The Return of Jillian Michaels

Hello and welcome to Try-Athlete, the blog where I try the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. As I stated last week I was in a bit if a fitness rut, I decided to YouTube workout videos and found an old Jillian Michaels workout. 

It was a 30 minute circuit training workout and since I hadn't done it before I was intrigued and able to go all out. I didn't know what was next because it was a new workout so I couldn't pace myself like I had been doing with Insanity. 

I like Jillian's style because it is similar to Insanity and she kind of rides you like Shawn T. At the end of the workout, after she rides you, she tells you how great you did and what an accomplishment it is that you finished the workout and that you should be proud of yourself. She also tells you to take that sense of accomplishment and use it in every aspect of your life. It's kind of incredible. I enjoyed my experience so much I decided to do Jillian Michaels workouts all week. 

I did Killer Thighs and Buns one day and Six-Pack Abs another. I worked different muscle groups each day and I felt like I was working just as hard as when I did Insanity. I live in Palm Springs and it has been extremely hot here, over 90 degrees in the house and that is where I have been doing the workouts so I have been dripping sweat. Have you heard of hot yoga? Well I'm doing hot interval circuit training. At the end of these workouts every body part is covered in sweat. It's kind of cool because I feel like I'm working really hard, but you also need to hydrate even more when you are sweating that much.

 

I'm glad I have shaken up my workout routine with a week of Jillian Michaels because it's always good to work other muscles that you aren't used to working so you don't plateau. I definitely am going to finish out this week with Jillian Michaels and gauge my results. I may continue for the rest of June if I see the results I want. 

I am in this six-pack challenge with a co-worker and our halfway point is coming up June 10th, so I have to make sure to be on point with that. June 10th we are having a work pool party so it is important for me to look my best as everyone knows me as the girl who eats healthy and works out all the time, can't let my reputation change. So I need to work extra hard until then. Until next week stay strong and stay fit!

I'm Back, thank you for your support

Hello Try-Athlete's, welcome to Try-Athlete, the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. It has been awhile since my last post and I wanted to explain where I've been at in my life.

I started this blog because I'm passionate about health and fitness and I wanted to share my experiences with others. In February I found myself doing the same workout program and had nothing new to share about trying new workouts. I ended up not writing, and I also lost my drive to share my experiences. This year my priorities have changed a little and although I'm still very passionate about fitness sometimes I would like to write about others thinks such as diet, health and vegan recipes.

Last year I tried becoming a vegan for 30 days, after that 30 day period I continued to be vegan. So I have decided to revamp my blog a little to encompass being a vegan too. I will now include vegan recipes and knowledge about being a vegan athlete. I will continue to try different workouts but instead of doing something different every week I will do it for a month to see the further results of the new workout. 

With that said I have been doing Insanity and Asylum DVD's and kind of burnt out with them since I have done them for so many years. I was also not seeing the results I wanted and I am in a Six-Pack Challenge with a co-worker to see who has a better six-pack by July 28. I've been eating super healthy and working out daily but not seeing the results I want. I am already very fit but I am ready to take my fitness to the next level. I have decided to shake up my workout routine because I feel like I have just been going through the motions since I have done the same workouts so many times.

Since becoming vegan I have been researching how to get everything my body needs without eating animal protein. I am going today to the book store to find a book about vegan athletes so that I can become an expert on that too. I have been told on numerous occasions that abs are made in the kitchen and I completely agree. I have also found out that you must eat the necessary calories that your body needs as well or you won't see results. I feel like I wasn't seeing results because I wasn't taking in the all the calories I needed. 

I have a new plan of attack, changing my workout routine to work different muscle groups and research exactly what to eat to have the six-pack I have always dreamed of. I also believe food combining has something to do with it, not combining the right foods together can also affect your results. 

I hope you are excited to join me on this journey and I look forward to seeing the progress I make and sharing it with all of you. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to catch up with me. Until next time stay strong and stay fit! 

Catching Fire: 30 day Challenge

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diets trends so you don't have to. For the past 9 days I have been doing the Daily Hiit Catching Fire 30 day Challenge. Each day is 12 minutes of high intensity interval training, usually 4 or 5 moves repeated in a series three times. 

