Tips for keeping your easy runs easy

The biggest training mistake I make is running my easy runs too fast. On the surface this may not seem to be a major error, but it is.
It takes our bodies a few days to recover from grueling training runs, such as 800m repeats and long runs. When we run easy in the days between intense runs, we recover more quickly. But if we run too hard, we hinder the recovery process. Over time, this can derail our training goals and even lead to an injury.
However, even though I know this, it’s challenging to run slow some days. When I feel strong, I naturally want to push the pace even when my plan calls for slower miles. So, I’ve been trying different methods to keep my pace in check, including:

• Reevaluating my speedwork paces. One of the reasons runners may want to push it on easy days may be because their tempo, fartlek, or repeat paces are too conservative. If you’ve been hitting your speedwork targets fairly easily and you’re naturally running your easy runs too quickly, set faster pace goals for your speed workouts and see how you fair.
• Running blind. Sometimes knowledge can be a bad thing. I glance at my watch or running app after every mile – even during easy runs. I have a habit of always wanting to negative split on a run. So, if it naturally happens after a few miles, I’ll keep picking up the pace to see if I can keep it up for the entire run. But I don’t play this game when I don’t know what my exact time is after each mile. The solution: run without technology so I don’t know my pace.
• Running at a different time of day.As a morning runner, I loathe running in the afternoon. I always feel sluggish and unmotivated at that time of day. But this can be a blessing in disguise when it comes to keeping the pace slow.
• Running with a buddy. The trick here is to enlist a friend who is either slower or wiser than you. You won’t be able to run fast when you run with a slower runner. When you run with a wiser runner, he or she will help you hold yourself back you when you fall off your goal pace.
• Adding strides to the end of my run.If you’re really feeling the need for speed on an easy day, reel it in until you finish your planned workout. Then do a handful of 50 meter strides afterwards. A couple of short bursts of speed is better than going hard for an entire workout.
• Focusing on the bigger picture. I remind myself that easy runs are necessary if I want to meet my marathon goal. I also repeat “slow now, fast later” – mantras have a powerful effect on running performance. Sometimes just reminding myself why I need to keep it slow is enough to hold me back.

Who has successfully reeled in their easy run pace? Share your tips with the rest of us!

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Bikini and Figure: What the Judges Want

Whether you’ve competed before, or you are just thinking about competing, the one question everyone wants to know is “what do the judges want?”

Recently, I went to a seminar led by judges from our region in hopes of finding the answer. Here is what I learned – and what I didn’t.

10 Things A Competitor Should Know

1. Make your first few steps count. First impressions are EVERYTHING. One of the first things the judges said is they can tell if you are winner as soon as you step on stage. So, as soon as you are in view, the judging begins. Your first step should be just as strong and confident as your final one. Your smile should already be on, your posture should already be rocking, and your attitude should already be in play. Many competitors practice all their moves for center stage, but neglect practicing their walk and transitions (moving around in comparisons, etc) – and it shows. Don’t wait to nail your favorite pose, win them over in your first few steps.

2. Pose to look good from 5 feet below. Judges reminded competitors and coaches they are normally 4-5 feet below the stage. What may look symmetrical in front of a mirror, may not look the same from the bottom of the stage. This means, when you face away from the judges and bend over to stretch out your butt crease, you may giving the judges more than they want to see. The judges suggest trainers sit on the floor while coaching their athletes, or competitors practice on a platform to get the most accurate view of each pose.

3. Stand naturally. Judges prefer competitors look natural. They don’t want a bodybuilder lat spread, and stiff hands that look like you are pointing a fake gun at everyone. They want competitors to stand tall and proud, maintaining a tight core while having relaxed arms and soft hands. I admit, it does look a lot better – unless you have a flaw that needs hiding. In that case, I suggest you do what you think makes your body look its best. Some of the most common mistakes were winged arms, flared lats, poor posture, forward shoulders, downward chin (showing insecurity), severe bent-over glute pose, torqued waistlines and awkward stances.

I picked out a few pictures online, from both bikini and figure competitions, to help clarify what they are not wanting – as well as show you what they want, which is demonstrated beautifully above by this woman in the blue suit. Refer to the very first photo in this blog to see how to make corrections.

