Crosstraining Workouts week of 12/14

Hello, fitness enthusiasts!  This will be our last week of structured workouts for the year. I will have a variety of handouts and workout suggestions/challenges for all of you to pursue while I am away for the holiday and intersession.  Stay tuned for that later this week!

Monday
12 days of Christmas (This workout will also be repeated on Wednesday during circuit class and Thursday at bootcamp!)...you might need to cut it a bit short if you only have 45 minutes!

5 minute warmup, then, the 12 days of Christmas!
1 pullup
2 sets of stairs, 1 pull up
3 man makers, 2 sets of stairs, 1 pull up
4 v-ups (or full sit ups), 3 man makers, 2 sets of stairs, 1 pullup
5 perfect pushups, 4..........
6 burpees, 5.........
7 lunges, 6..........
8 sets of tabata on any machine (20 sec hard/10 easy), 7........
9 squats, 8.......
10 bear crawls, 9.....
11 bicycles
12 Calories of rowing

Tuesday
Workout with Patty at noon!

Wednesday
5 minute warmup followed by tabata (8 rounds of 20 second on/10 seconds off) of each of the following exercises.  After each 8 round tabata session, rest 1 minute before going in to next exercise:
1. rowing or running or elliptical or bike
2. pushups
3. situps
4. squats
5. pullups, lat pulldowns, or bear crawl

Thursday
5 minute warmup followed by as many rounds as possible in 30 minutes of: 20 situps, 30 lunges, 40 squats, 50 second hill sprint on road, treadmill or bike

Friday
Spinning!
5 minute warmup
4 rounds of long hill followed by 4 by 30 seconds hard/30 seconds easy

Monday night spinning
Moderate ride: spinners will pick a moderate pace and we will do a series of  intervals with no rest in between, all with moderate pace between

Workouts this Week of 12/7

Monday
20-30 minute steady run or elliptical with 10 by 30 second sprint (sprint every 2 minutes)
15 minutes of
40 seconds hard ab exercise/20 seconds easy/40 second pull (rowing machine, pullups/lat pull down)/20 seconds easy/40 seconds pushups/20 seconds easy (5 rounds total)

Tuesday
12pm workout with Patti Mantia

Wednesday
Group warmup
30 minutes as many rounds as possible of
500 meter row
10 pushups (or handstand pushups)
5 chinups
5 burpees
(do this in partners: one person rows while the other completes the other work....then switch!

Thursday
30-35 minute steady run or elliptical with 5-10 min warmp, 5 minutes hard/1 minute easy/4 minutes hard/1 minute easy/3 minutes hard/1 minute easy/2 minutes hard/1 minute easy/1 minute hard, 5 min cooldown
10 minutes of core work (accumulate 5 minutes of plank holds and 5 minutes of bicycles/scullies/supermans)

Friday
Spinning!
10 minute warmp including 1 set of jumps, 1 hill and 1 spin up
30 minutes of 50 seconds hard/40 seconds easy/30 seconds hard/20 seconds easy/10 seconds hard/1 minute easy
5 minute cooldown

Monday Spinning (Join us at 5:30pm!)
10 minute warmup
45 minutes of 1 minute hard/1 minute easy/2 minutes hard/1 minute easy/3 minutes hard/1 minute easy/4 minute hill/2 minutes easy
5 minutes easy

Bootcamp (Join us Thursday at 5:30pm)
TBD

Crosstraining Workouts Week of 11/30

Lunch Time Training 

Monday: 5-10 minute warmup on treadmill or bike. 3 rounds of (1 minute rowing machine/1 minute pushups or burpees/1 minute bicycles/1 minute pullups/1 minute bear crawl) 10 minutes cardio.  Then, repeat the strength workout!!

Tuesday: 5 minute warmup, Weights (full body routine), 10 minute stretch.

Wednesday: 5 minute warmup on treadmill or bike. 10 rounds of 1 minute hill/1 minute jog down/30 second hill/30 second jog down.  

Thursday: 5 minute warmup, Weights (full body routine), Then, do 3 rounds of 10 pushups, 20 squats, 30 crunches, and 40 lunges (20 each leg).  Have a restful weekend!

Friday: Spinning workout! 10 minute warm up. 20 minute time trial steady state with quick sprints every 2 minutes. 10 minutes of 30 seconds hard or drills/30 seconds easy.

