Spring-ing into Fitness

April 24, 2018April 24, 2018Leave a comment

No-equipment-needed workouts are a quick way to build muscle and improve athletic performance including speed and power. Add a jumping element (or Spring for the season of Spring) —makes your moves plyometric— and is an easy modification to elevate your at home routine to a whole new level.

Here’s the workout I shared this morning on CH Morning Live. Check it out below or watch it HERE.

Consider grouping the five moves together for a 5-minute circuit and sneak it in as many times as possible during the day.

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Squat Jumps

Standing with feet hip-width apart, keep your weight back on your heels and lower down into your squat. Arms reach down towards the floor as you lower down. As you raise up from your squat, extend your arms above your head, jumping off both feet and returning to repeat again.

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Reverse Lunge with Knee Lift

Stand with feet hip-width apart and step your right foot back, coming into a low lunge. Shift all of your weight to your left foot, and bring your right foot forward, lifting your knee towards your chest, and simultaneously jumping off your left foot. Land softly on your left foot, and immediately step back into a low lunge to repeat.

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Box Jump

Fire up your calves by jumping in a square shape around an imaginary box. Begin by balancing on the right foot with a slightly bent knee. Keeping your arms loose at your side to help with balance, hop to the right, landing on only your right foot. Staying on the same leg, hop to the left, then hop forward, and then back. Switch legs and reverse the direction. Focus on quick, small jumps. Consider trying on two feet when just getting started.

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Plank Jacks

From a high plank on your toes, jump both feet out and in while keeping your shoulders stacked about your hips and core stable. To decrease the challenge, perform a step touch with each foot reaching it out to the left and back center before repeating with the right.

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Plank to Squat

From a high plank position, jump feet forward into a wide squat and bring hands off the ground in front of your chest. Pause for a second, then place hands on the ground and jump feet back into a high plank position. Repeat as quickly as possible.

5 Yoga Poses For Runners

March 10, 2017May 3, 2017Leave a comment

With the sidewalks clear, training is full steam ahead for the 2017 race season including the next big GTA race the Around the Bay Road Race which goes March 26th. Yoga is a great compliment to running as it will keep your stretched and injury free. Here are five postures I shared on CH Morning Live on Tuesday March 7th. Watch it here and check out the postures below.

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Standing Back Bend

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Standing tall with big toes together and heels slightly apart, place hands on the lower back and gently arch the spine opening through the chest looking up.

Standing Forward Fold

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From standing position with feet six inches apart, exhale and fold forward. Bend knees slightly if pressure is felt on the lower back. Head should hang heavily from the upper spine. Slide the index and middle fingers of each hand between and around the big and second toes gripping the big toes firmly. Press your toes down against your fingers. Bend your elbows out to the sides, pull up on your toes, lengthen the front and sides of your torso, and gently lower into the forward bend. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths.

Low Lunge

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Place both hands on the floor, inhale and step your left foot back, keeping your right foot between your hands in a lunge. Lower your left knee onto the floor, placing the top of your foot against the ground. Bring your hands to your right knee while sinking your hips toward the floor. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths, and then repeat on the other side.

Pigeon

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From Low Lunge, bring the right leg forward in front of the body with the right knee bent and the foot flexed. Extend the left leg behind the body with the left toes on the floor. To extend the pose, place the left hand or the left forearm on the floor. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths, and then repeat on the other side.

Downward Facing Dog

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From Pigeon, exhale placing both hands on the floor and stepping your feet back lifting the seat towards the sky. Spread hands and feet as they are pressed onto the floor. Focus is on lengthening the upper body. Legs should be straight, but may be bent as needed. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths.

Repeat low lunge and pigeon using the other leg.

Take yourself through this sequence after your run and enjoy your recovery. Happy running!

*Outfit provided by New Balance Canada

*Yoga mat, bottle, strap provided by Gaiam Canada

New Year’s Repeat Workout

January 2, 2017February 13, 2017Leave a comment

The new year is a great time to reset or restart your workout routine. Maybe you want it give it a small makeover by adding few challenging moves, or maybe it requires a core shaking revival, either way these 5 moves will give you a total body workout in your own house, no equipment needed!

Program:

The below program is for Total Reps: Perform as many reps as you can of each move in one minute each, moving from one exercise to the next without stopping. Rest one minute, then repeat the sequence two or three more times – or during the day whenever you have five minutes! Keep track of your total rep count and try to beat your grand total next time.

Don’t want to read below? Watch me in a recording of the 5.5 minute segment here.

Exercises

1. Clock Lunge: Standing with feet hip distance apart, step forward in to a standing split position and slowly lower your body until your front knee is bent to at least 90 degrees. Pause and then return to standing. Using the same leg, step wide into a side lunge and slowly lower until your right knee is bent is bent to at least 90 degrees. Pause and then return to standing.Finally step backwards with the right leg and slowly lower your body until your front knee is bent to at least 90 degrees. Pause and then return to standing. Those three movements are one set. Repeat on the other side.

2. Plank Walk Out: Start standing with the feet shoulder width apart and arms hanging down to the sides of the body. Slightly bend the knees and bend over and placing the hands shoulder width apart on the floor, so your body is in the shape of an inverted V. Walk forward four steps forward with your hands until you reach a plank position. Walk hands back in towards your feet and return to stand.

3. Mountain Climbers: Get into a high plank position with hands directly under shoulders. One leg at a time, march or jog, bringing your knees towards your chest.

4. Plank Jacks: From a plank position on your toes, jump both feet wide and then return both feet narrow together. To decrease the challenge alternate a toe tap away from the center line of the body one foot at a time.

5. Alternating Shoulder Tap: On the knees or toes, maintain a balance and stable hip position while touching the opposite hand to shoulder. To decrease the challenge, increase the distance between the knees widening your base of support.