Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Olympic Weightlifting as Plyometric Training

Olympic-style weightlifting movements are among the most explosive movements you can perform in the weight room, as explosive as a vertical jump.

Photo By Bev Childress

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2nqOPTL
via IFTTT

Subversive Fitness: Day 292 Of 360

Blood can’t be weighed, and loyalty can’t be measured.

Day 292 Of 360

5 rounds of:

 

5L Mace shovel
20 yd. walk (in top shovel position)
5R Mace shovel
20 yd. walk (in top shovel position)

 

Walk starts at top of 5th rep. Drive both arms straight and above your eyeline, keep hips tucked and guts brutally tight. Weight is scaled to ability and should pose a significant challenge in each round.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2ntmDyB
via IFTTT

Subversive Fitness: Day 291 Of 360

Stand strong and organized- tension helps build strength, provided we stay engaged in the process.

Day 291 Of 360

 

Push press: 5 x 5 @ (up to) 75% of 2RM

 

Rest as needed between sets. If set requires interruption, adjust as little as needed to complete next set uninterrupted. When scheme is listed as “5 x 5″, it always refers to “Sets” x “Reps.”

 

Reminder: Position and range of motion- most specifically, a straight, strong lock-out- always govern weight.

 

Then:

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2EsyCVp
via IFTTT

Subversive Fitness: Day 292 Of 360

Blood can’t be weighed, and loyalty can’t be measured.

Day 292 Of 360

5 rounds of:

 

5L Mace shovel
20 yd. walk (in top shovel position)
5R Mace shovel
20 yd. walk (in top shovel position)

 

Walk starts at top of 5th rep. Drive both arms straight and above your eyeline, keep hips tucked and guts brutally tight. Weight is scaled to ability and should pose a significant challenge in each round.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2rTdtB7
via IFTTT

Don't Judge Your Wealth Without Your Health

Are you fit enough to appreciate success or wealth? Maybe you need to look at wealth and health as being intractably bound together.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2BFaM5u
via IFTTT

Go Shovel Your Own Damn Driveway

However you choose to define your fitness, the ability to deal with the reality of day-to-day life should be included on the list.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2s0nNHB
via IFTTT

20 Ways to Prepare Poultry: Pineapple Glazed Chicken

Use natural fruit juice, such as pineapple juice, combined with other seasonings to create both a marinade and a glaze.

Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine.

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2Gzqrau
via IFTTT

Subversive Fitness: Day 291 Of 360

Stand strong and organized- tension helps build strength, provided we stay engaged in the process.

Day 291 Of 360

 

Push press: 5 x 5 @ (up to) 75% of 2RM

 

Rest as needed between sets. If set requires interruption, adjust as little as needed to complete next set uninterrupted. When scheme is listed as “5 x 5″, it always refers to “Sets” x “Reps.”

 

Reminder: Position and range of motion- most specifically, a straight, strong lock-out- always govern weight.

 

Then:

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2rXxvud
via IFTTT

Go Shovel Your Own Damn Driveway

However you choose to define your fitness, the ability to deal with the reality of day-to-day life should be included on the list.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2EqcMBK
via IFTTT

20 Ways to Prepare Poultry: Pineapple Glazed Chicken

Use natural fruit juice, such as pineapple juice, combined with other seasonings to create both a marinade and a glaze.

Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine.

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2DOg1Ss
via IFTTT

Don't Judge Your Wealth Without Your Health

Are you fit enough to appreciate success or wealth? Maybe you need to look at wealth and health as being intractably bound together.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2nnTLbN
via IFTTT

Run Faster 12-Minute HIIT Workout


Workout equipment:

Workout type: 12 minute

Timer setting: 18 x :10 x :30

1. Long jump squat combo
2. Push up in & outs
3. Line sprints
4. Walking lunges
5. Tuck jumps
6. Plank jumps

Bonus: 50 V ups + 3 Bridges

——————————————————

Leave your reps in the comments below.

