I’ve created a new challenge on one of my favorite sites: SocialWorkout.com. It’s free and easy to join!

Our team goals:

-Lose 10lbs by the end of February. You don’t have to lose 10lb, especially if you don’t need to. But, if you follow the challenge you will lose body fat.
-Get in at least 30min of cardio a day if not more. Get in the habit of breaking a sweat every day and make it part of your routine. Same time, same place = best.
-Eat “clean”.
-Don’t drink alcohol. Just try it for 1 month.
-Eat a healthy breakfast every day.

Sound good? Then, join us:

Running continues to become more popular each year and the number of marathon and half marathon runners continues to increase! I have a lot of friends and clients who have set a goal to run a half marathon in 2012 and have asked for my help. So, I thought I would put together a simple training plan like I did for “How to Train for a 10k in 6 Weeks”, which is my post popular blog post. I’ve run 4 marathons, many half marathons and will be running my first Ultra marathon in February – so this plan is based on my own experiences and what I feel works the best! I welcome feedback!

First things, first…if you are going to set a goal to run a half marathon then you need to make it PRIORITY. This means making it priority over other workouts (you can still cross-train), getting up early a lot, adjusting your diet and spending some money. But, it’s totally worth it.

What you Need:

1) Gear. Get the right shoes for your FEET (not best color, style, etc) and the right clothes. Go to a specialty store like Luke’s Locker and have them take a look at your arch, pronation and gate. My favorite shoe brand is Asics and for clothes I like Nike, Lululemon and Lucy – all of which make great sweat proof and dry-fit clothes. For a less expensive option, check Target and Walmart because they products that mimic Under Armour, which is also a good brand. Also, you may want to invest in a Garmin or use mapmyrun.com, Nike+ or other GPS tracking system. They are pretty accurate and can help you keep track of your progress (and it’s fun!).

2) A good schedule like below. Stick to it as much as you can. You may have an off week, have to go out of town, etc. so you can adjust it. Just make sure you get in your long run that week because that’s the most important!

3) Follow the 10 percent rule. Don’t increase your speed or distance more than 10 percent each week or you may get injured. For instance, if one week you run 10 miles total – don’t go more than 11 the next week.

4) Sign up for a race now so that you know when to start training. Ideally you will need 2-3 months for a half and double that for a full marathon.

5) Safe, planned training routes. I would recommend that you join a running club because they plan everything and will often put fluids out for you so you don’t have to wear a fluid belt. I do Kenyan Way in Houston but one of the largest national organizations is USA Fit. You could also check with your local Road Runners Association. If you don’t want to join a group or club, find some sample routes online or ask friends at your gym. If you are unsure – make sure you test the route out when it’s light outside and be aware of your surroundings (people, cars, bikers, etc).

6) Proper nutrition. You can’t put a bunch of junk in your body and expect to do well. Sure, you could probably finish a half marathon with a normal crappy American diet – but if you want to get a decent time you need to put away the processed food and sweets and stick to a “Clean” diet. But – as a runner you will need your carbs, so please don’t try a low-carb diet or you will not have energy for training or the race. Just know WHAT carbs are good (ie whole wheat vs. white bread). Do your research.

7) Runners World subscription! It does help.

8) Familiarize yourself with GU and other gels. You won’t need them until you are running at least about an hour or so – but don’t wait until race day to try it out.

9) Plan for possible setbacks. You may get runner’s knee, IT band tightness, plantar faciitis or one of the other fun runner injuries! Read up on them, so if you get one you know what to do. Most can be prevented with strength training, the right shoes and avoiding over training.

10) Most importantly – have fun! There are always more races and times to train – so don’t take it too seriously!

The Plan (For Beginners)

You will need to commit to about 3 days of running (if you can do 4 or 5 that’s better). But, even if you can do it every day – you don’t want to increase your total weekly mileage by too much or you will get injured (see 10% rule above). You need to pick one day to do your “long run”, preferably a Saturday or Sunday. The long run is how you build your endurance and is the most important run and it should be run at a CONVERSATIONAL pace (60-120 seconds slower than goal race pace). If you are brand new to running, you can mix in some walking and gradually decrease time spent walking. If you can comfortably run 3-4 miles without resting then do the higher end of the ranges below.

