If you can’t find time to workout, you can do these 3 exercises while you watch your favorite TV show. During each commercial perform one of the exercises below. I’m sure you will be tired by the end of your show!

MY 3 FAVORITE EXERCISES:

BURPEES When I’m looking for a full body workout and a workout that’s going to get my heart pounding I turn to burpees.  You work almost every muscle in your body & you get your heart rate up with this one simple exercise, plus you can do them anywhere!

PUSHUPS I enjoy pushups for the pure fact that they will always be challenging to me. I have gotten stronger over the years but I have always stepped outside of my comfort zone to increase my range of motion, increase the # of repetitions I do, or the angle of the pushup that way they are always tough! I know it sounds crazy that enjoy the challenge of a pushup but I do.

JUMP ROPE For as long as I can remember I loved to jump rope. Whether it was with playing around with my friends, basketball practice, or even at Boot camp. Jump rope gives me a great cardio workout! I prefer to use it over the treadmill or elliptical because I don’t get bored and I’m able to have fun while doing it.

For an awesome full body workout that you can do ANYWHERE, complete the workout below.

BODY WEIGHT CHALLENGE

BURPEES

PUSHUPS 

JUMP ROPE

Perform each exercise for 1 minute, Repeat 4x! (or more if you are looking for a longer workout)

Be ready to work hard and drip sweat!

What are your favorite exercises?

What are you LEAST favorite exercises?

When I tell myself I am going to do something I usually stick to it… so I quickly wrote down my workout plan. I find if I put it on paper I HAVE TO DO IT!

Sunday was the perfect day to workout at home because the weather was horrible, freezing rain and black ice!! From start to finish the workout took me 30 minutes and I was dripping sweat.

I started the workout with a 6 minute Warm-up alternating between Jogging, Jumping jacks, Butt Kicks, & Jump Rope (1 min 30 seconds each)

CARDIO MAX BODYWEIGHT CIRCUIT

AGILITY LADDER- HEISMAN DRILL

BURPEES

PUSHUPS

X-JUMPS

AGILITY LADDER HOPSCOTCH

SQUAT HOPS (AGILITY LADDER)

Each exercise is 1 minute, try to complete as many repetitions in 1 minute as possible. Rest 30-45 seconds in between each exercise.

Complete circuit 2x

Here are a few videos of the some of the exercises: 

Burpees (This is a video of me doing the Burpee minus the pushup) IMG_2285

X-Jumps (During this exercise you perform a full squat with your feet close together and then Jump out into an X) IMG_2290

Pushups (Ava jumped on Marc’s back so I had to snap some pictures)

Agility Ladder Heisman

This workout took me about 20 minutes to complete. I took a little more rest after some of the more intense exercises like X-JUMPS. I was completely winded at one point so my rest was 45 seconds. At the end of the workout I did some light stretching to cool-down, I felt great!

***Consult your Doctor before beginning a new workout program***

Ava’s naps are pretty consistent except if her teeth are bothering her or she’s sick. Then I never know how long she will sleep! Tuesday at around 4:15pm Ava fell asleep. I wrote up a QUICK workout that I knew I could squeeze in even if she didn’t sleep long. This workout is definitely great for busy moms or people looking to fit in some exercise with a tight schedule.

I first performed a 5 minute warm up, alternating between jogging in place, jumping jacks, and butt kicks.

I then set a timer for 10 minutes and completed this workout:

I was working hard and fast during this workout, my heart rate was high and I was dripping sweat…. I completed 7 rounds which put me at 70 PUSHUPS, 105 SQUATS, 140 SIT-UPS, and 175 JUMPING JACKS! Not bad for a quick bodyweight workout. Plus Ava was still asleep when I completed it, WIN!!

I was feeling ambitious after and completed 25 minutes of a Kickbox Cardio Burn workout on TV. I’m slightly obsessed with it. If you have Verizon Fios check it out, Sensei Guillermo is pretty intense.

