Posts Tagged ‘interval workout music’

40-20 UFC Circuit Training

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

MMA Rockout Bootcamp Workouts

Don’t worry- our workouts won’t leave you looking like this ;)

But if you are a combat athlete, a lack of conditioning most certainly will!

Five Rounds of Fury: 40-20 MMA Circuit Training

This 40-20 interval workout blends the strength/power component of 30-30 intervals with the endurance/conditioning component of 50-10 intervals. In other words, you get the best of both worlds. As a result, you will feel an unreal post-workout afterburn that I personally have felt for several days after some of these workouts. This is always a good problem to have when it comes to maximal fat loss and lean muscle gain!

The 20-second rest and transition time also allows for the ideal set-up time for more elaborate exercises when using tools like the TRX Suspension Trainer, advanced ballistic Kettlebell movements, or any other intricate exercise variation. For example, moving from a Kettlebell Clean and Press to a TRX Atomic Push-up (feet suspended) would be nearly impossible for most people in a group workout with only 10 seconds between movements as in 50-10’s. However, there are very few exercises that take more than 20 seconds to set-up for, thus the extra 10-second rest as in a 30-30 interval isn’t necessary unless the relative loading is beyond your 40-second work capacity. (more…)

Pyramid Interval Training

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Pyramid Intervals to Blast Fast

WARNING- DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WORKOUT UNLESS YOU CAN:

- Do 20 consecutive push-ups

- Do 20 consecutive jump squats

- Do 20 consecutive split jumps

If you don’t know what these exercises are… then DON’T do this workout… it’s very, very advanced!!

In the theme of hardcore high-intensity interval training workouts from MMA training, today is one of my new favorite routines:

  • After a 5 minute warm-up period you will sprint as hard as you can for:
    • 6 seconds followed by 18 seconds of rest. You will complete this for 4 reps.
    • 20 seconds followed by 60 seconds rest. You will complete this 4 times.
    • 40 seconds followed by 80 seconds rest. You will complete this 4 times.
    • 60 seconds followed by 120 seconds rest. You will complete this 4 times.
    • 10 seconds followed by 20 seconds rest. You will complete this 8 times.
  • Then you complete a 5 minute cool-down

Here is an excerpt from the MMA Rockout Bootcamp Workout Manual where combat conditioning guru Mike Fry explains the method behind this madness: (more…)

Swine Flu Home Workout

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

About a couple weeks back, I received a request from one of our valued Workout Muse followers…

She asked me if I could devise a home workout for busy parents who are caring for children that have contracted the swine flu.

Though it is my biggest hope that this workout will NOT need to be used for this exact scenario and that everybody stays healthy, this workout works great in any home fitness scenario.

It’s a classic total body workout using only bodyweight-based exercises, so you can do it right in your living room just like I did in the video demo below:


Swine Flu Workout Using MMA Rockout Interval Training Music Powered by Workout Muse

1- Split Squat (L)- Regular or Rear Foot-Elevated @ 40 seconds of maximum effort, 20 seconds of rest and transition

2- Split Squat (R)- Regular or Rear Foot-Elevated @ 40 seconds of maximum effort, 20 seconds of rest and transition

3- Spiderman Push-up- Hands-Elevated, Flat, Feet-Elevated @ 40 seconds of maximum effort, 20 seconds of rest and transition

4- Side Pillar T-Spine Extension and Rotation (L)- Flat, Feet-Elevated @ 40 seconds of maximum effort, 20 seconds of rest and transition

5- Side Pillar T-Spine Extension and Rotation (R)- Flat, Feet-Elevated @ 40 seconds of maximum effort, 20 seconds of rest and transition

Then rest for 60 seconds and perform this 6-minute sequence up to 5x for 30 total minutes based on your schedule and current fitness level.

Stay tuned for the official launch of MMA Rockout next Tuesday, November 10th.

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My buddy and combat conditioning expert Mike Fry and I will be sharing tons of hardcore MMA bootcamp-style workouts over the next couple weeks… so get ready to crank it!

MMA Rockout will feature an eclectic mix of circuit training and cardio interval workouts guranteed to break even the most advance, hardcore fitness junkies…

It features the following interval workout music soundtracks:

1.) 40-20 Circuit Training (as demonstrated in the video above)

2.) 45-15 Circuit Training

3.) 120-120 Cardio Interval Training

4.) 180-180 Cardio Interval Training

5.) Pyramid Intervals (my new favorite workout… wait until you see what Mike and I did with this bad boy!!)

