This is a great way to really challenge your endurance and work on muscle conditioning. You can do this with any combo of exercises – but the below moves target your whole body. I recommend using a medium set of dumbbells for most of the exercises.
Archives For Free Sample Workouts
In case you haven’t purchased the May issue of Fitness Magazine yet – I wanted to share the hill workout that I created. I designed a custom treadmill workout for the Bikini Body Bootcamp Plan that is a great workout to mix in to your weekly routine (or the Bikini Body Bootcamp Plan) 2-3 times per week. If you don’t have access to a treadmill – I recommend that you run hills outside for 30 minutes alternating speeds with sprint bursts (or fast walking) for at least 30 seconds at a time.
*If you are a runner – leave the incline and minutes the same – but adjust your speed slightly so that you are running vs. fast walking.
Be sure to checkout my video tip below that is featured on Fitness Magazine’s Facebook page this week. I explain why I LOVE hills and why they are great for bikini season!
We did this workout last week at Bombshell Bootcamp and everyone said they were feeling the burn for days! It’s a simple, yet effective workout that primarily targets the lower body. We had our bootcampers run the hill outside or the loop of stairs for 5 minutes at a time. If you don’t have access to an outdoor hill or stairs – you can just use a treadmill. Run uphill at a medium/fast pace for about 30-60 seconds and then walk (flat) for another 30 seconds to recover. For the shoulders, you can do any combination of presses, side raises, front raises, upright rows, etc. *If you have time – repeat the entire circuit twice! Also, I recommend that you do all of the exercises with a set of dumbbells (medium weight).
I’m so excited to be a new contributor for Fitness Magazine and I’ve designed the new “Bikini Body Bootcamp” series in the May 2013 issue! It’s part of their “Fit For Summer” Series and includes 4 weeks of my Bikini Body Bootcamp workouts (cardio + strength circuits), along with diet tips and a swimsuit guide! I will also be featured weekly on their Facebook Page in May to give some extra tips! Be sure to get your copy asap (you can also download it for you iPad) and then signup for the series on their site here to be entered in a contest to win prizes and get weekly email updates about the plan to keep you on track!
I will also be featuring some of the exercises over the next month, along with extra tips. To get a jump start on the plan – practice the move below this week to start toning your legs!
Toe Dips
(This is one of my favorites and we do it a lot at Bombshell Bootcamp. You’ll really feel the burn in your quads and butt if you do it correctly.)
Targets abs, butt, and quads
- Stand tall on top of a bench or stair with feet shoulder-width apart, abs engaged. Shift weight to left leg, lifting right foot behind you.
- Slowly bend left knee, lowering right foot behind you (as if dipping toes into a pool of water). Keep left knee centered over toes. Slowly stand up and repeat for 1 minute; switch sides.
*Extra tips:
To make this harder, hold a weight (as the model is doing in the pic). I also recommend doing this on a pretty high bench or step (bench hits around mid-shin to knee level). To make it easier, use a shorter step or bench as pictured. To feel it more in your butt/glutes – press your heel into the bench and try to keep contact with your heel and the bench the whole time.
My partner Carrie and I were recently in San Diego for Oakley’s Progression Session and Shape Magazine’s Diva Dash. We held a special Bombshell Bootcamp workout during the event for 200 of Oakley’s VIP’s as part of theirlive ambassador search! We had a blast and are looking forward to meeting more amazing women at the Boulder and Dallas/Fort Worth events in May! For details on how you can join the event and apply to be an Oakley Ambassador read here.
*Be sure to “like” our Bombshell Bootcamp Facebook Page! We post sample workouts and tips there every week!
In case you missed us at the San Diego event…here is a similar sample workout that you can do at home:
Bombshell Bootcamp 20 Minute Blast
We recommend you do this workout after a cardio session. But, it can be done on it’s own if you are short on time. This routine is a total body routine with core intervals mixed in.
- Warmup for 5 minutes (walk, run, do jumping jacks)
Circuit 1
- 15-20 Pushup Jacks (when you lower down into pushup position – jump feet out wider than hips. Jump feet back in together as you push yourself back to the top).
