Rest day

It's a beautiful autumn day in East Tennessee.  My rest day  is going to be an 8 mile hike (round trip) to some waterfalls.

Go to a park, the mountains, or beach, enjoy the outdoors and get a little exercise while doing it!

ANYTHING above sitting on the couch and eating twinkies is going to help burn some calories.

Total body circuit

Stretch.
Warm-up: pick one (jumping jacks, walk or jog around the house a few times, march in place, up and down your stairs etc.)

Workout:

• 10 burpees (watch my video if you aren't sure what this is)
• 10 kettlebell swings
• 10 kettlebell single arm military presses (each arm) standing on one leg (stand on the same leg as the arm with the weight - this works your core and your shoulders)
• 10 kettlebell bent over rows (each arm)

REPEAT as many times as you can in 20 minutes.
STRETCH
**Still no kettlebell? Improvise with milk jugs filled with water or sand  OR purchase a kettlebell through me!  Buy now!

Kettlebells on sale - I'm not making a dime on this one, but I had to share.

Kettlebells are usually at least a couple of U.S. dollars per pound.  EFS (Elite Fitness) has a sale going on right now. This is the best deal I've seen on DURABLE kettlebells. Yes...even with the shipping! Check it out! EFS

Anthony Painter CPT: Upper body and core strength and conditioning

Anthony Painter CPT: Upper body and core strength and conditioning: "Stretch. Warm-up with jumping jacks, arm circles (like you did in school), and swinging your arms across in front of you and then back (mak..."

Upper body and core strength and conditioning

Stretch.  Warm-up with jumping jacks, arm circles (like you did in school), and swinging your arms across in front of you and then back (making a "t" when back).

• perform 10 push-ups (If regular push-ups are too difficult, start on knees)
• perform 10 military presses (overhead presses - 5 each arm)  *To make this exercise more difficult and strengthen your core, stand on only one leg - if the weight is in your right hand, stand on the right leg.
• perform 10 kettlebell rows (each side)
• perform the plank for 30 seconds (push-up position, draw naval in, and hold body straight - to make more difficult, rest on forearms instead of hands)
• perform 20 (10 each side) "marching" in place (draw naval in and march in place bringing knees as high as you can control each time) *To increase difficulty, bring right knee to left elbow and left knee to right elbow while marching.
• REPEAT as many times as you can in 30 minutes.
• REST as needed.

REPEAT stretches.
**Still don't have a kettlebell?  Make your own weights by filling milk jugs with water to your desired weight OR buy a kettlebell through me. Buy Now

Anthony Painter CPT: Training mom and dad

Anthony Painter CPT: Training mom and dad: "Wow! I had my 67 year old dad performing lunges to balance today! His workout: stretch 2 rounds of 15 stability ball crunches, 8 revers..."

Training mom and dad

Wow!  I had my 67 year old dad performing lunges to balance today! 

His workout:

• stretch
• 2 rounds of 15 stability ball crunches, 8 reverse crunches on a bench, and plank for 30 seconds
• 2 rounds of 5 "lunges to balance" each leg
• Treadmill interval training for 30 minutes (at highest intensity he is walking a very fast pace)
• 2 supersets of front raises and side raises with 2.5lbs each hand
• 3 rounds of compound sets performing 10 biceps curls with 15lbs and 10 triceps extentions (overhead) with 5lbs each arm
• stretch

Mom hasn't been training as long as dad, and she is still completing "phase 1" which concentrates on stability and endurance.  She too is making great progress.  (keep in mind that she has had a knee replacement and shoulder surgery)

Her workout:

• stretch
• 2 rounds of elevated plank (elbows on a bench instead of floor) for 1 minute and "standing march" 20 reps (10 each side)
• multiple sets of single leg balance (while standing, lift one leg off the floor and hold for 5-15 seconds and then switch legs)
• 2 rounds of 10 front raises, 10 side raises, and 10 single arm military presses with 2.5 lbs each arm
• Treadmill interval training for 15 minutes (at highest intensity she has just begun to sweat)

Circuit: 2x
*some exercises change on second round

• 12 kettlebell swings with 10lb kettlebell (*15 squats to overhead press with 10lb kettlebell)
• 25 reps on machine bench press (approx. 20lbs)
• 25 reps of leg press (approx. 75 lbs)
• 25 reps of pull downs (approx. 20lbs)
• 25 reps of leg extentions (no weight)
• 12 reps of biceps curls with 5lbs each arm
• 12 reps of kickbacks with 5lbs each arm
• stretch

***ONLY have a kettlebell or no weights at all?  Fill up some milk jugs with water for weight.

Anthony Painter CPT: Circuit for a nice autumn day

Anthony Painter CPT: Circuit for a nice autumn day: "Go to a park, playground, or track and perform the following walk, jog, or sprint (depending on your level) 50 yards do 10 jumping jacks wa..."

Circuit for a nice autumn day

Go to a park, playground, or track and perform the following

• walk, jog, or sprint (depending on your level) 50 yards
• do 10 jumping jacks
• walk, jog,or sprint 50 more yards
• do 10 pushups
• walk, jog or sprint 50 more yards
• do 10 crunches or 10 standing knees to elbows
• walk, jog or sprint 50 more yards
• do 10 squats

*Complete as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes

strength and conditioning circuit for beginners

Perform:

10 burpees (like squat thrusts only you jump at the end of each rep)
             
10 push-ups (If push-ups are too difficult, you can elevate your upper body by placing your hands
on a chair. You can also perform push-ups on your knees instead of your toes to make them less difficult.

