Badass Fitness

Alert, Alert: Tough Mudder Disturbance Up Ahead!

When obstacle course races have "Mud" and "Tough" in the title, or "Disturbance," it's a sure indicator that this ain't no easy stroll in the park. The race will be challenging, messy, and balls-to-the-wall. Period. It will push our definition of "Badass," and in doing so will remind us just how high and far our strength and spirit really can take us.

A few bootcamp students are racing the Tough Mudder (a course based on British military training) in Tampa next month, and the following weekend I and several students and training clients are coming together in true Badass Army style to push through the Urban Disturbance race here in Tallahassee. Both events feature  running plus "are you friggin' kidding me?!" obstacles like crawling under electrocuted fences, hoisting oneself up over a schoolbus, and jumping over a pit of hot coals.

Yeah....as I typed that last sentence, my stomach sunk a little and I questioned my sanity. But I digress...

Whatever. This will be pure craziness, but we will get through as the Badass Fitness Team! The Tough Mudder group will do the same with their team members. It will be down and dirty, and knowing my students, full of  equal parts laughter and groaning eye rolls - capped off with exhilaration at the finish line.

But first, we've got to train for it. So  here are two workouts, one from the folks behind Tough Mudder. It takes about 30 minutes to get through this one once, and ultimately you want to blow through it twice. Then you know you're ready for race day.

The second workout, below, I created based in part on the Tough Mudder workout plus a few handy tricks that are effective. Try these even if you aren't planning one of the obstacle course events - both workouts are a great mix-it-up routine that will wake your muscles up while testing your agility and endurance.

And no matter what, be able to laugh at yourself. The most important survival tool is to have fun ;)

Urban Disturbance Training, Badass Army Style

1. Squat-into-leg thrusts: Lower into a squat and then, hands in front of you on the floor, thrusting the legs back until you land in a plank position. Hop them back up and come up into the squat. Repeat this pattern for 60 seconds.

2. Burpees: Pace yourself on these. The burpee is basically the squat-leg thrust, with a plyometric jump added to the end. So as you come from the plank back up into the squat, bring arms overhead as you jump up and land softly on your heels. Repeat for 60 seconds. Yes, your heart rate will be high. Breeeaaathe.

3. Crab walk-pushups: Get into the crab position, chest up and hands and legs on the floor. Crab walk backwards 5 steps, keeping the hips lifted as much as possible. Flip over, do 15 pushups, and crab walk forward (ending where you began) 5 steps. Repeat two more times.

4. Ankle lunge with shoulder press: Holding dumbbells in each hand, lunge to the right, reaching for the ankle. Come to the center, do a shoulder press, and lunge left, reaching for the ankle. Repeat the pattern for 60 seconds. The key: Reach all the way to the floor, and press high and strong.

5. 10 Tuck Jumps, followed by 25 pushups: Make sure your knees come up high, and use the arms for height. Land as softly as you can coming down. Alternative for less impact on the knees: 25 regular squats, followed by the pushups.

6. Sumo Squats with Side Biceps Curls: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, turn the arms out to the side, and get into the sumo squat position - feet wide apart and turned out at 45 degrees. Slowly lower down into the squat, and as you go down, curl the dumbbells up, keeping arms out to the side. Lower the dumbbells as you come up out of the squat, squeezing the glutes and inner thighs. Go for 60 seconds.

7. Mountain climbers: For 60 seconds

8. Tricep (triangle, close-grip) pushups: For 60 seconds. Yeah, ouch.

9. Lunges with Shoulder Presses: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, turn the arms out to the side, and curl and squeeze the bicep as you lunge on the right side. Go for 30 seconds. Switch to a left lunge and repeat for 30 seconds.

10. 25 incline pushups, 25 decline pushups

 

 

11. Deadlifts: 60 seconds, holding heavy dumbbells or weighted bar.

12. Plank: Hold for 60 seconds. Then....plop into a heap on the floor! You did it! HOO-AH:)

Coming up: A few holiday appetizer recipes you can indulge in and still save calories...

Road Trip Tabata: 16 minutes strong!

Travel can quickly put a kink in the armor of even the most regimented fitness devotees. But when your Badass Journey is truly a lifestyle journey, it means finding a way to fit in fitness - even under less than ideal circumstances. Even when it is easier to just skip that workout.

