Set Your Goals NOW to Make YOUR 2013 the Healthiest and Best Year Yet

MidwestFit Admins have the training, the tools, the expertise, and the passion to make sure you reach your Health, Fitness, and Wellness goals for the New Year.  We consistently have positive feedback from our community related to our availability, our free content, our Premium Content, our expertise and delivery of information, and our passion to help YOU get to the level you want to be at.  So let MidwestFit help you in 2013!

Some of the hardest barriers to overcome when reaching Health and Fitness goals are:

ONE – Defining Your Goals (what do you want to gain from your workouts) by following a tried and tested working formula known as S.M.A.R.T. Goals.  Meaning your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Specific.

TWO – Following an extremely Effective and SAFE Program.

THREE – Having consistent and FREE access to trained individuals who can answer any and all questions related to your current program.

We at MidwestFit can help you with all of that!

ONE – If you struggle with S.M.A.R.T. Goal setting; we can help you assess where you are, what are realistic goals, time frames to reach them, and how to get there step by step.

TWO – We currently have great Premium Programs (Check out the user feedback on our Strength Program) and will continue to develop and release more Premium Programs through 2013.

THREE – We are also always free and available via email at info@midwestfit.com for any and all questions related to health/fitness/injury/rehab.  We will get you the correct information needed to help you.

So let’s make this year YOUR year to get after it and reach above and beyond what you wish to accomplish!  Confidence, Motivation, and a solid Hard Work Ethic go a long way.  This can translate from an effective workout program to all other aspects of your life.

Check out the links above for Premium Programs so you can see if your goals match what we GUARANTEE you will derive from our Premium Programs.

Our Co-Founder/ Lead Health and Fitness Admin is ACSM Trained, has a 4-Year Bachelor Degree in Health and Fitness from Purdue University, and is a Corporate Health and Fitness Specialist who has used these specific programs to get in the best shape of his life and to help his clients do the same!

Not sure where to start? Feel free to email us at info@midwestfit.com at anytime.  We are open to FREE consultations and assisting in questions related to health/fitness/injury/rehab and we can point you in the right direction for where to begin.  If new to fitness or had some time off, each program comes with built in Preparatory Training phases or you can check out our Personal Plan (in our opinion our best deal) where you tell us your fitness history, your goals, what you would like to work on, and we walk you through step by step on how to get there!

Potential PT #1 – Run

Your running pace should be constant and difficult to maintain. It should not be impossible to reach the 20 minutes, but the point is to push yourself to run harder and faster than you normally would on a distance run. This is a great tool for increasing speed on future distance runs, boosting metabolism, burning calories, and working on lower body strength/endurance all in a short workout.

Stretch/Warm Up

Tempo Run – 20 Minutes or 2.75 miles

Stretch

Potential PT #2 – Bike Tempo

Stretch/Warm Up

Bike 30 Minutes with Medium Resitance

OR

Bike Sprint Training for 20-30 Minutes

Stretch

Abs/Core: Circuit: 2 Rounds

1. Flutter Kicks – 1 Minute
2. Bosu with Twist – 1 Minute
3. Side Plank w/ Hip Raises – 30 seconds each side
4. Plank – 1 Minute
5. Stability Ball Toe Touches – 1 Minute
6. Flutter Kicks – 1 Minute
7. MB Twists – 1 Minute

- MidwestFit Team

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Luckily January 1 of 2012 falls on a Sunday this year, which happens to be a rest day this week.  Let’s be honest though, not everyone will be in an ideal condition to exercise today anyways!

With a new year upon us, we just want to reiterate and explain a few concepts that are important to any and all fitness program.

For those of you familiar with MidwestFit, we’ll be kicking off tomorrow with some Total Body Fitness workouts, so rest up for that.  For those new to MidwestFit who may be researching new exercise programs for the new year, or individuals who are looking to just switch up their usual workout routine, read about us here at About MidwestFit or check out a preview of our workouts and what they are designed to accomplish The MidwestFit Experiment.

