling during the lowering portion of the push-up and then forcefully exhaling during the lifting portion of the push-up. By filling your belly with air during the lowering portion of the push-up your make it easier to stabilize your spine, meaning that your core remains locked in thus allowing for a smooth and seamless transition from the down position to the up position.

- Spread your fingers: Many people complain of wrist pain while they do push-ups. This usually stems from a combination of a lack of mobility at the wrist joint and a lack of flexibility of the forearm flexors and extensors. Plus, many people simply have weak wrists from a lack of weight-bearing exercises in their daily routine. Think about it- we do not do as much as we used to do with our hands and are rarely in a position where our wrists our supporting our entire body weight (besides when doing push-ups). One way to take pressure off of your wrists during push-ups is to focus on spreading your fingers as far apart as possible. This expands the surface area and thus dissipates some of the excess strain on the wrists. Furthermore, doing fist push-ups or push-ups with your hands on a dumbbell (or push-up handles) tends to significantly alleviate if not eliminate any unwanted wrist issues. This neutral grip allows you get all of the benefits of push-ups so that your wrists do not continue to be the biggest limiting factor for your push-up goals. In addition, the neutral grip also makes it easier to keep your helps tucked to your sides and shoulders down and back for optimal shoulder safety.

- Be flat as a diving board: Throughout the entire movement, the key is to maintain a straight line from the heels through the shoulders. You must not let your hips sag as this will put undue strain on your lower back in the form of hyperextension. Furthermore, you must avoid raising or “piking” your hips because this not only takes a way much needed core work, but also results in a rounding of the upper back that potentially results in unwanted shoulder issues (impingement, rotator cuff strains, etc.).

The Top 4 Training Tips of All-Time To Look Sexy

When you train smart and train hard, you'll eventually reach your goals...whether that be in business, life, or fitness.

I was talking to a client one day about packages and training and nutrition and a ton of other things. She didn't seem to get it. But she said to me, "Kri, have you heard of the K.I.S.S. principle?"

I said "Yeah. You're right."

So what is the K.I.S.S. principle?

Definition: K.I.S.S. principle - Keep It Simple Stupid

So, I want to share some tips with you today that pretty much sums up what all of us need to do to get lean and stay lean for life.

It doesn't get any simpler than this… but simple works!

TOP 2 EXERCISE TIPS



* Total Body Workouts Are The Best: This means doing a five-exercise circuit (designed to work your upper body, lower body, and core) at least three times per week with a day of rest between workouts. Alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for each a double-leg (e.g. squat), push (e.g. push-up), single-leg (e.g. lunge), pull (e.g. row), and core (e.g. plank) exercise. Perform up to 4 rounds without rest for a killer 20-minute total body workout.

* The Power of High Intensity Interval Training: Interval training is scientifically proven to burn nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 48 hours following your workout. Perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Selecting your cardio exercise of choice, alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest and repeat this 30 second interval eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat for up to 20 total minutes. This routine works best on a stair machine (eg. Stairmaster) or for body weight cardio exercise that you can do at home like running in place or jumping jacks.

Top 2 Diet Tips



* Eat Early and Often: Eat immediately upon waking and then every two to four hours to starve fat and feed muscle. By continuously fueling your fat burning furnace, and eating some animal protein (meat, eggs, cheese, etc.) at every feeding, you'll also keep your metabolism revved up throughout the day and prevent overeating.

* Think Fiber First When Consuming Carbs: Eat an unlimited amount of fibrous, green veggies to fill your belly both during and between meals. For optimal fat-burning, try to limit fruit and other carbohydrate consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout when your body best tolerates starches and sugars.

Live by these 2 training and nutrition rules and you will have a body to be proud of... I guarantee it.



Twork it out,

Kri

PS- Please leave a comment and tell me what you think. Also, please forward this blog post to anybody that you know who can benefit from it!

Dishing Out The Best 10 Super Bowl Tips To Cut Thousands of Calories

Super Bowl Sunday is six days away. Other than the BIG Holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, this event has become a traditional celebratory day in America which we need to start preparing our stomachs for the goodies to come. This year, you can save yourself thousands of calories by using these party food alternatives at kickoff time.

The following is a comprehensive list of both approved food choices and/or healthier substitutes for traditional party foods. Use this list to satisfy your taste buds while saving at least hundreds if not thousands of calories in the process. If you use these strategies consistently for parties and social gatherings over the course of the year, this could prevent 5-10 lbs of fat gain… easily!

Section I- Appetizers

• Naked Sandwiches (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Thin Crust Whole Grain Pizza
• Fruit Salad (throw low carb whipped cream on top as desired)
• Super Salad Bowl (use unlimited veggies and meats, dip dressing on the side or use low calorie substitutes)
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Tuna or Chicken Salad
• Nut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Cheese, Eggs, and Meat Tray
• Raw Veggies (use dip sparingly)
• Grilled/Sauteed Veggies (use extra virgin olive or coconut oil)
• Figure-Friendly Nachos (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, cheese, salsa, and guac)
• Buffalo Chicken Bites (skinless, no breading, use low calorie buffalo sauce sparingly)
• Pasta Salad (use whole grain pasta and go easy on the dressings, choosing marina based sauces over creamier versions)

Section II- Accessories

• Natural Whole Grain Tortillas
• Natural Baked Chips
• Natural Cheetohs
• Natural Lipton Green Teas (or other low calorie/carb beverages)
• Water
• Natural Salsa
• Guacamole
• Salad Dressings: Vinegars of choice (apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
• Other Low Calorie Condiments of Choice: mustard, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.



Section III- Main Courses

• Lettuce Burgers (use extra lean sirloin or bison, preferably bun-less only using whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Rotisserie Chicken (choose “plain” and remove skin and dab off any grease as needed with paper towel)
• Extra Lean Kosher Hot Dogs (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Chili (preferably bean-less, only use if absolutely needed and feel free to swap extra lean turkey for the beef version to cut down fat intake)
• Pizza (see “appetizers” above or use whole grain/thin crust options from restaurants or frozen food isles)



Section IV- Desserts

• Edy’s Grand Light Ice Cream
• Prograde Cravers (100% organic chocolate snacks bars)
• Larabars
• Cocoa Via Bars or Packs
• Low Carb Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory
• Protein Cookies (swap in protein powder for flour)


BONUS- Top 10 Tips to Save Thousands of Calories on Super Bowl Sunday

1.) Do not fast in preparation for a feast as it will turn your body into a famished fat-storing machine the next time you eat. The resulting low blood sugar levels that come from not eating for four hours or more make you crave junk foods high in both fat and refined sugars.

2.) Hydrate: Drink at least two to four cups of water before eating AND one to two cups every 15-30 minutes after you start eating to fill your stomach, and prevent overeating that can be triggered by dehydration.

3.) Eliminate Empty Liquid Calories: Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. Opt for water, tea, or low calorie/carb beverages in moderation to leave more room for whole food choices that have more nutritional value and better fill you up.

4.) Go Naked: Replace all buns or breading for sandwiches with a lettuce wrap to cut calories, stabilize blood sugar, and boost fiber and micronutrient intake.

5.) Replace All White with Brown (Or Better Yet... Green!): Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta). Whole grains have more vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber which means they won’t have as negative of an impact on your blood sugar compared to its white counterparts. You can also go one step further by replacing all brown with green in the form of green veggies.

6.) Focus on eating lean proteins and fruits and veggies first. Use these in unlimited amounts as needed to fill you up and best prevent the typical party “killshot” of high carb and high fat meals (e.g. thick crust pizza with extra full-fat cheese).

7.) Never eat directly out of the bag or community bowl. Use smaller plates to put your food on while limiting yourself to a pre-set plate total (e.g. three-four plate maximum during a three-hour football game).

8.) Replace Gold With Green: Opt for guacamole over cheese for your salads and chips. Guacamole is not only low in saturated fat and high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats but it also has a ton of fiber that will help fill you up fast and prevent overeating. Though cheese is a true super food in moderation, it is very easy to overeat especially when mixed with refined carb sources like white chips and pizza.

9.) Replace Flour with Protein Powder: Few people know that protein powder makes a great cooking or baking substitute for flour (e.g. protein cookies). By adding protein and reducing carb intake you will boost metabolism.

10.) 20 Chews: Eat slowly and require a certain number of chews before you swallow to allow your brain enough time to get the “I’m full” signal (e.g. 20 pre-swallow chews).

Camper of the Week 2

Every week at Sexy Back Bootcamps I will select a "Camper of the Week" that will receive recognition for their dedication to living THE LIFESTYLE. Our next recipient has been with our camp since Summer and loves to workout... Congratulations to Carolyn Papuga. She never makes excuses and always has a smile on her face.

We have worked out since the beginning of 2008 and are still going strong. She also has gotten her husband Tim to join us in Camp. They're both great people. Some days we have more difficult workouts but they NEVER complain. They just say "I'll try". That's the exact attitude that I absolutely LOVE. Last week, Carolyn had migraines three out of four days of training. But did she complain? Nope. She kept coming to class. She could've been home, making excuses on why she's getting fat or munching on McDonalds (she doesn't do those things). She sprained her ankle really bad one night in Camp, but she kept working out while sitting on top of the bench, doing DB shoulder presses with ice on her ankle! That's what I call dedication.

