Back, Home Workouts

Bringin’ Sexy BACK!

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Hilary Swank is def a fit chic – I’m sure she pumps iron for this sexy back!
  • Workout: Sexy sculpted back workout by Brit
  • Calories burned: about 200
  • The facts: Strengthening your back enhances your posture which makes you look taller and leaner – YAY!  However, when working your back, it’s critical to work the opposing muscles which are your pecs (chest).  Therefore, I’ve included some push ups to work your chest.  Most importantly, if you want results you must PUSH yourself and PUMP UP the weight during  this workout – YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!  You need to choose a weight heavy enough that you can only get through 8-12 reps.  If you can easily do more than 12 reps, you are not lifting enough weight and your muscles are not getting enough resistance to actually change shape!
  • Instructions:
    • Use medium to heavy hand weights to complete this workout (5-15 pounds for the ladies, 10-30 pounds for the fellas)
    • Complete 3 cycles of each super set alternating between the 2 exercises in each set.  For example, in Super Set 2, go back and forth completing the low row and bent over fly 3 times each, then move on super set 3
    • Do this workout 2-3 times per week for 4 weeks along with your moderate/high intensity cardio workouts at least 2-3 times per week
    • Click on the workout below to make it bigger, also feel free to print and save 😉

     



In case you’re unfamiliar with some of the exercises in this workout, here are some pics to guide you 😉

Deadlift aka "Good Morning"
Dead lift aka “Good Morning”
Bear Walk
Low Row
Bent over rear delt fly
Shoulder press
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Inspiration & Motivation

Tone Up Challenge Week 2 Report: Jan falls in love with Flywheel

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We’re half way there – Jan has officially completed her 2nd week of my 4 Week Tone Up Challenge.  Here’s her update along with my advice to get her through the home stretch with maximum shape up results – enjoy!

Week 2 Update from Jan:

“Wk #2 was great!  I started going to Flywheel Spin and it was a ‘game changer.’  I have been spinning for years and love the energy and intensity of Flywheel more than than any class  I’ve ever gone to.  I worked out 5 days last week, but 1 day was without cardio.  I added Brit’s Six Pack by Summer ab routine  to all of my workouts last week (the plank and seated portions).  I also did Brit’s Killer Legs workout after spin one night and was really in the hurt box – in a good way 🙂  

So far I’ve been seeing some good results in terms of my muscle definition .  My ‘six pack’ is on its way back for sure.  I’m feeling leaner and just more fit in general.  However, my knees and ankles are quite sore from all of the exercise, so I’ll need  to be careful with them.”  – Jan

Brit’s Advice for Jan:

  • Diet, Diet, Diet – Jan continues to get her 5 workouts in per week; however, slipping up on her diet could completely wash away her results.  Many top resources claim that weight loss depends 80% on diet and 20% on exercise.
  • RICE – Jan has a history of knee and ankle injuries so it’s critical that Rests, Ice, Compress, Elevates her knees and ankles after workouts to keep inflammation down.  However, you should ALWAYS refrain from exercise and get clearance from your doctor before starting any new workout regimen.
  • EVEN more discipline – Jan must push herself through the home stretch and commit to having a PERFECT last 2 weeks. That means every workout is completed with max effort and she sticks to her diet change ups 100%.  Jan needs to give it all she’s got these last 14 days for maximum results.
Stay tuned for Jan’s 3 week report and special edition final report which will include a post challenge photo shoot of her smoking hot body, compliments of the lovely Anna Jane!

Learn more about FlyWheel at their website: https://www.flywheelsports.com/

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Inspiration & Motivation

SPEAK it into Existence!

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“I’m going to shoot a workout video on May 12, 2012”

– Brit on 1/24/12

Guess what?  I did!  In less than 5 months, with help of the most amazing friends and family, yesterday we shot GRIT Ultimate Body Burn Vol.1 – WOW!  Let me preface this by saying that I have ZERO video or audio production experience, I’m not a full-time fitness professional (I’m a management consultant by day) and I’ve only been a group fitness instructor for 1 year.  However, a simple statement that I made to a friend on Jan 24, 2012 became a reality due to enthusiasm and the amazing power of the tongue!