4. Don’t resort to poses made popular by people who were trying to hide flaws.  Some competitors will twist more at the waist to hide width, or bend more at the hips when showing their rear pose to get rid of lose skin. However, if you don’t need to do these poses, then don’t do them. The judges prefer you stand normal with arms down to the side and only lifted slightly. In many ways, posing is smoke and mirrors trickery. But, it is always best to stand and walk as naturally as possible, while posing in a way that flatters you most. This is just my opinion, but based on what the judges said, I’d venture to say the girl with the legs crossed is fit enough to stand normal, as well as the girl with her legs awkwardly spread out wide. Of course, if you need to cross your legs, go for it – but if you’ve got the total package, stand comfortably in it and leave the awkward poses for the people who need it.

Since presentation is everything, a person who well-hides their flaws still have a great chance to beat out a hot body who lacks confidence and is missing other elements, so don’t be discouraged if you have to use the alternative poses. I think their whole point is not to do them if they aren’t necessary.

5. Be original. Just because someone else does something, doesn’t mean you have to. Choose your walk, suit, hair, style, poses and sign-offs that fit your own personality – not someone else’s. The judges love it when a person’s unique personality comes through. Some girls are girlie, some are sassy, some are classy, some are a bit sexy (but be careful on this one), and some are bouncy and fun. The key to your success is choosing what looks best on you,  going with your own personal style, and going with it 110%. Remember, they see competitors alllll the time – so give them something fresh and new to look at!

6. Avoid the awkward side glide. No one really enjoys walking away from someone while in a bathing suit, knowing your butt is bouncing all over the place – but what looks even more ridiculous is someone obviously trying to walk away from you while forcing their body to face forward. The same goes with people walking out on stage. Side-gliding across the stage looks funny. It’s natural to point your body in the direction it is going. I only wish I could have found a photo to demonstrate this ridiculous looking walk, but I came up empty handed – so you just get this crazy quarter turn side pose (which I’m sure the judges would hammer by the way).

They key to looking natural is practice, practice, practice! When you are walking on stage, you can still face your head toward the audience, while looking natural walking across the stage. If you want to avoid bouncing your bottom across the stages in front of the judges, you can still limit the time your body may have it’s back to the crowd while walking, but you need to do it in a way where know one notices. So practice how you would get on and off stage, how you would change places in comparisons, and how you will return to the back if asked to step to the side.

7. Bring your attitude – and if you don’t have one, act like you do. Have you ever wondered why the guy or girl that looks like they have enough attitude to go around (even if they appear a little TOO confident) always wins? Well, after this seminar, it was clear the judges want confident competitors. So, while the cockiness may be a complete turn off to me, the judges will take a confident cocky competitor over a pretty, but bashful, one. And, if you lack confidence, they suggest you fake it. This is when acting skills become very valuable. 99% of the crowd has no idea who you are, or what your real personality is, so bring your alter ego to the show and leave Little Miss Shy at home.

 8. Your posing suit won’t win the show for you. If you thought you needed to spend $500 on a suit to win, think again. The judges said there is no reason to spend a bunch of money on blinging out your million dollar suit – especially if you aren’t blinging out your body. I’d suggest spending the money on the things that matter most – like good training and a professional tan (the judges highly recommend getting sprayed at the show). As for the suit, its primary purpose is to have the right shape that flatters your physique. All the extra bling is just that – extra. This doesn’t mean you go pick up a bathing suit at Kmart, but it does mean that you shouldn’t let a pricey suit get in the way of competing. While overall presentation is super important, no one will notice that you have 100 less rhinestones than the next person – especially if you have the most rocking body! 2012 Bikini Olympia Champion, Nathalia Melo, (pictured here) proves a simple suit can still look like a million dollars.

 9. You’re a bikini athlete, not a victoria secret model. One of the judges actually made a comment in the seminar that they wish they could just pop the heads off and judge their bodies. While I do understand the point they are trying to make (and realize the focus is on the body) the way you style your hair, wear your make-up, and express yourself through facial expressions is also a big part of your appearance and attitude. Although we can’t pop off your heads (sorry, you are stuck with it), what you choose to do with it still matters in my opinion.

What I believe the judges meant was this. When choosing your hair style, you shouldn’t be constantly trying to flip and rearrange your hair, or allow it to cover your body. They same way you don’t want your hair to be a distraction, your makeup should not be distracting either. Your make-up should enhance your natural beauty – not take over your face like a rhinestoned leaper. Most importantly, don’t spend a ton of money and energy on the extras. The judges aren’t judging how natural your extensions look or noticing the stones on your false eyelashes.

