November 2011 Challenge Workout (and results)

The November 2011 Challenge Workout:

  • 50 Push Ups (standard Push Ups for guys, knees for gals)
  • 50 Body Weight Squats
  • 50 full Sit Ups – feet unanchored, hands at sides
  • 50 two hand Kettlebell Swings
  • 50 Bicycle Crunches (each side)
  • 50 Lunges (backwards, alternating feet, in place, each side)
  • 50 Mountain Climbers (each side)

All 50 reps of each exercise must be completed before moving on to the next. Complete entire sequence for time. 20 minute time limit.

And the results:

AL 10:59
LE 12:04
VL 12:08
AG 12:18
MP 12:48
AT 12:48
JG 13:02
MW 13:06
JG: 13:13
CA 13:22
PK 13:36
SF 13:47
SK 13:59
JM 13:59
NG 14:41
BG 14:48
MA 14:59
LA 15:25
AA 15:49
MB 15:56
SB 16:05
AR 16:48
KM 18:20
DS 18:32
EA 21:18

Nice work guys! This one was no joke at 500 reps total …

Also, heads up that next month is the last on this year’s rotation … I’ll have a brand new batch of challenges ready for you come the first week of January. So start getting ready 🙂

Forest

P.S. Today’s your last chance to win a free copy of my new 10×10 Kettlebell Solution program … if you’d like to enter the contest to win (takes two minutes), click here: The 10×10 Kettlebell Solution

Why Sitting All Day Is Slowly Killing You (and what to do about it)

According to a recent study from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, people gain 16 pounds, on average, within 8 months of starting sedentary office work.

Even worse news is that this is just one of multiple health risks associated with working at a desk job and sitting down all day.

Now I do realize that for many of you, there’s not much you can do about your current sedentary state … but the good news is that there are some preventative measures you can take to keep you pain free during extended sitting periods and save your hips, spine, and shoulders.

I recently got together with Sacramento Yoga Center owner Ann DePrato to shoot a quick video on this very topic. Check out the video below, and then read the recap directly below it:

Video Recap

It’s important to take breaks during your workday. You should be getting up and moving every hour.

How To Sit in Your Chair:

  • Put your feet on the floor (put books under your feet if necessary to get your knee in line with your hip)
  • Sit forward in the chair, this will prevent you from slumping and relying on the back of the chair.
  • Place the keyboard so your wrist is in line with your elbows and your forearms are extended out. Your monitor should be at eye level.

Chair Yoga:

  • Take one foot and bring it over your thigh and lean forward, take a few breaths, this will stretch out the side of your hip and back.
  • You can twist in your chair, turn to one side and take a few breaths.
  • Place your hands on your knees and round your spine and hang, opening up the space between the vertebrae.
  • Do side stretches by reaching up to the corner of the ceiling and wall with one hand.

Sitting for extended periods can wreak havoc on your hips, spine and shoulders. However, while you might not be ready to quit your desk job just yet, there are some steps you can take to stay comfortable and pain-free during your work day. The video above with Ann DePrato of Rise Yoga in Sacramento covers some basic tips to help … thanks for reading/watching and talk soon!

Forest

P.S. To learn more about Ann’s Sacramento Yoga Center and her current new student specials, visit her website at http://riseyoga.com

October 2011 Nutrition Challenge

Can you go a week without sugar?

Processed sugar is a refined, concentrated form of sugar with no nutritional value aside from calories. This type of sugar raises insulin levels in your blood; insulin leads to storage of fat, therefore when you eat foods high in processed sugar, you are raising your level of fat storage in your body. Not only that, but it has other adverse health effects, such as increasing tooth decay and your risk for diabetes.

The October 2011 Nutrition Challenge

Consume no processed sugars for the next 7 days

I can hear the whines and cries already 🙂 But just remember – refined sugars simply were not a part of humanity’s diet for 2.5 million years. They didn’t even exist until about 200 or so years ago.

So table sugar obviously has to go, but also keep in mind that at least two-thirds of the refined sugar in the United States is an additive in manufactured food products. It’s hidden in many of the things you purchase from the grocery store. You may find it in your salad dressing, peanut butter, or even lunch meat. So chose whole, un-processed foods, plan ahead and avoid eating out.

Good luck on this month’s Nutrition Challenge!

