yegfitness
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Outdoor Workout
It's finally nice out!! With positive temperatures for the first time in 6 weeks, we're all itching to get outdoors and enjoy ourselves. This body weight workout/ stairs workout is whole body & can be adjusted for every fitness level!
1. Side Plank/Hip Drops 30 seconds per side
Top foot elevated on a bench, hips nice and level, hold the plank. If you want to challenge yourself even more, drop the hips to the ground and pulse them up, back and forth!
Alternative: Bottom leg down, half side plank, will take some of the pressure off
2. Plank/ Hip Drop 30 seconds per side
Similar to the above one, except forearm plank, for beginners: Hold position in first picture, if you want a challenge, kick hips/leg back up into the air and drive knee towards ground back & forth.
Alternative: Plank from forearms, tap leg side to side instead of kicking straight up. Less pressure on the shoulders
Alternative: Plank from forearms, tap leg side to side instead of kicking straight up. Less pressure on the shoulders
Curtsy Lunges 30 seconds per side
Step back and behind with one leg, put your weight into the front leg pushing off that leg and squeezing the glute.
Push up 30 seconds
Feet elevated makes this harder, turn yourself around and put hands on bench to make it a bit easier! Hands under shoulders, elbows drive back, slowly lowering yourself down and keep everything tight as you push back up to plank position.
Alternative: From knee perform push ups
Alternative: From knee perform push ups
Single Leg Hops 30 seconds per side
Be careful and ensure your knee doesn't fall inwards as you perform this exercise! If you aren't confident in your ability here, do a lateral step up as you go.
Alternative: Lateral step ups without the hop
Tuck Jumps 30 seconds
Again, if you don't feel confident, perform squats instead! For jumps, sink into your squat position and jump up tucking your knees into your chest.
Alternative: Bodyweight squats, less pressure on knees
Alternative: Bodyweight squats, less pressure on knees
Run/walk a set of stairs!
Perform circuit 3-4x, taking a 2 minute rest between circuits
Hike Jasper: Morro Peak
I am so glad we got to head to the mountains again, there is something really wonderful about fall hiking. I love how quiet Jasper was and the fact that we only saw two other groups on this trail. It was a bit chilly to start off with but the incline was crazy and we warmed up quickly. Chilly at the top but what an epic view!
Hike: Morro Peak
Where: Just outside Jasper, right by the start of the overland trail. There is a bridge, then the overlander trail, park by the bridge and go up there.
Distance: 7km total, it said over 5, but we mapped ours and it said 7. We did go off the trail for a bit ha.
Elevation: 750m gained
Time: 3 total, 1 hour 45 min up, and 1 15 down.
There is a log book under the rocks with the cross, it's in a tupper wear container. It was amazing to see all the signatures in there, so glad we got to do this!
Fitness Motivation
For those of us in the wild west (and north) it has turned quite nearly into winter over night, we have bypassed fall and gone straight into cold and snow. This has every I know feeling rather low on the motivation level. The weather should improve for us soon but unfortunately for us we have 6 months of winter to look forward to after that so we are going to need figure out a way to stay motivated for these grey months!
1. Plan Ahead:
2. Grab a Gym Friend:
6. Try a new workout class:
1. Plan Ahead:
Look at your week coming up, physically write down which days you're doing what. Write out the exercises on each day even, then you know exactly what you have to get done and even if you don't really feel like it you're more likely to go if it's scheduled. I like having a visual reminder too so a weekly calendar for the wall is always helpful!
2. Grab a Gym Friend:
Working out is always easier when you have someone to go with you, who will hold you accountable on those days you just don't feel like it. Make sure it's someone reliable, don't be the gym friend who suggests beers instead of a workout.
3. Hire a trainer:
I know it can be expensive but a lot of my clients tell me if they didn't have an appointment with me they would not have gone to workout. You can also go see a trainer for them to just build you a program, starting a new training phase or getting a new program can really mix things up and get you feeling motivated if you're not digging your routine anymore. Having a professional set something up for you is great because they can tailor it to your needs, your level and your goals. So not only is it more exciting you're more likely to see results if you stick with it!
4. Set some goals:
4. Set some goals:
Some real, concrete, time sensitive goals like "I want to gain 5 lbs of muscle by November" or "I want to cut my 5km running time down by 1-2minutes by the end of october" these things are great and if they're important to you and you're excited by your goals you're going to feel motivated to do it!
5. Dedicate it as your "Me Time"
If you're super busy with work, school etc, take it as a dedicated break away from all that. If you're super stressed you're much more likely to be excited for a workout because it's a mental break. And guess what? Your productivity will increase when you're done!