Cardio (performed on Monday 5:30pm spinning at HCC-come join us!)
15 minute warmup; 2 rounds of 2 minute hill/1 minute rest/3 minute hill/2 minutes rest, 6 by 20 seconds sprint/40 seconds rest, 5 minutes cooldown

Bootcamp (performed on Thursday at HCC-come join us!)
1 mile run or 10 minute bicycle
Grassy hill sprints (or treadmill hill sprints): 45 minutes of: sprint up hill, run down hill, 20 pushups with side plank, 15 squats, 10 lunges each side, 5 burpees with perfect form, 10 kb swings, 20 bicycles, 20 mountain climbers each leg.

Nutrition Tip of the Week

Make nutritional use of your Thanksgiving leftovers!

Focusing Workout of the Week

If you do the Talking Turkey Race this weekend, be sure to recover well with this great "yoga for runners" practice!

Crosstraining Workouts Thanksgiving Week!

Monday

10 minute warmup on machine of choice

30 minutes as many rounds as possible:

5 pullups, 10 pushups, 20 squats, 30 bicycles, 40 lunges over to machine, 50 seconds as hard as possible on the machine, 40 side squats back to mat (20 each side), 30 crunches or situps, 20 mountain climbers, 10 burpees (repeat until you hit 30 minutes!)

Tuesday

Weight training with Patti Mantia at noon!

Wednesday special noon Spin and Strength Class:Work for your Turkey!

5 minute warmup

20 rounds of 1 minute sprint/30 seconds of strength exercise, 30 seconds to get back on bike and do it again!

5 minute cooldown

Thursday-Sunday

Spend at least 30 minutes moving each day. Try to do one of our workouts from past weeks or take a Jim or bike ride with loved ones! And if you feel extra motivated, join us at the Talking. Turkey. Race on Saturday afternoon at 1pm!

Monday night spin

10 minute warmup

2 minute hill/1 minute easy/1:30 sprint at 90 rpms/0:45 easy/2 minute jumps/1 minute easy/1:30 spin up at 100rpms/0:45 easy (repeat 3 times)

5 minute cooldown

Nutrition Tip of the Week

Looking for a healthy way to eat your favorite comfort foods?  Try hiding purees in your winter favorites!

Pureed Veggies!

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) – Have picky eaters in the house? Try sneaking fruits and veggies in to comfort food favorites with easy delicious purees. Dr. Laura Christoph, Professor of Nutrition shared three healthy purees and recipes.

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin is high in vitamin c and a as well as fiber. It has a rich, sweet taste without a lot of sugar and fat, and is widely available at this time of year.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 dash salt
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir in the turkey, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, and mix in tomatoes and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Serve topped with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.
Cauliflower packs in B6, vitamin C and vitamin k. It is low in calories and high in water and fiber content, making it a nutrient dense, filling addition to any meal!
1 large head cauliflower (about 4 cups shredded)
2 large eggs
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 cup pizza sauce
12 fresh basil leaves
1 tomato, sliced into 12 rounds
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Using a box grater or a food processor, shred cauliflower into crumbles. Reserve 4 cups; store the remainder in the fridge or freezer for future pizzas.
Cook cauliflower in microwave in a large microwave-safe bowl for 8 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes.
Add eggs, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, oregano, basil and garlic powder and stir to combine. Preheat oven to 450°F.
Lightly grease 2 baking sheets (or pizza pans); divide mixture into 12 balls. Place balls on sheets and pat each into a thin round about 4 inches wide. Bake in oven 15 minutes until golden brown (the edges might be charred; this is OK).
Remove sheets from oven and heat broiler. Top each mini crust with pizza sauce, basil leaves, remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and tomato slices.
Broil pizzas until cheese is melted and tomatoes are slightly roasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Chickpeas are high in protein and fiber and great sources of manganese and folate.
2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
2 flax eggs (real eggs will work too)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor, add the chickpeas and oats. Blend for a minute or two, stopping to scrape down the sides.
Then add the remaining ingredients, except the chocolate chips, and blend until smooth.
Lastly, add the chips and pulse a few times to get them mixed well.
Line an 8×8 glass baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some extra paper sticking out the sides.
Spoon batter into the lined baking dish. It will be VERY sticky. Wetting a spatula helps.
Bake for about 20 minutes.
Let cool completely before removing from the baking dish.
I used a pizza cutter to cut mine.
Please store these in the fridge. They should last a week. You can also freeze them for longer storage. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

Directions:

Cauliflower Purée

Mini Cauliflower Pizza Crusts

Ingredients:

Directions:

Chickpea Purée

Flourless Blondies

Ingredients:

Directions:

Focus and Stretch Workout of the Week!

