CrossFit | Tone and Tighten

Southwest Chicken Quinoa Bake

June 17, 2015

Sometimes finding healthy dinners that the whole family likes can be quite the challenge, but this recipe will keep even your pickiest eaters happy!
If you have never tried quinoa before, this is the perfect place to start. You will love it in this dish!
This dish is also delicious without chicken, so if you are looking to go meatless just take out the chicken and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth….

Quick total-body at-home workout – 20 minute AMRAP – Cardio and strength training at home

October 23, 2014

Weekly highlights, new giveaways, and BONUS workouts!

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What can you do with 20 minutes?

Some common answers include – “Watch a sitcom”, “Make a sandwich”, and “Surf around on the internet”. Why not take the next 20 minutes and do something to improve your health?! That’s more than enough time to shred through an awesome at-home workout… just like this one! A quick, convenient, 20-minute workout that requires little equipment and yields amazing results! Try this one out!! Or sit on the couch… just remember… tomorrow’s results come from today’s actions. Here we go!

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10 minute EMOM workout – Shred it at home with no equipment required!

August 27, 2014

Weekly highlights, new giveaways, and BONUS workouts!

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What’s an EMOM, anyway?!

EMOM is an acronym in used in the workout world for “Every Minute On The Minute” (I know – shouldn’t that be EMOTM? It just doesn’t roll off the tongue the same!) If you’ve never done and EMOM workout you have to try it! It’s a great way to get in a ton of reps in a short amount of time while constantly pushing yourself to be better. The real beauty of an EMOM comes in the last 2-3 minutes when you’re dead tired but still have to do the same # of reps as you did in the first minute. Sounds simple, right? Tell me what you think after the workout…

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What is CrossFit? Why you need to try it and a review of the Reebok CrossFit Nano 4.0

August 14, 2014

I am infinitely grateful for such incredible sponsors who allow me to review/promote fitness products that I feel so passionately about so I may share them with you to help you along your fitness journey.

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Reebok.

#Nano4

“An intense workout program?”
“I’ve never even heard of it before.”
“A crazy exercise cult?”

Whatever you may or may not have heard about CrossFit, the fact is that it’s an exercise phenomenon that is sweeping the world! I’ve had a number of readers who have emailed me wondering about CrossFit. Today I am taking this opportunity to answer some of those questions and also introduce you to some INCREDIBLE new footwear (now I KNOW I’ve piqued your interest!). Keep reading to learn more about CrossFit, the Reebok Nano 4.0 and why you need to try this out!

Simply stated – CrossFit is the unique combination of exercises and functional movements designed to maximize the participant’s personal fitness. According to CrossFit Journal the workouts are “constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad modal and time domains.” It combines cardio, powerlifting, high intensity intervals, Olympic weight lifting, plyometrics, strength training, and functional movements into amazing, total-body workouts that are sure to get you results that you never thought possible.

Now CrossFit has never laid claim on thinking up any of the exercises in the workouts. Moves like squats, pull-ups, and burpee’s have been around forever. It’s the unique combination of these exercises and the push-your-limits manner in which they are performed that make CrossFit unique. This is one of the things that I immediately loved about CrossFit the first time that I tried it – there really wasn’t anything new to learn. Most of the exercises I knew and was already doing… I was just encouraged to push a lot harder in their performance than I ever had before!

Some of the most common CrossFit exercises include:

Air squats
Push ups
Pull ups
Lunges
Sit ups
Ring dips
Clean and jerk
Snatch
Bench press
Deadlifts
Squats
Box jumps
Burpees
Handstands
Jump rope
L-Sits
Muscle Ups
Rope climb
Rowing
Running
Kettle bell work
Thrusters
Wall balls

Each is uniquely challenging but when used in intense combination with other exercises in the workout your muscles are totally in for it!

Many people would claim that CrossFit isn’t for everyone and that you need to be some sort of super athlete to participate in it. Nothing is further from the truth! It’s a welcoming, open community and you can always start at your own pace. You’re certainly encouraged to push your limits, but you should always exercise care and caution and listen to your body when embarking out on any new exercise program. To find out more information including a CrossFit gym near you click here!

Also there are a lot of people who are under the misconception that you need to belong to a CrossFit gym in order to take part in their workouts. This is also a fallacy. I will admit all the CrossFit gyms I’ve been to welcome you like family and everyone encourages each other and helps each other to reach new amazing results, but most of the workouts can be done in any gym and even at home. Click here for a list of some of the most popular CrossFit workouts.

But now I’ve gotta tell you about my new shoes…

If you have tried CrossFit before or if you regularly attend now, you know that some of these activities can be pretty brutal on your shoes. Rope climbs, Box jumps, and handstand push-ups can all take their toll if you aren’t sporting the right footwear. If CrossFit is something that you’re considering getting into seriously you have to check out the new Reebok Nano 4.0!