Now let me keep it real, there were SEVERAL bumps in the road: getting legal clearance for music was a nightmare, writing choreography took many sleepless nights and my credit card is suffering from underestimating the cost of video equipment rentals.  However, I feel more alive and energized than I have in years because I did something that most, including myself, considered impossible – and it all starting with SPEAKING out my goal.  Even though we still have a lot of post production work to do, this is one of most challenging and inspiring experiences of my life so I wanted to share it with you.  Now, I challenge YOU to BELIEVE in whatever it is that you want to achieve.  You ARE what you SAY you are.  So, NAME it, CLAIM it, and DO it – GRIT!

“Death and Life are in the power of the tongue…” (Proverbs 18:21)

Me and my GRIT girlz chillin’ in between cuts
The amazing Phil Wall to the far right (www.philwallproductions.com) my buddy and partner in crime – the genius one man crew who made the shoot a success!
Got free labor from my lil’ bro – he was our “audio technician”
Standing AB work – yeah buddy!
Celebrating (silly pose) after we finished the shoot!
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Just for Fun

5 Tips to Spice Up Your Workout Routine: Variety is the SPICE of life and the FUEL for fitness

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NOT this kind of variety 😉

Hopefully you’ve found a workout that you absolutely LOVE , which is GREAT!  I’m a firm believer that you’ll never consistently exercise until you find a workout that you TRULY enjoy and that makes you FEEL GOOD about your body!  However, it’s critical that we constantly change up our workout routines.  This doesn’t mean we have to give up the exercises we love, but we DO have to SPICE things up.  So you are probably wondering…

WHY SHOULD I VARY MY WORKOUTS? 
  • Avoid the plateau – Our bodies are super efficient –  WE ARE STRONGER THAN WE THINK WE ARE!  Once our bodies  get use to a certain workout, they don’t require the same amount of energy (calories or strength) to get it done.
  • Prevent injury – If we do the same workouts all of the time, we run a significantly greater risk of chronic injuries (shin splints, etc.)  Changing it up makes us work a variety of muscles and develop balanced strength and endurance.
  • Stay interested – New workouts keep us engaged in exercise.  High mental and emotional engagement makes us more energized meaning we work harder and reach greater fitness levels.

BRIT’S 5 TIPS TO SPICE UP YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE

Burn up to 1,000 calories in 1 hour of Title Boxing!
  1. Do 3 DIFFERENT types of cardio exercises every week – At a minimum, its most important to ensure that you get 3-30 minute cardio workouts in each week.  However, you can maximize results by doing a variety of cardio workouts.  For example: Monday – Treadmill, Wednesday –  Elliptical, Friday – Boxing class.  
  2. Add Intervals – Intervals in terms of speed and incline/resistance are a great way to keep your body in the “cardio zone” and make sure you don’t get complacent.  For example: when on the elliptical, ride at level 5 resistance for 3 min then level 10 resistance for 1 min, continue alternating for 30 min to 1 hr.
  3. Power walk instead of running/jogging – Power walking is not as natural of a movement as jogging/running which means you have to engage more muscles.  This is a great way to shock your body and even burn more calories – add light hand weights for an extra burn!

    TRX Suspension Resistance Training
  4. Switch up your resistance regimen – Instead of your usual back/biceps and chest/triceps workouts that you have been doing for years, change it up!  Try the new TRX suspension training or an endurance body weight routine (like several posted on this site).  Remember, if you do what you always done, you’ll get what you always got!
  5. Get moving with a group – Working out with a group makes you push harder and leverage the energy of those around you.  I encourage you to try some of my favorite group exercise classes: Title Boxing Club, Boot Camps (any one), Bar Method, Cycle classes and TurboKick.
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Inspiration & Motivation

Tone Up Challenge Week 1 Report: Jan’s gettin’ in the groove

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So, you guys remember my friend Jan from our 4-week Tone Up Challenge  – well she has officially completed her 1st week and is kicking butt and taking names.  Here is an update on her “toning up” progress.