Plus, you’ll be getting the MMA Rockout Bootcamp Workout Manual and a killer audio interview where I grill the grappler guru Mike Fry himself ;)

One thing is for sure… these workouts certainly aren’t for the faint of heart!

Crank it!
BJ

Making Dreaded Trips To The Gym More Bearable?

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

I was recently reading an article on the Wall Street Journal Blog about a new piece of technology that is supposed to provide a much needed distraction from your workout to help you get through the agony.

The article is entitled “Making Dreaded Trips to the Gym More Bearable is Start Up’s Aim”.

Here’s a briefing of the article:

“The average user is on [gym] equipment for 20 to 30 minutes and most are looking for a distraction from working out,” said Bryan Arp, chief executive of start-up Netpulse Inc., which has just raised a $3.1 million Series A round led by Javelin Venture Partners and including DFJ Frontier.

The company plans to launch an entertainment platform designed for integration into fitness equipment. The Netpulse platform gives fitness club members access to live high-definition television, on-demand videos and music, iPod and iPhone connectivity, personalized workout data and connection to social media – all via interactive platforms and personal viewing screens built right into fitness equipment and cardio equipment.

It plans to generate revenue through licensing the platform to equipment manufacturers, as well as advertising through content partners on the screens.”

I think this is a brilliant idea in the sense that it caters to the fact that MOST people who workout at gyms do so at such a low-intensity that it’s super boring and they need whatever entertainment they can get to burn wasted time. (more…)

Best Fitness Equipment

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

My 3 Favorite Bootcamp Training Tools

Notice How None of this Stuff is On My List!!

Notice How None of this Stuff is On My List!!

By BJ Gaddour, CSCS, YFS

Below is a list of my top 3 equipment additions to your bootcamp-style workouts that will take your workouts to the next level. Please note that not only do I use these training implements, but I am also certified in doing so. Trust me, you may think you know how to use these tools, but you have no idea so learn from an expert to maximize their utility and to keep your campers safe:

1.) Fitness Bands

Fitness bands are simply one of the most portable and versatile training tools on the market today. Not only do they provide a full spectrum of pulling exercises like band rows to complete your balanced today body workout template, but they can me be used for presses, squats, locomotion drills, and a lots of great rotary core movements. Plus, bands provide for a host of partner training exercises that help your campers build relationships and have more fun at each workout.

Look no further than Dave “The Band Man” Schmitz, the world’s leading expert on resistance band training, for all of your fitness band needs. You can learn more about Dave and his RBT Certification by visiting www.ResistanceBandTraining.com. (more…)

40-20 MMA Core Workout

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Here’s a great 40-20 interval workout using interval training music from our upcoming product MMA ROCKOUT.

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What I love about 40-20’s is that they fuse the conditioning emphasis of 50-10’s with the strength/power emphasis of 30-30’s. In addition, the 20 s transition time allows for use of exercises with a greater set-up time. This MMA workout focused on the core using total body abs exercises:

1- Push-up to Back Pillar Transfer

2- TRX Leg Raises (avoid going past the hips with your feet to prevent unwanted lumbar flexion)

3- Straight-Legged Glute Bridge March on Stability Ball

4- Med Ball Weighted Side Pillars

5- Ropes- Figure 8’s

Click HERE to get the original 40-20 MMA interval workout track if you haven’t already done so!!

Crank it!

BJ

PS- You can expect MMA Rockout to launch mid November. I’ve been working out to these tracks and let me just say that you can surely expect to enter slayer-mode with these bad boys ;)

Partner Resistance Band Training Circuit

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

rbt150-10 Partner Band Switch Workout

There is something about partner based training that really Jacks Up a bootcamp workout.  Now  connect partners together with bands and you open up an entirely new boot camp event.

I recently tested out a new way to use 50-10 Boot Camp Dynamite Soundtrack at the G’Town Boot Camps and it was a huge hit both physically and socially.

Using Partner Band Training we had Partner A perform 25 seconds and then immediately switched to Partner B.  As long as the exercise is an easy transition with minimal to no resetting necessary, this essentially becomes a 1 – 1.5 work to rest interval which, trust me, gets after it.

You can essentially use any partner band based workout.  Just choose the exercises, push play and crank it.

We will do 4 sets per person, take a 1 minute recovery and get right back into the next exercise. (more…)

30-Minute Workout

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

There is Always Enough Time!

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By Big Ryan Ketchum of Bloomington Personal Training

With the holidays quickly approaching and people traveling for family gatherings it can be tough to find time to get to the gym and get in your workouts.  The biggest problems are space, equipment and time.

