Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 7

Equipment Used: Timer (watch/phone/etc) Soft ground area to lie down (carpet/grass/etc) A raised, solid surface which will support your weight (park bench, steps, sturdy chair) Highly Recommended: Resistance Band (medium and/or adjustable recommended) Highly Recommended: A heavy and light pair of dumbbells

Tip: This could also be modified for indoor use however, just get creative!

Circuit #7

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Jumping Jacks (warm-up) Lying Dumbbell Chest Press into Bent Over Dumbbell Row Alternating Dumbbell Curl into Alternating Dumbbell Front Raise Tricep Dips into Seated Dumbbell Reverse Flys Lying Reverse Crunches into Plank Squat Presses into Romanian Deadlifts Standing Calf Raises into Dumbbell Step-Ups (or Box Jumps)

Circuit #7 - Sanchez Superset

This circuit encompasses the entire body. It starts with the upper body and works its way down to your legs. This circuit is designed to move quickly and you should limit rest between sets. Since each superset hits the same body part twice, you should feel a good burn. Perform 3-5 sets per superset. Due to the fact that this circuit will move fast, try to have a variety of different sized dumbbells available. You could also alternately have a light or medium strength resistance band handy to really burn out those last couple reps. Start heavy and when fatigued, drop to a lower weight. Focus on continuous reps and movement to maximize the burn during the entire set. We switch exercises within a superset every 30 seconds and use 30 seconds of rest between sets. We are working toward eliminating rest between sets & allowing maybe 1 minute rest when switching to a new superset. Many of these exercises are explained in greater detail in previous posts so browse those for additional tips and tricks. Video examples are linked below to refresh your memory on each exercise.

Examples

Jumping Jacks Click For Video Example Lying Dumbbell Chest Press: Click For Video Example Bent Over Dumbbell Row: Click For Video Example Dumbbell Curl: Click For Video Example Dumbbell Front Raise: Click For Video Example Dips: Click For Video Example Seated Dumbbell Reverse Flys: Click For Video Example Lying Reverse Crunches: Click For Video Example Plank: Click For Video Example Squat Presses: Click For Video Example Romanian/Stiff-Legged Deadlift: Click For Video Example Calf Raises: Click For Video Example Dumbbell Step-Ups: Click For Video Example

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 6

Equipment Used: Timer (watch/phone/etc) Soft ground area to lie down (carpet/grass/etc) A raised, solid surface which will support your weight (park bench, steps, sturdy chair) Highly Recommended: Resistance Band (medium and/or adjustable recommended) Highly Recommended: One pair of heavy dumbbells

Tip: This could also be modified for indoor use however, just get creative!

Circuit #6

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Jumping Jacks (warm-up) Mountain Climbers Walking Lunges (weighted/incline) Calf Raises Squats Press Burpees Romanian/Stiff-Legged Deadlift High Knees Wall Sit Hip Bridge/Raises Squat/Box Jumps

Circuit #6 - Leg Armageddon

Is this madness??? No, this is LEG DAY!!! One of the most effective ways to grow/sculpt a muscle group is to target it specifically. We all dread leg day but secretly love it. It is what separates the casual gym-goer from the turly hardcore. Don't be that guy/gal at the pool or beach with ripped arms but stick legs! It will get real old wearing sweatpants everywhere to cover your Olive Oil legs up, lol. Since the entire workout is leg specific, we decided to not superset each exercise. You can specify a set amount of reps if you wish but for our group environment, using a timer is best. The main focus is to be actively working the entire time period and not rest. Even if you have to do an easier or modified form of the exercise, keep moving! Don't cheat yourself. Each exercise can be done with just bodyweight but it's best to use a heavy set of dumbbells or a resistance band to add stress. Your legs have the largest muscles in your body so it's important to provide them with a challenge. If you become fatigued during the alloted time, simply switch to using bodyweight only. Many of these exercises are explained in greater detail in previous posts so browse those for additional tips and tricks. Video examples are linked below to refresh your memory on each exercise.