- 15 Sets Reverse Lunges with a core twist (alternate legs so 30 total). For the core twist, as you lower down into lunge position, twist your core and upper body slightly to the right when your right leg is in front and vice versa for left. To make it harder hold a dumbell at your chest.
- CORE: Do mountain climbers (flat back) for 60 seconds.
Circuit 2
- Plie Squats (toes point out slightly): 30 singles + hold squat position (down) and alternate heel raises for 30 reps (15 each leg)
- 15-20 Tricep Pushups. Do them on your knees unless your form is perfect. Hands under shoulders (not wide) and keep elbows by your sides as you lower down.
- CORE: 50 Double Crunches: Hands behind head, knees bent. Crunch knees to elbows and lift both upper and lower body at the same time (hips come off ground) as you crunch into a ball. Release and repeat.
*Repeat both Circuits 2-3 times!
Let us know how you like the workout on our FB page : ) Hope to see you in CO or TX next month!
-Cari
Looking for 1 single move to tone your legs, core and shoulders that also counts as cardio? Try the jump squat! I love these and Carrie and mix them in at our bootcamp a lot! You can do it with or without weight – but if you use weight, I wouldn’t use more than a 10lb dumbbell or medicine ball.
Jump Squat How-To
- Start with feet wider than hips and hold your weight at your chest.
- Lower your body down into a full squat position with your butt sitting back (like in a chair) and your knees stay on top of your ankles (not moving forward towards toes). As you do this, straighten your arms and lower the weight towards the floor (it’s ok if it doesn’t touch). Just make sure you are squatting down and not leaning over (keep shoulders back and chest up).
- Straighten you legs and bring the weight back up to your chest.
- In one swift movement, raise your arms above you and jump! Make sure not to arch your back and use your legs to power you up. Land back softly on your feet with your knees slightly bent.
*For those of you more advanced – take out all the pauses and do this in one quick fluid movement. After your jump land back into the squat so you are ready to repeat the move. You will move the weight fast: chest, floor, chest, up!
Aim for 10-20 reps and try for 2-3 sets with rest in between. I like to mix in 10-12 reps in between strength training to keep my heart rate up! If it gets too hard – you can lighten the weight or do it without weight.
Most of you probably spent the last week or so with family and friends and indulged in a few holiday treats and your New Year’s Eve party dress was probably the last thing on your mind. Now it’s 4 days away!! Don’t panic ….you can still tone up (and de-bloat) in time so that you look amazing in your NYE party dress! Four days is not enough time to lose a lot of weight (probably not more than 1-2lbs safely) but you can still firm up your muscles and lose a little body fat so that you have a more “toned” look. In order to do this – you need to be very strict with your diet and workouts over the next 4 days. This is just a suggested plan – so please check with your doctor before you start it, especially if you have any injuries or health issues.
Diet
- Stay hydrated! This is so important to help you de-bloat and it will also make your skin look good!
- Eat breakfast every day – even if it’s just 1/2 a banana or a handful of almonds. Then, make sure to eat every 3 hours so that you consume 5-6 meals a day. Your meals should consists of about 10-15g of protein, 1-2 veggies and 1 serving of complex carb. You can have dairy as a mini meal or snack as long as it’s fat-free (watch the sugar too – especially in yogurts). Avoid alcohol (yes – even this weekend!) until NYE – it’s just extra calories you don’t need.
- Avoid sodium and salt (causes bloat).
- Eliminate sugar from your diet unless it’s in the form of fruit. You can have fruit as part of your breakfast in the morning or as a late night snack if you want something sweet.
- Before you go out that night – make sure to eat a healthy snack or light dinner so that you won’t be tempted to overeat. Also, try to alternate water with your cocktail(s) of choice to eliminate bloat and dehydration.
