Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Target® C9 through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Target® C9 all opinions are my own.

As much as I complain about Boston winters, I really don’t think I could live without all four seasons. Each one brings with it a new routine, new clothing options, new scenery and new activities. I’m teaming up with my friends at Target® to share some of my favorite wintertime activities. I’ve also included an at-home workout for those days you’d rather not deal with that winter weather (aka every day except the first snowfall of the season…)

My Favorite Ways to Stay Active during the Winter

1 | Skiing/Snowboarding

I usually only make it to a mountain one or two times a year, but I always cram in as much skiing or snowboarding as possible. Last year it was a trip to Vail.

2 | Snowmobiling

You might not think sitting on a machine counts as being active, but steering that thing is a serious upper-body workout! My dad has a few snowmobiles up at our Maine house and it’s always fun taking them out for a spin.

3 | Snowshoeing

I had never tried snowshoeing until a couple winters ago around my parents’ Maine house, but it’s a really fun winter version of hiking.

4 | Investing in a gym/studio membership for cardio.

For me, it’s worth it. I used to muscle through outdoor runs all winter long, but now that just seems like torture. The occasional cold-weather run on more mild days is nice, but now when winter hits, I spend the extra money to take my cardio indoors. That used to mean buying a trial gym membership to use the treadmills, but this year it will probably mean a combination of spinning studios, Barry’s Bootcamp and Indorow.

5 | Working out right in the comfort of my warm, cozy apartment.

I live in New England. Winters aren’t pretty. There are days when not only do I not want to workout outside, but I don’t even want to walk outside in order to get to a gym or studio for an indoor workout. Hello, at-home workouts!

And speaking of which…

30-Minute At-Home Workout

Equipment I Used:

• A set of 8-lb weights (adjust to your fitness level)
• A chair (any elevated surface will work)
• Exercise mat

This workout is broken up into 6 parts: you’ll spend 5 minutes on each body part before moving onto the next. Think of it as 6 little AMRAPs. Set a timer (or just watch the clock) for 5 minutes. You’ll go through the given exercises for that body part as many times as possible before those 5 minutes are up. When you finish, grab a drink of water, take a quick break, and then move onto the next body part.

If you’re a beginner, you might just want to stay on each body part for 3-4 minutes. If you’re more advanced, add on some time, staying on each for 6-7 minutes.

ABS | Set a timer for 5 minutes. Complete as many rounds of the following as possible.

• 10 Starfish Crunches: These are the bane of my existence in Barry’s Bootcamp classes. Start lying on your back with arms overhead. Arms and legs should be out wide so that your body is forming an “x” shape on the ground. From here, lift your legs an inch off the ground, engaging your core. The goal is to never let them come to rest, but if you’re a beginner, do so in between reps. From this starting position, crunch up, bringing your right leg straight up into the air as you bring your left arm up and across your body to touch that right foot (get as close as you can—it’s ok if you don’t actually make contact). Slowly lower back to starting and then repeat on the other side: right hand coming up to meet left foot.
• 50 Bicycle Crunches: Start lying on your back, hands behind your head (but not pulling on your head) and legs extended straight out, hovering off the floor a couple inches. From here, bend your left knee in, keeping the right leg extended out straight, and crunch your upper back up off the floor, twisting the right elbow across your body to meet the left knee. Repeat to the other side, fluidly moving from one side to the next, legs alternating in a pedaling motion. Don’t move so quickly through these that you aren’t extending your leg out completely straight with each rep. Each crunch (not each set) = 1.
• 10 Side Plank Lifts with a Knee Crunch (RIGHT): Start in a side plank with your right hand on the floor directly underneath your shoulder. From here, lower your hips towards the floor and then engage that right sidebody to lift the hips back up. Next, crunch your left knee in towards your left elbow while keeping your hips up (don’t let them sag down as you do the crunch—right oblique is still engaged!). That’s one rep.
• 10 Side Plank Lifts with a Knee Crunch (LEFT)

RIGHT LEG | Set a timer for 5 minutes. Complete as many rounds of the following as possible.

• 15 Curtsey Lunges to Calf Raise: Start standing with feet hip-width apart. From here, sink down into your curtsey lunge: right foot stays planted on the ground and as you bend that right knee, reach your left foot behind it as far to the right as you can until the ball of the left foot is planted on the ground as well. From this deep lunge position, you’re going to slowly stand up on the right foot, bringing the left foot back to center and then up, knee towards chest. As you do this, press through the ball of your right foot, lifting the right foot up for your calf raise. Lower the right heel back to the ground, going right into your next lunge.
• 15 Knee Drivers in Low Lunge: Start in a deep lunge: right foot planted on the ground (keep weight in your heel) with knee bent to a 90 degree angle and the ball of your left foot planted on the floor as far back as you can extend that leg. Your goal is to stay this low on your right leg the whole time. Keeping all your bodyweight in the right heel, drive your left knee forward, in towards your chest and then extend the leg back out, ball of foot tapping lightly back into starting position before going right into your next drive. You want to shift as little weight as possible into your left foot while doing this (focus on that isometric hold on the right).
• 15 Step Ups: Start with right foot planted on a stepper, bench or chair. This will be your base leg: keep it planted on the stepper with the majority of your bodyweight in that heel through the duration of the exercise. As you step up, lift your back knee up, driving it into your chest at the top. Lower back down, lightly touching your back foot to the floor before driving powerfully right back up.