10. Be YOUR best. The judges explained that they never know ahead of time what will win a show. What they meant was, if a bunch of hard girls show up, the winner will most likely be hard. If a bunch of soft girls show up, the winner will be most likely soft. This was super frustrating to me. Since I have seen how much judging can fluctuate from show to show, this is what we’ve always told our competitors. Choose ahead of time what YOU want to look like. Personally, I’d rather a competitor lose because they are too lean, than too soft. At least, even if you don’t win, you didn’t lose because you were too fat and deconditioned.

Before you compete, you need to decide WHY you are competing. Are you doing it to force yourself to diet and train hard? Are you doing it as a science experiment, to see what you can do with your physique? Are you doing it to win a trophy or get “discovered”? I would venture to say most competitors are doing it to look their best – and all the rest is the icing on the fat-free high-protein cake. Of course we would all like to look THE best, but that is a bit relative – so I suggest you just focus on looking YOUR best, and if the judges agree…BONUS!

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10-Minute Body Weight Circuit Workout

No equipment? No problem. This total body home circuit includes a variety of classic body weight exercises to work your body from head to toes. Some of the moves include plyometric jumping and other high intensity moves. Modify the exercises to fit your fitness level.
Precautions
See your doctor before trying this workout if you have any injuries, illnesses or other conditions.  This workout is for intermediate/advanced exercisers.  

Equipment Needed
A chair, bench or step

How To

• Perform the exercises for the suggested time, one after the other, with short rests in between
• Perform the circuit once for a 10 to 15-minute workout, repeating up to six times for a longer, more advanced workout
• Add extra rest periods as needed

Warm up: Light-moderate cardio for 3-5 minutes
1 min - Alternating Squats and Squat Jumps Squat low and fast for 2 reps, then do 2 squat jumps: Lower into a squat and jump as high as you can, landing back in a squat. Alternate for 60 seconds.
1 min - Front Lunges and Plyo Lunges Step forward into a lunge with the right foot, then step back and lunge forward with the left foot. Repeat for 30 seconds. Follow with jumping plyo lunges: Begin in a lunge, jump up and switch feet in the air, landing in a lunge with the other foot forward. Repeat for 30 seconds.
1 min - Bear Crawls and Pushups Squat to the floor and walk the hands out to a plank position. Do a pushup, on knees or toes, walk the hands back and stand up. Repeat for 30 seconds. Follow with 30 seconds of pushups.
1 min - One-legged deadlifts-Right LegBalance on one leg with arms straight up by the ears. Bend at the hips to bring the torso parallel to the floor while lifting the back leg straight up. Lower and repeat for 60 seconds. Weight optional.
1 min - One-legged deadlifts-Left LegBalance on one leg with arms straight up by the ears. Bend at the hips to bring the torso parallel to the floor while lifting the back leg straight up. Lower and repeat for 60 seconds.
1 min - Wall Sit with Knee LiftsSit against the wall or ball (optional), knees at 90-degree angles, weight in the heels. Holding the position, lift the right foot a few inches off the ground. Lower and then lift the left foot. Continue alternating each foot for 60 seconds.
1 min - Dips with Leg Extensions Sit on a step or chair, hands next to thighs, knees bent. Push off the step and bend the elbows into a dip. As you press up, extend the right leg, reaching for the toe with your left hand. Lower and repeat on the other side, alternating sides for 60 seconds.
1 min - BurpeesSquat and place your hands on the floor. Jump the feet back into a plank position, jump the feet back in and stand up. Add a jump at the end for more intensity, if desired. Repeat for 60 seconds.
1 min - Triceps Pushup with Side Planks In pushup position, with hands close together, do a triceps pushup. As you push up, rotate to the left, taking the right arm straight up in a side plank. Rotate back for another pushup, and then do a side plank on the other side. Repeat, alternating sides for 60 seconds.
1 min - Bridge with Leg Drops In a bridge position, straighten the right leg and drop it out to the side a few inches. Bring it back to center and repeat for 30 seconds. Switch sides and complete the exercise on the other leg for 30 seconds.

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Balance Training for the Glutes and Abs

Targeting the gluteals and abdominals in a training session is a popular goal for many fitness seekers, but what about training for balance? Do you regularly seek out strategies for improving balance in your exercise routines? Considering that balance training has been shown to reduce the risk of falls (especially in older adults) and improve dynamic balance in both athletes and non-athletes, incorporating this type of training could be a wise choice. In addition, many of the exercises used to train balance call upon the muscles of the hips and trunk to provide stability. This means you get the added benefit of strengthening the glutes and abs while you’re working to become more balance savvy. Plus, the various single-leg exercises that target the glutes in balance-training programs are beneficial for knee health because they promote proper alignment between the hip, knee and ankle.
To experience these benefits, add one set of the following exercises at the beginning of your workouts, twice a week for at least six weeks (in other words, perform these balance exercises 12 times over the course of six weeks). To check your progress, take the single-leg balance test* (for both legs) during the first week. Retake the test again after the sixth  week of training to see if there is a difference in your score.
*Single-leg Balance Test:

Grab a stopwatch and stand with your feet directly underneath the hips.
Cross your arms over the chest.
Lift one leg off the floor, making sure your legs do not touch each other.
Start the timer the instant your foot leaves the floor. Stop the timer when your foot touches back down, or if your body starts flailing to regain balance. The test should be performed with minimal bodily movement.
Record your score for each leg. The longer the time spent standing on one leg, the better your balance.
There are no norms for comparison, only your own score. The goal is to increase the time you are able to stand on one leg from pretest to post-test.
Note: It is up to you whether or not you wear shoes during this test. It makes sense that if you train in shoes, you should also test your balance wearing shoes. Clearly, this is not a scientific assessment, but making the pre- and post-tests factors the same, and the training variables the same as during testing (e.g., wearing shoes versus going barefoot), will give you a more realistic result.
1. Split Lunge

Adopt a split-stance position with one leg in front of the other and your feet hip-width apart (i.e., your feet should not be directly in line with each other). Your front foot should be far enough forward so that the front shin remains vertical upon descent. Keep your front foot flat on the floor, while balancing on the ball of the back foot. Lower and raise your body by bending both knees and keeping your back heel off the floor. Go as low as you comfortably can without compromising balance. Perform 10 repetitions on each side.
For more challenge, try adding a small jump on the way up. Be very careful that the front knee stays in line with the toes and does not cave inward.
For less challenge, try holding the position (without raising or lowering) for 30 seconds on each side.
2. Side Shift Into Single-leg Balance

To start, stand with your feet together. Take a long step out to the side, as if you are performing a side lunge. Quickly push off the floor and return the leg, but instead of placing the foot beside the other one, raise your knee up toward the chest and hold for a count of 2. Essentially, you’re performing a quick side lunge directly into a single-leg balance without letting the foot touch the floor upon the return. Perform 10 repetitions on each side.
For more challenge, hold a dumbbell in the same-side hand as the lunge leg.
For less challenge, return the lunge foot to the starting position beside the other foot, instead of lifting the knee.
3. Standing Cross-body Rotation

To start, stand in a wide squat. Pull one knee up toward the opposite shoulder, while driving the opposite elbow to the outside of the knee, essentially creating an across-the-body rotation with opposing limbs in a single-leg stance. Keep your torso as vertical as possible as you rotate through the trunk. Perform 10 repetitions on each side.
For more challenge, hold a dumbbell or small medicine ball with both hands. Lift the weight up on a diagonal and then drive the weight to the outside of the knee that is lifted.
For less challenge, bring the foot in to tap the floor beside the other foot, instead of lifting the knee.
4. Elbow Plank Leg Raise

Adopt a plank position on your elbows and toes. Be sure to engage the abdominals to prevent the hips from rocking side to side. Squeeze the same-side glutes to lift up one leg at a time. As you lift the leg, the movement should be controlled by the glutes. Keeping the knee very straight while you lift will help prevent the hamstrings from contributing more than they should. Perform 20 repetitions (10 on each side).
For more challenge, place your elbows on a BOSU trainer or other unstable surface.
For less challenge, tap one knee to the floor at a time, instead of lifting the leg.
Putting It All Together
As noted earlier, perform your balance work early in your exercise session. This will help you avoid the risk of neuromuscular fatigue, which could occur if you wait until the end of your workout. Interestingly, available research shows that a multicomponent exercise program that consists of strength, endurance and balance training appears to be the best strategy for improving balance (Cadore et al., 2013; Zech et al., 2010). Hence, for the most benefit, balance exercises should be included as part of a comprehensive training program.
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7 Ways to Find Love and Passion for Fitness ...

Do you want to know the ways to find passion for fitness? You know, the feeling where you wake up and cannot wait to get out the door to work out. Or the midday itch to get a walk in on your lunch break. Basically, the feeling that you live to exercise, rather than exercise to live. If you are feeling the urge to exercise, this passion is within you. And if you are lacking this desire to exercise, have no fears because I can help you find this. As a personal trainer, I have helped thousands of lives and I am looking forward to helping you find love and passion for fitness too! Just #read these tips:

1. Try Different Workouts

If you are finding that every #time you begin a traditional workout like running, you lack enthusiasm, you may just need to switch it up and break tradition. Go indoor mountain climbing, hiking, biking, swimming and dancing to see what sparks your passion for fitness. If you diversify your #exercise, I guarantee you are going to find what works best for you!

