The Evil Elf's Christmas Workout 2012

Here it is friends,
The Evil Elf is back for his annual Christmas workout.  Give it a try!

IWT- Interval Weight Training

Gator Gauntlet 2... Interval Weight Training is great for Mud Runs!

First off, WOW! It has been almost 3 months since my last post.  To say that I have been busy is an understatement.

On the positive side, although I have not been writing for this blog for way to long, I have been very consistent with my training.  And I actually have done some writing consistently for my bi-monthly newsletter.  I may have to post some of those article here.

Now on to Interval Weight Training (IWT).

I am currently in the middle of a 6 week strength phase.  Progress has been good, but I get bored easily and I needed to add something different into this phase, so I have inserted 1 day a week of IWT.

IWT is not a new concept.  As a matter of fact, many credit the concept to Pat O'Shea back in 1969.  Basically an IWT session involves a set of 8-12 reps of an "athletic lift" immediately followed by a high intensity round cardio activity at around 90-95% capacity.  That is followed by a two minute rest.  Repeat this series for 3 sets and you have completed one circuit.  Then chose a new lift and cardio activity for the second series and begin again.  The final series involves a circuit of complementary movements usually using body weight for 4-12 repetitions for 3-10 rounds.

I modified my workout a little to focus more on strength.  And I didn't stick with what I would consider an "athletic lift" for both movements.

Here it is:

Movement Prep- SMR, multiplaner lunges, T-squat progression, and inchworm push ups.

A1.  Single Arm Dumbbell row
A2.  Concept Row

B1.  Dead lifts (Trap bar)
B2.  Sprints

C1.  SB Hamstring curls
C2.  plank with reaches
C3.  Power Plate squats

Great workout! Great little change up to my strength program.  Back to heavy push program for tomorrow. 

For a little plateau breaker, try adding a IWT day into your program.

Living Life with No Regrets!... No Excuses!
Scott

"Your Last excuse just went back to school!"

Wow! For the first time ever it has been more than 1 month since my last blog post. 

What happened to July?

Well the good news is I have continued a very constant training plan.  The bad news is I haven't written about them.  July has been a crazy month for me.   For starters, I closed on a new house on July 3rd then spent the next week moving in.  I then took a week off to head to Madeira Beach for a little rest and recovery time for which my body really needed.  Got back from the beach and had to continue the moving process... I will definitely hire a moving company for the next move!  Just as things started to get back to "normal" is was off to North Carolina to help my sister in law move down to Florida and into my old house.

So, again things are getting back to normal.  I am a routine kinda guy and I need normalcy.  Summer is almost over, kids will be back in school.  One of my favorite summer time quotes is "your last excuse just went back to school!" So lets "Do Work!"



Today I have 2 weeks worth of work outs for you to try.

Week 1

1. Core Series: (30sec work- 15 sec rest for 3 minutes) repeat 2x
1. DB Romanian dead lift
2. Plank
3. DB Romanian dead lift
4. Plank
2. Core Series: (30- 15 for 3 minutes) repeat 2x



SB Bridge

1. SB Bridge with leg extension
2. pushups (multiple variations)
3. Strength (40-15 for 4 minutes) repeat 3 x
1. Lumbar jack press or DB squat to overhead press
2. Split squat (rear leg elevated) right side
3. Split squat (rear leg elevated) left side
4. Val slide high plank reaches
4. Strength (40-15 for 4 minutes) repeat 3 x
1. Cable row
2. KB Goblet Squat
3. TRX row
4. SB kneeling roll out

SB Kneeling rollout







Hamstring dives

 Week 2

1. Core Series: (30sec. work - 15sec. rest  for 3 minutes) repeat 2x
1. Hamstring dives right side
2. Parner MB rotational toss right side
3. Hamstring dives left side
4. Parner MB rotational toss left side
2. Strength (45-15) 3 x
1. Lunge to curl
2. Dumbbell single arm bench row, right
3. Dumbbell single arm bench row, right
3.  Strength (45-15) 3 x
1. Kettle bell high pull
2. KB swing curl
3. KB American swing




SB Pike roll in



4. SB pike roll in
4. "Metabolic finisher" (20-10) 4x
1. Tube swimmers
2. High plank step ups
3. Ice skaters

How Catawampus are you?

Hey Everyone,

catawampus \kat-uh-WOM-puhs\ , adjective:
1. Off-center; askew; awry.
2. Positioned diagonally; cater-cornered.

Ok, So I am not sure if Catawampus is an appropriate word when describing asymmetries or imbalances in the human body, but I like the word so we will roll with it for today.

Often times imbalances in our bodies can lead to injuries or decreased performance.  So, today I want to show you two quick test that you can do to objectively measure left versus right imbalances in regards to core stability, hip stability, and balance.

