Happy Friday! As you read this, it’s very likely that I’m en route to Montreal to visit one of my best blog buddies for the long weekend. I’ll tell you all about the trip when I get back, but last week I promised you guys I’d post my half marathon playlist and I am staying true to that promise!

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Work It Out

This week’s workout is a pretty simple one because I don’t want this post to get too long, but that doesn’t mean it won’t challenge you! I really like workouts that involve doing reps for time, or seeing how many reps I can do with good form in a given time period. This week’s routine is one of those. The moves don’t require much equipment, but one thing I would recommend having nearby is an timer or clock. This will help you to keep track of how long each set has taken, and when you do this workout again next week (which you will, right!?) you can compare to see if you’ve improved.

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The May Meltdown Workout

You’ll be doing 3 sets of the circuit below, doing each move in the set immediately after each other. When you’ve finished the 6 exercises, rest for up to 3 minutes in order to allow your heart rate to come back down. Be sure to time yourself for each of the 3 rounds, and when you’ve finished, compare the times. Did you slow down as you got more tired? Try this workout again once each week for the next couple of weeks to see if you can decrease your time while still maintaining good form.

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

Alright, it’s playlist time! This list of songs lasts for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and I’ve included the videos for some of my favourites. I don’t know what it is about U2, but their music always tends to fire me up so I’ve thrown 3 of their songs in between the 1:20 and 1:30 mark which is when I planned to sprint towards the finish line. In reality I was a few minutes late, but I still had some fast, upbeat tunes lined up to keep me moving!

• Testify to Love – Avalon
• Jump (Malinchak Remix) – Flo Rida
• This is What it Feels Like – Armin van Buuren ft Trevor Guthrie
• Make the World Move – Christina Aguilera ft Cee Lo Green

• Cruise (Remix) – Florida Georgia Lane ft Nelly
• Party All Night – Sean Kingston
• Haven’t Met You Yet (Jason Nevins Remix) – Michael Buble

• Stutter – Marianas Trench
• Hey Porsche (Yarin & Richwood Remix) – Nelly

• Can You Hear Me (Moto Blanco Remix) – Enrique Iglesias
• Clarity – Zedd ft. Foxes
• Feel This Moment – Pitbull & Christina Aguilera
• Turn Around – Conor Maynard ft Ne-Yo
• Troublemaker (Cutmore Remix) – Olly Murs

• One More Night (Club Remix) – Maroon 5
• Payphone (Cutmore Remix) – Maroon 5)
• Back to Love – DJ Pauly D ft Jay Sean
• Take Me to the Clouds Above – LMC vs U2
• Shining Down – United in Dance ft Jenna
• People Like Us – Kelly Clarkson
• Beautiful Day (Dance Remix) – U2
• Elevation – U2

• Vertigo – U2
• Years – Alesso
• Miracle – JV Project ft Eric Solomon
• Takes All Night – Skye Stevens
• C’Mon – Ke$ha
• I Love It – Icona Pop
• I Cry – Flo Rida
• Gimme All Your Lovin’ – Madonna ft Nicki Minaj and LMFAO
• Scream and Shout – will.i.am ft Britney Spears

Have a Read

• True Grit - via Running Times – A longer read, but super interesting! This article talks about what distances are toughest for runners to handle (hint – it depends on what you’ve trained for!), what exactly is meant by ‘grit’, and tips you can use to handle discomfort while racing and training.
• 14 must-try tools to speed recovery – via Greatist.

Alrighty friends, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday! Before you go, I’m curious…

• What are some of your favourite workout songs right now?
• (Related to the True Grit article) – If you’re a runner, what distance do you find most difficult to run? This is going to sound silly, but since half marathons are the distance I prefer, 5Ks and anything shorter than that are hard for me. I am NOT the sprinting type!

Oh my goodness, the weekend is here and it has been a crazy insane week. I am so excited to relax tonight, spend some quality time with my madre (Sunday is Mother’s Day, just in case you needed a reminder!) and catch up on sleep. I’ll also be having a FaceTime date with this handsome fella….

