Work It Out For Boston

April 16, 2013 By Laura

The post I planned today wasn’t coming out.

I sat on the couch to finish it, but my mind couldn’t focus.

Like all of you, my head and my heart are with the city of Boston after yesterday’s Boston Marathon tragedy.

Rather than a typical Work It Out post, I want to dedicate today to the Marathoners and their supporters that were affected by yesterday’s attack.

Today I’d like to simply propose that however you exercise, you Work It Out in honor of the victims of this devastating event. Lift your weights with focus, get angry at the punching bag, run with purpose… there’s already a Run for Boston Virtual Event organized!

Whatever you do, do it and appreciate this life, and the ability we have to be healthy, be happy, and contribute good to a world that can feel hateful.

***

Click here for 13 beautiful helpers.

“I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world.” – Charles Dickens

How will you honor our Boston friends today?

What GOOD is happening in your world right now?

Work It Out: Limited Legs

April 9, 2013 By Laura

Today is leg day.

Let’s pretend I don’t dread this day each week.

Misery loves company, so today’s Work It Out is a leg day too. You’re welcome.

This is actually kind of a fun routine. I call it limited because you only need 2 machines, and it’s a good one to do if you’re suffering from foot/ankle problems (I do these when my plantar fasciitis acts up). You CAN have a challenging leg workout without ever touching your feet to the floor.

Another reason I like it is that is incorporates many of the previous techniques I’ve written about to shake up your routine. Click the title of each for the post with a full description/benefits of the technique.

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The only equipment you need to do these is a leg extension machine and a leg curl machine.

Do 3 sets of each move, 10 reps per set (unless otherwise indicated). When you select your starting weight, remember that most of these are using techniques that make the move more challenging. If you can, increase your weight with each set

Leg Extensions

1. Traditional Leg Extensions (regular reps)

2. 24s (8 reps from bottom to half way point, 8 starting half way to full extension, and 8 full)

3. Fulls and Partials (10 full, followed by 10 partial reps – 1st and 3rd sets bottom half, 2nd and 4th top half)

4. Drop Sets (10 reps with a medium heavy weight, 10 with 10 lbs less, then 10 more with 10 lbs less = 1 set)

Lying Leg Curls

1. Traditional Lying Leg Curls (regular reps)

2. Super 8’s (8 reps + hold for 8 count, 3 times = 1 set)

3. 1 1/2’s (1 full + 1 half = 1 rep, 1st and 3rd set halfs on the bottom half, 2nd and 4th on the top)

4. Super Slow (6 count going up, 6 count going down)

Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications. They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.

***

You guys cracked me up with the gym confessions/pet peeves last week. I’m going to be doing more posts like that!

What’s you most-hated leg move? Hack squats.

So we end on a positive… what’s your favorite leg move? Heavy squats!

Work It Out: Gym Confessions

April 2, 2013 By Laura

Working out doesn’t mean being perfect.

Sometimes it means going from the gym to work without a shower, or eating 2 pieces of cheesecake at 10pm… not that I would know.

Today’s Work It Out is dedicated to imperfection.

It’s easy to feel like everyone else is eats cleaner, is more disciplined, or is in better shape than you. It’s not true. Try as we might to fight it, we are mere mortals.

I am painfully human. #sorryimnotsorry

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In the spirit of full discolsure and keeping it real, here are a few things I must confess:

1. People talk about how comparison is bad… but I sort of like it. ~~Being the most competitive person I know~~ I enjoy a challenge, so trying to out-lift the dude next to my in the weight room only fuels my fire.

2. I like red wine. A lot. My cheat day includes more than one glass.

3. Sometimes I wear the same outfit to workout 2-3 times without washing it. Sports bras… 4-5 times.

4. If you are hogging the machine while “resting” (a.k.a. playing on your phone reading a magazine, eating a banana), I am fanticizing about beating your ass. then I will walk over and politely ask if I may work in while you ~~screw around~~ rest.