Since I am also still doing Les Mills Combat I decided I could incorporate this challenge into my life. It is only 12 minutes so it doesn't take a huge time commitment but it's tough and I can feel it changing my body. I start with the Hiit Challenge workout and then finish with the Les Mills Combat workout. I sweat way more during the second workout because I worked so hard during the 12 minute Hiit workout. My metabolism is on overdrive and I can already see changes in my body and it's only been 9 days.

The first couple days weren't so hard I could do both workouts and enjoyed both of them. As the days have progressed the Challenge workouts have gotten harder and harder. Yesterday's workout (Day 8) had me out of breath and on the floor at the end of it. With moves like 180 degree ninja tuck leaps and side push-ups my boyfriend had to cheer me on during the workout so I had the motivation and strength to finish. 

On Day 6 I was challenged by jumping rope during the rest periods but enjoyed the challenge. I only had one complaint the instructor stopped a few times during the workout because she was tired and I'm not used to that. I like watching someone who never gives up because it motivates me to not give up. When she came back on day 8 she had read my mind because she kicked it up a notch and she didn't stop. 

Everyday this workout is bringing an intense full body workout and I'm really enjoying it. I am already seeing changes in my body, my abs are more defined and legs and arms are looking more toned as well. I have been sore almost everyday but I think that means my body is changing. I definitely recommend this workout, it's tough but short and totally worth it. So until next time stay strong and stay fit! 

Soulcycle

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week I tried Soulcycle, what is soulcycle? A spin class that brings together inspirational coaching and high-energy music. 

Soulcycle is like no other spin class I've ever been to the lights are super dim and the music is very loud and the instructor has endless energy. 

I had heard about Soulcycle from a friend about six months ago and I wasn't really sure what it was, for Christmas I bought my good friend a class to Soulcycle because she had been dying to try it. She asked me if I wanted to go with her and I was in. We went to Soulcycle in West Hollywood because I had read that was the original studio. The room was smaller than I thought it was going to be and the bikes were very close together and before entering the room I read an article that was framed on the wall that said the room would get so hot it was like a sweatlodge. I wasn't ready for the intensive 45 minute workout ahead of me. At Soulcycle they rent out spin shoes if you don't have your own. They look like cleats and they clip into the pedals. The Soulcycle employees help you set up your bike and get you ready for the class.

 

Our instructor came in and was full of energy, she even said she drank coffee that morning so she had extra energy. She wasn't kidding the first song was super upbeat and intense. We were pedaling very fast and then we were basically doing push-ups with our upper body on the handle bar. She would instruct us "up, down, up, down" and each time we would do a push-up with our arms on the handle bar. By the end of the first song I was already sweating and super hot.

Things just got more intense from then on, I was dripping sweat by the third song. At one point the instructor completely turned the lights off and told us to just focus on ourselves and let all our other thoughts fade away. It was really nice because I was able to focus on being in the moment and not let anything else into my head. I worked very  hard in this class and I was exhausted by the end of it. We worked everything in this class we worked our legs, abs and even during one song we lifted weights and worked our shoulders and arms. I had sweat dripping off my face and body, I was so tired but happy that I did the class.

I would definetly go back to Soulcycle for another class. It was such a great workout and it was fun. It was a really tough workout but I like hard workouts because they make me feel as if I've accomplished something. I would definetly recommend Soulcycle to anyone who likes working out and getting connected with themselves. You will sweat you ass off but it will be worth it. You will feel refreshed and energized after class and want to return the next day. I'm still sore from Soulcycle but I can't wait to go back and do it again! Until next time Try-Athlete's stay strong and stay fit! 

New Year's Resolutions/Best Fit App

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week for me was all about New Year's resolutions and this new app: Best Fit. 

New year, new you! Every year I make a couple of resolutions that I try to stick with. I have had a few resutions over the past few years that always include be nicer to people, eat healthier, workout more. I feel like lots of people have the same resolutions and I have been able to follow most of these most of the time. 