Examples

Jumping Jacks Click For Video Example Mountain Climbers: Click For Video Example Walking Lunges: Click For Video Example Calf Raises: Click For Video Example Squat Presses: Click For Video Example Burpees: Click For Video Example Romanian/Stiff-Legged Deadlift: Click For Video Example High Knees: Click For Video Example Wall Sit: Click For Video Example Hip Bridge/Raises: Click For Video Example Squat Jumps: Click For Video Example Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Brooks Trance 11 Shoe Review

This shoe was recommended to me by a local shoe store.

Let me start this off by saying that I love Brooks running shoes, that being said in my opinion the Brooks Trance 11 are the worst pair of shoes that I've purchased in my almost 3 years of running. The reason that I got the shoes was that when I tried them on at the store that seemed to feel good and I needed a pair of shoes that would hold up for the race training that I'm currently doing. The Trance 11 also was said to have more cushion throughout the entire shoe then my now all time favorite shoe the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12. I like the GTS 12 so much that I got a second pair because they were on sale. You can read the review for the GTS 12 Here.   

The Brooks Trance 11 have nice cushioning throughout the entire shoe. The Trance 11's are suppose to be the cadillac shoe of Brooks. I couldn't have been more disappointed with this shoe. They were no where near the price they can charge for them which can be as high as $140. The shoes feel heavy and feel stiff in the middle of your foot. I developed a big blister down the center of my foot where I've never had one before. The pain in my right foot was so intense that I had to actually stop for a bit. I know that this could only be exclusive to me due to my body structure and my gait. The problem with that is that a #CheFit teammate who is at average weight for his body type had the exact same problem I did. He is tall and has a slender body type. I'm a heavy runner and I read that this could be the shoe for me. I put in 30 miles in these and I do have to say that those were some of the toughest miles. I could say that it could have been do to leg fatigue, but as soon as I put on another pair of shoes the miles have been a breeze.


Submitted by Miles

Nutrition: Meal Prep 1

Another popular question I receive is about how to eat healthy. This is an attempt to jot down a simple process to prepare meals.

Basic Steps 1 - Plan Ingredients 2 - Shopping 3 - Prep 4 - Cook 5 - Plate

Advanced Steps

1 - Plan Ingredients I usually start out by planning what ingredients I need to acquire to prepare meals. I prep meals 1-2 times a week so I start by checking the fridge to see if there are any leftover ingredients from my last prep. This prevents me from overstocking ingredients and helps keep the fridge clean! My prep is broken down into three basic sections: protein, veggies, and carbs. Protein My usual protein options include: chicken, turkey, fish, and egg whites. Although I don't eat them, lean beef and cottage cheese can be thrown in this category too. For vegetarians, protein sources can include: tofu/tempeh, quinoa, beans, and meat substitute products (i.e. seitan, veggie burgers, etc). Some of the vegetarian protein options could technically be considered a carb too. Be mindful of that if you are carb conscious. Veggies The vegetables options are almost endless. I like to always include leafy greens, but it is best to "eat the rainbow". My usual leafy greens include: spinach, kale, bok choy, and collard/mustard greens. I also mix in: broccoli, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, carrots, and various peppers. Carbs Carbohydrate options are similarly numerous, but I like to be healthy with my carbs. You don't want to go around eating a bunch of bad carbs (i.e. french fries). Quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and whole-grain breads are acceptable. Most beans or legumes can be used. Oats, sweet potatoes, and yams work too. My favorites are: black beans (unsalted), sweet potatoes (boiled/baked), whole wheat pasta, and brown rice. Snacks Snacks are not necessarily included in my prep, but since you are headed to the store anyway, you might as well try to set yourself up for success by keeping healthy snacks around. I put fruit into this category. Usually with my breakfast or a protein shake, I like to include fruit. Yogurt, boiled eggs, canned tuna, snack packs of lightly salted popcorn, and oatmeal are frequent purchases of mine. Nuts like almonds, cashews, etc are good snacks as well. Sliced cucumbers or similar veggies can even be quick and healthy snacks. The best method to measure your portions is to use an actual food scale. This is a little hardcore so for times when I'm just free-eating, I just eyeball my portions. I "guesstimate" my portions by comparing it to the size of my palm. For men, it's about 6-8 ounces. For women, it's around 3-4 ounces. Depending on your eating schedule, you want to add one "palm" of protein and then either one "palm" of veggies or carbs. I go "either/or" with my veggies and carbs, eating carbs only around my workouts and not too late in the evening. That's just my regimen, it's ok to mix in the carbs w/ veggies, but I suggest to not go too crazy on the carbs. Veggies are fairly safe to eat in excess. I write down what I might need and then proceed to go shopping for the ingredients.