5. I drink a ton of water… so much that I have to pee at least once during my workout. I also can’t make it through the night without getting up to go. It makes me feel like an old lady.

6. In my head I’m 5’6 and completely ripped. In reality… well, I’m 5’3 (on a good day) and slowly building. Reality bites.

7. I’m a loner in the gym. Unless I’m with my trainer, I want to be left to my own devices and move at my own pace. Until I need a spot.

8. I always wear mascara and a little eyeshadow to the gym. Always.

yeah, yeah…

9. Sometimes if I’m going straight from work to the gym (or vice versa) I wear a sports bra and black workout pants to work for a faster change.

10. On my heaviest set… a fart has been known to slip out.

***

Unrelated confession: I wish Bacon Mouthwash hadn’t been an April Fool’s joke.

Confess! What are you guilty of?

What is your gym etiquette pet peeve?

Work It Out: From Running to Lifting

March 26, 2013 By Laura

Competing is not for the faint of heart.

Or for those who dislike asparagus.

Body building requires a lot of hard work and discipline. I love the weights – that part doesn’t seem like work to me (most days).

The diet… well, those few weeks leading up to a competition get a little rough. You probably didn’t want to be near me the last week because I was ~~a total bitch~~ tired of chicken and asparagus.

This post isn’t about asparagus. Today’s Work It Out is a guest post from a friend and fellow comptitior. Jennifer trains at my gym, House of Payne.

We competed together in the NPC Jen Hendershott Big Shott Bodybuilding Classic last year (Jenn in Physique and myself in Figure). She was such a great friend – calming my beginner nerves and raising a margarita toast to out successes post-competion.

Jennifer, Christina, Steve (our trainer), Devy, and Me

Jenn is a big inspiration. Like me, she’s a former runner. The muscle she’s gained in the ~7 months I’ve known her is absolutely incredible.

Below is the story of her transformation. I hope it inspires you – even if you aren’t interested in competing, it’s a great reminder that we can do anything we want to, if we want to badly enough.

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Close to 2 Decades of Fitness

The year is 1994 and I sign up for my first jogging class at Gainesville State College. Little did I know at the time what my fitness future would hold. I had an amazing coach who shared his passion of fitness with me. He gradually took us, beginners, and taught us how to build up stamina and endurance in running. Through the class, I developed a liking to running. I’ll never forget how I felt when I completed running 2 miles without stopping. My coach told me if you can run 2 miles, then you can run 6 miles. Well, I kept on running. I even thought I was “Forrest.” Forrest Gump, that is.

I ran all the way through college, 3 pregnancies, and into mid 30’s. Then all of a sudden, I realized my body had massively changed. I was fat. I was flabby in a lot of areas. I couldn’t eat the junk that I ate in my 20’s and look good. I felt as if my muscle tissue was a lot less than it was in the previous years.

I took a huge leap and decided to change my eating and my training. I always loved the way girls looked in Muscle & Fitness Magazine. I wanted that look. I wanted biceps and a 6-pack. So I started weight training at home. I started out with a beginner set of barbells and a pull-up bar.

I trained 1 year at home and starting transforming my body gradually. I mainly did strength training 4 days a week and 2 days of cardio. But I wanted to do more and continue to transform my body. So I hired a personal trainer. Also at that 1 year mark, my pursuits became a little different. At first, I just wanted to get fit and lose some weight. Gradually as I transformed my body and learned more about weight training and its results, I decided to enter a figure contest.

So I entered my first figure competition. I will be real honest, my first time out I was not even close to the top 5. However, that first competition set me on fire to compete. This was the best thing to happen. I went into that competition thinking that I was going to win. Oh Yes! However, I left that competition and decided I was going to put in the time and build some serious muscle. I was going to be a competitive figure athlete.

For the next 3 years, I studied and researched training methods. I also hired a nutritionist/coach who monitors all of my food and helps develop my training splits. He has developed a plan to help me build lean muscle mass in the off-season and he knows how to turn me into a lean competitor for the stage.