Well with Workout Muse interval training music you have a great answer for all of those questions.   You don’t need much in the means of equipment to get in a great workout to burn off all that Halloween candy sitting on your table.  You also don’t need much for space or time.  These 30-minute workouts will get you in and out including a proper warm up and cool down.  If you are really pressed for time just use the first round of the workout as your warm up and finish off the last few rounds with mind blowing intensity.

All of our Force Fitness clients and boot campers know that they can take a band with them where ever they go and get in a great workout.  If they forget or can’t take a band we have a great database of bodyweight exercises that they can use in a small space to really get the workout cranking.

Here is a quick sample of a workout we give to our campers to keep them moving towards their goals and blasting fat off their bellies using the best interval training music around!  The workout took place in one small 6’x6’ area and used only bodyweight exercises that can be done anywhere: (more…)

Leaner Legs Workout

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

As promised, I have put together a special “thank you” workout for helping us surpass 100 comments to the last episode of “Help! My Workout Sucks!”

And I will continue to do this for you and as long as we keep up this trend… deal? Hope so ;)

If you have yet to see the last episode, please click the link below:

HIIT Workout for Rapid Weight Loss

Check out this killer workout for leaner legs using body weight lower body exercises:

The Ultimate Tabatas Finisher

4-Minutes to Leaner Legs

- The following 4-minute workout can be used as either a station within a total body workout or as a special finisher to end a total body workout

- Perform the following 1-minute superset 4x for 4 total minutes:

Exercise#1-

Split Squat Variation (left leg) @ 20 second of work, 10 seconds of rest

Exercise#2-

Split Squat Variation (right leg) @ 20 second of work, 10 seconds of rest

- Select the appropriate split squat variation for your current fitness level (pictures and descriptions of each exercise are provided in the pages to follow):

Level I Split Squat: Regular Split Squat

Level II Split Squat: Rear-Foot-Elevated Split Squat

Level III Split Squat: Explosive Rear-Foot-Elevated Split Squat

NOTE- Make your workout harder by:

a.) Performing an isometric hold during the rest period

b.) Performing max reps of bodyweight squats for an extra minute after you complete this 4-minute workout to completely blast your lower body

c.) Making it a total body exercise by adding an overhead press or a curl to each repetition

Please click the link below to load the PDF version of this workout complete with exercises pictures and descriptions:

HMWS-FreeWorkout#2

Enjoy this one and be sure to post a comment to this blog if you are one of the few that can actually finish it, ha ha!

Crank it!
BJ

The Effect of Workout Music on Exercise and Performance

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Why the Right Music Means a Better Workout!

By BJ Gaddour, CSCS, YFS

www.WorkoutMuse.com

It was back in December of 2007 that I started to run into a real problem. My fitness bootcamp business was exploding and I found myself working with large groups of 15-20 plus people at each workout.

So what was the problem?

Well, like any sound group exercise program, each workout consisted of timed sets of various interval protocols that best allowed a wide variety of fitness levels to work at their own pace within the same workout. After all, 10 reps of squats can be completed by a well-conditioned athlete way faster than a sedentary, overweight, novice trainee. If you’re trying to run a professional program that starts and ends at the same time every time, interval training is the way to go for bootcamp-style workouts.

But interval training is a bit of a catch 22. Sure the program was running like a well-oiled machine, but I felt like I wasn’t able to provide as much client supervision since I was constantly having to look at the clock and be the human stopwatch announcing “go… halfway… stop.”

So, I knew I had to find a solution and I did so with the creation of interval workout music to automate my training program with the simple click of a button. I made a Craig’s List post to find a local sound designer to provide sonic support and the next day I met with Topher Farrell to discuss doing so. It was love at first sight and we created Workout Muse on the spot that very day and the rest is history.

Now, I don’t mean to make this just a promotional article for my company. But I felt it was beneficial to explain the evolution of my own program design and coaching systems. I must be honest- I am a much better coach today because the music tells my clients exactly what to do so I can do what I do best: coach, motivate, and supervise my clients.

But it’s more than just the extra supervision that drastically reduces the risk of injury from an intensive group exercise program (which is alone a huge improvement to any training program). It’s about the impact the right music can have on your workouts.

According to scientists at Dalhousie University in Canada, music not only motivates but it can make you stronger. These researchers recently discovered that people who listened to workout music during training showed significantly greater strength gains in 4 weeks time than those who wore noise-cancellation headphones. According to study author Jo M. Welch, Ph.D, the explanation for this increase in performance most likely lies in the music causing a reduction in perceived exertion during the workout thus allowing the trainee to work harder. Furthermore, she explained that the key was listening to the tunes that motivate you the most, whatever musical genre that may be. (more…)