Bootcamp Group X Plank day with swiss balls and TRX

equipment: swiss ball, dbs, TRX

warm up:
around the body db pass
figure 8 db
swiss ball hip circles
farmer's walk overhead
alt superman plank/ bird dog

method: choose an upper, lower, core, and cardio for one round. Do each round twice through.

core:
swiss ball db lo hi cross chop
swiss ball v legs tap over side to side
swiss ball saw
plank DB pull thru
plank: opposing knee twist (or foot)
TRX side plank
alt superman plank/ bird dog

lower:
swiss ball bulgarian split squat
swiss ball wall sit
TRX pistol/ sumo

upper:
swiss ball chest flye/ TRX chest press
swiss ball back flye
push up legs on ball or in TRX
TRX row
renegade row
shoulder press

cardio:
frog jump planks or alt frog jump plank with two foot hop plank
swiss ball mountain climbers (hands on ball)
plank jacks
side to side speed plank
jab jack

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TRX Full Body Bootcamp Group X with BOSU, mini ball, DB, sliders

need: TRX, Bosu, mini ball, dumbbells, sliders

warm up on Bosu
walking lunges/ add ball to side and twist

Bosu squats / TRX squats
TRX pistol squat / lateral lunges (no TRX if full)
Bosu balance lunge with TRX/ TRX lunges
hip bridge with ball/ in and out on sliders or TRX

Bosu burpees
Bosu foot taps
quick feet
speed skaters
basketball/ TRX squat jumps
slider mountain climbers

Bosu ab hollows/ TRX side plank
Bosu planks/ TRX power pull

Bosu push ups/ TRX pull up
Bosu chest press with weights/ TRX chest press
atomic push ups (split it if needed)

DB shoulder press/ TRX alligator

optional: TRX triceps/ DB bicep hammer curls/ DB renegade row Pin It

TRX Group X Training Class Routine 4

warm up first
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

lower/ upper/ cardio/ 
core/ cardio

squat or jump squat/ hip hinge --- pistol squat/ hip hinge (or sumo squat/ hip hinge)
low row/ chest press
burpees

standing roll out
fast feet front side back side, "drop it"

T/ Y deltoid flye
power pull
plank/ side plank
mtn climber/ side lunge slap floor

hamstring curl/ hip press
atomic push up/ pike --- 10 push ups, 10 pikes
speed skaters/ jumping jacks

lunge back/ side/ curtsy - knee up/ hop/ balance----- jump lunges
bicep/ tricep
ladders- side hops, in in out out

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

cool down after/ stretch


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TRX Group Circuit Training Class 3

WARM UP 

as desired

WORKOUT:

lower/ upper/ core/ cardio

squat/ hip hinge
low row/ chest press
plank/ side plank
jump squat/ fast feet

single leg squat/ crossing balance lunge
bicep/ tricep
trx crunch/ legs in and out
mtn climber/ high knees

hamstring curl/ hip press
power pull/ T+Y deltoid flye
standing roll out/ overhead back extension
burpees/ jumping jacks

lunge (lunge hop)/ curtsy lunge
push up/ mid row
atomic push up/ pike
jump lunge/ speed skaters

STRETCHING

as desired Pin It

metabolic circuit- 1 hour- favoring upper body #2

pull up neutral grip
dip
ab roller
long jumps
3 rounds

pull up regular grip
ladder quick feet, jump in and out, plank side to side
push ups
3 rounds

TGU x 2 each side
sled
battle ropes x5+ burpee over and over
push ups on medicine ball

windmills (10 lb plate in each hand, 10 each side, 3 rounds)

plank 1 min on wobble disc x2



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Metabolic Circuit: 1 hour - favoring upper body

Mobility warm up
bear crawls
PVC thrus
x3 rounds

Pull ups
dips
Slider Mountain climbers
x4 rounds

TGU
plank pull thrus (kettlebell)
rope pulls
x2 rounds

push ups on tire
sledgehammer
flip tire
run parking lot
x3 rounds

ball reverse curls
ball dead bug
x3 rounds

hollow rocks
x3 rounds


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TRX Group Circuit Training Class 2

Warm Up

bear crawls
walking lunges
jump rope
inchworms
hip hinge
body squat

Workout

Notice each of the following segments are lower/ upper/ lower/ upper / cardio.  The last round is core. Do each round with a water break after. 