Get a dose of "cheer up" during the dark transition to winter with this Happiness Yoga practice!

Crosstraining Workouts Week of 11/9

TESTING Week!

This week, we will do a series of benchmark workouts.  All participants will record their results.  We will retest in 6 weeks right before we head on holiday break!


Monday
warm up 1 mile on track or treadmill
Pushup test: as many pushups as possible in 3 minutes
Pullup test: max pullups in 3 minutes
Lunge test: As many walking lunges as possible in 3 minutes
Abdominal test: As many scullies or crunches as possible in 3 minutes
Overhead press test: As many overhead presses as possible in 3 minutes
Squat test: as many squats as possible in 3 minutes
Oblique test: as many bicycles as possible in 3 minutes
Adductor test: As many leg raises as possible in 3 minutes (1:30 each side)
Abductor test: As many leg raises as possible in 3 minutes (1:30 each side)
Stretch out, cool down!

Tuesday
Noon fitness in weight room with Patti Mantia!

Wednesday
Off!

Thursday
Pick a cardio machine in the weight room. Warm up 10 minutes easy, then do 30 minutes of max effort. Cool down 5-10 minutes.  Record Calories burned/distance travelled/average pace for 30 minutes.

Friday
Spin Test!  Participants will warm up 10 minutes and then do a 25 minute step test, increasing watts every 3 minutes.

Spinning Monday 5:30
10 minute warmup
6 by long hill followed by 6 by 30 sec hard/30 sec easy.

Bootcamp Wednesday 5:30
30 minute cardio spin with intervals (coupled with hills outside if weather permits), followed by weight room exercises. Lifting baseline: Each participant will get a handout to test max reps for a given weight for a variety of exercises.  Participants will record weights used.

Nutrition Tip of the Week 11/2

The weather is getting chilly, days are getting shorter, and most of us are starting to crave fatty, comforting foods.  Satisfy those cravings while protecting your health by choosing healthy vs. unhealthy fats!

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fats

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) – Not all fat is created equal, but which ones should you eat and which ones should you avoid? Dr. Laura Christoph, Professor of Nutrition, gave us a lesson in healthy fats.

Healthy Fats

Fat we don’t get enough of:

Omega-3’s! Omega 3’s are highly anti-inflammatory and are associated with decreased cardiovascular disease and cancer risk, as well as healthy skin and eyes.
Monounsaturated fat-The Meditteranean Diet, which includes olive oil as a major food group, is quite high in this healthy fat, and is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
Saturated fat and omega 6’s: Saturated should be eaten in moderation. People should also be careful with omega 6 fat intake, as we tend to get too high of a ratio of omega 6 to omega 3.
Trans fat -this highly processed fat has been linked to cardiovascular disease. Check the labels for “hydrogenated oils” This is a sign that there is trans fat in your product. Companies are sneaky. If there is less than 0.5g of trans fat per serving, they can write “0” on the nutrition facts label.

Sources: Fatty fish, fish oil, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts

Fat to encourage:

Sources: Peanuts, olive oil, avocado, canola oil

Fats to reduce:

Animal fats (solid fats) like cheese, butter, beef fat, and whole milk

Omega 6 sources: nuts and seeds, corn oil, and soybean oil.

Fat to never eat: 

Food source examples: margarine, Crisco, packaged foods like chips and cookies, and fast food (although many fast food restaurants have eliminated trans fats from their products).

Cross Training Week of November 2

Monday:

Warm up 1 mile around track (4 laps)

TRX workout!  4 rounds:

20 pushups, 20 low rows, 20 squats, 20 biceps, 20 triceps….run 2 laps around track

 Core work and Stretch!

