Power Snatches and Power Cleans

I kept things a little on the lighter side today and after a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client in the early morning frost, I did a quick workout of power snatches and power cleans with a few overhead squats thrown in for fun at the end.
Not a bad way to end a year filled with some great workouts.

And in addition to all of the various workouts in my gym, I also got out for 234 trail runs/hikes in 2012 for a total of about 1000 miles.

~Feelin' Alive!~

The Punisher

Since today was probably going to be my last trail run/hike of 2012, I decided to make it a good one and I headed to The Punisher.....and it was AWESOME!!!
There was snow on the sides of the trail for the first half of the way up and then it covered the trail with up to almost a foot the rest of the way. Going down the other side and down the road was a real test of my agility, balance, joint stability and core strength due to some extremely slick and unpredictable conditions.....in other words, it couldn't have been any better!

This isn't even close to the steepest part of the Punisher. And the snow got a lot deeper than this too.

Across the valley from the top of The Punisher

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag

It was a fairly busy business day, but that was a good thing since I desperately needed a rest after yesterday's over-the-top activity.  But, I still had a need for a little movement, so I made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

Weight-loss tips: 25 ways to lose weight, keep it off
"More than half of Americans say they want to lose weight........Almost all say they are trying to improve at least one aspect of their eating habits, and nearly nine in 10 are trying to eat more fruits and veggies....."  read more

(see yesterday's post)

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Run and the YEAR END TRIBUTE TO 2012

Dammit! The snow ruined my plans AGAIN!
I had planned on taking a break from the trails today, but nooooooooo.....it just had to snow, and how could I possibly resist going out to Lower Table Rock for a fun run in the snow!

And then after my unexpected Table Rock run, I still had to do what I had planned to do, so I headed out to my gym and did my patented TOPFIT ~Year End Tribute to 2012~ workout.
Except for the squat thrusts which were done at the end, all exercises were done for 100 reps (not necessarily non-stop or in the following order) before moving on to another exercise. When all was said and done, I did:

KB swings x 200
Suspension pullups x 300
Pushups x 300
Squats x 300
SB crunches x 300
SB back extensions x 200
SB leg curls x 200
SB tucks x 200
Squat Thrusts x 12

TOTAL REPS = 2012

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock Run and Heavy Bag

After my morning sessions, I headed out to Upper Table Rock for a fun run....slippin' and slidin' in the muck and mud.  In the afternoon, I spent 30 minutes of quality time with my heavy bag, and I finished the day off with a 90+ min brisk walk with a friend.

Why So Many New Year's Weight Loss Resolutions Fail
Each year many Americans follow a predictable and unfortunate pattern. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, they gorge themselves on delicious but unhealthy holiday food. Then, come January 1, they swear off their poor eating habits in the name of better health, only to fall back into them within a few weeks or months.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Rest Day

Time for a rest day, so other than a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client to start my day and a couple of active hours with grandkids, I took a break from exercise today.

7 Surprising Signs of an Unhealthy Heart
We've all read the signs of a heart attack listed on posters in the hospital waiting room. But what if there were other, earlier signs that could alert you ahead of time that your heart was in trouble?  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Uhtoff Run/Hike and the ~TOPFIT 12/25 Workout~

Oh, yeah.....what a way to spend the day!
This morning I spent about 90 minutes with a friend hiking and running the Uhtoff and White Rabbit trails above Ashland with gusting winds and snow covered trails, followed by the best tuna sandwich I've had in recent memory. Then I did my patented ~TOPFIT 12/25 Workout~.......12 supersets x 25 reps each of suspension pullups and suspension pushups.

5 Tips For Better Health
Many of you might already be doing some or all of these things (or more), and this is certainly not a comprehensive list, but if you follow these guidelines you'll have a good start on a healthier, more functional and fit lifetime.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Hike

Fog, sun, fog, sun, fog, sun.......it made for an interesting Lower Table Rock hike today.

4 tips to avoid holiday weight gain
Gaining weight is easy right now, but it isn’t inevitable if you know how to pick and choose your way among all the goodies without going overboard.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock Run and Heavy Bag

Even though it was cold, raining and the wind was blowing this morning, the sweet song of the Table Rock Sirens was too strong to resist.  So, I headed out to Upper Table Rock for a quick run, slip and slide.

In the afternoon, I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag to finish off a great week of activity.

