Get in a daily routine

For those of you who need to follow a schedule when working out, look no further. Each month I will be posting a calendar filled with quick and basic workouts for you to do along side your regular workout plan. I am going to start with March since it is right around the corner and go on from there. Let me know what you think of this calendar and if there is something you would like me to add to next months that I don’t have now.

I designed March’s monthly plan as a way to increase stamina and ability for these basic workouts. Every two days the number of reps for each workout will increase. If you cannot complete the number of reps for a specific exercise at one time, break it up into multiple sets with a quick break in between.

TIP: Stretching before and after a workout will help loosen up your muscles and helps to reduce muscle cramps after working out.

The beauty of this workout is that it is quick, easy and can be done anywhere. Because there is no equipment involved, this daily workout schedule is perfect for working out at home or while traveling.

Having a workout schedule is a great way to make sure you get your workout in. There are plenty of days when I don’t know what to do for a workout, do when to do them so I created this calendar to make sure I get some form of a workout in each day.

According to Livestrong, “a well-balanced workout routine can help manage your weight, lower your risk for chronic diseases and extend your life. A workout should consists of aerobic or cardiovascular activity, strength training and flexibility exercises.”

The March calendar I created for you all is a combination of these things. To get a well-balanced workout as described by Livestrong, you should incorporate 30-4o minutes of cardio, stretch before and after your workout, and combining weights and resistance bands for strength training will help to bump up your workout.

I created a calendar like this for February, not knowing if I was going to be able to reach the high numbers at the end of the month and I have! I can honestly say that if you put forth the effort to make sure to complete these workouts every day you can make it to the end of the month. Getting to March 31^st is not going to be easy but it will be worth it.

TIP: Hydration is key to any good workout. Drinking 8-12 glasses of water a day to maintain hydration levels in the body. Right after your workout, drink 1-2 glasses of ice cold water to help increase the number of calories you body burns after the workout.

March is only a few days away so if you have any questions regarding the calendar I posted please let me know! I will be completing each item on the calendar so look out in my next few posts for quick blurbs on how I’m doing with the routine. Look forward to hearing how you are doing.

No Shower Needed

So I woke up later then expected the other morning and realized I was never going to have enough time to go to the gym, workout and than shower all before I went to class. Instead I decided to use bits and pieces of different exercises I found a while ago from Shape and Women’s Health magazines. My workout was a total of 6 exercises that were easy and quick. I could feel myself getting a great workout in and it didn’t take me very long to do it. My favorite part of this workout was that I had barely sweated during my workout. Not having to shower immediately after working out saved me so much time before class.

TIP OF THE DAY: Make sure you are properly breathing during your workout!

1. Jogging: Jogging in place is a great way to get your heart rate up and get cardio in when you are working out in a small and inclosed space. Jog in place for around a minute to start out your workout and to get your muscles loose. If a minute is too long for you, jog for 30 seconds.
2. Crunches: When lying on the floor, pick a spot around 45-60 degrees behind your head for your eyes to keep attention to. This will make sure you are using your abdominal muscles not your neck for your crunches. Place your hands under your neck for support, and make sure your elbows stay as close to the ground as possible. Lift your chest about six inches off the ground and hold for 2 seconds. Return to starting formation. Repeat 30 times.
3. Jumping Squats: When you squat down make sure the back of your thighs for a 90 degree angle with your legs. Instead of returning to the starting position, jump up with your hands in the air and land on your entire foot. Repeat 15 times. If you are a beginner than stick to 15 basic squats.
4. Push Ups: Make sure your back is straight when completing your pushups. Keep your hands and arms above your chest. Your chest and abs should reach right above the ground simultaneously. Return to starting position. Repeat 7-15 times.
5. Side-Crunch: Grab those 3-10 pound weights I talked about in my last post. For this exercise you only need one weight, you do not need the entire set. Start out with the weight in your right hand and your left hand on your hip. Lean to your right, hold for 2 seconds and return to the start position. Repeat 10 times then switch to left side and repeat 10 times.
6. Jumping Jacks: Finish your workout by doing 50 Jumping Jacks. Try not to let your hands slap down at your sides when you bring your hands down.

TIP: If you are a beginner it is okay to take a quick break in between each exercise, but as your fitness ability increases your break time should decrease.

After completing this workout let me know what you think! Did you stick to my workout, or did you do your own variation of it. I’d love to hear what you did differently.

Investment vs. Equiptment

Before you enter into a workout plan, there are a few things that you should invest in.

SHOES

The first and most important investment is a good and stable pair of shoes.

Each brand of sneakers and style number is based on what type of sneaker you are looking for and how they feel on your feet.

TYPES:

• ASICS
• New Balance
• Saucony
• Nike
• Brooks
• Under Armor
• Nike
• Adidas
• Mizuno

These are only a few of the many brands of shoes. My preferred choice in footwear are my Asics 2000 series. I have been wearing ASICS when working out since I was in Middle School. The comfort and support I get when wearing my ASICS, but that doesn’t mean I dis-like the other brands.

The very first time I bought running sneakers I was unsure what type to get so I went to the closest Road Runner Sports store. They put me through a number of tests to determine what type of sneaker I would need to support my foot the best. Just because I went to Road Runner Sports doesn’t mean you have to; any store that sells sneakers will do.

* Make sure to lightly jog around the store when trying on sneakers so you can accurately determine which shoe fits and feels best. *

WRISTWATCH

Once you have the right pair of shoes, the next thing you should invest in is a wrist watch with a start/stop feature. Having a stopwatch isn’t required to get a great workout, but it makes a timed workout easier to keep track of than constantly looking at the clock on your wall.

When working out it is more important to focus on your breathing than to focus on counting. This is where the stopwatch comes in handy. A basic wristwatch stopwatch is all you really need when working out from home so there is no need to spend more than $80. I have noticed that most of my teammates throughout high school had a Timex or a Garmin. You can find numerous Timex or Garmin watches for under $80, but I suggest going to the closest Target and getting one of the sports watches there. Target has multiple brands and colors of sports watches, many of which are under $20.

WEIGHTS AND RESISTANCE BANDS

Having a pair of 3, 5 and/or 8 pound weights will come in handy for most arm workouts. Strength training is an important part of remaining fit and active. Most of my arm workouts require a set of weights to complete. This will increase the intensity of the workout. Resistance bands are also good to have when work

ing out.Adding a resistance band to your ankles or thighs will increase the intensity in your leg workouts. Just like I said with the wristwatch stopwatch,  resistance bands are not required for my workouts but they are a smart thing to consider looking into getting. Weights however are something you should go out and get. Without a set of weights it will be extremely hard to finish any of my arm workouts.

So, do you have the proper shoes, a watch or weights? If the answer is no, go out and get some before my next post. It will be worth it, I promise.