LEFT LEG | Set a timer for 5 minutes. Complete as many rounds of the following as possible.

• 15 Curtsey Lunges to Calf Raise
• 15 Lunge Knee Drivers
• 15 Step Ups

CHEST & BACK | Set a timer for 5 minutes. Complete as many rounds of the following as possible.

• 10 Push Ups with Rows: Do a push up (from your knees or feet), hands planted on the ground wider than your shoulders (we’re targeting the chest; not the triceps). Have your weights placed right beside your hands (or hold them the entire time if it’s comfortable), and at the top of each push up, row the right weight up towards your armpit (elbow to the sky) and then the left.
• 10 Superman Lifts: Start lying on your stomach, arms stretched overhead. From here, squeeze the shoulder blades, back and glutes to lift your arms and legs off the ground as high as you can. Pause for a second at the top, and then slowly lower extremities back down to starting position.
• 10 Alternating Superman Planks: Start in a plank position, hands stacked underneath your shoulders. From here, lift your right leg straight up off the ground at the same time you lift your opposite left arm straight up, reaching out in front of you. Use your core to stabilize! Slowly lower hand and foot back to the ground and repeat on the opposite side, lifting your left leg and right arm. Each one (not each set) is equal to 1.
• 10 Laying Chest Flys: Lay on your back with feet on the floor, knees bent. Holding a weight in each hand, extend your arms out wide to the sides. Weights should be hovering off the floor, not resting. This is your starting position. From here, bring your arms up and together, meeting in the middle directly over your chest. Keep a soft bend to the elbows as you do this. Slowly return back down to starting position.

BUTT | Set a timer for 5 minutes. Complete as many rounds of the following as possible.

• 10 Squat Pulse-to-Jumps (3 Pulses, 1 Jump): Feet about shoulder-width apart, squat down, sending your hips and butt back and down (not the knees forward!). Bring your hands in front of you as you sink down. Staying low, pulse down deeper about 1-2 inches, 3 times. From there, explosively jump straight up, swinging your arms back behind you as you do. Land softly and sink right back into a squat, hands swinging forward, starting your three pulses at the bottom.
• 20 Hip Bridge Lifts: Start on your back, knees bent, feet planted on the ground, arms by your side. Squeeze the glutes to lift your butt off the ground, thrusting your hips up towards the ceiling. Pause at the top and then slowly lower back down, not letting the butt come to rest on the floor.
• 20 Donkey Kicks (RIGHT): Start on all fours: knees stacked under hips, hands stacked under shoulders. From here, you’re going to press the bottom of your right foot up towards the ceiling, squeezing that right butt cheek. Pause at the top and then lower down most of the way (don’t let the right knee come to rest on the floor). As you do these, keep a straight spine by engaging your abs, pulling the belly button in towards the spine.
• 20 Donkey Kicks (LEFT)

ARMS & SHOULDERS | Set a timer for 5 minutes. Complete as many rounds of the following as possible. I used 8-lb weights for all the following exercises.

• 10 Triceps Kickbacks: Bend your knees slightly and lean your torso forward slightly with a straight back (pull those abs in tight!). Arms are at your sides, elbows bent. Keeping your upper arms glued to your sides and just hinging at the elbow, send the weights behind you, extending your arms and squeezing your triceps. Pause for a second at your fullest extension, then slowly bring the weights forward, again by bending the elbows.
• 10 Serve the Platters: Start holding a weight in each hand at hip height, palms facing up. From there, reach your hands up and out in front of you to shoulder height. Careful not to the shrug the shoulders as you do this. Keep a soft bend in the elbow at the top, and then slowly return the weights back to hip height.
• 10 Shoulder Presses: Start with arms in goal post position: elbows bent at 90 degrees at shoulder height. From here, press your hands up overhead, bringing weights together above your head. Lower back down, but only so far as brings your elbows back to shoulder height. Don’t let them dip down lower than that. As you do these, be careful not to shrug your shoulders up towards your ears.
• 10 Shoulder Press-Ups: Imagine your forearms and elbows have magnets on them. Holding a weight in each hand, palms facing your face, hold your forearms in front of you, elbows bent at 90 degrees. Fight to hold the elbows as close to each other as you can throughout the whole movement. From here, you’re going to press your hands straight up, lifting the elbows, keeping forearms close together. Be careful not to shrug your shoulders up towards your ears as you do this. After pressing up as high as you can, slowly return back to starting.

What are your favorite wintertime activities? Do you brave the cold or stay indoors?

