Smitten Life

This is a workout not for the faint of heart, and definitely not for a beginner! Each one of these exercises is performed for power and with low reps, ensuring your body has recovered before going to the next one. 

Reps: 6 per, rest around 30 seconds between exercises. Rest 2 minutes after the circuit. **

Start in a reverse lunge position, push through the front leg and drive the knee up. Try to get some height on this one. 

Push off ground and bring knees up as high as you can, keeping the head and chest up. Soft landing ensuring knees don't fall together and that you don't buckle forward. 

Push off one leg hopping laterally and land in a strong stance, not letting knee buckle and trying not to fall. 

Holidays are so much fun, but sometimes we all overdo it with the eating and drinks. For me, I want to come back from my vacation feeling relaxed, recharged, and not too bloated. It's all about balancing indulging with keeping healthy. There are so many ways to stay active and fit on holidays, here are some to try:

Works on balance and core stability! The paddling also really works your shoulders, they will be burning after a while. I love paddle boarding, it's so much fun, very peaceful to be out on the lake exploring in a different way. 

Luckily for us we live in an amazing country, super close to the mountains and there are so many trails to explore. There are some for every fitness level, ranging from 30 minute hikes to a few days of adventuring. Every spring, summer, and fall we go to the mountains a few times, and everytime I go and find a new hike for us to try. Some we've done a few times, because they're super scenic but it's so fun to try new ones all the time. We explored some really beautiful falls this last time, the hike is always worth the views. 

Swimming is a great workout! And if you're not a strong swimmer (like myself) I like to run and jump off the end of the dock and haul our selves back up. It's like doing a few pull-ups, and it's a great way to cool down when it's hot.  

Easy peasy, you don't need any (or much) equipment and especially if you've been couped up in a car you're bound to be tight! Nothing better than a good 15-30 minutes spent stretching after a car ride, or after a hike or just to start the day right. 

Hook your feet into your partners feet, start from a laying position, perform a sit up leaning more to one side and clap their hand opposite of you, come back down and perform other side. 20x

Who doesn't love a sprint? Especially one where your 210lb partner is digging in their heels behind you! Place a resistance band around your partners hips, lean back for extra resistance. Partner will run forward as fast as they can, partner holding the band will also run forward while maintaining resistance on the band.  20 meters resisted sprint, then switch partners. 

Throwing a ball at your loved one sure is fun too! Start in a kneeling position, bring ball down towards ground and using core control toss it over towards your partner. Be kind, they will be throwing it back at you! 10x per side of tosses, then switch partners. 

Again place band around partners hips, hold on tight. Partner will step to the side and sink into a lunge position, pushing back to standing position through the glutes. 10x per side, switch partners

6. Wheel Barrel Walks

Who hasn't wanted to use their partners body to move soil?! No? Nobody? Taking the joke too far again I see....

Grab your buddies ankles nice and firm, they will begin walking forward using their hands and keeping their core tight, move forwards 5m and backwards again. Switch partners 

One partner lays on ground, other person stands by their head feet on either side. Person on ground with grab onto the other persons ankles and then bring their feet up using core control and towards the partner. Partner standing will push on the other persons feet towards the ground, use core control to resist, dont just let him push your feet easily! 

 It's that time of the year where we're all feeling a little bit down...it's cold, it's snowy and it's been grey a lot lately. After the high of Christmas, January and February are always a let down and tough to get through. Now there are lots of things that can help kick up your mood during these times but two of the best (I find) are exercise and getting some Vitamin D. Exercise releases feel-good endorphin's and it doesn't have to be high intensity. It has been scientifically proven that LOW & moderate intensity exercise can help reduce depression & anxiety symptoms, which can become even more accute in the winter months. Vitamin D also helps with these symptoms, so what better way to beat the winter blues than go out for a winter walk/run. Since Vitamin D is only absorbed through the skin you have to have some showing, perhaps not the best when it's -25 but take advantage of those warmer days and/or take a supplement. 