…otherwise known as my dad! Today is his birthday and since traveling 16 hours to celebrate isn’t really in the budget, we’ll be celebrating with our iPhones. What do you have planned this weekend?

A little while ago I was asked by a few of you for my half marathon playlist from Sunday’s race, and I’m going to post it for you next Friday. This week’s tune was included on that list, but before we talk music, let’s discuss workouts!

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Work It Out

As soon as I woke up on Monday morning, I couldn’t help but notice that I had some nasty (yet very much anticipated) shin splints. This always tends to happen to me after I’ve been running hills, so it was only a matter of time. Therefore, the cardio portion of my gym sessions this week have mostly been on the bike. Today’s workout is one that totally kicked my butt on Wednesday, and if you could use a little butt kicking too, I recommend giving it a try!

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The Pyramid Intervals Workout

All you’ll need for this is a stationary bike. I prefer to use either a spin bike or an upright ones over the recumbent bikes (also known as the ones that have a back on the seat). Take your pick and ensure it’s set up to accommodate for your height. You’ll be doing 3 sets of 7 intervals, each set forming a pyramid-like structure, like this:

You’ll do the 3 pyramids with a warm up and cool down on either side. Use whatever resistance helps you to meet the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) level listed in the far right column of the chart below.

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

If you’re a child of the 80s and grew up listening to Nelly as a teenager in the 90s and early 2000s, you’ll probably recall his earlier songs, like Country Grammar and Dilemma. So catchy at the time, but unfortunately also so overplayed, I can’t say I’ve ever owned a Nelly CD (because we actually bought CDs when I was a teenager, which honestly wasn’t that long ago). Having said all of that, my ears instantly perked up the other day when I was listening to the radio and heard his new (I think?) song, Cruise. I did what I always do when I hear a great song: Shazaam-ed it, headed over to YouTube, and searched for some workout-suitable remixes. I found this one, the Cruise Remix by Florida Georgia Line ft Nelly, and I LOVE it. It’s kinda country, but like a Nelly-fied country. What do ya think?

Have A Read

• 25 ways to run faster now – via Greatist
• 10 people over 70 who are fitter than you – via Fitbie. The words “wow” and “impressive” come to mind!

Ok, it’s go time! Before you take off, tell me:

• What bands or artists did you listen to as a teenager? Are there any you still listen to today?
• What are ya up to this weekend?

Tomorrow will be a rest day, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting you off the hook! If you’re looking for a workout to take to the gym this weekend, I’ve got just the thing.

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Work It Out

In honour of the 13.1 miles I’ll be running on Sunday, this week’s routine is a countdown-style workout that incorporates moves to challenge both cardiovascular and muscular strength. You’ll get your heart rate up, work up a good sweat, and stoke your metabolism to keep humming away all day long. Now that’s a multitasking workout!

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The 13 to 1 Countdown Workout (with a little surprise at the end!)

All you’ll need for this is a few pairs of dumbells. Have a look at the exercises and determine how heavy you want to go, but keep in mind that you’ll need 3 pairs that you can perform biceps curls with – that’s the surprise at the end! (Probably not the best workout for the 200lb ones, unless of course you can curl 200lbs with each hand, in which case I’ll hire you to train me!) Perform the moves in yellow, first doing 13 reps of each. After taking a quick rest (between 1 and 2 minutes, depending on your fitness level), re-start from the squats again and do 12 reps of each exercise. Continue to work  your way all the way down to 1 rep, then rest for 3 minutes. Finish off with a drop set of biceps curls, then stretch those babies out. Did someone say gunshow?

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

I heard this week’s featured tune on the radio when I was in the car on the weekend, and within 10 minutes of arriving home had downloaded it and tacked it on to the half marathon playlist that I’m building for this weekend. It’s called This is What it Feels Like by Armin Van Buuren, and once the synthesizers get going, it’s got a ton of energy!

Meet my Race Buddies!