2 - Shopping Eating healthy may seem expensive, but it actually is way cheaper than eating out. You don't necessarily need to go non-GMO, all organic with your purchases either. Organics are worth looking into though, but I won't go into that here (google "Monsanto"). You want to primarily stick to the edges of the grocery store. Not saying you don't need to visit any of the inner aisles, but the outer aisles usually contain all the fresh produce. Anything fresh needs refrigeration and thus the outer edge of most grocers keep their coolers there. It's just easier to run them there. I do visit the inner aisles for things like my condiments (Mrs Dash!), canned beans/tuna, brown rice or whole wheat pasta. All my proteins, veggies and eggs are around the outer edge of my local grocery store. To make cooking easier, you could go with pre-cut or bagged ingredients. They're sometimes not as "fresh" as raw ingredients but it does save a bunch of time. Pre-cut meats and fish are usually also available in the meat or seafood department. Here is an example of what I bought for my most recent meal prep:  Two 1lb packages of boneless, skinless chicken breasts Two packages w/ 2 salmon fillets each Two cod fillets Two ground salmon jalapeno burgers Container of pre-cut melon A dozen brown eggs Two heads of broccoli One bunch of collard greens One package of pre-cut matchstick carrots One package pre-marinated asparagus One medium sweet potato One 14oz can of unsalted black beans

3 - Prep My prep is fairly simple. I usually don't marinate anything, I just season as I cook. If you want better tasting meals, you can cut your meats (tenderize if needed), season them in a ziplock bag and refridgerate them. This helps the meat turn out more juicy and flavorful. It does require a little more foresight and time however. I like to use low sodium options to season my meals. Lower sodium diets help prevent cardiovascualar disease, high cholesterol and obesity. Sodium is important for fluid regulation and other bodily functions. So you want to still keep sodium in your diet. My low sodium seasonings are any flavor of Mrs Dash and Braggs Liquid Aminos. Mrs Dash can be found almost anywhere, but I can only find Liquid Aminos are more "natural" grocers like Whole Foods or Sprouts. I just cut my meats and sprinkle Mrs Dash all over them before baking/pan-frying them. I don't add anything to my veggies except maybe some minced garlic while steaming. For the carbs, I add cinnamon to my oats or sweet potatoes. Everything else is pretty plain. If you are just starting out with meal prep, I find it totally acceptable to sneak in some more conventional condiments with your food. Not everyone can just eat a bunch of steamed broccoli plain. I suggest trying to see if you can just use the Liquid Aminos or Mrs Dash with them. Test it out with a single serving before prepping a bunch of meals that you don't like and won't eat. If it still isn't enough, try to add a light amount of butter or ranch or whatever you need. In my opinion, it's still better than eating a side of french fries. Gradually try to wean yourself away from the unhealthy condiments though.