10 squats (no weight, feet shoulder width apart, push through your heels, don't allow your knees to
 go past your toes, don't think about going down...instead, think about pushing your butt out)

COMPLETE as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes.
POST the number of rounds you completed.

Great tool for tight muscles (knots)

Check this foam roller out, I have one and it has greatly reduced the tightness and pain in my lower back. If you have questions on how to use it, ask me. http://osky.co/albp3s

Anthony Painter CPT: circuit for general fitness (concentration upper b...

Anthony Painter CPT: circuit for general fitness (concentration upper b...: "Stretch before and after the workout! Hold each stretch for a minimum of 25 seconds. The workout: choose a kettlebell size appropriate for..."

circuit for general fitness (concentration upper body)

Stretch before and after the workout!  Hold each stretch for a minimum of 25 seconds.

The workout: choose a kettlebell size appropriate for you (doesn't need to be heavy)
Perform as many rounds as you can in 30 minutes of the following:

• Kettlebell swings 10 reps
• push-ups 10 reps
• Kettlebell rows 10 reps (5 each side)
• Kettlebell clean and press 10 reps (5 each side)
• V-ups 5 reps
• Kettlebell high pulls 10 reps
• Reverse crunches 5 reps

POST number of rounds completed in the 30 minutes.

Anthony Painter CPT: kettlebell and bodyweight circuit for beginners

Anthony Painter CPT: kettlebell and bodyweight circuit for beginners: "Stretch before and after! Hold each stretch for a minimum of 25 seconds. Warm- up: 20 jumping jacks or 10 minutes of continuous walking (b..."

kettlebell and bodyweight circuit for beginners

Stretch before and after!  Hold each stretch for a minimum of 25 seconds.

Warm- up: 20 jumping jacks or 10 minutes of continuous walking (be creative here! you can use stairs in your home by going up and down them for 10 minutes, jog in place, etc.)

The workout (perform with as little rest between exercises as possible):

kettlebell swings: 10
mountain climbers: 10 (5 each leg)
push-ups: 10
burpees: 10
clean and press with kettlebell: 10
reverse crunches: 10

**Something you can't do?  Replace it with an exercise that you can do or modify it. Can't do a regular push-up?  Start from your knees.  It's about getting stronger and healthier!  You'll get there.
**Don't have a kettlebell yet?  Make your own resistance using an old gym bag or pillow case.  Fill it with sand or whatever you can SAFELY use to add weight.
**10 reps of each too much? Do 5 of each instead.
**Too easy? Do two rounds, three rounds or visit my other blog  at http://anthonysunconventionaltraining.blogspot.com/

GOOD LUCK!

Anthony Painter CPT: Training my parents

Anthony Painter CPT: Training my parents: "Wow! I can't believe the changes in my dad over the past 6 months - I mean, I know this stuff works, but the results always amaze me! My d..."

Training my parents

Wow!  I can't believe the changes in my dad over the past 6 months - I mean, I know this stuff works, but the results always amaze me!

My dad is 67 years old and aside from his years in the army, he has never exercised on his own.

When he started with me 6 months ago in my basement, he couldn't walk 15 minutes without being out of breath - "no wind" as he says.  Now, he is performing sets of kettlebell swings (12k), single arm kettlebell presses standing on ONE leg, crunches, squats, and more...AND he "has his wind" now!

Mom just started about a month ago, and has made leaps and bounds as well.  Due to some surgeries including a knee replacement progress has been a bit slower, but still unbelievable.  I can't wait to see where she is in 6 months!

You can improve your health, flexibility, strength and self confidence too.  You don't need a lot of fancy equipment.  All you need is somewhere to walk (even around your home and you can increase intensity by walking up and down steps or by stepping up on any sturdy platform), proper mechanics (I hope to have some videos up soon to show proper form for some of the best body weight exercises), and a kettlebell (you can purchase one at many sporting goods stores or online - they are often in kilograms instead of pounds (2.2lbs = 1kg so 12kg kettlebell weighs 26.4lbs)

Legs

STRETCH: I don't always mention stretching, but you should ALWAYS stretch prior to and following each workout.  This will help to prevent injury (since this is a leg workout, you should stretch your legs)
***HOLD each stretch for a MINIMUM of 25 seconds to achieve the benefits of the stretch

WARM-UP: 2 sets of 10 kettlebell swings (20 total reps)
DON'T have a kettlebell yet?  jog in place for 5 minutes or do 3 sets of 10 jumping jacks
REST: 45-60 seconds between sets

SQUATS: perform 3 sets of 10 squats using no weight (just your body weight)
**remember when performing a squat you should: 1. keep your back straight (pick a spot out at the top of a wall in front of you and focus on it while squatting this should help with keeping your back straight) 2. feet approx. shoulder width apart (you can go wider) 3. feet pointing straight or slightly outward 4. focus on "sticking your butt out" and NOT on bending at your knees 5. do NOT go lower than you can control (you want to progress over time to where you are squating parallel) 6. concentrate on pushing through your HEELS to keep from going up on your toes and losing balance 7. your knees should NEVER go past your toes when performing a squat...NEVER

JUMPS:  3 sets of 10 jumps and perform each set as quickly as possible - this is to increase your rate of force production (POWER)
***when performing jumps, jump as high as you can throwing your hands forward and up toward the "sky" (this will also work your abdominals)
REST: 45-60 seconds between sets

Advanced workouts

For advanced workouts to increase strength, endurance, and athletic performance, visit my blog at Unconventional...Brutal...Effective!