Category: budget-friendly workouts

February 13, 2014

Agility Ladder DIY

You can get all the supplies to make your own agility ladder at a regular hardware store, and it really only takes less than half an hour to make.

Agility ladders are an amazing unsung fitness tool that you’re probably not using. I will be back to share some agility training drills soon too, so stay tuned for that. But these exercises shouldn’t be saved for professional football players or high school track teams. Agility drills not only increase your agility, but they also provide a great source of cardio, especially if you’re getting bored with your treadmill routine. You can get pretty creative with your fancy footwork, like sport dancing, and it also tests your mental acuity. We did some agility drills at the NASM workshop I attended and they were kind of fun and challenging and had me out of breath within a few minutes.

Supplies:

Short nails/carpet tacks
Hammer
Wood shims or other flat thin wood*
Rope
Tape measure

Instructions:

1. Stack two shims on top of each other with one narrow side and one thick side of each together. Nail the end of the rope into the top of the first shim stack.

2. Measure 15 inches to the next rung and hammer another nail into the top of that shim stack.

3. Continue until you have 15 rungs. Cut the rope at the end of the 15th rung. Now, go back and do the same thing on the other side of the ladder, hammering the string to the shims every 15 inches.

Voila, your very own agility ladder! It’s easy to fold up and hang in your garage or shed. Be careful if you’re doing this project outside with little kidlets around. All the neighbor kids ran over when they saw what I was doing and asked if they could “help.” Um, no. And we ended up with a knocked over pile of nails in the grass that I was really trying to prevent (barefoot in the summer, ouch!). Just hand them a few shims and a little length of rope and see who can make the best godseye.

*I would actually recommend using some thin wood versus shims. Shims are what I had on-hand, but nailing into the narrow ends proved to be a bit tricky. The wood needs to be pretty thin though, so you’re not tripping over it. Also, if you have feet that are much larger than mine (women’s 8), the width of a shim might not work for you. You should be able to fit both feet inside with some room left over, so take your own measurements from there.

November 27, 2013

18 Minute Thanksgiving Workout

I wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Take time to relish in those meaningful family moments, thoughts of thankfulness, and tables full of tasty fare. Allow yourself this one meal on this one day this week to indulge without remorse. That’s what I’m going to do.

But before you stuff yourself with all the familiar fixins, get in this quick 18 minute workout. You’ll feel better, and likely make a few better choices, if you get a little sweat going on this national holiday of food. It’s completely equipment-free, so you can literally do this anywhere. I’m going to be doing this very same workout before heading out to our family potluck on Thursday, so I’m right there with you:)

Enjoy! Let me know how you do!

September 12, 2013

Free Workout Roundup

Lindsay over at the Lean Green Bean offered a challenge today to share five of our feature blog posts. We’re challenged to meet new bloggers, give our favorite bloggers more exposure and increase the feeling of community through this challenge. Hey, I can get on-board with that! And it’s quick enough to whip together on one’s lunch break. In that vein, here are five free workouts from Boun-See that you don’t want to miss:

1. 30-20-10 Printable Running Plan: Scientifically proven to improve race times, this interval running plan is great to mix in your race training plan.

2. FlashFit Workout #1: To challenge my lunch workout buddy and I, I started putting these strength and cardio circuits together to get the most out of our short time at the gym. They feature combo moves that hit all the major muscle groups and cardio bursts to keep the fat-burning furnace on high. I’ve got many more of these put together in a notebook for a class I hope to teach that will eventually migrate here to Boun-See.

3. Broomstick Stretch Workout: A simple broomstick can sometimes give you a better stretch than your body alone.

4. Broomstick Full-Body Workout #1: Likewise, this common household item can also give you great full-body fitness benefits. Throw in 1 minute of cardio between each move and you’ve got yourself a pretty comprehensive training circuit.

5. Broomstick Full-Body Workout #2: Part two of the above. Work every major muscle group from different angles using something as simple as a stick!

Thanks for the challenge, Lindsay! I hope to see some new faces around here and meet some new fitnessistas myself. The blogging community is so inspiring, isn’t it?

