Fitness Backpack

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Most people who want to burn off some excess pounds and tighten and tone their bodies simply don’t have 2 hours each day to spend in the gym performing the bodybuilding style workouts that most “fitness experts” recommend.

Plus, these workouts consist of exercises and techniques that do not exercise the body in the way it is normally used so they end up building a somewhat unusable strength. In my opinion, most people, unless their main objective is body building, shouldn’t perform the traditional style workouts

While I do still believe that machine and free weight strength training is the best choice for body building, it is NOT the best choice when it comes to general fitness goals like strength, flexibility, endurance, etc.

I don’t know about you, but I can barely fit in 15 minutes for exercise let alone 2 hours… and I personally am not interested in muscle size alone (which doesn’t mean strength and usually leaves you stiff and inflexible)! I’m sure your schedule is probably the same. The good news though is you don’t have to… you can burn fat, increase flexibility, build unbelievable strength and endurance, reshape your body, and build a level of fitness that is truly functional.

I want to share with you a workout that I do personally that delivers a great combination of strength, flexibility, cardio and muscular endurance, and fat burning.

WARNING: The following workout will not only surprise you, but it will likely go against everything you ever thought to be true about fitness. Also, it is recommend you consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.

Are you ready? Good, here it is:

The following exercises should be performed with little or no rest between and you may need to adjust the number of repetitions or time depending upon your current fitness level.

Jumping Jacks -1 minute Bodyweight squat (one-leg squat for advanced) – 15-20 reps Push-ups (slower reps for advanced) – as many reps as possible Kick butts (jog in place and kick your rear with both heels) – 1 minute Hamstring floor bridge (use swiss ball or one leg for advanced) – 15-20 reps Superman (lying on stomach w/ arms out to side, lift legs and chest off floor) – 15-20 reps High knees (jog in place lifting knees as high as possible) – 1 minute Stationary lunge – 15-20 reps Torso rotations/twists – 20 reps each direction Side bends/reaches – 20 reps each direction Mountain climbers – 1 minute (if you can J) Wall sit – as long as you can hold it Dips (use chair/bench/stairs) – as many reps as possible

There you have it… sounds easy, right? That couldn’t possibly do anything, right? I personally challenge you… try it… no, try it right now! Drop what you are doing and give it a shot and see for yourself. If you find it a bit easy, which I doubt, perform it 2-3 times through without rest.

This workout will deliver more usable fitness results and benefits than any traditional gym or health club workout. Now, you can of course implement this type of workout in the gym and make it even better, but the beauty of this is you can do it anywhere!

Also, this is just one example and as you can imagine, there thousands of other exercises you can add or replace… I actually recommend switching the exercises every 2-4 weeks or even better is to put together 3 or 4 different workouts and then rotate them.

If you are not familiar with one of the exercises just replace it with one you know that works the same part of the body. You can also learn all of these exercises along with dozens of others in my soon to be released video which will consists of several workouts like this that you can do anywhere to build and maintain awesome levels of fitness, even workouts with dumbbells, swiss balls, medicine balls, and more… watch for it in coming months.

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How many of you have read, “It’s Not About The Bike” by Lance Armstrong? What we learned about Lance’s life is that his mission is all about survival, digging deep from within, honoring your goals and commitments, and following your dreams in spite of the often difficult road to the top.

Following an interview I did recently with Annika Sorenstam’s trainer, he made me think about golf fitness training at the elite level and what it was really about. That is when it hit me, “it’s not about the bicep curl”. You see the bicep curl is one of many vehicles to display strength to a specific part of the front of your arm. It is a vehicle in the same way that the bike was the vehicle for Lance Armstrong to show his dedication, intensity, desire to win, and tremendous fortitude.

So, if it is not about the bicep curl, then what is it about? It is about setting up to perform the exercise. It is about feeling the ground beneath you providing a solid base of support, as in golf. It’s about making sure that your posture is correct so you don’t place stress on your body unnecessarily. It’s about engaging your abdominal muscles so that your low back is protected when your body begins to move. It’s about knowing which part of your body has responsibility for stability while the other body parts are producing force. The bicep curl is also about understanding that strength not only comes from those body parts, but a much deeper resource like your brain sending positive thoughts and messages throughout the movement like “I know you can do two more and feel the strength from within” instead of “I’ve never liked this exercise, I feel weak when I lift”.

Are you with me? The bicep curl like every other exercise we do is about all of the elements that come together to develop true strength. These same elements are used when we set up for our golf swing knowing which part of our body is taking care of stability while the other parts are producing movement.

You see, in the end, the golf swing is not about the swing anymore than the bicep curl is about growing that popular section of the arm. Golf is about learning what to feel with your body and mind and letting the swing happen as a result.

Next time you go to the gym or perform those exercises at home, remember this. It’s not about the equipment. Fully engage your mind, your body and your attention to all of the details that come along with it. This should make a big difference in your results!

Treadmills are the ubiquitous piece of fitness equipment-they seem to be everywhere. Typically, when an exerciser buys an at home piece of cardio equipment, they opt for the treadmill-which is a great idea, if you use it. However, it is easy to grow bored and find yourself using it as a clothes rack.

In order to keep yourself motivated and on that treadmill, there are some things you can do. First, make sure to choose the home treadmill that best suits your needs. There are folding treadmills that save space and, obviously, fold up out of the way when not in use. If you don’t have a room devoted solely to working out, this may be a good option for you. After all, these machines can take up a lot of room in a bedroom or living room. Or, you may be a person who likes a lot of upgrades and gadgets. If so, look for one of the newer models that offer different preprogrammed workouts, such as hill climbs or intervals. There are even treadmills out now that have video monitors for you to watch that show outdoor scenes as you walk or run. These city scenes, beach scenes, wooded climbs, etc serve to motivate and keep the exerciser interested. Some of these video monitors include a virtual trainer that will provide motivation as you walk or run, updating you on your progress as you go and offering encouragement as you near your goals.

Additionally there are some things you can do to help yourself stay motivated while working out. The first thing you should do is write down your goals and chart your progress as you make your way towards those goals. Vary your workouts. One day, plan to do sprints, with brief intervals in between to let the heart rate come down. Another day, increase your incline and really work the muscles in your legs. Variety is the key-it will help you find gains in your workout and will keep you motivated.

Robin Dwyer is a fitness enthusiast and consultant for FitnessLyceum.com. We sell a large selection of treadmills and all types of fitness equipment from leading manufacturers at competitive prices.