Sample Long Run Schedule:

The Plan (For Intermediate Runners) Read the rest of this entry »

When Shape Magazine asked me what I thought would be a big trend in 2012, I had many ideas but the one I went with was “Sandbag Training” (see #12 in the article below). Sandbag training has been around for awhile now, but now many companies are making more functional bags with customized weights, handles and even pink ones for women (got mine HERE)! I will try to post a workout soon with some sample exercises. Until then, you can watch the video below to see how it can be used (warning: it’s tough!!).

Via Shape: “We asked some of the nation’s top experts for their fitness industry predictions for the New Year…“

Sample Sandbag Workout:

It’s that time of year again – time to start thinking about what you want to accomplish during the next year! For most people, at least 1 of their resolutions will revolve around health, diet, or weight loss. It’s a popular choice because the new year means you can create a “new you”! But, it can be discouraging if you want to make big changes and don’t know where to start. Plus all the choices and options out there to help you reach your goals can be quite overwhelming. Most people end up wasting money on crazy fads, programs (no, you don’t need to buy “Insanity”!) and weird food products.

This year, save your mind (and body) by keeping it simple. All you need is some basic workout equipment (a set of weights or resistance band, a mat and good workout clothes/shoes), a journal and most importantly – a plan to help you reach your goals. Start by setting a goal for this week like “I’m going to join a gym” or “I’m going to go for a run 3 times this week”. Then, set a long-term goal for the next month, but be realistic – that is the key! If you tell yourself you are going to lose 10lbs this month, it probably won’t happen and then come February you will just give up. Instead, make realistic goals like” I’ll join a bootcamp“, “I’ll ask a trainer for help” or “I’m going to lose at least 3lbs and get stronger this month”.

Things that can help you stick with it:

• A food and/or workout journal. This doesn’t have to be fancy, but if you want to buy one – I like the Fitbook and also the Ultimate Pocket Workout Journal.
• A trainer. Not in your budget? Join a bootcamp or get a gym membership where you can take free classes (I like Fit in Houston). Most people will stick with their workouts if they do them in a group setting. Plus, it’s just more fun!
• Realistic goals (see above).
• Sign up for a race, contest or team sport. If you have to train for an event, you are more likely to stick with your workouts. Also, tell your friends and family about it or post it on Facebook in order to hold yourself accountable!
• Get the right tools. I love magazines, specifically: Women’s (or Men’s) Health, Shape, Fitness, Oxygen and Muscle & Fitness. Get a subscription so that you get one of these every month. This will supply you with a new workout, recipes and other tools to keep you on track. Plus, I find (at least for me) that when a magazine is filled with fit people – it really motivates me to get my butt to the gym!
• Look for online resources and subscribe to fitness blogs (like mine if you haven’t already!!). I like FitSugar, Shape.com, Runnersworld.com , NikeWomen.com and AceFitness.org

Last week we did our version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” at Bombshell Bootcamp  and called it “The 12 Days of Fitness”! However, this is a great workout you can do any time of year. Start with a 10-15 minute warmup and then start this workout with #1 and work your way down to #12. However, the song is a “cumulative” song, meaning that each verse (or workout) is added to the previous one! For instance: On the 4th day of fitness my trainer gave to me 4 calling burpees, 3 french hills, 2 Turtle Tucks, etc. So, this circuit becomes quite challenging and should take you about 20-30minutes depending on how fast you go.

 12 Days of Fitness Workout

1 Bootcamper in a Pear Tree (hold tree pose for 10-30 seconds on each leg)
2 Turtle Tucks (jumps)
3 French Hills (or sets of high knees)
4 Calling Burpees
5 Golden Pushups
6 Geese a Lunging (6 sets of reverse lunges)
7 Santas Squatting (7 squats)
8 Lords ‘O Leaping (leaping jumps)
9 Swimmers Swimming (on your back ie “superman” – 9 sets)
10 Jacks a Jumping (10 jacks)
11 Plankers Planking (11 sets of alternating arm reaches or you can do leg raises – while in forearm plank position)
12 Drummers Drumming (wall sit in “drummer” position with fists on quads)

Here is my latest Culturemap article:

“10 Things Your Personal Trainer Doesn’t Want to  Hear Over The Holidays”

Ahh, the holidays. Most trainers, including myself, dread this time of year because it’s a time when all of our clients go bizerk and forget everything they’ve learned and worked so hard for the rest of the year. But, it’s not too late – you can take classes, hit the gym or enlist the help of a trainer. Just avoid saying the following if you really want to commit to staying fit over the holidays.

