Inside every person -- fit or on their way to fit, is a strong, motivated, determined Badass! Follow Cycling instructor and trainer Shannon Colavecchio down the road to a better, more Badass you.
Just for you all, I created a scary-but-don't-fear-it WOD and playlist to celebrate the goulish occasion!
It's super challenging, as Badass Fitness workouts tend to be! But if it's easy, why bother? This also happens to be super-satisfying as you push through and feel those legs and glutes almost literally catch on fire -- like they've been hit by lightning and other scary supernatural forces!
So give this a try, along with the playlist below! I promise you this will make you feel better than raiding your kids' trick or treat stash;) So go ahead and #getafterit.
Badass Halloween 2012 Playlist
Halloween Theme ( John Carpenter / MCA Music ), Halloween Scream Themes
Ghostbusters Dance Remix, The Hit Crew
The Beautiful People, Marilyn Manson
Scream, Usher
Everyday Is Halloween (Leather Strip Remix), Ministry
Thriller, Michael Jackson
Maneater, Nelly Furtado
Bad to the Bone, George Thorogood & The Destroyers
Bring Me to Life, Evanescence
E.T., Katy Perry
Maniac Mummy Move (Halloween Party Mix), Halloween #1 Hit Makers
The Boogie Monster, Gnarls Barkley
Bela Lugosi’s Dead, Godhead
Bloodletting (The Vampire Song), Concrete Blonde
Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites, Skrillex
Thriller (Tronix DJ Remix Edit), RagDollz
Black Cat, Janet Jackson
Phantom of the Opera (Remix), Joe Burgess
Halloween (Halloween Club Remix), DiscoPhantom
Coming up: Chicken "fried rice" you can - and will want to - shovel in, forget the chopsticks!
My mom ran track. My grandfather ran hurdles. My dad, at age 53, has amazing quads - better than guys half his age.
And while I never ran with any sort of organized track team in high school or college, I know it's in my blood. I feel it as soon as I get out there on the track. Smoking a 400 with a new PR not only gets my blood racing (literally), it makes me so friggin PUMPED!
Turns out, I am not the only one!
I moved my Sunday night bootcamp from the Florida State football stadium, aka The Doak, to a local high school track this weekend as a change-up. Muscle confusion is good, right?! And I can tell when my bootcampers are getting strong and need something different, more challenging.
So there we were, doing all these 400s and 200s and 100s, and as much as their lungs were burning, they walked away feeling strong, victorious and - best of all - excited for next week's track edition of Badass Bootcamp.
Yep, my job was done. They had smoked the track, discovered the awesomeness that is a good track workout. And they wanted MORE. #Win.
So here is the workout we did. You can do this at any local track, by yourself or with a partner or group of friends. I love fitness that is attainable, accessible, and fun. This workout is all of those things! It is awesome cross training for anyone preparing for a distance race, triathlon or obstacle race event. These intervals WILL make you faster at those steadier endurance paces.
Even if you don't get through the full thing the first time, keep at it and you will get stronger every time. Your goal on the 400s and 200s is to match or beat your time on each round. But really, the goal is to finish and prove to yourself how awesome and determined you are!
Coming up: Cake for breakfast? Heck yes! And the Badass Fitness VP addresses a somewhat controversial subject...;)
The TRX RIP and Suspension Trainer are a little bit like zombies. They look harmless enough just laying there. Then you start to mess around with them, and things get heated! Someone might walk away limping, and it isn't necessarily the zombie.
By the end of a really good TRXworkout, what looked like "just a little strap" or "just some bar attached to a little cord" becomes something much more fierce. Your muscles that will feel like they're being put through hellish fire - but in a really good, #getafterit and "that was awesome" kind of way! The RIP trainer especially kicks my #Badass every time, as evidenced by a heart rate close to what I experience in cycling class on uphill sprint intervals. And by adding plyometric cardio bursts in between the Suspension Trainer moves, you keep the heart rate elevated for maximum metabolic burn.
So as we usher in a new fall weekend, and the kids start picking out their scary Halloween costumes, scare up some endorphins and lactic acid with this full-body, Freaky Friday TRX routine! I guarantee it will make you feel anything BUT dead, and it's better for you than eating the Halloween candy, right?
If you are new to TRX and aren't sure about all of these exercises, the team at TRX has an awesome library of how-to videos here.
Burpees are like vitamins. We don't always want them, but we feel better for having made them a part of our daily routine. They can be tough to swallow, but in the end they make us stronger.
Let's be real, people: Of all the exercises we love to hate and hate to love, burpees are right up there among the top three - if not king of the mountain at No. 1! Because burpees are no joke, right? They require maximum effort. They test our determination and, depending on how many are in the WOD, our endurance.