Rather than the usual ‘Have A Read’ section of Fit Bit Fridays, I’m switching it up this week. I thouht you might like to meet some of my crazy fabulous FitFluential Ambassador race buddies that I’ll be spending this weekend with. First up, our guest of honour, all the way from California…

Brian at mile 38 of his 50-miler earlier in April. Lookin’ strong!

Name: Brian
Blog: PavementRunner.com
Distance you’re running: 26.2 miles of glory… wait, how many km’s is that?
Goal for the race: To look amazing in a tutu!!! OK, amazing might be a stretch. Let’s go with: “to make other people smile and show some love for Boston.” I’ll be rocking a blue shirt and a yellow tutu crafted by the one and only Darwinian Fail. My current PR is 3:44 on hilly course. I hear the Toronto course is reasonably flat and I think a tutu is good for shaving off at least a couple minutes… let’s place the time goal at 3:35
Your #1 must-have piece of race gear: A hair clip from the first lady. (In case you’re wondering, the First Lady is Brian’s super cute daughter.) I typically attach it to the shoulder strap of my hydration pack (see photo). Whenever I feel a little tired, I take a look at it and think “Keep running strong, it will make a great bedtime story.”
Your pre-race ritual: This is definitely one of those do what I say, not what I do moments. My pre-race meal is a Payday candy bar. If you are unfamiliar, it’s peanuts and caramel and has plenty of salt. I’ve been doing it for years and wifey always packs it in my to-go bag for destination races. As far as morning routine, I wake up 2 hours before it’s time to leave the house and sort of just “wake-up.” I’ll stretch a little bit, check Twitter, get dressed, check Instagram, pin on my bib, throw something on Facebook, grab my gear, check Twitter again. As you can see, VERY IMPORTANT pre-race focus.

Name: Krysten
Blog: The Misadventures of a Darwinian Fail
Distance you’re running: The half marathon
Goal for the race: To rock a kick-ass tutu all 13.1 miles
Your #1 must-have piece of race gear: Well I guess the tutu is kind of pivotal this time around. But my Mizuno Exilirs are a must too
Your pre-race ritual: To high-five all my FitFluential homies and to harness the power of the tutu! Both bring race day magic, sparkles, and rainbows!

Goal for the race: Running the 5K – trying for a PB of 25 mins and to star in my very own game of frogger based on how jam packed the race is

See you Monday morning with a race recap!

How are ya today? Do you have anything fun and exciting coming up this weekend? It’s supposed to be lovely and sunny here over the next couple of days, so I’m planning to start tomorrow with an outdoor run – my last Saturday long-ish run before racing next Sunday! Other plans include making my half marathon playlist and finishing up some recipes for my e-book, which is on track to be completed before the end of this month! More to come on that soon, but for now, let’s talk fitness.

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Work It Out

Last month I put a lot of focus on core workouts because I wanted to 1) develop more core strength to make me a stronger runner, and 2) improve my ability to support myself when doing heavier lifts including squats, deadlifts, and lunges. The Total Core Workout was posed back in March, but I’ve got another challenging one to share today. Get ready to feel a big burn!

The April Ab Burner Workout

For this one, you’ll need a stability ball, 2 small towels, and a BOSU (or other unstable surface – pillows should do the trick). You’ll perform the circuit 3 times through, stopping for rest after completing each round. The key here is to do the moves slowly with great form, so don’t try to rush through these ones! Feel free to make any modifications you need, and be sure to have a good stretch both in between sets and after you’ve finished the workout. You’ll be bikini-ready before you know it!

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

I’m not a big TV watcher at all, especially when it comes to reality TV shows that are in their kijillionth seasons. Having said that, I used to be a huge American Idol fan, and Kelly Clarkson is by far one of my favourite contestants. The other day while driving home I heard her latest song, People Like Us, and I’m hooked. It’s got a bit of a grittiness to it, with a positive, powerfulness at the same time. Let me know what you think!