Tuesday: 
Strength session led by Patti Mantia

Wednesday: 
Makeup Spinning Session!  Laura will offer spinning today, as she will be away at Cornell University for the honors transfer day on Thursday and Friday.  We will warm up 5 minutes and then do a progression: 5/4/3/2/1 minutes hard with 1 minute rest between!

Thursday

Lift: warm up outside 8 laps or for 20 minutes steady on the treadmill.  Then, head inside and perform with dumbells:

20 reps bicep curls to overhead press
20 reps side (lateral) raise
20 reps front raise
(repeat)

20 reps high row
20 pushups
20 lunges
(repeat)

20 squats
20 bicycles
20 crunches
20 bird dogs
repeat

stretch!

Friday:

Run some hills!  Warm up 2 laps on the track.   Head out to the grassy hill and do 12 by hard effort up/jog or walk down.  

Then, come inside and do a nice long stretch and some deep breathing to finish off the week!

Monday Night Spin
10 minute warmup
2:00 hard/1:00 off. 1:00 hard/0:30 off, 30 max effort/2:00 easy
(6 times!)

Wednesday Night Bootcamp

We are going to try a moonlight workout one more time!  Bring a headlamp if you have one, and we will do some hills, some weighted exercises and some stretching outside if weather permits.  We will stick around campus.  Make sure to dress accordingly!

Nutrition Tip of the Week 10/26

Need a quick snack at a hectic time of the semester!  Try some nuts!


Healthy Nuts!

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) – If you’re looking for a healthy, energizing snack, consider snacking on some nuts! Dr. Laura Christoph, Professor of Nutrition, broke down the different types of nuts and which ones pack the most health punch!

Healthy Snack Portions of Nuts8 Walnuts
10 Macadamia Nuts
10 Pecans
22 Cashews
22 Peanuts
29 Almonds
62 Pistachios

Benefits:
Great source of healthy fats that help regulate blood cholesterol!

Crosstraining Workouts of the Week 10/26

It's the last week of October!  Lets take noon time fitness to enjoy the foliage a bit before the chill of November hits!

Monday
1 lap around track plus 1 lap of drills
20 minutes of run around track once…10 man makers, 10 high/low rows, 10 planks with bicycle: 2 laps and 20, 3 laps and 30…..etc, etc!
Cooldown and lots of stretching!

Tuesday
Join Patti at noon for a strength session!

Wednesday
Laura and Patti will be unavailable for nootime fitness due to advising.  Get out for 45 minutes of brisk walking, running, (or use the elliptical or bike in the gym!)

Thursday
Strength Session with Kettlebells and weights
10 minute warmup
3 rounds of 20 overhead press, 20 rows each side, 20 squat to high pulls (kettlebells), 20 kettlebell swings....lunge over to weights...20 lateral raises, 20 front raises, 20 crunches, 20 pushups or chest press, 20 bicycles....lunge back over to kettlebells (Repeat 3 times)

Friday
Spinning: 10 minute warmup, 7 by 3 minutes hard/1 minute easy, 5 minute cooldown

Monday Spinning: Join us at 5:30pm!
10 minute warmup
1 set of jumps followed by 6 by 30 seconds hard/30 seconds easy 
easy pedaling for 1 minute
Repeat 4-5 times
Cooldown 5 minutes

Wednesday Bootcamp
Join us with a headlamp at 5:40 at the Route 5 entrance to Whiting Reservoir.  We will take a sunset hike up Mount Tom!

Crosstraining for Week of 10/19

Monday:

Warm up 1 mile around track (4 laps)

TRX workout!  4 rounds:

20 pushups, 20 low rows, 20 squats, 20 biceps, 20 triceps….run 2 laps around track

 Core work and Stretch!

Tuesday: 
Strength session led by Patti Mantia

Wednesday: 
Hill workout: 1 mile warmup of jogging and drills.
3 long hills/4 medium hills/5 short hills
Core work and stretch

Thursday

Lift: This week, we will continue with our main lifting exercises, but with a twist.  We will go a little heavier  this week, do 3 rounds of  10 reps of each, and alternate the 20 reps with 20 reps of an ab or back exercise....AND between each set of exercises, we will do 2 minutes of intense cardio (stairs).

