Burpees Are Not For Babies

Here's a great conditioning exercise that you can perform anywhere, no equipment needed:

The Burpee

What is it? Begin in a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you. Kick your feet back in one movement so that you end up in a pushup position. As quickly as you can, return your feet to squat position and jump up and land back down gently. Do over.

This exercise is great for flexibility, overall conditioning, and getting your heart rate up. You'll strengthen your upper body and lower.

Do as many as you can and make it part of your routine.

Anatomy Side View

I was looking for an anatomy diagram and came across this one, which is a side view and a different perspective than what is usual shown.

Image here

Discovered on nomanclaturo.com

Green Juice

Here's a green juice recipe to try:

• Handful of spinach
• Handful of parsley
• Bunch of watercress leaves
• Handful of arugula
• 3 kale leaves
• 3 celery stalks
• 1/2 cucumber (peeled)
• 2 pears or apples (seeds removed)
• thick slice of lemon

Juice all ingredients. Add ice if you would like to cool it down. Drink immediately.

Do the Dip

Triceps are the muscles I work least. I say that in terms of focus. I'd much rather work shoulders or biceps or chest. While I do work my triceps while rowing and doing other exercises, I'm lax at targeting them.

One of the best exercises for triceps is dips. I use a bench and try to do three sets of 12, keeping my body close the bench and arms in. I stretch my legs all the way out, and if I get in the groove for a while I may even use the stability ball.

This is a great exercise. And it's funny how little I target triceps because they are a good part of my upper arm. To 'see' a difference requires tricep exercises.

Do the dip.

Current Favorite Workouts

My fitness rotation lately looks like the following. I am seeing results and really enjoying it.

1. Row 5K meters
2. HIIT step routine on the 12 inch box
3. Row 10K meters
4. Walk one hour
5. Row 5K and walk 30 minutes

Or some variation of these. Having fun.

Hemp

News flash: Hemp is it!

I recently purchased hemp protein because I learned that it contains the essential amino acids and contains a high ratio of the omegas.

The protein I have started to use is by Living Harvest. I purchased it on Amazon and have begun to drink one 'shake' of it per day. I mix it with water only. My guess is that others mix it with juice and perhaps add fruit and other items. I drink mine straight up.

Additionally, I have been converting recipes to vegan options and needed a milk substitute. Living Harvest also offers hemp milk. I found it at my local grocery, and am going to venture into it for a bechamel sauce.

I think I'm slow to this hemp revolution, but I am so glad to have discovered it. Years ago, I went the soy route, and frankly it didn't work for me. So as time has passed, the options have multiplied -- almond milk, rice milk, oat milk, and so on. It's great to see so many options for so many tastes.

So if you are looking for an alternative or just want to give it a try, I recommend hemp.

Nike Training Club

This morning, I learned of a new app from a friend -- Nike Training Club. Very cool. Learn about it here. I love that it allows you to select goals that are titled 'get lean' - 'get toned' - 'get strong' - 'get focused' - and so on. It's for use on the iPhone - haven't looked into other devices - and it links into your music. Very cool.

If you Google it, you'll also find You Tube videos, clubs around the nation, and so on.

Very, very cool.

Healthy Dip

Here's a healthy and tasty dip from my latest Women's Health issue:

In a food processor, combine:
  2 cups chopped roasted beets
  4 garlic cloves, roasted and mashed
  3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  1/3 cup toasted walnuts

I used less garlic to suit my taste. Served it warm with chilled vegetable slices -- cucumber, green onion, carrots, celery, radishes -- and some crackers.

Time and Meters

I've been rowing again lately.

Sometimes my goal is time -- 30 minutes or one hour. Sometimes my goal is meters -- 5,000 or 10,000.

It's funny how targeting 5,000 meters is different than aiming for 30 minutes. They usually yield only slightly different results, but the pace, the focus, the exertion seem different. It's a nice way to change it up and surprise my body into something that isn't routine. And, it provides a new challenge. The other day, rowing toward a 10K meter target, I caught myself thinking of only having to make it to the target. Wrong. I realized I was going to beat that target in one hour and so I continued and pushed myself. Shaved time off of my average. It felt great.

So time or meters? Or time and meters? I've got my eyes on both.

Beat It

I beat my rowing target today.
One hour = 10,056 meters.
Torched over 550 calories.

Gently, I go down the stream.

Popeye

Today's tip: eat more spinach.

Benefits of Rowing

Yesterday I rowed. Over 5,000 meters. It was a great workout, and my legs were a bit shaky afterwards.

There are numerous benefits to rowing.

First, rowing uses a variety of muscles and thus is a total body workout -- upper, lower, core. Concept2 has a great visual here that shows the muscles used during each phase of the rowing movement. It torches lots of calories since so many are being used.

Second, rowing requires a wide range of motion. So your joints are used, and your muscles are pushing and pulling.

Third, rowing is cardio and muscle toning / building in one. Therefore, it is a good overall workout when you have limited time.

I'm trying to get back into the habit of rowing three times per week. I'll keep you posted.

P90X Video of Arm Exercises

This YouTube video demonstrates the moves for the shoulder and arm workout. I've learned some interesting new moves from this. Now out to the gym to do 'em again.

Step - Lift - Walk

I did it today: burned 709 calories. How?

I did my HIIT step routine with the 12 inch box. Stepped up for one minute. Restws for 30 seconds. Total time was 30 minutes. I burned 335 calories. It was the equivalent of walking about 3.19 miles.

Then.

I moved to weights and performed sets of multi-muscle exercises. In between, I stepped up onto the 18 inch box. It will hurt tomorrow. I also tossed in a few abs for a total of 225 calories. Again, 30 minutes.

Then.

I walked. That's right. I hopped on the treadmill and cruised approximately 1.78 miles. I burned 149 calories in 30 minutes. It was a way to stretch my legs, get oxygen pumping to all of those 'gettin' tired' muscles, and let my brain go.

Lots of sweat. It went by rather quickly and didn't feel as if it lasted one and half hours.

Great workout.