Yep, burpees kick badass. But if we keep at them, they also help US kick some major badass. #FACT.
The best part? They can be done in a very short window of our precious time. This efficiency of time spent vs. results is HUGE during the holidays that, basically, start right now as we prepare for Halloween. Before the kids' trick or treat baskets are even emptied, it will be Thanksgiving...then Christmas and Hanukkah...and before we know it, New Year's Eve is here.
Crapsticks! So we have to #getAFTERit, and pronto!!! Fear not - I have the perfect solution: The 2012 BadassBurpeesChallenge. (Don't all release a sigh of relief at once, now! We GOT this.)
Here's the skinny: Every day, at least once a day but up to four times a day, we stop and do one minute of burpees. We count how many we do in a minute. We log it every time. Maybe you set a goal at the start, like "I did 20 but my goal is 30 in one minute." At the end of six weeks, ending on Nov. 22 (Thanksgiving Day!), we each do one final minute to see just how much faster, stronger and more Badass we have gotten at those burpees. You send me your video #proof, and the winner (based on greatest gains, most fun and creative video), gets a prize pack of some awesome swag!
THIS is what one minute of burpees looks like:
You've GOT that! So tell me, are you in? Are you in to #getafterit? Can you spare just one minute a day to show yourself how awesome you are? Maybe you even add some "oomph" by doing a burpee with a Bosu, like this:
This challenge is simple. Doable. Measurable. It requires the smallest fraction of our busy days. And at the end, we will no doubt surprise ourselves at how much strength we have gained!
Burpees are badass like that. Little wonder that the U.S. Army, amid WWII, adopted burpees as a way to assess recruits' agility, coordination, strength and overall fitness levels!
The BadassBurpeesChallenge starts today. I will post video #proof of myself and others along the way (send me yours and join the Badass Fitness Facebook group for a steady stream of updates, encouragement and fist bumps. Share this post, spread the love! The more, the merrier. That is how the Badass Army rolls!
I will leave you with a Burpee Fun Fact:
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the exercise was named in the 1930s for American physiologist Royal H. Burpee, who developed the Burpee test. He earned a PhD in Applied Physiology from Columbia University in 1940 and created the "Burpee" exercise for his PhD thesis as a quick and simple way to assess fitness.
Thank you, Dr. Burpee, for keeping us on our toes...and hands...and jump-ups!
Coming next week: Paleo Pumpkin Bread with muscle-building "frosting," a guest blog from the Badass Fitness VP, and a Freaky Friday TRX workout to scare off those candy zombies!
This workout won't tickle. But when you finish it - and yes, you can and will because you are Badass - you will feel empowered. Unstoppable. Ruling the mountaintop! Ready to take on the world - or at least ready to face a new week!
The format is an upside down pyramid: 30 reps, 20, 10, 5, then back up to 10, 20 and 30. The exercises: tried and true moves like jacks, jump squats and pushups plus burpees, dead man crawls and walkout planks. If you're just starting out, you can finish one round and gauge how you feel to decide whether to keep going. If you've been at this Badass Journey for awhile, aim for 3-5 rounds.
You'll need: A set of dumbbells, a mat depending on what type of flooring you are dealing with, and yourself!
We did this in Badass Bootcamp this morning, and it was one of those "hurts so good" kinda burns. So go ahead. #Getafterit and show Monday who's boss.
Oh, and it's that time again! My Foodie Pen Pal this month delivered some yummy sweet potato chips, trail mix and other goodies. Have a look, and if you haven't done the Pen Pal deal yet, I encourage you to try it for a month. It is fun to give AND to receive!
Coming up: 5 ways to use pumpkin - none of them for pie! And a post about inspiration, motivation, and Under Armour's challenge to help women unleash their most Badass, beautiful selves!
Hey hey it's Monday! Definitely not the best day of the week (that honor is split between Friday, Saturday and Sunday, right?) but a chance to start strong and set the tone for the week ahead.
So this WOD is meant to start strong, and basically make Monday our beyotch. You will need:
Bosu balance trainer (tho if you don't have one, the burpees and squats can be done without it)
Dumbbells
You'll do three rounds of all three circuits, each of which has 3 exercises. By the time you get through all 3 circuits, you'll have worked yourself from head to toe. Take that, Monday! #BOOM
When teaching fitness is your job, and one that has you leading group classes a dozen or so times a week, it feels kind of like going on a "fit-cation" when life pulls you away from the regular schedule for a chance to work out solo.
This is where I find myself for a whole week, working from Miami for client events affiliated with my PR "day job." I miss my bootcamp students, clients and group fitness classes in Tallahassee something fierce - but admittedly, it's kind of nice to "break out" and work out for myself, by myself, and with no one BUT myself. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, at whatever intensity I want.