Workouts
- Do 2 workouts a day. This will boost your metabolism (watch my eHow.com video). Start your day with a walk, run or workout dvd if it’s too cold to go outside. Aim for at least 20-30minutes (just set your alarm a little early!). Then, in the afternoon or when you get off work – hit the weights. Do this sample workout each day:
Sample NYE Toning Circuit
* Repeat this entire circuit 3-4 times all the way through with minimal rest in between exercises. This workout should be done with 2 dumbbells at a weight that makes it hard to complete 12-15 reps. The heavier the weights (with good form!) the harder you will work your muscles and that means MORE toning!! For most of you – I would recommend at least 8lb weights.
- 15 Pushups (no weights) – try to do them on your toes and drop to your knees only if your form is bad.
- 15 sets of Reverse Lunges or Walking Lunges if you have room (hold weights). This is 30 lunges total (15 on each leg).
- 15 Overhead Shoulder Presses (don’t arch your back!)
- 15 Squats (balance each weight on your shoulders out of the way and hold on the ends).
- 15 Bent Over Rows (keep back flat, knees slightly bent and pinch shoulder blades together when you bring weights up). Tip: This is a great move if you are planning to show off your back!
- 20 Burpees (no weights) – Get that heart rate up to burn more calories!
- 15 Bicep Curls
- 15 Tricep Kickbacks (same form as bent over rows: flat back, knees slightly bent – and keep elbows at 90 degrees). If you have access to a bench you can do seated tricep dips instead but up your reps to 20.
- Abs (no weight): 20 V-ups + 20 Heel Raises + 20 Side Plank Dips (on your forearms and do each side)
Other tips
Self tanner will give you the appearance of more toned arms and legs and you can find good ones everywhere from Wal-Mart to Sephora. My favorites include Loreal Sublime Bronze, ones from Victoria’s Secret and Kate Somerville Tanning Towelettes. Also, professional spray tans work wonders and I’m also a van of the VersaSpa.
Let me know how you like the plan and tag me on FB or Tweet (mention @CariFit) a pic of you in your party dress!
All day today, I’ve been hobbling around because I have sore hamstrings. But – don’t’ get me wrong…I love it! Why am I so sore? Well, I did 4 sets of deadlifts yesterday with a 30lb kettlebell! Deadlifts are kinda sneaky because rarely do I feel them when I’m actually doing the exercise – but the next day it hits me. I prefer stiff-legged deadlfts (sometimes called Romanian deadlifts) pictured at left. Deadlifts work your hamstrings and glutes and give you a nice “lifted” look ; )
How To
What You Need: 2 dumbbells a kettlebell or a barbell. I typically use anywhere from 25-40lb depending on how many reps/sets I’m doing – but if you are just starting out I would grab 2 5lb (10 total) or 8lb (16lb total) weights. If you have super tight hamstrings and/or low back – also stick to a lighter weight until you get some flexibility.
The Movement: Start in a standing position with your feet right under your hips (feet almost touching). Before you even start to lean over, draw your shoulder-blades down your back (shoulders away from ears) and think about keeping your back super flat. Slowly bend over releasing the weights down your legs (relax arms and let weights hang) until you get to about 90 degrees. It’s super important that you don’t start to round your back – so use a mirror if you need to and look from the side. Even if you are super flexible – you don’t really need to go much past 90 degrees or you could pull your hamstring. Keep your legs almost straight – with just a slight bend. You never want to lock out your knees or hyper-extend, but at the same time you do not want the knees to bend too much or you won’t target your hamstrings. Visualize what your legs are doing: your hamstrings are actually lengthening as you lean forward and then they tighten as you stand back up to the top. It’s this eccentric/concentric action that strengthens and tones your hamstrings! Also, the more you squeeze your glutes – the more you work them too! Exhale each time you stand back up to the top.
Sets/Reps: Depending on the weight you have – aim for about 12-15 reps and do 3-4 sets.
*Tip: It’s normal to feel this some in your lower back – it doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong. Just lighten the weight if you need to. Your low back and hamstrings work together a lot, including during this exercise. Typically your lower back is weaker than your hamstrings, so you will probably feel it in your back while you are doing it but then your hamstrings will be the sorest the next day.