squat/ single leg squat
chest press
squat/ single leg squat
chest press
speed skaters/ jumping jacks

front squat/ and with a hop
mid row
sprinter start/ and with a hop
mid row
walking push up or burpee with a push up and tuck jump

assisted lunge/ step back lunge
standing roll out/ triceps/ biceps/ Y delt fly
balance lunge/ crossing balance lunge
standing roll out/ triceps rev grip/ biceps rev grip/ T delt fly
ollie- ladder/ side jumps touch low

hamstring curl/ sit up/ hip press/ sit up w rotation
plank/ side plank
crunch
overhead back ext/ standing hip drop/ overhead back ext

Cool Down/ Stretch

low back stretch/ and with rotation
hip hinge R/L
upper back
long torso twist R/L
figure 4 stretch
chest stretch
chest and torso stretch Pin It

TRX Group Circuit Training Class

Warm Up 

The Workout:

Notice each of the following segments are lower/ upper/ core/ cardio.  Do each round with a water break after. 

squat/ pistol
mid to high row
twist/ superman
speed skater/ jumping jack

suspended lunge/ rear lunge/ lunge w knee up
chest press
pike/ crunch
mtn climbers

jump squat/ curtsy lunge
rear delt flye- I,Y,T
power pull R/L
skipped burpees for more speed skater/ jumping jack

hamstring curl/ hip press
atomic push up
side plank
side jumps/ quick feet up 4 back 4

Cool Down/ Stretch


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Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash

Yum!

Roasting hard winter squashes whole makes them a lot easier to cut into.  You also need to cook them a bit longer, so you are trading the cutting into a hard squash for some extra time running the oven.

To do this, take a whole squash and score the outside by poking it with a fork or a knife a half a dozen times.  Place it on a cookie sheet (or not, but they drip sometimes), and put into the oven at 350 for an hour to an hour and a half.  It is done when it is soft for a fork.

If you let this cool, you can easily peel the skin and use it for such delisiousness as pancakes (here and here). You could even sub it for sweet potatoes in recipes like this.

Enjoy!

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30 Min Workout Blast

Pressed for time? Press this:

(3 rounds of each)

pull ups
dips

TGUs

sledgehammer on tire
push ups on tire
Tire flips


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Hot Peppers Part 3: Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce

Yesterday, you read about the Southeast Asian Chile-Garlic Relish, which is an ingredient in today's third and final installment of How to Eat Hot Peppers all Year.

This recipe is also from The Joy of Pickling and it is for Sweet Chile Garlic Sauce. I am looking forward to dipping grilled chicken breast in this sauce.  

If my hands weren't smelling like garlic before, they certainly were sticky and full of garlic after getting 1/4 cup of it for this recipe. 

I substituted honey at 1/2 the amount for the sugar in the recipe.  She is specific about the temperatures, and at one point even calls for a candy thermometer if you have it.  This recipe also differs from the others in that it is cooked.

Hot Peppers Part 1: Pique Sauce
Hot Peppers Part 2: Southeast Asian Chile Garlic Relish
Hot Peppers Part 3: Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce

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Hot Peppers Part 2: Southeast Asian Chile Garlic Relish

Part 2 of my Goodness That's a Lot of Peppers series is another sauce I found in The Joy of Pickling.  

This one is Southeast Asian Chile-Garlic Relish and I tasted it tonight with a sausage and MAN, it is spicy!  It was incredibly delicious, so I had about a teaspoon of it (hence the name "relish").  But then it had an afterburn on my tongue that required some milk swishing and a banana.  Then I got hot~ my whole body.  Suffice it to say, try this in moderation but it is worth trying.

I halved the recipe, which is hot peppers, garlic, salt, and cider vinegar. 

I made it in a jar so I could use the immersion blender.

She says to keep the chili seeds intact, and the immersion blender did a nice job of that.

This is an essential ingredient in the next recipe, sweet chili garlic sauce.

Hot Peppers Part 1: Pique Sauce
Hot Peppers Part 2: Southeast Asian Chile Garlic Relish
Hot Peppers Part 3: Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce

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Hot Peppers Part 1: Pique Sauce

What to do when life gives you peppers?

Make hot sauce, of course!

After staring at the pile of peppers for a day and deciding they weren't getting any fresher, I turned to The Joy of Pickling for some inspiration. This cookbook has been a great resource for creative and delicious recipes.   It didn't disappoint today.

I found three that looked good, and had enough hot peppers to make them all.

The first was a Pique, which was super easy to make and she describes it as an easy restaurant-style condiment.  It's basically hot pepper infused cider vinegar.