4 - Cook Cooking is the fun part! Cleaning dishes is the not-so-fun part lol. I generally grab everything out of the fridge and stack it on some counter space. I am not a Cordon Bleu graduate line chef. I'm just you're average guy so the order that I do things may not be the most efficient but it seems to work. A - Bake: Baking things usually take the longest so I like to pre-heat the oven while I'm pulling ingredients out of the fridge. I like fish a lot and the easiest way to cook it is to bake it. Sometimes I bake chicken or sweet potatoes too. In this example, I had plenty of fish. I placed foil on a flat pan, greased it will non-stick and then placed my fish down on it. For salmon there's no need to remove the skin, it comes off easier when cooked. Sprinkle whatever seasoning you need on it & place in the oven. I cook it at about 350 degrees, which is low. But I will be busy doing other things so I don't need the fish done right away.

B - Skillet/Grill: Stuff that is pan-fried usually requires a little bit of cutting. After I get the baked stuff started in the oven, I go to prep stuff for the pan. Things that I normally pan fry are any type of burger, chunked meat, tofu or ground meat. In this example, I had some salmon jalapeno burgers and chicken to cook. So I opened the package of chicken, cut away a bit of the excess fat and sliced it into chunks. In place of using a skillet, I could use a few "Foreman grills". I used to do that, but cleaning the ones I have is a nightmare. Usually the meat I buy is really lean anyway, so I'm not too worried about fat drippings. A good replacement for pan frying is grilling. Right now I lack a grill, but a propane grill is easy to get going fast (although I do like charcoal better, sorry Hank Hill). Once cut, I fired up two burners & greased two skillets. I placed the salmon burgers in one & the chunked chicken in another. The burgers already had seasoning so I only threw Mrs Dash onto the chicken. I cook them on medium since again, I will be doing other things and not exclusively watching them.

C - Steam: Vegetables don't take long to steam so I save them for last. Plus they are low maintenance since they just sit in a pot. This allows me to check on the baked items and stir/flip the skillet/grill items simultaneously. I'm not super particular about my food touching so I use a large stock pot with a colander to steam all my veggies at once. I place the colander at the bottom of the pot. Fill it with water up to just below the colander. Place on the stove with the lid on and heat high. In this case I had collards, asparagus, broccoli and carrots. I threw the carrots in first since they were pre-cut. I washed and ripped the collards into smaller pieces and placed into the pot (w/out the stalk). Cut the asparagus and broccoli into small chunks and place into pot too. Leave covered. Once the water gets boiling, I like to drop the heat down to medium. I like my veggies slightly crunchy so I leave them in for about 10 minutes. Adjust time based on your needs.

D - Boil: This step usually includes whatever random stuff I may need to prep. Snacks and other odd bits that would be be convenient to have already cooked get done here. In this example I cracked open my can of black beans and cooked that. After that was done, I boiled about six eggs to keep in the fridge. I had some already baked sweet potato left over from last weeks meal prep so I pulled that out here. During this step I usually have the fish done, finish up any grilling and start looking for my tupperware containers.

5 - Plate A cheap tupperware set costs only a few bucks from almost anywhere. I like to get a few sets that all use the same top so it's easy to match them. I use a set of medium size bowls so I can fit an entire meal into one. While everything is finishing and/or cooling off, I lay out a number of empty containers.

Once I have everything laid out, I grab my various protein sources and start "plating" them into different containers. I try to switch it up and not place 4 containers of fish right next to one another. Spread it out so you get a variety of different food. This also helps prevent you from getting too "tired" of eating the same thing all the time.

After plating my protein sources, I move into plating my carb sources. Due to my diet, I have way fewer carb sources than veggies so I like to spread those out before handling the vegetables. I have carbs in 2-3 meals per day so I plate that first and space them off. The veggie steam pot gets moved over and then I add veggies to the remaining containers that do not contain carbs.

Once plated, I like to let the food cool a bit before placing the tops on them and moving to the fridge. Anything that is leftover, I place into other tupperware and use that for dinner or my next meal prep.