JAN’S WEEK #1 PROGRESS REPORT:

Jan gettin’ ready for her SPIN class this morning!

“So good 1st week!  I changed up the days a little bit because I was sick, so did your #1 and #2 workouts and will do #3 on Tuesday, so I’m a little off.  Felt really good doing a 5 day workout this week, but knees are swollen. So,  I took Sunday off but went to Spin class this morning and feel really good about it.  The #1 workout was good, did the AB portion twice (the 2nd 1/2).  The standing up stuff didn’t work me out as much as I liked.  The workout #2 was good, a little tough on my knees with the 1st 1/2 squatting etc, but still good to tone up my legs.  I already am feeling good results, bc my body changes pretty quickly so LOVING IT!”

– Jan 🙂

BRIT’S WEEK #2 ADVICE FOR JAN:

  • Don’t get complacent.  Jan did a great job on getting in 5 workouts in 1 week.  Often when have a successful exercise week, we get complacent and think we deserve a “break.”  This is also the case we we lose the 1st 5 pounds…we get excited and gain ’em back the next week.  While you should feel good about yourself and proud of your accomplishment, make sure to keep up the hard work.  This week, I’m continuing to push Jan to get her 5 workouts in!
  • Jan’s doing a good job of listening to her body to prevent over training; however, she is still pushing herself and ensuring that she gets ALL of her workouts in.  It can be hard to balance the two, but she’s doing a great job!
  • Don’t forget your diet.  This week, I challenged Jan to focus more on her 3 diet change ups: 1) protein at breakfast 2) healthy afternoon snack 3) and no eating after 9pm.  She did pretty well the first week but there is ALWAYS room for improvement.

Stay tuned for Jan’s Week 2 update next Monday, WISH HER LUCK – Go Jan!

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Inspiration & Motivation

Confessions of an “Over Trainer”

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Last weekend I missed my 2 Hour Saturday Detox because of a very fun brunch event.  In reality it wasn’t that big of a deal, but all week I found myself trying to make up for that 1 workout (don’t judge, I already told you guys about my neurotic tendencies) .  In all seriousness, I felt really out of  shape and had this weird need work out really hard for the next few days to make up for it.  Fortunately, my friend/work out buddy provided a rescuing voice of reason after our Turbo Kick class on Wednesday.  She just sent me an email that said “You aren’t out of shape, you are over training.”  And that’s when it hit me, I needed to CHILL OUT.  I was seriously showing signs of an “Over Trainer” …

Me, pooped after an intense workout. This SHOULD NOT be a “daily” thing!

As you guys know by now, I’m strong advocate of pushing your body and mind to get the fitness and health results you desire.  However, there IS such thing as “over training” and I know this because I struggle with it.  Like all things in life, too much of any thing ultimately becomes a bad thing.  If your body doesn’t get adequate recovery time, your workouts could do your body more harm than good and put you at serious risk for injury –  keeping you from working out altogether!  Mental and psychological risks of too much exercise also exist.  For instance,  feeling depressed, fat or out of shape without long, intense regular workouts and sacrificing your personal commitments and relationships to hit the gym are just a couple.

I’m all about getting your sweat on, but if you think you are over training, def chill out for a bit and talk to your doctor about it!

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Legs

Tummy and Thighs and Booty…OH MY!

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Here is a workout I put together to zap our problem areas – yes, the tummy, thighs and booty!  Reality is, these areas are the hardest to transform because it takes a lot of GRIT.  The workout is hard but you CAN do it!  Dig deep and don’t give up.  Enjoy 🙂

  • Workout: TTBOM by Brit
  • Duration: 45 minutes
  • Calories burned: 400-600

Instructions: Do the following circuit 4X.  In between each round, jump rope or run in place with high knees for 2 minutes WITHOUT stopping.  Burn it out and get it RIGHT!

