March 28, 2012 Bikini BootKick

Warm Up:
Jog on the spot
Criss Cross Squats
Jog on the Spot
Jumping Jacks
Jog on the Spot
Forward Bends
Jog on the Spot
Side Lung
Jog on the Spot at double time

1 minute on, 30 seconds rest
3x mountain climbers (or stability ball leg and arm lifts)
3 x v-sit hold
3x jack knife sit up
3 x burpies (or slider adductors)
3x plank

1 minute on, 30 seconds rest
3 x push ups
3 x reverse lunge, alternating feet (or stability ball hamstring curls)
3 x squats (or stability ball seated leg raises)
3 x sit ups
3 x supermans

1 minute on, 30 seconds rest
3 x Flutter Kicks
3 x Crunches
3 x Cross Overs
3 x High Knees on the spot (or stability ball adductor and abductor lifts)
3 x side bridge

Challenge exercise: side bridge from knee with crunch (or from feet)

Bikini Bootkick from February 29th

Warm Up:
Jog on the spot
Criss Cross Squats
Jog on the Spot
Jumping Jacks
Jog on the Spot
Forward Bends
Jog on the Spot
Side Lung
Jog on the Spot at double time

Set 1 (45 seconds of each x2):
Wide Arm Mountain Clibers
Right Hand Forward Push Ups
Squats
Left Hand Forward Push Ups
Sit Ups with Foot position Shifts

Set 2 (45 seconds of each x2):
Prone (plank) position squats
Wide Feet burpies
Twisting Supermans
Reverse Crunch Hold
V-Sit Hold with foot circles

Set 3 (45 seconds of each x2):
Reverse lunge with kick hands up
10 tuck jumps if you can, otherwise run on the spot
Sit up hold with flutter arms
Push Ups
Sit Up Hold with side reaches

Set 4, Repeat this set 3 times with no break:
1 minute of plank
1 minute of supermans
1 minute of Jack Knife Sit Ups

March 26th, Endurance Weight Training Program

ARMS: Free weights: 3 sets of each we will do 1 set of 25 with light weight, 1 set of 20 with medium weight and 1 set of 12 with a heavier weight
o Chest Press
o Shoulder Press
o Bicep Curls
o Lying Tricep Extensions
o Stability Ball Cable Machine Row

LEGS: Stability Ball Circuit – do each ball exercise 20 times and then complete the cardio for 2 minutes
o Stability Ball Hamstring Curls
o Squat to Stability Ball with Heavier weights
o Step Ups onto Bench
o Stability Ball Quadriceps Roll Out OR Stability Ball Leg Extensions
o Stability Ball Leg Lifts (plank position for Dianne)
o Side Squats on Bosu or Bench
o Stability Ball Adductor Lift
o Stability Ball Abductor Lift
o Step Up Jacks

ABS: Complete 2 sets of 20 and do these extra times at home
o Crunches
o Reverse Crunches
o Bicycles
o Toe Touches
o Plank
o Side Bridge

Game Of Cards

The game of Card's Bikini BootKick Workout:

Set One:
Hearts= burpies
Spades= push ups
Diamonds= sit ups
Clubs= Leg Circles

Set Two:
Hearts= squats
Spades= allen wells
Diamonds= glute bridge with weight lift
Clubs= oblique weighted sit ups

Set Three:
Hearts= mountain climbers
Spades= reverse crunch
Diamonds= lunges
Clubs= plank

Set Four:
Hearts= wide squats
Spades= side plank raises
Diamonds= single leg push ups
Clubs= V-Sit Crunches

This week's Challenge, instead of using cards,complete each set by preforming 10 reps of each exercise, count how many times you can get through each set in 15 minutes, completing all four sets this way will lead to a killer one hour workout!! Remember always work at your own level!

TRX and Stability Ball Circuit!

On the TRX, 3 sets of 12:
Squats or Squat Jumps
Rowing
Push Ups

With the Stability Ball, 3 sets of 12:
Stability Ball Adductor Pass
Stability Ball Ab Roll Outs
Stability Ball Reverse Crunch/Toe Touch Combination

On the TRX, 3 sets of 12:
Reverse Lunges
Tricep Extensions
Shoulder "y"

With the Stability Ball, 3 sets of 12:
Stability Ball Abductore Lift (12 per side)
Stability Ball Sit Ups
Stability Ball Fast Feet and Drible

With the TRX, 3 sets of 12:
Hamstring Curls
Plank Position- Open and close feet
Plank Position-Mountain Climbers

With the Stability Ball
Crunches with your feet on the ball, kness at 90 degress
Superman with Ball Lift
Plank for 1 minute

Bikini BootKICK February 22 and 23, 2011

For this workout you will require a step box and risers.

Warm Up:
-Step up with squat
-Step up with bum kick
-Step, step, touch
-squat and reach

Repeat the following circuits x2 for each

45 seconds of each of the following:
side squats
walk over planks
get down/go down/get up
superman reach
v-sit crunch

Straddle Step (30 seconds/foot)
10 Reverse Lunges of the box on each foot
45 seconds of:
Plank hands on box, foot out and up to the right
Reverse push ups
Plank hands on box, foot out and up to the left

10 push ups with leg lifts
10 in and out burpies (with gliders if needed)
45 seconds of each of the following:
Roman twist riser stack
Bicycle twisting crunch
Flutter Kick/Cross over combination (v-sit position, support on elbos if needed)

45 seconds of each of the following:
Wide to Narrow Squat step or jump (sore knees, wide only)
Lateral Jumps or step
Jack Knife Sit Ups
Reverse Crunch Hold

30 seconds of side plank on each side

Challenge Exercise: sit on stability ball, feet in air and chat with a partner.

Bikini BootKICK - Valentine's Week

* modifications for sore knees are listed in brackets beside exercise*

Warm Up:
Shuffle Touch
Jumping Jacks
Step-Step-Squat
Around the World

Cross Over Squats (20 per side)
Criss-Cross Jumping Jacks (Touch Jacks)(30)
45 seconds of:
Sit Ups
L-Sit weight plate Pass
Russian Twist with Press

Reverse Lunge with Kick (gliders) (12 per side)
In and Out Burpies (gliders)
45 Seconds:
Push Ups
V-Sit Crunches
Allen Wells

Side Squat (Glider) (20)
Reverse Push Ups (12)
45 seconds of:
Superman with Twist
Elbows to Knees
Plank Weight Plate Pass

Single Leg Push Ups (10)
45 Seconds of:
Mountain Climbers (glider)
Side Crunch with Leg Lift Right
Side Crunch with Leg Lift Left
Hamstring Bridge with Leg Lifts
Chinnies

Challenge exercise: 3 point plank, taking it to normal plank and/or to knees when need. 2 times one minute with a 1 minute rest

This Weeks BIKINI BOOTKICK complete with step madness

Warm Up Twice through, second time adding weight plate.
1 minute of step ups on each foot
1 minute of side steps on each foot
Straddle jumps
Jog on the spot

Repeat each of the following 2 times:

Side squats across the box for 1 minute
Mountain climbers on the box for 1 minute
Hand walks up and over the box
Get down go down get up on the box

15 Burpies hands on the box
Step up, Squat down, Step Down OR on your back bike for 1 minute
Plank with forearms on the box

45 seconds of each of the following:
Sit Ups
Jack Knife Sit Ups
Reverse Crunches
V-Sits (or modified v- sits)

45 seconds of each of the following:
Jumping Jacks
Twisting Sit Ups
Roman Twists (with the weight plate)
Side Planks
Supermans

Challenge Exercises: Feet extension AB reaches with 2.5lb weight plate
Side Plank with weight reach

Bikini BootKICK February 1, 2012

Hello Ladies!!

Welcome to Bikini BootKICK your new high intensity AB large group training program at SpaLady!! This is just like those wonderful old ab sessions, offered in a large group, cost effective setting sure to help everyone look great come spring!!

For more information please contact me at any time.

This weeks workout is posted below, please remember to ensure you follow safe workout practice if trying this at home.

Warm Up
Marching on the spot
Marching on the spot, knee up and reach
Squat, knee elbow touch
Squat touch the floor, reach to the sky
Jog on the Spot


Repeat each of the following 2- 3 times
10 Burpies
45 seconds of:
Jack Knife Sit Ups
Sit Ups
Cross Overs

10 Push ups with leg lift
45 seconds of:
Superman hold
Reverse Lunge Right Leg
Wide Squats
Reverse Lunge Left Leg
Squats

10 Burpies
45 Seconds of
Toe Touches
15 Reverse Crunch
Flutter Kicks

Run on the spot for 45 seconds
20 real sit ups
20 L-Sits

Challenge of 10 Turkish Get Ups per side

1 minute of Plank, 1 min Rest, 1 minute of Right Side plank, 1 minute rest, 1 minute of Left Side Plank, 1 minute rest

Beautiful Bride!

I would like to send out a heart felt congratulations to my Beautiful Bride who got married in the middle of October. This fabulous young lady came to me with a wonderful love story, and a lofty goal for her health and a huge desire for fitness! Not only did she want to loose weight for the big day, but she also wanted to find the confidence she required to do it in a health way! So she began a journey in which she would discover fitness, challenge, and an ability to believe that the healthy way would set her free. She was determined to feel strong about herself and her health!!

My beautiful bride walked down the isle glowing! Not only had she smashed her physical goals for the day, but she was full of confidence. Her wonderful personality, love and dreams came glowing off her. It was a gift for everyone invited to be able to share in this wonderful story of love, happiness and lifelong dreams! Our world need more reminders of the power of hard work, dreams and unconditional love, so thank you for allowing me to be part of your beautiful journey. Congratulations to a beautiful women and a stunning bride!

My 90 Day Fitness Challenge

I am so excited!! I am starting my personal 90 Day Fitness Challenge!!

This challenge is for me to focus on my health and wellness goals.

My Goals include:
-healthy eating and nutrition with the Help of Body by Vi
-completing 50 push ups without stopping
-feeling confident in my abilities to compete at the Last Chance Meet
-Having energy and nutrition to train for Dragon Boating and Track and Field at the same time!

What is your 90 Day Challenge?
Whether you are looking for weight loss, toning, sports performance, fitness, or health, I want you to join me!

To find out more call or email me!

Bikini Bootkick!!

Hello my Lovely Ladies!!!

So Bikini Bootkick is going to live on at Infinite...but it is going to be renamed, and be much much less expensive as it will be a group fitness class! Maximum participants 6 to 8.

If your interested in finding out more please email or call me!!

You only need to commit 6 classes at a time so there is lots of options and I would love to have you :)

Dragon Boat Festival!

Wow!! What can I say but WOW!!

My wonderful, supportive, super fun and fantastic Ladies Team, SCS Pheonix was proud to take home the Gold Medal for all Women's Competitors in this weekends Dragon Boat Festival!! We had so much fun and I really bonded with my wonderful team mates!

I also spent some time paddling with the OCC River Wreckers, a big Thank You to them for making me a welcome part of their team! We also had a Blast, and won a Silver Medal in the B Division!!

I can not believe how much I love dragon boating, the sport, the teams, the community!! So WATCH OUT!! I'm addicted and determined, training starts now for a more competitive stream of dragon boating next summer!

Remember you can always try a new sport, you never know when you might fall in love and even be good at it :) ...perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I was told Running 800m is equal to paddling 500m in a mixed boat...but I think I found me a second sport!!

My challenge to my wonderful clients, is find some sort of wonderful activity that will challenge you and keep you loving your fitness lifestyle for years to come :)

Trip Pictures SCROLL DOWN

I promised my lovely clients that I would post a few pictures of my trip!! Well I thought this would be the perfect challenge for me to learn to be confident about myself, and love the skin I'm in! Just like I teach all of you wonderful ladies...

So as I did workout everyday I am on vacation I have posted some beautiful shots of Greece, and I have even included some pictures in which I appear!

Hope you enjoy taking a look :) And remember you are beautiful even if you see some things you would like to improve on in the mirror :)

To find the Pictures, SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG! Thanks :)

Happy, Hip, Fit and Sunkissed

On my vacation to Greece I took some time to reflect on life and my commitment to the fitness lifestyle. I asked myself some tough questions about where I was going, what happiness really was and what I had to do to live the lifestyle I educated my clients on everyday.

Happiness in life comes from balance and fullfillment, from connection and harmony between mind and body. So what does that mean in a nutshell? It means having a satisfying career, time for oneself, ones body, ones spirtuality, ones social and emotional relationships. It means having time to celebrate life's sucesses and embrace its hardships. But more than anything it means finding a sense a self, an identity and being strong in this identity, sharing it with others who foster its development and stearing clear of those that want to take it away!

Having been through an abusive relationship which completley stole my self identity, I know that this can happen a lot easier than we may like to admit. And I think it is an especially prominate concern for young women, specifically young women who are trying to balance a sense of self with new demands of relationships, family and children. So the challenge is to be proud of who were and confident enough to protect it! When your beeming about your life, and your identity, and you know without question that you are a happy, strong and great person it is a lot easier to be strong in who you are....so the challenge is how to get there!!

This challenge may be slightly different for everyone but it comes from loving yourself, finding a path or goal in life that you can persue and mentoring a mind body relationship, a healthy lifestyle that balances physical, emotional, spiritual and social health.

For me my challenge comes from being eager to please and willing to do just about anything to assist others. Reflection told me that while helping others is indeed part of what allows me to find fullfillment in my life, it can not come at the expense of my own self; because when it does I become stressed, unhappy, physically exhausted and much less able to provide the appropriate help and support needed by family and freinds. This is INDEED one of the biggest challenges women face, being able to say "Yes, I need to put ME as a priority in my life!" But find true happiness you do need to spend a certain amount of time focusing on yourself, and no it is not being selfish!!

For me happiness comes from being enthusiastic and engeric, having a constant physical challenge or running goal to work towards...it comes from feeling happy, hip fit and sunkissed!! Everyone's formula is different for this....you can't take my formula and apply it to, I can't your formula and apply it to me, but in order to get you thinking I am going to share what makes me feel confident, happy and alive!

1. Physical Fitness
I am very in tune with my body, when I am forced to skip workouts for employment or school related commitments I feel "gross". I feel sluggish, sad, and like I'm just not me! So having the time to do my workouts 6 days a week is a priority that just has to be fullfilled. I can't wait to return to the UofA Track and Field Program :)

2. Nutrition
My body is particularly sensitive to the foods I consume. This is likely a result of the physical demands I put on my body through fitness and the high energy lifestyle I lead! You are what you eat, so it is important to find creative nutrition solutions for every lifestyle, whether you use food, food prep or a combination of food and supplements nutrition is essential to happiness. Looking for specific ideas? I'm always here to help!

3. Long term educational and career goals
Admitting to myself that I am the kind of person that needs a constantly challenging and refreshing work environment has allowed me to find a certain satisfaction in my career. I also find satisfaction in seeing my career and goals move forward. For me this means finding employment opportunities that foster my dream of completing my phyiscal education degree which will allow me to move forward should I be called to stay in the fitness industry. It also involves finding a workplace open to my goal of applying to the police force. While there is no guarantees of success in this process I need to surround myself with people both inside and outside of the workplace who are willing to embrace and support my dreams and aspirations!

4. Social, Emotional and Spiritual fullfillment.
This is a very personal area, we all find the balance to these things differently. For me this includes having a chance to see my family once a week, interact with my circle of close freinds and attend church on a regular basis. It also included finding a volunteer opportunity that allows me to give back to the community...I'm currently looking for something that is law enforcement based if anyone has leads....

5. Work Life Balance
In order to be able to pursue fitness, educational and nutritional goals while finding social, emotional and spirtual fullfillment there was one ingredient missing in my life! Work Life Balance!! So what does this mean? Well it means that I am a better personal trainer, coach and role model when I have some time for me! That is okay not to want to answer work related calls at 7am on Sunday morning, and that I can still take awesome care of my fantastic clients while finding this balance! And I believe I have found a fantastic place to make this happen :)

6. Unhealthy relationships
So I'm just gonna address this breifly and within a professional scope, some of you may be aware that unhealthy relationships have been a part of my past....and I know some of you were concerned over the fact that one of my freinds who was to travel with Greece to me decided not to come with me last minute, and indeed he took an unnecessary tack of laying blame for this decision on me. It was somehow my fault (largely because I was going to make a potential career choice he didn't like), and he felt it was necessary to threaten me rather than just politely ask me to respect his wishes.
So what did I do? I made other arrangements to have a fantastic vacation and knew that if this was the kind of person I was missing out of in my life then it was okay! Because I need to surround myself with people who support me and my goals, and who treat me with respect...so that I can indeed be Happy, Hip, Fit and Sunkissed!!

Saturday July 9th Bikini Bootkick

Complete each mini circuit twice, then move on to the next.

10 Burpies
12 V-sits
20 Chinnies
20 Cross Overs

10 Push ups with leg lift
20 Supermans
10 Reverse Lunge on each side
10 Elbows to Knees on each side

10 Burpies
12 Toe Touches each side
15 Reverse Crunch
15 Flutter Kicks

10 Turkish Get Ups
15 Ab Roll Outs
20 L-Sits

10 Push Ups
10 Side Bridge with Leg Lifts Each side
15 oblique side leans each side.

KICK YOUR ABS WITH THIS AWESOME BIKINI PERFECT WORKOUT!!

Saturday's Bikini Bootkick

Here is Saturday's workout...yes I am naming the Saturday sessions a "bikini bootkick!!" Enjoy :)

Complete 2 sets of each of the following circuits:

10 Burpies
10 Stability Ball Adductor Pass
10 Push Up Throws with partner
10 Stability Ball Abdominal Roll Out

15 Reverse crunch with Ball between feet
15 Jump Squats
1 minute of High Knee Run
15 Plank Walks

20 Oblique Side Reach with weights
10 Burpies
10 Side Bridge Lifts per side
1 minute plank

20 Toe Touches with Ball between feet
15 Supermans with Ball Lift
10 Alternate Leg Push Ups
Weighted Basketball Sit Up Pass

10 Reverse Lunges on Each leg
10 pike on Stability Ball
10 Stability Ball at feel, plank with leg lift
20 Elbows to Knees

Rowing Workout for Spring Challenge

To my beautiful ladies, and specifically my Spring Challenge clients, here is a new Rowing workout for you to try!!

Set the tension/level of the rowing machine using the dial down the side to approximatley eight. Set the display to units of Watts.

Now you are going to row 1 minute hard, keeping the speed at 50-60 watts, then 1 minute medium, keeping the speed at 30-40 watts. Repeat the hard minute of rowing six times to make one set. After the set stop rowing and rest for 1-2 minutes. Then repeat the entire the set an additional two times, for a total of 3 sets of 6 hard minutes.

Remember if the level of intensity gets too high, back off and adjust according to your fitness level. Happy rowing ladies!!

Wellness, A Wholistic Approach to Health

In follow up to an earlier article I am going to continue with discussing the major aspects of human wellness. Remember that wellness if more than just physical health, it is a "lifestyle choice characterized by personal responsibility for and optimal enhancement of physical, mental and spiritual health". (Hales and Lauzon)

Wellness includes 6 major dimensions: Social, Occupational, Spiritual, Physical Intellectual and Emotional wellness. Let's take a look at each of these:

Social Wellness
Social wellness allows us to "explore the depths of our souls and the height of our emotions" (Hales and Lauzon). Social wellness encompases our ability to relate and contribute to society, to assist other human beings and to value the concept of being interdependant on freinds, family, coworkers and the environment around us. Being Socially well requires that we are able to enter into intimate relations, that is relations that allow for open, trusting sharing of close thoughs and feelings. Remember it is not necessary for intimate relationships to be sexual in nature!

Looking at marriage statistics is a good way to put the importance of social wellness into persepective! Married people are happier, healther and liver longer, in fact research shows that single men have a mortality rate 250% higher than married men, and single women have a mortality rate 50% higher than married women. Marriage has also been shown to decrease suicide risk, drinking and substance abuse, mental health disorders and to improve physical health! Wow! Who knew that Social wellness could do all that :)

Occupational Wellness
Finding enrichment through work can enhance our well being, after all we do spend the majority of our day at work! So the challenge is to find a career that is consistent with your personal values, interests and beliefs, and that allows you to share your talents with others.

Remember that even if you have the perfect job, all work and no play makes for a dull world! There is overwhelming research to show that regular vacaction improves health! In fact I was just watching a news piece this morning that was comparing the health of Europeans to North Americans, we were dismal in comparison to our cross ocean neighbours! And what was stated as the major cause of this difference?!? Vacation! Europeans are more likely to leave work at work, to participate in social activities and recieve an average of 5 paid weeks of vacation a year, compared with our average of just 2 weeks! It's important to rest, rejevuanate and relax! You will perform better at your Occupation with regular breaks, thus vacation also increase occupational health and satisfaction.

Intellectual Wellness

The brain is the only organ in your body that is capable of self awareness, so keep it healthy! Intellectual wellness is our ability to think about and learn from new information and life experience. It provide us with the ability to question and evaluate information, as welll as think critically about life and health information. Continual exposure to intellectual growth and stimulation has been shown decrease the risk and severity of diseases like dimensia, in other words...use your brain or loose it! So if you are one of those people with a desk piled as high as a mountain that never steps outside the office, maybe it's time to consider enrolling in that continuing education seminar you've been dreaming about for years!

Spiritual Wellness
As mentioned in earlier articles, spiritual wellness is our ability to find purpose in life and to experience love, joy, peace and fullfillment. Spiritual wellness unites all other aspects of wellness together. It challenges us to find inner harmony, and share this harmony with every dimension of our lives.

Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness is our ability to feel positive and enthusiastic about life. People who are emotionally well, are not without emotional concerns in life, rather they are able to express and mange their feelings. Those individuals who excell at emotional wellness recongnize problems and are able to ask for help when they are feeling blue! So let's all work on this together....express your emotional feelings to a freind today, and be sure to listen and support this freind through their feelings in return.

Physical Wellness
Physical wellness is our attention to our bodies physical needs and nutrition. In order to be well, we must firt be healthy. Great health requires that our bodies are fit, that is that we have a basic level of strength, endurance and flexibility. It also requires a strong nutrition program and health Body Mass Index.

Physical wellness, participating in regular physical activity, allows us to decrease stress and clear our minds, which in turn allows us to work on other areas of wellness. The positive endorphins released during exercise boost our mood, and increase our chances of finding happiness and fullfillment!

Not convinced? Well why not come try it for yourself!! Contact me to recieve a free fitness analysis and trial workout at spa lady today.

Elliptical Circuit

Looking to mix up your cardio, burn calories, and tone up those legs! Here is a great way to change things up!!
For those of you who are knew training do a 10 minute warm up, complete one set of the workout listed below, do a 10 minute cool down.
For those of you who are more fit, or looking for an extra challenge do a 5 minute warm up, complete two sets of the workout listed below, do a 5 minute cool down.
Be sure to stretch after this one!!

Starting on an Elliptical Machine, with a set of dumbell weights of appropriate weight to the side or directly behind you...

2 minutes of Elliptical at Level 10
12 Bicep Curls
1 minute fo Elliptical at Level 4
12 Single Arm Tricep Extensions on Each side
2 minutes of Elliptical at Level 8
20 Squats
1 minute of Elliptical at Level 4
10 Reverse Lunges on each leg
2 minutes of Ellipitical at Level 10
10 push ups
1 minute of Elliptical at Level 4
Plank for 1 minute
2 minutes of Elliptical at Level 8
10 Weighted Oblique Side Leans on each side
1 minute of Elliptical at Level 4
15 Calf Raises and 15 Heal Walks
2 minutes of Elliptical at Level 10
15 Weighted Wide Squats
1 minute of Elliptical at Level 4
15 Narrow Squats

Happy working out :)