I have competed in 4 figure competitions since 2010. However, in November of 2012, I stepped on stage as a physique competitor and placed 3^rd in the competition, which qualified me for the national stage.

Physique is a new division in the body building world. This division is for women that have a little more muscle than figure. The Physique division also requires a routine that enables you to present your physique and display your muscles in a way that figure girls don’t get to do. I absolutely adore it. I love being on stage and the center of attention. I especially love showing off my hard work that I have done in the gym and through my nutrition.

As I write this, I am in prep for Team Universe in July 2013. This is my first national show. I am giving my 110% to this competition. I still have the same fire in my soul as I did with my first competition. I love the structure, workouts, and the discipline required for competing. Every time I do a show I feel as if I learn something new about myself. I have also learned in order for you to succeed, you must step out of your comfort zone and push a little bit harder.

Train Hard and You will be Amazed at Your Results!

XOXO

***

Follow Jennifer’s journey on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to check out her blog!

Did anyone try last week’s Super Slow technique?

Would/have you ever considered competing?

Work It Out: Super Slow

March 19, 2013 By Laura

Going slowly is hard for me.

I may be the most impatient person alive.

In the past I’ve focused the Work It Out series on changing up how you perform the exercise. All-new workouts are great, but that’s not your only option for continuing to make progress and ensuring you don’t plateau.

You can get an incredible burn from moves you’ve been doing for months! All you need to do is take one of your existing routines and apply a new approach.

Here are some of my favorite ways to shake up moves you’re probably already familiar with:

Today I have one more to add. You can thank my trainer for reminding me of this little ~~gym~~ gem…

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Super Slow Sets

Were you wondering where the patience part from the beginning of the post would come in? I am one who prefers to go hard throughout a workout. Slowing it down is sometimes more of a challenge for me than performing the actual slow set!

What are they?

Slow sets are all about control and contraction. To perform these, you will want to use a lighter weight than normal. You will be doing the same number of reps as you usually, do but your muscles are under strain for a much longer time due to a slower cadence.

You will be completing each rep using a 1-2-3 count. Remember grade school when you counted 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi? Do that on the way up.

The idea is that going super slow allows more blood to flow to the targeted muscle. It uses slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are normally missed during faster lifting (that hits fast-twitch muscle fibers). This results in strength gains.

Where do I use Super Slow Reps?

Super Slow Sets can be applied to most exercises. A good starting point for any of these is doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

Here are a few of my love-to-hate-them favorites. Click the links below for a written explanation of each move.

Leg Press

Never, ever lock your knees while doing these!

Standing Bicep Cable Curls

This also works well with dumbbell curls.

Lat Pulldowns

Try these with both wide and close grips!

Assisted Pull Up Machine

If you can do these unassisted… I am truly impressed. Please send video.

Close Hand Push-Ups

To make these easier, spread your feet wider or simply go “girl” push-ups (on your knees).

Warning: When you first start using super slow sets (or any new technique), don’t be surprised if you are more sore the day after. This is a result of the neuromuscular adaptations in the body, which usually create the greatest degree of muscular soreness.

This is not something you want to apply to every workout you do. These, like the others listed, are meant to be done for a short period of time to help boost you through a plateau.

***The Disclaimer: I’m not a certified professional anything. Use common sense. If it hurts, stop. You will see results, but only if you are consistent, relentless, and patient. ***

***

I’m back down to 4 rather than 5 sets this week. It’s like heaven. I’ll never complain about 4 again!

Did anyone try last week’s Chest and Bicep workout?

Have you ever hit a plateau? How did you get through it?

Work It Out: Chest & Biceps

March 12, 2013 By Laura

Chest and Bicep day is my favorite.

My trainer says this means I’m like a guy. Whatever.

A few weeks ago I posted about working out away from home. I am a consultant, which means I travel a fairly often. You guys have seen they way I pack days and days of meals for the road. It takes effort, but it – like most things – becomes habit and gets SO much easier.