To make it, I used an old vinegar jar and sliced up the peppers and garlic, and added them and 12 peppercorns and some salt, then the cider vinegar.  It's on my counter for 2 days before I get to try it.

Hot Peppers Part 1: Pique Sauce
Hot Peppers Part 2: Southeast Asian Chile Garlic Relish
Hot Peppers Part 3: Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce




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Green Beans- Steamed with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

Sometimes it's the simplest things in life that are the best.

These green beans, for example, are so easy that I make them, or another veggie the exact same way, at least three times per week. You can easily substitute broccoli, cauliflower, or zucchini.

veggies to fit in your steamer basket

1-4 T good, real, local if possible olive oil

1/2-1 t. sea salt

Steam veggies until they are al dente.  For us, it used to take 12 minutes but with our new cooktop it only takes 7.  They should be bright in color but with an edge when you bite them.

Rinse in cool water.  This stops the cooking and also makes them cooler for little mouths.

Drizzle olive oil and sea salt over them.

Enjoy!

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Leg Workout: Pistols, Front Squats, Front Lunge, Band Side Walks, Ball Slams, Jump Roping

• Bear crawls
• Pistol squats trx (you could do one legged box squats if you haven't done TRX pistols before)
• Barbell Front squat (you could do a kettlebell goblet or double rack squat if you wanted)
• Dumbbell Front lunge on step w pulse
• Band side walks
• Ball slams
• Ab hangs or ab hollows or TRX side and middle planks

option: mix in jump roping

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Upcycling: Too Long Crop Pants into Crops for me and Shorts for 4 Year Old

These soft and cozy crops were too long for me.  Like I-went-for-a-walk-in-them-and-had-to-fold-them-up too long.  So I took the scissors to them and cut them just around knee height.

What to do with the excess? 

Make little boy shorts, of course!  For my four year-old.

To make these, I measured the cut ends against his leg and determined the length was right but they would need an added waistband instead of a rolled-over one.

Then I cut the angled crotch seam and stitched the sides together, right sides together.  

Next, I measured his waist to a snug fit against some 4-way stretch fabric (you could always do any fabric and add a piece of elastic inside), and cut it about 4" wide.  I stitched it into a  loop.  Then I folded it over and put the right sides together around the waist.  The seams both face up, towards where the body goes, when you use this method.  Then I stitched it around once with a regular stitch and again with a wide zig zag (faux serge) next to the seam.

Viola!  Cutest shorts ever and a pair of crops that I can go use for walking.

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TRX/ Boot Camp Class Routine Group X for sharing TRXs in partners

This is for a class with half as many TRXs as participants.  They can share per grouping of exercises (half the class doing one exercise and the other half doing the other exercise).

Set interval timer for 45:15
Grab a TRX, DB you can press overhead and also row, and a set of sliders

Warm Up (10 min):
Bodyweight Squats
Inchworm
Bear crawls
Chicken pecks
Kick and reach
Bear Crawls
Jumping jacks
Low TRX Squats
TRX Lunges
Skaters

3 rounds (12 min):
TRX pull ups
TRX chest press
DB squat and press
DB Lateral hops over

2 rounds (8 min):
DB Renegade row
Push Ups
TRX pistol squat
Burpees

4 rounds (16 min):
TRX One arm row
Slider Mountain climbers/ Slider Pike (2 rounds each)
Walking plank
TRX Jump Squat

2 rounds (8 min):
TRX side plank
forearm plank/ DB plank pull throughs

Stretching/ Rolling if foam rollers -3 min Pin It

TRX/ Boot Camp Class Routine Group X

Grab a TRX, DB you can press overhead and also row, and a set of sliders

Warm Up (8-10 min):
Bodyweight Squats
Inchworm
Bear crawls
Chicken pecks
Kick and reach
Bear Crawls
Jumping jacks
Low TRX Squats
TRX Lunges
Skaters

3 rounds:
TRX pull ups
TRX chest press
DB squat and press
DB Lateral hops over

2 rounds:
DB Renegade row
Push Ups
TRX pistol squat
Burpees

2 rounds:
TRX One arm row
Slider Mountain climbers
Walking plank

2 rounds:
TRX Jump Squat
TRX reverse lunge or lunge to hop or knee up

2 rounds:
TRX Ab Rollout
TRX Triceps Press
TRX Biceps Curls

3 rounds:
TRX side plank
TRX or forearm plank/ DB plank pull throughs
TRX or slider pike or "running"

Stretching


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Homemade dinner rolls

We do like baking, and the kids eat bread.  My grandfather was a renowned baker, and my older son is named after him.  We used to make challahs often (as in this old photo), and stopped for a while.