6. Try a new workout class:
Sometimes something new can be just the thing to light a fire under your butt and give you some motivation! Since it's colder here now we go back and get more into rock climbing, we haven't been much in the summer months because we were doing more outdoor stuff. But I'm so excited to get back into it now!
Funnest Summer Workout
I am so excited it's finally nice enough out to get my wheels out and go explore the city the way I like best. Biking is definitely one of my favourite forms of summertime exercise, it's fun and it's a great way to get around. The river valley here is the best place to go for a cruise, we spent an hour and a half biking and that was only a small portion of the river valley.
Whether you're going for a cruise or have a mountain bike it's great exercise.
Must haves:
- A bike helmet! I may not be wearing mine for the photo op but I never ride without one. Side note: When I was 10 I was hit by a car, if I hadn't been wearing my helmet my head would have been cracked open.
- A bike lock, it's nice to take pit stops along the way especially on a long ride. Nothing beats a cold beer or smoothie after 2 hours of biking
- Map my ride app, so you know how far/how fast you're going!
- A friend! I love biking on my own to get around but it's nice to have a friend to grab a bit with after all that hard work.
Body Positivity- Find your movement
I think the trend in fitness is to workout for the point of aesthetics, to grind it out to look a certain way and not enjoy the process. I think that if you can find something you really enjoy the process of then you'll always feel at home in your body. Like everything we do in life what's the point of doing anything without passion?
Body positivity is a process, it's not something that just happens overnight. There's good days and bad days but finding some form of movement you're passionate and setting movement based goals will help you find that. For example: Lift more, run faster, get more flexible, work on your left hook. These things put you into your body for the sake of moving it not for it's aesthetic purposes.
That’s my challenge to anyone reading this:
1. Try out some new forms of movement
2. Set movement based goals
3. Try to visualize your body as a tool to produce that movement. Focus on things that will
Improve that.
4. Practice speaking of your body in only positive terms
Leg Day
Leg day is my favourite day! I love a good hard leg workout, so i'm sharing a great one you can do without any equipment and still get a great burn in.
1. Reverse Lunges 12 per side
Start with feet shoulder distance, step back sink into your hips and then press through the front leg and return to standing. Bring the knee all the way down, and focus on squeezing the glute when coming back to standing.
2. Split squat 12per leg
One foot elevated behind, sink into your knees ensuring the knee doesn't go beyond the knee. Squeeze the glute to come back up to standing.
3. Single leg hops 12per
Drive one knee up and hop bringing opposite arm up.
5. Single Leg Squat 8per
Sink into one leg bringing the bum to the ground and press up through the leg to standing. If this is too difficult, just do squats to the bench and jump up (12x)
6. Curtsy Lunges 12per
Sink into hip and squeeze through the leg that's on the bench to come back up.
1 set of stairs!
Tips for a Better Run
I started actively going for runs in high school as a way to deal with my anxiety and as a great workout. I love that you can go for a run anywhere, anytime (okay, not anytime, it's -30 here and that's too damn cold) and it's doesn't require a lot of equipment. Autumn is my all-time favourite season to go for a run, it's beautiful, cool out but not unimaginably cold and it's that time of year we start trying to savor every moment spend outdoors.
Some of my tips for runners out there are:
1. A killer playlist, find a beat that you can run to and go for it. For me I run to Florence & the Machine or Frightened Rabbit. That's all. For some season there beats work with my pacing, I find if something's too amped up it screws up my rhythm.
2. Use your butt. A huge problem for most runners I see is that we don't use our glutes while running. Try a banded glute bridge for 3 sets of 10 reps, clamshells 3 sets of 10, and kickbacks 3 sets of 10 before a run to get the glutes fired up.
3.Bring a friend. Whether it's another runner or your dog, employ the buddy system!
4. Find an interesting loop. I love running in the river valley because it's beautiful and there's always something to look at.
5. Use pacing apps. I find it so helpful to know my time for each km, I have a certain pace I want to try to keep.
6. Set a goal! Have an idea (make it realistic) about how long you want to run for, build you way up to longer runs over time.
I've included some tips for before during and after your run from Aaptiv, an audio fitness app that will help improve your 5, 10 or half mile runs.
Some of my tips for runners out there are:
1. A killer playlist, find a beat that you can run to and go for it. For me I run to Florence & the Machine or Frightened Rabbit. That's all. For some season there beats work with my pacing, I find if something's too amped up it screws up my rhythm.
