A new year means a whole new training schedule! I’ve been off distance running for some time now, but I have several half marathons on the schedule for 2013 that I need to get prepared for. The first race is the Honolulu Hapalua, brought to you by the same great team as the Honolulu Marathon. I did the inaugural race last year, and now I feel like I need to commit to it; my friend Amanda has already decided we will be the 70 year old ladies who are honored in 2043 for completing every run since its inception. But, in order to even imagine doing that, I need to make sure I train in a reasonable way to prevent injury. I’m also trying to improve my time this year, which is why I’m including some hill training days as well as tempo runs. The plan looks like this:
Week
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
rest
XT
3 EZ
XT
3 tempo
XT
4
2
rest
XT
4EZ
XT
3 hills
XT
5
3
rest
XT
3EZ
XT
4 tempo
XT
6
4
rest
XT
4EZ
XT
3hils
XT
7
5
rest
XT
3EZ
XT
5 tempo
XT
5
6
rest
XT
4EZ
XT
3 hills
XT
8
7
rest
XT
3EZ
XT
5 tempo
XT
9
8
rest
XT
3EZ
XT
4 hills
XT
10
9
rest
XT
3EZ
XT
5 tempo
XT
8
10
rest
XT
4EZ
XT
3hills
XT
rest
RACE DAY
For my hill runs, I’ll be including some of the steeper climbs in my neighborhood (Diamond Head and Kilauea next to KCC), which my training partner isn’t too excited about, but he’ll thank me later.
I really enjoy the half marathon distance; it’s long enough for me to require a formalizing training schedule, but short enough to avoid hysterical sobbing on the course (see my full marathon story for those details!) I also like being able to dedicate time to other physical endeavors; something I wasn’t really able to fit in while preparing for my full marathon. And I’m not alone in feeling this way; the half marathon is the fastest growing road racing distance in the US.
What about you? Any half marathons on your schedule? Which distance is your favorite?
Do you have four minutes for exercise? Of course you do! Check out my video for a quick, full body workout you can do basically anywhere in less time than it will take you to find a parking spot at the gym!
Stability balls are great for core training: they require your muscles to work much harder than they would on a stable surface, and in turn you get a better workout in a shorter amount of time. I also like them for my personal training clients who have lower back issues because the ball does not put the same type of pressure on the spine that mat work on the floor can. Stability balls come in several sizes, and you’ll want to choose which on to use based on your height. If you are under 5’7 you’ll generally want to use a 55cm ball. If you are over 6’2 you’ll want the 75cm ball. In between those heights a 65cm is usually best.
Check out this video for a short, but effective ab circuit:
Complete the circuit 2-4 times
8-15 ball passes
20-40 crunches or one leg crunches
20-20 mountain climbers on ball or maximum plank
Many, many people wish they could figure out a way to get in a good workout AND spend quality time with their young children. Apparently you can do both! This video is hilarious, but some of those moves look tough. Enjoy!
Jumping rope is one of the most effective cardiovascular conditioning exercises there is, and it can be performed by people of all ages and abilities. It is also a particularly good activity for families to do together: kids love it, and adults will definitely get in a good workout, even by spending just a few minutes with the rope. Jumping rope improves balance, agility, coordination, muscle strength, and endurance. It is also a fat scorcher! Depending on your weight and how vigorously you jump, you can burn anywhere from 10-20 calories PER MINUTE! But, perhaps most importantly, it is fun!
Exercise doesn’t just occur in a gym or through an organized sports team, and it doesn’t have to happen in a 1-2 hour block of time that is completely separate from your everyday life. The Center for Disease Control recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and that children ages 6-17 get 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Those numbers may sound daunting, but remember that this time can be broken up into 10 minute intervals throughout the day and be just as effective as a single session. If you’re curious as to how you might add a quick jump roping session into your family’s routine, please check out this video for ideas!
Considering that over 20,000 people will be participating in the Kaiser Permanente Great Aloha Run on President’s Day this February, I’d be willing to bet that many of you who come to my site are currently training or considering registering. While you could just wake up on race day and do this 8 mile run, it will be a lot more fun for you (and your body) if you train in advance. There is an official (free!) training taking place in Kapiolani Park Sunday mornings at 6:45am to take care of some of your mileage, but if you really want to train for and complete the race with the smallest risk of injury and least amount of aches and pains, not to mention the best time you can muster, you’ll need to do a little more than run. You’ll be able to complete this strength training workout with equipment and time, but if you commit to it 2-4 times a week, you’ll definitely notice a big difference in your runs, especially as you increase your mileage. As an added bonus, strength training will also increase your metabolism, strengthen your bones, improve your balances, raise your HDL cholesterol levels (the good kind), improve your posture, and elevate your mood! Oh yeah, and it will help you look good too!
