Move-It Monday: Warrior X-Fit

Enter: 1 super sweaty, totally exhausted, but proud of my workout Healthy Honey.  Ahhhhh, it feels SO good to get in an amazingly hardcore workout on a Monday.  


While I was cruising Facebook and blog surfing briefly checking my email when I got home this afternoon, I came across this Warrior X-Fit workout/training website.  It. Is. AWESOME.  First and most importantly, it is FREE!  (Insert random factoid: I have wanted to try CrossFit for awhile now, but I just can't justify shelling out all that cash, especially on my superbudget of 2011.)


Here's the gist: Everyday, they post a new workout.  Each workout contains 6 exercises.  You complete as many reps of each exercise as you can in 20 seconds.  There are 10 second rest periods between each exercise, with a 40 second rest between each long circuit.  The idea is to complete the circuit 6 times, for a 20 minute total-body workout.  You can also modify to complete the circuit 2 or 4 times instead.





So....

• Exercise for 20 seconds
• Rest for 10
• Exercise for 20 seconds
• Rest for 10
• Exercise for 20 seconds
• Rest for 10
• Exercise for 20 seconds
• Rest for 10
• Exercise for 20 seconds
• Rest for 10
• Exercise for 20 seconds
• Rest for 40, Start at beginning 5 more times

Sounds easy, right?  Just 20 seconds of something.  Umm... not so much.  I did finish all 6 circuits, but it was pretty brutal by number 5.  Okay, who am I kidding, it was tough by circuit 3!  Although I did 45 minutes on the elliptical before the X-Fit workout, so that must have been why it was so difficult.... I'll keep telling myself that.  ;)


I actually took my iPhone with me to the gym, propped it up in front of me, and watched the timer that way.  (It automatically does the 20, 10, and 40 second intervals, so it's an awesome feature if you have a smart phone or if you can workout close to your computer at home.)  You could also use a plan ole' watch timer.


The website lets you log your workouts, and work to earn different colored-belts.  Here is the synopsis out of the horse's mouth - aka. what the website says about it's program:
Warrior X-Fit is a revolutionary fitness program based on martial arts training that allows users to improve their overall fitness in only 20 minutes a day. Its innovative online portal enables users to access and record workouts, track their progress and interact with other members.

Oh, and if you're curious, here were the 6 exercises from today:

1. Sprawl with Lateral Jump

2. Knuckle Twisters

3. Victory Row

4. 21 Plus

5. Wide Knee Oblique Jumps

6. Half Plan Sidekick

Yeah, I didn't know what any of those meant either.  Luckily they post videos of every move.  :)  

I plan to add X-Fit to my Mon/Wed gym workouts and think it will be a perfect Friday AM 20 minute quickie (workout, that is).

Let me know if you try it!  It surely kicked my butt!!

My Resolutions

I'm a list-makin' type of girl. I love the feeling I get when I cross things off. I may or may not sometimes add things to my list that I've already done just to be able to cross them off... I make lists almost every day at work, and make them often at home, too. In the spirit of list-making, I love making New Year's Resolutions, and I write them down in -what else- but a list! ;)

So here they are, my 2011 Resolutions:

1. Tone My Flabby Arms!

I want to my arms to finally look something like this...

Or this would work too...

While "toning my arms" is what I want to achieve this year in the gym, I need a more measurable goal. I plan to strength train my arms, using free weights and/or machines, a minimum of twice per week. My yoga push-ups and poses (while they will definitely continue to help my arm de-flabbing), do NOT count towards the 2xs a week requirement.

I'll be doing lots of this in 2011!

2. Spend Less, Save More

Hungry Hubby and I have our eyes set on a casa, a house to call our own (and raise our babies in.... but don't tell him I said the B word). ;) That = HEALTHY HONEY NEEDS TO STOP SPENDING MONEY. I have a little bit of a retail addiction, I'll admit it.

So in 2011, I'll be doing less of this...

And more of this...

The measurable goal: I'll be withdrawing $100 from the ATM at the beginning of each month. That is my *FUN* money for the next 30 days. That's my money for happy hour with the girls, getting my nails done, haircuts, and of course, any and all retail therapy. I can stockpile it and save it up from month-to-month, but I can't spend anymore once the C-note is finito. Please wish me luck, this is gonna be tough!

3. The Love Dare

Last Christmas, my amazing Mom bought Hungry Hubby and I the Love Dare Devotional Book for Couples. [The Love Dare originated in/through the movie Fireproof.] The book has 365 devotionals to do with your spouse. I love them because they can be done in under 10 minutes and are practical and relatable. While HH and I did do some of the book last year, we definitely didn't read it everyday and never made it through. So, we re-committed to completing the book in 2011. Bring on the love dares!!! ;)

Have you made any resolutions for the new year?

Move-It Monday: V-Up with Dumbbell

I usually take a rest day on Sunday, so it's crucial to get my booty to the gym on Monday. Buuuuuut it's MON-DAY. And I haaaaate Mondays. It can be hard to get motivated to hit the gym on Mondays. I decided a few weeks ago that I would always set aside my favorite new magazine to read on the elliptical on Monday.

Today's read: the January issue of Oxygen.

This is a previous cover.

Here is the January covergirl, Monica Brant:

Umm, she's 40. And looks 28! Ah-mazing!

I absolutely LOVE magazines! I cannot do cardio without one. Since I do cardio 5 days a week - that's a lot of magazines!! I subscribe to Oxygen, Shape, Self, Health, Fitness, Marie Claire, Glamour, Cosmo, and Allure. I pay about $9-12 per year for each one, which means I pay less than $1 a pop. These mags cost at least $4 on newsstands. If you buy magazines this way, seriously subscribe now to save major moolah. Seriously! Ok, off my soapbox now. ;)

Anyways, I found a simple, but super effective move in today's issue of Oxygen.

The V-Up with Dumbbell

Take a traditional V-Up. Click here for a great explanation and moving image.

Do the V-Up, but hold a 8-10lb. dumbell in between your hands (hold onto the ends) as you do the sit-up. Keep the dumbbell in your hands throughout the entire move -as you return to start with hands over head and legs on floor. Hold the "crunch" for 2-4 seconds to up the intensity.

Another option: hold a weighted medicine ball instead of a dumbbell.

How do you motivate yourself to get to the gym on Mondays!?

Work-it-Out Wednesday

I am NOT one of those girls who can take my dog for a stroll or power-walk through the mall to stay svelte. I have to work out! Like hard, and often. While I can't deny that I am seriously jealous of women who were born with a slim figure and super-charged metabolism, there is an upside to my "condition." Working out makes me feel good - not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. When I'm happy, working out makes me happier. When I'm sad, working out lifts my mood. And when I'm mad, working out lets me channel that energy in a better way than say, b*tching someone out or treating them to a backhanded slap.

I usually work out 6 days a week, usually skipping Sundays. Here's my usual routine:

20-30 minutes on the Elliptical

15-25 on the Spin Bike

75 minutes of Power Yoga (Fast-paced Vinyasa Flow)

I love my workout routine but I definitely need to shake it up a bit. I want to start doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) on the Elliptical instead of keeping a steady pace. I keep reading article after article about the benefits of HIIT. (Read more about it here, here, and here!)

I also want to start running. I ran my first 5K in March and haven't run since! I
hate
seriously dislike running. I know it is super effective at burning cals though, so I need to do it. And if I ever get chased by a rabid dog, I'd like to be able to keep a good distance (hey, it could happen).

What workouts do you do? Do you do HIIT?

I leave you now with a jam to motivate you to work-it-out! :)