2. Use your butt. A huge problem for most runners I see is that we don't use our glutes while running. Try a banded glute bridge for 3 sets of 10 reps, clamshells 3 sets of 10, and kickbacks 3 sets of 10 before a run to get the glutes fired up.
3.Bring a friend. Whether it's another runner or your dog, employ the buddy system!
4. Find an interesting loop. I love running in the river valley because it's beautiful and there's always something to look at.
5. Use pacing apps. I find it so helpful to know my time for each km, I have a certain pace I want to try to keep.
6. Set a goal! Have an idea (make it realistic) about how long you want to run for, build you way up to longer runs over time.
I've included some tips for before during and after your run from Aaptiv, an audio fitness app that will help improve your 5, 10 or half mile runs.
Practicing Self Love
Self Love. Somehow a really difficult subject and practice in our society these days. We are told when we're kids we're amazing and perfect but somehow over time the messages we receive and our beliefs about our selves seems to shift.
Working as a personal trainer I see this day in and out with my clients and it really breaks my heart. Having a 60+ grandmother talking about how much she hates her body and wishes she was skinnier is so jarring and eye opening.
I too fall victim to this sometimes, I work in a gym, I see bodies of every shape and size. Sometimes I wish my body looked more like some of those other bodies, and it makes me feel bad.I force myself to change my internal dialogue on the regular, when I find myself going negative "I hate __, I look fat" I try to pick out a few things I like. Take these photos for example, first thoughts were of the things I don't like, and that made me mad. I am a strong, fit and healthy woman whose body is amazing.
Focus on the positive. Try every single day for a month to write down something you like about yourself first thing in the day. Keep it somewhere you can see it.
Set a movement based goal. Running faster, adding more weights to your movement, getting a stronger core etc.
Fuck the scale. Seriously. Fuck the scale, focus on how you feel. If you feel sluggish, bloated and crappy those are legit concerns, maybe then change your diet and exercise routine. I have never been happier since I stopped weighing my self.
Get off the grid. Take a break from social media, go outside, surround yourself with like minded people. Go for a hike, a bike ride, a dog walk. Trees don't give a shit if you're a size 2, a 12 or if you have a visible six pack.
Build your brand around things of substance. If your entire value in yourself is based on your looks, guess what? You are always going to feel like shit. No one is perfect and putting all your energy and self worth into how you look is never going to end well. Focus on hobbies, take a course, make something, figure out what makes you you! My focus is being fit and healthy, that doesn't mean I am ultra lean and have a 6 pack.
Stair Workout
1. Single Leg Lateral Hops 10per leg
Try to stabilize the core and then sink down into the standing leg, press up and jump. Keep a soft landing, ensuring that your knee does not fall in.
2. Squat jumps 15x
Sink down into hips, jump up onto next stair, stabilize the core.
3. Farmer Carry Weighted plate 1/2 set per side
Keep core tight and chest upright, ensure your traps don't creep up, keep your shoulder blades pinched together.
4. Walking Lunge with a twist 10per side
Sink into legs, ensure your core is tight press plate out to the side. Alternate legs as you go.
5. Around the worlds 10per direction
Hold plate in front of chest, feet shoulder distance, core is tight bring the plate up and around head.
6. Curl to press with plate 15x
Hold plate in front with both hands curl towards face, and press up overhead ensuring the
7. Walking Lunges 1 set stairs
Squeeze your butt as you go! Keep the knees from falling in and body upright
VIPR workout
VIPR's are an amazing tool, they are a great way to do an exercise with a load but the load is dispersed differently than a barbell or dumbell. It is also a great way to do certain movements weighted that ordinarily you couldn't do with a typical tool.
1. Squat to Press 12x
Feet shoulder distance apart, sink into hips until you reach 90 degrees (should get a bit lower than pictured, I am dealing with hip mobility issues). Squeeze your glutes at the bottom come back to standing and press straight overhead keeping core tight.
2. Side lunge to reach 12 per
Take a step to one side, bend into one leg and reach the vipr outside your base of support. Keep core tight and head and chest up.
3. Straight Leg Deadlift to halo (Rotation around the head) 12x
Keep back flat hinge forward, keep glutes squeezed to come back to standing and bring vipr behind head, back in front back into a deadlift.
4. Plank pull through 12x
Plank with hands over VIPR, reach across and pull it through, keeping core tight and hips level
5. Sit up with reach 12x
Keep arms extended overhead and using your abdominal muscles bring yourself up to seated position.
6. Kneeling "Bazooka" 12per
One knee down, keep glutes squeezed and core tight, bring VIPR down to the side where knee is down and rotate it across the body to rest on the other shoulder.
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