Health and Fitness: Fun four-minute workout more effective than cardio

Sounds almost too good to be true, but according to fitness researchers it's not. A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism tested traditional treadmill cardio against a fast-paced bodyweight workout.   read more

(Hmmm....sound familiar?  It's called Tabatas, and why stop at just one exercise?  I typically do (and have my clients do) 4 exercises.  And it's still a lot less time than your typical cardio workout.)

give it a second.........

~Feelin' Alive!~

Tabatas

I had a lot I wanted to get done today, but I still made time for a quick Tabata workout....BB thrusters, pullups, pushups and SB oblique crunches.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Run and the End of the World Workout

This morning I took advantage of some extra time due to a cancellation and did an awesome Lower Table Rock run, and if this is the end of the world, Bring It On!  I had wind, rain and snow pelting me in the face, I got to trudge, slip 'n' slide through snow, ice, slush and mud, and splash though shin deep puddles of water!
It just doesn't get much better than this!
Later in the afternoon I thumbed my nose at the Mayan Apocalypse with a quick end of the world workout.....4 circuits of pullups, pushups, split squats, SB single leg curls, SB crunches and single leg calf raises......the reps on the circuits were 12, 21, 20, 12 (reps were per leg on the split squats, leg curls and calf raises).

~Feelin' Alive!~

Rest Day

Other than a couple of brisk 1/2 mile walks with a client this morning, I took the day off from exercise....a rest day was definitely needed.

New study says exercise good for kids with ADHD
The findings suggest that exercise could provide an alternative to drug treatment.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock Run (TR #200)

After taking care of business earlier in the day, I got out for a great Upper Table Rock run this afternoon.......this was my 200th Table Rock run and/or hike of 2012.  I seem to be very susceptible to the sweet song of the Table Rock Sirens.

Tiny Tastes: A Surefire Way to Gain Weight During the Holidays
Sneaky holiday calories are everywhere this time of year. With travel, parties, big buffets, holiday baking, and extra snack foods at the office, a challenging environment is around every corner.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Plyometrics and Lower Table Rock Run

I had an early morning cancellation so I too advantage of the time for a workout of my own.....after heating my gym up to a toasty 40 degrees, I did a variety of depth jumps and box jumps with the 18" and 24" plyo boxes, jump squats and a couple of upper body medicine ball plyo exercises.
In the afternoon, I headed out to Lower Table Rock for a fun run in the mud and snow.  Most of the snow had melted off the trail by early afternoon, but there was still plenty on top.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Suspension Trainer Workout and Heavy Bag

I took a break from the trails today and spent some quality time in my gym......it was a bit cold, but as long as I kept moving, it was just warm enough.
I started with a workout using my suspension trainer (ST) for single leg lunges (rear foot in the suspension trainer), supersets of ST pullups and pushups, and supersets of ST tricep extensions and bicep curls.
Later I went back out for a good 30 min heavy bag workout.

U.S. Lifestyles Thwarting Heart Health Progress
The report from the American Heart Association emphasizes that two big factors stand in the way of improving U.S. heart health: poor eating habits and a lack of physical activity.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock

I finished my week of activity with a fun hike and run on Lower Table Rock with a friend....there was even a few traces of snow left on the top.

How Well Do You Rise From Sitting on the Floor?
The ability to sit and then rise from the floor is a strong predictor of the risk of death in middle-aged and elderly people, according to a new study.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock Snowy Hike and a Lat/delt/bi Workout

I wasn't going to do it, I really wasn't going to do it.....I was going to take a break from the trails today, but dammit, it was SNOWING......and who in their right mind would pass up the chance to go up a Table Rock and traipse through the virgin snow!!!  There wasn't a lot of snow, but enough to make it an awesome hike!
Later I headed out to my near-freezing gym and did a workout of DB rows, pullups, DB rear delt flyes, and supersets of DB shoulder presses and DB curls.

Partial Sleep Deprivation Hinders Weight Control
Are you keeping an eye on your weight this holiday season, hoping to avoid adding the extra pounds that often result from the excesses and indulgences of the season? Here’s a weight-control strategy you may not have considered, but absolutely should: get a good night’s sleep.  read more

~Feelin' Alieve!~

Upper Table Rock Run

I took advantage of the great foggy and rainy weather this afternoon and headed out to Upper Table Rock for a fun run.....there was even traces of snow near the top of the trail.
I was going to get some more heavy lifting done too, but business chores and sessions kind of took over the rest of the day.