Tips / Advice Start slow. Do not attempt to prep an entire weeks worth of meals off the bat. Try to monitor your existing meals or eating out while introducing your prepped meals slowly. Maybe prep lunch or breakfast for a few days to start out. Once you have the routine down and have figured out what you like, step it up and prep more meals. Get comfortable with the process. Meal Prep does take some time but as you get more familiar with doing it, you become faster. I can knock out about 12-14 meals w/ leftovers in under an hour now. Find a balance that includes speed, efficiency, and taste. Protein, veggies, and carbs are the three basic things I need. Often times I just "wing it" and head to the store after work and pickup my raw ingredients. Make sure you switch it up often and try other combinations of food so you don't get tired of meal prep. I introduce 1-2 "cheat" meals or semi-cheat meals into my meal prep. For this example it was the salmon jalapeno burgers. There is salt and cheese packed in the burger patty so it's not totally "healthy". It's really tasty and I like it though. It gives me something to look forward to. Save fridge space! Prepped meals take up a bit of space, so clear out the fridge. Be mindful of roommates or significant others. Look for inspirations on social media or blogs (like this one!) for ideas and techniques.

Check back for additional advice and browse our posts regularly for ideas on workouts and nutrition. Good luck!

Submitted by Bars

Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 5

Equipment Used: An adjustable resistance band or a few bands w/ varying resistance A pull-up bar, free-standing pole, or something similar Optional:Timer

Circuit #5

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Bicep Curls Tricep Extensions Chest Flys Overhead Press Lateral Raise Standing Back Rows Rear Delt Flys Good Mornings Squats Static Lunge Reverse Ab Crunch Oblique Twist Kneeling Crunch

Circuit #5 - Resistance Bands

We are always looking to challenge ourselves with new styles of working out. A couple of us have been doing strict body weight, "street-style" workouts and gradually incorporated resistance band work into that. I initially always thought that resistance band work was for all the older seniors at the gym but was surprised at how well it works. They key is to ensure you have access to a set of bands that are of varying resistance and possibly different lengths. The bands are also convenient for our workouts because they are easier to carry around than dumbbells. The bands promote use of many stabilization muscles. Resistance is constant throughout the exercise which challenges you more than a traditional dumbbell workout. The way to get the most out of reps is to focus on form and maintaining a smooth line of movement. Also be sure to squeeze the target muscle group and focus on flexing it during the movement. Be wary of certain exercises. If you are not mindful of your setup, you may find a band snapping back at your face! Always double check your mount points. This circuit can be done in a living room, garage, pretty much anywhere that has a stable place to loop the band around. Even if you are lacking a good mount point, many of the exercises have multiple variations that can be done w/out a mount. The circuit covers most major muscle groups, targeting each one w/ 2-3 exercises. We are using a timer to keep track of sets or doing certain exercises to failure. There are more exercises in this circuit than usual but you can super set several of them together if you want to shorten the time taken to complete it. The bands are fast to setup and easy to transition between so time shouldn't be an issue.

1 - Bicep Curls  Video Example Stand on the band w/ your feet shoulder width apart. Have your hands down at your sides. The band should start tension as soon as you begin to raise your hands (adjust band accordingly). With your palms facing up/out, begin to curl. Optional: You can perform hammer curls by keeping your palms facing in. Optional: You can flip your palms down and work your forearms during this too. Optional: This can be done seated as well. Adjust band length and use foot to keep band stable.

2 - Tricep Extensions  Video Example Stand with one leg slightly back from your body. Have your band under the back foot. Grab the band handles behind your head and your arms at ninety degrees. Extend your arms upward to complete extensions. Optional: If you have an overhead mount point (i.e. pull-up bar), you can wrap the band around that, lean forward w/ and perform extensions.

3 - Chest Flys  Video Example Loop band around a pole (or other mounting point, i.e. doorknob). Face away from the pole. Extend your arms out horizontally and step away from the mount point a few paces until the band is taut. Have your palms facing out and away from you. Keep your arms extended and rotate your arms in front of you. Flex your chest as you complete reps. Optional: You can bend your arms ninety degrees, while still keeping them horizontal (i.e. push-up position). Push forward and flex your chest to perform reps.