Only have 30 minutes to workout? No problem! Working out for 30 minutes a day can give you great results and will help you to lose weight, drop body fat, get a “lean” look and raise your metabolism and energy levels! What are you waiting for? Do this workout today on your lunch break, when you get home from work or set your alarm 30min early tomorrow morning. You can do this routine at home or at the gym and all you need is a mat (or towel) for abs, 1 set of medium weights (or use something around your house) and water.
When it comes to workouts – I like to be efficient. Just like you – I am usually in a hurry to fit in my workouts and I don’t always have an hour to devote. So, if you are short on time, I recommend that you do strength training vs. just cardio. Why? Strength training is going to raise your metabolism more than just cardio and the more muscle mass you have – the more calories you burn throughout the day. The routine below will get your heart rate up – so you are getting the benefits of “cardio” but also strength training. I’ve included some helpful links below from ACE (American Council on Exercise) in case you aren’t sure how to do the moves.
30-Minute Plan
*To make this routine harder, use heavier weights and/ore decrease your rest time to 30 seconds or less between exercises. To make it easier – use lighter weights and rest 60 seconds between exercises.
Warmup: Alternate 30 seconds of jumping jacks with 30 seconds of high knees. Repeat for 3 minutes total.
Circuit 1
- 30 pushups: 10 on the incline (hands on step or bench), 10 regular (flat/ground) and 10 decline (feet elevated on step or bench). If you don’t have access to a step or bench just do them all flat. Try to do as many on your toes as you can and then drop to your knees if you have to.
- 20 180-degree jump squats similar to this one but turn in mid-air alternating 1 clockwise and 1 counter clockwise. (2 squats = 1 full circle turn and that’s 1 rep)
- 15 Overhead Shoulder Presses
Repeat Circuit 1 2-3 times depending on how much time you have.
*Do 20 Burpees (or “squat thrusts”) before Circuit 2*
Circuit 2
- 30 front lunges (alternate legs – so 15 reps each) with core twist holding 1 weight. Whatever leg lunges out in front – twist to that side keeping back straight and hold weight near your chest (this is to work core).
- 20 Bent Over Rows (2 weights). Keep back flat and parallel to ground, knees bent and pinch shoulder blades together as you row arms up by your sides.
- 50 calf raises (1st set: regular, 2nd set: toes point out, 3rd set: toes point in)
Repeat Circuit 1 2-3 times depending on how much time you have.
*Do 20 Burpees (or “squat thrusts”) before Circuit 3*
Circuit 3
- 15 Bicep curls – stand on 1 leg or a BOSU to work core (1st set: hands out wide lowering hands to outside of hips, but keep elbows at sides, 2nd set: Do a narrow grip with hands moving up/down front of the body, 3rd set: Do hammer curls with palms facing in).
- 15 Triceps kickbacks – use both arms at the same time. Make sure your back is flat and parallel to floor, knees slightly bent and you keep elbows up high (2nd set: Do overhead extensions – hold both weights together or swap out 2 for one heavier weight, 3rd set: Do dips if you have access to a bench.)
- Abs 1st set: 30 V-ups, 2nd Set: 30 sets Bicycle Crunches (1 left/1 right = 1 set) 3rd set: 30 reverse crunches – lifting feet to ceiling.
Do 1st set biceps, followed by 1st set triceps, followed by 1st set abs – then go back and repeat for 2-3 sets and follow variations above for each new set.
Extra Core
- 30 side plank dips right + 30 side plank dips left
- 2 1-min forearm planks
Stretch or Foam Roll if you have time.
The Olympics may be over, but you can still get some workout inspiration from your favorite athletes! A few weeks ago we had “Bombshell Olympics” at my bootcamp and incorporated 1-2 new sports or athletes at each workout. One of the most popular workouts was a swimming-inspired workout with actual workouts from Natalie Coughlin and Ryan Lochte. I was familiar with Natalie’s workouts and have done them before and they are great to build overall muscle tone with emphasis on shoulders and core. Ryan Lochte follows a “Strongman” workout which is a lot like Cross-Fit or bootcamp and involves lifting heavy weights, doing plyometrics and doing things with home-made equipment such as tires, sandbags, etc. We already do a lot of these exercises at Bombshell Bootcamp – so our participants were happy to hear that Ryan Lochte does a similar workout to be gold-medal ready!
