Tag Archives: circuit training

10 Minute Toner: Sara Haley’s Love-Inspired Circuit Training Workout

By Sara Haley, creator of The Daily Sweat

headshot-300x300Happy Valentine’s Day! I love holidays because they always inspire me to be creative with my workouts. This year I used some of my favorite sayings from Valentine Conversation Hearts to create a full body workout. (And, since everyone always asks me how I fit in my workouts, now that I’m a mom, I thought I’d share with you what really goes on at my house when I work out at home—see the video below!)

Below is a list of the exercises in the circuit, including how many reps to do. The whole thing should take you around 10 minutes. Put on some of your favorite songs—”Call Me Maybe”, anyone?—and do the moves back to back. Most of all, have fun while you’re doing it—you may even be able to recruit your hubby or kiddos to help you out!

 

Sara Haley’s Crazy Conversation Heart’s Circuit

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Retro Workout Circuit: Total Body Trampoline Workout at Home

Remember that old mini trampoline that was in your house growing up? It’s time to dust it off for a fun, heart-pumping cardio workout! I love to use mini trampolines with clients that I train- especially for those with bad knees. Unlike jumping on the ground, trampolines offer a soft, flexible impact that’s gentler on the joints. I also like that a trampoline is easily portable and can be moved to wherever you want your workout to be whether it’s inside, outside, or even right in front of your television.

mini trampoline

Here’s a super simple trampoline workout that works muscle groups throughout the entire body. These five simple moves will work your quadriceps, glutes, abdominal muscles, triceps and shoulders – just to name a few. Start with a 3-5 minute warm-up of basic bouncing at an easy pace and then move on to the circuit below. Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds with a quick break for rest before moving on to the next exercise. Repeat the circuit 3-5 times and cool down with 3 minutes of basic bouncing, followed by stretching.

1. Low Bounce – Stand on your trampoline with your feet a little wider than your hips and toes slightly turned out. Lower yourself into a squat position (keep your knees aligned with your toes) and bounce quickly. Bring your feet closer together for more intensity.

lowbounce1 lowbounce2

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Jack O’Donnell Loses 82 Pounds by Cutting Carbs and Adding Circuit Training

This week’s True Weight Loss Story comes to us from Chicago, Illinois, where Jack O’Donnell recently made it to his goal weight of 175 pounds. It hasn’t been easy but Jack knew he had no choice. He was diagnosed with diabetes in 1990, requiring insulin and medication but at the time, even that wasn’t enough to spur him into action. Finally, when doctors raised his insulin dosage and started putting him on other medications to combat the side effects of diabetes and obesity, Jack decided to take charge of his health and turn things around.

True Weight Loss Story: Jack O'Donnell

As a child, Jack says he struggled with frequent weight loss and gain, the unfortunate ramifications of yo-yo dieting.  As an adult, stress-eating, poor food choices, eating large portions and lack of exercise, all added to the big picture of his weight gain. On the day of his “ah-ha” moment, he weighed 257 pounds. He was miserable and after a visit to the doctor confirmed his new medication regimen, the tough Chicagoan says he was actually, “frightened.”

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7-Minute Workouts: High Intensity Interval Training Now Backed by Science

  • Exercise scientists have found that a seven minute, high intensity workout yields the same cardiovascular and muscular results as an extended fitness session, like running for a couple of hours.
  • The exercise program incorporates 12 different workouts, executed in quick succession with less than 30 seconds of rest between bouts, and works to maximize metabolic efficiency.
  • Longer exercise sessions negatively impacted the intensity of a workout, and 15-20 repetitions of an individual fitness bout fulfilled metabolic requirements, according to researchers at the Human Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
  • The 12-step circuit aims to sustain an increased heart rate while burning calories and developing strength in the core, upper, and lower body.
  • The workout can be conveniently completed at home with your own body weight serving as natural dumbbells and your office chair the only equipment required.

Get More Information at: ACSM Health & Fitness Journal, ABC News, Greatist

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Channing Tatum’s Workouts Earn Him Title of Sexiest Man Alive

Pull up your chairs ladies and get ready to oogle at a big piece of man. People Magazine has officially named its 2024 Sexiest Man Alive: Channing Tatum, the actor who most recently gained fame from his scandalous role as a stripper in the 2024 blockbuster Magic Mike.

People Magazine’s Julie Jordan told TODAY Wednesday that the decision was an easy one. “He’s the triple threat this year. There was romance in The Vow, there was comedy in 21 Jump Street and that little film Magic Mike where he was a stripper,” she said. “He’s more than just a body, he’s got heart, he loves his wife and he’s ready to be a daddy.”

In an exclusive interview with People Magazine, Tatum shared that he’s ready to settle down and be a family man, making him all the more attractive to his adoring female fans. “I’m ready; I think she’s ready,” he said. “The first number that pops into my head is three, but I just want one to be healthy and then we’ll see where we go after that.”

For those unfamiliar with Tatum’s career and his famous washboard abs, the 32-year-old actor was born and raised in Cullman, Alabama to a mother who was an airline worker and a father who worked in construction. When Tatum was 6 his family moved to Mississippi where the natural athlete discovered the world of sports, including football, soccer, track, baseball and martial arts. (more…)

Candice Ball Lost 41 Pounds with P90X and Insanity

This week’s inspiring true weight loss story comes from Candice Ball of New York City who lost more than 40 pounds after deciding she’d put health on the back burner for long enough. Candice had struggled with her weight for the majority of her life, but in 2024 she came to the realization that she had to get healthy. “I’ve struggled with weight basically all my life,” she said. “I was not eating healthy…I was addicted to an unhealthy lifestyle.”