Workouts are a little harder. It is a habit, but you never know what the hotel gym situation will be. In my last post, I talked about learning to be flexibly inflexible. My daily workout is a habit – one that I am inflexible about breaking.

Flexibility is also important. Those hotel gyms are 95% of the time pretty sparse. I have to be able to change my planned workout to fit the situation.

The previous hotel workout was a back and tricep day re-created in a gym equip only with free weights, a bench, and a stability ball.but got a few requests for the chest and bicep workout. Ask and you shall receive! 🙂

Simple to do with minimal equipment, the following workout was done in that same small hotel gym.

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For each exercise, do 3 sets of 10-12 reps. If you are lifting heavy, do 4 sets of 6-10 reps. Click the links below for a written explanation of each move.

If you realllly want to shake it up and shock your body, do what I’m doing right now: 5 sets of 12. You. Will. Die. (Please don’t do this if you aren’t already lifting a lot – no need to actually die.) 😉

Chest

Flat Bench Press

Incline Bench Press with a twist

As you press up, twist the wrist so that at the top of the movement the palms are facing away from the body. If this causes discomfort, simply leave the twist out.

Decline Bench Press

Stability Ball Pullovers…

…superset with push ups

Biceps

Prone Incline Curls

These can also be done over a stability ball.

Alternating Bicep Curls

If you aren’t doing these with heavy weight, try them while standing on one leg for an added challenge.

Hammer Curls

To change it up, try doing these as alternating curls, or cross-body.

Reverse Curls

***As usual, here’s the disclaimer: I’m not a certified professional anything. Be smart. Don’t hurt yourself. Don’t expect to have Jamie Eason arms the day after. I work out all the time and I still don’t have her arms. ~~Dammit.~~**

***

Yesterday I did a back and tricep day. Every back exercise was superset with horizontal pull ups. By the end I’d done 240 of them. I’m surprised I’m able to type right now. LOL!

Did anyone try a new supplement after last week’s post?

Have you ever combined Chest and Biceps? I know it’s more traditional to do Back and Bis, but I’m loving this method!

Work It Out with Supplements

March 5, 2013 By Laura

Until I was in high school, I couldn’t swallow a pill.

My dad once threw a pill down my throat. Seriously.

Today I take a massive line up of vitamins and supplements… and I still have to think about it before I swallow them. My method now is to put water in my mouth first so that the pill sort of floats. That way I can trick myself into thinking I’m just swallowing water.

But this post isn’t about working around your gag reflex. It’s about one of the most-asked questions I get: What supplements do you/should I take? Work It Out with supplements!

This post is JUST about non-vitamin supplements. I also take my vitamins, but I think that’s less interesting. Let me know if I’m wrong.

I believe that supplementation plays in important role in athletes/health enthusiasts. The questions I get surround what supplements one can take to help maintain energy, reach fitness goals (i.e. build muscle), and maintain healthier lifestyles. Below is what I’ve learned on my journey as a figure competitor.

NOTE: This is simply what I have learned and experienced through personal research. NOTHING will replace hard work and a good diet.

Each day I take the following supplements:

1. Glutamine

This is part of my morning “cocktail.” I mix a teaspoon with my BCAAs, apple cider vinegar, and 16 oz of water to begin each day.

Why?

Glutamine is an amino acid that is produced in the highest quantity by your body. It is a non-essential amino acid, so it can be produced naturally by the body through other amino acids. Glutamine specifically aids in the development of the glucose that provides the body with energy. It helps maintain muscle mass and aids the recovery from training. Intensive athletic training can deplete glutamine levels when muscles are being worked, so glutamine supplements are effective in replenishing glutamine levels for athletes who train hard.

2. Aminos

Since this pic, I started using Optimum Nutrition’s BCAAs in my morning cocktail. I credit these for eliminating my morning coffee urges. And their orange flavor ROCKS!

Why?