So many of us lead busy lives that conspire to keep us inactive, fast food-eating not-so-Badasses. But we are also determined and strong. So even when life sends us packing, we pack our sneakers and gym clothes. Can I get an Amen!?

Today I have to travel for work, and will wake up tomorrow morning two-plus hours from my familiar fitness surroundings. The solution: A hotel room workout that requires just me, a desk chair and 16 intense minutes.

Yes, it is Road Trip Tabata! Many of you have done Tabata, so you know this high-intensity interval training does not tickle. But you also know it is effective. So here is a very simple but challenging one for the road - a portable, quick workout that fits into your packed schedules.

And if you are pushing through this before the sun comes up tomorrow morning, know that I will be right there with ya!

ROAD TRIP TABATA

Warmup

30 seconds each of the following:

• Jumping jacks
• Running in place, high knees
• Squat jacks ( a jumping jack that slows down and ends in a sumo squat position)
• Mountain climbers
• Repeat all 4

Tabata 1 (Cardio)

• Jump squats for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat three times for a total of four rounds.
• Right leg jump lunges for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat the right leg for a second round.
• Left leg jump lunges for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat the leg for a second round.

Tabata 2 (Strength)

• Regular pushups for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat seven times for a total of eight rounds. (Note: With each round, it is likely your arms will fatigue and you will fit in fewer reps. No worries, so it goes with Tabata! Do what you can.)

Tabata 3 (Cardio)

• Burpees for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat three times for a total of four rounds.
• Basketball hoops for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. (Squat low like you're poised to shoot from the free throw line, and then jump up as you lift your arms up to make the basket). Repeat three times for a total of four rounds.

Tabata 4 (Strength)

• Tricep chair dips (or use a bench) for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat seven times for a total of eight rounds.


Coming up: Badass Eats - recipes from fellow recruits that prove green doesn't have to be boring

 

Lunge-A-Rama, Squat-a-rific, and so on...

Walk into any gym, and you can find an array of fancy machines to work your Badass from top to bottom.

Weight training with the big heavy equipment has its place, and there are few things that "hurt so good" more than lunges and squats on a Smith machine or seated leg presses with several heavy plates. But to strengthen and sculpt your lower half, lunges and squats using your own body weight works wonders - and is completely portable.

As we head into another awesome fall football weekend, try this legs and glutes routine. Perhaps a little post-tailgating food and 'adult beverage' hangover will be enough motivation to push yourself through this one Sunday afternoon!

Warm Up: 3 minutes

• Jacks (30 secs)
• Mt Climbers (30 secs)
• Skaters (30 secs)
• Jacks (30 secs)
• High Knees  (30 secs) 
• Mt. Climbers  (30 secs)

Circuit One

• Lunges: 25 forward, 25 back the way you came
• Squats: 25, hold low for 20 seconds, 25 more
• Wall Sit (with or without resistance ball): One minute
• Jump Squats: 30 seconds
• Lunges: 25 forward, 25 back the way you came
• Squats: 25, hold low for 20 seconds, 25 more

Cardio Burst: 10 Burpees, 30 seconds of mountain climbers, 30 seconds of high knees

 Circuit Two

• Traveling Side Squats (pictured at right): 25 to the right, 25 back to the left
• Curtsy Lunges, 25 forward and 25 back the way you came
• Wall Sit: One minute
• Step-Ups on a Bench/Step: 20 on each leg
• Dropsies on a Bench/Step (pictured below left): 20 on each leg

Cardio Burst: 10 Burpees, 30 seconds of mountain climbers, 30 seconds of high knees

Circuit Three: Repeat either Circuit One or Circuit Three - Pick your 'poison' ;)

Coming up:

Badass Challenge: 5-25-50-100

Math isn't my strong suit, but this much I know: When it comes to your fitness and strength, it's the little things that add up to big results. And when we break exercise into smaller chunks, it goes down more like fine wine than sour vinegar.

20 crunches seem more manageable than 50 or 100, and the same goes for 5 pushups vs. 25 or 25 squats vs. 100. I have a client who admittedly "hates exercise," but she pushes through anyway because she likes the smaller waist and other results she sees when we train.