So this year, I've decided to have my resolution be an affirmation that I repeat to myself everyday to make it a reality. I'm not sure if you know but I'm an on-camera host and writer. I'm passionate about health and fitness so I write health and fitness blogs for my own blog (Try-Athlete) and for the Daily Hiit blog. I have decided that this year is my year to take my career to another level. I currently have 2 webisode series with an on-line magazine located where I live. But I still have my day job and I would really love to be able to make a living just in hosting and writing. This year my resolution/affirmation is "Make hosting and writing my main source of income." I will keep you posted on how this works out. 

Another thing I wanted to share with you is I recently found this amazing fitness magazine app. It is called Best Fit Uk magazine and it's available in the Newsstand store on your IPhone and on Google Play. 

As a person who is passionate about health and fitness finding BestFit app was I would almost say life changing. I am always looking for more workouts, facts and articles about diet and fitness. BestFit app has it all streamlined in an easy user-friendly way. I have been struggling with staying away from holiday cravings such as boxes of chocolate and bottles of Champagne. After reading the article "Tis the Season to stay in-shape" I learned tips and tricks about what holiday foods to avoid and that a certain bottle of Piper Heidsick (Silver ultra cuvée brut) only has 250 calories! So maybe I can indulge in that second or third glass of bubbly.

This magazine is so easy to navigate through and each article and story is as interesting as the last. I had quite a chuckle reading about "the gymbecile" gym guy, since I have encountered many of them throughout my fitness career. I got my game face on when I tried the "brutal challenge" and they weren't kidding, that workout is not for the faint of heart. The BestFit app is modern and useful it is a one stop shop for all your fitness and diet needs. I seriously can't wait till next issue. Good work UK! 

So until next time stay fit and stay strong with those New Years affirmations! 

LesMills Combat Week 2

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week was week # 2 of LesMills Combat and I was still sore from week one. I am starting to see results on my body. My abs are coming back, I used to have a six pack and was unmotivated for a couple of week and noticed my six pack was starting to go away. But this week I started to see definition again in my abs so I am going to keep it up.

Week 2 brought some new workouts I hadn't done yet. One was called "Hiit: Plyo" using high intensity interval training with cardio. This workout was tough, and definitely got my heart rate up. Just like last week their was a burpee series and that was the hardest part of the workout. Doing burpees for 3 minutes straight will tire out just about anyone.

The other new workout I did was "Combat 60," a 60 minute kick-boxing aerobic workout that worked my entire body. I noticed that I'm using my shoulders a lot with this workout and my arms are sore almost everyday. I'm excited about this because I played soccer growing up so I've always had defined legs but it has taken me awhile to build up my arm and shoulder muscles.

Another thing I wanted to touch on this week is diet, because 70% of your of how you look is based on your diet. So like I said earlier I was unmotivated for a couple weeks and I wasn't eating as healthy as I usually do and I definetly saw that on my body. But last week and this week since I started LesMills Combat I have been back to my healthy diet. LesMills Combat comes with a meal plan/nutrition guide and I've tried to follow it to the best of my ability. I am a vegan so their are a few modifications I have made here and there to accommodate my dietary restrictions. A typical day includes oatmeal for breakfast, a smoothie or energy bar for a snack mid-morning, rice cakes with hummus, avocado and tomato for lunch and a vegatable salad for dinner. Grazing on bananas and nuts as snacks when needed. 

I'm starting to feel like my old self again having endless energy and I attribute that to working out and eating healthy...that truly is the secret to my success. I would recommend this workout and diet guide to people that are looking to work hard and see results. Hang in there Try-Athletes and until next time stay strong and stay fit!

LesMills Combat

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the lastest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. It's been a couple weeks since I've posted and I apoligize I took a couple weeks off for Halloween and Thanksgiving. I'm back in full force now trying a new workout DVD series called LesMills Combat combining kickboxing, strength and high intensity interval training. It was time for me to try a different DVD series since I was a little burnt out doing Insanity and Asylum for many years so I went to the BeachBody website and found LesMills Combat.

This is my first week doing the LesMills Combat program and I'm excited to tell you all about it. The first video labeled "Combat 30," was cardio kickboxing for 30 minutes. It was a great start to this new workout, it got my heartrate up immediately with kickboxing combos and every other song rotating upper body to lower body. I was doing roundhouse, front and back kicks and we even did jump kicks. I really enjoyed this first video and was pumped for the next day.