2. Find the Workout You Enjoy

So you discovered you are like a fish in the water and swimming is your sport. Now, how can you make this part of your workout? Begin by swimming laps several days a week, altering swim strokes and tracking the #time you are in the water. Your ultimate goal should be exercising for five days a week for 45 minutes to an hour. This schedule will help you to reach your fitness and health goals.

3. Add Some Tunes

Download your favorite music to your phone or iPod to inspire you to work out longer and stronger. If you find that music helps you move, you need to download your songs pronto so you can get moving and find passion and love for fitness. How can you not love working out to your favorite music as you sculpt and tone your body?

4. Jazz up Your Apparel

Tired of going to the gym in the same gray pants and tank? Switch up your gear and find fitness wear that shows your personality. There is an endless array of workout attire that you can even accessorize with. So pick up a sparkly hair band to hold your #hair back, fitted shorts and whatever else you shows your personality. Studies show that wearing new workout wear will help motivate you to get moving!

5. Get Techy

With the countless techy products like a Garmin GPS, you can now wear a watch that will track your distance, pace and #calories burned while you run or bike. Tech gear can help motivate you to go a further distance when you work out. And the instant feedback of the watch will have you excited for your next workout!

6. Analyze Your Goals

Get in touch with what your goals are and if you are looking to lose #weight, start making healthier food choices and get excited over your exercise. Write out a food and #exercise schedule to help you to achieve your goal. And if you diversify your workouts, add some tunes and get in the zone, you will find love and passion in your workouts!

7. Have Fun

If you get in a happier place and try to have fun in your workouts, you may be surprised at the outcome. You will begin to have more fun and working out will no longer feel like it is as much work. You will feel de-stressed after your workouts and life will just seem better. So put on a smile and work out your stress, energy and give it all you got!
So are you ready to find your inner fitness passion? Then get moving to find the right #fitness workout for you!

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Perfect Your Form

Do a better squat, perform a better lunge, and fix your flawed technique

Lunges

What You Do Wrong:
You lean forward, causing your front heel to rise.

1/ "Narrow your starting stance," says Gray Cook, author of Athletic Body in Balance. The closer your feet are, the harder your core has to work to stabilize your body.

2/ "As you do the lunge, focus on moving your torso only up and down, not pushing it forward," says Craig Rasmussen, a fitness coach at Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. This keeps your weight balanced evenly through your front foot, allowing you to press into the floor with your heel, which tones more lower-body muscle.

Squats

What You Do Wrong:
You start the movement by bending your knees.

1/ As you squat, imagine you're sitting down into a chair, rather than forward on top of your knees. Push your hips back first instead of beginning by bending your knees, which puts more stress on your joints, says Dan John, a strength coach in Burlingame, California.

2/ Women tend to lean forward on their toes, but they should sit back into their heels. Try this fix: Pretend that you're standing on a paper towel, says Charlie Weingroff, lead physical therapist for the U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. "Then imagine trying to rip the towel apart by pressing your feet onto the floor and outward." This activates your glutes, which helps you use heavier weights and break through plateaus.

Straight-Leg Deadlifts

What You Do Wrong:
You round your lower back as you bend over.

1/ "When bending down, act as if you are holding a tray of drinks and need to close the door behind you with your backside," says Alwyn Cosgrove, co-owner of Results Fitness. This helps you push your hips back instead of rounding your lower back—a form blunder that puts you at risk for back problems.

2/ It's easy to put too much space between the weight and your body as you move up and down. Pretend you're shaving your legs with the bar or dumbbells, suggests Kaitlyn Weiss, a certified strength and conditioning specialist in Southern California. The farther the weights are from your body, the more strain on your back, which limits the work of your hamstrings and glutes.

Rows and Pullups

What You Do Wrong:
You ignore the muscles that draw back your shoulder blades.

1/ "Before you start the exercise, create as much space as you can between your ears and shoulders," says Rasmussen. Pull your shoulder blades down and back, which will ensure you work the intended middle- and upper-back muscles.

2/ "As you row the weights, stick out your chest," says Mike Boyle, owner of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Woburn, Massachusetts. This allows you to better retract your shoulder blades, which will lead to better results.