At her heaviest, Candice weighed 174 pounds. Her adorable puppy, Toshi, who is a professional pet actor and model, was one factor that triggered her weight loss journey. “I was embarrassed that I made sure my dog was well taken care of, but I wasn’t.”

Another factor that helped Candice finally decide to lose the weight was a run-in with an old flame. “I ran into someone I really cared for many years ago and I felt awkward, him seeing me the way I looked. I was always active when I was with that person,” she said. “Then I just let myself go.”

In December of last year, Candice started doing P90x2 and within two weeks, she dropped 17 pounds. After she finished the program she continued to follow a food plan and added Insanity to her workout routine. Candice’s initial goal weight was 140 pounds, but she surpassed that mark and is currently thrilled to be 133 pounds.

Even though Candice met her weight goal, she still continues to workout and eat healthy. Her exercises consist of circuit training, P90x2, running, martial arts, and riding horses. “Anything to keep me moving and not in the same routine,” she said. (more…)

Sworkit App Delivers Simple, Effective Workouts to Your iPhone

Want to workout but don’t know where to begin? The Sworkit app has you covered. It’s an app that gives you randomized training workouts based on which parts of the body you want to focus on. The workouts are timed from five to 60 minute sessions, so you can’t use the excuse that you don’t have time to workout. It’s available for Androids, iPhones and iPads, and Web.

Sworkit’s creator, Ryan Hanna, told us, “The real purpose of Sworkit and what sets it apart is the attention to simplicity. When the majority of people set out to exercise, they don’t necessarily know where to start and then there are some people who will talk themselves out of ever starting in the first place.”

“Sworkit only asks two questions: How long do you have to workout? Where do you want to feel it?” said Hanna. (more…)

Saturday Morning Drills: Fat Blasting Circuit

Don’t let this quick little circuit routine fool you. You’ll be feeling the burn and blasting fat in no time. Doing these exercises with little rest in between will force your body to consume more oxygen during the workout and after. This means your body will have to use all that unwanted body fat for energy!

How to do: Perform each exercise in the amount of time given. Rest for 5-10 seconds before moving on to the next. You can repeat the entire series up to three times. The only equipment you’ll need are light weight dumb bells.

2 minute Warm Up– Slow jog around your living space, staying on the balls of your feet and swinging your arms.

2 minute Leg kicks-Standing with feet hip width apart, kick one leg up straight and extend your opposite hand to touch your toes. Lower that leg and quickly repeat with the other leg and arm.

1 minute Burpees– Start in a push up position with both hands below your chest. Keeping your hands in place, bring your feet towards your hands by making a jumping motion. (To make it easier, step with one foot towards the same side hand and than bring the other foot forward) Jump up. Immediately squat back down, touching the floor with your hands. Kick both feet back at the same time, bringing you back to the push up position. (To make it easier, step one foot back than the other. Repeat for 1 minute. (more…)

Saturday Morning Drill: Bikini Body Blast

Kick-off the weekend with my bikini body blast workout, it’s a head-to-toe set of exercises that will keep you in shape for that bikini (or help you get closer!).

Watch my brief video demonstration of each of the exercises, and follow the reps instruction below.

  • Lunge, Squat side leg lift 8-10 on each leg
  • Squat and side leg lift 8-10 alternating
    Footballer cardio Interval 30-60 seconds
  • Side Plank Lift 1 x 8 and 1 x8 small pulses for extra burn

Repeat the circuit two more times for extra calorie burn.

See more of Tracey Mallett’s workouts and fitness tips.

Train Like Your Favorite Celebrity with Ramona Braganza’s 3-2-1 Training Method

Trainer Ramona Braganza‘s 3-2-1 workout has been the go-to method for may Hollywood stars and starlets including  Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Ryan Reynolds and 2024’s Sexiest Man Alive Bradley Cooper to get into fantastic shape fast for roles in big time movies and TV shows.

Ramona Braganza was a cheerleader for The Raiders in LA then began fitness training and modeling, but credits her mental focus to her childhood as a competitive gymnast in Canada. The 3-2-1 method, which Braganza says really came together with Jessica Alba while shooting Into The Blue, consists of three 10-minute intervals of cardio, two 10-minute intervals of strength training, and one 10-minute interval of abdominal training. All of the sequences are then repeated twice to complete one workout.

Want to get the body of your favorite celebrity? Try the 3-2-1 workout for yourself!

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I’ve Reached My Weight Loss Goal. Now What?

On Diets in Review, we talk a lot about weight loss. But what happens when you’ve reached your weight loss goal? Sure, you’re happy and proud of yourself and your new body, but chances are, you probably feel a little lost as to what to do and what to eat now that you don’t have that goal weight to focus on, right? Well, no worries. We have your five step guide to keeping you at your healthy weight and totally motivated!

5 Tips to Keep the Weight Off — And You Motivated

1. Splurge a little more (but be mindful). Now that you’re at your goal weight, you can be a little more lax with your diet, but remember that extra calories add up quickly (and that it’s a lot easier to eat calories than it is to burn them off). A good rule of thumb is to eat a diet that is 80/20, meaning that 80 percent of what you eat is nutritious and healthy, and 20 percent is the other maybe not-so-healthy food that you’re craving. If you ever start to put the pounds back on (and you should know if you do — see tip No. 5), switch your eating to 90/10 until you’re back at your happy weight. Also remember to keep portion sizes down and to savor every bite, being totally mindful of what you’re eating!

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