Playground workout

Well my intention was to create this blog and we would have wonderful weather and you could actually do this workout ASAP but Minnesota weather has a different thought process. So below is a great workout to do with your kids at the park or if you want a change of pace on your usual routine.  Check out this workout at the park. 

 1. Swing Squats: Holding onto swing above shoulders sit down like sitting in a chair and stand back up. 

 (See Picture)

2. Plank on Swings

 

Place feet on a swing and rest ankles or feet on top of swing.  Place hands on ground and hold body straight, arms, shoulders & wrists right on top of each other.

3. Dips on a a bench 

 Place feet straight out in front of body or a 90 degree bend to make it a little easier.  Hands should be placed on the bench behind the body.  Slowly lower body towards ground and lift body back up .  Repeat. Above picture depicts a slightly more challenging version with a straight leg in the air. 

4. Single leg slide squats: Place one foot on a slide and drop down to form a 90 degree with both bent legs and slowly raise back up.  One foot staying on the slide straight behind the body the entire time.  Make sure the knee never goes past the toe. Do 10-12 reps each leg.  Repeat 2-3 times. 

5. Monkey Bars: Try crossing the monkey bars for a great upper body workout.  No trick to it just try and get across them once if that is easy down and back.  It is a killer upper body workout.  Repeat 2-3 times.

6. Running through the sand: Throw in a cardio twist by simply trying to run threw the sand from one side of the park to the other.  Do this a total of 1 minute to get the heart rate going. Repeat 2-3 times. 

This workout can last anywhere from 10-30 minutes depending on how much time you have and what you want to work on while you mix up your workout! 

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more information. 

How to fight that nasty belly fat

I hear it all the time how do I get rid of this, picture someone pinching their stomach.  Well most women have issues with belly fat as they get older.  Think about all the things a women's body goes through: our monthly friend, giving birth, menopause, hormonal overload and the overall need for our body to store fat in places we don't always want it too.  So how can we fight the battle against the belly fat.  Well as you round out every decade unfortunately your metabolism starts to slow.  With a slowing metabolism you need to eat less than you currently were or exercise more.  Unfortunately for most we don't realize that or act on it until you start to notice your svelte figure is getting rounder.  Not bad for some people but most don't enjoy the extra pounds.  Below are some tips for you to keep that figure it tip top shape.

1. Eat breakfast: This is the breaking of the fast meal.  You don't eat all evening and you wake up and run out the door without eating than go to work.  You start getting hungry and than eat the doughnuts in the break room.  Than say to yourself there goes my diet I guess I will have to try again tomorrow.  Thus forms the nasty habit.  Start a new habit and have a shake, hard boiled eggs, oatmeal, flax seed waffle with peanut butter are all good examples.

2. Drink Green Tea: The benefits as of late have ben proven to help boost your metabolism thus burning more overall calories which helps reduce the belly fat.

3. Move more at work:  So many of us sit around work and don't move for a few hours or all day.  Take a walk around the office every 30 minutes to an hour just to stretch the legs and let the eyes get away from the computer screen.  A little movement through the day has proven to help with productivity in the office.

4. Drink enough water: Make sure you stay hydrated that helps you stay fuller longer as well as keeping you away from the sugary drinks.  If you don't like the taste of regular water add a crystal light packet with no extra sugar or calories to your water.  

5. Get in your cardio: Most people find a little cardio helps keep their tummy tight.  So trying to get in at least 2 cardio sessions a week whether that be a light job, power walk or full out run for others.  You know your body best and how it responds.  

6. Do some planks: Perform a plank on the forearms.  You can do these daily and hold between 20 seconds- 1 minute.  Add side planks in if you want to work the obliques as well. 

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more training information. 

Do one thing a day that scares you

I know everyone hears this saying quite a bit but how often do you actually put it into action?  Do you really do one thing a day that scares you?  Odds are probably not, myself included.  So I am a fan of starting small and building from there.  So this next week can you do one thing a day that scares you.  Make a list of things that you want to do but are just to scared to try.  Just list 7 things to start and put them on your calendar.  Make sure you schedule them into your day or most likely they won't get done.  We all know schedules fill up fast.

Below are some sample ideas on what you can do

1.  Go sky diving
2. Try a new workout class
3. Find  your true passion
4. Start the hobby you have been wanting to start for months
5. Learn how to swim
6. Learn how to scrapbook
7. Try a new restaurant
8. Try a cooking class
9. Take a dance lesson
10. Buy a lottery ticket
11. Sign up for the 5K you have been eying
12. Write a love letter
13. Take boxing lessons
14. Try yoga
15. Tell your friends you appreciate them

As always if you enjoyed this blog check back every Tuesday for new content.  www.safiretraining.com

Spring/Summer Workout Ideas

As Spring is here and hopefully the weather cooperates and it soon becomes nice enough to take your workouts outside.  We need to start finding our passion for fitness again.  Have you found yourself stuck inside going stir crazy to get outside and go for a run, bike road, water ski, swim, hike, outdoor tennis, sand volleyball?  Well those are some of the amazing outdoor activities that start occurring around this time of the year.  If you have not yet discovered your passion now is the perfect time to start finding your new found passion.  Below are ways for you to start researching and finding a passion to do for the Spring/Summer months and take it outdoors.