These shoes weren’t just thought up to look cool (although they definitely fulfill that role, too). They weren’t just designed to be rugged and durable. These shoes were engineered to the exact specifications of CrossFit athletes to be hands-down the best shoes for the workouts. Here are a few of the things I love that CrossFit athletes everywhere should be aware of…

Reebok has made amazing improvements to the front of the shoe (referred to as the “duracage”). It’s made of a lightweight mesh that makes the shoe super light (9.7 oz) and incredibly breathable (more breathable than previous models of the shoe), but it’s also wrapped in the protective outer rubber that makes it incredibly durable. Light enough to sprint and box jump to your highest level, but durable enough to handle your weight lifting and row machine.

The duracage is also very flexible for maximum motion in the toe and forefoot. You can really feel these bad boys gripping during sprinting and sled dragging. The toe wrap is ideal for protection and durability.

I’m also a huge fan of the “ropepro” features on the inside (medial) part of the shoe. They’ve got a special rubber feature that’s right over the inner part of the shoe that enhances grip while on the ropes. Fly up the rope without losing grip!

But you certainly don’t have to take my word for it. Here’s what the Fittest Man on Earth, Rich Froning, thinks about it (2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games Champion – dude is a complete stud)

Or maybe you trust Camille LeBlanc Bazinet (Fittest Woman on Earth 2014)…

If you still don’t know I would encourage you to just try it out. I promise you will find strength you never had and take your fitness to whole new level. Don’t ever be afraid to start, be afraid of what you’re missing out on…

“Pin It” if you do CrossFit!!

Make it happen,

Jared

By Jared Beckstrand

To view the rest of this post, be sure to head over to www.tone-and-tighten.com.

Have a great day!

Jared

10 Workout Terms You Need To Know – Don’t get confused with terminology – get results!

June 7, 2014

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“What’s an AMRAP, anyway???”

Have you ever been doing a workout and came across a phrase that you just weren’t too sure what it meant? It sounded important – it had a name like “high intense interval” or “superset”; but it really just confused you more than made you excited to work it out? Well say goodbye to exercise ineptitude with this list of “10 Workout Phrases You Need To Know”! Learn 10 of the most-popular workout terms now so you can get your burn on later!

Here we go!

1. “What is an interval workout?” – Interval training is a type of workout that involves alternating series of low-to-high intensity exercise interspersed with periods of rest/recovery. The

high-intensity periods are typically close to maximum intensity and the recovery periods are at a lower (<50%) activity level. Basically short periods of work followed by rest with the main goal being increasing speed and cardiovascular fitness. For example: jog for 60 seconds and then sprint for 30 seconds repeated 5 times. If you’re not up to jog:sprint you could utilize walk:run instead! The idea is to be comfortable with the “low” phase and push yourself with the “high” phase.

2. “What does H.I.I.T mean?” – H.I.I.T. stands for “High Intensity Interval Training”. This is basically taking interval training up a level and is an amazing way to shred a lot of calories in a hurry. This is the type of training that has recently become

popular with DVD series such as P90X and Insanity. The idea is after warming up, you perform 3-10 repetitions of high intensity (near-maximum intensity) exercise separated by intermittent medium-intensity (~50% intensity) exercises. The difference between regular intervals and H.I.I.T. intervals is the ratio of high intensity:medium intensity activity. Regular intervals are typically 2:1, low:high intensity. HIIT is the exact inverse: 2:1 high:low intensity. For example following a warm-up period you could sprint for 60 seconds then jog for 30; repeated 10 times. If that’s too intense maybe you could jog for 30 seconds and walk for 15 repeated 5 times. Because of this type of intensity these workouts typically last from 8-30 minutes; perfect for those limited on time! There is no specific formula, just whatever works for you! Check out some of our great H.I.I.T. style workouts right here!

3. “What is a circuit workout?” – A circuit workout consists of multiple exercises performed in sets one right after another. For example – if I am going to perform exercises #1-5 in a circuit format then I would do one set of exercise #1, then immediately move on to #2, then immediately on to #3, etc. After completing all 5 exercises I would then start again with #1 and go until I have repeated each exercise 3-5 sets. This is, in my opinion, the absolute best way to spend your time in the gym. Lots of times I’ll see people perform 1 set of exercise #1, rest for a while, perform their second set of exercise #1, rest for a while, and then perform a third set of exercise #1. If you’ve got that kind of time I applaud you! Most of my workouts are shredding through as many exercises as possible in the limited time I have available. Most days with circuit training I can get through 4 sets of about 4-5 different exercises in 30 minutes or less. Want to give them a try? I’ve got some circuits for you right here!

