Reps for Time

Multiples of Ten Ab Workout

February 13, 2013 by Nicole 6 Comments

Since Lovers’ Day is tomorrow, I figured it was only appropriate to post an ab workout for those pesky love handles. Oftentimes, relationships cause people to gain weight (“love chub,” I believe it’s called), but, then again, being single and spending Valentine’s Day with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s doesn’t do much for the waistline either. So, regardless of if you’re celebrating tomorrow with a significant other or a significant amount of ice cream, getting this ab workout in isn’t going to hurt.

Multiples of Ten Ab Workout Breakdown

You’ll go through the following sequence 3 times. It takes about 20 minutes, depending on your fitness level.

10 Windmills using 15-lb kettle bells(each side): Start in a standing position, legs wide, kettle bell pressed above head in left hand. Your left foot should be pointing forward, your right foot pointing out at an angle. Slowly bend down, keeping legs and arm holding kettle bell straight. Touch the ground by your right foot with your right hand, keeping the kettle bell perpendicular to the ground the whole time. Slowly raise up to starting position.
20 Windshield Wipers: Lay on back, legs perpendicular to the ground and arms outstretched for support. Lower your legs to the right, twisting your hips, until they are just hovering above the ground. Lift back to starting position and over to the left side. Continue back and forth in a windshield-wiper motion.
30-second Side Plank with Knee Tucks (each side): Start in side plank position, right hand on the ground. Crunch your left knee in towards your left elbow, straighten both out, and repeat. Do the same on the other side for 30 seconds.
40 Push-Through Pulses: For these, you’ll be holding a crunch position (shoulders off the ground) and pushing your hands through your legs, making small ab contractions (crunch pulses).
50 Bicycle Crunches: Lay on back, hands behind head. When you crunch up towards your bent left knee, your right leg should be extended out and not touching the ground. Switch sides, crunching over towards the right with your left leg extended. Continue in a fluid, cycling motion.
60-second Elbow Plank: Hold an elbow plank for 60 seconds. Keep body straight; resist the urge to lift that butt in the air.

For the record, yes, I realize that the above graphic says “powers” of ten instead of “multiples” and that 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 are NOT, in fact, powers of ten. I’m having major anxiety about it but I already flattened the image in photoshop and laziness trumps anxiety, so we’re stuck with my mathematical faux pas.

Do you guys have any fun plans for Valentine’s Day tomorrow?

You'll Also Love:

towel workout

28-minute interval workout

40-Minute Pyramid Workout

Filed Under: Abs, Reps for Time, Workouts

500-Rep Kettle Bell Workout

January 16, 2013 by Nicole 34 Comments

I don’t watch a lot of movies, but Mean Girls is one that I could sit through four times in a row without getting the least bit bored. I LOVE IT. So, naturally, slap a Mean Girls quote on a tank top and I will have no choice but to buy it.

In light of my Gretchen Wieners-inspired workout top today, put down the Kalteen Bars, cancel your Taco Bell plans (“I can’t go to taco bell, I am on an all-carb diet. God, Karen, you are so stupid!”), wear some pink (it is Wednesday, after all)…and do this 500-rep kettle bell workout.

500-Rep Kettle Bell Workout Breakdown

This workout will take about 30 minutes to complete depending on your fitness level. It’s a full-body workout, but I especially felt it in my inner-thigh area the next day. You’ll complete the 500 reps as quickly as possible without sacrificing proper form. I’ve noted the weights I used for each exercise, but you should adjust these to fit your own abilities.

Here’s the breakdown:

