Total Body

Power Bell Workout = Kettlebell + Dumbbell Circuit

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Hello Friends!  Hope your day is off to a good start.  I taught my very first cycling class at Beyond Pedaling in Dallas this morning – it went great!  I’m so glad that the jitters are out and now I can go full speed ahead.  Even though I’ve been teaching fitness classes for over 3 years, every time I join a new studio or start teaching a new format, I get major butterflies in my stomach.  Are you taking on any new challenges this Fall?  I hope so!

Anyway, here’s a workout that I created a few weeks ago while I was traveling for work.  I did it in my hotel gym because they had dumbbells and kettle bells, which was a nice change-up from the usual half-broken stationary bike.  I enjoyed my workout so wanted to share with you.  Obviously, you need a kettlebell and a pair of dumbbells to complete the circuit.  If you don’t have a kettelbell, you can use one dumbbell in place of the kettlebell for certain exercises.  The circuit is designed to keep your heart rate elevated and blast calories.  This means you should get a good sweat going!  However, if you want some extra cardio, I suggest warming up with 10-15 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill.  The total workout can be done in less than 30 minutes. Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes!  I also included some action shots below of me doing the workout (please be merciful as it was 5:30am and I had no make up and a messy top not).

ENJOY!  Lots of luv, Brit

Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell Plie’ Squats
Squat w/ shoulder press (Thrusters)
Push Ups
Berry Pickers / Russian Twist
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Home Workouts, Total Body

10X10 CrossFit-inspired Calorie Blasting Workout

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Hey Gang!  Hope your week is going well.  I’ve been working away in Chicago and still attending regular CrossFit sessions with my team.  I’ve always had mixed feelings about CrossFit (seemed a little “meatheadish”) but over the past few weeks I’m becoming more of a fan. In fact, I actually created my own “CrossFit-Inspired” workout to do this Friday when I get back home.  I wanted to share it with you guys so you can give it a whirl on your own.  A few things to note:

  • Duration = 15-20 minutes
  • Calorie Burn = ~ 250 calories
  • Rest for 1 minute between each round
  • The workout requires a kettle bell.  If you don’t have a kettle bell, feel free to use a 10-20 pound dumbbell instead
  • Be sure to do full sit ups (not crunches) keeping your feet flat on the ground

 

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Just for Fun

Join the GRIT by Brit DietBet to Lose Weight & Win Cash!

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Join the GRIT by Brit Diet BetLet’s jump-start a healthier 2014 with some fun & friendly competition!  I started a diet bet game that will start on Monday, January 6.  Click here to join our game and invite your friends and family too.  Our pot of money grows as players join.  Whoever hits their goal splits the pot.  Get healthier, have fun and win some cash – don’t wait our game starts next Monday!

the_future

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Home Workouts, Total Body

Buddy Boot Camp! 5 Super Effective Partner Exercises to do with your Fit Friends

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kpxvRHar4c&w=560&h=315]

Hey GRIT Gang! I hope that all is amazing in your world.  Very sorry for my sporadic blog posting – I’ve been doing lots of traveling the past 2 weeks.  On a positive note, last weekend I went to the Bryson City, North Carolina to a enjoy a weekend “ruffing” it with some of my best friends from business school.

In the midst of hiking the Great Smoky Mountains, cooking homemade meals, sitting by the camp fire and reminiscing on the good old days, I designed this “buddy bootcamp” workout.  During our vacation, my friends and I did this super efficient HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) circuit to ensure we got some strength and anaerobic training in .  Not only is the workout effective, it’s also very fun!  So next time you are looking for some fierce, fun exercises to do with your fit friends, keep these 5 exercises in mind…

5 Super Effective Partner Exercises

Before I leave you, I encourage you to not only enjoy the workout itself, but to more importantly enjoy and love the friend that you do the workout with.  And on that note, I leave you with this quote that one of my dearest friends, Lakshmi (staring in the front row of the instructional video above) shared with me:

“A friend is one to whom one may pour out the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that gentle hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.”  – George Eliott

ENJOY!  Lots of luv, Brit

Enjoing a nice hike in Great Smoky Mountains - Nothing says true friendship like matching beanies
Enjoying a nice hike in Great Smoky Mountains – Nothing says true friendship like matching beanies

Takin' it all in - life is good!
Takin’ it all in – life is good!

A picture is worth a 1000 words #breathtaking
A picture is worth a 1000 words #breathtaking

Grateful for good times and great friends! #blessed
Grateful for good times and great friends! #blessed

I love you and hope you have a great week! -Brit :)
I love you and hope you have a great week! -Brit 🙂

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Workout Reviews & Ratings

Aqua Studio NYC: Spinning in a swimming pool!

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aqua cycling

Aqua Cycling...how cool does that sound?  I was super pumped up to hear that Aqua Studio opened earlier this month in NYC, so some friends and I checked it out.  It was definitely the “Most Interesting Workout” I’ve ever done.   Long story short – try it out to say you did it, but overall it’s not worth the money. I’m sad to confess that after my first Aqua Cycling workout, I walked right across the street to CrossFit 212 for a “real workout.”  Now let me temper my sentiments by making clear that I crave intense workouts.  If I’m not drenched in sweat by the end, I feel like I wasted my time.  If you’re like me in this regard, save your money and hit up a higher intensity class.

