Challenge Day: Happy first day of Spring

• 500 skips (you can do these outside on your deck or side walk if your ceiling is too low).  If you do not have a skipping rope you can do jumping jacks.  You can break these up into 100s
• 4 sets of 5 pull ups:  these can be done on a TRX if you have one,  hanging pull ups from a bar outside or supine pull ups using a table at home.  See variations below.
• 20 minutes of running or walking outdoors or on your treadmill if you cannot go outside
• 5 minutes of stretching, foam rolling, or mobility work
• 5 minutes of meditation!!  

Do not forget to post on Instagram or Facebook and tag
@inspirationtrainingyyc (Instagram)
@inspirationtraining  (Facebook)

I love seeing everyone's pictures and video's and even getting families involved.  Keep them coming and great job on Day 1!!

Here are two warm up video's and also great exercises to do on a daily basis to improve mobility.  During the warm up keep moving and do 10 per side (or more if it is feeling needed).  You can also use these movements at any time in the day but slow them down and hold positions for a few seconds. 

https://youtu.be/6QId2vz73NY

https://youtu.be/wO-iD5pk_Uo

Can't wait to see you crushing the workouts!!

Each day I will be posting either a new complete workout for the day or one small challenge that needs to be completed that day.     
To make things a little more interesting I thought I would add a little competition to see who is following along.  The person who completes the most workouts and daily challenges will win one free month of training!!
The rules:

• You must complete the entire workout including the number of reps, sets and exercises as described
• Daily challenges must be completed that day
• You must post on Instagram or Facebook and tag Inspiration Training a picture or video of yourself doing the workout or "challenge" activity daily.  
• Instagram - inspirationtrainingyyc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/inspirationtraining/

You will need to check the blog daily to get the Youtube link for the workout and to see what the daily challenge may be.  Under each video there is a description that will include the number of reps and sets.  

Challenge starts March 17th!!
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Workout 1: complex 1:  youtu.be/DIzOBj6Bjpw
Workout 1: complex 2: - ​https://youtu.be/0npLYUIDkAw

Have fun.

For those with small kids we will also be starting a kid challenge.  Stay tuned for those links.

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​Hormones change monthly, weekly, daily, even hourly. As a female understanding the role hormones play in how your body feels and performs in the gym can have a huge impact on how your program your workouts.  During the first 14 days of your cycle energy levels are higher, you typically feel better, and your workouts feel great.  You are stronger during the first 14 days of your cycle and you also have a greater ability to gain muscle during this phase.  So lift heavy and go hard!

The second have of the cycle is when hormones really start to shift.  The same workout you did on day 4 may feel extremely difficult or impossible.  And maybe it is.   You can still do the same exercises but  may feel you need longer recovery times and/or lighter weights.    

Listen to what your body is telling you.  My point is not to give you an excuse for slacking during the second half of you cycle, as some months you may feel great the entire time.  I am simply saying to pay attention to what your body is telling you and know that hormones play a huge role in how you feel.  Some day's your body will tell you it is time to ease up.  To take the lighter weights and longer rest and this is perfectly normal.  Other day's go hard or go home ladies.

A great warm up exercise for Grip Strength, glutes and core.
Keep the bottom of the KB up with a neutral wrist.  Keeping the hips high and even at all times lower the opposite leg to the ground and back up.
​Repeat 10x per side

Tomorrow marks the one year trainaversary for Dave and I.  My sessions with Dave are some of my favorite hours each week as he always comes with a smile on his face ready to tackle any challenge I present.  This past year he consistently trained twice a week in the gym, ran two 5 peaks races, completed the mile a day challenge twice (December and July), and is now participating in Sober October.  And if you know Dave you know he loves good alcohol so no drinking in October is a huge commitment.  This is what I love about working with Dave.  He is always so positive, works hard and never backs down from a challenge. 
    
As a celebration, and test to see how far he has come in just a year, we decided to repeat his very first workout using the same exercises and weight for the first set then increase the weight to what he would use today.  Wow!! What a change.

Here is a look at what we did:

Complex 3 - Did not exist.  This plus the warm up took Dave 1 hour to complete on his very first session  Today we added on a third complex 

• 1 leg bench squat 
• SB push up and Pike
• SB side crunch

Amazing Job Dave.  It has been a great year working with you!

Today I am giving a shout out to one of my clients Kelly who started training as a one on one client and is now a dedicated 6am'er.  

She has not only brought a new drive and level of fitness to the group but she has also inspired her husband, sister and 12 year old daughter who now train twice a week. 
She is one of the fittest ladies I know and someone I respect very much as a mother, wife, and fitness role model.  She is a mother of two, works full time, and is currently completing her PhD; and.... never misses a workout. Wow!!    Next time you want to say "I was too busy I just didn't have time to workout",  think again. 
What an amazing example she is setting for her kids and other women.    

A shout out to some of the amazing and strong women I get the privileged of working with each week.   These ladies are not afraid of a little sweat, heavy weights and hard work.  An inspiration to me and each other.

I was recently at the National Strength and Conditioning Conference in Washington DC where I had the chance to listen to Molly Galbraith the founder of Girls Gone Strong.  She shared her story, struggles and triumphs with finding happiness with her body.  The message she shared really hit home with me as I have struggled with many of the same issues.  It is something I feel very passionate about and I want to continue to improve on in order to help other females and also be the best role model for my two girls. I am taking about self acceptance. 

Have you ever looked in the mirror and said "man I look so fat today" or "I wish my arms were just a bit smaller"???  I am sure 99% of the population have done this.   What I want for every women out there is to be comfortable in her own skin; to love her body at every stage of life.   To be able to wear what she wants, to feel strong, fit and healthy.   It is okay to want to change, you can love your body while still wanting it to look differently.   

We need to stop criticizing our bodies and others.  We are our own worst critic and when we body shame ourselves or feel insecure about our own bodies we often start to project that onto others.  Comparing ourselves to others who are build completely different then us, or commenting on how someone else looks: "man that girls should not be wearing those shorts".  This needs to stop. 
I am guilty of this in the past, commenting on how good someone looks after losing  weight.   Instead I should have acknowledged the hard work and commitment that person made to reaching that goal.  That is the real accomplishment.   Completing an exercise you couldn't do before, having a faster time in a race, making the time for yourself while managing work and kids.   These are the things we should acknowledge. 

So lets make the change together.  

If you have a chance to read Molly's Story I highly recommend it.  http://bit.ly/2KIAFJB  

If not here are her seven tips to help you towards self-acceptance:

1. Don't listen to critics (yourself included)
2. Take care of your body, mind and spirit
3. See food as fuel and nourishment's, but don't be afraid to enjoy it
4. Embrace your Uniqueness  - "today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." - Dr. Seuss​​​​.  Find your sweet spot where health, performance, aesthetics and an enjoyable lifestyle work.
5. Don't be afraid to Experiment -  you have your goals  now try different things until you find the formula that works for you
6. Set performance and strength goals

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And my favorite

     7.  Train because you love your body, not because you hate your body.

He has been my number one recruiter for the past year and after some time off in July he is back at it and ready to make this his fittest year ever!! I am super excited to see what he can achieve with his positive and determined mind and regular training.