1. Ask a friend what they like to do outdoors in the Spring/Summer time
2. What have you always wanted to try but were to afraid you would look silly doing it?
3. Join a local sports league.  Check with your community center, various local bars, your workplace and ask if they know of any softball, sand volleyball, or tennis leagues that are going on during the summer.
4. Make it a family affair.  If you have young kids what can you do as a family to be active, biking, head to the playground (playground workout coming in a later post), go for hikes, go boating.
5. If you have a trainer ask them if you can take the sessions outdoors from time to time to mix up the routine.
6. Go to your local pool most have aerobic classes or lap swim available for just adults if you are without kids, or bring your kids and chase after them to make it a family affair.  Make sure you wear your sunscreen though!

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more video workout ideas. 

Show your gratitude

What are you grateful for?  Sometimes people need to sit down and figure out what in their life they are truly and utterly grateful for.  I enjoy meditating at least 3 times a week to center myself and figure out what it is I need.  One of my personal favorites is Gabrielle Bernstein she has some great meditations on her website or on youtube.  Just google her name and you will uncover a plethora of meditations and one is sure to suite you.

Activity To Try:

For the next month before you go to bed try and record the top 5 things you are grateful for.  They can be things that happened that day to you, or as simple as the sunshine, the wind, my baby sleeping through the night.

Here is the link to Gabby's website.  I am in no way affiliated with her I just wanted to share my experience with her and her guidance through my own life. Gabby Website

How to uncover those abs

I have abs I just know it, they are just covered by a layer of fat.  While how can I get those abdominals to be revealed?  Below are some great tips to help you shed that layer of fat.  Remember to accomplish getting those abs you have to think is this cookie, glass of wine, piece of candy worth not meeting my fitness goal or having good health?  If it is than go for it if not put down the thing that will keep your abs covered and go for that goal.  

8 tips for uncovering those abs

1. Drink 4-6 cups of green tea (I personally do this and it has boosted my metabolism by a few hundred calories!)

2. Perform Planks & Side Planks- These are my favorite exercise to do.  I enjoy doing these 5-6 times a week.  Challenge yourself to complete them in the morning so your abs stay tight all throughout the day. 

3. Add some intervals to your life- A good dose of cardio will help burn some unwanted belly fat.  Perform 1 minute at a fast pace than 30 seconds-1 minute at a slower pace.  Repeat for 20-30 minutes.

4. Tabata Training anyone- Check out this video for more tabata information http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhkgcUlxKx0

5. Log your food- Make sure you log your food for at least a few weeks so you can get an idea of how many calories you are eating, how much sugar, carbs, fats & protein you are consuming as well.

6. Get some sleep- Make sure you get around 8 hours of sleep a night.  If your under that most likely your going to be storing some extra fat around your middle. 

7. Find a stress reliever- If you have a lot of extra stress in your life try and find a method to relieve some pressure off of yourself.  I personally enjoy yoga & meditation a few times a week to center myself.

8. Eat good fat- Make sure your enjoying a good sprinkling of healthy fat throughout your day.  Almonds, avocados, olive oil, salmon to name a few. 

If you want a great abdominal workout check out this video 6 Pack Abs

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more information. 

In like a lion or a lamb?

It is the start of March the age old saying in like a lamb or like a lion deciding how the weather will be and how much more winter we will have.  Well I'm sitting here typing as the snow is coming down it looks like a lion to start the month of.  Now lets put the same concept to your fitness goals.  Is March coming in like a lamb or a lion?  Have you been hitting the gym or working out like you thought you would?  What has been taking up your time if you haven't?

I like to reevaluate my own fitness goals monthly.  I take a look at what I want to accomplish and set my monthly goals accordingly.  I personally have found March to be coming in like a lion for myself.  I haven't made the time to go to the gym as I have been busy like most people.  I have to find the time and carve out the important hour I need at the gym.  I found myself extremely crabby when I went the last 4 days without getting in my own workout.  I found myself getting the sniffles, stomach aches, restless sleep and extremely short tempered.  Personally I know without my gym date after more than 3 days in a row gets me going and not in a good way.  So look at your own life how has your March started have you been a lion or a lamb?  Set the tone today to change that if your not liking the direction you have been headed.  I know I hit my yoga class this morning and am trying to turn the rest of my March into a lamb demeanor as that is my fitness focus for the month.  What is yours?

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more great fitness information and upcoming events.