New Workout for the Month

Ok, so here's the new workout for the month. I did it today and it's ok. If you're still easing into the working out after the new year this is the workout for you - or if you're just going to get started after the Super Bowl (lo siento Jets). Anyway, if you'd like to take it up a notch, I'll see what I can get this week. I liked it, but I'm not sure I'll do it again. I've put it here on the blog st a link. I've also put the 2010 bikini body countdown. Now, I think I'll probably end up doing both at the same time. I'll try that tomorrow. The key is to get cardio at least three times a week. Also another way to "kick it up a notch," as they like to say is to add a minute of cardio in between each set. I think I'll do that next time too.

According to SHAPE Magazine, here are some 1 minute tricks you can do at home without equipment. I added the stuff after #10 and the ones in bold are the ones that are super hard for me. You Jillian Shredders will recognize a few...

1. Jumping jack Stand with feet together, then jump, separating legs and raising arms overhead. Land with feet hip-width apart, then jump feet back together and lower arms.
2. Stair running Run up a flight of stairs, pumping your arms, then walk down. Vary by taking two stairs at a time.
3. Jumping rope - Do a basic boxer's shuffle or two-footed jump. Stay on balls of feet, not jumping too high off ground, elbows by your sides.
4. Squat jump - Stand with feet hip-width apart. Bend knees and lower hips into a squat. Jump in air and straighten legs, lifting arms upward. Land softly, lowering arms.
5. Split jump - Stand in a split stance, one foot a long stride in front of the other, then bend knees and jump, switching legs to land and pumping arms in opposition to legs. Alternate legs.
6. Step-up - Step up on a curb, stair, or sturdy bench with one foot, then the other, then down one at a time; repeat.
7. Alternating knee lift - Standing tall, bring one knee toward your chest without collapsing rib cage; twist opposite elbow toward knee. Alternate sides.
8. Hamstring curl - Standing tall, step sideways with right foot, then bring left heel toward buttocks; pull elbows in to sides. Alternate sides.
9. Jog in place - Jog in place, lifting knees up; swing arms naturally in opposition. Land softly, ball of foot to heel.
10. Side-to-side leap - Place any long, thin object (such as a broom) on floor. Leap sideways over object, landing with feet together
11. Football running things - Crouch a little and move your feet as fast as you can up and down like you're Super Mario and count to five, hop and rotate 1/4 and keep doing the fast psycho running stuff, hop 1/4 and keep going around in like a box until a minute is up.
12. Star Jumps - Basically do a jumping jack off the ground.
13. Kick Butts - Shouldn't be hard for me but it is - jog kicking your butt with your heels. make sure no one is looking. :)
14. Knee Ups - jog in place with high knees.
15. Burpees - put your hands on the ground, jump feet out to plank, jump feet in, jump up and repeat.
16. Mountain Climbers - Plank position and pull knees in quickly one right after the other maintaining plank position the whole time. Hate these.
17. Tuck Jumps - used to be hard, now not so much. Landing softly is hard. It's kind of like a squat jump, but you have to tuck your knees up in mid air and land softly - you do not need to land in a squat (thankfully!).

OH! I almost forgot - let's make a pact to look better for Valentine's Day than we did for Christmas!! Focus on one aspect you want to look better than it did at Christmas. Mine is my back. Reevaluate February 19 (the weekend after Valentine's Day in case you choose to celebrate it then as opposed to the day or the weekend before). See you then!! Around Valentine's Day I'll post a picture of me at Christmas time or there abouts and one of me at Valentine's time. Yes, I'm going for a frumpy first picture and a smoking hot second picture - as in I'll actually dress up and wear make up for the Valentine's Day picture. Going for theatrics.