Budget Body "Jug Bells"

The program that I put together for her included a circuit of bodyweight exercises, mixed in with dumbbell/kettlebell type exercises.  I didn't expect her to go out and pick up a bunch of dumbbells or kettlebells, but I did want her to understand how important the function of the equipment is, as opposed to the price. 

So when my client showed up for her first workout, here is one of the dumbbells that I had her workout with..

What?  Cheezy?  Hey, 15 lbs is still 15 lbs!  You don't have to spend a lot of cash if you don't have a lot of cash.  Just take a simple gallon jug like this one, add some pea gravel, sand, and/or water, and you have a homemade "jug bell".  I also recommend a little duct tape to secure the cap to the jug... especially if you are using water.  I like the Tropicana 1 gallon jug... it is sturdy enough with a nice grip, but I'm sure that you can find some alternatives that work for you.

Here are a few exercise examples to try out with your jug bell...

Jug Bell Swings

Tricep Kickbacks

1 Arm Rows

Of course, 2 jug bells are better than one if you'd like to add some lateral raises, hammer curls, rear delts, or plenty of other 2 handed exercises.

So in conclusion, feel free to spend the money if you have it, but don't let the cost of equipment be among the list of your excuses for why you can't start TODAY! J
 

Start to Finish MS

Multiple Sclerosis sucks!  I have had several relatives and friends afflicted with this debilitating disease and it's just plain not fair.  Having multiple sclerosis means that you may suddenly have blurry vision. Or that your memory will fail you for no apparent reason. Or that you may not always be able to walk, let alone ride a bike. The symptoms of MS are different, and devastating, for everyone - the only certainty is that it will affect yet another person every hour of every day.

For 15 years I have been riding in the annual MS150 Bike to the Bay.  I plan to keep participating as long as I can in this one... it's a great ride for a great cause.  Although I have stepped down as the captain of the Bank of America team this year, I'm still giving you my annual pitch for riders, volunteers, and sponsors.  Participation in the National MS Society's annual ride will help raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis research and local programs.   

The 2012 ride is scheduled for Saturday, September 22nd and Sunday, September 23rd.  However, I'll only be riding on Saturday again this year, so that I can do the 5K Delaware Mud Run on Sunday again (which raises money for the Leukemia Research Foundation)!   

If you are able make a charitable donation by sponsoring me for the Bike to the Bay, we can reach our goals that much quicker!  Every dollar contributed will help us to end the devastating effects of MS, sooner rather than later.

If you are interested in participating in the Delaware Mud Run and don't have a 4 person team to run with yet, you can email me at pmazzeo@todayfitness.net .  We currently have 2 teams of "Mud Warriors" registered already and plan to get a few more.  Come get muddy with us!!!

Thanks for your support!

	Click Here to Register or Sponsor Pete for the 2012 MS 150 Bike to the Bay

USA Bodyweight Exercise of the Month!

Suspended Tricep Extension

Summary:

Otherwise known as an inverted nose breaker, this exercise can be done on a chair, bench, railing... just about anywhere.  This suspended version requires more control from your stabilizing muscles and really gives your triceps a great burn!

Target:  arms and core (triceps brachii, rectus abdominus, erector spinae)

Description:  Start by grasping the rungs of the USA, palms down, with an incline that is good for your fitness level.  Starting with straight arms in a pushup position, focus on freezing your shoulder joint so that your elbow is doing most of the movement.  Keep your elbows in and point them down as you lower your body so that your hands are roughly near your eyes.  Press your body upward by extending your arms again (keeping your elbows in) so that you return to starting position.  Repeat for desired reps.
 

There's an App for That

Interval Training has had a huge surge in popularity in recent years.  This is in large part due to the superior benefits that interval training has over steady state cardio for both athletic performance as well as fat loss. Although the iPhones and iPods already come with a stopwatch and countdown timer, they don't make it easy to do repeating intervals out of the box. 

UltraTimer is one of the first fully-programmable and customizable interval timer that I found in the AppStore, and I haven't found one that I like better.  You can set a single timer or multiple timers, each including series of count-down intervals that run back-to-back.  Each interval can be customized to play a different alarm sound, as well as change the background color for visual feedback.

I created a Sandbag Interval Complex timer that has 12 different exercises which vary between 30 seconds to 1 minute of work intervals, followed by 30 second rest intervals, and goes through the entire circuit twice.  All very easy to do with this little app!

UltraTimer also allows you to play music while running and comes with it's own sound library for the interval alarms.  Another cool feature is the ability to create and save multiple timers and share them with your friends via email or wireless connection.

If you're looking for a great timer app for interval training that is versatile and customizable, I highly recommend UltraTimer which is currently selling for $1.99. 

Incidently... if you are interested in the Sandbag Interval Complex that combines interval training with a full body sandbag workout... here ya go...

• Squat Thrust Clean & Press (10)

• Bentover Rows (20)

• Diagonal Shouldering (10 to each side)

• Curls (10)

• Man-Makers (Clean & Press,2 Back Squats,Press)

• Overhead Tricep Extension (10)

• Walking Lunge (10 each leg))

• Clean & Press (10)

• Plyo Hop-overs (25)

• Seated Russian Twist (10 each side)

• Plyo Pushup (10 on/off the bag)

• Upright Rows (10)

It's Go Time!

For prior issues of this eNewsletter, to subscribe, or unsubscribe, please visit the following link --> todayfitness.net/news. 

‎"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will."
-Vince Lombardi

youtube of the month -->
Body PH and Why Diet Soda Makes You Fat
Very interesting video about the affects of the food you eat on PH and the affects of PH on your body.