I’m teaming up with Sweaty Betty for today’s workout! SB is challenging you to amp up your fitness and nutrition this month by following along with their series of online workouts, recipes and mindfulness mini challenges and goals. I’m honored to have been asked to host today’s challenge, and in true P&I fashion, we’re doing a quick-but-intense workout.

Grab a set of 5-15lb dumbbells (or just use your bodyweight) and set aside 15 minutes of your day to try this bad boy out. Also be sure to follow Sweaty Betty on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram this month to catch all the other challenges (#SB30daysweat), and check out their Get Fit 4 Free page. I think a lot of people want to hit the “reset” button in September after a summer of traveling, celebrating, weddings, and BBQs, so SB’s 30-Day Sweat Challenge couldn’t have come at a better time.

15-Minute AMRAP Workout Challenge

Equipment I Used:

• Two 8-lb dumbbells (optional—you can do this with just your bodyweight!)

Set a timer (or watch the clock) for 15 minutes. AMRAP stands for As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible, so your goal is to get through the following exercises as many times as you can before the timer goes off. Keep track of how many rounds you do, and then revisit the workout in a couple weeks or months and try to beat your time. It’s a great way to push yourself and track progress!

• 10 Burpee Jump Squats with Rows: This move is based on the traditional burpee. Holding dumbbells at your shoulders, feet hip-width apart, do three jump squats. On the last one, place your dumbbells on the ground in front of you and jump back into a plank position. Do a row with each arm, pulling your elbow straight up towards the ceiling. Jump your feet back up towards your hands, coming upright into squat position. That’s one rep. You’ll then start right back up with the jump squats. 3 jump squats + 1 plank row each arm = 1 rep.
• 20 Leg Scissor Sit Ups: Start laying down on your back, a dumbbell held overhead. Engage your core, pressing your low back firmly into the ground and lifting your feet off the ground a couple inches. Try not to let the legs rest on the ground the entire time—make those abs work! From this starting position, do one toe touch with the weight to each foot: Scissor your legs, bringing one straight up, perpendicular to the ground, as you bring the weight up to meet it, crunching your abs and lifting your shoulder blades off the ground. Lower your torso back down as you switch legs (keeping them straight!) and repeat to the other toe. Finish by doing one slow situp, trying to keep your feet hovering off the ground as you bring the weight in front of you and lift your torso up and then slowly back down. That’s one rep. Your legs are going to want to lift up as you sit-up—fight it as best you can, trying to keep them hovering a couple inches to a foot off the ground. 1 leg scissor toe touch each foot + 1 slow sit up = 1 rep.
• 10 (each leg) Curtsey Lunges to Side Lift: Start standing with feet hip distance apart, holding the weight at your chest. Step one foot behind the other, reaching out as far as you can while squatting down on the base leg (like a curtsey). As you come out of the lunge, kick the back foot up and out to the side, weight centered over the base leg. Bring it down and right back into the curtsey lunge.

WEARING | leggings: c/o Sweaty Betty // tank: Lululemon // sneakers: Puma

The leggings I’m wearing in this workout are actually a pair of Sweaty Bettys that I turned inside-out (as you can tell by the label on my butt haha). They’re clearly not meant to be worn like this (here’s what they look like the right way), but I love the contrast seams, and, as an added bonus, it allows me to wear them twice as long before washing them. It’s a lazy girl’s dream.

How many rounds/reps of this workout can you get through in 15 minutes?

Happy Friday! For any of you lucky ducks heading out to the beach or a lake for the weekend, this is a great workout to bring along with you. No equipment required, but holy sh*t does it do the trick. I’m sure you already guessed that by the word “burpee” though.

As I mentioned before, I’m in the (slow) process of moving, so my belongings (and workout equipment…and schedule) are all over the place. I wanted to get in a sweat before the movers arrived yesterday, and put together this seemingly simple workout. It’s basically just burpees, then each individual part of a burpee (the jumping of the feet into plank, the push up, the vertical jump back into squat). Yeah, not so “simple” when you try doing it without stopping for 10 minutes…then 8…then 6…then 4…then 2. This one’s a killer—enjoy!

Burpee Breakdown AMRAP Pyramid Workout

This workout is made up of 5 AMRAPS, each two minutes shorter than the previous, descending in a pyramid structure. First round is 10 minutes, second is 8 mins, and so on, down to a final round of 2 mins. AMRAP stands for As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible, so you’ll be going through the following sequence of exercises as many times as you can in the given time period. Take a minute break in between each AMRAP (maybe just 30 seconds between the last two since they’re short).

This workout will take 30 minutes in total. If you’re a beginner or looking for a shorter workout, just eliminate the first round and start with an 8-min AMRAP.