My goal this week has been to get some video set up of some of my workouts that I may post on YouTube. I got the wrong cord for my camcorder from Radio Shack, so I’m trying to source the right one on Amazon. After I figure out all the logistics of all this video stuff, I might just start putting together an exercise library. How cool would that be? Sign up for updates from Boun-see in my sidebar so you won’t miss any!

I’ve made all of the images above easily Pin-able, so feel free to share the love. I appreciate it!

September 12, 2013

Free Workout Roundup

1. 30-20-10 Printable Running Plan: Scientifically proven to improve race times, this interval running plan is great to mix in your race training plan.

3. Broomstick Stretch Workout: A simple broomstick can sometimes give you a better stretch than your body alone.

5. Broomstick Full-Body Workout #2: Part two of the above. Work every major muscle group from different angles using something as simple as a stick!

Thanks for the challenge, Lindsay! I hope to see some new faces around here and meet some new fitnessistas myself. The blogging community is so inspiring, isn’t it?

I’ve made all of the images above easily Pin-able, so feel free to share the love. I appreciate it!

September 12, 2013

Broomstick Full-Body Workout #2

Here is your third and final installment in my broomstick workout series. It is another full-body circuit that hits every major muscle group. You can also turn this into more of an interval workout, which I explain below. Or, combine the two stick workouts on days when you have more time for a real scorcher.

If you missed them, check out the other parts of this fitness series:
1. Workout stick DIY
2. Full-body broomstick stretch workout
3. Full-body workout #1

Stir the pot: (a) Kneel with the stick out in front of you. (b) Push the stick out and around in a circle pattern, leaning your torso into it with control. Do 12 clockwise rotations and 12 counterclockwise rotations.
Reverse crunch with curl: (a) On your back, legs up in tabletop, (b) perform a reverse crunch and bicep curl at the same time. Do 15-20 crunches.
Curtsy lunge: (a) Stand with right knee and arms raised out in front of you. (b) Bring right foot back behind you and to the left into a lunge. Return to knee-up position. Do 12 reps per leg.
Shoulder rotation: (a) Hold stick in right hand out to side, palm facing forward. (b) Rotate arm and stick until palm faces backward. Perform 25 reps per arm. You should really feel this one!
Stick jacks: Perform 15 regular jumping jack with the stick in your hands.
Inner thigh sweep: Stand on mat, holding stick vertical near the right thigh. Sweep the right leg across the body to the left, kicking the stick up with your foot. Perform 12 reps per leg.
Deep squats: Holding the stick in front of you for balance, feet shoulder’s width apart, drop your butt down into a deep squat. Return to standing, squeezing your glutes as you come up. Do 15 squats.
V-step: With your stick laying vertically on the ground, perform a V-step, stepping over the stick. Feel free to put a little jump into your step:)

Remember to do a good stretch after this workout. You can even use your stick to do so with my Broomstick Stretch Workout. To turn this workout into even more of a fat burner, you can pull out the Stick Jacks and perform 25 of them in between each strength move.

I hope this workout series has inspired you to work out a little differently. You can get quite an effective workout using simple household objects, or even just your own body weight.

I will continue adding FlashFit workouts and other series as I design them, so I hope this is the third workout in a long series to come!

For more free workouts, sign up for updates in my sidebar. Either sign up by email, through Bloglovin’ or through Feedly (or another feed burner).

Disclaimer: I am an NASM-certified personal trainer, however I cannot be with you in person to assess, check your form or guide you, so please remember that these workouts are done at your own risk. As always, check with your doctor before beginning this or any other exercise program and always honor your body’s abilities and limitations.

September 12, 2013

Broomstick Full-Body Workout #2

If you missed them, check out the other parts of this fitness series:
1. Workout stick DIY
2. Full-body broomstick stretch workout
3. Full-body workout #1