3/ "Imagine an orange between your shoulder blades," says Nick Grantham, owner of Smart Fitness in the U.K. "As you pull the weights or your body up, 'squeeze the juice out of it' by bringing your shoulder blades together."

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20-Minute At-home Bodyweight Circuit

For many trainers, the holidays can be a frustrating time. While there’s nothing better than going home for the holidays and spending time with loved ones, this time of year can put a wrench in your clients’ workout routines. Many of you have spent a significant amount of time helping your clients work toward their health and fitness goals, and when they travel for the holidays, it can be hard for them to maintain the same amount of dedication and self-control as they do the rest of the year. The solution? A circuit workout.
Share this workout with your clients before the holiday season to help them burn off those extra calories while getting a total-body challenge. All that is needed for this 20-minute at-home body-weight circuit is a little space in the family room, basement or hotel room.
How-to: Perform each of the following exercises for one minute, resting for 30 seconds in between each exercise. Once you complete each exercise once, take one minute to drink some water and catch your breath. Then go through the entire set once more for a total of 20 minutes.
Warm-up: Begin by jogging lightly for one minute.
1. Pass-through Lunge

A. Stand with feet hip-distance apart. Step the right foot behind and lower slowly to a lunge until both legs are at a 90-degree angle.
B. Lift the right leg up and let it float slowly to the front, lowering again to 90-degrees.
C. Push the right foot up again and float it behind you as you did the first time.
Perform for one minute—30 seconds with the right leg, 30 seconds with the left leg; rest for 30 seconds.
2. Globe Hops

A. Start standing with feet a few inches apart, arms in guard position at the chest and knees slightly bent.
B. Jump forward, back, right and then left (like the directions on a globe: north, south, east, west). Continue jumping NSEW for 30 seconds and then switch directions to NSWE or front, back, left, right for the next 30 seconds.
Jump for one minute and then rest for 30 seconds.
3. Shoulder Tap Push-up

A. Begin in a plank position with the hands directly under the shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Keep the abdominals and legs tight as you slowly lower the chest toward the ground with the elbows bending and pointing behind you.
B. Exhale as you push back up to lengthen the arms into high-plank position. Lift the right hand to tap your left shoulder at the top and then repeat with the other arm.
Do as many repetitions as you can for one minute and then rest for 30 seconds.
4. Burpees

A. Start in a plank position with arms and legs long, and hands shoulder-distance apart.
B. Walk or jump both feet between your hands, coming into a low squat position. Jump straight up as high as possible, land, and come back to your plank position.
Do as many burpees as you can for one minute and then rest for 30 seconds.
5. Side Squat

A. Start standing with feet hip-distance apart and sit back into a squat position by bending the knees.
B. Keep your abs tight and back straight. Step to one side, staying in your squat position. Return to your starting position and then side squat in the other direction, using all your lower-body muscles.
Perform for one minute and then rest for 30 seconds.
6. Army Crawl Plank

A. Begin in a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, feet together and your body in a straight line.
B. Bend your left arm and then your right to assume forearm plank position.
C. Lift your left hand and place it on the mat directly below your shoulder as you push through your palm to lift back up into plank position.
D. As you reach the top, place your right palm on the floor under your right shoulder and push back into a full plank. Repeat, leading with the right arm. 
Perform for one minute, leading first with the left arm for 30 seconds and then with the right for the remaining 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds.

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Preparing for Your First Bikini Competition

Soy will have to wait.

My bestie and I were catching up over peppermint tea and dark chocolate (we were chatting on facebook, but a girl can dream) when she mentioned that she wanted to compete in her first bikini competition and asked me to help her out, I gladly agreed. So, I put my metaphorical internet surfing goggles on, cracked my knuckles, and started typing.
As I started collecting information to give to my friend, my good decisions birdie popped up in my head and suggested I make a blog post about preparing for competition. That way, I get to help not just a friend out, but hopefully other people too!
So, without further ado, here it is! The Bikini Competition Guide – A Compilation of Other Peoples Information

Are You Ready for the Prep?

First things first, before you decide to begin your journey to the stage, you need to consider all of the things that go into competing: cost, time, energy, sacrifice, and much more.
Things you’ll need to buy:

• Bikini
• Hair and makeup on competition day
• Spray tan
• Nails
• Shoes
• Registration and competition fees
• Travel/lodging fees

Another thing to consider are the sacrifices that must be made for success. You’ll have to miss important events, sometimes even holiday celebrations. You will need to push yourself when all you want to do is give up – no one can make this happen for you. You will have to pass up on social events when you think that you might be tempted to go off your diet – and learning to be honest with yourself in this way is one of the most important parts of your training.
I’m not trying to scare you out of competing, I am trying to get you to be realistic. And you don’t need to have it all together at the start. Competition prep is a learning process, and those qualities that will help you succeed are developed just like your muscles are. So, let’s get started then!