• Burpees:Start standing, feet about shoulder-width apart. Squat down, bringing your hands to the ground by your feet and jump both feet back into a plank position. Quickly jump your feet back up by your hands and shift the weight into your feet, bring torso upright into a low squat position. From here, jump up, arms overhead. Land softly on your feet, sinking right back down into a squat and starting from the top. If you want more upper body workout of this workout, add in a push up each time you’re in plank position.
• Frog Stamps:Start in a plank position, hands aligned under shoulders, core tight. Jump your feet up towards the outside of your hands, landing in a wide-stance crouching position, and then jump the feet quickly back to plank. Try to keep these quick! Up, back, up, back—no pause, keep the feet moving.
• Push Ups: Do these from your knees if you need to modify! It’s better to keep proper form (i.e. not sagging your back as you lower) from your knees than have sloppy form on your toes.
• Jump Squats:Feet about shoulder-width apart, squat down, sending your hips and butt back and down (not the knees forward!). Bring your hands in front of you as you sink down. From there, explosively jump straight up, swinging your arms back behind you as you do. Land softly and sink right back into a squat, hands swinging forward.

I didn’t write down how many rounds I got in during each AMRAP (no pen and paper…again, I’m moving, my life is a mess), but I did keep track of how many breaks I had to take. The goal of an AMRAP is, of course, to not take any breaks until the timer goes off, but c’mon, 10 minutes straight of burpees?? If you need a few seconds to breathe and walk it out, take a break, but try to keep it brief (under 15 seconds) and take as few as possible. I took two quick breathers during the 10-min and 8-min rounds, one during the 6-min, and pushed through the last two without a break (but slowed down a lot during the last minute of the 4-min round). Keep in mind these “breathers” are in addition to the 1-min breaks that are given between each AMRAP.

At the start of a round, tell yourself you’re going to go as long as possible without taking a breather. It’s better to slow your pace than stop altogether, so try that before breaking.

WEARING | tank: Yogadude // leggings: Target

Speaking of what I’m wearing, I’m including a couple Yogadude tanks in that big Facebook giveaway I have planned for when the page hits 5k likes!

And for the record, I didn’t actually do this workout barefoot on concrete. Just demoing the moves for the tutorial. I wasn’t lying when I said my belongings are all over the place—I had no sneakers!

Have a kickass weekend!

First off, I loved reading all your comments on yesterday’s post—so many great suggestions for new workouts and blog topics! I’ve added all of them to my to-do list. And I was especially excited to see a few of you wanted to know more about Btone and the classes I teach there. I’ve tried not to talk too much about it on the blog because I know most of you guys aren’t in Boston or an area that offers Megaformer classes, but now I’m definitely going to dedicate a few posts to explaining more about this uh-mazing workout. As for today’s…

While in Mexico, I ate a lot, drank a lot, slept a lot, sunbathed a lot—but wasn’t a total slob (well, if the breakfast buffet could talk, it might say otherwise). I worked out a couple times at the resort’s gym, and wanted to share what I did the first day with you guys because it was actually a real ass-kicker. My boyfriend and I decided to do a Barry’s Bootcamp-inspired workout, mixing treadmill intervals with strength training. He’d do eight minutes on the treadmill while I was doing strength training, then we’d switch; doing this twice for a 32-minute workout. The majority of my strength training intervals were bodyweight exercises, but he did some crazy-looking dumbbell boxing thing. Here’s what I did:

Barry’s Bootcamp-Inspired Hotel Gym Workout

Equipment I Used:

• Treadmill
• Two 10-lb dumbbells
• Exercise mat

As a reference, the treadmill I was using had a speed max of 12mph and an incline max of 15%. It also really really didn’t want me to workout:

Mexican treadmill = LOL pic.twitter.com/4HK1w5AjEQ

— Nicole Perry (@nicoleperr) May 4, 2014

Lazy treadmill aside, let’s get to the workout breakdown. Check out the picture tutorial then read the full description below for any needed clarification.

Think of this workout as being broken into four sections:

1. 8-minute AMRAP focusing on lower-body muscle groups
2. 8-minute treadmill hill workout
3. 8-minute AMRAP focusing on core
4. 8-minute treadmill sprinting workout

8-Minute AMRAP (Lower Body)

Do as many rounds of the following exercise circuit as you can in 8 minutes. Try not to take any breaks; push yourself as hard as you can without sacrificing proper form.

• 10 Burpees:The whole burpee sequence will look like this: squat down placing hands on the ground; jump back into plank position; jump legs back up towards hand; stand back into squat position; jump up with arms overhead.
• 10 Squat Pulse Jumps: Squat down, sending hips back like you’re sitting in a chair. Jump up, coming out of the squat and into the air. Land back down softly, sinking right back down into that deep squat position. Staying low, do 3 squat pulses, up a couple inches, down a couple inches. That’s one rep. Go right into your next jump.
• 10 Pivoting Lunges (each side):Holding a kettlebell in each hand, lunge forward onto one foot and then pushing off that front foot, come back upright and immediately step it back into a lunge. The other foot stays planted on the ground in the same position as you lunge forward and backward, back and forth. Hold a 10-lb dumbbell (or appropriate weight for your fitness level) in each hand.

