Got Balls? - Part 2

In addition to relieving aches and pains, these are 3 balls that I love training with. You can make it as easy and pain free as you like, or as intense as you like. The possibilities are endless of what you can do with these. But I'll go into more detail in future posts.

1: Bosu Ball - My current favorite "toy". Stands for "BOth Sides Up" or the more PC term, "BOth Sides Utilized". Great for building core strength, balance and overall body strength. Anything you can do standing or sitting on the ground you can do standing on a BOSU (crunches, twists, push ups)
A nice trick just stand on the BOSU while you watch tv to tone your abs and legs.

2: Balance / Yoga Ball   Pretty common, so I wont go into much detail. But another trick sit on this, and try to balance with one leg while you watch tv.Your abs wont know what hit them.

3: Medicine Balls. I like to toss these up in the air and catch them. Its great for toning your arms and back muscles. Toss them up, to the side, against a wall or to a partner. Hold them while you do lunges or Russian Twists/Crunches. Add these moves on the BOSU for a more intense workout.

Videos on how to use a Foam Roller

Here are some great videos on using a foam roller from one of my favorite sites - Runner's World
There are endless possibilities of stretches and massages you can do on a foam roller, feel free to google more videos and get creative.

IT BAND


The QUADS


The Calves

Trigger Point GRID Review

TriggerPoint GRID - Revolutionary Foam Roller - Black

My New toy, and its AWESOME!!!

My old foam roller was due to be replaced. I initially was going to purchase a high density roller, but figured might as well put in the extra $10 and get one that will last longer.

The Product -

Initially I thought the core was steel, but its actually just a very hard plastic core, (meaning if you really wanted to break it by running it over with a car, you could), but don't fret, its built to hold up to 500 lbs.

Its a great size, and easy to carry around. With the longer rollers, the length gets cumbersome. With this, it is the perfect size to target specific parts.

its covered by a thick hard foam, so its more comfortable than I thought it was going to be. The foam is pretty sturdy and shouldn't get bent out of shape easily. But if you did want to destroy the foam, you could stab it with a pen and puncture it, or roll over some sharp gravel. so unless you really want to destroy it, just roll on a regular carpet, floor or yoga mat and it'll stay in good shape.

I don't know why I'm focusing so much on how to destroy it, LoL,

Pains and Aches

After a good workout, the next few days can leave you felling achy and tender. 

Common Scenario - we do a 100 lb lift, or a 20 mile run, then the next day, we can barely hold a pencil or walk up some stairs, (then the person in the elevator thinks, "what a lazy ass for taking the elevator to the 2nd floor!") 

What Happens? 

Usually around 24-48 hours, we experience a soreness called - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS.

This is because we get tiny tears in our muscles when we have an intense workout, and the muscle is trying to repair itself. It sounds awful, but its actually a good thing. When our muscles repair themselves, new and stronger muscles are grown = a better, stronger body. 

Now the Burning sensation you get in your muscles During your workout is due to acid buildup. There are many different types of acid that gets sent to the muscle, but Lactic acid buildup is the one people mostly talk about. 

I don't like to get to "chemically definitive" about how things work because I feel the topics themselves are overwhelming enough, so in a nutshell, 

When we work a certain muscle, the body has to send 'Extra' nutrients to power that muscle being used. However when we're done, the body has trouble "flushing" out all the nutrients it has just sent to that muscle. Just like a traffic on a freeway, which will take some time for it to be back it its regular levels. 

Now the last 2 sentences are still debatable. Some believe what I had just written (which I believe) others believe that once you stop working out Lactic levels return to normal right away. 

But either way here is my favorite ways to recovery from a hard workout.

Read post - Some like it Salty

Some Like it Salty

 My favorite methods for recovery. 

The Cool Down
              If you've just finished a hard workout, never skip on the cool down, give yourself a really good 15-20 min stretch session. Stretch and Hold for 10 counts and repeat. Don't bounce because that does Nothing for you. A mini yoga session is a great way to cool down as well. You want to stretch and hold because that will help Flush out all the Lactic acid build up. You're signalling to your body that you're done working out and it doesn't need to "recruit" extra nutrients certain muscles anymore. 


