Free

Shake and Paint by Stephen Cooper

Morning get up and go breakfast shake. Water, protein powder, big handful spinach, frozen acai.  (Clients sometimes ask where can they buy frozen acai in Pasadena...I usually get Sambazon frozen acai at Whole Foods.) 

Workout...

Some clients have asked me to post our workouts.  Here is the link to yesterday's workout.

Fun...

We have a very fun event planned for Friday April 5 from 8 pm - 10:30 pm. 

We will be meeting at Paint The Town in San Marino.  There, we will have the whole place to ourselves.

Each person will get to select one studio painting and the instructor will walk you through the painting process, step by step. (Don't look to me for any tips or pointers...and no laughing at my lack of painting skills).  You can change colors, backgrounds and add whatever creative things you want. 

Don't worry if you have never painted before...

Please bring wine or your favorite beverage, and some healthy snacks if you like.

The cost is $25 per person.  Please confirm your space with me soon so that we can plan on supplies.

Calendar

April 1, Monday, Wednesday, Friday Boot Camp Begins

April 2, Tuesday/Thursday Camp Begins

April 5, Paint The Town Party in San Marino

 

What Will You Do This Weekend to Stay Fit? by Stephen Cooper

You may attend boot camp classes with me during the week, but what activities do you do over your weekend to keep yourself on track?

For those of us who are lucky to live in the Pasadena area, our weather provides so many opportunities to get outside and take advantage.

One of the best activities is to just get out and walk.  This is a great time to encourage your family to be part of your healthy life, you may be doing them a huge favor by getting them up and moving.  One of our favorite activities is going on the stair walks from the book, Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles by Charles Fleming. 

When I'm crunched for time, I knock out a simple jump rope workout.  I will set my timer on my phone for 20 minutes, and have it notify me every 30 seconds.  For 30 seconds I'll jump rope, then for 30 seconds I'll "recover" with squats.  I'll repeat this pattern for the entire 20 minutes.

There are two weekend options for you.

What else do you like to do over your weekend to stay fit?

 

Get in the Habit by Stephen Cooper

With some new clients getting ready to start the next boot camp this Friday, I'm always trying to figure out any important tips that I can pass along to them.

The biggest one that comes to mind today is the importance of creating and keeping the habit of exercising. 

I've found two things that have helped me to create and sustain some habits.
They are both free.  
BJ Fogg, PhD
The first is a "course" conducted by BJ Fogg of Stanford.  Here is the link, http://tinyhabits.com/ 
The second is the Lift app for the iPhone, link http://lift.do/
Once again I don't have any financial gain in passing these along to you...just a FYI.

 

"Do From Home" Workout for 4th of July by Stephen Cooper

Do some type of sufficient warm up for 5-8 minutes.  This could be any exercises like arm swings, squats, lunges, etc..

Workout

45 sec of push ups
45 sec of jump squats
hold side plank (ALAP)  as long as possible
Repeat 3 times
Rest 60-90 seconds

45 sec. of handstand push ups
45 sec. of crunches with both knees to one side
hold extended plank (ALAP)
Do as many prone frog mountain climbers as possible (This is the one where your hands are at the end of your mat and you jump both feet in by hands and then out ¾ of the way to full leg extension.)
45 seconds of squats (drop down in one second, then raise up counting to 4)
Repeat 2-3 times

You are done :)

Want a Free Workout That Will Burn Fat and Shrink Your Fat Zones? by Stephen Cooper

Relaxing this weekend at Sequoia Park (note my son and wife in this pic.)

I'm going to give it to you.

Here is the exact workout that we did today at boot camp.  It's a combination of fat burning, core training, and a cardio workout too.

*Want to get more workouts like this via email?  Click here and I'll send them.

Warm up (note that each exercise is 60 seconds in duration, and are performed 1-2 times)

Seated cross legged hands on top of head...seated twist

Hula hoop hip rotations, 30 seconds one direction, 30 seconds in the opposite direction

Bodyweight squats

Standing leg swings, balance on one foot, while swinging the other leg forward and back

Plank

Training (Each exercise is done for 60 seconds...rest after two exercises.  Your rest period all depends on your level of fitness.  Think 15-60 seconds of rest.)

Close hand push ups...then go right to bodyweight squats

Skier swings (stand with kettlebells by sides and "swing" back like a skiing motion)...then right to plank

Overhead split squat...then right to burbees

rest

Alternating biceps curls with kettlebells...then jumping jacks

Overhead triceps extension...then crunches

Suitcase deadlift (kettlebell in one hand, squat down and touch bottom of KB to ground)...then side plank

rest

Finisher

75 kettlebell deadlifts, then 75 jump ropes

75 walking lunges, then 75 total Turkish get ups

Cool down and stretches

Inner thigh stretches with partner

Once again, if you'd like to receive more free workouts like this, click here.

Free Hike and Workout This Sunday Mar. 6 in Monrovia by Stephen Cooper

Lot's going on this week.

Calendar

February 28

New Boot Camp Sessions Begin Today (some spaces still avail)

February 28  

Last day of the Paleo Challenge II.  Email me your before and after pictures, starting and ending measurements, and let me know what this challenge meant to you.

March 6

Free workout and hike.  Join us this Sunday in Monrovia.