I tried a new format with the videos here, so please leave me a comment if you have any feedback!
You can also print this workout and have a handy reference sheet when you perform your exercises.
To download this image, simply right click on the photo below and click save image as.
If you resolve to make 2011 a healthier, more exiting year full of new experiences and opportunities, get started with Lululemon’s 31 Day Fitness Challenge. Trainers and studios all over Oahu have joined together to offer the community a different, FREE, fitness class every day in January 2011. The schedule and all the details can be found here. There is something for everyone: yoga, Pilates, Cross Fit, even rock climbing.
I will be opening my Ladies-only bootcamp classes to visitors on Wednesday, January 5. Please contact me for more information if you’d like to attend.
Well, my family in Detroit might need sleeves; it’s a FREEZING 29 degrees! I, however am much luckier and am sweating right now in my apartment, enjoying the balmy 80 degree afternoon. Even if you aren’t baring you arms in tank tops and swimsuits all year long, toned, shapely arms are something we’d all like to have, especially when you think about the fact that cute holiday cocktail dresses usually do not come with sleeves to the elbow. Plus, it’s nice to be strong enough to actually lift things like your groceries, kids, or or overstuffed suitcase into the overhead bin!
Women especially do not tend to store fat in their upper bodies (biology prefers to keep it around our hips, thighs, and waist), so you can really start to see some visible results in relatively short period of time when you start to work on your arms. Check out the video below for a circuit-style (surprise!) workout you can try that targets your triceps while also working your shoulders, chest, biceps, and core!
During my Las Vegas trip last week, I did a little gambling, had some delicious cocktails, and saw the Nevada Ballet perform, but I also made sure I stayed moving. I only did one structured workout while I was away, but I also spent two days hiking in beautiful Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire. I really enjoy hiking and although my heart may be pounding and I’m sweating profusely, I’m usually to busy enjoying to scenery to notice.
I shot a workout video about Tabata intervals for you while I was out there in the desert. These types of workouts are great when you are short on time, but still want to get a good sweat in. I also like this style of training becuase you can be at any fitness level and use this technique to achieve results. Just remember to use an exercise that works multiple muscle groups and to really push the intensity!
What are some other exercises you like to do Tabata-style?
The sad truth of the matter is that you CANNOT spot train for fat loss in specific areas. But you CAN target certain muscle groups to tone and strengthen!
The circuit:
20 squats, jump squats, or tuck jumps
20 ab moves
20 seconds of jogging in place or high knees
20 static lunges, lunges with knee raise, or lunge hops
Sometimes after a really hard workout, I will joke with my clients that I “personally trained myself” the day before, so I’m a little uncomfortable jumping around. My client will totally understand this, because she knows how I challenge her in her workouts, but then she will usually ask me how I can push myself in my workouts when there is no one there telling me what to do. It is one thing to get to the gym or put on your running shoes, but much more difficult to workout at high intensity level. However, here are some tips you can use to make sure you get the most out of the time you put into your exercise program: Continue reading Make Your Workout Count!
Circuit training is a quick, effective way to get a full body, fat burning, muscle building workout. During a circuit training workout, you perform three or more exercises back to back with little to no rest, then repeat the sequence a set number of times. Circuits are often done in threes, but you can do more or fewer depending on how much time you have and your current fitness level. This type of training is so efficient because you are doing resistance training exercises to build muscle, and your heart rate stays elevated due to the fact that you are not resting in between exercises, similar to the cardio effect you get when you go for a jog.
Try out the circuit in my video below! It requires no equipment, a very small amount of space, and I have included variations for all fitness levels from beginner to advanced. Remember to push yourself!
20 lunges
10 drop downs or burpees
20 spiders or 10 full sets of spider pushups
This video is hilarious, but some of those moves look tough. Enjoy!
If you resolve to make 2011 a healthier, more exiting year full of new experiences and opportunities, get started with Lululemon’s 31 Day Fitness Challenge. Trainers and studios all over Oahu have joined together to offer the community a different, FREE, fitness class every day in January 2011. The schedule and all the details can be found 