Have A Read

• Fitspirational poster motivation – via Fitbie. Print these out and stick them on your fridge, in your bathroom, on your bedroom walls, or in any other location you pass daily for an extra reminder to get moving. (I’ve used some of them in this post!)
• The top 50 hottest trainers in America (plus a few Canadian ones too!) – via Shape. I spend a lot of time at the gym, but I’d live there if it meant seeing some of these guys on a daily basis!

So tell me…

• Who/what are your biggest sources of fitness inspiration right now?
• What are you up to this weekend?

First things first, I’ve got my 3rd blogiversary giveaway winners to announce! You guys all left such brilliant comments, and I’m so proud of all of you for the healthy changes you’ve been making in your lives. If you’re looking for some inspiration, or want to hear about what others are doing, go check out the comments on that post. From impressive weight loss, to cleaning up your eating habits, to becoming more mentally healthy, you guys are all doing amazing things!

The two lucky winners are Suzanne (Sport Chek prize pack), and Sherry (Wellness Foods prize pack). Congratulations ladies!!! I’ll be emailing you shortly to get your contact info.

Alright, let’s get our fitness on!

Work It Out

After not posting a routine for you guys last week, your muscles should be more than ready for action, right?! Since most of my own workouts have been focused around running this month, I thought I’d share one of my favourite interval runs with you today. It’s simple, but will push you hard if you work to the correct Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) indicated in the chart below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

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The 1-2-3-4-Sprint to the Finish Workout

The name of this routine explains it all. Once you’ve warmed up with some light running for 5 minutes, go into a 1-minute all-out sprint. You’ll then back off your speed and recover with a moderate-effort run for 4 minutes. Repeat this on-off cycle 3 more times, increasing the work period as you decrease the recovery phase. When you’ve done your 1, 2, 3, and 4 minute intervals, empty the gas tank by building up gradually over 5 minutes to a full-on sprint. Got it? Let’s go!

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

You guys. You HAVE GOT to listen to this song. I found it over the weekend when searching for some new tunes on Youtube and am absolutely over the moon in love with it. In the past, I haven’t cared too much for Nelly Furtado’s music (I blame the radio stations for playing ‘I’m Like A Bird’ about a bazillion too many times back when I was in grade 8) but my mind is now changed. In this song, Jump (the Melinchak Remix), she teams up with Flo Rida and everything about it makes me want to dance. It takes about 1 minute to get going, but it is SO worth the wait. Add it to your cardio playlist and be prepared to MOVE! Unfortunately I can’t find an actual video for this, so you’re stuck looking at…. Flo Rida’s chest.

Have A Read

• The top 10 workout songs for April 2013 from Chris Lawhorn at HuffPost.com
• 16 foolproof ways to make your workout fly by – via Greatist

So tell me…

• Do you have any great strategies that seem to make time fly when you’re working out?
• What’s one thing you’ve done this week that you’re really proud of?

See ya on Monday!

I hope you’ve had an absolutely wonderful week! Anything fun planned for this weekend? I’m super pumped because one of my old roommates and besties is coming to stay with me tonight. She’s getting married in July so we’ve got wedding stuff to chit chat about tonight, plus going out for dinner and generally just catching up on the agenda. I’m really looking forward to it!

Ok, fitness chat time!

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Work It Out

This week I’ve not only got a workout for you, but a little reader’s request special on foam rolling. As you guys know, I’m a big fan of foam rolling and make sure to do it after the majority of my cardio workouts. If you’re a runner, this is super important for preventing injuries, and keeping your fascia smooth and flexible (that’s the connective tissue around your muscles, bones and joints). It can also help to prevent sore muscles. I do my foam rolling post-run, and today I’ve got a nice little 30 min run to share with you, as well as some suggested foam rolling exercises to follow.

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The Dirty 30 Workout

Are you a fan of high intensity intervals? I am! There’s nothing complicated about this workout, but it’ll definitely challenge your limits! Hop on a treadmill (or your cardio machine of choice), and do the following:

Click here to print the PDF.

