The Healthy Bride

Have some time for a great workout this weekend?  Try this one:

Warmup: 2 x 1 min of jax, squats, plank, lunges and inchworms

Tabata: 20 seconds on, 1o seconds off for 4 minutes each exercise:

1) pushups

2) jump squats

3) bicycles

4) Triceps dips

5) prisoner squats

6) v-ups

7) alternating one-arm pushups (make sure your feet are wide)

alternating side lunges

9) plank jax = Get in a plank position. Forearms on ground, and toes on ground supporting the body. Keep body in line, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles should be level. Contract abs. Look down at the ground with head up, not hanging to support neck. Legs should start together, jump them apart, hold, then jump them back together again. Repeat. Tighten abs and move legs in a fluid motion.

Whew!!

I’m not really the kind of gal to primp pre-workout, but I am always on the lookout for double duty hair accessories that I can wear both during and after a sweat session.

The Reversible Training Beanie by SmartWool ($25) is lauded by reviewers as having excellent wicking capabilities. Plus, it’s super comfortable and perfect for morning walks and runs with the stubborn Seattle summer still months away.

I stumbled upon a gold mine of adorable hand-made headbands and hair bobbles on etsy.com.  I love the cloth covered button hair ties that exude girly charm. Australia-based HMC Designs has a host of options on which you can stock up for $7.

Fitness fashion favorites lululemon, lucy and Athleta also have a few headbands to choose from – all of which claim are no slip – my personal workout hair woe.

What’s your go to accessory for doo when you’re heading to the gym?

Stephanie and the Brides had a beautiful evening for their workout last night.  They were in a park, next to the lake where people were taking photos, skateboarding, walking, biking and enjoying our lovely NW spring.

The workout was tough and the brides worked it!  Here is the workout from last night’s class:

Warm-up

Jog in a pace line.  Last person sprints to front, repeat.

15 squats

15 pushups

Partners w bands: 1-arm lat row w squat,

double  lat row w squat

reverse lunge w tricep extension

while 2 people sprint up hill continue until everyone has run up and down hill

Plyometrics:

2 sets 40 jax

2 set 10 jump squats

1 set 10 burpees with pushup

1 min high knees to pushup

3 mini-sprints up hill

Walking lunges

Circle of planks (2 sets of middle and side planks, :30-:45 ea)

At steps, 2 sets of each:

T-up pushups

Tricep dips

Split lunges

Step-up to leg extension

Reptiles (knee to same elbow while in plank)

Cool-down:

Jog in line w sprint to front

3 sets of regular crunches and side-to side reaches

Stretch and goals report

Last night we held class at the beautiful Olympic Sculpture Park. Wow, what an evening! Blue sky and an amazing sunset! We love holding classes in this amazing park. It’s a favorite wedding venue as well!

Ok, now on to the workout:
Warm up: easy jog 1/4 mile
Stairs for 8 minutes
Pushups for 1 minute
Crunches for 1 minute

These are our baseline fitness tests.

Pushup Pyramid (start w/ 5 pushups, sprint 50 yards, do 6 pushups, repeat until you reach 15 pushups)
Lunges with partner side push. Lunge with hands in front of you, your partner applies pressure to your arms causing you to engage your abs. Do 10 lunges each leg, change sides, then change positions with your partner. Do 4 sets each
Plank with interval - Plank for 1 minute, sprint 50 yards, Plank again. Repeat 3 x
Bicep curls, triceps dips with hill climb between sets 15 biceps curls, 15 triceps dips – climb steep hill – repeat all 3 x
Resisted Hill Run w/ partner Front partner has a band around hips, back partner applies resistance while running up hill. Repeat 3 times each
Abs 40 bicycles, 40 crunches, 20 reverse crunch, 20 scissor crunch, 25 oblique crunches each side

Stretch

Stacie worked her group of brides hard last night.  Below is their workout.  Keep in mind that these are actual workouts brides are doing!  If you have questions, are not sure about how to do an exercise, please let us know!