Day two was "Kata" 45 minutes of kickboxing aerobics. It was intense and taught different routines from the previous day. I did expect the tempo to be a little faster on a couple of the routines that was my only critique of this video. I was still sweating and getting a great workout but just felt at a couple of points I could go faster than the video was going.

After a little disappointment from the video of day two I went into day three not knowing what to expect. 

Well let me tell you, the video labeled "Power Hiit" a 30 minute workout bringing together strength and high intensity interval training, kicked my butt. This workout started with cardio and then threw in some weight training and kept going back and forth like that. We worked arms, legs and abs and this workout had me dripping sweat and it was only 30 minutes long. I have tried other workouts that were only 30 minutes and they rarely made we sweat and work as hard as this video did. I actually had to take a break from one exercise (burpee with a jump and then squat) because I was so tired. When this workout was over I was sore from head to toe, I can't wait till tomorrow for my next workout.

This is my first week doing LesMills Combat but so far I would definetly recommend this to people that want a workout challenge but also enjoy kickboxing and having fun. The music in this DVD series is upbeat and it pumps you up while you are working out. I will keep you posted on how week two goes and until next time stay fit!

Slack-Lining

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week I tried slacklining, have you ever seen it or heard of it? 

Slacklining is kind of like tightrope walking between two trees. The slack line looks like a dog's leash and you use rock climbing carribeeners to connect it to 2 trees about 20-30 feet away from each other. 

Slacklining takes tremendous balance just like tightrope walking. You start by trying to balance on the line with one foot and then try to walk. When you first start your leg shakes and it makes the line shake too. You have to push yourself up quickly as not to shake the whole line. 

First I tried my left leg and the whole line shook but then when I put pressure on the line it stopped and I could stand up for maybe one second. I then would alternate each time to the opposite leg so they both got a good workout. It was a workout too I started sweating and my friend I was doing it with told me to take a break. 

So I took about a 10 minute break and when I went back and started again I was much better. My friend said this happened frequently, when you took a break and then attempted the slackline again you would improve. I was staying up for 5-10 seconds this time. I decided to try and walk and I was almost getting there when my foot slipped and I fell off the slack-ine and directly onto my shoulder. I heard a crunch and it hurt but I wasn't seriously hurt so I continued. 

I tried a few more times to walk but my balance wasn't as good as it was before my fall. My shoulder was sore so I decided I had had enough slackline for the day. I had such a great time slacklining that day. I had watched people on a slackline before but I had never tried it. It was really fun and everytime I got up on it I wanted to improve. I was impressed by how good my balance was for my first time trying it. I would definitely encourage friends and other workout enthusiasts to try slacklining. It is great for your balance and your confidence. And even though I fell off I didn't let that get me down because I had stayed up all those other attempts. So until next time stay fit and stay strong!

The Asylum, Insanity Hybrid

Welcome to Try-Athlete, the blog where I try all the latest fintess and diet trends so you don't have to. Last week I started a new workout routine. I have done the Insanity workouts for the past 3 years and Asylum workouts for 10 months but I have never done them together. 

Each workout program comes with a calendar which tells you what day to do what workout. On the Asylum calendar it has a Asylum/Insanity Hybrid and a P90X/ Asylum Hybrid as well. I have never attempted the Asylum/Insanity Hybrid before and I thought why not. I'm ready for the challenge and since I just finished the entire Asylum program for the second time I thought I'm in good enough shape to try it.

The first day was Strength from Asylum paired with Pure Cardio from Insanity. Basically weight training and cardio paired together lasting for about an hour and a half. I powered through it pretty well, I was excited I was doing so well. After I finished Strength I immediately started Pure Cardio and I could tell I was tired from the other workout but I told myself I would finish it so that's what I did. The next day my shoulders and inner thighs were really sore. 

I have to admit the next day the weather was so ideal for a run I couldn't resist deviating from the workout calendar and going for a run. We aren't talking about a easy run around the block I pushed myself on this run. I usual run 3 miles but instead I pushed myself to run 4. I was really tired at around 2.6 miles but I told myself I could do it and I think that is the only reason I finished cause I was running on empty.