Knowing she loves to count down the last few reps of every session, this week I gave her a challenge aimed at getting her to "sneak in" strength moves throughout her busy day.

I'm sharing it here because it is another example of how exercise CAN fit into our busy schedules. Moreover, it is something you can work up to. So what if we can't do the full challenge the first time? Work up to the maximum reps, knowing that every time we put effort forth, we are making ourselves stronger - inside and out.

To improve, we must push -one rep at a time!

Remember, you can split this up throughout the day - whether it's a desk break, in between loads of laundry, or while you wait for the pasta to boil! Even if done all at once, this will take 20 minutes or less. So get after it!

Badass 5-25-50-100 Challenge

• 5 wall sits: One minute each
• 25 pushups: On your knees or off knees
• 50 crunches
• 100 squats

Coming next week: A desk chair that works your core all day, and maneuvering the java landscape without wrecking your calorie balance.

Monday Move: One-Legged Hip Thrust

Two days after Badass Boot Camp, my glutes and hamstrings are feeling the "after-burn." A few students told me they're feeling it, too.

The lunges, suicides and Tabata drills no doubt played a role. But I give most credit/blame to one particular move, which is this week's Monday Move: The One-Legged Hip Thrust.

Like so many of my faves, this one requires little to no equipment and is portable - you can drop to the floor just about anywhere and bust out a few sets. The One-Legged Hip Thrust got a shout-out in a men's fitness magazine recently, so it's also a move that is definitely NOT just for the ladies.

The One-Legged Hip Thrust will strengthen the glutes and the hamstrings, as well as the lower back/core - all muscles that need to be in tip-top shape for tip-top performance in running, cycling, triathlons, etc. The bonus is that this, in conjunction with a steady regimen of cardio/strength training and clean eating, will also make your Badasses look tighter in those jeans.

So try a few and let me know what you think!

The Move: One-Legged Hip Thrust

The Technique: You can do these flat on the floor, or using a bench, step or flat-side-down Bosu Trainer for elevation. To work the right side, dig the heel into the floor or elevated surface. Lift your hips slightly as you bring the left leg straight up, heel facing the ceiling. Now thrust the hip up, squeezing the glutes as you push the left heel toward the ceiling. Come back to the starting position. That's one rep. Do 15-20 reps on each side, going slowly and with control. The squeeze at the top is  where the work happens.

Incorporating It: This is a great exercise to include in any hamstrings-and-glutes session. Mix it in with deadlifts, step-ups on a bench; dropsies, and side glute lifts (with or without resistance bands).

 

Coming up: A high-energy strength and cardio workout; how to get through a football tailgate without wrecking your Badass Journey; and how 4 weeks of tiny changes can lead to big leaps in your fitness and health....

Hump Day Fitness: Work those Humps with a Badass Booty Mix!

Attention must be paid...to The Booty.

Left to its own devices and genetics, the backside is prone to sagging, inflating, drooping, or flattening into a pancake. Left alone, the gluteus maximus region can easily just become ...more "bad" than Badass. This is not what we ladies and gentlemen want. (Yes, guys, it's true: we'd rather you NOT have a pancake butt! :) )

Instead of giving in to gravity or other forces, we work to defy them - and not necessarily harder, but smarter.

Some exercises and cardio strategies are more effective than others in shaping the backside, or "keeping a lid on the junk in the trunk," as the fellow fitness bloggers of Fit Bottomed Girls say.

Today's routine, set to a slightly tweaked 'Booty Mix'  shared last week by the FBG crew, focuses on strength moves for your lower half as well as plyometric drills that will get your cardio on while putting those glutes to work.

You can do this in about 20 minutes if you go through it once with minimal rest in between sets, and you can of course double up if you're feeling especially Badass!

Here's to a Bootylicious Hump Day!

