weight training – GRIT By Brit

5 Day Resistance Workout Routine! 5 days, 5 unique workouts to work each specific muscle group

November 11, 2013 10 Comments

Hey Guys! Hope you had a great weekend. So my “fit friend” and fellow blogger Laura (author of http://www.50by25.com/) gave the great suggestion of creating a weekly resistance workout plan for my blog followers. The plan incorporates very targeted workouts that each focus on a specific muscle group. None of the workouts are full-body circuits (i.e. my infamous Tummy, Booty & Thighs circuit that you guys love so much).

So, the idea is that you need to complete the entire weekly plan in order to get a complete, total body workout. At the beginning of the week, you work the larger muscles groups and then later on in the week you work the smaller ones. This sequencing allows you to get some fierce fitness going on by really exhausting and fatiguing one muscle group at a time. Doing so requires greater muscle repair and consequently, the development of more lean muscle mass.

For best results, complete the following plan in addition to 2-3, 30 minute cardio workouts. Enjoy and let me know how it goes! Lots of luv, Brit

Monday

Legs: Short Season Shape Up

Tuesday

Chest: Chest Workout (from Fuel Your Fitness)
Back: Bringin’ Sexy BACK

Wednesday

Biceps: Bablacious Bicep Workout
Triceps: Trim, Tone and Tighten Your Triceps

Thursday

Shoulders: Shoulder’s Workout (from Oxygen Women’s Fitness)

Friday

Core: Abs for days

Inspiration & Motivation, Just for Fun

How to Handle Post-Workout Muscle Soreness

September 5, 2013 9 Comments

I hope your answer to this question is, “AWESOME!” While that may be true in the short-term, the day after a tough workout can often be pretty painful – muscle soreness anyone? Sore, achy muscles are a natural part of getting stronger, leaner and fitter. When we life heavy weights or take on a new workout regimen, we get micro tears in our muscles. Now don’t worry, these tears are actually beneficial because they force our muscles to rebuild, which burns a lot of calories and increases lean muscles mass. On the downside, we also feel the aches and pains – not so fun.

The good news is that you can effectively prevent and manage muscles soreness so that you don’t find yourself on the sidelines. Here are some of my “tried and true” tips for keeping the pain at bay:

Keep Moving – Contrary to popular belief, the worse thing you can do is be still. When we stop moving altogether, our muscles build up lactic acid and get stiff. Even though you may feel sore after a booty-kickin’ workout, try to do some light cardio the next day to keep blood flowing and prevent stiffness.
Eat Bananas – Bananas are full of potassium which prevents muscle soreness and cramping. Eating 1 banana post-workout will help prevent aches and pains.
Stretch – When muscles are repairing, they contract. Make sure to stretch and lengthen your muscles often. Fitness experts recommend at least 2 days per week of stretching. Remember to do dynamic stretching (stretching while moving/light stretching) before your workouts and static stretching (stretching while being still/deep stretching) ONLY after your workout. You should NEVER do static/deep stretching before a workout because your muscles are not warmed up and you’re likely over-strain your tendons or pull a muscle.
Stay Hydrated – Sufficient hydration is the magic answer to almost all body issues. Your body needs a lot of water to refuel after a tough workout so make sure your are giving it an adequate supply. Muscle pain is often a result of dehydration.
Ice & Ibuprofen – As a former college basketball player, Ice & Ibuprofen was my ultimate remedy after tough games. If you experience inflammation after working out, place an ice pack the swollen area and take some Ibuprofen. Remember, swelling is often a sign of overexertion or injury, so you may want to take it easier next time or consult with your physician if you experience continuous swelling.

Hope this tips are helpful. Now go get your workout on! Lots of Luv, Brit

Arms

Farewell Flabby Arms!

May 4, 2013 19 Comments

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBNKC7SaTsE]

I hope you guys had a great Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend. I spent my weekend in California celebrating a friend’s wedding – it was amazing! The sun was shining and I finally got to wear some of my favorite sundresses. On that note, nothing looks better in a sleeveless sundress than nice toned arms. So, check out this arm workout that I designed to get you on a “Michelle Obama level.” You’ll need 2 medium dumbbells to complete the exercises. This is a nice workout to tag on to the end of a cardio sweat session. You can workout with me in real-time by watching the video (click play above) or do the workout on your own (follow the instructions below). Either way, be sure to try it out and let me know how it goes!

Enjoy rockin’ those sundresses #getitgurl

Workout Reviews & Ratings

Les Mills GRIT Series – Inside Scoop!

March 25, 2013 4 Comments

Many of you have been asking me my thoughts about the new Les Mills GRIT Series. Well, I finally got the inside scoop! Last weekend I passed the official 2-day, super high intensity GRIT module training and will soon become certified Les Mills GRIT coach – holler!

(above – me & the 1^st GRIT coaches of Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, USA)

What is it?

Long story short, it’s a small group “CrossFit-like” workout inside of big box gyms…

The GRIT series are 30 minutes HIIT training workouts. There are 3 types of workouts: 1) Cardio 2) Strength 3) Plyo. GRIT workout sessions will be offered at select clubs in the United States this year, but have been offered in other countries for a few years now. (see pic below of me getting critiqued while teaching the Plyo workout)

Now, this isn’t just another group fitness format, this a is fierce, scientifically proven , athletic training workout targeted to people with lots of mental GRIT or to those want to develop more GRIT – a workout after my own heart 🙂 The sessions are capped to about 15-20 participants and they are done in private sections of fitness clubs. It’s more like group personal training rather than group fitness.

Why is it so special?

Besides the special combination of strength, plyo and cardio training, what makes the workout unique is the choreography, super fit GRIT coaches (like me – wink wink) and the music – the base in the music tracks will PUMP you up – dubstep anyone?

What benefits can I expect to get?

The workout it designed to really challenge you and improve your athletic abilities (i.e. speed, strength, agility, power). During our training class, we spent several hours learning the science behind the GRIT method and how the workout increases our anaerobic threshold (below – see pic of us studying hard). Because the workout is so hard, it just flat out makes you tough. The small team environment is also really encouraging and uplifting.

How many calories will I burn?

Assuming you give your max effort and really push yourself, I estimate that the average person will burn ~500 calories in a 30 min GRIT class. Pretty darn efficient. In fact, the workout is so intense that only 2 GRIT workouts per week are recommended.

How much is it going to cost me?

Because this is a special workout there is an additional fee, on top of your monthly club fee. You get what you pay for!

So what’s the real deal, Brit – YAY or NAY?

To keep things 100% honest, I’m not a huge Les Mills fan. I think the music is usually outdated and the moves are super corny. I mean have you done that “super man” side skip in Body Attack? I seriously left the class when we started doing that. Different strokes for different folks – but just not my style.

HOWEVER! GRIT is much different. For 1 the music is MUCH MUCH MUCH better. Primarily because there’s no 2010 top 40 tracks. Instead, it’s mostly hard core hip hop and electronic beats that make you feel fierce and strong! Also, there’s no corny choreography. All of the moves are athletic drills and power lifting moves set to the strong base beat of the music. Last but not least, the workout is freaking hard! You guys know I’m always up for a challenge. Well this workout actually kicked my butt and took me back to my old college basketball days. Also, MEN will enjoy this workout because of the sports conditioning, athletic coaches and the tenacity engrained in the workout.

GRIT by Brit verdict = YAY! Get involved with Les Mills GRIT!