8-Minute Treadmill Hill Workout

Adjust the speeds listed below to your fitness level, but try to stick to the incline changes.

• [Min 0-1] 5 mph @ 5% incline
• [Min 1-2] 6 mph @ 7.5% incline
• [Min 2-3] 7 mph @ 10% incline
• [Min 3-4] 6 mph @ 10% incline
• [Min 4-5] 5 mph @ 10% incline
• [Min 5-6] 5 mph @ 7.5% incline
• [Min 6-7] 5 mph @ 5% incline
• [Min 7-8] 7 mph @ 15% incline

8-Minute AMRAP (Core)

Do as many rounds of the following exercise circuit as you can in 8 minutes. Try not to take any breaks; push yourself as hard as you can without sacrificing proper form.

• 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.
• 10 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.
• 10 Hip Dip Forearm Planks:Start in an elbow plank position. Keeping shoulders level, twist your torso to lower your right hip to the floor. Return to plank position and then twist the other way, lowering your right hip to the floor.
• 10 Sawing Forearm Planks: Go right into these from the hip dips; don’t come out of the plank position. Get into an elbow plank position. Rock forward, pointing your feet, and then back, flexing them. Keep core tight and body straight throughout the movement.
• 5 V-Up Crunches:Start on your back with arms stretched out overhead and legs hovering just slightly above the ground. You’ll then crunch up, bringing your hands towards your toes (keeping legs and arms straight). When done correctly, your body will make a “v” shape as you crunch; this means you’re not just reaching your arms up, your chest needs to move towards your knees. Lower back down to starting position. If possible, your feet should never touch the ground.

8-Minute Treadmill Sprint Workout

Stay on 0% incline the whole time. Adjust the speeds listed to your fitness level, but try to stay in a -2/+2 range if possible.

• [Min 0-1] 6 mph
• [Min 1-2] 7 mph
• [Min 2-3] 8 mph
• [Min 3-4] 10 mph
• [Min 4-5] 6 mph
• [Min 5-6] 10 mph
• [Min 6-7] 6 mph
• [Min 7-8] 10.5 mph

At Barry’s, on those amazing Woodway treadmills, I can max out closer to 12 mph when sprinting, but on the one at the resort I felt like I was dying at 10.5. Couldn’t have gone .0001mph faster if I tried.

WEARING | shorts: Lululemon / tank: H&M / sneakers: Nike Free +3

Have you guys ever done Barry’s Bootcamp? They opened a location in Boston this fall and it’s suuuuuch a good workout. I don’t get in for classes as often as I’d like, but have been trying to make it to one every week or two. They’re longer (and harder) than this workout I’ve posted, which is just loosely based off Barry’s, so definitely try out the real thing if you have a studio in your area!

I’m back from Mexico! Each time I go on a trip, I get so excited about all the blog-worthy pictures I can take and ambitiously plan out all the amazing posts that will come from them. The outfits I wore, hotel room workouts I did, a food diary post about what I ate—every vacation, I think about the endless blog potential. And every vacation, I come home with four blurry iPhone photos and…well, that’s about it.

On the one hand, it’s a shame and I’m a terrible blogger. On the other hand, I think it’s a really good sign that I’m doing something right. Sometimes, you’ve gotta just shut the computer, enjoy life and the people around you, and experience things without worrying about documenting it all on social media.

I’m pretty deep, huh? In actuality, the resort we stayed at didn’t have Wi-Fi and after a couple mild panic attacks, I was forced to just put away my iPhone. It was good for me.

And Mexico was great—the wedding was beautiful, we went snorkeling, the food at the resort was delicious, and despite the continuous drinking, it really was so relaxing. I even got in a couple workouts!

Now that vacation is over, I’m excited to get back to my usual fitness grind, and did this AMRAP Quickies workout yesterday morning before tackling my dreaded post-vacation email inbox.

AMRAP Quickies Workout

Equipment I Used:

• Jump rope
• 15-lb kettlebell
• Exercise mat
• Timer

AMRAP stands for As Many Reps/Rounds As Possible. That means no breaks between exercises and pushing yourself as hard and as fast as you can without sacrificing proper form. You’ll do three 5-minute AMRAP mini workouts. In between each, jump rope for 2 minutes for a quick cardio blast. The first AMRAP will focus on lower body exercises; the second on upper body; the third on abs.

I used my Gymboss Interval Timer and set it for 3 rounds of 5 minutes of work and 2 minutes of “rest” (jump roping). During the five minutes, I pushed through as many rounds of the mini routine as possible until the timer went off, then grabbed my jump rope and went straight into my cardio blast. Full breakdown after the pictures.