My office is making me fat! Be strong people! There is such a thing as self-control and willpower; you may just have to dig down deep to find it. If your office kitchen is filled with “goodies” that will make you fat – then just don’t go in there! I’m sure you won’t lose your job because of what you do or don’t eat. Instead, pack your desk full of healthy treats so that you won’t be tempted to have a cookie, brownie or whatever else is lurking around the office. Going out for holiday lunches? Just stick with salads and grilled options. Clients sending you sugary gifts? Reward the ones that send fruit or non-food items and tell the cookie senders that the fruit baskets were the hit of the office and maybe they’ll get the hint.

OMG, Yay – the eggnog lattes are back! What? Yeah, and your 10lbs will soon be back. Did you know this drink at Starbucks has 460 calories and 21 grams of fat? And that’s for the grande/medium with no whipped cream! Avoid any creamy drinks or ones that taste like dessert, because they have just as many calories as a dessert or more. If you are going to indulge in a holiday drink, try a low-cal cider, sugar-free hot chocolate, peppermint tea or the skinny cinnamon dolce latte at Starbucks (180 calories/6g fat) as an alternative.

Oh, don’t worry. I don’t like sweets. Yeah right. After a few cocktails you’ll be throwing back the eggnog as you stand in line at the dessert table. Stay away from the sweets! If you must have something sweet at a party, go for gingerbread (or gingersnaps), a “mini” dessert  (like a cookie or bar) or even a candy cane. Think “small portions”. If you have to make a dessert yourself for an event, try using Truvia, Stevia or Splenda as alternatives to sugar or just make something that is “cleaner” like fruit dipped in dark chocolate. It’s still a crowd pleaser and your friends won’t blame you for their weight gain. Read the rest of this entry »

Last night I held one of my weekly group training sessions with the Houston Rockets Power Dancers. I decided to make it a little harder than usual, because they are getting ready to start the new season (finally!) and will be on the court soon!  So, I thought I’d share with you guys the exact workout we did (see below). Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

RPD Workout:

Warmup: treadmills and stairs 5-10min
Strength Training (they use two 8-12lb weights for most exercises):

• 20 Pushups & 15 Overhead Shoulders Raises x 3 sets
• 15 Bicep Curls & 15 Squats x 3 sets
• Band walk with resistance band (up and down hallway for about 5 minutes)
• Walking lunges with a leg lift (for glutes) up and down the hallway for about 7 minutes *using a 20lb kettlebell
• Curtsey lunges (15 each leg) then 20 overhead tricep extensions x 3 sets
• Traveling Burpees alternating with weighted squats x 3 sets for about 5 min each
• Traveling squat jumps 7 minutes
• Squat Jacks 7min
• Side planks – 25 dips on each side x 4
• Bicycle crunches (fast) 1 minute alternating with 1 min squat jumps (jumping up to touch wall)
• Stretch

Also, I will be debuting a new workout series in the next couple of weeks called “Workout Like A Rockets Power Dancer” where I will feature a new dancer each week that will share one of her favorite workouts with you and we’ll challenge you to workout like an RPD for one week! Stay tuned…

I’m thrilled to be featured on Shape Magazine’s website and featured in the post: “Top 10 Moves For a Tighter Tush”!

When they asked me for my top 10 best butt exercises, I immediately thought about most of the moves I show in my dvd:”Long Lean Legs“! So, I included many of these same moves, along with a detailed description so readers can follow along at home. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

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THE TIGHTER TUSH CIRCUIT

Obviously you are using your leg muscles when you run – but which ones are really doing the work? Well, it depends on what type of run you are doing. Each type of run (see below) works your muscles differently and and may target one group more than the other. Also, the type of muscles you have can make a big difference in which distance you excel at. Typically, people with a higher percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers do better at sprints and other things (weight training, etc) that require short bursts of energy. Long distance runners and people with more stamina typically have more slow twitch muscle fibers. What’s the difference? Well, mainly how the muscles use oxygen for fuel. Your fast twitch muscles barely use oxygen at all and can even perform without you taking a breath (like during a very short sprint).

Can  you increase the percent of short twitch or fast twitch muscles? Not really. You are born with a certain amount of both and for most people, it’s about 50/50. For certain athletes, they may have a higher percentage of one or the other, so that makes them excel at their particular sport. So, what if you really want to be a sprinter but think you don’t have the right muscle fibers? Well, you have to work at it! You can’t really change the type of fibers you have, but you can make the muscles that you do have stronger. So, if you are wanting to do more fast twitch activities like sprinting or weight training, then focus on those muscles and improving your speed and strength with those activities. If you want to run a marathon or work on your endurance, then practice adding endurance and distance into your routine each week so that your slow twitch fibers get stronger. Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s challenge is to “Make A Touchdown”! I include some great cardio moves including burpees, plyometric jumps and suicides – all which require you to “touch down” and will really get your heart rate up!

