Boot Camp style workouts are very much the craze in the fitness industry right now. This is because they are a great way to burn lots of calories in a short period of time. They are easy to fit into a busy schedule, and can be done practically anywhere with very little equipment. Boot Camp workouts are extremely efficient as you can work your whole body in a short period of time with extreme intensity. They also avoid boredom as every workout and each exercise is different. Boot Camp style workouts combine a series of calisthenics like jumping jacks, crunches, pushups, and other body weight exercises. You work your heart and muscles by going from one exercise to another with no rest (just like super setting your exercises). They also provide a person with a great way to combine cardiovascular training with strength training. In Boot Camp, your challenge is to take your body to its limit. You work, you sweat and, best of all, you burn calories like crazy. Your workout will be as challenging as you want it to be- work hard and work strong!

Time efficient workouts can help a busy person attain a healthy lifestyle. An hour is often a large commitment that many people cannot make to fitness. It is my personal belief that any exercise is better than no exercise…and I always advocate if you do not have one solid hour to dedicate to a workout- then get in 10, 20 or 30 minutes! Whatever time you have!

For this 10 minute Boot Camp workout, I have developed a superset with two of my favorite moves- to help strengthen your entire body and get your heart rate pumping! Perform this routine in the morning before you leave for work, then try to sneak in some cardio throughout the day, whether it’s taking the stairs to your office, walking to work, whatever! You will see results in no time!

Be sure to change up your routines and not work the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Do what you can when you start. This workout was not meant to be easy. Also be sure to warm up and stretch out before you begin. This is a total body workout that is meant to be challenging. Try to make your movements continuous and exert maximum effort. Drink water as needed. Good luck and have fun!!!

BURPEES SUPERSET WITH SQUAT JUMPS
Perform 10 reps of the exercise described below to complete one set. Rest 1 – 2 minutes in between sets; perform 3-4 sets depending on your fitness level.

Start position: Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Crouch down into a deep squat position with your legs together, palms on the ground and hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. In an explosive movement jump/shoot both legs backward into a push up / plank position. Keep your abs tight and back flat. Bend your elbows and lower down into a push up. After you push up into plank position, then jump both knees back into your chest to return to the deep squat position. From there, leap straight up into the air, striving for maximum height. Perform all four movements in fast succession to complete one repetition.

VIDEO DEMO:

For more Boot Camp Workouts check out
Becky’s Fitness Company

PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR PRIOR TO STARTING THIS OR ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM

First and most important, understand that a person cannot decide they do not like fat on a particular part of their body and then go ahead and begin an exercise plan with the goal of SPOT REDUCING. That is not how it works. When a person wants to address problem areas, they must remember that visible fat, and excess weight is a signal from nature that something has to change in your life, whether it’s eating cleaner, exercising more or both! Poor diets and lack of exercise will result in excess visible fat that makes us feel self conscious and sluggish. Adding strength training, regular cardio and cleaning up the foods you consume will make a big difference in a short amount of time. Too many people are missing one of those three factors in their fitness regimen which results in unwanted body fat! In all areas! As you start to incorporate better food choices, and begin to exercise, you will lose weight in all the areas you need to! Why start a fitness plan with the goal of fixing one problem area? Shouldn’t you want to look and feel good all over?

Nevertheless, to get rid of body fat in your upper and/or lower back region and eliminate cellulite, I suggest you do 3-4 days of cardio 30 minutes in duration, clean up your diet, paying good attention to your intake of sodium, and ensure you start on a strength training program that may emphasize your core region. You should strength train 3 x per week for 30 minutes. Your reps should be 12-15 for 3 sets. Keep in mind this routine will eliminate fat ALL OVER YOUR BODY – not just your trouble zones! This schedule is great and versatile, because the strength and cardio workouts can be done on the same day, or broken up into 6 separate 30 minute workouts, with one full day of rest! Remember start slow and finish strong! Any new change in your life must take place gradually to last!

As Always,
Stay Focused Until the Miracle Happens!
Becky
www.BeckysFitnessCompany.com

Before I even begin- I want o make it clear that running is great cardiovascular exercise.  It is good for your heart, lungs and whole body. However, running is NOT the only form of exercise that will aid in weight loss- and in order to be in the best shape possible, your routine should include a hybrid of exercise forms that include cardio, flexibility training, strength training and socializing.  I preface my article with that statement as many people think running is easy- you put on sneakers, go outside or get on a treadmill and move your feet at a fast pace.  Anyone who has tried it – knows that simply is not true.

OK- so you want to learn how to run!  We all had to start somewhere- even me.  As a young girl I trained countless hours and ran hundreds of miles.  Law school, marriage and life interfered and I fell out of shape by my twenties.  My first jaunt back on the treadmill after a long hiatus left me breathless and frustrated after 45 seconds.  So I KNOW how you feel.  Follow the tips below to help get you on track to learn the proper breathing skills, pace setting skills and to help ultimately increase your physical fitness to a point where you can run a mile or more!

Week ONE AND TWO: Start off SLOW! Plan for two training sessions of running each week.  Schedule them in as though they were non cancellable business meetings.  These will be short easy paced walk to runs about 30 minutes.  I want you to warm up at a brisk walk for 5 minutes and stretch (about 5 minutes).  Return to your brisk walk for 1 minute; then gradually increase your speed to a light jog until you start to feel yourself get tired.  Slow down and walk until you recover, catch your breath and have the energy to increase your output to a light jog again.  Repeat this cycle for 20 minutes. Then return to your brisk walk for 5 minutes; and stretch for 5 minutes.  This is a 30 minute workout.

• Please note a light jog is a pace where you can still talk although not comfortably.
• While jogging, I want you to focus on your breathing; breathe in and out slowly and try to set a comfortable pace for yourself, where you feel you can continue moving for an extended amount of time.  If you run too fast – you will run out of breath and have to walk.  Run slower until your fitness level increases.
• Also- I want you to jog ONLY for the amount of time that you have the energy to jog!  This could mean you jog 30 seconds and walk 1 minute.  That is OK!  Week 2 you will increase your jogging times from week 1!!!!

Week THREE AND FOUR: Time to pick up the pace.  You have now been training for two weeks- I want you to warm up with a brisk walk for 5 minutes, stretch and then have a goal of reaching 5 minutes of a light jog consecutively.  You will use your 20 minutes of walk to jog time to try and accomplish this.  You can achieve your 5 minutes of consecutive jogging at any point in your 20 minutes of walk to jog time.

Week FIVE AND SIX: Time to get serious.  You are going for a non stop 10 minute jog.  At this point, the challenge is mostly mental.  You should understand your breathing patterns better, and know how to pace your speed so as not to run out of energy too soon.  Work it, focus, KNOW that you CAN do it and you WILL do it.  Mind over Body; push beyond your comfort zone, pace yourself and go for the 10 minutes.  Again, use your 20 minutes of walk to jog time to get to the 10 minute goal.

Week SEVEN AND EIGHT: Now you can increase your jogging time and speed as you feel comfortable.  You have learned how to control your mind, you have strengthened your body, have fun!

NOTE:  I have only assigned two days of running per week, as I would like you to include strength training days, and flexibility training in your routine. Continue the following plan until you are able to run 30 minutes consecutively without stopping.  As always, the fuel you put in your body will affect your training so eat clean! Good luck, have fun and train hard!

As always,

Stay focused Until the Miracle Happens!

Becky

www.BeckysFitnessCompany.com