1. Set a fun playlist

2. Pick a loop/distance and set a time, this can change everytime you go or stay the same!

3. Start off slow, if you're not a winter runner start off walking

4. If you are into running it doesn't have to be high intensity 1 minute walk, 1 minute run. High intensity can actually make anxiety symptoms worse

5. Add some stairs in

6. Dress appropriately, you want to make this a pleasant experience not get frostbite!

7. Grab a friend, make it a social event or take your furry pal out too, they too can get the winter blues!

Hopefully this will leave you feeling great and like you can totally handle getting through the rest of winter!

An ode to my winter workout buddy, Mr. Duke. He is my everyday workout buddy, but in the winter I find it just that much harder to go outside. Anyone who knows Duke, knows he too hates the cold, is a total baby about it. But just because it's winter doesn't mean he doesn't have energy, so we have to burn it off together by braving the elements and get outside.

Often times, this means finding a set of stairs and going up and down as many times as we can manage. Or hitting up the dog park, chasing each other, playing fetch and exploring the paths around there. I am always so grateful and happy once we've gone out, and would not get out nearly as much without this adorable guy. 

So anyone thinking of getting a dog and looking at increasing their steps, definitely the best way to do it. Taking the doggo out on an adventure is my all time favourite way to max out my steps

xoJenna 

I find myself quite nostalgic at the end of the year, thinking back over the past year and looking to the year ahead. I truly believe one does not need to wait until the new year to make a change, but it is a good marker if you are thinking of making some changes. I've come up with some goals I plan to on pursuing over the next few months, year and probably well past that.

1. Practicing more self-love and positive body talk.

This is something I talk so much about with my personal training clients, and if I expect them to accept their bodies, shouldn't I as well? I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and although in some cases this helps me there are other circumstances where it hinders me. Everyone has a body part or parts they're not fond of, but that does not diminish our self worth. Therefore I am going to try my best to reframe those negative "not enough" thoughts into focusing on positives. I really think this is important for us women, we need to focus on how amazing and capable we are!

2. Nourishing my body better.

I eat pretty well most of the time, but there are times when I'm rushed between clients and I a) don't eat b) eat something "easy" but not necessarily healthy. Easy can be healthy, but you need to be prepared. When I don't nourish myself properly, I'm cranky, and end up being super bloated. Neither of which are a happy situation. So lots of fresh veg, simple snacks, smoothies and lean protein in my future.

3. Take more "downtime"

Another thing I'm bad at is rest days and downtime, I'm always go-go-go but your body needs time to recover. This is true whether you're working long hours or working out a lot, both cause breakdown on your body which needs rest to recover. Taking time off, actually take rest days between workouts and making sure you get enough sleep is crucial and a top priority for me in 2017.

4. Getting outdoors.

I'm actually pretty good at this one with the little pup and all, but to be more specific I want to run outside during the colder months. I usually wimp out when it gets to be below -15 but I really think it would do my body and mind such good to get a break and enjoy the fresh air for a run 1-2x a week.

1. Plank Fly 12per

Use light weight dumbell, I used 5lbs for these. Get into plank position from hands, ensure hips are level and then perform fly, bring weight under body then extend out and up with straight arm, pinch shoulder blade in back 

2. Squat Jump 15x

Hold weights beside body, feet shoulder distance apart sit into feet and push straight up to jump. Ensure a soft landing and knees do not fall in while keeping chest up

3. Deadlift to Press 15x

Straight legs, hinge hips forward until you feel the pull in your hamstrings keep the back straight. Squeeze glutes to come to standing, press weights straight up overhead. 

4. Curtsy Lunges 12per side 

Start from standing, hold weights in front of body, bring one leg back behind the body and push back up to standing position, should feel this in the external hip/glute area. 

5. Tricep Extension 15x

Start in a hinge position, with a nice flat back, fully extend elbows. Should feel this one in the back of the arms, do not move anything but the elbow joint. 

6. Front to Side raise 10per

Light weight again, bring one weight in front, one to the side no higher than shoulder height. Bring straight back down and switch sides. This one is great for the shoulders!

Perform each exercise one after another for 4 circuits!