Hump-Day Booty Drill

Warm-up: 

• 20 jacks
• 20 squat jacks
• Side squat lateral shuffles, 30 seconds back and forth

Cardio Blast:

• Squat jumps, 30 seconds
• Right leg lunge jumps, 30 seconds
• Left leg lunge jumps, 30 seconds

Circuit 1

• Walking lunges: Weights-free or holding 8- to 15-lb dumbbells, 25 forward and 25 back to where you started
• Squats: Weights-free or holding 8- to 15-lb dumbbells, 25 squats then hold low for 20 seconds before doing 25 more. (Yes, this will burn!)
• Wall sit: 1 minute

Cardio Blast:

• Squat jumps, 30 seconds
• Burpees, 30 seconds
• Leg thrusts, 30 seconds

Circuit 2

• Sumo Squats: Weights-free or holding 8- to 15-lb dumbbells, place the feet wide apart, and turned out about 45 degrees. When you come down, the legs should be at a 90-degree angle (no knees tracking beyond the toes). Do 25 sumo squats, moving straight up and down and squeezing the glutes and inner thighs. Hold low for 20 seconds before doing 25 more.
• Step-ups: Plant the right foot on top of the step or bench. Step up, lifting the left knee as you come up (this lift is key - it squeezes and works the right glute). Lower down, tapping the left foot. That's one rep. Try 15 to 20 reps, then switch to do the same thing on the left side.
• One-legged hip thrusts: Lay back down on a mat/floor. Plant the right heel into the floor and lift the left leg, flexing the foot so that it is flat like you're about to walk the ceiling. Keeping the right heel pressed into the floor, lift and squeeze the glutes, pushing the left foot up toward the ceiling. Do 25 reps on this side; switch legs and do 25 more
• Wall sit: 1 minute

Cardio Blast:

• Burpees, 30 seconds
• Right leg lunge jumps, 30 seconds
• Left leg lunge jumps, 30 seconds

 STRETCH! (Or, repeat and stretch!)

Badass Booty Mix: End-of-Summer Edition

• Backseat (feat. The Cataracs & Dev)-- 3:44 New Boyz Too Cool to Care (Deluxe Version) 
• Rock That Body -- 4:29 Black Eyed Peas 
• Boom Boom Pow -- 4:12 Black Eyed Peas  
• Ms. New Booty (Edited Radio Shorter Version) -- 4:12 Bubba Sparxxx & Ying Yang Twins
• Rump Shaker -- 3:57 Wreckx-N-Effect 
• Ragtime Interlude/I'm Really Hot -- 3:31 Missy Elliott 
• Booty Bounce -- 3:14 Dev 
• Run the World (Girls) [Single Version] -- 3:56 Beyoncé 
• My Humps -- 5:27 The Black Eyed Peas Monkey Business 
• Back That Thang Up -- 4:34 Juvenile with Lil Wayne & Mannie Fresh 
• Shake Ya Tailfeather -- 4:55 Murphy Lee, Nelly & P. Diddy 
• Bossy (The Scumfrog Vocal Mix) -- 7:39 Kelis 
• Baby Got Back -- 4:23 Sir Mix A Lot 
• (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty -- 3:07 KC & The Sunshine Band 

Coming up: We check in with #360to30 Chris after his knee surgery - and take a few measurements!

Monday Move: Bosu Pushup-Squat Shoulder Press

In keeping with last week's theme of "Fitness for the Time-Pressed Badass Army," this week's Monday Move will work shoulders, core and lower body all at once. It will even get that heart rate going if you move through it with a bit of controlled speed.

This exercise was part of a Badass-kicking interval training Bosu class I took last month at the SCW Atlanta fitness conference. As with so many exercises, on paper it seems like a piece of cake: Four Bosu pushups, followed by four squatting shoulder presses using the Bosu. 

The first couple of rounds, you're thinking, I've got this. It's when you multiply that four-plus-four drill times 8-10 rounds that the REAL challenge sets in. The results, though, are worth the burn. This Monday Move doesn't take much time, yet works multiple muscle groups. It is exactly the type of exercise we need when trying to make the most of limited workout time.

Note: I used a Bosu trainer for this, but you could use dumbbells as well if you prefer or if you don't have a Bosu.

OK, let's get to it! Start out doing 6 rounds, and work your way up to 10-12 over time. Push through it! You're stronger than you think you are, Badasses!

The Move: Bosu Pushup-Squat Shoulder Press

The Technique:

1. Start with the Bosu turned upside down - rounded dome on the floor. Get into a plank position over the Bosu, hands gripping the outer edges. From here, with knees off the floor (or knees on the floor if you're just starting out), do four strong pushups, letting yourself go down low.

