FitSugar

Tighten Every Inch to Pinch: a Workout Video From Tone It Up

Fit Community — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:50:00 PDT

If you enjoyed the stability ball workout and bikini boot camp video from the Tone It Up group, here's a whole body toning workout video from Karena and Katrina.

Hey FitSugar community! It's Karena and Katrina from Tone It Up! This is one of our best workouts yet . . . only six minutes and it tightens and tones your whole body!

Tone up with this great total body workout! This high energy circuit can be done anywhere and will tone up your entire body with just a few simple moves.

To get the printable workout and more great tips from the Tone It Up girls, just check out the workout here.

Get Back Into the Swim of Things

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:30:52 PDT

It's Summer, and that means pool time. Besides being a fun recreational activity, swimming is a great way to burn calories and stay cool. And since getting back into the routine of swimming can feel a little daunting, I made a workout for you. I think it's a good idea to have your exercise plan in hand when you work out, so print this page and take it with you to the pool. If you're new to swimming, here's a beginner swim workout to get you started.

To check out the workout, continue reading.

Get It Up, Your Heart Rate, That Is: Fartlek

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:30:55 PDT

Playing with speed on your run is a fun and effective way to work out. When the Swedes do it they call it fartlek. How could a word that sounds so silly not be fun to put into practice? Fartlek means "speed play" and is a form of interval training, using sprints varying in length from eight seconds to two minutes. This type of training is great to do in urban areas using blocks and half blocks as physical markers for the end of your sprinting time.

Check out a fartlek workout I have been playing with lately when you

Get It Up, Your Heart Rate, That Is: Treadmill Hills and Legs

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:00:35 PDT

If the Summer heat is forcing you to work out indoors, here is a treadmill workout that will certainly bust through your cardio-machine boredom.

Next time you're at the gym, try this hill climbing treadmill workout combined with a bit of strength training that will blast away calories and really work the muscles in your lower body. This workout will certainly help get your backside ready for the beach.

Check out the workout.

Get It Up, Your Heart Rate, That Is: Sprint Intervals at the Track

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:00:00 PDT

Interval training is key for torching calories and increasing your speed. Intervals are tough, but they work your body and prepare you well for the races ahead - it is racing season, after all.

Even if you don't like to race, intervals are a great way to add spark to your running routine and help you move past a weight-loss plateau. I wish I could say that I love this workout, but that would be a lie. Just ask my running buddy to tell you how I curse when doing this interval sprint. I can, however, easily admit that I love how I feel afterward, and I love that I burn over 450 calories while doing it.

To see the workout,

read more. This interval training involves sprinting, so run as fast as you can. But this workout can be a little confusing, so before you start, mentally divide the track into four equal quarters since you will be running 100-yard sprints at different points around the track. This is not a beginner workout and you should have a strong running/aerobic fitness level before doing this workout. Warmup Four slow laps around the track Dynamic warmup

20 high-knee marching steps
20 booty kicks
Skip 20 steps
Skip with kick 20 steps
20 heel walks
20 toe walks

Intervals Jog 400 yards (one lap at most tracks) Sprint 100 yards Recover* 400 yards Sprint 100 yards Recover 300 yards Sprint 100 yards Recover 200 yards Sprint 100 yards Recover 100 yards Sprint 100 yards Recover 400 to 800 yards Repeat workout one more time! Cooldown Jog two laps Stretch

*You can walk or jog slowly during the recovery period Try the workout and let me know what you think. Running intervals like this has definitely made my steady-paced, longer runs feel dreamy. Source

Indoor Mini Triathlons at the Gym

FitSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 05:50:00 PDT

If you really want to challenge yourself physically and mentally, signing up for an Ironman triathlon is the way to go. This mutli-sport competition involves three astounding events: a 2.4-mile swim (77 laps), a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. Whether you're training for a triathlon or just want to switch up your cardio routine, Sugar user mamasitamalita had a brilliant idea.

Complete a mini triathlon inside at the gym. Spend 15 to 20 minutes in the pool, then move to the stationary bike for same amount of time, then hop on the treadmill for the last leg. Or you can change up the "events" and use the stair climber, the rowing machine, or the elliptical. She says, "It's an especially good way to get back in shape if you haven't worked out in awhile." Not only is it a good idea to do at least three types of cardio throughout the week, but it's even better to do three different types in one workout. Thanks for the idea!

Source

Cardio Workout: StepMill Intervals

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 06:00:00 PDT

At my gym, the StepMill is usually vacant. You know - the cardio machine that resembles a mini-escalator. It is large and intimidating; plus, it's hard to cheat when working out on a StepMill. Still, using this machine is a great way to get your legs ready for the short shorts of Summer. You can also try this interval pyramid routine as an alternative to running hills. Begin by selecting "manual" on the machine setup.

Take a gander at the workout when you

read more.
Click here for a printable version of the workout to take to the gym. Source

Get It Up, Your Heart Rate That Is: Intervals For Treadmill

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:30:00 PST

There are a thousand and one ways to work out on a treadmill, but my favorite is intervals. Once you set your pace on the treadmill, you can't really cheat and slow down since the speed is constant. The set speed helps me push myself out of comfort zone, which is one of the elements of interval training. I like the following workout because the recovery time of a minute, at a slow speed, is just enough for my heart rate to go down and for me to rev myself for the next interval. We all know that interval training can help you lose belly fat.