Olympic Swimming Workout Inspired by Ryan Lochte and Natalie Coughlin
*Warmup: Run/Walk 5-10min before each circuit.
From Natalie Coughlin’s Workout (click for video):
- 20 I-Y-T Shoulder raises with resistance band (or use 5-10lb weights)
- 30 Genie Squats (low squats with arms crossed out front)
- 30 Slow motion walking lunges (bring knee up in front)
- 20 Tricep pushup to rotation (alternate rotating left/right)
From Ryan Lochte’s “Strongman” Workout (click for video):
- 20 Bent over rows with a weight plate (15-30lb depending on your level)
- 20 Chest press on back with weight plate (” ”)
- 30 Burpees
- 20 Sandbag squat to shoulder press (use 15-30lb bag)
*Repeat both of these workout circuits 1-2 times then finish with 10-15 minutes of core including planks.
I’m excited to be featured in OM Yoga Magazine again this month! This time I am doing one of my favorite sequences that target shoulders and core. If you find that you can’t do some of these poses or that you can’t hold them for very long – then you need to build some strength in your core and shoulders. I give suggested strength training exercises for each that will help you with this. Practice the sequence 2-3 times per week in addition to doing 2-3 strength training sessions and you will master these moves in no time! You can view details of the sequence in this online preview or buy your copy at Barnes and Noble this month!
*Special thanks to my amazing photographer Jill Hunter!
I’ve teamed up with Lily Jang and CBS (KHOU) this summer to show you how to stay fit when traveling! We shot the videos below at Hotel ZaZa in Houston to show you some workouts to do at your hotel and how to pick healthy choices if you order room service.
In this video series:
- Workout out by the pool!
- Chose healthy options for room service!
- Workout on your hotel balcony!
I’ve been busy training the Rockets Power Dancers (NBA Cheerleaders) this summer and we wanted to give you a little insight into how hard the girls actually train. The workout with me 2-3 times per week and we do a vareity of exercises that will be shown in our new workout series “How to Workout Like A Rockets Power Dancer”.
Episode #1: Legs
In this video Yasmine and I show one or our sample leg routines. For workout details, click on the Youtube link and view the description below the video.
Barre workouts, Zumba, hip-hop cardio and other dance-inspired workouts have become really popular over the last year. It’s no wonder because dancing is a great workout that burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time…plus it’s fun! Just ask the NBA Rockets Power Dancers (at left)! So, maybe you have the dancing part down but aren’t seeing results in the shape or tone of your body? Don’t worry – all you need to do is add in a little strength training to strip off any excess fat. I’m the trainer for the Power Dancers and they get in tons of cardio through all their practices and performances. So, when they meet with me we focus more on strength training and do workouts similar to the one below.
Dance-Inspired Strength Training Workout
I’ve put together a dance-inspired strength training workout to target, tone/strengthen many of the areas used in dance including glutes, hamstrings, core and back. I recommend that you mix in this workout 2-3 times a week in addition to your cardio or dance workouts to get stronger, more toned and lose body fat. Strength training also helps to prevent injuries!
How-To:
*Mix in 10 minutes of cardio in between each set. This can be on the treadmill, outside (run, walk, bike), another machine at your gym, dancing, jumprope or any other exercise that keeps your heart rate in the 70-80% zone. Repeat this circuit so that you do 3 sets and get in a total of 30min cardio (not counting warmup).
It’s almost bikini season, so that usually means extra focus on butt (aka glutes) and abs! Glute workouts aren’t just for women – guys can benefit too. Also, having strong glutes will improve your running speed, prevent injuries and help support your core. My favorite exercises for glutes are lunges and there are a lot of ways to mix them up (see videos below!). Be sure to watch me and anchor Lily Jang every Monday on CBS! We are on 5:30-7am on local KHOU channel 11!