Warm Up

4 Quarter Sprints around the track

10 Squat Jumps

10 Burpees

10 Bench Step Ups

2x of 20 each exercise

Body weight Squat (go until thighs are parallel to floor, back to standing, repeat. Keep weight in your heels)

Burpees with Push Up

Plank with Shoulder Rotation (start in plank position, open chest rotate arm up, back to plank position, then rotate opposite side)

2x 20 each exercise

Static Lunge with Side Lateral Raise using Resistance Band (stand on band in lunge position, raise arm out to side)

Squat with Bicep Curl using Resistance Band

Plank ups (start in plank (see video below), go up to pushup position, back into plank position)

2x 20 each exercise

Single Leg Squat with Rows

Tuck Jumps (jump while bringing knees to chest)

Bench Dips (triceps dips)

2x 20 each exercise

Walking Lunge with Torso Twist

Ski Jumps (see video below)

Plank Glute Kick Back (hold plank pose while raising one leg at a time, squeezing gluts, lower, same with opposite leg)

1x each exercise

V Ups 60 Sec (See video below)

Tricep Extension with Band 30 Sec each Arm

Cherry Picker 60 Sec (sit w/ knees bent, feet off the ground, twist upper body side to side touching hands left, right etc)

Butt Kicks 100 Meters (literally kick yourself in the butt while running)

High Kicks 100 Meters (kick legs out straight in front of you while running)

Crunch with Leg Raise 60 Sec

Stephanie got the gang off to a great start last night.  We have opted to move all of our classes outdoors for the remainder of the spring/summer.  Yesterday was an incredible warm, sunny day and the evening was beautiful.  On the first night of Bridal Bootcamp we set and share goals, and do fitness tests and measurements.  Here is the list of what we do:

Cardio Test:  how many “sets” (up and down) of stairs can you do in 8 minutes

Pushups Test: how many pushups can you do in one minute.  Knee pushups count, do these with good form

Crunch Test:  With a partner at your feet, and your hands on your thighs, how many times can you touch your knee caps in one minute.

Goals:  What are your Specific, Measureable, Realistic, Timely Goals for the 8 weeks we are working out together?
example goal: I want to be able to run 3 miles without stopping, I want to lose 10 pounds in 8 weeks.

What is your plan to reach your goals?  Example: I will walk/run a 3 mile loop 2 x per week slowly increasing my run time vs. walk time. I will write down everything I eat for 3 days, then calculate my caloric needs, and keep track using an online tracking system (like sparkpeople).

Here is the workout the brides completed last night:

Warmup:

4x sprint up hill (approx 50 yrds)  followed by 10 reg squats, 10 sumo squats and 10 incline pushups

2 sets:

Squat row with DBs (dumbells)

Sumo squat w/ lateral raise

Lunge w/ bicep curl

2x :30 jump squats

2 sets:

Plank to T-up w/ DBs, 2nd set add push-up

Plank front raise, 2nd set add push-up

Squat row w/ abductor (lat straight-leg lift)

3x : 30 bicycles

2 sets:

100 yd run

10 pushups

15 tricep dips

20 alt leg step-ups w/ glute squeez

15 raised lunges ea leg

1 set:

DB crunch w/ legs raised

DB crunch alt legs

Overhead straight-arm DB crunch w/ scissor legs

2x :30 Mountain climbers

We are making T-tops for our class.  They will be racer back t -tops make in tech material with “Team Bride” on the front and “Healthy Bride” on the back.  Colors:  Pink and White.  Let us know if you want one!

Here is a killer workout for a rainy weekend:

Use a treadmill or elliptical

Start on the cardio machine and go at a moderate pace for 30 seconds, then go as hard as you can (I mean 90-100% effort) for 30 seconds. Rotate this sequence for 3 minutes.