50 Kettle Bell Swings: Start with kettle bell down between your legs and,using your arms as a pendulum, swing the bell to just above eye level by powering through with your hips and legs while keeping your core tight as you stand up straight. Swing back down and repeat. I used a 25-lb bell.
25 Windmills (right): Start in a standing position, legs wide, kettle bell pressed above head in left hand. Your left foot should be pointing forward, your right foot pointing out at an angle. Slowly bend down, keeping legs and arm holding kettle bell straight. Touch the ground by your right foot with your right hand, keeping the kettle bell perpendicular to the ground the whole time. Slowly raise up to starting position. I used a 15-lb kettle bell for these.
25 Windmills (left)
50 Kettle Bell Swing Punches: This is just like a regular swing except for at the top, bend your elbows wide, bringing the kettle bell in towards your face, and punch it back out. I used 25 lbs.
100 Russian Twists: Sit with legs elevated, leaning slightly backwards, and twist from right to left, bringing kettle bell from one side of your body to the other. I used a 15-lb bell.
50 Goblet Squats: Squat down, legs slightly more than shoulder-width apart, holding a kettle bell. I used 25 lbs. You’ll hold the bell at chest height and resist the urge to hunch over under its weight—engage your back muscles!
50 Alternating Cleans: Start with a kettle bell in each hand. With feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, bend knees and bring one kettle bell from a straight-arm hanging position to closely held by the center of your chest with arm bent. From there, reverse the movement to bring arm back to starting position while simultaneously cleaning upward with the opposite arm. Try to keep the kettle bell towards the center of your body throughout this move. When done correctly, this isn’t just an upper-body workout, but great for your core. It should be a fluid movement, and you’ll need to engage your legs, bending them as you clean. If you don’t need the help of your legs, then you’re not using heavy enough kettle bells. I use 15-lb bells.
25 One-Arm Swings (right): Hold kettle bell in right hand with legs a little more than shoulder-width apart. Start with kettle bell down between your legs and, using your arms as a pendulum, swing the bell to eye level by powering through with your hips and legs while keeping your core tight as you stand up straight. Swing back down and repeat. At the bottom of your swing, your thumb should be pointing back through your legs. I use a 20-lb bell.
25 One-Arm Swings (left)
25 Around-the-Worlds (to the right): Start standing with legs shoulder-width apart, holding a kettle bell in one hand (I used 25 lbs). Keeping your body centered and still, circle the kettle bell around your hips in an orbital fashion, passing it from one hand to the next. Engage your core so that your arms are the only thing moving; everything else should stay centered.
25 Around-the-Worlds (to the left)
50 Alternating Lunge and Press: Hold a kettle bell in each hand (I use 10-lb bells) and start in the clean position (arms bent close to chest with kettle bells at shoulder height—see “alternating cleans” picture for an example). Step forward with your right foot into a lunge position and simultaneously press the kettle bells straight up overhead. Return to starting position, keeping back foot firmly planted and slowly lowering weights. Repeat, stepping forward with the left foot now.

Now you go (do this workout), Glenn Coco!

{tank top: Skreened}

You'll Also Love:

Medicine Ball Interval Workout

dexter workout

February Online Workout Roundup

Filed Under: Kettlebell, Reps for Time, Workouts

20-20-20 Kettle Bell Workout

December 14, 2012 by Nicole 3 Comments

Sorry my blog posts have been few and far between lately. I completely blame Revenge and my stupid female chromosomes for forcing me to love it against my will.

I. Can’t. Stop. Watching.

And how can I be expected to write blogs when the Graysons’ lies still haven’t been exposed?! Luckily, there were only three moves to photograph for this workout, and I was able to pull myself away from my Netflix subscription long enough to whip this together.

I wanted to make a quick kettle bell workout that could be done using only one weight. While you may have an array to choose from at the gym, it’s expensive to invest in multiple kettle bells for your home. If you’re only going to purchase one, I would suggest getting the weight you swing. I use a 25-lb weight, although it’s gotten to the point where I need to up that to 30-lbs. That’s all you’ll need for this routine.

20-20-20 Kettle Bell Workout Breakdown

Complete 5 rounds of the following as quickly as you can without sacrificing proper form. Keep track of your time and try to beat it the next time you do this workout. Adding a little competition to the mix (even if it’s against yourself) always helps you push harder. The first time I did this, I finished in 14 minutes 33 seconds. The second time, 13:57. Because I am a boss, and Nicole from last month is a loser.

20 Kettle Bell Swings: Start with kettle bell down between your legs and, using your arms as a pendulum, swing the bell to slightly above eye level by thrusting with your hips while keeping your core tight as you stand up straight. Swing back down and repeat.
20 Goblet Squats: Squat down, legs slightly more than shoulder-width apart, holding the kettle bell to your chest. Make sure your butt is pushing backwards, as if you’re sitting down on an invisible chair. This move, while clearly working the glutes and thighs, is also great for your back—don’t let your torso bend far forward with the weight of the kettle bell.
20 Russian Twists: Sit with legs elevated, leaning slightly backwards, and twist from right to left, bringing kettle bell from one side of your body to the other.

This workout is a quickie, so I like to pair it with cardio. Usually I’ll do this then head out for a run. See if you can beat my time and let me know in the comments!

You'll Also Love:

oblique-burner deck of cards workout

28-minute interval workout

Multiples of Ten Ab Workout

Filed Under: Kettlebell, Reps for Time, Workouts

600-rep medicine ball workout

September 12, 2012 by Nicole 12 Comments

With the craziness of the last two weeks, I’ve barely had time to keep up with my half marathon running schedule, let alone these at-home workouts I love so dearly. Thankfully, things are calming down and I’m getting back into the swing of things, and since my medicine ball interval workout was such a big hit, what better way to celebrate than by bringing back the good ol’ pink med ball?

In this workout, you’ll complete 600 reps as quickly as you can (without sacrificing proper form). But don’t feel obligated to complete one exercise before moving onto the next move. I, for example, had to split up the med ball squat jacks (they’re brutal). I did 50 reps, moved on to another exercise, then came back to finish the full 100.

