04/03

Exercise VLOG! TRX Combo!

I hate hearing myself talk, 
but I said I would film workout VLOGs 
and so I have…
TRX style! 

It feels SO good for your backside!
(insert “that’s what she said” joke here)

Dont’ have a TRX Suspension Trainer?
Get one here. 


*Thanks, Tom, for playing Camera Man : ) 
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Filed Under: Back, exercises, TRX, video, vlog
01/31

Exercise VLOG! Push Up Edition

I promised I’d do exercise videos this year, at least one per month…
I’m barely making it under the wire here, 
but it’s STILL January! 
Why are pushups important?
Because they’re perfect for getting strong arms, chest, and core, especially for us chicks.

Almost every female client of mine wants to get rid of arm flab, flatten up their bellies, and get sexy shoulders. Pushups do ALL of those, you don’t need any equipment, and the more you practice them, the better you get. Unfortunately for women, we’re not blessed with natural upper body strength. The fellas got that one. We, however, have natural lower body strength, which is why most females tend to focus on that at the gym. 

Here’s my first VLOG on how to progress into full push-ups, 
not just the modified kind on your knees. 

When you can complete the level consistently, 
(10-15 reps no problem) without sagging at the hips, 
then it’s time to progress to the next level! 
Questions? 
VLOG Help: 
I used Photo Booth for the video, uploaded to Vimeo but the audio didn’t sync with the video… so had to go back to just the reg version, which I can’t seem to make bigger. #rookiemistakes who knows how to fix this ish?
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Filed Under: exercises, video, vlog
12/05

TRX: Kelly Combo!

Anybody that’s ever taken a fitness class from me knows that Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You” is my favorite workout song. I choreographed this TRX core combo to it a while back and was finally able to film it. If you have your own TRX Suspension Trainer, try it out and let me know what you think.

Enjoy!

Special thanks to my buddy, Fraser for doing the hard part:
cutting the video,

cueing music,
adding in movement cues,
and ish like that.
Goodness knows it would have taken me forever…
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Filed Under: combo, core, exercises, Kelly Combo, TRX
10/12

Flying Squirrels… In Progress

Every Wednesday my friend/colleague Chris and I meet up in the park for a little trainer jam session. We do a workout, tell stories, talk ish, and try to one up each other. It’s a good time. He sent me this video of a “flying squirrel” suggesting we add it to our routine… It looks like this:

nbd.
Here’s my first attempt:
sidenote – it’s harder when you’re laughing.
I’m almost there.
…should have it by Friday.
Other sidenote – he wouldn’t let me post his video. I’m hoping his wife, Kara will talk him into letting me show it…
Last sidenote (swear) – I don’t have a man-voice in real life… was trying to imitate the first video
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Filed Under: exercises, video, workout
08/15

Guest Post! Maddie from Spidatter

Hello, hello! I’m Maddie from Spidatter (which is in no way a fitness blog, but I promise it’s still cool).




Ami’s allowing me to ramble on about my experiences with fitness while she’s galavanting in California. Thanks, Ami 🙂


Let’s talk about me and running. Not to worry…this won’t be a rant about the 10k I’m training for (because I’m not), nor about how much I just love love love to wake up at 5am and get a few miles in before work (because I don’t).
It’s a relationship that never really got off the ground, unfortunately. I’m not sure what the deal breaker was. Maybe it was all of those forced jog-a-thon fundraisers in Kindergarten (which I walked), or the “running of the dreaded mile” in third grade (which I also walked…in the snow), or perhaps it was all of those laps we did in PE in fifth grade…in our plaid, pleated uniform dresses. The man in the picture was our PE “coach.”
That’s me in the white sailor blouse. Adorable.


While the above memories all feed into my broken relationship with the track, the moment in my running history that truly highlights my athletic demise (and also doubles as an oft-repeated family anecdote) was the mile I had to run for physical fitness testing in junior high.
Junior high was a nightmare in and of itself, from which I’m still debriefing. And then at the end of the day, they made you run. We had these super cute red PE shirts we had to wear that had Santa Barbara Christian School printed on them. And all of the girls who needed sports bras were anti- wearing them (I was in that category)…while the girls with nothing to cover would wear them just for “fun.”


Side note: Perhaps some of you have heard me reference my “childhood best friend” from time to time…Katy [Hudson] Perry…? We were a year apart at Santa Barbara Christian School in junior high. I have this distinct memory of us changing for PE in the girls’ bathroom, wherein she lifted up her PE shirt to show not one, but two bras on, claiming, “My boobs are so big, I have to wear two bras at once!” So just to set the record straight, I wasn’t the girl she kissed, but she did flash me in junior high.