The next day I went back to the calendar and the next workout was Max Interval Plyo which is an hour of cardio circuit training. My knees were sore from my run the day before so it was tough at first but when I loosened up I felt better. This workout is one of the harder ones but I tried to pace myself. The rest of the week was pretty much like this I was sore every morning but I knew that was because I was working my muscles harder than they were used to.

The Good:

I knew I was getting in even better shape because I was doing double workouts on some days. I've done 2 a days in the past but it was nice having a set schedule so I always knew what I had to do. 

The Bad: 

I was literally sore this whole week! 

The Unexpected:

I was actually surprised by how well I did this first week. I know I am strong and fit but I really hung in there. I was strong mentally and that's really what I was excited about. 

Recommendations: 

I would only recommend this workout to people who are in very good shape. People who like to push themselves and do hard works like Cross-fit on a regular basis. This workout isn't difficult to learn but you need stamina and endurance to get through all the workouts. So until next week stay strong and stay fit!

Pound

Welcome to Try-Athlete, the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have. Last week a friend asked me if I had ever tried the workout "Pound," I hadn't so I was instantly intrigued.

What is Pound? Well she explained it to me, you use drumsticks and drum to the beat of the music. You are in different positions for each song, sometimes in a standing squat and drumming the ground in front of you and to the side as well. Pound is a full-body workout working abs, arms, legs and butt. Some songs you are in a seated position pounding the ground to the sides of you and working your core. 

I googled "the Pound workout" and watched a couple videos and I had to try it. I love any workout that involves rhythm and music and sweat dripping down your face. I found a class at a gym in Santa Monica, and since I go to Los Angeles every week for a on-camera hosting class, I decided to sign up for my very first Pound class. 

The Good:

This class was really fun! It was completely different from any workout I had ever done. Using drumsticks or as they are called in class "ripstix" was truly an art form. I could feel my muscles working and using muscles differently than they were used too. The music totally pumps you up, it's loud and the beat is easy to follow. The music kept me going even when I was really tired. 

The Bad:

Since it was my first time trying this workout some of the moves I would mess-up on. I got off the beat a bit sometimes when it was a new move. I was right in the front row too so I wanted to make sure I was doing everything correctly for others watching. I could feel my leg muscles cramping up halfway through the workout, we didn't stretch at all before the workout. Next time I would stretch out before the class so my muscles don't cramp up. 

The Unexpected: 

I've been doing the Asylum workout for the last four weeks and feel really strong so you can imagine how surprised I was when I was sore right after this class. My legs and lower back were so sore I could barely move let alone drive home after class. I thought I was in great shape so it was exciting to see I can step it up another notch. 

Recommendations:  

I would recommend this workout to anyone who wants to have fun while they workout. It's a tough workout but you're having fun while doing it so your mind doesn't dwell on the pain. Pound does take coordination and rhythm, but with practice I think anyone would be able to stay on the beat and follow the instructor. I'm already signed up for another Pound class I liked it so much, so until next time stay fit.

Asylum Strikes Back

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. After doing a few weeks of T25 the new workout from famed trainer ShaunT and BeachBody I felt I needed to step my game up. Some people only have 25 minutes to spare to workout but I make working out a priority and put aside an hour to improve myself daily. No judgement to anyone who likes T25 or only has a short period of time to workout, that's just not me. I love to workout and when I'm dripping sweat that's when I know I'm working my hardest. 

Earlier this year I completed Asylum and loved it, because its all about bringing out your inner athlete. I wanted to get back into the shape I was in when I did it before so I decided to do Asylum again.

The Good:

I got into great shape fast, I was sore every day for the first couple days. I like when I'm sore because then I know I'm working my muscles differently than before. Since I have done this series of workouts before I knew what I was doing so I excelled at moves that had been hard for me in the past. 

The Bad:

One of the workouts I literally hate the warm-up and I had to face that workout. It's not that the warm-up is really tough it's just annoying and repetitive and for some reason I just don't like it. Since only one of the workouts has that warm-up I just decided to do it. And once I had, it actually wasn't as bad as I had built it up in my mind.