Ab/back exercises:

Supermen (women), crunches/ bicycles/ leg lifts with ball/ toe touches/ bird dogs

Friday:

Spinning: warm up 5 minutes, 15 by 1 minute max effort/1 minute easy, 5 minute cooldown.

Monday Night Spinning:
10 minute warmup
6 hard, long hills with 1 minute rest between each
10 by 30 second sprint/1 minute pedal easy
5 minute cooldown

Wednesday Night Bootcamp

We will grab our headlamps, drive over to Mount Tom, and run/hike up the access road to see the last of the fall foliage!

Nutrition Tip of the Week!

SLOW COOKER MEALS

As the weather cools and the school year is in full swing, working parents are looking for quick, easy and healthy meals! Dr. Laura Christoph, Professor of Nutrition shared tips and recipes for creating delicious meals in your slow cookers.

Anatomy of a healthy slow cooker dinner recipe:
1. High quality protein: go for lean cuts of chicken, beef, or pork. Try vegetarian sources of protein such as beans
2. Colorful veggies and/or fruits: fruits and veggies add fiber, vitamins and minerals and flavor! Save some money by going for frozen veggies in the winter. They are often just as, if not more nutrient dense as fresh, since they are flash frozen on the fields from which they are picked, and by mixing them in soups or sauces, the flavor is vibrant and the texture isn’t an issue.
3. Whole grain or high fiber starchy veggie: Add potatoes with skin, sweet potatoes, quionoa, millet, brown rice or whole grain pasta for b vitamins, iron and fiber!
4. Healthy fats and low sodium, low sugar sauces: If your recipe calls for a fat, go for a high quality olive oil or coconut oil. Be wary of recipes that call for condensed soup, ketchup, and bouillon cubes, as these can add a good amount of sugar and sodium. Spice up your recipe with herbs, spices and low sodium broth or stock!

Quinoa, bean and sweet potato stew

Ingredients:
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil
32 ounces of low sodium veggie (or chicken) broth
1 T chili powder
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 16 oz. cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix everything lightly in the crock pot, and then let it simmer on high all day till dinner (about 8 hours).

Lemon Chicken and Veggies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into chunks (sweet or white, or butternut squash also works!)
1 small onion, wedged
1 Tablespoon quick cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 pounds chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard (or honey mustard)
1lb bag frozen veggies (beans, peas, carrots, corn)
(optional: Tbsp. honey)

Directions:
In a 4-6 quart slow cooker layer the potatoes and onions. Sprinkle with the tapioca and top with chicken. Season chicken with salt, pepper and half teaspoon of oregano. Cover with bag of frozen veggies. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon, Dijon, and half teaspoon of oregano. Pour over chicken and potatoes. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

Focus and Stretch Week of 10/12

Try this 30 minute energizing yoga flow workout that couples as a cardio routine!


ENERGIZING YOGA FLOW

Nutrition Tip of the Week 10/12

Looking for a healthy energy bar to fuel your lunch time workout?  Try one of these options!

http://wwlp.com/2014/08/01/make-your-own-healthy-energy-bars/ 

Rules of thumb for endurance workouts

Pre workout:
Eat a balanced meal of carbs, protein and fat that settles well about 1-2 hours before exercise. Drink 2 cups of water within that period as well.

During the workout:
If your workout is under an hour, just water is fine. If your workout is over an hour, you may want to add in a carbohydrate containing electrolyte beverage such as coconut water or Gatorade.

Post workout:
If you can eat a meal within an hour post workout, this is your best option! Go for a healthy portion of carbohydrate and some lean protein and nutrient dense veggies. If you tend to lose your appetite for a while post workout, try a 3 or 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein in an easily digested bar or drink. Chocolate milk will do the trick, or there are plenty of “recovery drinks” marketed to athletes as well.

Rules of thumb for strength workouts
I surveyed a variety of athletes in Western Mass, asking about their favorite store bought and homemade energy bars, and these topped the list!

Lara Bars: ingredients you can understand, full of real food!
Rx bars and Think Thin Bars: High in protein and low in sugar. Best for strength athletes or those looking to add extra protein in the diet
Epic Bars and Tanka bars/bites: For a low carb lifestyle-these actually are full of meat (sort of like beef jerky), and are minimally processed
Clif Bars: These are a favorite among endurance athletes and are full of nutritious oats, nuts and fruit.
Powerbars: Although they have a few more ingredients than I would like to see, these seem to settle well with endurance athletes when eaten pre workout.

Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Ingredients:
1 c. peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1/2 c. dry powdered milk
1/4 c. honey

Directions:
Put all of these ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with a spoon. With clean hands make the dough into little balls, about the size of cotton balls. Roll them until smooth. You can eat them just like that or you can roll the balls in coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, etc. You can also add raisins to the dough.

Almond Chocolate Fudge Energy Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup oat flour (or regular oats ground up in a blender)
1/2 cup quick oats
1/3 cup vanilla protein powder (I used whey)
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup almond butter (or peanut butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Optional: 2-3 Tbsp. chocolate chips for melting

Directions:
Prepare a 9×5 loaf pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Set aside.
If making your own oat flour, place rolled oats into a blender or food process and process until they turn into a fine powder.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine oat flour, quick oats, protein powder, and crispy rice cereal. Mix until well combined and set aside.
In a small pan over medium heat, add almond butter and honey, stirring until the almond butter is melted and fully combined with the honey. Stir in vanilla extract.
Remove from heat and pour into the dry mixture. Stir until everything is fully combined.
Pour into prepared loaf pan. Using a spatula or your hands, spread the mixture evenly in the pan, pressing down firmly.
Optional: place chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and nuke on high in 20 second intervals, mixing between each. When chocolate is fully melted, drizzle over the top of the packed mix using a spoon.
Place pan into fridge and allow to cool for ~30 minutes before cutting into bars.

Fig and Honey Rice Cakes

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked calrose rice or
other medium-grain “sticky” rice
1½ cups water
1 cup toasted pecans
1 cup chopped dried figs
2 tablespoons honey
brown sugar (optional)

Directions:
Combine rice and water in a rice cooker.To toast the nuts: Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the pecans on a baking sheet and toast 8-10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice,pecans, and figs. Add the honey and stir thoroughly.
Press mixture into an 8- or 9-inch square pan to about 1½-inch thickness and sprinkle with brown sugar, if desired.
Cut and wrap individual cakes. Makes about 10 rice cakes.

Rowing Workouts Week of 10/12

This week, rowers will start to develop and solidify their own "warm up protocol"  This might involve meeting me for yoga pre class at 5:30am, or doing some dynamic warmup drills on land, followed by:

1.            5 minutes easy rowing

2.            Pick drill or reverse pick drill (feet out if there is a tendency to lean back at the finish)

3.            200 meters easy rowing

4.            Pause drill (body over pause, 3 part pause, or ½ slide pause)

5.            3-5 rounds of 10 hard strokes/10 easy strokes. 

Tuesday workout: 5k hard row (Rowers will do a little "out and back row" to warmup and we will do the Rockrimmon course at a hard pace after that!

Thursday workout: 6 by 3 minutes hard/2 minutes easy (3 minutes are at 5kish pace!)

Crosstraining Workouts Week of 10/12

Monday: 
This week, we have no school on Monday due to Columbus day!  Your assigned workout for Monday is to get a little extra sleep and enjoy some light outdoor activity, such as hiking, cycling, or jogging!

Tuesday: 
Strength session led by Patti Mantia

Wednesday: 

Warm up 1 mile around track (4 laps)

TRX workout!  5 rounds:

20 pushups, 20 low rows, 20 squats, 20 leg pedals, 20 lunges (10 each leg)….run down hill, up hill

 Stretch!

Thursday

Lift: This week, we will continue with our main lifting exercises, but with a twist.  We will go a little heavier  this week, do 3 rounds of  10 reps of each, and alternate the 20 reps with 20 reps of an ab or back exercise. 

Ab/back exercises:

Supermen (women), crunches/ bicycles/ leg lifts with ball/ toe touches/ bird dogs

Friday:

Spinning: warm up 5 minutes, 5 minutes hard/1 minute easy/4 minutes hard/1 minute easy/ 3 minutes hard/1 minute easy/2 minutes hard/1 minute easy/1 minute hard/1 minute easy/5 times 30 senonds sprint/30 seconds easy

Wednesday Night Bootcamp

We will head over to the neighborhoods across the street and do some intervals up the great lakes (3 short, 3 long with shortened options), followed by trx circuit

Nutrition Tip of the Week

Optimize your performance and recovery with these nutrition tips for quick pre and post workout snacks from me and a recent Biggest Loser contestant!