So there I am running the mile on a beat-up field full of gopher holes and puddles, and near lap four, I glance around and realize that I am one of only two people left still running. And the other girl is about to cross the finish line. And I am behind her. AND SHE IS WEARING A BACK BRACE. If that doesn’t scream, “Give up already! You are not a runner!” to an already insecure 13-year-old girl, I don’t what does…
Now I’m 25, and I just this last year began to mend my broken bond with running. It started with a trip to Lululemon and the purchase of this bra. I had foolishly sworn off this store previously as over-priced and over-zealous, created for the people who do yoga up to three times a day. And then I found myself all but drowning in a social circle of Lululemon believers and testimonies. So I ventured into the store – petrified, mind you – and bought this tank and the aforementioned sports bra. Which is solid as a rock…and yet bizarrely comfortable. And now I run. At least every other day. Not impressively fast, and not amazingly far – but that’s still running. And Lord help me if I don’t get my money’s worth out of that $50 sports bra and burn some major calories in the process.
I doubt they’d ever quote this in Fitness Magazine, but sometimes looking fantastic and spending unholy amounts of $$$ on athletic attire is by far the best motivation to sweat. Whatever it takes, right Ami?
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Filed Under: exercises, guest post, lululemon, running, Spidatter
08/11

Guest Post! Across the Pond

I’m headed to LA for a fitness conference for the next few days so I’ll be completely M.I.A. Fear not. I’ve brought in back up… in the form of Megan (a real CA girl). Enjoy:


Hi there friends


I am Megan from Across The Pond



Since my friend Ami here is all into fitness stuff (proper terminology used)


I thought i would share a bit of my fitness routine with you..


Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, i really make mine count


pancakes the size of your head is usually a good place to start.


After breakfast I continue the day by using my arms muscles to place food into my mouth.






after that i take a brisk walk to the end of my street



it is hard work.


But it has to be done.


Right Ami?


nailed it.

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Filed Under: Across the Pond, exercises, guest post, Megan
04/05

Tutorial: Side Lunge with Oblique Bend

In response to the few of you who voted in my Watchu Want post I’ve decided my next exercise tutorial will be a combined lower body/ core exercise. What’s the #1 Excuse people have for not working out? Not enough time. So since lower body and core exercies were tied in votes (last time I checked) and it’s good for your body to do multiple movement exercises, I present you with: The Side Lunge with Oblique bend. We’re multi-tasking, people. It’s a good thing. Trust.

Step #1. Step out to the right side, bending the right leg, but keeping the stationary (left) leg still and straight. Shift your hips back like you would for a basic squat. Keep your chest up. Smirky face optional.
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Step #2. Step back up so that the feet are together and your arms press the dumbbell overhead.
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Step #3. Shift your hips to the left and take your arms over to the right. This fires the obliques on the left side.
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Repeat for about 1 minute and then switch to the other side. When your left leg is leading, the weight (or just your arms) will go to the left.
Tips to Remember:
*Keep the stationary leg still and the knee straight.
*Sit back in your hips so that your bending knee doesn’t shoot too far forward (past your toe)
*Keep your back flat so you don’t look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Not that there’s anything wrong with looking like that, it’s just not physically your best bet, and won’t do you any favors.
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In the photo, I’m using an 8lb. dumbbell. This is optional. If you have lower back issues, start without a weight, or a low weight. If you’re super strong, you can up it however you feel necessary. Do a couple sets on each side and see you feel the next day to calculate if you need more or less weight.
So you remember all that, let me know what you think, and then I’ll remember not to take photos of myself after working out. Can you say “sweaty mess?” Geez. Holla!
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Filed Under: core, exercises, lower body, tutorial
03/22

Whatchu Want?


You peeps liked my plank tutorial I did a couple of weeks ago (or 5 of you did), so I’m going to do another exercise tutorial: show you how it’s done, where you should feel it, and how NOT to do it. I’ll let you choose the type of exercise though, ’cause I’m nice like that. : )

Get the Poll Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)
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Filed Under: exercises, poll, tutorial, vote
10/07

TRX Madness

So you can do ANY exercise with the TRX, but here are 5 that you might never think to do on it, but look CRAZY and really, really FUN. Think I’m gonna go for it today on my workout…

This is my buddy, Doug Balzarini (or Doug Balls, as I like to call him; ) ) He’s an amazing trainer that I know from San Diego. He’s also a fellow TRX Course Instructor. Check out his tweeting…
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Filed Under: body weight training, exercises, suspension training, TRX