The Unexpected: 

I was surprised how fast I was able to see changes in my body. My abs started to get more chiseled within a week and so did my shoulders, thighs and butt. I was also surprised that I remembered everything from when I did it before and it all came back just like riding a bike as they say. 

Recommendations:

I would recommend this workout to advanced fitness people. Beginners shouldn't start with this workout as it is very intense. This workout is an excellent way to get your cardio in and enjoy doing it. I feel like an athlete when I do these workouts and everyone has an athlete waiting to come out. 

So until next time stay strong and stay fit. 

Two A-Days

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. Do you remember when you where a kid and you attended all day sports camp? Well I do I went to soccer camp every year. I also had a week of conditioning before school started for soccer. That week was brutal running suicides as they call them and seeing how fast you could run a mile. I run a mile a lot faster now than I did back then.
I was thinking about those camps this past week and I thought about how football players and other athletes workout 2 times a day. They call them 2 a days and it gives them a break to eat or refuel and then workout again. I used to run around all day at those soccer camps so I decided to workout twice a day this week. Here's how it went...
The first day I started with a T25 workout since I'm still doing that workout I incorporated it into my 2 a day schedule. I did the T25 video "Cardio" and then I did a video from the BeachBody series Asylum called "Strength." This was a great way to start out my two a day week. Talk about working hard first I did Cardio so I got my sweat on and then I did Strength 50 minutes of weights working back, arms, chest and abs. I felt like a muscle machine after doing both of these workouts. For the rest of the week I did similar workouts trying to combine different muscle groups.

The Good:
I was able to do it. I'm in good enough shape that I was able to do 2 workouts and not pass out or throw up. I was working multiple muscle groups daily. I could tell I was getting stronger because I didn't need to take breaks I powered through my workouts. I definitely got my sweat on, when I would first start to sweat it would be the end of my first workout and so when I started my second workout I would be dripping with sweat the whole time.

The Bad:
Two a days take more of your time. Instead of just working out 30 minutes to an hour I now found that I was working out up to 2 hours. While that isn't really that long of a time if your busy with work, family or other obligations 2 hours is a long time.
I also noticed the days I didn't eat enough. I felt sluggish and even nauseous at times. It is so important to fuel your body for a workout especially 2 workouts. By the end if the week I would make sure to fuel up before each and every workout.

The Unexpected:
I was a little surprised at what I was capable of doing. I totally believe in myself don't get me wrong but I was doing 2 very challenging workouts and I was able to complete them. I guess I'm in better shape than I thought which is pretty exciting. Since I need to built up my endurance because eventually it's one of my dreams to run a marathon I feel these 2 a days are helping with my endurance and my confidence.

Recommendations:
I would recommend starting 2 a days to someone that is already in great shape and is training for a fitness event. I think it is always important to know your limits and know when to stop, but also know when to push yourself because that is the only way you will improve. So until next time stay strong and stay fit!

Focus T25

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week I tried the newest workout from BeachBody called "Focus T25," the workouts are taught by Shaun T the same guy that brings you Insanity and Asylum.
I had received an email from BeachBody notifying me that Focus T25 was out and I could order it. I was intrigued immediately so I watched the commercial for it and it was on. The commercial claims all the workouts are 25 minutes long hence the name T25 and it boasts that you can get just as good results with these twenty five minute workouts as an hour workout. The slogan is "It's about time," so we ordered it and it arrived Monday.
It was time to see if this workout would give the same results Insanity or Asylum gives in only 25 minutes. The first workout was "Cardio" it was pretty easy and I got through it without breaking a sweat. It was a good workout but nothing like Insanity which I am used to. We built on the exercises so instead of just doing switch kicks we started with a low kick and added on from there.
Tuesday I did "Speed 1.0" it was a bit harder than Cardio but still not as tough as I'm used to. We built on exercises again and had to do them faster and faster. It involved a lot of jumping and cross jumps too. This workout made me sweat but only a little.
Wednesday was "Total Body Circuit" and let me tell you, up to this point I had underestimated this new workout. Total Body Circuit kicked my ass...and in only 25 minutes and I dripping with sweat. Sweat was pouring down my face, I even got some in my eyes. Everything was covered in sweat! This was what I had been waiting for, a hard core workout in only 25 minutes. We worked core, legs, arms...everything. We did push-ups and squats and lots of jumps too it was tough to get through this workout. I was stoked at the end of this workout because I knew T25 was going to give me the results it promised.
Thursday was "Ab Intervals" which focused on all ab work. This workout left me sweaty and sore. My abs and my lats were hurting, which was exciting for me because that meant I had worked them hard. We did plank holds and added jumping and piking to them. Each exercise got harder and harder till I was almost unable to do them because I was so tired from the previous exercise.
Friday was double time, I had to do 2 of the workouts so a total of 50 minutes. I started with "Lower Focus" which is all about the lower body and had a lot of lunges and squats and was a pretty good workout. Then when I was finished with that I had to do "Cardio" which I had started with Monday. Doing it by itself is one thing but doing another workout before it is another. I am excited to see what week 2 is gonna be like. After my double workout I can't wait to see how each week gets harder.
Overall, I think I got a great workout this week. At the beginning of the week I wasn't sure but by the end of the week my faith was restored and I know I'm going to get results from Focus T25. So untill next week stay fit!