5-MINUTE AMRAP—LOWER BODY

• 10 Jump Squat Lunges: Start in a lunge position, both knees at 90 degree angels. Jump up, landing in a squat position. Do a jump squat. Jump back into a lunge position, this time with the other leg in front. Each time you land after a jump squat, that’s one rep (1 jump lunge + 1 jump squat = 1 rep).
• 20 Tip Toe Pulse Squats (Alternating): In a deep squat position, lift one heel and pulse up a couple inches and down a couple inches back into the squat. Repeat, this time on ball of other foot. You’re staying low in a squat throughout the whole 20 reps—these are small pulse movements.
• 10 One-Leg Hip Bridge Thrusts (Each Side): Start in a bridge position, one foot firmly on the ground with knee bent, the other lifted straight up in the air. Thrust your hips towards the ceiling, engaging your glutes and hamstring to lift body into an inclined position. Lower hips down until they’re just a couple inches off the ground and repeat.

2-MINUTE JUMP ROPE

5-MINUTE AMRAP—UPPER BODY

• 10 Push Ups: I did triceps pushups, keeping my elbows locked in tight next to my sides as I lowered down. Halfway through the second round, I needed to modify and do the pushups from my knees—I’m getting stronger but still
• 10 Superman Lifts: Lay on your stomach, arms overhead. Lift arms, chest and legs off the ground, squeezing those glutes and back muscles. Hold for a second, then lower slightly (but not all the way down to the ground) before repeating.
• 5 Kettlebell Clean ‘n Press (Each Side): With feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, bend knees and bring kettlebell from a straight-arm hanging position to closely held by the center of your chest with arm bent. From there, straighten legs as you extend your arm skyward. Reverse the moves to bring yourself back to starting position. Try to keep the kettlebell 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.

2-MINUTE JUMP ROPE

5-MINUTE AMRAP—CORE

• 10 Full-Body Crunches: Start laying on your back, arms overhead, core engaged, legs straight and hovering off the ground. Crunch your chest up as you bring your knees in towards your chest, wrapping your arms loosely around your knees. Extend everything back out, lowering down into starting position.
• 10 Side Plank Lifts (Each Side): Start in a side plank position. Lower your hips towards the ground, and then lift upwards, crunching into an arch passed your original straight plank position. Continue lowering and raising.
• 10 Hip Dip Planks (Alternating): Start in an elbow plank position. Keeping shoulders level, twist your torso to lower your right hip to the floor. Return to plank position and then twist the other way, lowering your right hip to the floor.

2-MINUTE JUMP ROPE

WEARING | leggings & sports bra c/o Reebok / tank: LF / sneakers: Nike

It’s time for the fourth and final weekly workout challenge giveaway—where has the month gone?? These AMRAP posts have been so fun for me because it’s the first time I’ve been able to gauge how many people actually do all these silly workouts I post every week. Most people don’t feel compelled to comment on my posts each and every time they try something from P&I (I know I wouldn’t haha), so for all I know, I’ve just been making pretty tutorials to decorate Pinterest boards with these past two years. I’ve LOVED reading all the comments from readers who tried the workouts this month.

You know the drill by now, but I’ll just reiterate that everyone who completes this workout by Sunday evening will be able to enter to win this week’s prize package. It doesn’t matter how many rounds you get through–everyone has an equal chance of winner. I’ll post the giveaway entry post later today–get excited, it’s a big one!

30-Minute Bodyweight AMRAP Workout

Set a timer for 30 minutes and complete as many rounds of the following circuit as possible.

• 10 Jump Lunge to Mountain Climbers: Start in a lunge position and jump up, landing with opposite leg in front, back in a lunge position. Place hands flat on ground and do a mountain climber set (one on each side) so that the same foot ends up in front. Stand back up into lunge position. That’s one rep.
• 10 Breakdance Planks (each side): Start in a plank position. Step your right foot up and out to the side. Bring your left foot across your body, in between your right hand and right foot. Lift your right hand into the air as you twist your body, thrusting your hips up towards the ceiling as you shift your weight onto that left hand. Think of the motion as weaving your left foot through the right side. Reverse the motion back into a plank position. See the exercise in action HERE if you’re reading this like whaaat is this chick talking about (it’s a tough one to explain!).
• 20 Alternating Sumo Squat Jump Leg Lifts: Squat down, legs wide apart and butt back. Jump up, landing back in starting position. Shift your weight to your left leg and kick your right leg straight out to the side, staying low the hold time. Return to starting position. Repeat, only lifting left leg after your next jump squat.
• 20 Leg Lifts to Butt Lifts: Laying on your back with hands under your bum for support, lift legs off so that they’re hovering off the ground. Lift them  up, perpendicular to the ground (keeping them straight the whole time) and then lift your butt off the ground, thrusting your feet up towards the ceiling. Lower butt to ground, and then lower legs back down to starting hovering position.

WEARING | top: Lululemon // leggings: Nike // sneakers: c/o PUMA

I got through 7 and a half rounds. Seven full rounds and was just about to start the sumo jump squats in the 8th when the timer went off. By the end my quads were on fire! See if you can beat my time!