After protein is ingested it breaks down into amino acids. Amino acids are known as the building blocks of proteins and are responsible for the development of your body’s enzymes, including those responsible for digestion. Amino acids also help in the repair and growth of muscles when taken in conjunction with your workout (see BCAAs below for more on that).

3. CLA (with green tea extract)

I also take one of these first thing in the morning, and another mid-afternoon. The directions indicate that you can take up to 4 per day; however, keep in mind that these instructions are often written with the average sized male in mind. A small female probably doesn’t need so much, so I take half.

Why?

CLA stands for conjugated linoleic acid. It is a type of trans fatty acid; however, CLA is not considered a “bad” trans fat. It assists in the metabolism of stored body fat for fuel and preventing the metabolism from slowing down while in the case of decrease calorie intake. Some studies have also found that taking CLA in conjunction with weight training leads to increased lean muscle development. CLA can be obtained through diet; meat and dairy products have the highest concentration of CLA. It has the added benefit of helping to prevent certain cancers and heart disease.

4. BCAAs

I love my Aminos to start the day; however, they do have some unnatural flavors, and it’s not always convenient to take with me to the gym. Instead I take a BCAA pill immediately following a workout, along with 20g of protein in the form of whey protein powder.

Why?

Taken after a workout, Aminos feed and repair muscles. Choosing the right amino acid will depend on your fitness goals. I take BCAAs. BCAAs are metabolized in the muscle, not the liver, like other Amino Acids. They contain isoleucine, leucine, and valine, which are thought to be THE most important amino acids for muscle tissue growth and preservation. The human body can’t manufacture BCAAs on their own, and being active places excess demand on our BCAA needs. This is why supplementing with BCAAs is important.

5. Creatine

Creatine powder can be somewhat controversial. I decided to try it out because I was having trouble gaining. This, combined with some diet adjustments and intensified workouts, has made a HUGE difference for me in the past month. I’m actually visibly GAINING! 🙂

Why?

Creatine is used to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – a molecule responsible for providing energy to your muscles. With more energy, you can train harder, producing greater results. It can also help your body to recover faster so that your next workout is fresher. About 2 grams of natural creatine is produced in your liver, kidneys and pancreas everyday. You also get creatine in your diet via meat or fish (which may make it especially beneficial for non-meat eaters). When taking creatine supplements people will typically report gaining a 2-4 pounds of weight immediately; however, the initial gain is water weight. Subsequent gains are muscle due to the increase in the workload you can handle. It can positively affect your cardiovascular exercise as well. Creatine helps increase the amount of aerobic activity you can do before getting winded, so you will be able to exercise longer and more intensely.

Some studies have found creatine enhanced athletic performance and increased strength. There are reports that creatine has caused dehydration, and in some cases there have been reports of side effects like irregular heartbeat and cramping. As with the benefits, these side effects have not specifically been proven to be a direct result of taking creatine. There are a lot of articles on creatine – both promoting and warning against. I strongly advise you to do your own research before deciding to use creatine.

***Disclaimer: This post contain Amazon affiliate links. If you order through them, I get a teensy kickback… it helps me run the blog, so thank you if you order anything! And I do actually order all of this from Amazon.***

[Tweet “Here’s the low down on the supplements to take to support your workout!”]

***

Good news on the lower body/glute front! I put on my jeans today and they were almost uncomfortably tight in the legs. Never thought I’d be so excited about that… 😉

What supplements do you take?

Did anyone try last week’s incline workout for the glutes?

Work It Out on the Incline + Saucony Virratas

February 26, 2013 By Laura

I am on a bootylicious mission.

Not to be confused with a Booty Call mission.

A couple of weeks ago I announced my goal of growing my tail end. Then last week I revealed my next competition would be postponed for a couple of months until the muscles in my bottom half can catch up to my top. So I’m extra-motivated to Working It Out hard-core.

Working out your glutes doesn’t have to all be done in the weight room. This weekend the weather was finally pleasant in Atlanta, so I hauled my hiney outside to Stone Mountain.