100 Alternating Medicine Ball Spiderman Lunges: Start in a plank position, balancing on the medicine ball. Bring your left foot up by your left hand in a deep, planked lunged position. Return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
50 Medicine Ball Cross-Body Chop (Left): Start by holding a medicine ball by your left foot, in a sort of side lunge position. Your left foot will remain firmly planted, and your right foot will pivot as you stand up and bring the medicine ball across your body (keeping arms straight) and reach it up to the right. Chop it back down diagonally across your body, bending into starting position.
50 Medicine Ball Cross-Body Chop (Right)
100 Medicine Ball Toe-Touch Crunches: Lay on back with legs straight up in the air (resist the urge to bend your knees as the reps progress). Start holding med ball out behind your head with arms outstretched. Bring med ball straight up and crunch torso up, reaching the ball towards your toes. Return to starting position.
100 Alternating Medicine Ball Squat Jacks: These are essentially jumping jacks in a squatting position. Start with legs a little more than shoulder-width apart in a squat position, holding medicine ball mid-torso. Jump legs together (remaining in a squat position) and reach medicine ball down and to the left of your feet. Jump back into starting position, then alternate, jumping legs together and reaching medicine ball down and to the right of your feet.
200 Toe Tap Soccer Drill: A slight variation on high knees, tap one toe gingerly on top of the medicine ball then jump onto your other foot and do the same. If you find yourself kicking the ball all over the place, just do high knees, making sure your feet are coming up high enough to clear the top of the medicine ball.

Try it out and let me know what you think!

You'll Also Love:

Plank Workout

12-minute ab workout

ab pyramid workout

Filed Under: Reps for Time, Workouts

olympic workout

July 30, 2012 by Nicole 13 Comments

Before I get to this Olympics-inspired workout, I need to talk about the opening ceremony for a second. In a word: weird. First off, small children singing in a choir-like fashion make me incredibly uncomfortable for some reason. Secondly, interpretive dancing in cheesey Abraham Lincoln-esque costumes to symbolize the Industrial Revolution? Um what? They should have let me plan London’s opening ceremony. It would have been one big Spice Girls concert, and every 30 seconds or so the camera would pan over to a shirtless David Beckham. BOOM. People would be like Beijing who?

Anyway, I’ve taken inspiration from some of the summer Olympic events in putting together these exercises. Swimming, wrestling, soccer, roller-skating, track & field, rowing and cycling moves were all used (in some vague form). You’ll be completing this Olympic workout for time, but you can choose to attack it any way you wish. I went through a first round and did as many reps of each exercise as I could. I then went through a second time and finished up what was left. Breaking it up into two rounds allowed me to keep up a quicker pace.

100 Freestyle Planks: Start in a plank position. Sweep your left arm back (like you’re doing a freestyle stroke), and as you do twist into a side plank position. Continue to sweep your arm around over your head and back into your starting plank position. Repeat, alternating to the right side.
50 Sumo (Wrestling) Jump Squats with Alternating Leg Lift: Legs wide apart in a deep squat position (the sumo wrestler stance), do a jump squat, land back in starting position, then lift left leg straight out to the side, keeping right leg bent. Jump squat again and repeat with the right leg.
200 Soccer Drill Toe Taps: A slight variation on high knees, tap one toe gingerly on top of the medicine ball then jump onto other foot and do the same. You don’t need to use a medicine or soccer ball—use any inanimate object. Or, if your kids are misbehaving, a small animate object.
100 Side-to-Side Skater Jump Lunges: Leap to the right, landing on your right leg and fluidly bringing your left leg behind it and touching the ground with your left hand. Repeat in the opposite direction.
50 Long Jump Burpees: This is a burpee with a slight variation. Instead of jumping up, jump forward—and as far forward as you can. So the sequence for one burpee looks like this: Squat down, placing hands on the ground in front of you, carefully jump back into a plank position, jump back up to squatting, then stand up and jump forward as far as you can.
50 Breaststroke Lifts: Lay on your stomach with arms outstretched and legs and chest lifting off the ground. Bend arms, bringing them back towards your sides while lifting chest up even further. Extend arms back out to starting position. (Your feet and chest will remain off the ground the entire time.)
50 Standing Rows (25 with each leg): Step forward with one leg and lean forward, keeping your back straight. Holding weights (in the pictures I have 5lbs in each land but when I actually did the workout, I used 10lbs in each hand), row your arms back, bringing the weights up towards your ribs. Repeat.
100 Seated Bicycles (50 forward, 50 backward): Sit with feet elevated and hands lightly on the ground at your sides for support. Cycle your legs, extending one after the other. Do 50 pedaling forward and 50 pedaling backwards.

The burpees were definitely the most brutal for me. The workout took me about 35 minutes, and it left me feeling like a true Olympian (even though, let’s be real, Ryan Lochte would have finished it in about 7 minutes).

Try this out and let me know how you liked it. And I’m dying to know—what’d you think of the opening ceremony? Please tell me I’m not the only one who thought it was painfully awkward.