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Inspiration & Motivation, Workout Reviews & Ratings

Real talk about personal trainers…

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Seek a Personal Trainer who INSPIRES you!

So, I’ve received several requests  for my thoughts on qualities you should seek in a personal trainer.  Let’s face it, PT is NOT cheap so we gotta make sure you get your money’s worth – AMEN?    I had a personal trainer for 1 year and he really helped me get back into shape after b-school.  BUT, before I found my trainer I ran into a few duds.  Here are the top 5 qualities my PT had that helped me reach my goals – hopefully these come in handy when selecting your own – enjoy 🙂

 

 

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Inspiration & Motivation

4-week Tone Up Challenge

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Hey guys – meet one of my DEAREST college friends, Jan.   Many people think that Jan and I became friends because we were both varsity athletes, but I know that we TRULY bonded over our love for football players 😉

Jan now lives in Chicago,  works in the fashion industry and is constantly on the go.   She likes to workout but is looking for a plan to get her out of her usual routine and beach body ready for our summer vacay!

However, keep in mind that Jan only has time to workout for 1 hour each day and no more than 5 days per week.  Also, she a has a history of knee and ankle injuries so high-impact workouts are a “no go.”

That said, I put this 4-week plan together which incorporates several of the workouts and nutrition tips previously posted on GRITbyBrit.  Every week, Jan will provide you guys with an update on her progress and a picture of her body getting hotter by the day!  WISH HER LUCK – go Jan!

Links to workouts mentioned above:

  1. Six Pack by Summer Workout: https://gritbybrit.com/2012/04/22/six-pack-by-summer/
  2. KILLER legs Workout: https://gritbybrit.com/2012/04/23/get-killer-legs-in-your-living-room/
  3. Medicine Ball Workout: https://gritbybrit.com/2012/04/28/melt-fat-at-home-with-a-medicine-ball/
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Home Workouts, Total Body

Melt Fat AT HOME with a Medicine Ball

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  • Workout: Medicine Ball Melt Down by Brit
  • Duration: about 30 minutes
  • Calories Burned: 250 – 350
  • Focus: Total body toning, core strength, calorie burn
  • Commentary:  Using medicine balls are a FUN and EFFECTIVE way to change-up your home workout routines.  I like them because I can always find a new way to workout with them.   I highly suggest getting one of your own – you can buy them for pretty cheap ($10-40) depending on the weight.

INSTRUCTIONS: Do 4 rounds of the following circuit.  Between each round, do a 1 min cardio interval  (i.e. jumping jacks, squat jumps, high knees, ski jump side to side, etc.)  You can do this workout at home or  at the gym after or before your cardio training – ENJOY 🙂

    1.  Push ups (15 reps), with one hand on the medicine ball  – 2 rounds w/ right hand, 2 round w/ left hand
    2. Bicep curls (20 reps), holding the medicine ball with both hands
    3. Triceps overhead extensions (20 reps), holding the medicine ball with both hands 
    4. Loop through lunges (20 reps), 10 on right leg and 10 on left leg; step one leg forward into a lunge position, pass the medicine ball under your front leg from one hand to the other, bring the ball back up over you head and pass to the other hand, repeat (see example at the bottom)
    5. Wall sits (45 seconds), with lateral shoulder isolation, hold the medicine ball straight out in front of you with both hands while holding a wall sit 
    6. Berry pickers (20R, 20L), holding the medicine ball with both hands  – lie on your back, bend your knees, rise to a crunch position and twist left and right so that the ball touches the floor on each side
    7. Plank on medicine ball (45 seconds) – 15 sec w/ ball under right hand, 15 sec with ball under left hand, 15 sec with ball under both hands
    8. Superman extensions (20 reps), lie face down on your stomach,  holding the medicine with both hands out in front of your forehead,  raise the ball up about 4 in. from the floor, squeeze your back muscles, repeat.
Example: Loop Through Lunge
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