Happy St. Paddy’s Day! In Boston, it always seems like the official St. Paddy’s is the Sunday of the Southie Parade (yesterday), so I’m kinda all greened out today. Normally the parade means lots of beer, half melted green jello shots, me getting lost at some point in the day, waking up the next morning wearing the same greens clothes as the day before, and napping with my head on the keyboard during the following work day. But this year I taught in the morning, had a few beers when I got back to Southie, made some butternut squash and quinoa for dinner, went to bed at 9pm, and woke up early this morning to teach again. The hell??! Apparently I’ve grown up. Sad.

Anyway, on to our THIRD weekly workout challenge giveaway! I’ll post the giveaway entry post later today (get excited—even more prizes!), but for now let’s go over this week’s workout. And congrats to Katie @ Daily Cup of Kate for winning last week’s giveaway! Check your email inbox for a message from me.

25-Minute Bodyweight AMRAP Workout

Set a timer for 25 minutes and complete as many rounds of the following circuit as you can. I like to keep a piece of paper and pen nearby so I can make a tally mark each time I finish a round (much easier to keep track that way!). I made it through 6 full rounds and into the jack squats on the 7th. Try to beat me!

• 20 Alternating Skaters (10 to each side): 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.
• 10 Inchworm Pushups: Start standing up, feet hip-width apart. Bend over, placing your hands on the ground in front of your toes. Walk your hands out into a plank position. Do a push up (drop to your knees for this if necessary). Walk hands back towards feet and then stand upright.
• 10 Jack Jumps (2 Jumping Jacks, 2 UK Squats): Do two jumping jacks then bend down, placing hands on either side of your feet. Jump feet back into a plank position. Do that one more time (jump feet up towards hand then back into plank position). Jump feet up towards hands and stand up. That’s one rep. Then start back on the jumping jacks.
• 10 Side Plank Kicks (each side): Start in a plank position, top arm outstretched overhead and top leg hovering off the ground. Kick that top leg straight out in front of your body, bringing your top hand to meet it. Return to starting position.

WEARING:  legings: c/o Ellie (get 20% off your first order with code nicoleperr20!) // hoodie: Lululemon // shoes: Asics c/o OnlineShoes.com

Like I mentioned last week, if you use the code nicoleperr20, you can get 20% off your first order with Ellie! I’m a huge fan of their workout gear (especially the leggings—so cute and comfortable!).

Hey guys! Sorry I’m a day late getting this week’s giveaway workout challenge up—I’m not feeling so great. It’s just a little throat-sinuses thing, and I feel like I can probably nip it in the bud by spending another day resting and chugging water, but for now, I’m totally drained and sound like an 80-year-old chainsmoker. It blows.

Congrats to Kelsey Kujoth for being the randomly selected winner from week 1! Check your inbox for an email from me. Everyone who completes this week’s workout can enter to win the current prize package HERE.

20-Minute Bodyweight AMRAP Workout

Set a timer for 20 minutes and go through the following circuit of exercises as many times as possible in the 20 minutes. I like to keep a piece of paper and pen nearby so I can make a tally mark at the end of each round—it helps me keep track.

• 10 Squat Pulse Jumps (3 Pulses, 1 Jump): Squat down, sending hips back. Hold down low and pulse three times, squeezing through the glutes and thighs to come up a couple inches and sink down a couple inches. After you’ve completed three, jump up from the squat position, powering through your legs, and land softly back on your feet sinking right back into that squat position to start your pulses again. 3 pulses + 1 jump = 1 rep.
• 10 Side Plank Crossbody Crunches (each side): Start in a side plank position and extend your top arm out overhead and your bottom leg straight out behind the supporting leg, hovering off the ground. Crunch that bottom knee into meet that top elbow, and then extend back out. Your goal is to not let that bottom foot come to rest on the ground until you’ve completed all 10 reps.
• 10 Forward-Backward Lunges (each side): Keeping your right foot firmly planted, you’ll push off your left foot to go from a left-foot-in-front lunge, up and back into a left-foot-in-back lunge. Continue back and forth for 10 reps pivoting on right foot, then switch anchor foot to the left for 10 reps. (Forward + backward = 1 rep.)
• 10 Side Push Ups (each side): Lay on your left side, left arm hugging your torso, and right hand planted firmly on the ground in front of you. Push your upper body off the ground with that right arm, then slowly lower without ever fully coming to rest back on the ground. Continue for 10 reps then switch sides.

When I did this workout last week, I got through 5 ½ rounds (timer went off just when I was about to get into the lunges on round 6). See if you can beat me!

WEARING: tank & leggings: c/o Ellie (get 20% off your first order with code nicoleperr20!)// sneakers: Nike

Before I sign off, I have exciting news for you guys–if you use the code nicoleperr20, you can get 20% off your first order with Ellie! In addition to the cute tank and leggings I’m wearing in today’s post, a bunch of my workout gear on P&I lately has been from Ellie. A few months ago, I signed up for their monthly club, which allows you to pick out any top and bottom you like from their site for only $50 (total). It’s an awesome deal, especially considering you pay way more than that for just one item with most activewear lines. You can also skip a month without penalty, which is great. So far every piece I’ve ordered has been a winner–I’m a huge Ellie fan!