*Note - Drink a protein shake or get some food and liquids in you. Protein will give the body what it needs to repair the muscles. My favorite is by Optimum Health Nutrition - Pro Complete 40  - don't be confused with Optimum Nutrition. (they are different)


The Epsom Salt Bath
            Epsom Salt is a great way to detox your body. It draws out all the toxins you have, alleviating your body of any extra lactic acid buildup. I like taking the bath because HEAT promotes circulation, so you get 2 birds with 1 stone. (if you have health or heart issues - consult your doctor)


*Note - Important!! have a 20 oz - 1 liter bottle of water (or Sport drink), (I usually like ice cold water) with you when you're taking your bath - otherwise, you might faint, and I don't want anyone to drown.


1- Hot water bath, make it hotter than you normally would have a bath, but not too hot where you burn yourself, (add oils, bath bubbles, whatever you like)
2 - Add Epsom salts -  around 2 cups in a bath, more if you have a larger tub.
3 - Soak for 20 mins, prep some music or tv to pass the time. You might be feeling light headed after about 5 - 10 mins. DRINK WATER. You will be sweating a lot. All the toxins are being drawn out of your body. Drink periodically every few minutes, so you don't have a belly full of water, and your body has fresh water to sweat out. 
4 - After the soak, dry off, while your body is still pretty warm, do a nice 10-15 min stretch, or mini yoga session. 
5 - the next day you shouldn't feel as sore as you normally would if you didn't do the bath. 


This bath helps me recover in half the time. I'm usually feeling great the next day. 

Beat the Heat

I always love a good Summer run, The warmth keeps your muscles loose, and who doesn't love a nice tan?

But be careful because it can heat up really quickly and you don't want to put yourself in a dangerous situation.

1.  Run in the early morning or late evenings. 
1. Calculate your end time- Often time we focus on when we "start" our run, but forget to calculate the end of our run, and the last half of your run might be in the blazing heat. 
• ex: 12 mile run (at an avg pace 10min) = 120 mins = 2 hours, warm up + cool down = 30 mins, so you'll be out for at least 2 hours and 30 mins. so if you started at 9am, you'll finish at 11:30, it gets pretty toasty, so just make sure you prepare yourself for the finish.
2. WATER - Stay hydrated. A 20-24oz bottle will last about 1-2 hours of activity, depending on the heat and intensity. Plan ahead to find places along your route to refill your bottle if you'll be out there longer. Gas stations, 7-11, Starbucks, and Fast food places, are always kind to runner's who need some free H2O. Don't be afraid to ask. 
3. If you feel yourself overheating, (colors are starting to fade, heart rate is pumping hard, light-headed), Pour water, or Hold something Cold over the major arteries, (Neck, Temples, Head and Wrists). It's a faster way to cool your body down. I usually squirt some water on wrists and neck. 
4. SPF - Don't forget the SPF. My favorite is the Neutrogena Ultimate Sport SPF Spray. It doesn't smell like sunscreen which I like, and its so easy and quick to apply. Spray and go.
5. Ice it - Freeze 1/3 of your water bottle so by the time you need it, the last bit will melt and be cool, Ice works as well. The Nathan water belt I use has an insulated sleeve that keeps your drinks cool. Others also roll Ice into their hats or bandannas around their head and neck. 
6. Don't Push yourself too hard in the Heat as you would on a Cooler day.  

• A Rough estimate - Every increase in temperature 5-10 degrees over 60 degrees will make your pace slower by 1-2 minutes even with the same effort.

Be Safe out there. 

Shin Splints

You finally get the motivation to start running. 3 runs in, you get the dreaded "SHIN SPLINTS" and then you're out and pretty much never look back.

As with most injuries Shin Splints are easily preventable, and treatable!!

Why do we get Shin Splints? 

There is a combination of factors that lead to Shin Splints but the main reason are weak muscles in the front of your leg which function to bend the foot upwards at the ankle.

