February Fitness Challenge

It's time to dust off your jump ropes. This month's fitness challenge is all about the age-old piece of rope that has been used by fitness enthusiasts and little kids for decades.

Don't have a jump rope? Go get one. They cost less than $10 at your local sporting goods store. Avoid the cheaper plastic ropes and go with the beaded or leather options. Since the chart at the bottom of this post to determine what length you should use.

Why Jump Rope?

Jumping rope is an excellent total body exercise. It strengthens your legs and builds muscular endurance in your arms while provide an elevated heart rate. It is easy to learn and you will get better at it every time to do it. I have countless clients who couldn't jump at all when they started and now they are easily doing 200+ in 2 minutes. Our Boot Camp record is 296 in two minutes if you want something to set an aggressive goal.

Where to jump rope?
Don't let the excuse of cold weather stop you. You can jump rope 1) at your gym, 2) in your garage, 3) in your living room (if you want to protect your carpeting put a small throw carpet down), 4) in your basement.

The Challenge
Here is your month-long Jump Rope challenge to get you to be a superior jumper.

Feb 1 - Feb 4
Tuesday - Do as many jumps as possible in 2 minutes. Record your result. A jump only counts if the rope passes under your feet. If you catch the rope on your toe and it does pass under your feet it doesn't count. I don't care if you jumped.
Wednesday - 10 rounds or tabata jumps. Do as many as you can in 20 seconds then rest for 10 seconds. That is one round. Repeat for a total of 10 20sec/10sec sets.

Thursday - Maximum jumps in 2 minutes. Record your results. If you are under 100 you are a beginner, under 200 you are intermediate, and over 200 you are advanced.
Friday - Beginner - Do 100 jump ropes, Intermediate - 250 jump ropes, Advanced - 500 jump ropes.

Feb 5-6 - off days
Feb 7 - Do as many jumps as you can in 5 minutes. Record your total.
Feb 8 - 5 minutes of Jumping Jack Jump Ropes. Move your feet out and in like a jumping jack alternating your landing on each jump.
Feb 9 - 10 rounds of tabata jumps. Record the fewest number you get in any one round as your score.
Feb 10 - Do as many as possible in 2 minutes. Record your total.
Feb 11 - Beginner - 150 jump ropes, Intermediate - 400 jump ropes, Advanced - 750 jump ropes

Feb 12 and Feb 13 - Off days
Feb 14 - Happy Valentine's Day. Do as many jumps as you can in 5 minutes. Record your total.
Feb 15 - 5 minutes of single-foot Jump Ropes. Jump on one foot for 25 repetitions then switch to the other foot.
Feb 16 - 10 round of tabata jump ropes doing the odd numbered rounds on your left foot and even numbered rounds on your right foot.
Feb 17 - Spend 5 minutes trying to do cross overs or double unders.
Feb 18 - Beginner - 200 jump ropes, Intermediate - 500 jump ropes, Advanced - 1000 jump ropes.

Feb 19 and Feb 20 - Off days
Feb 21 - Do as many as you can in 2 minutes. Rest one minute. Do another 2 minute test.
Feb 22 - 5 minutes or single-foot Jump Ropes. Jump on one foot for two repetitions then switch smoothly to the other foot for two repetitions and continue.
Feb 23 - 10 rounds of tabata jump ropes using the alternating two repetition method from the previous day.
Feb 24 - Off day.
Feb 25 - Beginner - 250 jump ropes, Intermediate - 600, Advanced - 1200

Feb 26 and Feb 27 - Off days
Feb 28 - Do as many as possible in 2 minutes. Record your result. Compare to the Feb 1st result and celebrate your awesomeness!!

What Size Should You Use?

Under 5 ft tall = 7' jump rope

5' to 5'6" tall = 8' jump rope

5'6" to 6' tall = 9' jump rope

Over 6' tall = 10' jump rope

If you have questions, email me at paul@activepersonalfitness.com.

Happy jumping,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
267.626.7478

Why a stopwatch is the most important piece of fitness equipment you can own

Your workout.

If you pay any attention to my blog and Facebook posts you already know what you need to do. Learn how to do squats, pushups, pullups, deadlifts and sit-ups and then run, row, jump rope and bike. When you master these movements then learn some of their advanced variations. Do these at a high level of intensity.