The top 10 foods nutrition experts won’t feed their kids
....sometimes you just want to cut through all of the mumbo-jumbo and know what NOT to feed your family.   read more

The ghost trees emerging from the mist

~Feelin' Alive!~

Pec/Tri Workout and Heavy Bag

I took a break from the trails today and did an upper body workout of BB bench presses, supersets of DB flyes and presses, ring dips, overhead cable tricep extensions and pushups.  Later, I headed back into my gym for a 30 min heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Run

Even though I'm overdue for some heavy lifting, I just had to get out in the sun for a Lower Table Rock run this afternoon.  Don't let the sun fool you though....it was still COLD!
I'll try to make time tomorrow for some heavy lifting of some sort.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock Run

Wind and pouring rain made for an awesome Upper Table Rock Run this afternoon!

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Run

After taking a break from the trails for a couple of days to concentrate more on heavy lifting, I headed out to Lower Table Rock this afternoon for a great run in the unexpected sun.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Leg Workout

After several hours of being run ragged by the grandkids, I took it easy with an afternoon leg workout....nothing too extreme, but I'm sure I'll be feeling it tomorrow.

Finding your fitness: Make goals instead of resolutions for 2013
A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that an individual makes New Year’s Day. Making that commitment does not mean they set objectives or a time frame.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Body Workout

I pretty much took a break from exercise today, but I did still make time for a quick upper body workout or BB bench presses, weighted pullups, chinups and pushups.

10 Facets of Total Fitness
Have you neglected certain facets of your fitness? Are you just plain unaware that there are more to ways to define your fitness than maxing out on a treadmill?  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock Run and a KB/MB Workout

I feel like I escaped from a Hitchcock movie.
I had a great run on Upper Table Rock this afternoon, and as I approached the plateau on my way up, all I could hear was birds......thousands and thousands of birds. There was a light fog and everywhere you looked there were birds.....it all made for an awesome, surrealistic experience.
If it wasn't Hitchcock, maybe I had just entered another dimension. A dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination known as the Twilight Zone!
A little later I spent some quality time with my kettlebells and medicine balls doing circuits of one arm KB swings, snatches and clean & presses followed by supersets of MB plyo presses and pullovers.

Watch your weight and enjoy a holiday buffet
You are at your company’s holiday party checking out a glorious buffet that’s laden with delicious food. Naturally you are tempted to dig in, but your rational self warns of the consequences that will surely wind up on your hips. Or will they?  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock

It wasn't exactly warm, but it was sunny this afternoon, so I headed out to Lower Table Rock for a good hike and run......and from the sound of all of the frogs, I wasn't the only one out enjoying a little sun.

Don’t let fitness take a vacation this holiday season
Sticking to a healthy eating plan and regular exercise routine can be a battle any day of the year. During the holidays, however, festive feasts, willpower-impairing spirits, and tempting chocolate truffles team up to challenge even the most resolute health nut.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Heavy Bag

I had a lot of business to take care of today so it was a good day to go light on exercise.  But, I still made time for a 30 minute moderate intensity heavy bag workout.

Healthy Greek Yogurt Recipes Kids Will Love

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock Hike

I was going to take a break from exercise today, but the wind, rain and mud on Upper Table Rock were calling my name.  I did compromise though and avoided any running....just a nice moderately paced hike.

Top healthy living habits
Want to maintain a healthy lifestyle? A healthy lifestyle is achieved by feeling great, being energized, active and loving yourself. All these can be achieved by simple and basic steps.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Lower Table Rock Run

After taking care of business earlier in the day, I headed out to Lower Table Rock for fun run.  The plateau has drained to a more normal wintertime water level, but luckily I still found plenty of puddles to run through :)
In the evening I went on a brisk hour long walk with a friend.

Fruits, Vegetables Linked With Lower Risk Of Heart Attack, Stroke
Eating a diet heavy in vegetables, fruits, grains and fish could protect people with heart disease from experiencing a dangerous -- and often fatal -- result of the condition, a new study suggests.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~

Upper Table Rock and the ~TOPFIT 400~

I got my morning off to a great start with an awesome Upper Table Rock run just after sunrise......communing with the frogs, watching the rushing creeks cascading over the edge and enjoying the rejuvenating affects of the peaceful plateau.......biophilia baby!!
Plus, later in the morning I did my patented ~TOPFIT 400~ workout......100 reps each of chinups, ring pushups SB crunches and squats.

Experts: If you want to lose weight, get enough sleep
Experts have new weight-loss advice that's sure to be welcome news: Sleep can be just as important to a successful diet as healthful eating and exercise.  read more

~Feelin' Alive!~