Done By Dawn: Week 1 Review #betterforit

The sunrise was amazing this morning! I can tell you because I was way up in the Toronto skyline, on the roof of the Thompson Hotel, teaching a 6:30 am #NTC class to some of Toronto's most dedicated ladies! They worked their butts off to the sounds of Pharrell, Shaggy (yes I said Shaggy), Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj, just to name a few. Today's workout was inspired by two NTC Get Focused Workouts: Ali Krieger's Summer Strong Workout, and Christen Press' Goal Getter workout! We push-uped, bounded, squatted and planked like lady bosses, all before the sun was up; best of all, everyone left feeling happy, sweaty, and recharged, ready for an amazing day ahead! Three different sets of partner work also allowed the ladies to make some new friends in Toronto's fitness community! Sounds like something you don't want to miss right? Join me next week to get your workout #donebydawn, and you're sure to feel #betterforit! Registration for next week's classes will be up on Nike.com/Toronto as of Sunday at midnight! 

If you're looking for a great workout in the meantime, check out the 2 workouts mentioned above on the N+TC App.  The Summer Strong and Goal Getter Workouts are both complete body workouts that will challenge your strength and capacity, but leave you feeling awesome. You'll find both of these workouts in the 'Get Focused' section of the app.

Find this workout on the N+TC App under the Get Focused Stream

If you're interested in trying out the workout I did with my class today, heres an outline of the movements and timing:

2 Sets of 

• 1 min of alternating single leg squats
• 1 min of push-ups
• 1 min of diagonal bounds 
• 30 sec per side of Side Plank  with Forward Backward Touches 
• 30 Sec recovery

Partner Challenge: Tabata high knee Runs (4 sets)

2 sets of:

• 1 min Single leg balance with reach knee tuck
• 1 min walkout to front raise
• 1 min Lateral forward jumps
• 1 min V-sit (facing your partner for extra motivation)
• 30 seconds recovery

Partner Challenge: Tabata Squat Jumps (4 Sets)

3 sets of

• 40 sec Ski Jumps
• 1 min of alternating step back lunges

Plank Hold Challenge: Up to 2 minutes!

Cool Down

Photo by @kristinnickolas 

Give it a go, and see how you like it! Happy training friends! Hope to see you next week!

j

Done By Dawn: #betterforit

Are you Ready for your Fittest Summer yet? Over the next several weeks, Nike Women have some amazing events planned to get you ready for the epic Nike Women's 15 Km race taking place on Toronto Island on June 14th, and your fittest summer yet!

Working as an NTC trainer (although I can't really call it 'work') is one of the highlights of my career. I get to hang out with unbelievably talented people, ranging from bloggers, to athletes, to the amazing trainers and thinkers. I can't explain how grateful I am to work as a part of this group, and to be trusted by so many Toronto women to help them get strong, healthy and fit. On Saturday morning I participated in the launch of Nike Women's #betterforit 'Done By Dawn' Series at St. Jame's Cathedral Centre in Toronto. To describe this even as anything less phenomenal would be an understatement...and this is only the beginning.

Over the next several weeks, EVERY DAY from Monday to Friday, Nike Women are hosting early morning (6:30 am) NTC workouts for YOU! The classes will occur at a different location, with a different trainer each day and will be posted for registration on Nike.com/Toronto each Sunday at 12:01 am! Just like the classes at Academy of Lions, the Done By Dawn classes are sure to fill up fast, so make sure you reserve a spot! I personally will be teaching on Wednesday mornings, (are you ready for this), on the roof of the Thompson Hotel at King and Bathurst (King West Location). I don't know if you can feel it as you're reading this, but I am bursting at seams with excitement over this series! These classes, as well as the N+TC App are the perfect tools to get you ready for all the fitness challenges Toronto has to offer this summer! So set your alarm clock, and get ready to sweat! You're sure to feel #betterforit!! 

I'll be waiting for you, every Wednesday at 6:30 am! You know where to find me!

J

The Toronto NTC Trainers!

We're ready for you Toronto! Come and find us!

Workout Wednesday: TA-Burpee!

This #workoutwednesday burner features one of my favourite H.I.I.T schemes: Tabata Intervals. It also features Burpees, one of my favourite exercises! Tabata intervals involve 20 seconds of high intensity activity alternating with 10 seconds of rest. Typically 8 sets (4 minutes worth of work) are completed, making this type of workout a great finisher to tack onto the end of training session. So here it is, "TA-Burpee"... Enjoy!

8 sets of:

• 20 seconds of burpees
  • full range of motion involves touching your chest to the floor in the bottom position, and completely opening your hips during the 'jump and clap' portion of the movement

• 10 seconds of wall-sit/squat hold.
  • Keep your chest up, your abs tight, and your knees stacked over your ankles. 

If you attend my #NTC classes at Academy of Lions, you know just how fun Tabata burpees are! Give it a try and let me know you like it! It's gonna be great!

p.s The winner of week's #workoutwednesday 'Keep Pushing' Contest is @nkmom13! You'll be hearing from me this evening! Stay tuned for more contests in the next couple weeks!  

The Burpee

Who doesn't love burpees? They're a great calisthenic exercise for strength and power development, as well as for conditioning. There are many different ways to do burpees; I like to streamline this movement into a 'controlled fall' to make it as efficient as possible. Here are the movement cues I use when doing or teaching the burpee:

• Keep your core tight, stay compact, drop towards the floor, catching yourself in the bottom of a push up position.

• Press your chest up off the floor (similar to an updog)

• Pike your hips up towards the ceiling, keeping your legs relatively straight (but not locked)
• Pull your legs in, jump and clap (don't forget the clap, it the most important part! ;)

In order to keep your heart rate from skyrocketing, focus on the rhythm of your movement and breathing. When you're practicing, you may even want to use a metronome. (I use the MetroTimer app for iPhone).

Another quick tip: If you're required to touch a target a certain distance above your head, keep your legs and feet as close together as possible as you pull them in; this will minimize the distance between your hands and the target. If you are not required to touch a target, keep your feet a little further apart, as this will minimize the distance you have to drop to the floor. 

Quick Tip: Play!

I'll be the first to tell you that having a structured, periodized program, is essential if you want to meet your fitness and wellness goals (more on this in an upcoming post) BUT... BALANCE is also important! A program that you don't enjoy, EVER, is not likely to keep you engaged and on track to meet your goals. Once in a while, add some PLAY into your program! Something you enjoy doing that is NOT going to jeopardize your health or gains. (Read: don't do something that is going to get you injured or compromise your main lifts and movements!) For me, PLAY usually consists of Olympic lifting or gymnastics, both activities that I LOVE but are not included in this phase of my program - if I can get outside in the sunshine for the gymnastics, I'm in heaven!  I usually add them in on an active recovery day, or for some gymnastics movements, at the end of a regular session (sort of like a reward). So get out there, have fun, and tell me...how do you PLAY?

Play time! Caught mid round-off