On a side note, word on the street is that Beyonce did Aqua Cycling to lose her baby weight.  But, let’s be real. Did you see the way she was sweating and working it out during the Super Bowl half time?  There’s NO WAY she got into that shape by casually pedaling a bicycle in a swimming pool.  I’m 100% confident that she worked her butt off to the point of complete exhaustion to get that body and those moves.  I’m just sayin…

Now that I’ve shared my colorful commentary, here’s the real deal with Aqua Cycling:

Workout Detailspicstitch(29)

  • Aqua Studio opened in NYC on April 15th – it’s located in Tribeca in a really chic, high end, boutique studio
  • 45 minute cycling workout with the bike completely submerged in water
  • No resistance on the bike, so resistance is based on how fast you pedal (the faster you pedal, the more natural resistance you feel from the water)
  • Lots of core and isometric toning exercising are incorporated throughout the workout session.  The moves are similar to water aerobics (i.e. arm strokes in the water, float on your back and do crunches)

Pros

Aqua Studio NYC

  • Low impact, so a good work out option if you have knee problems
  • Being in water naturally is therapeutic 😉
  • Instructors are really nice (not mean or too intense)
  • Music is good.  We gotta a like Drake “Started from the Bottom” jamz during my class
  • Studio is impeccable, like being at  high end spa, really nice!
  • Nice change up to your usual workout routine

Cons

  • Very expensive ($40 for single drop in class)
  • Lacking intensity – I’d estimate you only burn 300 calories in 45 minutes
  • The class choreography could use some help.  Simply doing more sprints on the bike would make the the workout more effective.  Also, we did a body weight arm circuit above the water that was super easy…kind of felt like a waste of time.

Sorry Aqua Studio NY, had a good time, but not “GRITTY” enough for me 🙁

aquacycling in action

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Arms, Cardio, Home Workouts

Wednesday Workout: Sweat, Tone, Sweat!

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Good morning everyone!  Here’s your Wednesday Workout.  I tested this bad boy on Monday night and it’s definitely GRIT by Brit worthy.  The workout requires a stationary bike and 2 light hand weights.  The key is to stay on the bike and cycle for the entire duration of the workout.  It takes about 1 hour to complete and you can expect to burn 500-700 calories.  You can also expect to sculpt some lean sexy arms in the process.  Try it out and let me know how it goes.  Lots of luv, Brit 🙂

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Cardio, Home Workouts, Total Body

Where Da Ballers At?

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  • Workout Name: Basketball Court Workout  by Brit
  • Duration: 45 min – 1 hour
  • Calories burned: 400 – 700
  • Commentary: The fact of the matter is pro basketball players have HOT bodies.  Whether you’re a “pro hooper”, “ex-hooper” or “wanna be hooper,” the basketball court is ALWAYS a great place to get a super effective workout.  The workout I’ve put together incorporates many of the drills I did back in my day plus some basics to burn calories and build endurance.  No matter your skill level, you should be able to get through this workout and increase your fitness level in the process.  Change up your routine and try it out.  Let me know how it goes!

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Cardio, Home Workouts, Total Body

TRAIN Like an Olympian to LOOK Like an Olympian

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  • Workout: Olympic Athlete Personal Challenge by Brit
  • Duration: 30-45 minutes
  • Calories Burned: 400-600
  • Brit’s Commentary: I was feeling so inspired by the Olympics this week that I designed a workout to challenge my own “Olympic worthiness.”  I’m no where near an “Olympic athlete” but sometimes it’s good to feel my own SPEED, ENDURANCE, STRENGTH and GRIT!  This workout was a nice change up to my usual routine and kept me in the Olympic spirit.  It also allowed me to capitalize on all of the positive energy that the Olympics brings every 4 years!  That said, try the challenge for yourself and go for the GOLD 🙂

*Be sure to warm up for 5-10 minutes before you start the sprints and stretch for 5-15 minutes after you complete the workout.  

Example: Inch Worm Exercise

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Home Workouts

EXTREME Bikini Body Workout

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Rockin’ my bikini body at Monte Carlo Beach Club  (June 2012)
 
  • Duration: 1 – 1.5 hours
  • Calories Burned: 700 – 1,000
  • Focus: Maximum calorie burn, rectus abdominis (abs), quads and hamstrings (thighs)
  • Facts: Circuit training is the most effective way to get both cardiovascular and strength conditioning in your workouts.  The cardio segments blast calories while the resistance segments keep your body burning calories long after you finish working out.
  • Brit’s Commentary: Let’s face it, no matter your size or body composition, took look good in a bikini you need 3 things: 1) Flat tummy 2) Toned thighs and 3) most importantly SELF-CONFIDENCE.  I created this workout to give you just that.  It focuses on the abs, thighs and overall calorie burn to make you look lean from head to toe.  Since this workout is a DOOZY, simply getting through it will surely boost your self-confidence.  Try throwing this workout into your regimen once a week for that extra PUSH towards your ultimate beach body.  Enjoy 🙂

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