I use these schedule breaks to push my body out of its comfort zone, to test out new routines for clients, and to just enjoy being fit.
The gym where I'm staying is simple - a few treadmills, a few ellipticals, an indoor bike, free weights, a decent set of machines. It's not a two-story fitness center mecca or even the kind of on-site gym you'd find at a resort hotel. But with a little creativity, even the most basic setup can be challenging.
Today's workout is a quickie that can be finished in 30 minutes or less. It mixes 3 cardio bursts on the treadmill with 3 sets of 3 different exercises. Because, as we know, great things come in 3's! It is perfect for a workout in the hotel gym or just to mix up your hometown gym routine.
So next time you find yourself facing the treadmill and thinking, boring, think again! I put myself through this one and it WILL break you out of any tedium ;)
Coming up: Can a cookie that tastes SOOO good really be good FOR me?! A review of The Protein Bakery's goods...And a Decades Playlist to go with a simple cycling profile that will simply kick your mother-lovin' #Badass to the curb! In a good way!
Simple doesn't mean easy. Just ask my students. Some of the toughest bootcamps and cycling classes we do are a simple format of repeating challenges. Example: Tabata drills, ShockWave.
Today's cycling profile is simple but kicks major Badass: Rolling hills, rolling hills, and more hills. Steep ones, moderate ones, fast ones, short ones, long ones. I promise you will feel this in your legs, your lungs, and your glutes. Endorphins will pump, and you'll emerge feeling so powerful, you'll think you can climb the Pyrenees like those Tour de France badasses.
Try for yourself, and enjoy the playlist!
Badasses, Let's Roll! Ride
Somebody That I Used to Know (Tiësto Remix, feat. Kimbra), Gotye, 4:33: Warmup, easy for the first 2 minutes and gradually adding resistance until the "road" ends at a slight incline in minute 4
Beethoven Vs. Vivaldi (Remix), UltraMax, 5:35: Alternate 30 seconds of moderate resistance and pace, with 30 seconds at that "hard" level by adding a turn and maintaining pace. Repeat pattern for the song.
Roadhouse Blues (Crystal Method Remix), The Doors vs. The Crystal Method, 4:57: Alternate 30 seconds at moderate resistance and pace, with 1 minute at "hard" for the entire song.
My Body, Young the Giant, 4:04: OK, now it gets real. Keep the resistance and pace challenging at the "hard" level, and use the three rounds of chorus to add resistance and power out of the saddle with speed. Get to breathless each time.
4 Minutes (The Dance Remix), In.Deep Dance Remix Tribute: Madonna vs Michael Jackson, 5:01: Take 2 minutes to recover at flat and easy, then start to add back a little resistance until you are at moderate resistance and ready to tackle the longest, steepest climb yet.
Plastic Drums vs Bring Back The Drums, Eddie Cumana, Kobbe & Hugo Rizzo, 9:15: Here it is, the big nasty one. Alternate 4 times between "moderate" effort for 30 seconds and "hard" for 30 seconds. Then, for the second half of the ride, alternate between 6 rounds of 20 seconds at "hard" and 20 seconds at breathless/anaerobic by adding resistance and speed, coming in and out of the saddle to maintain momentum.
We Found Love (Cahill Club Remix), Rihanna, 6:30: Back the resistance off to moderate for 1 minute of active recovery. Then alternate between rolling hills of 1 minute at moderate and 1 minute at hard.
Titanium, David Guetta & Sia, 4:05: The last push. Prove your legs are made of titanium! Alternate between "hard" with resistance and strong pace, adding resistance and powering out of the saddle on the choruses to get to anaerobic.
Allegretto, Bond, 3:53: Yes! The speedy push to the finish! Back the resistance off to easy-moderate, lock in a pace of 70-80 percent of your max ("hard" level) and push through to the finish line. This is all about speed and endurance for the win.
No Diggity, Blackstreet & Dr. Dre, 5:05: Cool down! Chill out! Stretch!
Coming up: Hydration Matters...and the Trigger Point "foam roller on steroids" meets ice for an amazing muscle recovery tool!
What's worse than boredom? Sweaty boredom! If you've ever been there - the class where the instructor is using the SAME playlist as every other week, for the SAME exercises and SAME number of reps - you know this can feel a little like a military camp. We just keep checking the clock, hoping the misery will end soon. Shoot me now, shoot me now, shoot me now....
But workouts don't have to be, nor should they be, dull. In fact, when it gets even the slightest bit comfortable, it is time to switch things up. Yet we don't necessarily have to reinvent the wheel. We can just change the reps, the order of the moves, the method of doing the moves, etc. to make it feel like an entirely new routine.
By taking the same 5 exercises and smashing them up in different ways, we can go weeks and weeks without ever getting bored. The sweat will pour off in buckets, but we will be exhilarated as opposed to snoozing through it!