4 - Overhead Press  Video Example Stand on the band w/ your feet shoulder width apart. Have your arms at ninety degrees w/ your hands up by your head. The band should start tension as soon as you begin to raise your arms (adjust band accordingly). Press your arms into the air above your head. Optional: You can alternately kneel on the band.

5 - Lateral Raise  Video Example Stand on the band w/ your feet shoulder width apart. Have your hands down at your sides. The band should start tension as soon as you begin to raise your hands (adjust band accordingly). With your palms facing down, raise your arms to the horizontal position. Optional: You can alternately kneel on the band. Optional: You can perform this exercise one arm at a time or simultaneously. Optional: You can raise your arms at your sides or straight in front of you.

6 - Standing Back Rows  Video Example Loop band around a pole (or other mounting point, i.e. doorknob). Face the pole. Step away from the mount point a few paces until the band is taut. Start with your arm slightly outstretched. Have your palms facing in and pull your arms back until your elbows are behind you. Keep your elbows close to your sides and bend your arms at ninety degrees. Optional: You can alternately perform this seated. Loop the band around your feet w/ your legs stretched out. Optional: An alternate grip is to have your arms out horizontally and bent at ninety degrees. Palms down.

7 - Rear Delt Flys  Video Example Loop band around a pole (or other mounting point, i.e. doorknob). Face the pole. Step away from the mount point a few paces until the band is almost taut. Start with your arm outstretched horizontally in front of you. Have your palms facing in. Rotate your arms toward your back, squeezing while performing reps. Optional: You can wrap the band around the pole a few times if you need more resistance. Optional: Instead of looping the band around a pole, you can simply grab the band with two hands and perform reps.

8 - Good Mornings  Video Example Loop band around your neck and place both your feet into each handle. The band should be taut when you stand up straight. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. Bend at the waist, keeping your back straight, bowing toward the ground. Keep your chin up, bend slightly at the knees and push your butt out as you bend. Straighten back to a vertical position to complete the rep.

9 - Squats  Video Example Stand on the band w/ your feet shoulder width apart. Have your arms at ninety degrees w/ your hands up by your head. The band should be taut. While maintaining your hands by your head, squat down by bending at the knee and sticking your butt out and down.

10 - Static Lunge  Video Example Loop band around your neck and place one foot into both handles. The band should be taut when you stand up straight. Place the foot that is in the handles a full step forward. Your other leg should be a step backward. Bend the knee on the back leg toward the ground. Your front leg will slightly bend at the knee as well. Keep the majority of your weight on your front leg. Be sure to switch feet after one leg is finished doing reps.

11 - Reverse Ab Crunch  Video Example Loop band around your neck and place one foot into each handle. Lean back slightly and hold the sides of the flat bench. Place your legs together and extend them out in front of the end of the bench. Perform reps by bending your knees and pulling them in toward your chest while leaning forward. Release by leaning back into starting position and extending your legs back out. Optional: Loop band around the pole, facing pole and place your feet into the handles. Perform same motion but scoot back far enough so the band is taut. ***Note: Video Example not exactly as described above.

12 - Oblique Twist  Video Example Loop band around a pole (or other mounting point, i.e. doorknob). Loop one handle through the other one and tighten it. Only one handle should be usable. Step away from the mount point until the band is taut. Stand w/ your feet shoulder width apart, parallel to the pole w/ your arms chest height and outstretched. While keeping your arms locked out straight, twist at the waist so your torso faces away from the pole.

13 - Kneeling Crunch  Video Example If you have an overhead mount point (i.e. pull-up bar), loop the band around that. Get on your knees facing the mount. Grasping both handles, place your hands together beside your head w/ your arms bent at ninety degrees. You should be leaning forward slightly. The band should be taut, move away from the mount point if it is not. Keep your hips stationary and bend your waist so that your bent elbows travel toward your knees. Optional: An alternate grip is to place your hands behind your head. ***Note: Do not move your arms during this movement. They should remain fixed in place.

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!