Last week, my younger son and I made homemade dinner rolls with this recipe, and they were quite good (or so I hear).  It was fun for the kids to roll the dough into one inch balls, and stuff three per cup.  We changed the recipe by chopping fresh rosemary and putting it on top of the rolls before baking.  We also used coconut milk instead of cow's milk, and it turned out fine.

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Metabolic Circuit: Full Body with Ladder and Sled

bear crawl
windmills
farmer's carry
deadlift

pull ups
dips
ladder drills (jump in and out, run run in out, plank side to side)

KB swing
goblet squat and press (or rack)
goblet squat

trx pistol squat
trx push up or push up foam roller under shins
trx row
trx side plank

band side walks

sled or ball slams


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Kids' Projects: Science and Kitchen Supplies - Volcanoes

Baking soda and vinegar are cheap and entertaining.  

I prefer for them to experiment with these outside.  

Try having them put one then the other, then switch which goes in first.

Or how about re-using the materials~ then what happens?

Or have the kids experiment with quantities of each.  Does this make a difference?

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Two Kids without Training Wheels! Adventures in Biking

Look!  Two kids biking without training wheels!!

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Recipe: Banana "Ice Cream"

This "ice cream" was inspired by the cookbook Well Fed 2, which, like the original Well Fed, is a wellspring of recipes and inspiration.  The kids like to make it, or eat it (or both!).  It is good both freshly made, as soft serve, or we freeze any leftovers in our popsicle molds, or if those are full, in little cups with popsicle sticks in them.

3 frozen bananas (freeze after they get brown spots on them)

4-6 fresh pastured egg yolks

1 T vanilla

1/4 cup raw milk

Combine all in food processor.  Serve with soaked and dehydrated pecans (3 per serving).

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Kids' Cooking: Prairie Sushi

We stole this from Ree Drummond's show, but it's really great.  These are basically a sandwich wrap but sliced to imitate sushi.

It's a tortilla with cream cheese spread on it and fresh parsley and basil sprinkled over that.  Then, across the middle, is lunchmeat and matchsticks of carrots and cucumber.

This is rolled up tight then sliced into one inch (or so) thick segments and served flat.

Mmmmmm....



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Upper Body Workout

This series will take about 30-35 minutes.  Do the exercises shown together as a superset.  Do 3 sets of as many as you can.  If you get to 12-15 reps, use a heavier weight.  Breathe.  

pull up
Cable chest press (shown here)
ab roller

bench press
seated row (the cable machine, show here)

Hammer press (the standing machine, shown below)
Lat cable press down (long bar on both cables)

clean and press kettlebell



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Core Series

 This is about a 10 minute series.  It can be done after your workout, or as a standalone, and at home or the gym.

TRX side plank x3 as long as you can (go side to side to side to side...)

swiss ball pike
swiss ball saw (superset these)


wobble disc plank x3 30 sec (hands on disc~ go longer if you can)


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Kids Yoga Ages 3-7

This is approximately 45 minutes long.

Names/ hello/ welcome

Cat/ Cow (in cow, lion breath out)

Warrior series (if older kids)

Stand in tree (challenge- close eyes, move arms around), tree jumps


Pilates Balls: toss to partner, roll on it, hold in feet overhead, happy baby, ask kids for ideas


Foam Roller: roll on it, ask kids for ideas, make trees around room and move around them

Walk like a bear, Walk like a crab

Froggy jumps, Star jumps (can hold onto a tree*roller)


Snakes slithering on mat on bellies or waving upward

Down dog tunnel – snake through the tunnel, then become part of the tunnel


Seated stretches- over one leg, over both, butterfly

Lying butterfly, twist to each side


Put everything away

Sit cross-legged, Ohmmm chant

Song: goodbye, everybody and namaste


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Kindergarten Yoga Routine

This series is meant to be done with a small group of kids (4-8). It takes about 8 minutes.



Cat/ Cow (in cow, lion breath out)

Stand in tree (challenge- close eyes, move arms around)

Walk like a bear

Walk like a crab

Froggy jumps

Snakes slithering on mat on bellies or waving upward

Down dog tunnel – snake through the tunnel, then become

part of the tunnel

Sit cross-legged



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Giving Back to Yourself: Week of Workouts

Sometimes the best way to find the energy to give to those around us is to make sure that our own cup is full.  One way of doing this is to keep your body in good working condition.  Here is a week of workouts to help you do that.