Here's the skinny:
The 5 Moves
1. Burpees
2. Leap Frogs: Leap forward like a frog, landing on your heels softly as you lower into a squat and then leap forward again.
3. Waist Cinchers
4. Tricep Dips
5. Walking Pushups
The 5 Options
1. Traditional Timed: Do each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds, in order, without stopping (or with very brief rest). Cycle through two to three more times, depending on schedule and fitness level.
2. Race the Clock: Do 10 reps of each exercise, without stopping, in this order: Burpees, Walking Pushups, Leap Frogs, Waist Cinchers, Tricep Dips. Go through as many cycles as you can in 15 minutes.
3. Pyramid Reps: Do the exercises in reps of 50, 25, 15, 25, 50 corresponding to this order: Leap Frogs, Tricep Dips, Burpees, Walking Pushups, Waist Cinchers. Cycle through two to three times.
4. Race Yourself Reps: Do 15 reps of each exercise in this order as quickly as you can, timing yourself: Leap Frogs, Tricep Dips, Burpees, Walking Pushups, Waist Cinchers. Next time, try to beat your own PR!
5. Shuffle the Deck: Create two sets of cards. One set has each of the 5 exercises on them. The other has the following numbers, indicating reps: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. Pick from each of the decks to determine what your workout will be - and pray to the Burpee Gods that you don't get the 50 Burpees combo! It can be done, but it will not tickle ;)
Coming up: Hydration Matters...A cycling profile with playlist to roll through!..and I try Energy Bits for extra mojo!
It's never too early for a hip hop party, especially one that starts with Notorious BIG and ends with Eminem!
And my kinda party happens in the cycling room at the gym, bright and early to kick off the day strong. I put together this "Hip Hop Hooray Birthday" playlist as a fun way to celebrate the Big 3-5 Birthday Week. It was challenging but fun, with three climbs and speed work in between. Students loved it and asked me to share. So here it is:
Hypnotize, The Notorious B.I.G., 3:50: Warm up and get ready for the fun. Easy with a light, quick pace for 2 minutes, then gradually add resistance to finish the song at moderate intensity
Move, Shake, Drop (Workout Mix) Dynamix Music Top Trax Workout, Vol. 4, 4:22: Speed drills, alternating between moderate and hard intensity. Keep resistance and pace moderate, about a 5 or 6 of 10, and on the "move, shake, drop" chorus pick it up into a sprint.
So What'cha Want, Beastie Boys, 3:37: The steep climb begins! Add resistance to get to that "hard" intensity, and on the chorus add a half turn while pickup up the pace and powering out of the saddle.
Wobble, V.I.C., 5:24: Start at hard level and add a bump of resistance every 30 seconds, finishing the last 2 minutes out of the saddle in position 3.
It Takes Two, Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, 5:00: Speed downhill! Back off some of the resistance until you're at easy-moderate. Recover for one minute. For the last 4 minutes, add a little resistance to get to moderate effort. Sprint for 30 seconds to get to breathless, back off for 30 seconds of recovery, and repeat for 4 loops.
Walk This Way, Run-DMC, 5:10: Back uphill for climb #2! This one is steeper than the last. Find resistance and strong pace to get to that hard level. On the chorus, pick up the pace to get to breathless.
The Wonton Song (Reconstruction Remix), Sen Dog, 3:58: Start at hard again with a steep incline, but enough room to get even higher at the end of the 4 minutes. Every 30 seconds, add resistance, trying to maintain the same pace (which means you've got to push harder!)
Tko (Mama Said Knock You Out) [Remastered Original Mix], The Octopus, LJ MTX & Ciconte Tko, 5:11: More speedwork before the final climb. Recover at an easy flat for one minute. Add a light amount of resistance and, for 2 minutes, do 15-second sprints alternating with 15 seconds of recovery. For the last 2 minutes, add a little more resistance to get to moderate and do 30 seconds of speed alternating with 30 seconds of recovery.
Run This Town / Posthumus Zone (Medley), Jay-Z, Rihanna & E.S., 2:54: Big final push! Start at moderate resistance and pace, and every minute add a big turn, coming out of the saddle for the final minute and ending at "hard" effort/intensity.
'Till I Collapse, Eminem, 4:58: This is it! One more song, one more chance to get stronger. Your goal: Get higher and add more resistance than you think you can. Even if it's just a quarter turn! Starting where you left off the previous song, add resistance every minute, coming out of the saddle for the last 2 minutes. Maintain your pace, get breathless, and get to the finish line first.
In da Club, 50 Cent, 3:13: Victory lap! Back off the resistance and cool it down, letting the heart rate come down gradually.
Hello Good Morning (feat. T.I.), Diddy, 4:32: Come off the bike and stretch!
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