Trampoline Hot Mess

Welcome to Try-Athlete, the blog where I try the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week I tried working out on a trampoline. I signed up for a trampoline class at the trapeze school in Los Angeles, CA. One of my friends had told me about a trampoline class she had been to and it sounded tough but fun. When I signed up for this trampoline class I didn't realize it wasn't anything like the class my friend had been to.
When I got to school it was located on the Santa Monica Pier. It was outside so tourists and onlookers could watch you. Since it was located on the pier it smelled like cotton candy and popcorn. The trampoline was an Olympic size trampoline and the class ended being learning tricks on the trampoline. Usually each class had about 4 people in them and each person worked on a trick and then the next person would go and the others would observe and watch.
In my class it was just me, I was the only one who signed up that day. I was super excited because that meant the whole hour would just me learning tricks on the trampoline. My instructor had me stretch out to start, when I got on the trampoline he had me learn basic jumps. How to jump the correct way and then had me do jump turns the correct way. He taught me how to stop myself if I got out of control and how to always be safe.
After I had learned the basics he taught me how to do different kinds of jumps. When I had all 4 down he had me do series with all of them together. This was about the time of the class when I started to get tired. The sun was out and it was hot, I was sweating a lot. Then we moved on to back-flips, the instructor put a harness on me to protect me during the backflips. Backflips look really fun and I was very excited to try them. I did 2 of them and I was exhausted. You use almost every muscle to do a backflip and I was already tired before I started the backflips.
After the backflips I got a much needed break. I was sweating and the sun was beating down on me and I was tired. I workout all the time and do hard workouts everyday so I didn't know why this was effecting me in such a way. I couldn't believe I had 20 minutes left in the class and I wasn't sure if I could finish the hour class. After the break I started doing the jumps I had already learned and then moved on to a jump where you fall back, your back hits the trampoline and bounces back up. On one of the attempts of this jump I did a backwards summersault on accident because I got to much bounce and I hurt something in my neck. I probably should have stopped at that time but I wanted to finish the class and it was just sore it wasn't hurting when I moved it. The last 10 minutes of the class where the hardest I had no energy left and I was so hot. The class ended with going over everything I had learned and I really had to use my mind to get through it because I was so exhausted.
When the class was over I felt nauseous and fatigued. I realized if their had been other people in the class it would have given me more breaks I wouldn't have gotten so worked. I would recommend this class to someone who was adventurous with their workout and wanted to learn new things. I would say make sure for your first class that you aren't the only person in the class. Even though I had a somewhat bad experience I would try this class again. I would take a friend with me and make sure other people had signed up for the class. Have a great week and until next time stay fit.