Forest

P.S. Want some help planning your meals? Check out the FVT Express Meal Builder (it’s free):

The FVT Express Meal Builder

Story Of The Crazy Kettlebell Man (and a Halloween circuit workout)

It’s Halloween night. You’re on the way back from a costume party when your friends decide it’d be a good idea to drive to the outskirts of town to check out a haunted mansion …

You pull off the road and park the car at the back of the property. The house itself is on the top of a hill, still quite a distance away … it’s a dark and cloudy night and the road is pitch black with no streetlamps.

You shiver as you follow your friends into the woods …

It’s a long and spooky walk. You finally arrive at an overgrown lawn that looks up at the house.

You glance up at the third story and the windows gape at you like dark eyes. Suddenly, a ball of light appears in the window … you’re sure your friends told you the house was abandoned!

The light seems to float, and before your eyes, it forms into a hulking giant. You gasp in shock … and the figure begins to swing a giant ball-shaped object.

“Let’s get out of here!” You cry … your friends apparently saw the figure, too, and the group sprints to the car and speeds away.

“What was that?” You ask.

“Don’t you know?” Says your buddy. “It was the crazy kettlebell man!”

You shriek. “The crazy kettlebell man?”

“Yep. A team of kettlebell lifters lived in the mansion. They were Girevoy sport world champions … until the team captain went mad and killed them all. They say he still haunts the mansion to this day and tries to lure visitors in to join his crazy kettlebell circuit workouts.”

Shivering, your friends drop you off and you head home. For the rest of the night, your dreams are filled with images of the crazy kettlebell man trying to lure you to his mansion, swinging his giant kettlebell …

P.S. Check out the video below for the crazy kettlebell man’s favorite kettlebell and body weight circuit workout … and Happy Halloween!

Lose Belly Fat, Tone Up, + Get MOTIVATED (semi-private personal training)

Maybe you’re a beginner/intermediate level exerciser, looking to lose weight, tone up, and get into great shape …

Or maybe you like the idea of a group training program, but just aren’t ready for a traditional boot camp setting …

If either of these scenarios describe you, you’ll want to check out my new Semi-Private Personal Training program.

It’s starting in less than two weeks … and there are only a couple of spots available. For more info, click the link below:

http://sacramentopersonaltraining.com/bootcampvip/

Thanks!

Forest Vance, MS, CPT, RKC II

October 2011 Challenge Workout Results

Awesome job on the Challenge Workout this month … strong performance all the way around.

Here’s the workout again in case you missed it:

10 Push Ups (knees for gals, standard for guys)
20 KB Swings
30 Walking Lunges (30 total steps)
40 Cross Body Mountain Climbers (one knee-to-elbow move = one rep)
50 Body Weight Squats

Do as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes

And the results:

AL 6.1
LE 5.4
AG 5.4
NG 4.4
SK 4.3
JG 4.2
ML 4.2
ET 4.2
MA 4.2
MW 4.1
PK 4.1
MB 4.0
MP 4.0
CA 3.4
BK 3.4
DR 3.3
AS 3.2
ML 3.1
NP 3.0
PT 3.0
SS 2.4
AL 2.0

Again, impressive showing this month. Keep up the good work!

Forest

Re-Grand Opening – Saying Thanks …

Our one year ‘Re-Grand Opening’ party last Thursday the 29th was a great success! The ‘Bring-A-Buddy’ boot camp sessions were packed, we gave away some great prizes at the raffle, and a good time was had by all. It’s all thanks to you – existing and past clients, family and friends, Land Park neighbors, newsletter subscribers, and Facebook fans – that events like these are even possible … so again, thank you so much for making it happen!

Here’s a video with some action from last Thursday’s boot camp:

Thanks for reading and talk soon –

Forest

October 2011 Challenge Workout

We’ve actually completed this month’s challenge workout three times already in 2011 (January, April and July) … but now’s your last chance to beat your best score for the year – here you go:

October 2011 Challenge Workout

10 Push Ups (knees for gals, standard for guys)
20 KB Swings
30 Walking Lunges (30 total steps)
40 Cross Body Mountain Climbers (one knee-to-elbow move = one rep)
50 Body Weight Squats
Do as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes

Good luck! And stay tuned for results later this week …
Forest Vance
Owner and head trainer, Forest Vance Training, Inc.
P.S. Want to get in on the fun? We offer a free ‘Test A Trainer’ session for all new prospective clients … contact us by clicking here or call (916) 273 9366 to schedule today!