My reps for today’s workout:

Long jump squat combo 10, 9, 9
Push up in & outs 15, 14, 14
Line sprints 6, 6, 6
Walking lunges 22, 21, 21
Tuck jumps 54, 52, 53
Plank jumps 28, 29, 29

Did you do this workout?

The post Run Faster 12-Minute HIIT Workout appeared first on 12 Minute Athlete.



from 12 Minute Athlete http://ift.tt/2E1k8hf
via IFTTT

A whole day, from start to finish

A day in the life with a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old. 🙂

Hi friends! How’s the day going? I hope you’re enjoying the morning. 

When I did my annual blog survey, I got a surprising amount of requests for more “real life” posts around here. I totally get it because I love reading about what my favorite bloggers are up to behind-the-scenes and what a day looks like for them. I’ve done a couple day in the life posts (here and here) and it’s fun to look back to see how much things have changed over time. Here’s what a day looked like recently when the Pilot was flying nights. I used to dread night weeks until I realized that they’re a normal part of our life. (You can fight it or embrace it.)

I use it as a time to enjoy being with just the girls – it reminds me a bit of summer when we played and had adventures all day – and also experiment with some recipes the Pilot may not like. 😉 So here we go… a whole day, from start to finish: momming, blogging, teaching, wife-ing, flying by the seat of my pants.

My little loves

5:00am-ish: P is in her room singing and making noises. I silently pray that she goes back to sleep, and thankfully, she does.

7:05: My alarm goes off. I stumble out of bed and into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I put a flannel on over my pajamas, slip on some shoes, and essentially wear my pajamas for school drop-off. They do curb-side drop-off at Liv’s school, so I don’t have to get dressed like a normal human. It’s the best thing ever.

Mombie

7:10 Livi comes into our room and is ready to start the day. She gets dressed while I grab her lunch and snacks from the fridge:

(I just heated up the Annie’s mac n’ cheese in the microwave and put it into a Thermos, and packed it up with cut strawberries, seaweed snacks, an apple, and crackers)

Snacks and lunch

and make her waffles for breakfast. We always make extra waffles and pancakes and then freeze them for easy breakfasts.

7:45 I make a quick mug of herbal tea to take with us. Usually, I have to wake up P to head to drop-off – and she gets very sad about it. She usually says, “Mama, you being so rude. Why you wake me up?” – but the Pilot is flying late, so sleeping Pilot stays home with sleeping P while Liv and I drive to school.

8:15 I’m back home and P is waking up, so I make her breakfast (waffles, an egg, blueberries) and grab her clothes for preschool.

Ps breakfast

Before we get her out of her room, I put on some eyeliner and jeans since I actually have to go inside to drop her off. She has a great breakfast and is being super funny. We help her get dressed, and the Pilot and I drop her off together.

9:26 Back from drop-off and I blitz! I throw some laundry in the washer, put laundry away from the previous day – it’s folded and in stacks – the Pilot empties out the dishwasher, I wipe down counters and run the vacuum (my precious), work on a quick Zumba dance, and soak the lentils for dinner. I have grand plans to film at least one Instagram video, but I don’t end up having time. I make a quick bite before teaching: 1 egg + 3 egg whites, green salsa, a turmeric coconut tortilla (and kind of bummed that I don’t have any sourdough or brown rice tortillas in the freezer), salad with the last of a bottle of Primal Kitchen dressing. 

Breakfast snack

10:30 Teach a sweaty and fun Zumba class! I NEVER thought I’d be teaching Zumba again… and lost most of my old playlists and donated all of my Zumba clothes… but here I am. It feels good to move and dance again, and class is a blast.

Post zumba 
I bring my computer to the gym and write in the car for 15 minutes before picking P up from school.

12:15 We’re home, and I make P a quick lunch: PB&J with carrots and pineapple.
I make myself a smoothie:

Smoothie time

(Almond milk, 1 scoop vanilla protein, 1 scoop collagen, spinach, frozen cauliflower, Moon Juice dust, almond butter, chia seeds, a pack of Four Sigmatic mushroom hot cacao mix)

We have our snacks together, read books, and I put her down for a nap.