It’s a big day, party people! Not only has the DietBet started with a winner’s pot over $11,800 (it’s still growing by the hour!), but I’ve got your first Workout Challenge Giveaway.

Like I mentioned on the blog earlier, everyone who completes the workout this week can enter to win an awesome prize package (these will get bigger and bigger each week!). I decided it would be easiest to keep the workout and giveaway as separate posts to avoid a mile-long blog, so look forward to the giveaway going live later today. That post will go into detail about this week’s prizes, but here’s a breakdown of the goods:

• Headphone headband—awesome for outdoor running on chilly days (it’s like headphones and an ear warmer in one)
• Jump rope—after going through tons of crappy jump ropes, I finally found one I LOVE
• Spirulina—perfect for adding to smoothies and juices for an added nutrient kick!

Want a chance to win? You have all week to try this workout. No equipment required, so everyone can do it.

15-Minute Bodyweight AMRAP Workout

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Try to get through as many rounds of the following exercises as possible before the 15 minutes is up. There are only two moves for this one, but they’re super dynamic and effective. 15 minutes may not sound like a long time, but I was spent at the end.

• 10 Side-to-Side Burpees with a Knee Crunch (5 to each side, alternating): Squat down, hands on mat, jump both feet out laterally to the right, crunch top (right) knee up towards elbow, jump both feet back in towards hands, stand up into squat position, jump up with arms overhead. Repeat to the left.
• 10 Knee Tuck, Roll, Back Row (10 knee tucks, 10 back rows): Start laying on your back and do a full body crunch, lifting your torso and crunching in your knees so that you can hug them. Extend back out, lowering onto back. Roll to your right so that you’re on your stomach and do a back row, lifting your legs and chest off the ground while pulling your elbows back in a row. Extend back out and roll to the right again so that you’re on your back. Repeat sequence, only rolling to the left this time. Try to keep your legs and arms off the ground the entire time to really target that core. If you need to modify, lower them to the ground when rolling to the side.

I was able to get through 6 full rounds plus 2 burpees into the 7th. Try to beat me!

The end of August and beginning of September were crazy busy for me—moving for the eight millionth time, weekend trips out of town, trying to study but mostly not—some days the thought of fitting in a workout just stressed me out. But at the same time, working out is one of the best stress relievers out there, and no matter how busy you are, you will NEVER regret taking a bit of time out of your day for fitness.

On those nonstop days, I would just force myself to stop packing/working/studying for 15 minutes. It seems like no time at all, but if you’re pushing yourself at a high intensity, it’s all you need.

15-Minute Kettlebell AMRAP Workout

If you’re unfamiliar with this type of workout, AMRAP stands for As Many Rounds (or, in some cases “Reps”) As Possible. You’ll set a timer for 15 minutes and go through the following sequence as many times as possible. Try not to take any breaks unless you’re absolutely dying.

Equipment I Used:

• 25-lb kettlebell
• 15-lb kettlebell
• 10-lb kettlebell
• Gymboss Interval Timer (enter to win one HERE!)
• Workout mat

• 10 Kettlebell Swings: Start with kettlebell 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. I used a 25-lb bell.
• 5 Side Plank Rows with Leg Lifts (each side): Start in a side plank position on your right hand/foot, with left hand holding a kettlebell on the ground in front. Row that kettlebell by pulling your left elbow to the ceiling. As you do, raise your left leg. Slowly lower both, returning to starting position. I used a 10-lb bell.
• 10 Goblet Plie Squats: This is a plie squat holding a kettlebell at your chest. Legs wide apart, toes pointed outward, back straight and chest upright, you’ll squat down low (like a ballerina doing a plie), and then return to standing, squeezing those buns as you power up. I used a 25-lb kettlebell.
• 5 Clean & Press (each side): With feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, bend knees and bring kettlebell from a straight-arm hanging position to closely held by the center of your chest with arm bent. From there, straighten legs as you extend your arm skyward. Reverse the moves to bring yourself back to starting position. Try to keep the kettlebell 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. I used a 15-lb bell. 

I was SO close to completing 6 full rounds. I got halfway through the clean & presses in my sixth round when the timer went off. See if you can get 6 or more rounds in—let me know how you do in the comments!

Also, for those of you in the Boston area looking for something fun to do tomorrow night, there’s an event at Bistro du Midi on Boylston Street  from 4:30-7:30 sponsored by Laforet wine. Glasses of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir will be $6 a glass (usually $13) and they’ll be giving away beach towels, t-shirts, iPhone cases and other goodies. You can get more info at www.SummerOfLaforet.com, but I just wanted to spread the word (I unfortunately can’t go myself).

WEARING:

Shorts: Lululemon // Sneakers:  Nike Free Run +3