Single Leg Balance Touch Down:  Start by standing on your right leg and set a timer for 60 seconds.  With your right arm reach down and touch the floor, bending the knee if needed.  Count how many times you are able to touch the ground in 60 seconds.  Then stand on the left leg and repeat.  Take note of the count difference right versus left as well as taking note of overall balance and stability right versus left.

Side Plank:  Start by laying on the right side of your body with your body alignment perfectly straight as in the pictures below.  Keep your elbow and feet on the ground and then raise the rest of your body off of the ground and start a timer.  When you are not able to keep perfect body alignment or simply cannot hold your body off the ground anymore stop the timer and take note of the duration of the hold.  Repeat on the left side and again take note of the time difference from right to left side.

You will now have a basic understanding of asymmetries and imbalances in your body in regards to your “core”, hip stability and balance.  Give it a try and then start training appropriately to create stability and symmetry.

Living Life with no Excuses!... No Regrets!
Scott

The Funtastic 40!

Happy Friday Everyone,
After a 2 week break I am back to the FITE Club.  "Break" is probably not the best word to describe my hiatus from the club.  Over the past 2 weeks I have run the Gator Gauntlet Mud Run, traveled to Destin, Fl. for a wedding and have been going through all the steps to buy a new house.  But, with all that it feels good to back to my Friday morning adventures.

This week Robin is off in Mexico enjoying a little vacation so we had to keep up the intensity while she is gone.  Today I had planned a special birthday workout for Jim, but everyone was thankful that he was out of town.  The plan was to complete 58 repetitions of every exercise to celebrate Jim's 58th birthday.  But, since Jim was on vacation we did the Funtastic 40 instead.

Here we go...

Warm up using the TRX suspension trainers:

1. TRX forward lunge/ chest stretch- 20 reps
2. TRX deep squats- 20
3. TRX Push ups- 20
4. TRX Body rows- 20

Then...
Core Series: 30 seconds of work, 10 seconds rest. 3 Rounds

1. SB Plank/ Plank
2. SB Bridge pullover
3. Sky Divers

Time to JAM!- 40 repetitions of each exercise.  3 or 4 rounds depending on time

1. 1/4 mile run or 400 meter row
2. Kettle Bell front squats (goblet or rack position)- 40
3. SB Push ups - 40 (I actually forgot these during the workout today, but they were in my program)
4. SB Prone dumbbell row- 40
5. KB Pass through lunges- 20 each leg (40 total)
6. Medicine Ball Russian twist- 40

Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Living Life with No Excuses!... No Regrets!
Scott

This is My Motivation!

Good Morning and Happy Friday!
I think we all need something to motivate us.  Some times it is an internal drive, and sometimes it is an external push from somebody or something. 

This is one of the main things that motivates me to everyday do something to get better.

My daughter Reese

Find that motivation and do everything it takes to be successful at whatever you are trying to accomplish. 

... now, on to todays FITE Club workout.  Robin is jetsetting off to NYC so it was just me and the other 12 clubbers today.  For todays workout we did one of my favorite circuits.  This is a Turkish Get up (TGU) progression circuit.  Each exercise in this circuit represents a portion of the TGU.

Set up 9 stations.  Complete 60 seconds at each station and repeat 3-4 times through.

1. Body Bar sit up reach
2. Kettle Bell Plank row (with push up)
3. Kettle Bell Swing
4. Lunge with MB rotation
5. KB Clean- press
6. KB Windmill
7. KB Goblet squat
8. "Ropes gone wild" (rope slams... nothing to do with the TGU, but kicks your ass!)
9. KB Turkish get up

DO WORK!!

Living Life with no Regrets!... No Excuses!
Scott

Good Morning,
As the Gator Guantlet fastly approaches we needed to include a little more cardio interval work into our program.  Friday's FITE Club had another large crowd and we put together this interval ladder to keep our HR's up while challenging the entire body.  The first part of this ladder can be used as a work capacity baseline test as well.  Just start the timer on the first exercise and record your time as you finish your last burpee.  Try this one on for size!  For the cardio interval components this program is designed to be run on the treadmill, but if you do not like the treadmill you can choose a bike or rowing machine, it will just add time to burn the prescribed calories on the bike or rower.

50 Kcal cardio
50 Jump Squats
40 Kcal
40 Plyo lunges
30 Kcal
30 MB Slams
20 Kcal
20 American swings
10 Kcal
10 Burpees

10 Kcal
10 Push ups
20 Kcal
20 Box jumps
30 Kcal
30 DB Thruster
40 Kcal
40 Lateral lunges
50 Kcals
50 MB Russian Twists

This is a great calorie burning workout that will keep your metabolism spiked for hours!
Enjoy!

Living life with No Regrets!... No Excuses!
Scott