1:10 Blitz #2! I put dinner in the slow cooker,

Lentil creation

switch out the laundry, take a quick shower, take photos for an upcoming post, answer emails that will catch fire if I don’t respond to them immediately, send two invoices, and write until it’s time to wake P up.

2:45 We’re back home from picking up Liv. I make the girls a snack of boiled eggs, sliced cheese, almonds and apple slices. I heat myself up a Daily Harvest grain bowl and stir in a can of tuna (no pic because it’s probably the most unattractive meal I’ve ever made, but so delicious), then we head to P’s ballet class!

Little dancerThis has happened a couple of times, but we get to class, and she doesn’t want to go in. The first week, she walked right in and loved it, and the past 3 times, she won’t go in by herself. Her teacher lets Liv and I go in and sit in the front, and P sits on my lap or spins in the corner until we decide it’s time to leave. It’s kind of a hot mess. We keep trying because when we’re NOT at ballet, P constantly says, “Mama, I want to do ballet. I want to go to ballet. I’m a ballerina.” She talks about it all week until the time comes to actually go to class.

I’m going to give it a few more times, but if it doesn’t work out, I think we’ll call it quits for now. (It’s a bummer because I already paid for her recital costume and all of the fees, but if she obviously doesn’t want to do it, I’m not going to make her.)

4:45 We’re home from ballet and the girls play outside while I finish dinner.

In the car

I put the rice on the stovetop, add the coconut milk to the lentils, and chop up some cilantro for topping. It’s nice that I can see them from the dining room table, so I fold the laundry from earlier and start dough for cinnamon rolls. 

I realize that I don’t have enough brown sugar for the cinnamon rolls, so we make a quick trip to the grocery store. It’s always an adventure shopping with my tiny impulse-buyers… we end up forgetting the brown sugar and have to wait in line again haha.

5:45 pm: We eat dinner together. Unfortunately, I’m the only one who’s a fan of the lentil creation.

Coconut curry lentil

They both eat a lot of their rice, and I give them each a big bowl of strawberries. They also have some chocolate animal cookies that they picked out at the store, and I eat a couple of handfuls while I gather stuff for bath time. 

Bath time! The girls hop in the bathtub with one of their favorite bath bombs, and I sit on the counter and read snippets of this book in between shampooing and watching their mermaid moves.

No risk abs

After baths and getting their hair dried, the girls watch a TV show while I clean the kitchen, feed the dogs, set out clothes for the next day, and make Liv’s lunch and snacks. We play in the playroom together for about 20 minutes before bed.

7:30 The bedtime rituals begin. I read P a couple of books upstairs before lying with her, and then Liv and I do her homework (she has to practice her sight words each night) and read books. I lie in bed with Liv working on this blog post until she falls asleep. The bedtime rituals end up taking a bit longer than usual because Bella starts barking her face off around 8pm and wakes up P. 

8:45 Blitz #3! The girls are crashed, so I finish up a couple of chores (I follow a cleaning schedule, and it’s the day to dust the furniture, which isn’t too bad), finish the cinnamon rolls to set in the fridge overnight.

Cinnamon rolls

(For comparison purposes, here’s what they looked like finished! They are THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS EVER. <— yelling because you need them in your life. I made them for the Pilot to take to work, but the girls and I each had one.)

Cinnamon rolls 2

And by 9:15ish, I can pour a glass of wine, put on The Bachelor and crank through work stuff.

Bachelor

I answer comments, make a new graphic, check in on our Winter Shape Up Facebook group, schedule my post for the next day, and work on an upcoming gift guide.

11:30: Bed! I crawl into bed and read for a few minutes until my eyes start to close.

11:40: Lights out… and ready to do it all over again. [The Pilot comes home around midnight, but I’m apparently completely crashed by then.]

The post A whole day, from start to finish appeared first on The Fitnessista.



from The Fitnessista http://ift.tt/2BGsTbx
via IFTTT

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

We Used to Be Humans: Practical Strategies to Combat Tech Addiction

The pace of technology has outstripped our capacity to attenuate its negative effects on our lives.