After walking for a few minutes to bring your heart rate back down, hop off the machine and head over to wherever you’ve got enough space to stretch and foam roll. Grab a roller (ideally a very dense one – softer foam doesn’t do as good of a job), and roll out the following areas in this order:

• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• Quads
• Iliotibial (IT) bands (that’s the muscle that runs from your outer hip to just below your outer knee)

For visuals and videos demonstrating how to set up to roll out each of these areas, check out this Foam Rolling How-To article from RunnersWorld.com

For each muscle group, start at the end closest to your torso, and roll gradually to the end further away from you. For example, when rolling out your hamstrings, start at the end nearest your glutes, then eventually work out to just above the back of your knee. Try to relax the muscles as much as possible, and if you notice a very tender spot, spend 30s or so just focusing on that area. If you really want to be good to yourself, follow up your foam rolling session with a nice hot shower, a post-workout meal consisting of quality carbs and protein, and plenty of water to rehydrate. Your legs will love you!

Turn It Up

I’ve posted several Pitbull songs in the past, and I couldn’t resist just one more this week. I don’t know what it is that I love about the songs that he teams up with other artists for, but he just has such a cool/fun/silly/catchy vibe about himself that makes me want to get moving! Case in point: All Night Long by Alexandra Burke, featuring Mr 305 himself.

Have A Read

• The 64 best health and fitness apps of 2013 – via Greatist. The year’s not even half way finished yet, but Greatist has put together this very helpful list of fitness apps to help you reach your goals. Check em out!
• Essential oil secrets for a better workout - via MindBodyGreen.com. I’ve never really thought about using essential oils to help me get better results from my workouts, but this article makes me curious about trying them out!

Now tell me…

• Do you foam roll regularly? Have you noticed positive results in your running and overall fitness since you started?
• Do you use any of the fitness apps in the Greatist article, or do you have any other favourites?

Happy long weekend! I hope all of you are having an awesome day so far. I’m super pumped for the next couple of days because my mum and I are headed to Toronto for a little girls’ weekend. We’ll be going to see The Wizard of Oz, doing a bit of shopping, and if I get my way, we’ll be going to Fresh for dinner! I can hear the delicious vegan food calling my name already!

In addition to all of this, I’m planning an outdoor run at some point. My training is going well so far and although I haven’t 100% hit my mileage as set out in my training plan, I have been doing a significant amount of faster-than-usual running while being careful not to take things too fast too soon. Tuesday was definitely the toughest run in my training so far – 8.5 miles with 5 of them at target race pace (8.8mph). You can bet that a big celebratory breakfast was enjoyed after finishing that beast!

Ok, over to our usual Friday subject matter!

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Work It Out

For your final Fit Bit Friday in March, I’ve got one more minimal-equipment total body circuit coming your way. While it’s not quite sizzling outside yet, this workout will help get your body ready for all the bikini weather coming up! The format is the same as The Burpee Burner workout I posted 2 weeks ago, where you’ve got one cardio exercise that you’ll repeat throughout. In honour of spring, Easter, and bunnies, we’re going to go with skipping for this move. If you don’t have a jump rope, don’t worry – you can still make the rope-turning motions with your hands and get a good workout! In between skipping intervals you’ll work muscle pairs with bodyweight exercises that require very little equipment – just a pair of dumbells. If you do happen to have some other pieces handy, I’ve added suggestions for incorporating it to make the moves harder.

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The Spring Sizzler Workout

Begin with a light cardio warm-up, then get into your first set, starting with 1 minute of skipping. Do the single leg squat-to-jump and walking lunges as a super set without resting in between. Take 30-60s rest, then repeat that superset twice more for a total of 3. Move on to the next 1-minute jump rope interval, then work through the next pair of exercises as a superset, again repeating for 3 sets. Continue until you reach the end, do one final minute of jumping rope, then cool down.

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

This week’s tune is Years (Radio Edit) by Alesso. It starts off deceptively slow in the first 15s, but picks up quickly and has some nice fast 30s blocks that are perfect for doing HIIT workouts, whether you’re on a cardio machine, outside, or doing bodyweight strength moves. The radio edit is a bit short, but longer versions can be found on Youtube. Enjoy!