Stir the pot: (a) Kneel with the stick out in front of you. (b) Push the stick out and around in a circle pattern, leaning your torso into it with control. Do 12 clockwise rotations and 12 counterclockwise rotations.
Reverse crunch with curl: (a) On your back, legs up in tabletop, (b) perform a reverse crunch and bicep curl at the same time. Do 15-20 crunches.
Curtsy lunge: (a) Stand with right knee and arms raised out in front of you. (b) Bring right foot back behind you and to the left into a lunge. Return to knee-up position. Do 12 reps per leg.
Shoulder rotation: (a) Hold stick in right hand out to side, palm facing forward. (b) Rotate arm and stick until palm faces backward. Perform 25 reps per arm. You should really feel this one!
Stick jacks: Perform 15 regular jumping jack with the stick in your hands.
Inner thigh sweep: Stand on mat, holding stick vertical near the right thigh. Sweep the right leg across the body to the left, kicking the stick up with your foot. Perform 12 reps per leg.
Deep squats: Holding the stick in front of you for balance, feet shoulder’s width apart, drop your butt down into a deep squat. Return to standing, squeezing your glutes as you come up. Do 15 squats.
V-step: With your stick laying vertically on the ground, perform a V-step, stepping over the stick. Feel free to put a little jump into your step:)

I hope this workout series has inspired you to work out a little differently. You can get quite an effective workout using simple household objects, or even just your own body weight.

I will continue adding FlashFit workouts and other series as I design them, so I hope this is the third workout in a long series to come!

For more free workouts, sign up for updates in my sidebar. Either sign up by email, through Bloglovin’ or through Feedly (or another feed burner).

September 4, 2013

Broomstick Full-Body Workout #1

As promised, here is your broomstick workout for the week, a full-body regimen that hits all the right spots.

Print or pin the poster and use the description below to follow along.

V-sit with twist: (a) Sit on your mat with knees bent and lean backwards, back straight, until your torso is at about a 45 degree angle. Hold the stick out in front of you. (b) Twisting your torso from side to side, touch the ends of the stick down to the ground. Alternate sides, 15 reps per side.
Quad squeeze with triceps raise: (a) Kneeling on your mat, hold your workout stick behind your back, palms facing away from the body. (b) Lean your whole body back, feeling a squeeze in the front of your thighs, trying to maintain that straight line from head to knees. At the same time, use your triceps to push the stick out behind you. Return to start. Do 12 reps.
Side lunge with side lean: (a) Stand facing forward. Step right foot out to side and press into a side lunge, keeping knees in line with the toes. (b) Once in the side lunge, lift your stick over your head and lean over to the right. Return to start. Do 12 reps per leg.
Rear lunge with a twist: Stand facing forward. Step right foot behind you and lower into a rear lunge, both knees at right angles. As you lower into the lunge, twist your torso and stick over the bent left knee. Return to standing. Do 12 reps per leg.
Ab V-reach: (a) Lie on your back and extend your legs straight up. Separate legs so they form a “V.” (b) Hold your workout stick over your body and lift your shoulders off the ground, using your abs to reach the stick toward your toes. Lower and repeat 15 times.
Knee crackin’: (a) Stand facing forward, arms holding the stick straight up in the air. (b) Bring your knee up toward your chest as you bring the stick toward your knee. Alternate sides quickly, doing 20 reps per side.
Hop-overs: Place your stick on the ground and stand next to it. (a) Quickly hop over the stick, landing on one foot. (b) Then, hop over to the other side, landing on the other foot. Perform 1 minute as quickly as possible.
Superman Raises: Lying on your belly, hold the stick in your hands behind you, palms facing away from your body. (b) Lift your arms up behind you as you lift your torso. Try not to hyper-extend your back. (a) Lower to a few inches above the floor and repeat 12 times.

To make this workout even more of a fat burner, do one minute of hop-overs between each move. Repeat the whole circuit once or twice, depending on your ability and time. Don’t forget to stretch afterwards. You can even make your very own DIY workout stick to follow along.

Check back here next week for my third installment of broomstick workouts. It will be another full-body circuit.

Disclaimer: I am an NASM-certified personal trainer, however I cannot be with you in person to assess, check your form and guide you, so please remember that these workouts are done at your own risk. As always, check with your doctor before beginning this or any other exercise program and always honor your body’s abilities and limitations.

August 27, 2013

Broomstick Stretch Workout

Welcome to my first official posted workout. There are plenty more where this came from! I will be releasing two more stick workouts after this, one next week and one the week after. So stop back here and feel free to Pin away. After than, I hope to continue developing even more workouts to share with you all.