These can be done at home or at the gym, and with or without a little LITTLE company.  

Before all of the weightlifting days, warm up. Do some jumping jacks and some plank hand walk outs (Google "inchworm exercise" for help if you need it).  Do some stretching like rolling on a foam roller and some hip flexor stretches.

Also, some of the exercises below are grouped together ("sets").  Do one then the other without a break.  Take a break if you need it before starting from the top of the set again.  Repeat the set three times through.  You should choose a weight that is hard enough that the last three repetitions are difficult but manageable.  Try for 8-12 reps of each exercise.  If you need a break, try to do it between sets, but by all means, take it when you need it.

If you are unclear about what any of the exercises are, YouTube has an amazing library of videos of people demonstrating these exercises.  You can also use the daily themes as a general guide and do exercises that are more familiar to you.

Above all, have fun!  Remember that you are giving yourself an amazing gift: your health, both mentally and physically.  You are also giving the gift of being a better you to your family.

Monday~Never miss a Monday!:
Upper Body

• band or assisted pull ups- can also substitute laying under the kitchen table and pulling up
• band or assisted dips - can substitute by putting your body between two chairs as your dip station; use your legs as much or as little as necessary to assist

• bench press or chest press or even a floor press- use dumbbells or a barbell
• seated row at the gym (the cable machine) or double bent over row at home- use a dumbbell or barbell (or a weighted bar or sandbag)

• push ups (on your knees is fine- make sure your back stays flat and head is up)
• dumbbell row (back flat, lean over, do one arm at a time)

• cable lat pull down (sub with a pull up at home or TRX row or bar hang)
• cable chest press (angle down~ set the bar higher than your chest)

• cable cross abs high (can sub standing and crossing the body with a band in both hands from high to across the chest- or bicycle sit ups)
• cable straight abs (can sub Pallof press- which is using a band and pressing hands in and out while standing- or sit ups)

• dumbbell shoulder press (keep your shoulders down)
• ab roller (can sub a plank)

Tuesday:
Lower Body~Friends don't let friends skip leg day!

• jump rope/ trx squat and trx lunges at end of warm up (can sub walking lunges)

• deadlift (kettlebell)
• kettlebell swing 
• jump rope
• farmer's carry 

• kettlebell rack squat (or goblet squat, can also use a dumbbell)
• trx pistol squat (or bodyweight squat- go just below 90 degrees)
• front lunge (harder is Bulgarian split squat)

• ball hip bridge (harder is one legged)

• dead bug with ball (the swiss ball here helps remind you to keep the opposite arm and leg up all the time)

Wednesday:
Cardio and Core

• easy cardio 45 min

• swiss ball plank (hands on ball)
• swiss ball saw (hands on ball, roll the ball in and out)

• hold a forearm plank for a minute

Thursday:
Full Body

• Pull ups or TRX rows (try the assisted pull up machine or bands to help if you need them)
• Push ups or TRX push ups (knees are fine, or try elevating your hands)

• Medicine ball slams (overhead to full squat position)
• Squat and press (bodyweight or holding an object like a baby, dumbbell, kettlebell, or two of any of these)- go low and use the momentum to press the weights up high

• Walking lunge holding arms overhead with something in them (kettlebells, dumbbells, or whatever, making sure your arms are straight and by your ears)

• slider side lunge (using Valslides or paper plates or socks or towels- whatever slides)
• slider mountain climbers (play with the pacing and see if you need to be going fast or slow)
• side plank thread the needle (easier is regular side plank and easier than that is one leg bent and the other straight; harder is holding something in the threading hand like a medicine ball)

Friday:
Cardio and Core

• warm up 20 min cardio
• sprints on and off 10 min
• cool down 15 min cardio

• bird dog (opposite hand and foot reach out while on all fours)
• Pilates bicycles
• Russian twist 

Saturday/ Sunday:

• take a long easy walk one day or go to a yoga class 
• make sure to take the other day off

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Lower Body Metabolic Circuit

jump rope/ trx squat and lunges to warm up

deadlift
kb swing
jump rope
farmers carry
3 rounds

kb rack squat
trx pistol squat
pulses w front lunge
4 rounds

slider side lunge
slider mtn climbers
side plank thread the needle
3 rounds

dead bug w ball
1 round Pin It