First thing’s first…Goal Setting.  Most health and fitness professionals utilize a system for goal setting called S.M.A.R.T. Goals, makes sense.
S – Specific - Be specific and write down exactly what you want
M – Measurable – Your goals should include numbers, dates, times, pounds, inches
A – Attainable – Be realisitc and make your goals attainable (hard work and proper diet WILL PAY OFF, ask one of our admins K - Success Story)
R – Realistic – Make your goals realisitc.  You don’t want to set yourself up to fail.  If beginning a new program, begin SLOW!
T - Time Specific – Set a time frame to acheive your goals by, and set mini dates to use as stepping stones to reach your ultimate goal

OR

Sign up for a challenge!  These could include individual or team challenges like a 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, tough mudder, Ragnar Relay, or the Biggest and Best of them all the GORUCK Challenge

Signing up for a race or team event is sometimes the best and only motivation necessary to kick start an exercise program.  Perfect example is one of our admins, Ben, was great with total body strength and endurance training; however, he was flat out terrible at endurance cardio/long distance running.  In early 2010 him and K decided to sign up for a Ragnar Relay style team race from Madison, WI down to Chicago, IL.  Since it was a team based running event, Ben’s main motivation was to not be the one to slow down or let the team down to slow the race pace.  So he started on a running program developed by our running consultant, Myles, started very slow focusing simply on finishing the distances on the runs he had planned weekly.  Well it paid off, he completed the race without having to stop once to walk and ran a total of 16 miles in 3 different legs.  Since that decision to sign up for that first race in June of 2010 (thanks to some much needed motivation by K), he has ran a total of two 200 mile relay races, a bunch of 5k’s, a half marathon, and his proudest fitness accomplishment of the GORUCK Challenge.  All the while keeping up with strength and endurance weight training while properly mixing in cardio to complete all of these events by developing and following the workouts we post here at MidwestFit.  Amazing what simply signing up for one race can lead to!

Alrighty, there’s our little initial 2012 motivation post.  Flip the mental switch to make 2012 a different and better year.  Follow a healthy diet and our solid and tested program here at MidwestFit so you may reach your health, wellness, and fitness goals.  Rest up and get ready for tomorrow!

Questions? Concerns? Feel free to contact us at midwestfit@gmail.com

- MidwestFit Team

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[twitter-follow screen_name='k_MWF' link_color='e42217']

[twitter-follow screen_name='Ben_MWF' link_color='e42217']

Best of luck to K and his team as they run the Ragnar Relay Race from Chattanooga, TN to Nashville, TN. 

Embrace it K, and just don’t stop running!

Check out K’s seperate blog for his preparation for the Ragnar Relay.  The first legs of the relay get rolling around 6:30 or 7am on Friday, so good luck to him and the team as they run 200 miles with essentially no sleep for 24-36 hours.  One cool thing about the no sleep and running, you’ll burn off around 10,000+ calories (motivation for all you out there).  If I can rock out a GoRuck, I have no doubt K will dominate this race!  Get some shot blocks buddy.

- Ben

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 6-8 Miles

Check out and follow K’s training for his upcoming event Ragnar Relay Series – Tennessee - A little different approach than Ben’s GORUCK and IU Mini Marathon Training as K goes into his mindset for preparing for the race and the motivation behind it.

- MidwestFit Team

Hey there fellow MidwestFitters.  Just wanted to remind you all or anyone new to check out the Rebel Race!  The one we are checking out is in the wonderful state of Indiana on September 24, 2011.  We love supporting local races and challenges, and we love to help get the word out so you all have something fun to sign up for or train for!  For us personally, we have found that we get the most motivated, and the most truly fit when we have a big event to train for and to look forward to.

TheRebel Race is only 44 days away! Hurry up and reserve your spot before it gets sold out.  For a fun idea of what you could be able to participate in, check out this video. www.youtube.com/rebelracellc

Also for some more information check out our previous post, Rebel Race!

Don’t forget, exercise and fitness is supposed to be fun and rewarding.  Our best experiences to hit both of those have come from races and events.  So have fun!

- MidwestFit Team

You know how we like to keep you all updated on any fun events that we are either training for ourselves, or think would be perfect for the style of fitness we all love to do here at MidwestFit?  Well here’s a great one for you!  This bad boy is in Indiana on 9/24/11, so you know we’re excited about it.  It encompasses everything we love here at MidwestFit, some running, some jumping, some climbing, and without a doubt, challening fun.  For anyone who’s been interested in the GORUCK training Ben has been going through, this is a similar event to get all dirty and fun with!