Have A Read

• Know before you go: Bikram yoga – via Greatist. As I mentioned in my Moksha vs Bikram: What’s the Difference post, I’m much more of a Moksha fan but if you’ve never tried Bikram before and are considering it, this article offers some good advice!
• Nutritious smoothies for runners - via RunnersWorld.com

And that’s all I’ve got today! I hope all of you that are celebrating have a lovely Easter weekend, and I’ll see ya back here on Monday! Before you go, tell me…

• What are you up to for the long weekend?
• If you’re training for any sort of races or competitions right now, how is it going so far?

Happy Friday to you! Not only am I excited because it’s Friday, but this means there’s just one more week to go before the Good Friday long weekend. Woop woop! As far as the next couple of days go, I’m hoping to get some outdoor workouts in (Mother Nature, please be kind and bring lots of sunshine!), chill out, and go through my spring clothes. I’m a colours kinda gal and can’t wait to retire my winter clothes in favour of brighter and lighter ones!

Over to our weekly fitness chat….

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Work It Out

For this edition of Fit Bit Friday, let’s take a little break from the cardio/strength circuits and zone in on our core muscles. As I mentioned at the beginning of March, one of my goals for this month is to increase core strength in order to make myself a stronger runner. This doesn’t just include abs – I’m talking obliques, back, and glutes as well. One of the moves I loathe the most are back extensions on a 45 degree frame, but they really are fantastic for building lower back strength. While our cores are engaged in all sorts of activities (squats, lunges, anything that requires balance, and maintenance of good posture), I like to dedicate 1 strength training session per week to core work. Lately this has meant lots of planks, side planks, back extensions, supermans, leg lifts, oblique twists, and balancing exercises. Today’s workout is one that I did last Friday, and I hope you enjoy it too!

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The Total Core Workout

For this routine, all you’ll need is a medicine ball (or heavy object that you can grasp with 2 hands), and a 45 degree back extension frame (or a large stability ball if you don’t have access to a frame.) Do the first 5 exercises without rest in between, then take 1-2 minutes to recover. If your wrists get tired in the first 3 exercises (which flow into each other), feel free to take a couple of seconds to rest and rotate them in circles. Repeat the 5-move sequence twice more for a total of 3 sets, then move into the last 2 exercises, completing 3 sets with 1 minute rest between each one.

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

This week’s featured tune is Miracle by JV Project ft. Eric Solomon. If you listen to the radio on the way to or from work, I’m sure you’ve probably heard it a couple of times and chances are, it’s been stuck in your head at some point too because it’s pretty catchy! Although the lyrics are all lovey dovey and I doubt any of my guy friends would find the song appealing, the beat is fast and energizing which is why I like this one on my morning running playlists. What do ya think?

Have A Read

• This article explains how to burn fat faster doing any exercise by using Tabata training – via Greatist.com
• 5 triathlon training tips from the pros – via Shape.com. The last triathlon I did was when I was about 8 years old, but this makes me want to do another one! If only there was no open water swim element…. the thought of what’s at the bottom always freaks me out!

Before you go, tell me…

• Do you dedicate entire strength training sessions to only core moves?
• Have you done a triathlon before, or do you often compete in them? Any tips to share with readers who want to give it a go?

Lastly, if you’re a Canadian resident and want to enter my Cookin’ Greens giveaway, you’ve got until Sunday night at midnight to get your entries in. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Work It Out

No time? No problem. Short and intense is the name of the game this month, and this routine fits the bill. As the name implies, you can expect to be doing lots of one of my top love-to-hate moves, the burpee! In order to incorporate both cardio and strength training in this workout, I’ve alternated burpee cardio sets with pairs of exercises that either use dumbbells or your body weight as resistance.

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The Burpee Burner Workout

In the left column, I’ve noted which major muscle groups you’ll be working with each exercise pair. While the burpees are meant to be performed as fast as possible in order to get your heart rate up, the strength moves will need to be done more slowly in order to maintain good form and stay in control.  If you’re an advanced exerciser, aim to get through the whole workout without pausing for rest. Less experienced exercisers – feel free to take 30-60s breaks if necessary.