So, this first installment is a full-body stretch workout. Print the poster and use the descriptions below to perform your stretch workout. I have taken my inspiration for these workouts from those broomstick workouts that you might notice in magazines, etc. I shared the Workout Stick DIY tutorial last week, so if you want to personalize this workout to your unique style, check that DIY project here! Otherwise, feel free to grab an actual broomstick from your closet or even a thick straight stick from your backyard.

Always remember that a gentle stretch is good, but discontinue any moves that actually hurt.

1. Chest Stretch: With a wide grasp on your workout stick, pull the stick up and behind your head until you feel a slight stretch in your chest muscles. Go deeper if your body allows. The stick itself allows you to go deeper into this stretch than your body could alone. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.

2. Triceps Stretch: Reach behind your back and grasp the stick, one hand from below the shoulder and one from above. “Walk” your hands closer to each other to go deeper into the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

3. Side Stretch: With a wide grasp, hold the pole over your head. Now lean to the right until you feel a stretch in the side body. Hold for two counts. Slowly return to the top and repeat on the other side. Do 8 repetitions each way.

4. Hip Stretch: Using your stick for balance straight out in front of you, (a) raise your right knee to hip height, (b) then rotate out to the side and return it to the ground. Continue in a circular motion for 10 reps. Switch sides and repeat.

5. Glute Stretch: Using your workout stick for balance, sit back into a squat bringing the right ankle over your left knee. Sit back into the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

6. Around the World Stretch: (a) With a wide grasp, hold the pole over your head. (b) In a circular motion, move the stick around to your right, down toward the floor and then up toward the left. Do 4 circles this way and 4 circles in the opposite direction.

7. Calf Stretch: Using your stick for balance, step back into a rear lunge with the right foot, toes pointed forward and front leg bent. Press the right heel toward the floor until you feel a good stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

Stretching is so important to do before and after your workouts. It’s an often overlooked and often skipped-over portion of a workout, especially in the face of time constraints. But by skipping stretching, you’re really missing out and robbing your body of some really great benefits! Flexibility helps with everything from proper mechanics to balance to posture and so many things in between. I would especially emphasize performing a stretching routine like this after exercise, while muscles are all warm and receptive to stretching.

Check back next week for your first of two total-body strength routines using your new workout stick!

P.S.: In case you’re wondering, I created this lovely photo collage on Pixlr.com. It’s fun, you should try it:)

P.P.S.: Disclaimer: I am an NASM-certified personal trainer, however I cannot be with you in person to assess, check your form and guide you, so please remember that these workouts are done at your own risk. As always, check with your doctor before beginning this or any other exercise program and always honor your body’s abilities and limitations.

January 6, 2013

Supreme 90Day Overview

Say hello to my newest secret workout weapon: Supreme90Day

I ordered it right after my favorite magazine touted it as comparable to P90X, something I’ve always wanted to try but was reluctant to spend so much cash on. Lo and behold, Supreme90Day is super inexpensive. In fact, you can sometimes find it at some Big Lots stores for like $4. People, that’s $4 for 10 workout DVDs. That’s 40 cents each! Oh yeah, baby!!! For the value of this system, that is one heckuva price.

Let’s get one thing straight. This system will bust your butt! In fact, if you don’t have a strength training base to build upon, you might not want to start this until you do. I am a serious exerciser, and this still caught me off guard. This is not for beginners.

From a person who thrives upon change when it comes to working out, this 90-day workout system is ideal because you’re doing something different every single day. This not only prevents me from getting bored but it keeps every one of my muscles guessing. I can already feel a change in my body. Carrying my son around doesn’t feel as hard but my abs definitely feel harder! Push ups get a little easier, dashing up the stairs isn’t as hard, and now some of my other workouts feel like child’s play.