The Basics

Here are a list of the basic tips that will make your prep and time on stage go more smoothly. Dualfit.com strongly urged paying the extra money to get a coach. They have experience, will help to keep you accountable, and will help you if the road gets bumpy.
Candice Perfect, with a very appropriate last name, was featured on Fitbodyhype, and her suggestions for new competitors were to practice posing and walking in your heels, pay the extra money to have a professional apply your spray tan, and get a custom bikini that fits your body.
Natalia Muntean has a great competition prep guide on her website that is definitely worth checking out. In this guide, she said this, regarding the look that bikini competitors need to aim for: “Nice and round shoulders, toned arms, flat stomach with 4-pack showing, no hard abs muscles, very firm glutes and sculpted legs. That being said, you still need to maintain a very feminine figure. Therefore – no dry veiny skin, no dehydrated look and no exhaustion on your face.
So, in summary:

• Pay the extra price for a coach.
• Practice your posing and walking – be confident on stage.
• Get a custom bikini and professional spray tan.
• Aim for a muscular, feminine look that is not dehydrated or tired.

The Timeline

Stephanie, from Beautiful to the Core posted a great bikini competition prep guide, which was very informative. If you have the time, you should check out her blog and see all of her great advice!
Stephanie’s prep timeline looks like this:

• 12 weeks out (W/O): No more cheat meals, intense training begins, drink 2 gallons of water per day.
• 8 W/O: Begin to practice posing and start tanning 2x per week.
• 4 W/O: Cut diet down, reduce carbs and consume lots of greens and fish, schedule hair and makeup, and a photo shoot if you want to document your sick bod.
• 2 W/O: whiten teeth, cut diet if needed
• 6 days out: Get your nails done, increase sodium for days 6/5/4, decrease carbs, and have your last leg workout.
• 3 days out: Cut to 1.5 gallons water, go back to a normal sodium intake, exfoliate, get a bikini wax, and nair your entire body (arms too!).
• 2 days out: Cut to 1 gallon water, lower sodium, and REST!
• The day before: Cut to 1/2 gallon water, cut all sodium, carb load, deep condition hair, exfoliate, shave before your spray tan, DON’T use deodorant, and get first round of spray tan.
• Competition day: No deodorant, touch up spray tan, glue suit after meeting, pump up 15 minutes before stage, only take sips of water as needed, have a few sips of wine before heading on stage.

Stephanie also posted a great competition day packing list, it has a lot of things that you would not even think about but would really miss should you not have them with you!

The Training

Training comes second in competition prep only to diet. I am sure I do not have to lecture you on the importance of your workouts, so I will skip that and get right to the good stuff.
Bikini competitors need to be muscular while keeping their femininity. But, when you begin to cut your calories and diet down as competition day draws near, you need to make sure you have enough muscle on you so that you can afford to lose some to diet and cardio.

The Weights:

If you are starting at 12 weeks out and are already in relatively good shape, build muscle with 8 to 10 reps. Drop sets are great for developing muscle and definition, along with supersets and triple sets. If you are starting well before 12 weeks out, at 20-24 weeks for example, you can afford to drop the reps down a bit more to build more muscle mass. Try 5-8 reps for your big muscle movements, squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press, and 8-10 reps for your accessory exercises.
As you start to get closer to competition day, increase to 12-15 reps, and 15-20 reps. You want to focus on building lean and long muscles once you have a good base from your lower rep workouts. Keep up with your supersets, drop-sets, tri-sets. To really burn fat, you can incorporate active rest into your workouts. For example, instead of resting the traditional way between sets, do 30 seconds of jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or rope skipping between each set instead. This will keep your heart rate up and increase your calorie burn.