The Daily Hiit

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week I tried a website called The Daily Hiit. The Daily Hiit is a website that has different workout videos uploaded daily. Hiit stands for high intensity interval training, each video is 2-5 minutes but you repeat it many times to get maximum results.
I heard about this website from a friend who used to do it when it was called Bodyrock.tv but it has now transitioned into The Daily Hiit. I was interested to see if I got the same results from a 12-15 minute workout than from a 45 minute Insanity workout. The first Daily Hiit I did was a HiitLite workout but let me tell you this workout was anything but lite. We did triangle push-ups, tricep dips with weights, tricep kick-backs with weights, fly bridge, and squat curl with weights. We did each exercise for 30 seconds with a 10 second break between each move. The first round was good I felt strong and in control of my body, but I was suppose to repeat the workout 5 times the second and third rounds were a bit harder the weight started to feel real heavy. The fourth and fifth rounds were a lot harder I was sweating like crazy but I held on and finished the last round. I was surprised I could already tell that my muscles were going to be sore and it was only a 15 minute workout.
The next day I returned for HiitCore this workout was five moves each for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest between each move. This core workout was intense I was sweating on the first round the moves included step out half burpee, in and out abs with ski abs, chuck and tuck, sit-ups with weight and push-ups. This workout was considerably harder than the HiitLite workout and I had to repeat it five times. In and out abs are my krptonite and that was the part of the workout I struggled with. I could not believe how much I was sweating at the end of the five rounds! I was exhausted and my abs and thighs were killing me, let me restate that every muscle I had used in this workout which was almost every muscle was killing me. I had worked hard and only worked out for 25 minutes not the hour I was used to. I was literally dripping in sweat.
The trainer who is doing the exercises with you is British and I lover her accent their is something about a British accent that just works for me. I listen to her more attentively than I would if she was American. Her body is also rocking, every muscle is lean and toned and I feel like she is inspirational to watch because I can connect with her but she also inspires me to push harder so I can look even better too. It's nice to follow her in these workouts because she does all the moves she isn't just telling you how to do it and watching others do it, she is doing it with you. The moves she comes up with are tough and work the appropriate muscles to guarantee a great workout in a short amount of time.
The rest of the week I was challenged everyday by each Hiit workout. I was sore and also excited to go back to the site each day for a new workout. Overall I would say I'm really enjoying the workouts on The Daily Hiit, they are challenging and target all the muscles I want to work. I like how they switch it up each day and how each day focuses on something different i.e. core, body, lean, reps and many more. I would definitely recommend this website as a great way to get or stay in shape, if you are just starting out you can do the HiitLite videos and move up from there. I'm excited to continue with this workout and see the long term effects so until next time stay fit!

Running at 8,500 feet

Welcome to Try-athlete the blog where I try the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. Today I went for a run but I did it the way an ultimate fighter would I ran at 8,500 feet at the top of a mountain. I remember watching something about Tito Ortiz where he was training for a fight and he went to high elevation to train.
In Palm Springs, Ca where I live one of the main tourist attractions is the Aerial tram. It takes you up the mountain 8,500 feet to a climate very different than the desert. Instead of 108 degree weather it's 60 and instead of sand and palm trees it's dirt and pine trees. A cool breeze runs through the forest and the views are majestic.
There are many hiking trails at the top of the mountain so since I'm try-athlete and I decided to try running some of these trails. I started with the Desert View (1.5 miles) trail, it had 5 notches where it gave breathtaking views of the whole desert hence the trail name "Desert View." I ran to each notch and took pictures of each vista point. At some points I couldn't run because of the rocky terrain. I finished that trail and was thirsty for more so I ran the Nature trail (.75 miles), I felt like one with nature on my run I had to stop at one point to take a picture because the view was so beautiful.
After I finished that trail I decided to try one more trail the Adventure trail I ran it for probably half a mile and then saw that it went straight up into the mountain and was more like rock climbing so I turned back but will save that one for another trip. I thought because of the elevation change it would be tougher to run and I would be out of breath but surprisingly I felt pretty much the same as when I run at my house. My knees started to bother me and that's when I knew it was time to stop, but I still wanted to do more so I found a secluded picnic bench and started doing crunches I did sets of 20 of every crunch I could think of, I did this for 8 minutes and then after about a 3 mile run and a core workout I was ready to leave and head back down the mountain.
Overall I would definitely go back up the tram and go for a run, one reason being its so hot here right now I can't run. I also really enjoyed the nature I was surrounded by I saw lizards and squirrels and all different kinds of trees and plant life. Overall I would recommend going for a run at an elevated level but I would also recommend preparing for it eating before and staying hydrated are very important. Until next time stay fit!