Work It Out on the Incline

If you’re hoping to get a firmer backside, running is generally NOT thing that you want to be doing (my trainer loves to tell me I literally ran my ass off). This doesn’t mean you can’t do any cardio. Incline walking and sprinting are both really great ways to tone your tush. Uphill walking and short sprints place more stress on the muscles surrounding the glutes, therefore adding muscle definition.

I sprinted this 14x – 2 sets of 7.

Don’t have a mountain?

No problem! Incline walks make for a great treadmill workout. I like to start each day doing one while I catch up on ~~GMA~~ important news.

Begin walking at 3.5 mph at a 2% incline for 1 minute. Increase the incline in each following minute by 1% until you reach a 16% incline. don’t hold on to the treadmill when the walk becomes challenging! Then descend. Decrease the incline by 1% each minute until your back to 2% for a 30 minutes exercise.

Need a bonus round?

Do sprint intervals. Focus on extending your hips and keep your chest lifted and shoulders back to get the most out of your sprints. Roll all the way forward onto your toes with each step, in order to engage more of your glutes.

The step machine is another good alternative. This will also have you working against resistance and will add more tone and definition to your body rather than slimming everything out but leaving you looking rather shapeless.

The most import thing is to find something that you enjoy, and that will hold your interest. The outdoors are ideal for me. If soreness is any indication of success, I nailed the incline workout!

Yes, I asked a total stranger take this pic. #shameless

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One thing to mention before you start running circles around everyone. The proper footwear is KEY. If you’ve never been fitted for running shoes, now is a good time to start. Make sure you don’t over- or under-pronate, have the right amount of cushioning for your body, and have the right fit. Like bras, people run around in ill-fitting shoes ALL the time.

I prefer a lot of variety:

They all serve different purposes! My most recent running shoe love are the Saucony Virratas. Saucony sent me their Virrata Zero drop shoes to try out. They kind of ROCK.

These ultra-light (6 oz!) shoes are flexible, minimalist-style shoes that don’t lack cushioning and support. I don’t find this to be the case with many other minimalist shoes on the market. (I can’t run in my Minimum Vibrams – I lift in them because they are flat.)

I do have to get one thing off my chest. Marketing departments have the impression that women = pink. I hate pink.

If a product is awesome enough, I will make an exception to my “no pink ever” rule. For instance, my Polar FT4 HRM. I love it. It’s pink, but I got over my hatred and wear it every time I workout. I made another exception for these shoes (also, I do love the neon yellow accents).

Just like your mamma told you, looks aren’t everything. At the end of the day, I need a shoe that is comfortable and will support my run.

Fit-wise, these run true to size. Comfort wise… I have to be honest and say at first I didn’t like them. The arch felt like it was hitting me in the wrong spot. However, after just 2 days (~4 miles) on the treadmill “testing” them, they sort of molded to my foot. Now they are my favorite shoe! #findyourstrong

***Disclaimer: Saucony sent me these Virratas as part of the Fitfluential Ambassador Program. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I hope you guys know I’m not a good sugar-coater by now. ;)***

***

One thing to note… inclines are good for your calves too. Holy DOMS, Batman.

Have you ever tried a minimalist/zero drop shoe? Do you like them?

Do you do incline workouts? If not, is it something you’d be willing to try?

Work It Out For Boston

Work It Out: Limited Legs

Leg Extensions

Lying Leg Curls

Work It Out: Gym Confessions

In the spirit of full discolsure and keeping it real, here are a few things I must confess:

Work It Out: From Running to Lifting

Close to 2 Decades of Fitness

Work It Out: Super Slow

Super Slow Sets

What are they?

Where do I use Super Slow Reps?

Work It Out: Chest & Biceps

Chest

Biceps

Work It Out with Supplements

1. Glutamine

2. Aminos

3. CLA (with green tea extract)

4. BCAAs

5. Creatine

Work It Out on the Incline + Saucony Virratas

Work It Out on the Incline

Don’t have a mountain?

Need a bonus round?

Follow Me!

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