To check out the treadmill workout, just

Get It Up, Your Heart Rate That Is: Swimming Sprints

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:30:00 PDT

Many of us are starting to move our workouts indoors. Temperatures are cooling off and daylight is becoming increasingly limited; the days are going to get even shorter. One way to move your cardio inside is swimming and here is a fun workout to try. Sprinting intervals are not just for running; they're great for the pool too. I suggest adding some sprints into your swimming workouts to keep things fresh and challenging. Check out this simple workout and try it next time you head to the pool. Better yet, print it out and use it as your excuse to head to the pool. I have even added some kicking sprints to target your legs too.

To see the workout, just

read more. Warm up: 100 yrds Freestyle - easy 50 yrds kick Freestyle 50 yrds kick Backstroke 50 yrds kick Breaststroke 100 yrds pull* Freestyle The Main Event: 200 yrds Freestyle Sprints 8 x 25 yrds alternating Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly*** (rest :10)** 200 yards Freestyle Kick Sprints 4 x 25 yrds Freestyle kickboard sprint (rest :20) 4 x 25 yrds Breaststroke (rest :20) 200 yards Freestyle 100 yards Breaststroke Cool Down: 50 Backstroke 50 pull Freestyle 100 Freestyle - easy * Pull: Hold a buoy with your legs and use only your arms to swim ** Rest the listed amount between reps/laps ***If you don't swim Butterfly, substitute Freestyle This workout is 1650 yards, a mile. A swimmer's mile is 1500 meters, or roughly 1650 yards - 66 lengths in a 25 yard pool. Fit's Tips: If you are new to swimming check out this beginner's program to get you from sitting on the side of the pool to swimming a mile.

Cardio Workout: Rowing

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:30:00 PDT

The Olympics have been full of inspirational moments. One being the US Women’s Rowing team winning gold in the Eight. The powerful synchrony of those eight bodies moving together in unison is pretty impressive. Even if you don't have access to a boat and seven friends available for a workout, you can row at your gym. Former Olympic rower Judy Geer, co-founder of Concept2 Rowing created this rowing pyramid interval workout to help move your Olympic spirit from the couch to the gym.

This interval workout will combine all the benefits of interval training while working your entire body, hitting the muscles in the core, legs, arms, back and booty.

To see the workout just

read more. This pyramid workout offers a nice variety of interval lengths. Keep the pace moderately intense on the way up the pyramid, and then work toward maximum intensity as the work intervals get shorter on the way back down. Before you start: - Set the damper on the indoor rower to a point between 3 and 5. - Set the flexible footrests so the strap crosses the ball of the foot.

Time	Set	Intensity	RPE*
00:00-05:00	Warm up	Easy	2 to 5
05:00-06:00	Interval 1	Moderately hard	6-7
06:00-07:00	Rest	Easy	2-3
07:00-09:00	Interval 2	Moderately Hard	6-7
09:00-10:00	Rest	Easy	2-3
10:00-13:00	Interval 3	Moderately Hard	6-7
13:00-14:00	Rest	Easy	2-3
14:00-18:00	Interval 4	Moderately hard	6-7
18:00-19:00	Rest	Easy	2-3
19:00-22:00	Interval 5	Hard	8-9
22:00-23:00	Rest	Easy	2-3
23:00-25:00	Interval 6	Harder	8-9
25:00-26:00	Rest	Easy	2-3
26:00-27:00	Interval 7	Hardest	10
27:00-28:00	Rest	Very easy	2
28:00-30:00	Cool down	Easy	3

*RPE = Rate of Perceived Exertion (for an explanation click here) Aim for a cadence (strokes per minute, SPM) between 26 and 30 on the work intervals; the SPM can drop on the easy intervals. Watch the central display of the Performance Monitor for feedback on how hard you are pulling. To learn more about rowing, or to join a virtual rowing team, check out www.concept2.com. Don't forget to print this and take it to the gym. Source

Activity	Duration	Details/Recovery Time
Warmup	3 minutes	Brisk walk
Warmup	5 minutes	Jog
Easy speed*	5x 1 minute	1 minute recover**
5x Sprints	1 block length	1 block length recover
4x Short sprints	20 seconds	1 minute recover
Cooldown	5 minutes	Jog
Cooldown	3 minutes	Brisk walk

Time	Speed	Incline
0:00-5:00	3.5	1.0
5:00-10:00	4.0	2.0
10:00-12:00	6.5	1.0
12:00-13:00	3.5	1.0
13:00-15:00	6.6	1.0
15:00-16:00	3.5	1.0
16:00-18:00	6.7	1.0
18:00-19:00	3.5	1.0
19:00-21:00	6.8	1.0
21:00-22:00	3.5	1.0
22:00-24:00	6.9	1.0
24:00-25:00	3.5	1.0
25:00-27:00	7.0	1.0
27:00-28:00	3.5	1.0
28:00-30:00	7.1	1.0
30:00-40:00	3.5	2.0