I want to thank Carolyn for her hard work inside and outside the "classroom". She is also always willing to help out, so if you guys every have any questions during class, she has learned a lot with me and will share her knowledge.

She has won a FREE one hour massage to Beauty Brands for her hard work in class. Thank you!

Favorite exercise: Alternating Side Lunges

Least favorite exercise: Bent over DB Scaptions/Y's

Camper of the Week

Sherri Mesh has won two FREE phases of training at SexyBack Bootcamps. She won phase #9 in December for being the Leader and coming to class and tworkin' it out every single class. She won Phase #1 which is 5 weeks long ($300 value) for referring four students.

Every week at Sexy Back Bootcamps I will select a "Camper of the Week" that will receive recognition for their dedication to living THE LIFESTYLE. Our very first recipient has been with our camp for just one week and has shown that she absolutely loves to work out... Congratulations to Sherri Mesh. Sherri came into our camps looking to "lose + tone", develop lean muscle definition and increase her overall fitness level.

Even though she just started, I can tell you that she has been successful because of her dedication to be at every workout and bust her butt with a "NO QUIT" attitude. Last night, her eyes were bugging her and they were bloodshot red, but she was still there with us. We love having Sherri on our team.

Favorite exercise: Anything that she knows is working the abs.

Least favorite exercise: Lunges

Sherri, I want to thank you personally for being a shining example of what a strong body can look like if you are consistent with actions that move you toward your goals. I look forward to more exciting workouts and results with you in the future. Thank you for being part of the SexyBack Bootcamps team.

Stop, Drop, Opened Up Shop!!

WOO WEE!! Finally!! Opening day came and went. It was fun. The morning class in LS only had two people, which is a start and it will only get better,
but I want to see more Ladies in there. SO, if you're reading this and live in the Lee's Summit area, I want to see you in class.

The evening classes in Blue Springs were awesome! We had a lot of energy and thanks to Miss Sherri for bringing in tons of clients. She has earned FREE
training all month and maybe even next month. Thank you Sherri for using the Referral Program and earning your FREE Rapid Fat Loss Training from SexyBack Bootcamps.
There were nine people in the six pm class and five in the seven pm class. Great job Ladies! Let's continue to kick butt into 2009.

GAGE Center Gymnastics

Lee's Landing

Awesome New Billing Solution to SexyBack Bootcamps Students

As we introduce an automated billing solution to you, we are moving
our billing for the SexyBack Bootcamps into the Volo Innovations platform as
well. As a part of this, we are creating profiles for each
participant in the program, which allows for more dynamic customer
management.

We need you to take 2-3 minutes and follow the link below and
create your profile. Complete the tabs labeled 'PROFILE' and we'll do the rest.

SexyBack Bootcamps Registration

This will also allow you to view the platform. My Bootcampers can
see it and provide us with even more insight as to how we can
maximize your usage of this valuable resource.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this as we are truly excited
to present you with this new business solution.

Get ready for a big week!

This Might Offend You

I'm going to start by saying that this might offend you.

That's not my goal, but the price of clarity is the risk of ruffling some feathers. Well, I believe that the fitness industry is about as efficient at providing lasting solutions for fat loss as the government is at providing solutions for a sagging economy.

They want to just provide Band Aids.

Pouring billions into broken companies doesn't un-break them.

Joining a gym and attending 2 hours a week doesn't cure the 166 hours of gluttony each week.

In fact, changing 35 years of bad habits in 12 sessions is about as likely as getting the winning lottery ticket.

To make a difference, it starts with the foundation.

Broken companies need to look at what they're fundamentally doing wrong instead of taking their bailout money and using it to keep doing stupid sh&t.

Gyms need to help people embrace new lifestyle habits instead of selling them access to equipment that has them sitting on their a<$ and pushing or pulling something for a few minutes.

Trainers need to focus more on helping clients think differently about food and exercise.

Workouts are short term.

Programs are better, but still temporary.

Changing lifestyles is the goal.

That's a big reason why I got involved in the IYCA.

It's a heck of a lot easier to educate and empower someone from the start instead of getting them to unlearn what they currently know and believe.

In fact, IYCA created a resource for parents to help them raise happy, healthy and active kids.

Well, I say it's for parents - but really, I've never met an adult that shouldn't read it.

You can see what I'm talking about here:

The Youth Obesity Solution

That project helped remind me, it all starts with a solid foundation.

If you have that, you don't have to continually try to cover up problems with Band Aids.

P.S. - Why should every adult read The Youth Obesity Solution. Three reasons:

1. You'll think differently about kids that struggle with their weight. Doesn't matter whether you have kids or not - you don't live in a vacuum.

2. Like it or not, if we really do want to cure the Obesity Epidemic, it hinges on re-infusing physical culture back into the lives of children.

3. 95% of the book's message is applicable to adults and will help you help them.