This week’s challenge is to “Get a Tight End”! I demonstrate 3 moves in the video that will really target your glutes. Remember to join the challenge by clicking the link below the video. The winners get some cool prizes from ExerciseTV!

Join my new challenge series with ExerciseTV! This week’s challenge is called “Don’t Be A Wide Receiver” and it’s the first of 4 football themed workouts to appear on ExerciseTV.TV. To join the challenge, visit their Facebook Fan Page and click on the “Breakfast Club” link on the side. Or, visit SocialWorkout’s website and you can officially join there.

This week we want you to get focused, get your head in the game and work on slimming down and toning up!  Try to fit in this total body workout every day this week if you can. Also, be sure to eat a “clean” diet and remember to eat a healthy breakfast every day!

*You DO NOT need a football or access to a football field for these workouts ; ) For the next 4 weeks you only need 1 set of light/medium weights (or something from around your house) and medicine ball (optional).

Hi guys! Last week’s challenge for the ExerciseTV Breakfast Club was to run 60 minutes during the week. You can still do this challenge on your own this week or do it in addition to this week’s challenge :Work Your Sides!

At the end of the video I show 5 of my favorite warmup drills to do that I do before a race, long run or any time I want to loosen up before I run. These drills include:

-Dynamic Hamstring Stretch
-Butt Kicks
-Toe Walk
-Heel Walk
-High Skip

Last week I was notified by Nike that I was one of the 5 winners who submitted their favorite drill as part of a Nike Training Club (“NTC”) contest! I submitted my favorite drill – a jumprope drill that I called “Triple Jumprope Drill”. I love jumprope and thought that all the NTC members and people who use the app would like to incorporate it into their routine because it’s so much fun and a great workout! I’m so honored that Nike chose me! Look for my name and my drill in the new Spring App!

Read what Nike has to say about me on their Blog:

I love the NTC App and highly recommend it, if you don’t have it already. It’t great for when you don’t have time to take a class, work with a trainer or go to the gym – because it requires very little equipment. I love how it has 3 levels to chose from (the advanced is definitely advanced!) and goals to choose: Get Lean, Get Toned, Get Strong or Get Focused. Most workouts are either 30 minutes or 45 and you have a virtual trainer speaking to you the whole time and guiding you through each move (about 30-90 seconds each) with a live clock counting down. Not sure how to do the “frogger”? Well, just click on the little video icon and you’ll get to watch a demo before you return back to the workout.

Check back for info on the new app and my drill!

Hi guys! I started back up with Marathon training 3 weeks ago and thought I’d try to post my weekly training schedules on here so that you could follow along if you want. If you aren’t currently running 6 miles, just scale back this plan to adjust. I basically increase my long run by 1 mile per week for 3 consecutive weeks and then drop it back by about 40% to recover for 1 week. I’m planning to run the Houston Marathon Jan. 15th and possibly the Rock ‘N Roll Marathon in Las Vegas on Dec 4th and then maybe one after Houston (possibly an “ultra”).

When I started back 3 weeks ago, I was already running about 2-3 days a week and could easily run 6 miles, so that’s the milege I started my long run with. If you aren’t at 6 miles yet, you can start out doing your long run at 3 miles – or wherever you are comfortable. Here is what my training looked like along with this week’s plan:

8/13: 6 mile long run
8/20: 9 miles (I normally don’t jump up by 3 miles and wouldn’t recommend – stick to the 10% rule)
8/27: 10 miles

*Remember your long runs should be about 30-90 seconds slower than your goal marathon pace or even slower because of the heat! You should be running at a “conversational” pace for your easy runs and long runs. If you are breathing heavy – you are going too fast.

Training Plan for This Week

(most weeks will be similar, but the mileage will increase)

Monday: 2 miles easy + abs
Tuesday: 3 miles with the last 2 being sprints (short sprints this week with 1 block sprint 1 block walk or slow jog); Hamstrings, Glutes, Quads, Shoulders and Abs
Wednesday: 3 Miles easy + Total Body Workout
Thursday: 2 miles of hills (warmup for 0.5mile flat first then do 10 long hills fast and 10 short hill sprints and recover between hills); Chest, Back, Biceps, Triceps and Abs
Friday: Nike Training Club workout (get the APP Here or on your iPhone). This is one of my new favorite ways to cross train. *Check back for exciting news on that soon!
Saturday: Long Run – Recovery week: 6 miles
Sunday: Yoga (60min)

Here is my latest article on Culturemap!

