A blog by Brit Rettig Wold, CEO of GRIT Fitness
Here’s your workout of the week! This workout is all about Plyometrics (jumping). I love jumping exercises because they really get your heart rate up and strengthen your legs. However, if you have knee problems, be careful as jumping is NOT advised for you. This workout requires no equipment so it’s great to do during commercial breaks – enjoy;)
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:
Sorry Aqua Studio NY, had a good time, but not “GRITTY” enough for me 🙁
Hi guys! So, I’ve been fairly successful so far on my 5 Day FOCUS Diet. I had one bad night (pad thai w/veggies for dinner) but other than that I’m pretty proud of my discipline to date and am feeling better all ready – yay! How’s the plan going for youOn another note, a colleague and I have been working out together in the mornings at our hotel gym. This morning we did an awesome HIIT workout from one of his men’s fitness magazines. It was very GRITTY so I wanted to create a similar workout to share with you. Now ladies, don’t be intimidated or turned off. Just because the workout is intense and was originally designed for men doesn’t mean that it isn’t beneficial for us. It won’t make us bulky or injure us if done properly. GRITTY = PRETTY 🙂
Regular Front Squat + Side Squat
Bent Over Row + Upright Row
Squat with Shoulder Press
Single Leg Dead Lift
Plank with hand shoulder taps
Alright, you guys asked for it so here it is – the ultimate workout for our biggest problem area: LOWER ABS!
Now, if you truly want to lose your pooch you have to minimize belly fat. That means you have to eat clean & sweat. That’s right folks, hit that treadmill, drink that water and eat those apples – just keepin’ it real.
Also, keep note that there are 3 key mistakes we often make that cause our tummy to look super saggy. Avoid these!
Try the workout along with some CARDIO and let me know how it goes. Once you get the exercises down, repeat the circuit up to 5 times for a #hardcore burn – enjoy!
Lots of luv, Brit
(Note: You can click on the image above, to maximize size and print.)
Michelle Obama arms anyone?
Here’s an upper body toning workout I designed in aspiration of getting first class guns just like our fierce first lady. The workout focuses solely on the biceps, triceps, shoulders and abs. You don’t need hand weights and can do this workout right in your living room – yay!
The entire workout takes 30 minutes and burns about 200 calories. I’m going to give it a whirl tonight along with 30 minutes of cardio. Try it for yourself and let me know how it goes – enjoy!
Lots of luv,
Brit 😉
Hey Gang! I hope your week is going well. In case you haven’t heard, I’m now teaching independent Turbo Kick classes in New York City! I’ve partnered with Stepping Out Studios in Flatiron to bring you an awesome fitness experience in a beautiful NYC dance studio. Now you can enjoy this amazing fitness format without being a member of a gym – woop woop 🙂
Last Sunday marked the completion of our 1st month since the launch of Turbo NYC. Our Launch Party was a huge success and we’ve had several new faces join our #CARDIOPARTY since then. You can CLICK HERE to view pictures and read the review of our January launch party.
Turbo Kick is my all time favorite fitness format – it’s challenging, yet fun and effective. I’ve lost over 25 pounds since falling in love with Turbo Kick, so I feel that it’s my DUTY to share this amazing fitness gift with others! While the workout is super effective (expect to burn 1,000 calories per class), I’ve made a conscious effort to keep the price down. Remember, one of the GRIT by Brit core values is that we “don’t have to be wealthy to be healthy!”
If you’re a NYC resident, or just in town for the weekend, come SWEAT with us. Classes are held EVERY Sunday at 11:00am and are always high energy with studio pumpin’ music. We work HARD but also have lots of FUN! You can reserve your spot and get all of the details on the Turbo NYC website: www.turbonyc.com See you in class!
-David Kirchhoff, CEO Weight Watchers
(above – me showin’ off my back in my new Lululemon racer back tank)
If you’re looking for a new “Wednesday Workout,” I highly encourage you to build your BACK! A strong back improves posture and gives you more definition through your neck and shoulders. Also, the nice ‘V’ shape makes your waistline look smaller 😉
As a woman, I often neglected back workouts and focused on my abs and legs during weight training. However, I’ve found that working my back muscles is very effective for weight management because the muscles are BIG and require lots of energy (thus burn a lot of calories). Also, a toned back in a racer back dress is just as, if not more, sexy than nice legs in daisy dukes. So give it a whirl today, people. This workout should take you about 30 minutes to complete and you can expect to burn ~200 calories – enjoy!
Jenny has officially completed my 4-week challenge and she looks SMOKIN’ HOT! Below you can read her final update and see pics from her challenge completion photo shoot.
Lookin’ FIT 50’s style – way to go Jenny!
Regardless, this past four weeks have been great – I look better, feel better and have done some great new workouts that have really re-motivated me! I’m more toned, but I still have my curves as you can see above 🙂
If you missed any of Jenny’s earlier updates, you can catch up here:
Despite vacations, minor set-backs and work commitments, Jenny has done an excellent job staying on track with her 4-week challenge! If you are trying the challenge for yourself, stay motivated by keeping up with her progress. Here’s her week 3 update:
“My girl’s weekend in Malaga was really great! I found a nice balance between relaxing, getting in some workouts, eating healthy, and eating whatever I wanted! 🙂 I took the first day off from any kind of activity except for walking around, eating tapas, and drinking wine. But the next two days my friend and I got two solid workouts in at a local gym, and ate mostly salads. We also did a ton of walking around! It wasn’t so hard for me to eat healthy, since I’m actually not a huge fan of Spanish cuisine. But that said, my friend and I didn’t hold back on the Sangria or wine (Hey, you gotta live a little!). I found that it is much easier to keep up with diet and exercise when on vacation when you are with someone who is also health conscious and likes a good workout!
And now that I am back at home, I feel great – I don’t think I lost any weight, but I don’t think I gained any either. I’ve just gotten back, and I’ve already hit the weights and a spinning session! I love that way I feel after a rest day – super strong and energetic! Now I’m pushing hard for the next three days (spinning every day to get all three classes in + Pilates + Brit’s workouts!) – And then going to a Wedding over the weekend (and plan on looking fabulous in a new dress I bought in Spain!).
So here it goes with the last week of the four-week challenge – wish me luck!”
– Jenny
Brit’s advice for Jenny:
