circuit – Page 2 – GRIT By Brit

Brit’s Ultimate DIY Boot Camp

May 24, 2012 4 Comments

GRIT 013 — Tasia, my sister Kortani and me after my DIY boot camp – 05/24/12

Focus: Total body conditioning
Calories burned:500 -800
Duration: 1 hour
Commentary: While the last few days of Spring linger around, head outside and enjoy this lovely weather! You Texans know that our summer heat is NO JOKE . 110 degrees outside = indoor treadmill running for us.

My lil’ sister is home from college – yay! This she week she wanted to go to the gym, but as a typical poor college student, couldn’t afford a membership (and I’m not spottin’ her any $$$). Instead, I taught her how to make her own boot camp. This way, she can work out anytime she wants at a local park or track . This evening, I did the boot camp with her and her friend, Tasia. They really enjoyed it so I figured I share my “formula” with you guys.

To get started, you will need:

2 light/medium hand weights (1-10 pounds each for ladies; 5-20 pounds each for gents)
Yoga Mat or large towel
At least 100 yards of flat land and/or 1 standard running track (400 meters around)
Tasia and Kort after we finished – they are too young to be this tired! LOL

Brit’s Boot Camp Formula:

+Warm Up

+ 2 Cardio circuits (3-4 cardio exercises in each)

+4 Resistance circuits (4 strength and toning exercises in each)

+ “Booty Kickin” Finale (~10 minutes anaerobic cardio = sucking air!)

= 100% effective FREE personal boot camp

Here’s the complete boot camp that we did today. Print and save or create your own – enjoy!

Here are some pics of us doing the exercises in case you are unfamiliar with some of them 🙂

GRIT 019 — squat w/ should press – part 1

GRIT 020 — squat w/shoulder press – part 2

GRIT 017 — side squat walk (get it KORT – LOL)

GRIT 028 — leg lowers on back (Tasia is clearly in pain-LOL)

Inspiration & Motivation

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

May 15, 2012 3 Comments

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/

Inspiration & Motivation

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

May 7, 2012 1 Comment

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 after week 1 — 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!

Inspiration & Motivation

4-week Tone Up Challenge

April 29, 2012 11 Comments

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:

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

Home Workouts, Total Body

Melt Fat AT HOME with a Medicine Ball

April 28, 2012 2 Comments

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 🙂

Push ups (15 reps), with one hand on the medicine ball – 2 rounds w/ right hand, 2 round w/ left hand
Bicep curls (20 reps), holding the medicine ball with both hands
Triceps overhead extensions (20 reps), holding the medicine ball with both hands
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)
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
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
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
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.

workouts365.com_medicine_ball_lunge_shoulder_press — Example: Loop Through Lunge

Workout Reviews & Ratings

Every Damn Day…JUST DO IT!

April 7, 2012 No Comments

Name: Nike Training Club (NTC)
Duration: 1 hour (if done in a group fitness class)
Calories Burned: 400-600
Focus: Total body conditioning + intensity intervals + athletic drills
What is NTC?: A total body athletic circuit set to music. If you take NTC in a class, the instructors usually have pretty decent play lists going on in the background. OR you can download NTC to your SmartPhone and sync your customized workout to your own playlist – sweet! DOWNLOAD HERE NOW! The exercises and drills are very intense – Burpees, Mountain Climbers, Plank Rows, Split Jumps, Clap Pushups, Froggers, etc.
Commentary: I love this workout because it’s HARD and FUN. As you guys know by now, any workout that makes me feel like a “real athlete” is def “GRIT – worthy.” To be honest, some of the drills I’d never do on my own because, let’s face it, they BURN! But boy do they work! When I’m on the road for work, I the use NTC iPhone app for a sick workout right in my hotel room. It’s like having my own ePersonal Trainer. With NTC there are NO EXCUSES – you can get high quality, free, fun workouts anytime, any day. JUST DO IT!
The Facts: To truly change your body, you have to PUSH! NTC is great for this. Did you know that most young adults only begin receiving cardiovascular training and benefits after reaching 70% of our maximium heart rate? To find your max heart rate take 220 – age = Max Heart Rate. Now, multiply your max heart rate by 0.7 and that’s how many times your heart should beat in 1 minute during an effective workout!

GRIT — Me and Alex (Co-founder of Sporty Afros) relaxing in the sauna after NTC on Friday, April 6, 2012

Cardio, Home Workouts, Total Body

Track Workout: Shout out to my former athletes – still got it?

April 4, 2012 2 Comments

Name: Former Athlete Fix by Brit
Duration: 45 min – 1 hour
Calories Burned: 500-700
Focus: Cardiovascular endurance, athletic conditioning, speed, plyometrics
Commentary: It’s Spring! So you know what that means, let’s get outside and hit that track – what what! I’ve been hanging and chatting with a lot of my old college bball teammates this week in NYC, which inspired me to put a workout together for all of the former athletes out there. Sometimes, it’s fun to prove that we’ve “still got it.” Even if you’ve never played sports, this workout is a great way to SHOCK your body. So grab a buddy, head to the track and go get it in! Make sure to do the full warm up before you start – don’t want you pulling a hammy. Enjoy 🙂

Arms, Home Workouts

Sexy Arms Circuit (without bulk)

April 1, 2012 2 Comments

Name: Sexy Arms Circuit by Brit
Focus: Upper body muscle endurance and toning
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Calories burned: 50 – 150
Commentary: Given my extensive experience evaluating celebrities walk the red carpet in sleeveless dresses, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are 3 keys to sexy toned arms:

Reduce Body FAT – The reality is, the only way to look lean and sculpted is to get rid of excess body fat. You know what that means – eat LESS and move MORE! You can’t show off your sexy arms if excess fat is covering them.
Sculpt Shoulders – The shoulders are the first part of the arms that people usually notice so it’s key to do several exercises that target the front, side and rear shoulder muscles.
Tighten Triceps – The back of your arms are the areas that tend to look the flabbiest. So, always make sure that your arm workouts make your triceps feel strong and tight!

Below is my complete “Sexy Arms Circuit.” I made this workout to tone my arms WITHOUT bulking them up. You need to use light weights during the workout (1-2 pounds in each hand) – soup cans are great for this 😉

Make sure to stand up with your back straight, feet hip width apart and knees slightly bent. Do each exercise in the order below WITHOUT resting between exercises. Repeat the entire circuit 3X, take a about 1-2 minutes of rest in between each circuit. ENJOY and get ready to rock your sleeveless sundress!