Working out while on vacation

 

I just got back from  a 10 day vacation and I feel so relaxed and rejuvenated.  While on vacation I still need to get my personal workouts scheduled.  Anyone who knows me knows if I go over 2 days without working I get really crabby.  I planned out my workouts with equipment that is highly portable did a little research on the area we were vacationing at and got to work.  Below are some tips for training while on vacation.  

Vacation Tips

• Know the area your vacationing at:  are there local gyms that will allow you to workout there for a week, does your hotel have a gym you can use, are there any gyms you can pay a $10 drop-in rate for attending the day.
• Bring portable equipment: Dumbbells are not the most portable equipment especially if you need more than one size.  Bands, TRX's (shown in the above picture)  and using your own body weight are your best bet when your on vacation. 
• Research if there any walking/running trails nearby.
• Research if you can rent a bike for an afternoon or two.
• Record what days you plan on working out while on vacation. 
• Bring your swimsuit.  If there is a nearby pool, ocean or lake go for a swim. 

Here is an example of my own vacation workout:

Monday &  Friday

TRX workout

1. Chest Press
2. Rows
3. Jump Squats
4. IYT's 
5. Reverse lunges with a jump
6. Bicep Curls
7. Triceps Extension 
8. Hamstring curls
9. Abduction/adduction
10. TRX crunches
11. TRX obliques 
12. Lunge w/rotation 

Tuesday & Thursday

*Interval running 3 miles 

Wednesday 

*Local kettlebell class taught by my cousin! 

I took the weekends off.  All my workouts were done in 40 minutes.  I got up early to workout so it didn't interfere with our vacation plans wouldn't get replaced with another vacation activity at the end of the day.  

The main objective when your working out on vacation is to plan the workouts into your day.  You might not workout as intensely as you do when your not on vacation but the main thing is your moving and being active.  People tend to let the clean eating slide well on vacation so getting in an extra workout will help avoid excess pounds while on your trip.  If you only squeeze in 2-3 workouts while on vacation congratulate yourself for a job well done.  I know people start getting their vacation mode on a few days into the trip.  If you workout even once it will at least give you a boost of energy to help get you through the rest of your vacation.

Don't be afraid of gaining weight on vacation if you balance your eating out with a few good workouts you the weight you do gain should come off fairly quick when back from vacation.  Just remember when your back from vacation to not skip that Monday morning gym session even though your tired.  The faster you can get back into your routine the better off you will be! 

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more information and sign-up for our newsletter from the link below. http://eepurl.com/zMTrT

No time to workout this week? Try Tabata Training

What is tabata training you ask?  Is it like intervals while similar but it involves exercises and is not just limited to the treadmill or other cardio machines.

Tabata training is performing an exercise for 20 seconds as hard and as fast as you can.  Your heart rate should be very high well doing these exercises.  You than will get a 10 second rest and than repeat the exercise for 20 seconds and rest again for 10 seconds.  This is the pattern you will be doing during your tabata training.  Your workout will only last 4 minutes.  If your not tired by the end of the 4 minutes you need to push yourself even harder.

Below are some sample tabata exercises you can do in your own home.

*Note do not perform these exercises if you have a heart condition or were suggested  your doctor to not get your heart rate above a certain beat per minute while exercising.

Below workouts will be done 20 seconds and than rest 10 seconds before performing the same exercise one more time and than resting and move onto the 2nd exercises on the list.  So every exercise is performed twice before moving on.
Workout #1- recommended for beginners 
1. Jumping Jacks
2. Push-ups
3. Squats
4. Up/down planks

Workout #2- Intermediate to advanced 
1. Split Jumps
2. Donkey Kicks from side to side
3. Split Jumps with a reach to sky and touch the ground
4. Plank Jacks w/push-up

Workout #3- Intermediate to advanced
1. Butt kicks w/jumping jack arms
2. Squat Jumps
3. Burpees
4. Plyo-Jacks- (Jumping jack w/a jump off the ground)

Enjoy the holidays and get a quick 4 minute workout in to burn those calories!!
Check out www.safiretraining.com for more workout ideas.

Living Room Workout!

The season is upon us and boy does it get busy.  How are you going to get your workout in with so little time?  Well you don't need to go to the gym you can just get a quick workout in right in your living room.  You can do 10 minutes at a time if you can't get a full 30 minutes in at once.  Below is a great circuit you can do in your living room without any equipment.  (unless you count your couch or a dining room chair)

Lemon Squeezers (minus the contraption she is in)

1. Push-ups- this can be done on the floor or as shown in the picture if your more advanced put your feet on the couch and perform your push-ups on a decline.  
2. Squats- Have your feet shoulder width apart and squat back with your hips, your weight should be in your heels.  Make sure your knees do not go past your toes.  
3. Up/Down Planks- Start in a low plank on your forearms.  Than proceed to push yourself up into a high plank arms extended straight up and go back down.  You should be on your toes or you can go to your knees.
4. Dips- Use your couch or a dining room chair.  Make sure your elbows go back.  If you have a bad shoulder be careful with this move.  Make sure you feel this in the back of your arms.  
5. Lemon Squeezers- Lying on back squeeze legs and upper body together landing on your sits bones than flatten your back, back to the ground.  Repeat.  To make more challenging do not let legs touch ground. 
6. Reverse Lunges- Step back into a 90 degree angle with front knee and back knee.  Make sure your knee doesn't go past your toe in the front.  
7. Shoulder Push-Ups- With your body in a v-up position hands and shoulder directly below each other.  You don't need to drop your head to touch the ground just a little movement.  

Shoulder Push-ups

*Do 3-4 sets or as many as you can do in 30 minutes-  15 reps of each.  

This will help you keep that rocking body over the holiday rush!

Check out more videos at www.safiretraining.com 

Olympic Workout

So your watching the Olympics and want to get a workout in of your own- Below is a great at home Olympic workout!

While watching swimming preform- Supermans  3x15 reps

White watching gymnastics- Push-ups 3x15 reps

While watching basketball- Jump Squats 3x10 reps

While watching track & field- Lunges 3x10 reps

While watching volleyball- Dips- 3x10 reps

While watching water polo- Donkey Kicks 3x15 reps

While watching Beach Volleyball- Bicep Curls 3x15 reps

While watching any other sport- Burpees 3x10 reps

Body Weight Exercises

After working this last week with youth athletes who are amazing to work with by the way.  I have a renewed sense of bodyweight exercises and how effective they are.  Most young kids do not need to lift a ton of weights but doing body weight exercises is a plus.  Below is a great workout you can do all with your own bodyweight.

1. Push-Ups-  The main thing you need to do is make sure your butt is not up high like a mountain and not to low like a valley- just holding straight like a board. Pretend there is a tennis ball below your chest drop all the way down and push back up.

2. Squats- Make sure your knees don't go past your toes.  Sit back like your going to sit in a chair and chest up.

3. Plank-Hold up in a basic position to advance tap your feet out side to side like shown in picture.

4. Mountain Climbers- Put yourself in a high plank position and tap your feet up towards the front of your body like you are running.  Keep repeating as fast as you can.

5. Lunges- Alternate legs as you take a regular stride length forwards and than step back.  Make sure you knee doesn't go past your toes and your abs are zipped up nice and tight.