 

2. From the pushup plank position, jump the feet up so that they land at the side of the Bosu, your legs in a low squat position.

 

 

3. Now, lift the Bosu off the floor and start to bring it up in front of your chest as you move into an overhead press.

 

 

4. Bring the Bosu up overhead and press with power from that squat position. That is one round. To begin round 2, just drop the Bosu back to the floor and drop back into that plank pushup position. Repeat steps 1 through 4 between five and 11 more rounds.

 

Incorporating it: You could do this as part of strength Tabata circuit, or as part of a shoulder and chest workout that includes moves like chest fly's, chest presses, descending pushups, stagger pushups, straight-arm shoulder raises to the front and side, etc.

Coming up: Three meals, five ingredients, 15 minutes...and You Are Your Fridge!

For a rounder, firmer Badass: A few essential moves

I submit to you, dear Badass Army recruits, that a flat droopy backside ranks equal to a backside that is excessive, "too big," or whatever you want to call it. The fact is, we'd rather not have either. And we'd rather our significant other not have either, right.

In a perfect Badass universe, we'd all have round but firm glutes that fill out our pants just right. Alas, sometimes the universe doesn't cooperate. Or maybe your unhealthy habits turn what could be a Badass into a bad ass. Genetics (yes, maybe you got stuck with Grandma's flat butt), bad habits (those cakes and donuts WILL end up on your Badass) or lack of exercise, all can result in a backside we'd rather trade in.

Well, trade-ins aren't an option. But clean eating and a few essential moves can help round out even the thinnest pancakes of booty. And guys, if you're reading, do not assume glute and backside moves are just for chicks. Chicks notice a dude with a flat butt, and it ain't pretty.

Work these into your lower-body routines and incorporate it into a plan that includes clean eating as well as cycling, rowing (60 percent leg and glute power if your form is correct) and stadium/stair runs. Stick to this, and you should see a difference within several weeks.

Badass Backside Essentials

1. Lunges: These are one of my 'take it to a desert island' exercises. You can, literally, do them anywhere - gym, office, hotel room, beach, outdoor track, airport, whatever.

2. Squats:  Again, you have no excuses. Squats can be done anywhere, and with variations including one-legged squats, 'weighted' while holding dumbbells, on top of a Bosu Trainer with or without weights, Sumo style to work the inner thighs and really hit the glutes. You can easily do an entire 30-minute circuit workout of nothing but various squats. Just ask my training clients, including one who Tweeted last week: "My glutes know @shancola, and they hate her." Yes!

3. Step-ups: These are great for the quads and glutes and you can do them anywhere you find a bench, step, or elevated surface. Plant the right foot on top of the step or bench. Step up, lifting the left knee as you come up (this lift is key - it squeezes and works the right glute). Lower down, tapping the left foot. That's one rep. Try 15 to 20 reps to start, then switch to do the same thing on the left side.

4. Glute squeezes/lifts: For these, you start with both feet facing a wall or bench for balance. Lift the left leg up to about 45 degrees and point the toes back. Starting and ending at that 45-degree angle, lift the left leg higher, squeezing the glute at the top and lowering the leg back down. Try high reps, and wrap a resistance band around both ankles for added resistance. You will feel the burn!

p.s. This is my favorite Nike ad. It celebrates the Badass - and not just tiny ones. Embrace those curves, ladies! And squat and lunge to make them stronger and more powerful.

TRX Tuesday: Legs, Legs, more Legs!

When my students say on Friday that their legs are still recovering from Wednesday's Cardio TRX class, you know it was a doozy.

Lunges, kick lunges, one-legged hip hinges, sumo squats, sumo jump squats, hamstring curls, etc. - and then repeat for good measure. So it went last week.

The TRX can be just as much of a butt-kicker to your lower half as your upper half - proving, yet again, that you don't need a big Smith machine or leg press machine to sculpt tighter, stronger legs and Badass.

Here's the routine from Wednesday. If you don't have a TRX, you can adapt by using dumbbells for some of these. Plan on a fast-paced walk, jog or cycle the day after powering through this one - your tight leg muscles will need the stretch and movement!

