ELIMINATING EXCUSES | fitness

Yesterday, we hit the abs with “8-pack” abs part II. Today, we are going to work the legs with a routine that works the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Make sure that you stretch and warm-up properly. If you needs some suggestions for leg stretches, click on the following word: Stretching. You should feel this routine. Your legs will thank you.

*Legs Routine #2*
power cleans – 3 x 10 – 15 reps/set with 60 seconds rest between each set. Rest 75 seconds before the next exercise. By the way, if you don’t have a barbell, use dumbells or water gallon jugs (with the handle large enough for you hand to fit). If you use dumbells or water jugs, hold them as if you were holding a barbell. The motion will still be the same.

glute kickbacks – 3 x 15 – 20 reps/set with 60 seconds rest between each set. Rest 75 seconds before the next exercise.

stair hops – 3 sets with each set lasting for 1 minute. Hop as many steps as you can in one minute. If you don’t have a stairway near you, find an object (with a solid base that won’t move) that you can hop on and off. If you have no such object, jump in place for each set. Rest 45 seconds between each set and rest 75 seconds before the next exercise.

calf raises – 3 x 30 – 45 reps/set with 60 seconds rest per set. Remember that each set of calf raises includes the standard calf raise, calf raises with feet turned outward and calf raises with feet turned inward. So 30 reps is 10 reps on each of the three versions and 45 reps is 15 reps on each of the three versions. If needed, review the video and the post to refresh your memory.

Again, it feels good to be out of the dugout and back in the game! Now to the point: hill running. Hill running is a great exercise for speed & agility training and for endurance. If you want to focus on speed and agility, sprint up hill for about 50 – 75 meters. Rest about 45 – 60 seconds in between sprints and do at least 5 sprints. I recommend a light jog in between sets to help keep your hamstrings and quadriceps from tightening. A good warm-up including stretching will help make sure that your muscles are primed for the workout; and a good cool down will help your muscles transition smoothly to a relaxed state. As you are sprinting, pick your legs up high with each step. We want the tendons in the hip area that allow you to lift your legs to get used to fast, repetitive movements to help improve speed and agility. For those of you focusing on endurance, run up a long hill. If you are going to do repetitions, jog back down hill and then immediately run back up hill. Either route you choose, hill running is guaranteed to make you DO SOMETHIN’!

I am out.

Some of you might not have been able to get up to the rim with ease for the rim pull-ups that I posted on Monday. Don’t sweat it! Today, I’ve got an exercise that will help you strengthen your quads and calves, which will in turn improve your vertical jumping ability. Ready to do some stair hops!! As always, make sure you are loose are ready from your warm-up routine before you DO SOMETHIN’. Let’s head outside to an area with a long, steep stairway. Starting at the bottom, jump 2 stairs at a time (your feet will touch every 3rd step) until you reach the top. Come back down. Rest 1 minute and include your walk back down the stairs as part of your rest. On the next set, jump 3 steps at a time. Rest 1 minute. On your last set, jump 4 steps at a time. As your muscles fatigue, it will be harder to jump the steps. Take your time so your don’t trip over your feet.

Make it happen!

Let’s start the week off working the quads. Here’s an exercise that good for tone and definition. Prior to this exercise, I recommend that you do some stretching to get yourself ready and to lower the risk of an injury. You’ll need some weight for this exericse, dumbells are ideal, and a solid base to step on (your stepping tool should be at a comfortable height for you). Place your stepping tool infront of you and grab a weight in each hand. Start with your left leg and take a step up on your stepping tool; bring the right leg up also. Then step back down on your right leg and then bring down the left. Repeat this motion. Make sure you move in a smooth, controlled manner so that you don’t loose your balance. Work both your left and right leg (for the right, reverse the sides mentioned in previous 3 sentences). Now, excuse = eliminated. DO SOMETHIN’!

Alright folks, let’s hit the legs. Here is a quadricep exercise that is good for toning and strengthening: jumping squats. Start with your legs about shoulder width apart and squat until your legs form about a 120 degree angle. If squatting this deep doesn’t work for you, squat to a comfortable point. If you feel any pain or discomfort in your back (or anywhere else), I recommend that you don’t do this exercise. Look up as you squat to prevent yourself from falling foward and make sure that your weight is centered over the heels of your feet. I like to keep my hands up as if I had a barbell across my shoulders. As you come up from the squat, jump up. You don’t have to jump your highest but enough to get your feet off the ground. So, use good form and make those quads burn. Got it? DO SOMETHIN’!