Some quick info about the Rebel Race:

Are you sick of the same routine every week?

Unleash your inner rebel: ditch the coat and tie and free yourself from the daily grind.

Rebel Race is a weekend get-away for athletes that want to run a military style 5k or 15k and then party like there’s no tomorrow!  — it’s the most adrenaline rushing obstacle run ever!

The Rebel Race Series is designed for people feeling the urge to tackle intense obstacles.  From start to finish, Rebel Race’s military style obstacles will have you dashing, barricade-climbing, mud-crawling, rope-swinging and fire-jumping.  Our grueling course forces each rebel to test their physical toughness and mental endurance.  Cross the finish line and bask in the glory with tons of beer, food, live entertainment, and many new friends covered in mud.  Earn the bragging rights!

Here’s the link to the Rebel Race, and if you’re in Indiana and looking for a fun, yet challenging event, give it a look!  They also have Rebel Race’s in different regions, so be on the lookout!

Go Get Em Rebels!

- MidwestFit Team

This week we’re going to hit the road running, and running hard.  After a light week following the Rock and Roll Half Marathon, it’s time to get back in to a normal schedule where we’re going to increase the mileage starting the week off with a 6.5 mile run and closing out with our longest run yet; 18 miles.  Take a deep breath and rest assured that you can trim the endurance run as necessary depending on where you’re at in your training.  Regardless of where you’re at, plan on this being a tough week.  Sunday is going to feel incredible….on second thought, maybe not.

Monday:

6.5 mile run at an easy pace.  Be sure to take it easy and not burn yourself out.  Tomorrow’s tempo needs to be good since you’re coming off an easy week and next week you will more than likely be beat from the week before.  Stretch as necessary.

Tuesday:

Tempo run…3 minute warm up followed by a 45 minute run at tempo pace.  Again, find an uncomfortable, but sustainable pace.  Cool down for 3-5 minutes and be sure to get a good full body stretch in.

Optional:

Full body work out focusing on biceps, triceps, chest and core.  Do the following for core:

50 crunches

25 side crunches

25 crunches

25 side crunches

40 bicycle kicks

40 flutter kicks

40 bicycle kicks

40 flutter kicks

200 total oblique lifts on stand-up machine (alternating 50 on each side)

Wednesday:

Rest.  If you’re feeling up to it, throw in a cross training session or a short, easy jog.  Remember that the 2/3 training program is built with the assumption that you’re going to take Wednesday very easy and rest up.  It’s necessary for most to have this day in order to knock out 3 straight days of longer runs and speed work.

Thursday:

9 mile run.  The first half should be 30 seconds slower than marathon pace followed by the second half at marathon pace or quicker.  Throw in core if your schedule/body permits.  For core, do the same workout as above without the oblique work-outs or sub in one of the core PTs from the main page.

Friday:

Speed work.  I plan on doing some 800 repeats on the treadmill for this one.  Do between four and six 800s at 15-30 seconds faster than your 5K pace followed by a 400 in between the 800s at one minute slower than marathon pace.  You can also rest for 3 minutes in between the 800s as well. I use the treadmill for all of my tempo and speed runs more for peace of mind.  I know exactly how far I am going and how fast.  Most importantly, it forces me to all the way at 110%.  It’s up to you if you want to do your speed/tempos on a treadmill, track, or on the road.  There are pros and cons to each.

Saturday:

Whatever you do, make sure you go long on this.  If you’re dragging at the beginning, slow your pace down to conserve some energy.  If you’re feeling great, still take it easy so you don’t burn yourself out.  These runs should be 30-60 seconds slower than marathon pace.  The whole objective is to get your body used to being up and running for extended periods of time.  An 18 mile run after a 9 miler and intense speed work can be quite intimidating, but my experience is that the last 10K of the run better emulate the final 10K of the actual marathon since your legs are so tired by this point.  It’s tough, but it will pay off in the end.

Sunday:

Rest, eat, sleep, and don’t move off your couch…you deserve it.

Total Mileage: 42.5-45