I was fortunate that Ava woke up JUST AS I FINISHED:)

Have you ever had to end a workout because you were interrupted by a baby, an important phone call, etc? 

Do you like working out at home?

When your trainer or fitness instructor tells you to pushups do you make a face and say “I Hate Pushups??” I constantly hear from my clients and people in the gym that they hate pushups & pull-ups.  Usually when you dislike an exercise you are weak in that area, and in this case the weakness would come from your chest and arms.

Obviously Pushups aren’t easy, you can make them easier; it just takes practice!!! So lets practice together.

A while back I challenged you to this PUSHUP CHALLENGE. The challenge was to complete as many PUSHUPS as possible in 1 day. 

I have a new challenge for you and it starts today.  This time instead of 1 day lets work every other day for 10 days! 

Drop down and do some pushups throughout your day, at the end of your day record how many you completed. Take a day of rest in between and then try to beat your number!!

Lets see after 10 days how much our Pushup Strength improves!

**Please consult your Doctor or Physician before beginning any new exercise program**

If you are looking for a deep muscle burn, her class will smoke your legs and keep them shaking throughout the 55-minute workout. I loved her style of teaching. Not only was her enthusiasm motivating me to dig deeper, but her constant encouragement during the workout kept me pushing my body to the limits. I learned more on technique during this class and I think my hip”TUCK” is finally improving. I can feel such a difference in my core strength in just 1 week of taking these classes.

I am still struggling a bit with my quads/hip flexors. They are extremely tight and I know it is from teaching tons of classes on top of taking Pure Barre. My rest days are seeming more and more important this week. So I have scheduled 2 off days from lifting/toning and I will be focusing on stretching and long walks on those 2 days off.

The variety of exercises in the classes are great, I really enjoy learning something new each time. Even the exercises that look easy or start off easy quickly change and I find myself questioning when it will be over! The burn is unlike a burn you get from lifting dumbbells… you will have to try it out to see what I’m talking about!!

My favorite exercise during Ashley’s class involved the tube band, you are lying face down on your stomach with the band around your ankles. We were working the glutes by extending the leg up and pulsing.. my butt cheeks were on fire and I actually walked out of there feeling a little more lift!

As I continue to take the Barre classes I am finding myself more and more focused on my form and posture. The class flies by because my mind if focusing on so many things at once…… keeping my back straight and removing the arch, tucking my hips, pressing my arms into the bar, keeping my neck straight, breathing, keeping my shoulders down, toes pointed, feet flexed… as you can see each movement requires perfection and I am definitely striving for perfection. It seems nearly impossible at times but I am doing my best!!

Barre class is so different then the workouts I normally do, it adds a great balance and compliments my training!

If you are looking to try a BARRE class be ready for a workout that will push your body to the limit. Most of the workout was body weight training that focused on leaning out the muscles, however we did use light free weights and a ball. The workout is done in your socks which is fun too

I have done SO many different classes before but nothing like a Barre class. With such tiny movements throughout the class I questioned how my muscles would get fatigued but it didn’t take long before I got a burn! There were moments when my thighs were screaming and I couldn’t wait for the countdown from 10 to be over! I don’t know if my Quads were sore from teaching Group Power the night before but wow were they on fire yesterday.

Some of the weight bearing lower body exercises were challenging, but in a good way. I loved holding a squat on my tippy toes, it was a move I’ve never done before and my legs were shaking just from holding that position for minute straight!

I noticed throughout the workout that my legs were more challenged then my upper body but I’m sure that will change the next time I take a class. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is looking for a low-impact workout, it is easy on the joints but tough on the muscles! As you can see my heart rate didn’t get too high, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great workout.

My first Barre experience was fun! There were a few technical points I need to work on, like “tucking my hip” and keeping my lower back from arching, but for my first day I think I did okay.

I’m looking forward to seeing what my second workout brings. Check out the Pure Barre schedule and give it a try!

***Disclosure: The following post is sponsored by Pure Barre in Greenwich, CT. All thoughts and Opinions are my own however I am compensated with a free month of classes***