Our society is increasingly driven by a group of omnipresent manipulators who seek to create addiction in order to increase profits. These include the pharmaceutical industry and the Food Giants I discussed last week. Today, we will focus on the predatory practices of the technology industry.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2BEEvvo
via IFTTT

20 Ways to Prepare Poultry: Chicken Biryani

This new family favorite stars chicken with aromatics from a blend of cardamom, peppercorns, and curry.

Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine.

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2nqMkAT
via IFTTT

Loaded Cauliflower Bake

Skip the potatoes in favor of low-carb cauliflower in this 213-calorie bake, perfect for a cold day.

The post Loaded Cauliflower Bake appeared first on Under Armour.



from Under Armour http://ift.tt/2DREpq8
via IFTTT

We Used to Be Humans: Practical Strategies to Combat Tech Addiction

The pace of technology has outstripped our capacity to attenuate its negative effects on our lives.
Our society is increasingly driven by a group of omnipresent manipulators who seek to create addiction in order to increase profits. These include the pharmaceutical industry and the Food Giants I discussed last week. Today, we will focus on the predatory practices of the technology industry.
 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2DN1pCM
via IFTTT

20 Ways to Prepare Poultry: Chicken Biryani

This new family favorite stars chicken with aromatics from a blend of cardamom, peppercorns, and curry.

Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine.

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2Eptmlg
via IFTTT

The Benefit of Increasing Training Volume for Hypertrophy

It appears that volume is the key determinant of success when it comes to gaining muscle mass, so make this work to your advantage.

In a previous article Why Linear Periodization Sucks For Hypertrophy, I said that an effective training program should tax, stimulate, and overload the underlying systems of the adaptations you’re trying to elicit. When increased hypertrophy is the goal, that means the focus of progressive overload should be on increasing training volume over time.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2Em0Ukb
via IFTTT

Subversive Fitness: Day 290 Of 360

Hustle, work hard and get out what you put in. Basic, important. Simple, not easy…

Day 290 Of 360

5 rounds of:

 

10 Bench press @ (up to) 60% of 2RM
5L, 5R Kettlebell row @ (up to) 75% of above
10 Kettlebell “Short swing” @ (minimum) 1/2 BW
(Up to) 2 minutes rest

 

If sets at chosen weight require interruption, make a minor adjustment and perform the next uninterrupted. Reminder: Position and range of motion always govern weight.

 

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2DMeDQ0
via IFTTT

20 Ways to Prepare Poultry: Kung Pao Chicken

This spicy, balanced, protein filled meal is sure to satisfy your entire family.

Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine.

read more



from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2EkDcEN
via IFTTT

6 months without caffeine

Helloooooo. Happy Tuesday to ya! What’s going on this morning? We’re heading into the usual morning routine and Livi has her 100th day of school celebration. They asked the kids to dress like a 100-year-old, so naturally, I ordered her this grey wig on Amazon and cat-eye glasses. I’m taking today off from the gym, so I’ll be using the am and naptime to blitz on work stuff.

For today, I thought we could talk about caffeine. I can’t believe that I’ve been on decaf coffee for 6 months now! I’ve stayed away from caffeinated beverages since my surgery, and I thought for sure I would go back eventually. I’m surprised it’s lasted this long, but I’m riding it out while it still makes sense.

Coffee obsessed

Why I Quit Caffeine

I’ve been hooked on caffeine since college. It’s kind of funny that I met the love of my life at Starbucks – because Starbucks was a HUGE part of my caffeine addiction. The Pilot couldn’t believe this when I met him: I had a 16-cup coffee maker and would make all 16 cups in the morning and drink it throughout the course of the day. Not healthy at all. I had an enormous Wizard of Oz Dorothy mug that held at least 6 cups. I’ve always loved the taste of coffee and the energy it gave me. My life in college involved a lot more physical demands than my life does today – I’d go to school all day, teach or take a total of 3-4 dance classes at night, then go home or to the library to study until the early hours of the morning – and I drank coffee all.day.long. 