Lunges with weights for 3 minutes
Back to cardio intervals 3 minutes
Squats to overhead press 3 minutes

Cardio 3 minutes
Supine Leg curls with ball – 3 sets of 15 with a break between sets

Cardio 3 minutes
Standing Quad extensions with Bands 3 sets of 15 each leg (straighten leg in front of you without moving your hip)

3 minutes cardio intervals
Pushups with one hand on a ball, roll the ball back and forth between your hands each rep.   Do 3 sets of 25
Cardio intervals 3 minutes
Lat Rows 3 sets 15
Cardio Intervals
Biceps curls
Triceps dips
3 sets 15 each

Abs session – 40 crunch, bicycles, 25 reverse crunch, 25 obliques each way

Stretch!

Nice work!

Hey Brides, here is a great workout to start off your week.  You MUST be inspired by the Oscars and all of those dresses!!

Do 20 reps of each of the following exercises:

5# – front and lateral raises

8#  – reverse flyes

10# – Squats to press

12# – chest press on ball

15# – pushups with lat rows

Now

5 sets of leg blasters:

20 squats

20 lunges

20 lunge jumps

10 jumpies

Now:

50 situps with weight

40 bicycles

30 crunches with legs in the air reach to shoe laces

20 v ups

10 superman’s

10 jacknives

Now:

50 yards each:

butt kicks

high knee runs

lateral shuffle low

lateral shuffle high

REPEAT 3 x through

Have a great week!!

Brides want a workout that is efficient, effective and fun.  My early morning group tested out a fantastic workout this morning.

Run 5 sets of stairs

5 sets of leg blasters (20 body weight squats, 20 lunges, 20 lunge jumps, 10 squat jumps)

3 sets of butt blasters 15 each exercise stay on same side for 3 sets, then change  (on all 4’s, heel to sky w/ bent knee, fire hydrants, 45 degree kick)

4 sets of ab blasters (30 bicycles, 20 V-Ups, 20 reverse crunch, 30 crunches)

Run 5 sets of stairs

If you have more time:

15 each Biceps Curls, Triceps Dips, Overhead Press

10 each Front Raise, Lateral Raise, Reverse Flyes

Fun and Fantastically Effective!

I have had several brides contact me this past week asking about classes this fall and winter.  I do have all this posted on The Healthy Bride website, but for some reason, it’s not being found.  Sorry about that!!  I will be changing the site soon and hopefully this will eliminate some of the finding problems.

Until then, here are details of what is happening now, and what is to come in 2010.

Right now, we have a circuit training class (bridal bootcamp indoors) on Thursday evenings from 6:15pm to 7:15pm.  It will run until mid-December.  You can sign up any time, just email or call me(206-755-9683).

This class is made up of brides from the class of 2009, 2008, 2006 and 2010.  All are welcome.  We work hard and have fun in a really cool Capoeira studio in the Old Rainier Brewery. 3150 Airport Way South.

As for you who are looking beyond 2009 and into 2010, we have classes starting in January.  The schedule is as follows:

The next session of Healthy Bride bootcamp classes in Seattle begin Tuesday January 12, 2010.

We will be holding free classes in each location the week of January 4th, 2010.  Please email us to hold your place.

Tuesday 7pm – 8pm
Location: Fitness Lab Stone Way No

Wednesday 6:15pm – 7:15pm
Location: The Old Rainier Brewery Airport Way So

Thursday 7pm – 8pm
Location:  Fitness Lab Stone Way No

Saturday 10:00am – 11:00am
Location: Fitness Lab Stone Way No

All sessions will run 8 weeks. Maximum class size 12 people, minimum 6 people.

1 class per week for 8 weeks -    $175.00
2 classes per week for 8 weeks – $295.00
3 classes per week for 8 weeks – $385.00
4 classes per week for 8 weeks – $450.00

Sign up for 2 sessions (16 weeks) and receive 10% off
Sign up for 3 sessions (24 weeks) and receive 15% off
Sign up for 4 sessions (32 weeks) and receive 20% off

Sign up before January 1, 2009 and recive a Healthy Bride T-shirt!

Start Dates for 2010:
January 12, 13, 14, 16
March 9, 10, 11, 13 – (we move outside mid-session)
May 4, 5, 6, 8
June 29, 20, July 1, 3
August 24, 25, 26 and 28 (final session of the season)

If you would like more details about the class, visit The Healthy Bride Bootcamp page.