Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-5 Times – Each run should be fast and at a high intensity

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-5 Times – Each run should be fast and at a high intensity

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

Potential PT #1 – 800 Run

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-5 Times – Each run should be fast and at a high intensity

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Bike 800′s

Stretch/Warm Up

Bike 800 Meters with HIGH Resistance 6-8 times.
Rest 2-3 Minutes between sets

Abs/Core:

Side Plank w/ Hip Raises 2 x 25 (each side)

Lean Back Feet Raise 2 x 30 seconds

Kettlebell Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (each side) (can also use a dumbbell)

Bicycle Crunches 2 x 40 (count: 1,1,2,2,3,3..etc.)

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1 – 800 Run

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-5 Times – Each run should be fast and at a high intensity

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Bike 800′s

Stretch/Warm Up

Bike 800 Meters with HIGH Resistance 6-8 times.
Rest 2-3 Minutes between sets

Abs/Core:

Side Plank w/ Hip Raises 2 x 25 (each side)

Lean Back Feet Raise 2 x 30 seconds

Kettlebell Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (each side) (can also use a dumbbell)

Bicycle Crunches 2 x 40 (count: 1,1,2,2,3,3..etc.)

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1 – Tempo Run

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 20-25 Minutes
Run at a pace that is difficult to maintain.  You should be able to run the whole amount of time, but push yourself!

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Yasso 800′s

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-6 times.
Rest 2-3 Minutes between runs

Abs/Core:

Side Plank w/ Hip Raises 2 x 25 (each side)

Lean Back Feet Raise 2 x 30 seconds

Kettlebell Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (each side) (can also use a dumbbell)

Bicycle Crunches 2 x 40 (count: 1,1,2,2,3,3..etc.)

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1 – Tempo Run

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 20-25 Minutes
Run at a pace that is difficult to maintain.  You should be able to run the whole amount of time, but push yourself!

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Yasso 800′s

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-6 times.
Rest 2-3 Minutes between runs

Abs/Core:

Side Plank w/ Hip Raises 2 x 25 (each side)

Lean Back Feet Raise 2 x 30 seconds

Kettlebell Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (each side) (can also use a dumbbell)

Bicycle Crunches 2 x 40 (count: 1,1,2,2,3,3..etc.)

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1 – Sprints

As many rounds in 30 minutes of:

Run 800 meters
Jog 400 meters
Run 800 meters
Jog 400 meters
Run 1 mile (sprint every minute for 20 seconds at a time)

-K

Potential PT #1 – Rest and Recover

Stretch

Rest

Stretch

Great workouts the past 5 days! Definitely earned a rest day so take a day off!  If you missed last week’s post on the importance of rest days, give this short article a read.

The Importance of Rest

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Quick And Not Painless

In case you feel alright to go today, try out this quick friday PT.

1 Round of:

Pull Up Pyramid 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

Power Push Ups 60 (In as little amount of sets as possible)

Chin Up Pyramid 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

Ball Push Ups 60 (In as little amount of sets as possible)

Cliff Hangers 3 x 6 (Each side)

-K

MIDWESTFIT CHALLENGE: For Potential PT #2  post times to comments or e-mail midwestfit@gmail.com

BEST of 2/17/11:

Drew S. (Chicago, IL) – 22:30.00

Potential PT #1 – Rest and Recover

Stretch

Rest

Stretch

Great workouts the past 5 days! Definitely earned a rest day so take a day off!  If you missed last week’s post on the importance of rest days, give this short article a read.

The Importance of Rest

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Quick And Not Painless

In case you feel alright to go today, try out this quick friday PT.

1 Round of:

Pull Up Pyramid 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

Power Push Ups 60 (In as little amount of sets as possible)

Chin Up Pyramid 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

Ball Push Ups 60 (In as little amount of sets as possible)

Cliff Hangers 3 x 6 (Each side)

-K

MIDWESTFIT CHALLENGE: For Potential PT #2  post times to comments or e-mail midwestfit@gmail.com

BEST of 2/17/11:

Drew S. (Chicago, IL) – 22:30.00

Potential PT #1 – Half Marathon Training Continued

Stretch

Run 3.5 Miles

Stretch

Be sure to stretch really well at least twice a day if you’ve been working out hard recently and am sore like I am.  Also be sure to drink plenty of fluids with electrolytes (Gatorade and Orange Juice are winners) and get some protein in the diet to help your muscles repair and rebuild.

- Ben

Potential Pt #2 – Cardio and Strength

Bike 15 minutes

Cable Row 300 meters

Lunges 30 (15 each leg)

Cable Row 300 meters

Prison Squats 2 x 30

Lunges 30 (15 each leg)

Cable Row 300 meters

Kettleball Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (Each side) (Video)

Flutter Kicks 2 x 35

Double Crunches 2 x 30

Roll Ups 3 x 10 (Description) (When going back down, count down slowly for 5 seconds)

Bike 20 minutes

-K

MIDWESTFIT CHALLENGE: For Potential PT #1  post times to comments or e-mail midwestfit@gmail.com

BEST of 2/16/11:

Sky – 6.2 miles

Potential PT #1 – Running/Cardio Training

Stretch

Run 3.5 miles

Abs/Core - 3 rounds of:

1. Leg Lifts – 20
2. Flutter Kicks - 20
3. Side Plank Left - 30 seconds
4. Side Plank Right – 30 seconds
5. Situps – 20
6. Regular Plank – 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Lower Body and Core

Going to mix it up a bit today with some workouts we have done and some we haven’t…Either way, this should work your lower body and core.

Complete 3 rounds total:

Box Jumps 2 x 12

Hanging Leg Raises 2 x 10

Leg Extensions 2 x 10

Single Arm Dumbbell Press 2 x 10 (Each arm)

Thrusters 2 x 8

Deadlift 5 reps

Plank 1 minute

Kettleball Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (Each side) (Video)

-K

MIDWESTFIT CHALLENGE: For Potential PT #2  post times to comments or e-mail midwestfit@gmail.com

BEST of 2/14/11:

Ryan M. (Washington, D.C.) –  38:21.50

Potential PT #1 – Running/Cardio Training

Stretch

Run 3.5 miles

Abs/Core - 3 rounds of:

1. Leg Lifts – 20
2. Flutter Kicks - 20
3. Side Plank Left - 30 seconds
4. Side Plank Right – 30 seconds
5. Situps – 20
6. Regular Plank – 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Lower Body and Core

Going to mix it up a bit today with some workouts we have done and some we haven’t…Either way, this should work your lower body and core.

Complete 3 rounds total:

Box Jumps 2 x 12

Hanging Leg Raises 2 x 10

Leg Extensions 2 x 10

Single Arm Dumbbell Press 2 x 10 (Each arm)

Thrusters 2 x 8

Deadlift 5 reps

Plank 1 minute

Kettleball Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (Each side) (Video)

-K

MIDWESTFIT CHALLENGE: For Potential PT #2  post times to comments or e-mail midwestfit@gmail.com

BEST of 2/14/11:

Ryan M. (Washington, D.C.) –  38:21.50

Potential PT #1 – Rest Your Muscles

Following up on the articles yesterday about overtraining and resting, today is a complete day off.  The workouts Saturday through Thursday were tough ones and definitely warrant some time off!

Stretch

Rest

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Upper Body

I know some of you like to get a quick workout in on Friday’s to help you feel better about your misdeeds throughout the night…So I figured I would post a workout today as opposed to a rest day.

Do as many rounds as possible in 35 minutes:

Row 250 meters

1 Minute Bicep Blasters

Row 250 meters

1 Minute Power Push Ups

1 Minute Dumbbell Military Press

Row 250 Meters

1 Minute Bicep Blasters

Row 250 Meters

-K

MIDWESTFIT CHALLENGE: For Potential PT #2: Who can do the most rounds in 35 minutes? Send times to midwestfit@gmail.com or post it in comments.

BEST OF 2/10/11:

Myles G. (Chicago, IL) – 21:52.50

Image via Wikipedia

Potential PT #1 – Running for Half Marathon Training

Keep on running and training.  You may also substitute running for another cardio activity such as rowing, swimming, or biking.

Stretch

Run 3.5 Miles

Abs/Core:

Plank - 1 minute
Side Plank - 30 seconds (both sides)
Plank – 1 minute
Side Plank – 30 seconds (both sides)

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Strengthen Your Legs

Going to slow down a bit today and concentrate on strengthening your lower body in this workout. A little break from circuit training is nice sometimes.

(NOTE: For the fewer rep exercises make sure you are using a proper amount of weight so that it is challenging)

Thrusters 10 x 3

Leg Extensions 15 x 3

Barbell Squat 5 x 4

Dumbbell Dead Lift 5 x 4

Standing Calf Raises 5 x 4 (Need a calf raise machine)

Walking Lunges 30 x 3

Dumbbell Squat 10 x 3

-K

MIDWESTFIT CHALLENGE: For Potential PT #1: Who can run 3.5 miles the fastest? Send times to midwestfit@gmail.com or post it in comments.

BEST OF 2/9/11:

Jake O. (Fayetteville, NC) – 17:25.00

Potential PT #1 – Upper Body Strengthening and Sprints

Stretch

4 Rounds as quickly as possible of:

1. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press – 20 total (10 each arm)
2. Bicep Blasters – 1 minute
3. 3-Step Dumbbell Shoulders – Overhead Shoulder/Military Press (one rep), followed by Shoulder raises to the front (one rep), followed by shoulder raises straight out to the sides (one rep).  Those are the 3 steps, repeat a total of 10 times (in the order given) so you perform each movement 10 times
4. Pullups – Maximum Repetitions you can perform in one set

End Circuit

Sprints:

Sprint for one minute
Rest for 2 minutes
Sprint for 45 seconds
Rest for 1 minute and 30 seconds
Sprint 30 Seconds
Rest 1 minute
Sprint 1 minute

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Exercise Your Core

Some of these may not seem like they are working your core, because you have not done them or just have not thought of them that way….But they are, trust me.

Instructions: Do as many reps as possible for each set. So, don’t cheat yourself…Go until you can no longer. Rest 30 seconds between exercises. Complete 3 rounds total.

Chin Up/Reverse Pull Up + Knee Raise (Pull your chest to the bar while also raising your knees to your chest. Then slowly lower yourself while slowly straightening your legs back down)

Standing Single Arm Shoulder Press (be sure to do both sides)

Push Up + Row (Perform a push up with dumbbells, when you get to the top of your push up, row the dumbbell with your right arm and then lower yourself and perform another push up, continue by now rowing with your left.)

Lying Triceps Extensions (Do both arms at the same time, each with a dumbbell)

Dive Bombers/Hindu Push Up

Flutter Kicks

Kettleball Get Ups (Right and left. If you cannot do this with weight, do it without) (Description/Video)

-K

MIDWESTFIT CHALLENGE: For Potential PT #1: Who can get the circuit done the fastest? Send times to midwestfit@gmail.com or post it in comments.

BEST OF 2/8/11:

Myles G. (Chicago, IL) – 18:02.11