I’m currently on Day 15 of the system, working on this in conjunction with the Tone It Up Love Your Body series. Whoa! I started at Day 1 (again!) toward the end of December because I had a looong Christmas vacation to get a strong start. In fact, a friend and I just decided to head to the gym on our lunch breaks and we do some of the S90D circuits there. I started jotting the workouts down as I was working through the DVDs, so I can do them anywhere and I won’t get off-track. Here’s a glimpse at the breakdown (most videos pack major power into just 30-40 minutes):

Chest and Back: lots of push up and plank-style variation exercises, presses and flyes.
Ultimate Ball: prepare to work your entire body on the fitness ball.
Tabata Inferno: prepare to sweat profusely! Each circuit is performed 8 times for 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest. Some of the moves are strength-based (thrusters, lunges, etc), but you use lighter weights so you can power through them fast.
Shoulders and Arms: you’ll be shaking when you’re done and won’t want to lift your arms. Lots of traditional and functional bicep, tricep and shoulder exercises.
Cardio Challenge: Another sweat-buster. And you won’t do the same exercises twice in this powerful workout. Mountain climbers, plank jacks and burpees, oh my!
Legs: All different variations of lunges and squats abound in this leg circuit.
Core Dynamics: Sure, you’ll work your core, but you’ll also work your entire body. Don’t plan on doing crunches, though. You’ll be put through lots of plank variations and other powerful core exercises.
Total Body: Uses some exercises from the other videos and some new exercises to hit every major and minor muscle group.
Back and Bis: Many variations of what you’d expect with bicep curls, rows, and such. Some of the variations you probably haven’t tried before. Also hits the lower back.
Chest, Shoulders and Tris: Again, many variations on exercises you know like kickbacks, push ups, flyes and such.

Every workout incorporates major core work. In fact, many of them feature a core circuit before getting into the regular workout. The pace is pretty fast though, which is good in a way because you’re burning extra calories along with your strength training. But it can be difficult to keep up with.

You *could* do all of the workouts without a ball, but not without hand weights. And as you progress, you’ll need heavier and heavier weights. Most of the time, Tom Holland shows you how to do the moves without the ball, but there are a few instances where he doesn’t. I would highly recommend a ball. You can get one pretty cheap at Walmart.

In addition to the workouts, the system comes with a complete 90-day nutrition plan written by Tosca Reno. Be prepared for tons of lean protein like eggs and grilled chicken and eating every few hours. I am actually following the Tone It Up nutrition plan right now, but in some ways the eating plans are similar. Both emphasize lean, clean and green foods and eating every few hours. For those of you that don’t know, Tosca Reno is the biggest public personality behind eating clean. If she wrote this plan, I put my trust in it. To me, it seems similar to a bodybuilding diet, which makes sense since Tosca Reno is a fitness competitor.

As long as I keep at it–and I plan to–I will continue to update you on my progress. If you’re interested in learning more, please feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer.

*Disclaimer: I have no affiliation whatsoever with anyone or any system mentioned in this post. Nor am I a fitness or health professional (yet!). This post reflects my own thoughts and observations.

August 2, 2012

Kayaking: My Favorite Way to Work Out

Kayaking is my meditation. It is the most peaceful, in-touch-with-nature, thrilling active sport that I know, at least on our calm local waters. I would take a humble kayak over a fancy yacht any day. I would add that it’s pretty budget-friendly as well. You only pay the initial cost of the boats (around $300 for ours) and minimal equipment for endless summer entertainment. I sometimes forget to chalk up my time in the boat as fitness minutes, because it never feels like working out. It’s blissful, it’s family time, it’s an adventure, and it’s a whole experience as opposed to being just another workout.

I love how you can get into tiny nooks that are inaccessible to other boats. We’ve been down some extremely shallow channels (like 2 inches deep!) that are completely secluded. You can literally drop a kayak in any waters–and by yourself, I might add. I think my kayak only weighs like 35lbs, so I can carry it alone.

On this particular trip, we got to see a lot of wildlife: frogs, red wing blackbirds, turtles, ducks and of course fish. Our love of the sport has carried over to our Peanut, since he came along this time and loved it too. Can you tell?

We went at dusk. Boat traffic was light, the weather was golden, the sun was starting to set. If that isn’t meditative, I don’t know what is. Ohm-ing on a cushion is no match for the steady rhythm of the paddles, the caress of the air, the smell of nature and the peaceful surroundings that kayaking offer.

When they tell you to find an exercise you love, this is what they mean. Kayaking is an “exercise” that I truly love love. What’s yours?