Squats are one of my favorite exercises to really sculpt the legs. They use almost all of your lower body muscles (glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves) so they also burn more calories. But, you don’t have to do the same old squats every day. Change up your routine by varying your weights, reps, or do some heel raises or plyo jumps – like I demo in this video. If you live in Houston you can watch my workouts with Lily Jang each Monday morning on our “Wakeup and Workout” segments that air between 6-7am on CBS.
I will be doing some fun fitness segments on CBS with anchor Lily Jang here in Houston over the next few weeks! We are going to whip viewers into shape….just in time for summer! We will be showcasing simple, yet effective moves that you can do anywhere. Today’s video features a fun move to target your entire core (especially obliques) and also your triceps (backs of the arms). Check it out below!
(my top is by Athleta)
I’m so excited to be featured in this month’s OM Yoga Magazine! This UK based magazine has always been a favorite of mine and I was flattered when they asked me to be in one of their issues. Special thanks to my photographer Jill Hunter, who took some amazing shots!
You can get your copy at Barnes and Noble in stores nationwide, or you can dowload the OM Yoga app for your iPod/iPhone!
For more details about my Balance & Hip Opener Sequence, please see below.
Don’t have much time for a workout today, but want to blast some fat? Try the workout below that I’ve suggested for both the Rockets Power Dancers and my Bombshell Bootcamp for the days that they don’t meet with me. It’s a quick routine (should take you less than 45min) that will hit all your major muscle groups and keep your heart rate elevated with quick cardio mixed in.
FAT-BURNING WORKOUT:
*Use a set of medium dumbbells for most of these.
- Warmup with fast walk, jumping jacks or stairs for 3-5minutes.
- 20 pushups and then 40 reverse lunges or walking lunges if you have the space (use weights if you want to make it harder) – repeat both sets
- 12-15 shoulder presses overhead + a wall sit for 60-90 seconds -repeat both sets
- 12-15 Bent over rows (keep your back flat and squeeze your shoulder blades) + 30 “Froggers”: http://youtu.be/UsOlMBzKYsM - Repeat both sets
- 12-15 Bicep Curls + 15 burpees. Repeat both sets.
- 30 kneeling glute raises on each leg (use a weight to make it harder): http://youtu.be/UFTnj9aRjv4 Repeat both sides for 2 sets total.
- 30 crunches on a stability ball (big ball) or Bosu. Hold 1 weight to make it harder. If you don’t have either – do V-ups on the floor instead.
- Alternate 25 heel raises (heels to ceiling) and 25 toe touches. repeat for 2 sets.
- Plank with alternating leg/arm raises for 1 minute: http://youtu.be/boZYMYq9qG4
- stretch
Last week, we have had fun doing some Valentine-themed workouts at Bombshell Bootcamp (we even put hearts on the sidewalk – see right)!
Below is a quick sample of what we did last Tuesday night, if you want to try it on your own!
Valentine’s Day Workout:
Cupid Shuffle (Forward/Back): Do a low traveling squat for about 3-4 yards then back-peddle (shuffle) back to the start. Repeat for 5 min.
Cupid Shuffle (Left/Right) : Do side shuffle runs (in a low squat) left and then change directions. Repeat for 5 min.
Kiss the Ground Shoulder Presses: Get in downward dog position and slowly lower your head towards the ground as if you were going to kiss your mat. This works your shoulders and upper back. 20-30 reps x 2.
Heart Pumping Stair Hops: We did about 3 minutes on each leg and also incorporated a reverse lunge on each side for about 1 minute. Stair hops (aka box blasts) look like this:
Heart Squat Jacks: Make a heart shape with your arms and do a regular squat-jack. Squeeze your biceps when you make the heart!
The Lovebug: Sitting on the mat – left your left leg in the air and do 5 tricep dips, then repeat with right leg in air. Then, flip over and do a 1-leg pushup with the left leg up and then one with the right leg up. Flip back over and repeat. Do 15-20 sets.
Love Handler: Side planks for 20 seconds plus 1 minute of dips. Do both sides.
Cupid’s Arrow Plank: Do 1 forearm plank for as long as you can hold it.