Stretching Workout of the Week 10/5

Try this desk yoga workout for a quick mid-day stretch when you can't find time to get to the gym!

Focus Workout of the Week 10/5

For a mid-day pick-me-up! Take 6 minutes to breathe out the stress of the morning!

Cross Training Workouts of the Week 10/5

Cross Training for the week of 10/5!


Lunch Time Training 
(Meet at 12:30 at HCC. Tuesday is at 12 noon led by Patti Mantia.  Laura and Patti will be away Friday at a meeting, so fitness enthusiasts are on their own!  Follow the workout as planned below!

Monday: 5-10 minute warmup on treadmill or bike. ½  lap 50 squats, ½  lap 40 bicycles, ½  lap, 30 burpees, ½  lap 20 pushup with side plank; Then repeat with 45/35/25/15; Then repeat with 40/30/20/10; Then repeat with 35/25/15/5

Tuesday: 5 minute warmup, Weights (full body routine), 10 minute stretch.

Wednesday: 5 minute warmup on treadmill or bike. Cardio: “Kira” Takes the great lakes: We will head over to the neighborhoods across the street and do some intervals up the great lakes (3 short, 3 long with shortened options)

Thursday: 5 minute warmup, Weights (full body routine), 10 minute stretch.  Lift: This week, we will continue with our main lifting exercises, but with a twist.  We will go a little lighter this week, do 2 rounds of 20 reps of each, and alternate the 20 reps with 20 reps of an ab or back exercise. 

Ab/back exercises:  Supermen (women), crunches/ bicycles/ leg lifts with ball/ toe touches/ bird dogs

Friday: 5 minute warm up. No spin today (Promise this is the last time!) Laura is at an off campus meeting.  Suggested workout: warm up 10 minutes, then pick cardio machine of your choice.  Do 5 minutes hard/1 minute easy/4 minutes hard/1 minute easy/ 3 minutes hard/1 minute easy/2 minutes hard/1 minute easy/1 minute hard/1 minute easy/5 times 30 senonds sprint/30 seconds easy

Cardio (performed on Monday 5:30pm spinning at HCC-come join us!)
10 minute warmup; Spin: 20 minute push followed by 10 by 1 min hard/1 min easy, 10 min cooldown.

Bootcamp (performed on Wednesday 5:45 at HCC-come join us!)
1 mile run or 10 minute bicycle
Grassy hill sprints: 45 minutes of: sprint up hill, run down hill, 20 pushups with side plank, 15 

Rowing Workouts of the Week 10/5

Rowing Workouts of the Week

This week, we will focus on our handle heights through the recovery by taking a lot of strokes on the square and using a delayed feather.  We will also work on keeping our wrists nice and flat as we catch. We will do some Wide grip  sculling and might tape some Popsicle sticks to some sweep and scullers' wrists as we see fit :-)

Workouts this week:

Tuesday: 2 by 20 minutes hard at a 24-26 stroke rate with 5 min rest between

Thursday: Long row with up and down ladders of 10 easy/10 hard/20 easy/20 hard/30 easy/30 hard/40 easy/40 hard

Cross Training Workouts of the Week 9/28

Cross Training for the week of 9/28!


Lunch Time Training 
(Meet at 12:30 at HCC. Tuesday is at 12 noon led by Patti Mantia.  Laura will be away Thursday and Friday at a conference, so fitness enthusiasts are on their own!  Follow the workout as planned below!

Monday: 5-10 minute warmup on treadmill or bike. 3 rounds of (1 minute rowing machine/1 minute pushups or burpees/1 minute bicycles/1 minute pullups/1 minute bear crawl) Rest 2 minutes.  Then, repeat!

Tuesday: 5 minute warmup, Weights (full body routine), 10 minute stretch.

Wednesday: 5 minute warmup on treadmill or bike. 10 rounds of 1 minute hill/1 minute jog down/30 second hill/30 second jog down.  If possible, we will perform this workout on spin bikes, as we will miss Friday’s spin workout!

Thursday: 5 minute warmup, Weights (full body routine), 10 minute stretch.  Do the same movements as last week, but add either 5lbs or two reps to each exercise!