4. “What is a WOD?” – WOD stands for “Workout of the Day”. It is primarily used in CrossFit where groups of people typically perform the same WOD together during a training session. During a CrossFit WOD there is typically some type of time or point system applied that allows you to compete against other people or, more importantly, yourself! Try to beat your best time or score each time you perform revisit a particular WOD. Of course, you don’t need a CrossFit gym membership to perform these types of workouts – here are some of my favorite CrossFit-inspired WOD’s.

5. “What is a superset?” – Supersets are essentially two exercises performed back to back that target opposing muscle groups. Common superset groups include biceps and triceps, chest and back, and quads and hamstrings. This is a great way to maximize your time working out in the same manner as circuit training – you’re working muscle group #2 during #1’s rest period. I LOVE supersetting my workouts – you’ll get no bigger pump on arm day then picking 3 biceps exercises and supersetting them with 3 triceps workouts. Try it out the next time you’re in the gym!

6. “What does AMRAP mean?” – AMRAP can stand for two things: “As Many Rounds As Possible” or “As Many Rounds As Possible”. This is another primarily CrossFit term that encourages you to perform as many rounds/reps as you can of a certain exercise usually in a given amount of time. For example – if I gave you a 10-minute AMRAP of 5 deadlifts, 10 pullups, and 10 thrusters you would complete as many rounds as you could of these three exercises in the given 10-minute time period. If I were referring to “As Many Reps As Possible” then the workout might look a little different. Take this example from the opener in last year’s CrossFit games:

17-minute AMRAP of:

40 Burpees

75-pound snatch, 30 reps

30 Burpees

135-pound snatch, 30 reps

20 Burpees

165-pound snatch, 30 reps

10 Burpees

210 pound snatch, as many reps as possible

The goal is to perform as many reps as you can in the given 17-minute time frame. You cannot move on to exercise #2 until completing all the reps of exercise #1. Keep track of your reps and when 17 minutes is up record your score! Again – the part that draws me to this type of workout is competing with myself the next time I do it. Self-improvement is the name of this fitness game!

7. “What is a Tabata workout?” – Tabata is a form of H.I.I.T. training named after the Japanese doctor who though it up – Dr Izumi Tabata. His research was primarily investigating the effects of a 20/10 interval that was repeated 8 times. 20/10 refers to 20 seconds of high-intensity work followed by 10 seconds of rest. This should add up to about 4 minutes of a H.I.I.T workout. According to his research, this type of high-intensity interval had a greater effect on both aerobic and anaerobic capacity than moderate-intensity endurance training. His original research used spin bikes, but this idea has been adapted to running, core strengthening, and weight training. This type of workout definitely isn’t for everyone as it’s more intense then most other workout styles. Use caution when exploring this one!

8. “What does 1RM mean?” – 1RM stands for “One-Rep Max”. Simply this is the maximum amount of weight you can lift one time for a given exercise. Be it bench, squat, clean, snatch, etc it’s important to get a feel for what your 1RM to define effective workouts. For example if you’re looking to primarily Tone and Tighten, most of your workouts should consist of 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 60-80% of your 1RM. If you’re looking to put on some mass and increase muscle size, your sets will consist of 10 reps at 70%, 8 reps at 80%, 6 reps at 90%, 6 reps at 90%. When finding out your 1RM please use a spotter!! If (dare I say when) you fail you need someone there to help you out from under the weight!

9. “What does BMI stand for?” – BMI stands for “Body Mass Index”. This is a relative measurement of the relationship between you height and your weight. It is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in centimeters squared. For example, I weigh 185 pounds (84 kg) and am 6 ft tall (1.83 meters). My BMI is calculated like this:

84 / 1.83^2 = 25 kg/m^2

Admittedly 254 is on the high side, but one of the flaws of the BMI is it doesn’t do a very good job of accounting for muscle mass. If you are a muscly body type you will have a relatively high BMI. However, as a whole BMI is a pretty good indicator of your relative fitness level. Here’s a great table to help you get a feel for where you’re at:

10. “What is my target heart rate?” – Taking your heart rate regularly is a good way to monitor how hard you’re working during exercise. Your “target heart rate” is a range, typically 60-85% of your maximum heart rate, that ensures you’re working out aerobically at a level that can be reasonably maintained for some time. The simplest way to find your maximum heart rate is with the formula

220 – your age = maximum heart rate

For example, I’m 31 years young. 220 – 31 = 179. This is my maximum hear rate. For me to exercise consistently in my target heart rate range I need to consistently maintain my heart rate between 108 and 152 (60-85%) to ensure I’m working hard enough during exercise.

Don’t get confused, get results!

I hope this post was useful to you in helping understand some of the common words and phrases that are being used commonly in the world of health and fitness these days. If you enjoyed this post please feel free to leave a comment below!

Or if you have any questions about the information I’ve presented please feel free to email me at TonenandTightenFitness@gmail.com

Make it happen,

Jared

By Jared Beckstrand

To view the rest of this post, be sure to head over to www.tone-and-tighten.com.

Have a great day!

Jared