Most Common Culprits- 

1: Weak Leg Muscles

2: Shoes

3: Form

Lets start from the feet up- 

Shoes - improper, ill-fitting, unbroken in shoes means your feet are not properly supported. Your feet have to work harder at an bad angle, causing your leg to compensate = inflammation = Shin Splints. 

Go to RoadRunner sports, or a local running store and ask them to fit you. I like Road Runner because you can run in the shoes and return them within 60 days if you don't like them. It takes a few runs to see if a shoe is right for you. Not all shoes or brands are created equal. 

Once a person becomes a stronger runner, their legs are naturally stronger and shin splints rarely ever happen at that point. 

But before you can get there, here is a GREAT exercise to prevent shin splints. Essentially Stronger legs = No Shin Splints. 

Shin Splint Prevention! 

Do this Before and After each workout. 

Step 1: Standing tall walk on your heels (without bending your knees). Aim to reach 100 steps. If you're first starting out the front part of your leg (shin) should burn after about 20 steps. 

Try to force another 10 steps after the initial burning sensation. Slowly increase your steps each time.You will see it doesn't take long to increase your steps = stronger legs

Step 2: Run backwards on your Toes, (the same length you just walked). Try to bounce as high as you can on your toes while you run backwards. This helps release and relax the muscle you just worked out. 

After doing this consistently for a few weeks, feel it out and see if your shins still hurt. You can slowly ween off doing this exercise as you body gets stronger. You can still do this exercise from time to time. It is really great. 

If shin splints still prevail after all this the problem lies in your Shoes or your Form. 

Form is a whole other monster that I will need to go in depth in with another post.

Here is a great video that shows the Heel-Toe walk. This video only walks backwards, but I prefer the run/bounce - but the visual is the same.

Open Water Swimming - Part 2

SUCCESS!!!! 

I'm just a little ecstatic because I had such a GREAT swim this time. My second time in open water and it was fantastic. My breathing was great, I didn't swallow nearly as much sea water as I did last time, I had great form and I made it to the second buoy! And Most of all it was "FUN".

Connie, my partner in crime, did fantastic as well. This was her first time ever being in open water, and she held it together really well.  We were going to head back to shore after we reached the first buoy, but the Meetup group said to try to make it to the second buoy, So we did. 

The water somehow seemed a lot clearer this time (maybe last time I was just too freaked out to see anything) I swear I saw a Sting ray swim underneath me, and I had a mini freak-out. 

Sammy, from the Meetup group, was so helpful. He gave us a great tip.

1. Dont kick too hard - the wetsuit keeps your legs pretty close to the surface. If you kick too hard, you'll waste a lot of energy because you'll be splashing too much.

I hate to say it now, "I'm addicted to Open water swimming"

Road Runner Sports

I have a few posts where I mention RoadRunnerSports.com  to find the shoe that is right for you.

They're having a deal where their VIP membership which gives you 10% off anything in the store Including Apple products, (usually a $20/yr fee) for only $1.99. You get Free shipping and 10% off. Not a bad deal.

I like Roadrunner because they have their system called "Shoe Dog" A foot/shoe fitting Analysis system.

1- The have you step on a platform which measure where you put all your pressure on your foot. Some people put all the pressure on the ball of their foot, others the heel, others their big toe or little toe.
2- they have you run or walk on a treadmill while they video your stride. They analysis how your foot strikes the ground, if you're an neutral, over or under pronator (if your ankle rolls inward or outward)
3 - they measure your foot, and do all other nifty things.
They then recommend a shoe that solves all those problems for you! Either a Neutral, stability, motion control, etc.

However, not all brands are created equal. They may feel great in the store, but once you try them on the road, they hurt. Not to fear! They have a 60 exchange/store credit policy. You can take the shoes back, after you've tested them a few times, and get another pair until you find the one that is right for you.

Its rare to find a place that will take shoes back, even after you've worn them.

Just Breathe...

Other than having legs (or prosthetics) the most important thing about running is Breathing. 

This is the Main reason why people think running is difficult. It's nothing to do with your legs. You walk miles each day. It is all about your Breath which is why you feel tired and fatigued when you run. 