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

When I was about 12, I was much more about team Britney than team Christina. At that time, Britney was an innocent brunette with bangs (like me!) and although she made headlines, it wasn’t for the same reasons that she does today. There was something about those super long vocal runs that Christina has become known for that just didn’t appeal to my music tastes, and I didn’t like that she spelled her name with an X. Britney was in Crossroads, which I’ll admit I’ve seen approximately a kajillion and six times and admittedly would still watch if it was on cable. Times have changed though, and I’m currently LOVING Feel This Moment by Christina and Pitbull.

Now you’ll be going “Woah- OOOOH – O – OHHHHHHH!” all day long. You’re welcome.

Have A Read

• 6 yoga poses for a rock-solid core – via Shape.com. I thought this slideshow was quite fitting, considering my goal this month to boost my core strength!
• The ultimate 10-minute jump rope workout – via Greatist. If you want a short and sweet workout and fancy mixing things up with a jump rope (which I think most adults haven’t touched since they were kiddies), this is it! I plan to test it out in the gym this weekend!

Ok friends, I hope you have a fabulous, relaxing, fit and fun weekend. I’ll see ya back here on Monday, and before you go, tell me:

• Who were the pop stars that you adored as a teen? I was more *NSYNC than Backstreet Boys, more Britney than Christina, and let’s not forget The Moffats and B4-4! Plastered ALL. OVER. my bedroom walls.
• Favourite throwback workout jam? For me, it’s a tie between Sweet Child of Mine by Guns ‘n Roses and Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. Classics!!

Whew, what a week! Who’s ready to wind down for the weekend? This week has been a great one in terms of workouts and this morning, my body is definitely telling me that it needs some yoga and foam rolling tomorrow! Do you have anything fun planned? I’ve been feeling inspired to do a bit of spring cleaning lately so I can see that happening tomorrow, in addition to a tea date with one of my besties, lounging in my jammies and catching up on my ever-growing stack of magazines, and of course, sleeping! It’s all about recovery, right!?

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Work It Out

This month I’m shifting my strength training focus away from lifting heavy (just for a little while!) in favour of quicker, high-intensity circuits with minimal equipment. While I love seeing progress each time I add a few more pounds on the bar for my bench press and hack squats, sometimes a change is needed to keep the results coming. If you like plyos, you’re going to love this one!

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The Lean, Mean Leg Workout

This routine requires absolutely ZERO equipment, so there’s no excuse for not getting ‘er done! It’s a plyometric workout, which means the moves are high-impact. Therefore, it shouldn’t be done on consecutive days and depending on your background with this style of training, it’s a good idea to start with only 1-2 of these workouts per week. You’ll repeat the circuit below for a total of 3 rounds, resting between 1-2 minutes at the end of each round. Aim to do the moves as fast as you can, but be sure to maintain proper form throughout, even when you start to get tired (which of course, isn’t going to happen, right?!) When you’re finished, be sure to give your legs and glutes a good stretch, then refuel and rehydrate so you can come back stronger in your next workout.

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

You’ll have to excuse me for getting a little teeny bopper on you this week, but that’s what I’m reminded of when I listen to Kiss Goodnight by Tyler Shaw. In case you haven’t heard of him, Tyler is from Coquitlam, BC (go Canada!!) and won Much Music’s CocaCola MuchMusic Covers Contest in 2012. You can find the cover songs he performed during the competition, including Rolling In The Deep by Adele and I Wanna Go by Britney Spears here. As for Kiss Goodnight, it’s one of his own songs and it’s super catchy. What do you think?

Have A Read

• What type of yoga are you best suited for? Take this quiz to find out – via Best Health Magazine
• On a budget but still trying to stay fit? Check out these tips from iVillage on how to create a home gym without breaking the bank.

Lastly, tell me…

• What do you prefer: lifting heavy or bodyweight circuit-style workouts?
• What are you most looking forward to this weekend?