Sample Travel Workout For Runners

Below is a sample intermediate/advanced workout for those that like to run. You can swap out the running for any other form of cardio. If you are doing high intensity cardio (stairs, jumprope, etc) do the workout in an interval format (2-5 minutes of cardio then mix in some weight training). If you don’t have weights – use a resistance band and make sure it’s hard enough so that when you get to around 15 reps it burns. Always choose a lighter band, because you can make it harder by pulling out the slack between your feet or just gripping the band farther down from the handles.

MONDAY:
4 miles easy. Warmup 5min at 5-6mph then do steady run around 5.5-6.2mph the whole way. Finish with 3min walk.<
Abs: Do 20 leg raises, 20 v-ups, 20 toe touches. Repeat all 3x.

TUESDAY:
3 miles with Hills. Warmup for 5 minutes. For first set of hills: put TM on 10% incline. Alternate 1 minute run (5.0-6.0 mph but increase speed as you go) with 1 minute walk. Do this for 10 minutes. Then, second set of hills: keep speed at 5.0 mph and alternate 1 minute flat with 30 seconds of 12%. Do this for about 10 minutes or until you are close to 3 miles total. Finish with walk/cooldown.
Weight Training
Chest: 3 sets 20-25 pushups
Back: Bent over rows with 15-20lbs in each hand (keep back flat and knees bent). Do 3 sets 10-15 reps.
Bicep: Bicep curls with 15-25lb weights. Do 3 sets 10-15reps.
Tricep: Overhead tricep dips with 1 20-25lb weight. Do 3 sets 10-15reps.
Abs: 25 crunches to the center + 25 crunches to left (oblique twist) + 25 crunches to right + 1 60 sec. plank. Repeat 3x. Read the rest of this entry »

How you breathe during your workouts can really effect your energy, form and the results you get. Breathing normally isn’t something we think about too much and it should be effortless. But, if you put a little thought and mindfulness into your breaths during your workout, you will get better results all the way around.

I started focusing more on my breathing a few years ago when I started doing more yoga. In yoga (especially hatha,ashtanga and vinyasa classes) each pose is done with a breath (either inhale or exhale or both). I started to realize why it was important to inhale and exhale during certain moves and began to see the benefits of each breath. Above all, just the fact that I was focusing more on my breath and less on the difficulty and uncomfortableness of each pose helped me push through the workout and get more out of it. So, I translated this focus onto my running workouts and also weight training. Below is my cheat sheet for when to inhale/exhale during certain workouts…

Yoga

A good rule to follow in yoga is you inhale whenever your body or eyes are going up (ie upward dog, or coming into Warrior I) and exhale whenever you are going down (ie down dog, forward bend,etc). Also, in yoga we do ”nostril breathing” - breathing just through the nose and this takes some practice. Just be very “mindful” of each breath you take because it will help your body relax (especially the exhales) and clear your mind.

Running

When you run, your breath should be pretty effortless and relaxed. However, when you start to pickup the speed or feel yourself getting tired, shift your focus on to your breathing. When your heart rate starts to elevate, your natural reaction is to probably take a bunch of short breaths. Try not to do that and instead, deepen your breathing. Take a long inhale through your nose and long exhale through your mouth. The bigger the breaths you can take – the faster your heart rate will drop and your muscles will relax. When you are sprinting or going super fast, it may help you to take in one deep inhale and then 3-5 mini exhales. Each little exhale will help you relax more. These tips can also be applied towards other cardio.

Weight Training

In weight training you want to exhale on the concentric (when the muscle shortens) part of the movement. This is usually the “hard” part of the exercise, like when you are lifting the weights up when you do bicep curl or when you push your heels in the ground to stand up from a squat. By exhaling, you give your core more stabilization and you give your body more power and focus to lift/push/pull a heavy weight (or your bodyweight).

*You can also ready this post and view comments/ questions on my “Ask The Expert” blog on ExerciseTV’s blog HERE.

Hi guys! I’m getting asked a lot of good questions as part of my weekly “Breakfast Club” challenges, so I thought I’d share one from last time. One of the questions Ivori M. asked me was “If I stop exercising and reduce my calorie intake, can I still lose weight?”. Here is my response: