Get 'Er Done Intervals

Yesterday I had a one hour intervals and weights session with Cristina at Pura Vida Club.  I text Cristina right before session asking if we were going outside.  YES! I got back.  Ok here we go I thought - one hour of sprints, hops, lunges, shuffles, and other moves that made me tweet out afterward that the new name of my sessions with Cristina are officially called "kick Jen's booty hour."

We did start indoors for sprints.  I'm better at sprints on treadmill so I can watch speed and time.  So after a quick warm up, I was off and running sprints at 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, and 11mph.  I did 30 seconds at each miles per hour then 30 seconds off before going on to the faster speed.

After sprints, we headed outside for some top of the parking garage fun.  First up was set of lunges with ViPR row and shuffles with Cristina adding resistance to the band that was around my waist.  I did 10 lunges with 20 swings and 10 shuffles each side for three sets.

Another series was leg hops over small hurtles and bicep curls.  I did 10 hops then straight in to 12 bicep curls for three sets.

The toughest one for me was the lift of a 24 pound ViPR.  That was followed by jumps over a small hurtle.    Cristina had me do 4 lifts of the ViPR (using 4 small lifts up and down) then 10 jumps.

Here's a look at some of the intervals.

Working The ViPR Outside

Today was high intensity intervals and weights with Cristina at Pura Vida Club.  We added an extra 30 minutes today to get some great cardio and strength exercises in.  Cristina knows I like to workout outside so as I as I got there we headed out to the top of the parking garage.  After a little jump rope to warm up, I quickly found out the ViPR was my workout partner today.  I actually really love working out the weight tubes.  Exercises outside were 30 seconds then rest 30 seconds with the exception of flipping the ViPR.  That one was 10 reps on one side then 10 on the other.  I did 3 rounds of everything including ViPR shuffle with press and ViPR lunge with press.

Then we headed inside for some weight work including what I'll call an upside push up and box slow one leg squat.

Here's a quick look at five of the exercises I did today if you want to try them.

Intervals, weights, abs, and stretching all in an hour.....this was a jam-packed work your butt off one hour session.  

Parking Garage Intervals

Thursday I did a high intensity intervals workout with Cristina.  But this time we headed out to the parking garage instead of inside at Pura Vida Club.  Since I'm still dealing with a pulled hamstring, Cristina said no sprints until it's better.  That does not mean the intervals are any less intense.  Using a giant rubber band and the ViPR, Cristina managed to once again kick my butt.  But in this workout I not only had my own resistance to use, Cristina pulled on the band in opposite direction as I tried to run and shuffle the other way.  Each interval was done for 30 seconds with 30 second rest.  Each pair of intervals was done for 3 rounds.

First up was what I call band hops.  I did fast small hops side to side inside of the band with Cristina pull band the other way.  We did three rounds of those on each side.

Next was what I call the sled pull and ViPR slams.  I put the band around my waist and ran forward pulling Christina, who was pulling in the opposite direction.

For the ViPR slams, I slammed the ViPR down as hard as I could in a lunge position then quickly shifted over to other side.

The next pair of intervals was band shuffle runs and ViPR put downs.

Next up band shuffle runs.  I put band around waist and shuffled with left lead for 30 seconds then back with right lead for 30 seconds while Cristina pulled band in opposition direction.

In the ViPR put downs the goal is to get the end of the ViPR as close as you can to the ground and you quickly move forward and backward.  I did the left arm for 30 seconds then right arm for 30 seconds.  On these I need to work on getting closer to ground.

Here's video of band hops, ViPR slams and ViPR put downs.  The ViPR is a weighted tube.

Obliques On Ball & 3 Tier Dirty 30

Today was my usual Wednesday Mad Abs and Dirty 30 classes at Pura Vida Club.  Today Cyndie had us use the ball for almost the entire class.  I loved two moves that work the obliques.  For the first one lay on your back with lower legs on top of ball.  Arms are flat either by your side or out in a T position. Simply rotate legs over to one side then back to center and rotate to other side. Do this for 30 to 60 seconds.  It's a great warm up move or stretch.  The other is a Russian twist.  Lay on the ball at shoulder blade level.  Feet of the floor and flat from shoulders to knees.  Extend arms and clasp hands. Rotate hands to one side turning fully so shoulders stack, trying to keep hips squared, then back to center and over to other side.  Do this for a minute.  Both are great moves for obliques.

In Dirty 30, Tim did a little different workout today.  It was just 3 exercises. Push as hard as you can in the first set.  Here's the workout:

400 meters (.5 mile) - Can do on treadmill, elliptical, or rowing.  I elected to run.
40 squat presses with 10 pound weights
40 ViPR pushes (it's sort of a bear crawl pushing the weighed ViPR tube)

200 meters
20 squat presses
20 ViPR pushes

100 meters
10 squat presses
10 ViPR pushes

I did all my running in the 7:30-8 minute pace and actually finished all three sets in under 20 minutes.  Tough, effective, and quick!

Fell Off A Box

If you were at Pura Vida Club yesterday about 12:15pm then you likely saw me fall off a 2 foot box/stand when I did a squat jump. It was one of those slow-mo falls. I landed on top of the box but shifted weight back just enough that I looked like I was one of those Nestea plunge commercials from the 80s...except there was no pool or water to fall backward into.

I was really tired yesterday and completely brain-fried that I forgot my camera for workout.  If I would have remember it, Cristina would have totally caught that fall on video.  Good thing for me I guess.  Bad for you since you miss out on a seriously good laugh at me.

Once making sure I was okay, trainer Cristina said, "Well, at least you know what it feels like to fall."  Yes I do and then what it feels like to laugh at yourself then get right back up and try again.  I had no problem jumping high enough to easily clear the box but for some reason my brain didn't want to trust I could do it. Determined, I jumped again and again. That first fall was the only one in high intensity intervals session.

I warmed up with a few minutes of walking but instead of doing sprints, since my right hamstring is super tight and bothering me, Cristina had me go to the rowing machine for row sprints of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. I did these for 8 minutes staying under 2:12 for 500 meters pace.  The last one I went under 2:00 pace for part of it.

I stretched out my hamstring on the foam roller for a few minutes.

Then it was over to the 2 foot box/stand.  First exercise was stand on top of box, lunge, step hop on top of box, then lunge with other leg and repeating as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Then repeating two more times.

Next the the box squats. After the fall I did one set of 10 then a set of 6.

The weighted ViPR was next.  Cristina pulled out one of the biggest (i.e. heaviest) ones. She had do a side lunge leaning the ViPR over to the side, then up and quick switch to lunge other side.  I did three rounds of 30 seconds going as fast as I could with 30 second rest in between.

She dropped the ViPR weight for me to do lunge presses. As soon as I tried, my hamstring said no.  So she switched me to fast squat presses - squatting with ViPR at chest level then pressing it overhead as I stood up.  Being bull-headed I tried lunges with press for the second round and powered through but for third round of 30 second interval I went back to the squats.

I wrapped up the 30 minutes high intensity intervals with more rolling of the hamstring on the foam roller. Guess I need to use mine at home more!

Got 30? Go High Intensity Intervals

Yesterday was a high intensity intervals session with Cristina at Pura Vida Club.  I love the tough, kick your butt 30 minute workouts.  Cristina does make me laugh though when she tells me I have another round with a smile.

She had me start with a quick walk then jog warm up on treadmill as set up for sprints.  My right hamstring has been a little extra tight for a few days so I did 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off sprints from 6.5 mph up to 10.5 mph, increasing speed by .5 mph for each sprint.  I had an average pace of 8:42 mph.

Next up lateral jumps shuffle and forward hurdle hops.  Let's just say I wasn't exactly Miss Graceful on those!  These drills are not something I normally do, which is great because they are that much more of a challenge.  Cristina had me do 4 passes of lateral then rest, 4 passes of forward (right lead 1 & 3, left lead 2 & 4) then rest, then do two more rounds.

Then to the ViPR, or weighted tube.  I did a squat swing through then hop twist.  Cristina had me start with just squatting and swinging the the tube up before I advanced to adding the 180 degree jump.  I did three sets of 10 of those.

Here are those two exercises:

I finished out with some glute and hamstring stretches. In and out of gym in 30 minutes...and got a workout that kicked my butt!

Going The Rounds With High Intensity Intervals

I was absolutely thrilled I was able to squeeze in a high intensity intervals session with Cristina at Pura Vida Club today. With the snow it was looking like I was going to have to cancel which would have meant a no workout day for me. Instead I got a good old-fashioned butt kickin' today.

Cristina had me start with a quick warm up on treadmill then right in to sprints of 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off. I did sprints at 6 mph, 6.5 mph, 7 mph, 7.5 mph, 8 mph, 8.5 mph, 9 mph, 9.5 mph, 10 mph, and 10.5 mph. Thinking I was done there...boy I was wrong. After a 40 second rest, I hit 11 mph for 20 second then a 30 second rest and 30 seconds back at 8 mph.

At some point in 10 mph spring, Christina said, "You're getting in the best shape of your life." Yes I'm going for it and pushed through. In the 11.5 mph sprint, she said, "You've got this." Yes I did....but barely!

We moved on to the ViPR, or weighted tube.  Cristina had me do three 30 second rounds of curtsy lunges with a jump up should press.  After the second round, I looked at her and said you're going to make me do three rounds aren't you. She just looked at me and smiled.

Next the ViPR drag. That's starting in plank position. Drag the tube with one arms. Move backward three hand placements then drag tube with other arm and repeat sequence for 30 seconds.  I did three rounds.

Finished off with a warm up 30 seconds on rowing machine then three rounds of 30 seconds rowing as hard as I could with 30 second rest in between.

Here what the ViPR and rowing exercises look like:

High Intensity Intervals

High intensity intervals....just sounds daunting, doesn't it?  But if you are like me and want to kick the workout up a notch then this is for you.  I did a 30 minute high intensity intervals session with Cristina Lubini at Pura Vida Club today.

I know, you're probably saying only 30 minutes? Well, good luck even making it through that.  It's a workout that will push you beyond what you think you can do, get your heart rate racing, and get you totally out of breath.

After a couple minutes of walking at a 4mph pace on the treadmill to warm up, it was straight in to sprints.  I did 30 second sprint, 30 second rest starting 6.5mph then 7mph, 7.5mph, all the way to 11mph.  Normally that's where Cristina stops and has client go back to 8.5mph or 8mph then 6.0mph to bring heart rate back down a little.  Well in order to get a little video I attempted 11.5mph sprint after a 30 second rest and made it to 25 seconds.  Guess who got to do it again.  Before the last sprint, I rested 1 minute then hit the sprint at 11.5mph for 30 seconds.  I brought my heart rate down with 30 seconds at 6mph, which at that point felt like just a walk.

I'll admit, I am not a treadmill fan.  But I am a fan of sprints.  So instead of a 40-45 minute even paced run on treadmill think I'm going to switch up to a 15-20 minute warm up and sprints session.  I'll save the long runs for outside.

If you are a beginner or just starting some higher intensity workouts, you can modify times.  Go for a 10, 20 or 30 second sprint then rest 30 seconds, 45 seconds or a minute if you need to.  Cristina said there are no rules.  The point is to push hard gradually going to that point of all out, or maxing your heart rate, with breaks in between sprints.  If you need a little more recovery time, take it.  You can also easily do sprints at the park or on a track.

Next up was speed skate with an 8kg (17.6 lbs) ViPR tube.  ViPR stands for vitality, performance, and re-conditioning.  The goal is high intensity doing the move as fast as you can, not lifting heavy weight.  As you speed skate the tube goes perpendicular to the floor then as you skate to other side rotate the tube so the other end is perpendicular to the floor.  Elbows need to stay close to the side as you rotate the tube.  I did 3 rounds of 30 second speed skates with 30 second rest in between.

Next, still using the ViPR, hold it in the center and do a squat.  As you jump up, turn 180 degrees. Squat, jump and turn back .  You do not need to alternation sides.  I did one round of 30 seconds.

To finish out, it was running down and up four flights of stairs, including weaving in and out of folks.

We finished out with some stretching and called it a session.  As we were stretching, I told Cristina it felt like my lungs had expanded.  It was a totally different feel from other workouts.  My lungs felt huge and I felt invigorated as far as the respiratory and cardiovascular aspect.  Legs...well they felt pretty beat.  Cristina said I'm probably going to be sore tomorrow.  Let's just say my glutes are already feeling those sprints, skates, and squats.  Can't wait to do a session with Cristina again to push it to the limit!

Here's video of the workout. Give it a shot, and let me know how you feel afterward.