Friday: 5 minute warm up. Run 8 laps around the track as fast as possible.  Record your time for future reference!  Then, do 3 rounds of 10 pushups, 20 squats, 30 crunches, and 40 lunges (20 each leg).  Have a restful weekend!

Cardio (performed on Monday 5:30pm spinning at HCC-come join us!)
10 minute warmup; 6 rounds of 2 minute hill/1 minute rest/1 minute as hard as possible at 100rpm/1 minute rest/30 seconds max watts any way you choose/1 minute rest

Bootcamp (performed on Wednesday 5:45 at HCC-come join us!)
1 mile run or 10 minute bicycle
Grassy hill sprints: 45 minutes of: sprint up hill, run down hill, 20 pushups with side plank, 15 squats, 10 lunges each side, 5 burpees with perfect form, 10 kb swings, 20 bicycles, 20 mountain climbers each leg.

Focus Exercise of the Week 9/28

This is a short introduction to a variety of meditation focusing techniques.  It is part 1 of a five part series that I will be posting over the next few weeks!

Flexibility Training of the Week 9/28

Try this 20 minute yoga flow to promote healthy digestion!  The twists in this practice also do a great job opening up the chest and hips.  In addition, this quick practice will get your heart rate up AND stretch you out!

Rowing Workouts of the Week 9/28

Technique this week

This week we will clean up some of our bad habits...dragging the blades on the water, feathering with our wrists instead of our fingers, and bending our elbows at the catch.

Drill of the day for scullers will be  Quarter feather rowing(and rowing on the square if you are brave!).  We will row for about 10 minutes on the square or quarter feather, then for 10 minutes alternating 10 on the square/10 quarter feather/10 full feather.

Weekly workouts rowers include:

Tuesday: short interval-2 minute pieces (8-12) with 2 minute rest between

Thursday: 3 by 12 minutes with 6 at 24, 3 at 26, 2 at 28, 1 at 30 strokes per minute with 3 minute rest between each

Nutrition Tip of the Week 9/28

Mason Jar Salads for a Quick Lunch on the Go!

http://wwlp.com/2015/02/20/mason-jar-salads-and-dressings/

Between meetings, phone calls and emails (and lunch time fitness at HCC), it can be hard to find time to eat a healthy lunch. But with a little planning ahead you can have a delicious easy lunch-on-the-go! Dr. Laura Christoph, Professor of Nutrition, showed us some quick Mason jar salad ideas.

Mason Jar Salads and Homemade Salad Dressing

Leafy greens (2 cups):
Try the deep leafy greens such as chopped kale, arugula, romaine, and spinach.
You can also try a shredded broccoli or brussels sprout mix

Healthy protein (1/2 cup):
Try some chopped chicken breast, lentils, chickpeas, or hard boiled eggs.

Colorful veggies (1 cup):
Try a purple veggie like beets, orange carrots or sweet potatoes, white veggies like cauliflower, or deep red cherry tomatoes or red peppers.

Healthy fat (1-2 Tbsp):
To add to your salad satisfaction, top your lunch with some nuts or seeds, and a bit of crumbled cheese.
Fat adds a creamy texture and causes your stomach to empty slower, leaving you feeling fuller for longer!

Fun flavor (1-2 Tbsp):
Looking for sweet? Try some dried cherries, raisings, or chopped apples.
Feeling spicy? Try some fresh cilantro or jalapeno peppers.
Looking for salty and sour? Try some pickled veggies, sundried tomatoes, or olives.

The layering:
Put the wet ingredients on the bottom.This will prevent your salad from getting soggy!

Homemade vs. storebought dressing:
You will save on money, lots of chemicals, processed fats, and added sugars!

How to Build a Healthy Salad DressingCombine the following:

1 Tbsp Oil – EVOO, Walnut, Hazelnut, Avocado, Flavored
1 Tsp Vinegar – Balsamic, Sherry, Apple Cider, Rice Wine, Falvored
1/2 Tsp Sweetness – Honey, Maple Syrup, Brown Sugar, Jam
1/2 Tsp Mustard – Dijon, Honey Mustard, Grainy, Spicy
2 Pinches Herbs – Herbs de Provence, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Dill
1 Pinch Seasoning – Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Smoked Paprika