Over time, I started to cut back and my “happy place” was 1-2 cups a day. I’d have one in the morning when I woke up and one in the afternoon with a little snack. In the past few years, I cut out the afternoon coffee because I realized it was affecting my sleep and making me jittery. While I’ve always loved coffee (and caffeine, like energy drinks), I’ve also suffered from anxiety for a long time. I’ve had it since I was very young – as young as I can remember – and when I was in college I started experiencing panic attacks. 

Caffeine and anxiety: 6 months without caffeine

Caffeine and Anxiety

At my worst point, I was experiencing 2-3 panic attacks per week. With therapy, I got it under control before we had kids – I did have some during my PPD – but they started to come back last winter. My heart rate was constantly elevated and I had insomnia, which was bizarre to me because I LOVE SLEEP. 

Leading up to when I had my surgery last summer, I was down to 1 cup of coffee a day. My anxiety was pretty high – I was nervous about the surgery and on edge from being in pain all the time – so I decided to try to reduce it. I noticed that when I had coffee, my anxiety was higher, and my heart rate was elevated. I didn’t feel focused and energized; I felt like a freaked-out rabbit.

The day after my surgery, I decided to skip my morning cup. I had a horrible headache anyway, and was on pain pills, so I figured if I was going to quit, now was the time to do it. Also, I didn’t feel comfortable drinking it with all of the drugs that were in my system. So, I stopped cold turkey.

How quitting caffeine reduced my anxiety + some alternatives. fitnessista.com | #caffeinefree #anxiety #copingwithanxiety

I’ve found that since I stopped drinking caffeinated beverages, I feel more focused and energized than I did with my morning cup of coffee. When I wake up in the morning, I feel rested (unless the girls wake us up, which happens fairly often). My anxiety is the lowest it’s ever been, which is reason enough for me to skip it. While I pass on caffeinated coffee, I still drink a ton of hot drinks. They’re warming and comforting, and I find that they’re just as good without the caffeine.

Here’s what I’ve been choosing instead of regular ol’ coffee:

-Decaf coffee. (Well duh, Gina.) My friend Michelle (her Instagram is here!) posted a lot of helpful info on choosing a good decaf coffee. I used to drink whatever, but it turns out that many companies will use chemicals to remove the caffeine. Organic fair-trade coffees will sometimes have a label on them that says, “Swiss Water Method” which means the caffeine is removed using only water and osmosis. My favorite is from Speakeasy or Whole Foods.

Speakeasy coffee

-Medicine Ball from Starbucks. With cold and flu season here, this is a little gem anyway! The original version uses green tea, but if you ask for decaf, they’ll use Mint Majesty instead. It’s peach and mint tea, steamed lemonade, honey, peppermint syrup, and life. Just try it; you’ll love it.

-Caffeine-free herbal teas. There are so many amazing ones! Here are some of my very favorites:

Teas

Tulsi Sweet Rose

Egyptian Licorice

Lemon Loaf

Cinnamon Vanilla Healthy Skin

Chamomile-Lavender

Bedtime tea

-Mushroom hot cacao mix. It sounds terrifying, but it tastes beautiful. Mushrooms can provide healing properties, and you can’t taste them. The Four Sigmatic one is my very fave. (<— Ordered from Thrive Market.)

-Golden milk lattes. These are so warming, lightly sweet, with a hint of spice. This is my go-to recipe, and I also love the one you can buy from Gaia. 

Golden milk

-Morning detox drink. This has been a staple for years now. It can help kickstart your metabolism for the day, help fight cravings, and provide immune system benefits. Check out the recipe here!

So, tell me friends: caffeine or no caffeine? What’s your hot beverage of choice? I think mulled wine deserves a spot somewhere on this list for me. 😉

xo

Gina 

The post 6 months without caffeine appeared first on The Fitnessista.



from The Fitnessista http://ift.tt/2Gx0M26
via IFTTT

Speedster Jump Rope HIIT Workout

  Workout equipment: Jump rope Workout type: 12 Minute Timer setting: 18 x :10 x :30 1. High knees w/ jump rope ...

Popular Posts