How hard is it to breathe? We do it all the time without even trying. But it isn't that simple. 

During day to day breathing, we don't breathe with the full capacity of our lungs, (more like 2/3s).  

So while we run, we need to train our bodies to take deep, full breaths so our body can have the maximum about of oxygen to fuel our body. It takes a bit of getting used to and will feel very unnatural at first. 

Everyday, there is increasingly more research regarding VO2 max

• The maximum capacity your body can transport and utilize oxygen during exercise. 
• V - volume per time, O₂ - oxygen, max - maximum

Your ability to improve your VO2 max can greatly improve your level of physical fitness. 

*How to Control Your Breathing*

1. Take deep full breaths, (expand your lungs and your belly) while you breath. (tips on belly breathing)
2. Cadence - 
1. Breath in through your nose slowly as you count your steps, aim for 3 steps in, (some people argue nose vrs mouth - I prefer Nose because it's almost impossible to Suck in air through your nose)
2. Breath out through your mouth slowly (3 steps out). (you can control the opening of your mouth to make sure you breath out slowly)
3. You may only be able to start with breathing, 2-2, (2 steps in and 2 steps out), its ok, as time progresses your VO2 max will improve, aim to increase to 3-3, 4-4, etc. 
3. Don't hold your breath. Often times we breath in quickly when we take our first step and then HOLD our breath for step 2&3, Then we quickly PUSH all the air out at step 4, and then HOLD our breaths during step 5&6. 
1. You waste more energy doing this. Since the lungs have to work A lot harder to Suck in and Push out the air so quickly. You want to have a very fluid motion of your body and lungs, where the body has a constant supply for fresh oxygen (by breathing in slowly). 
4. If your gasping for air every step, you're pushing your body too fast or to hard. Slow down, and relax. You can take quicker, smaller strides, and still cover the same distance in the same amount of time, without exhausting yourself. Your rhythmic breathing should be very quiet, gentle and smooth. 

When I first started training, for years, I couldn't push past the 5 mile mark, I was gasping and sucking in air, breathing hard, in and out through my mouth. People running next to me always stopped to ask if I was OK, because my breathing sounded like I was having an asthma attack. That was how I always ran, and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. I was WRONG. 

Cycling is what really helped me control my breath. My Spin instructor would say, "Breath in, Breath out", If I didn't, I would pass out during Spinning Class. I took this new technique to the road and saw how quickly my running improved! It was SO EASY to push past 5 miles onto 10, 15, 20+ miles. It sounds silly or impossible, but it isn't, This is SO do-able.

Once you control your breath, everything else is just mechanical. Your body will run, and you wont even feel it going. 

The Chafe and its ugly sister, The Blister..

No one enjoys Chafing or having Blisters, but again, these can be prevented! Hooray!

Why do we Chafe?

Chafing is caused by friction against a part of your body due to fabric or another body part. Usually sweat, seams, loose clothing, dry skin, and cotton are the main instigators of chafing. Often if we gain a little weight, we tend to be prone to chafe more because the body is rubbing against itself. If your underarms chafe, try to wear long sleeves or arm warmers (my Fave!)

1- Clothing - dry fit material is great at absorbing sweat and wicking it away as opposed to cotton. It is called "dry-fit" because similar to a swimsuit, it dries quickly on its own. To care for your clothes - Wash with Cold water, No softeners, and No Dryer. They dry quickly on their own, a dryer is not necessary and it will lose its "dry-fit power".

Also, Not All Dry-fit is created equal. If you happen to chafe with a dry fit shirt, take note of

• Brands - different brands use different combination of materials to create "dry fit" Some call themselves Dryfit, but they're just 100% polyester. (bleh)
• Lines - Even within the same brand they have higher and lower quality material, check the tag and feel the fabric. I have Nike shirts that chafe and others that are fine. It's trial and error of what will or will not make your skin chafe. A good indicator, if it is Soft to the touch it is a better material than one that feels rougher.
• Seams  - more rough surfaces that your body can rub against, less seams = less chance of chafing. 
• Loose fitting clothing is the same concept. More fabric brushing against your skin = chafe.

2 - Dry skin - If your skin is dry, you'll chafe more. (More friction, and your body can't sweat evenly) Keep your skin moisturized and happy. If you hate putting on lotion, I use Avon Skin So Soft Oil. (After you shower, spray the oil all over your body, then rinse it off. It provides the perfect amount of moisture without leaving you sticky. And 2nds as a bug repellent. 

3 - Water - staying hydrated means you'll sweat regularly and your sweat wont dry on you leaving salt crystals on your body = more friction.

4 - Products -

• Vaseline, Body glide, and other similar products are great ways to prevent chafing. Apply on the areas you usually chafe, and it really helps.

Blisters

Similar causes of chafing, cause Blisters with the addition of HEAT. Blisters are notorious for our feet.

1- Shoes - find proper fitting shoes, improper shoes can either not breathe well for your feet, or cause excess friction. Also your feet swell when you run, so you want room for your feet to expand.

2- Socks - Find socks that your feet like. Some people like thin socks, others like thick socks. There is no right or wrong, its whatever works for you. Somehow all those "blister free" socks, give me blisters (the irony). I like thick cottony-dryfit kind of socks. You want one that will absorb sweat, but will keep your feet dry and airy = less heat.
Also Old Socks, are rougher and have less cushion -> friction -> Blisters

3- Products -

• If you blister in the same areas, you can put vaseline over that area and wrap it with duct tape or Atheltic tape which will prevent the area from friction.
• Drying powders
• Moleskin

Running Rules of Thumb

1. If you see a porta potty with no line, use it. Even if you don't need to.

2. If you have to ask yourself, Does this driver see me? The answer is no.

3. If you have to ask yourself, Are these shorts too short? The answer is yes.

4. 1 glazed doughnut = 2 miles

5. You rarely regret the runs you do; you almost always regret the runs you skip.

6. Not everyone who looks fast really is, and not everyone who looks slow really is.

7. Nobody has ever watched Chariots of Fire from beginning to end. Not even the people who made it.

8. You can never have too many safety pins on your gym bag.

9. Running any given route in the rain makes you feel 50 percent more hard-core than covering the same route on a sunny day.

10. If you care even a little about being called a jogger versus a runner, you're a runner.


taken from rw.com

Open Water Swimming Part 1

Its hard finding people insane and masochistic enough to train with you. 

Thankfully there is Meetup.com

I found the group OC Triathlete Ocean Swimming group. Swimming is my main weakness, and I needed experienced people to help me. Its a Free group which is great, because often meetup groups or training groups make you pay $ which sucks. 

http://www.meetup.com/OC-Triathlete-Ocean-Swimming-Meetup-Group/

I learned how to swim a little less than a year ago. I've only done pool swimming and freestyle. I figured if I can swim a mile in the pool I'll be decent enough to swim 500 meters in the ocean.. WRONG!! 

I'm so thankful for this group. When I first arrived, I was greeted by a group of super friendly people. Some people have the goal to train, others just to swim. For me, it was to swim in Open Water for the FIRST time. 

I met Kate and Bill. I told them this is my first time ever being in Open water and swimming in a tri wet suit. They were super helpful and offered to stay with me through the swim. Kate warned me, 

"The first time always sucks". And she wasn't kidding. 

1- Drag your feet in the sand when you walk in. This prevents you getting stung by a Sting ray. 

As I stepped in, I realized how awesome the suit is at keeping you warm. I didn't feel the cold water at all. After getting into the water and the ground disappeared, we started swimming. I got about 15 strokes in, before I started freaking out. The water is so murky, I couldn't see anything. Waves kept splashing over my face and I drank so much sea water. I paused and Kate asked me if I was ok. 

I didn't lie,"I'm so scared right now" and started to panic. 

I was half way to the buoy, and half way from land.  I couldn't breathe properly and I kept thinking, "I'm not too far to to turn back, go back!" but I really wanted to make it to the buoy else the day would've been pointless. Kate suggested 

2 - to do the breast stroke it helps you breathe and relax you. 

3- Close your eyes when you put your face in the water so the murkiness of water isn't frightening. 

After a few minutes and I stopped panicking, we trekked forward to the buoy. I paused again to rest, I was so tired at this point. Kate suggested, 

4 - Don't fight the water

I was so tense and scared. I was wasting so much energy fighting the water. The wetsuit is amazing at keeping you afloat. 

5 - Don't focus on the distance, just count your strokes. 

It looked like the buoy was really far, but it was probably less than 20 strokes away. So I closed my eyes, and counted. Before I knew it I touched the buoy!! I was so happy.

After that, I wanted to go back to land. Kate and Bill swam back to shore with me. They didn't have to, but they wanted to see me to safety. They were such genuinely kind people and I'm so grateful to have met them. 

I was so exhausted because of my breathing. Also the suit makes it harder for you to breath too. I almost made it to shore before I was too exhausted, Kate let me hold onto her while we made the last few kicks to shore. I couldn't thank them enough.

it was definitely an "interesting" experience. As I swam my brain kept yelling at me, "What are you doing? Why are you doing this? Quit Quit QUIT, return the suit and withdraw the race application!" If I didn't invest all this time and $ into the suit and race entry, I would've quit, and never looked back.  

I know next time won't be as bad. I want to get better, and I know I can. I RSVP'd for next Saturday, so we'll see how that goes. Kate said she was only swimming in open water for 6 weeks. So I hope to be as confident as her in 6 weeks. 

We'll see.. :-D

  

Who doesn't love Accessories?

Running is supposed to be a 'minimalist' activity - Shoes and go. 

However nowadays we tend to have more and more stuff, water, gu, gels, phone, heart rate monitor, ipod, at least.

Some days I use everything, some days I go minimalist. I wish I could go minimalist all the time, but here are a few of my faves.

1: Water belt - I always have my "Nathan" with me. If you ran with me, and didn't know who 'Nathan' was, he is my water belt. haha 

I hate having to carry water constantly, even when I race, but its a necessity for me. Runners strive to be lean, lighter and faster. Sucks that all lbs lost are just negated by the weight of the belt, water and other stuff.

I was doing 2 mile loops on a semi warm sunny day. I wasn't thirsty, hot or tired, I was actually feeling really great. I paused every 2 miles when the loop ended to drink. By mile 6, I paused to drink then everything turned white and almost fainted. I knew this wasn't good. I laid on the ground until colors returned. It was a very frightening experience especially since I was alone and without a phone. 

This is why people pass out during races. I always thought, if you're tired just stop. Except you Don't "feel" tired, hot, or thirsty at all. Your body is running on fumes and you don't even know it. I've done that route many times and even longer routes without water and was fine, but this experience was enough.

Nathan Elite 1 Mutation is a great water belt. It runs small, I wear a size 27, and a Med barely fits with 1-2 inches give. The size listing on the product site are wrong. *Make sure to get one with a Velcro Strap and not a buckle! 

2: PowerBar Energy Gel Blasts - Whatever you choose to eat on your runs is really up to preference. I like these gummies because they're tasty, and easy to chew. Strawberry Banana and Raspberry are yummy!

3: Water bottles - CamelBak Podium, Regular and Chill Jacket - BPA free, Jet Valve (dont need to mess around with caps)

4: Nike+ : its fun tracking your workouts. Also its a great way to tune out and not focus on the miles. But lately on my short runs (under 10mi) its nice to not listen to anything and to train your mind to tune out. For non-Nike+ shoes you can use these little pockets to hold your sensor.

5: Heart Rate monitor - I have a Nike and a Garmin and now I want a Polar. My advice is get a really LIGHT watch. Both my Nike and Garmin ended up quite heavy and I only use them when cycling. Even though you can't feel the few ounces it weighs, when you're running long distances that tiny weight multiplies 10 fold and you can really feel it in your shoulder or elbow.

6: Polar HRM + Nike+ Nano -  I want to add this Polar HRM to my Nike+ ensemble. And I wouldn't need to wear a watch! Nike really knows how to sucker me in.

7: Swimovate Pool Mate Lap counter - this isn't running related, but cross-training related. This watch counts your strokes and your laps without needing to push any buttons. Its pretty awesome because I always lose count and always forget to push the buttons. 

Burn the Belly Fat

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great addition to your workout routine. Usually 20 mins of quick & short burst of energy.


**VERY important to remain well hydrated. If you plan to do a HIIT session, make sure you drink A LOT of water throughout the day, during and after the workout and the night prior. You will be sweating a lot, and your blood will rushing throughout your body, so you want your blood to be as fluid as possible (hence lots of water). I don't want you to have a get lightheaded and faint or worse have a stroke.


Why HIIT?

1 - Burn that stubborn fat, especially Belly fat

2 - Gain Speed

3 - Improve your heart-rate

This is a great '8' week training program from this site. '8' is in quotes, because based on how you feel, you might have to do week 2 or 3 several times before moving onto week 4, or you might kick ass and start at week 5. Definitely don't force yourself into a dangerous zone. Know your limits and go with how you feel but aim to be at a "push" point. Click on the links to find out more details. I just put the main points below.


Intensity is measured on a scale from 1 to 10.
1 - is pretty much standing still
5 - is a light jog
10- running as if a lion was chasing you for dinner.

Paraphrased from :

http://www.intervaltraining.net/Lose_Belly_Fat_Fast.html

Week 1

5 Min Warm up
6 Sprint Intervals - 30 Seconds each
6 Rest Intervals - 90 Seconds each
5 Min Warm Down

Do the routine 3 times in the week with a rest day in between each workout

Tips: As this is your first workout just test yourself out, instead of trying to hit 9's or 10's in intensity. There will be plenty of time for that.

Week 2

5 Min Warm up
6 Sprint Intervals - 30 Seconds each
6 Rest Intervals - 60 Seconds each
5 Min Warm Down

Do the routine 3 times in the week with a rest day in between each workout

Tips: Try pushing yourself fairly hard on the first sprint interval. This will give you an idea of the intensity you need to keep for the sprint intervals.

Be wary of how you feel, you don't want to push yourself over your limits at this point.

Although the graph of the workout says 9 for your intervals, still take it easy and just judge what your body is able to cope with.

Week 3

5 Min Warm up
6 Sprint Intervals - 30 Seconds each
6 Rest Intervals - 30 Seconds each
5 Min Warm Down

Do the routine 3 times in the week with a rest day in between each workout

Tips: Read the article about training intensity, from this week on you should be increasing your intensity during your intervals. Still pay attention to how your body is feeling.

Week 4

5 Min Warm up
8 Sprint Intervals - 30 Seconds each
8 Rest Intervals - 30 Seconds each
5 Min Warm Down

Do the routine 3 times in the week with a rest day in between each workout

Tips: Read the article about training intensity, from this week on you should be increasing your intensity during your intervals. Still pay attention to how your body is feeling.

Week 5

5 Min Warm up
10 Sprint Intervals - 30 Seconds each
10 Rest Intervals - 30 Seconds each
5 Min Warm Down

Do the routine 3 times in the week with a rest day in between each workout

Week 6

5 Min Warm up
12 Sprint Intervals - 30 Seconds each
12 Rest Intervals - 30 Seconds each
5 Min Warm Down

Do the routine 3 times in the week with a rest day in between each workout

Week 7

5 Min Warm up
14 Sprint Intervals - 30 Seconds each
14 Rest Intervals - 30 Seconds each
5 Min Warm Down
Do the routine 3 times in the week with a rest day in between each workout

Week 8

5 Min Warm up
15 Sprint Intervals - 30 Seconds each
15 Rest Intervals - 30 Seconds each
5 Min Warm Down

Do the routine 3 times in the week with a rest day in between each workout

Tips: Try pushing yourself fairly hard on the first sprint interval. This will give you an idea of the intensity you need to keep for the sprint intervals.

Be wary of how you feel, you don't want to push yourself over your limits at this point.