Legs Times Infinity TRX

Warmup: 20 jumping jacks, 10 squat jacks, 30 seconds of high knees running in place, 30 seconds of mountain climbers

Circuit 1

• 20 In and Out Squats: Holding the TRX straps tight and standing back in a squat position, squat with feet close together. Come up, step right foot to the side and squat wide. Step back to the narrow-feet position, squat, and come up. Step left foot to the side and squat wide. That's one rep - yes, just one. :)
• 16 one-legged squats on each leg
• 16 Jump Squats
• 20 Sumo Squats: Feet wide apart, angled at 45 degrees out, as you go straight down and up - squeezing the glutes and inner thighs as you come up slowly.
• 16 Sumo Jump Squats: Same as the Sumo position, but quickly jump up and down, landing softly on the feet
• 16 TRX Lunges (or reverse lunges with one foot on a bench) and Pushups on each leg: Put one foot in the TRX strap and turn away from the strap, lunging down with the foot suspended. After 16 reps, come down to the floor and do 16 wide-grip pushups.
 

Cardio Burst: 10 Burpees, 20 Jacks, 10 Squat Jacks

Circuit 2

• Lunge Drill: 20 lunges with the right foot forward, 20 second hold at the bottom, followed by 16 lunge-kicks. Repeat on the left side.
• 20 Hip Hinge/Heel Lifts: Start with right foot planted on the floor, left leg back and toe pointed and off the floor. Slowly hinge at the hip, chest coming down as your left leg lifts; slowly hinge back down, feeling the hamstrings as you would in a deadlift. Do 20 reps, then hold forward in the hinge position as you bend the left leg to 90 degrees and push the heels up to the ceiling for 16 reps. Repeat on the left leg.
• 20 TRX Hamstring Curls

Cardio Burst: Mountain climbers for 30 seconds, high knees for 30 seconds, 10 burpees

**Repeat both circuits one more time and get in a very good stretch!

Coming up: The Badass CEO's Favorites, Summer Edition...and the 'secret' to hitting your target weight is, simply, math.

 

Monday Move: Weighted Sumo Bosu Squat

Ever since attending Bosu classes at the SCW Fitness Conference in Orlando earlier this month, I've been crushing on the Bosu Trainer. Just ask my group fitness students, who have been getting ample doses of this Badass CEO's "Bosu Playground" with plyometric jump squats, burpees, partner lunge drills, etc.

See, the Bosu Trainer makes every move more challenging. And that's my kind of fitness toy! It looks like a harmless blue half-ball - but the trampoline-like rounded top forces more muscle and core engagement with every strength and cardio move.

This week's Monday Move takes the Sumo Squat and adds the Bosu AND dumbbells for an extra dose of Badass. It will tighten your glutes and thighs, and sneak in a little arm-strengthening along the way.

Use it as part of a lower-body strength session that includes walking lunges, regular squats, jump squats and deadlifts. Embrace the Burn!

The Move: Weighted Sumo Bosu Squat 

The Technique: Holding dumbbells of 5 to 10 lbs, place the feet in a wide stance Sumo Squat position but with the right foot on top of the Bosu and the left leg on the floor. Your feet should be angled out at about a 45-degree angle, and when you come down into that squat position, your legs should end at a 90-degree angle -- no knees tracking over the toes.

To start: With feet in position and holding the dumbbells out front or up higher in a hammer curl position, lower straight down until your legs are at 90 degrees. Now slowly come back up, squeezing the glutes and inner thighs. That's one rep. Do 20 reps. Hold it down low in the squat position for 20 seconds. Now switch to do 20 reps on the other leg with a 20-second hold at the end.

 

Incorporating it: Try this quick lower-body routine, circuit style. Do each of the following, no rest in between moves. Rest one minute at the end of the circuit and repeat 2 to 4 rounds:

• Walking weighted lunges, 5- to 10-lb dumbbells
• Regular squats, on the Bosu, holding dumbbells (pictured, at right)
• Weighted Sumo Bosu Squat
• Jump squats
• Jump lunges
• Deadlifts holding dumbbells


Coming Wednesday: Making more of your time in the grocery store...