The Cardio:

Cardio is a crucial tool in your fat loss tool box. Before you reach 12 weeks out, do 20-30 minutes of steady state cardio 2-3 times per week. Experiment with HIIT (high intensity interval training) so that when the time comes, you will be able to do it multiple days per week without trouble. For your HIIT, start with a 1/2 work/rest ratio, like this: 30 seconds sprinting, 1 minute rest. Repeat for 20 minutes. When this gets easy, lower your work/rest ratio as you like, and increase the duration of the workout.
At 12 weeks out, you want to start doing cardio at least 4 days per week. Keep doing your HIIT workouts and steady state workouts, and increase the duration to at least 30 minutes per session. When you start to cut (4-6 weeks out), increase your cardio to 50-75 minutes per day. You can do a combination of HIIT and steady state cardio to keep it less boring. Try doing AM/PM workouts as well if you don’t want to spend a lot of time at the gym. Incline walking, sprints on the bike or treadmill, and plyometrics workouts, are all great forms of cardio for fat loss.
So, in summary:

• Before 12 weeks out: 5-8 reps for large muscle group exercises (deadlift, squat, bench press, overhead press), 8-10 reps for accessory exercises. Cardio 2-3 days per week, begin to do HIIT for 20 minutes a few days per week to get used to it.
• 12 weeks out: 8-10 reps and 10-12 reps for large muscle group exercises and accessory exercises, respectively. Experiment with drop-sets, supersets, and tri-sets. Increase cardio to 30 minutes, 3-5 times per week. Increase intensity and frequency of HIIT.
• 6 weeks out: 12-15 reps and 15-20 reps for large muscle group exercises and accessory exercises, respectively. Focus on building lean and long muscles, and stay flexible. Increase cardio to 50-60 minutes per day. Increase frequency of HIIT and decrease frequency of steady state cardio.
• 4 weeks out: 15-20 reps. Increase cardio to 60-75 minutes per day, half HIIT and half steady state cardio like incline treadmill walking.
• 6 days out: light upper body work, last leg workout before show.
• The day of: use light dumbbells 5-10 lbs to pump muscles 15-20 minutes before you step on stage.

The Diet

Diet is the most important determinant in your success on stage in terms of your body. Good training is nothing without good diet. Before you start to cut, the diet is simple: clean. Make sure you are getting adequate fat (0.5xbodyweight in pounds), protein (1-1.5xbodyweight in pounds), and carbs (1-1.2xbodyweight in pounds).
Before 12 weeks out, if you are bulking to build muscle, you need to eat more calories than you need to maintain your weight. Check out an awesome formula for calculating your daily needs here. Once you’ve calculated your daily needs, add 500 calories to that. That is how many calories you will be eating while bulking.
At 12 weeks out, you want to start to diet down. Decrease your calories by 100 or so every couple of days until you eventually get to a level that is 500 calories less than your calculated daily needs. At 4 weeks out, you are going to really start to diet down. I would suggest carb cycling during this time for best results: 1 day high carb, 3 days low carb, repeat. As mentioned earlier by Stephanie from Beautiful to the Core, during 4 weeks, fish and veggies are going to be a staple in your diet, along with egg whites, whey protein, and peanut butter.
Check out this website for some great bikini competition diet tips.
And that’s all she wrote, folks! Seriously, its 12:30 AM, I need to go to bed. Competing for the first time can be scary, but it is well worth it. Stick to your guns, stay motivated any what that you can, and don’t be afraid to lean on others when you are struggling. And most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy yourself and be proud of all that you have accomplished. Good luck!

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How To Get and Stay Motivated To Exercise & Eat Healthy

How is it that in the past 3 years I’ve never taken more than 5 days off (due to injury) from being active?
3 years ago I remember waking up in South Korea at 2 pm with the worst hangover, an empty box of fried chicken to the right of my head, and almost nothing left in the Nutella jar to my left. This was a typical Sunday.
I felt disgusting, weak, and was sick and tired of being sick and tired. Then I realized that I had a choice. Did I want to continue feeling and acting like this? Only I had all the power to control the way I felt and looked. Ah ha! It dawned on me. The act of exercising and eating healthy was actually self respect, self love. I was clearly choosing to not respect and love myself!

After this realization did exercising become easy? F*uck no. The hardest part about it was my mind. I had to make a commitment to myself that I’d stop listening to the voice inside my head that always had so many excuses why to not workout or choose healthier options. I made a commitment to say YES when my mind said no.

I knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but I had to commit to myself FOR myself.
I tried to make it so easy for that it was hard to fail. I no longer bought Nutella and fried chicken. I no longer turned to partying as a release of stress. I looked for a gym to join. I told myself that I only needed to do 15 minutes of activity a day. I made a commitment to transform myself inside and out.
Slowly, I committed more and more to myself. It’s become less about the physical and more about the mental and emotional. The process is easier if you look at it as self respect and recognize that your mind will try holding you back. The challenge is making the choice that will lead to bettering yourself.
I encourage and challenge you to commit to loving yourself. Side affects include: happiness, self love, self control, and bountiful health.
 

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