Intensity. It's in bold so it must be important. Why? Because speed equals intensity and intensity equals results.

How do you measure intensity?

That's where the stopwatch comes in.

Regardless of your fitness level, you can do some form or squats, pushups, pullups, deadlifts, sit-ups, running, rowing, jump roping and biking. If you need ideas on how to pick an alternative that you can do just visit my website (www.ActivePersonalFitness.com/videos.html).

"Running" a mile can look many different ways. As can doing a defined number of squats (let's say 1 set of 30). Moving your body a mile is a defined amount of work. Running that mile in 12 minutes is a different level of fitness than running it in 8 minutes. Covering the distance in less time indicates better fitness for that event. Basically, doing the same amount of work in less time means you are more fit.

That is why the stopwatch is so important to your workouts. My pet peeve is hearing people say they worked out for an hour but when I watch them I see them resting half the time. The BEST way to improve your workouts is to limit your rest time!!

For some people 1 set of 30 squats comes easy. I know people who can do 30 body weight squats in 30 seconds. For others, the set may need to be broken up into sets of 10 with a short rest in between. The people doing 30 in 30 seconds are more fit. They can do the work in less time. The key to improving your fitness is to constantly try to do the exercises FASTER WITH PERFECT FORM.

Here are three straight forward workouts you can use to measure your fitness. Use the stopwatch. Try to get better every time you try it.

Workout #1

15 squats

15 pushups

25 jumping jacks

10 lunges on each leg

15 dips

Workout #2

4 rounds of:

Move 0.25 miles

25 squats

Workout #3

50 sit-ups

40 walking lunges

30 squat jumps

20 pushups

Set your stopwatch. Record your time. Do it again in a few days...faster.

Be well,

Paul

Paul Dziewisz

Active Personal Fitness

www.ActivePersonalFitness.com

267.626.7478

"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."

2011 Fitness Goals -- A Call to Action

This Year’s Fitness Goals -- A Call to Action

One of the keys to accomplishing anything in life is to set goals and hold yourself accountable to them. The goals could involve career, relationships, travel, education and, yes, fitness.

Setting a specific goal and communicating it to family, friends, co-workers and peers will help hold you accountable to achieving the goal. It will also inspire many of them to see you accomplish what you set out to do.

In December of 2009 I published my fitness goals for the world to see. They included indoor rowing competitions, running races (including my first marathon!), a team triathlon and a series of aggressive CrossFit WOD goals.

I hit many of my goals. First marathon – check, first rowing competition – check, Turkey Trot and Patriot Games – check. I did these because many of you held me accountable without even realizing it. You asked me about the events, encouraged me, trained with me, cheered for me and that made all the difference.

And I want to hold you accountable to yours. Post your fitness goals in comments and update us throughout the year as you achieve them. Don't worry if you think they are not challenging goals. If they are a challenge for you then they are the right goals. Remember, I am a trainer, it's my job to be able to do this stuff.

Here are my fitness goals for 2011

The Main Line Slide (Indoor Rowing) - Saturday, February 5 -- Villanova University (Philly)
Goal time: 6:45 for 2000m Previous Best : 6:47

Center City Slam (Indoor Rowing) - Saturday, February 12 -- Drexel University (Philly)
Goal time: 6:30 for 2000m Previous Best: 6:47

Gettysburg Getaway (Biking) – Memorial Day Weekend
A two-day, round-trip, 180-mile ride from Doylestown, PA to Gettysburg, PA with a group of friends. No slackers allowed so the hammer will be down.

Bucks County 5K Series - 7 race series March through June -- Bucks County, PA
Goal: Compete in 3 of the 7 races and earn points in my age group in each race (7^th place or better)

Broad Street Run (10 miles) -- Sunday, May 1st -- Philadelphia, PA
Goal time: 1:11:00 Previous Best: 1:15:18
www.broadstreetrun.com

Patriot Games (run/canoe/bike/run two-person team triathlon) - Saturday, Sept 10 -- Chalfont, PA
Goal: Top 10 overall team, Win Coed Division Championship

Buffalo-Niagara Turkey Trot 8K (4.97 miles) -- Thanksgiving Day -- Buffalo, NY
Goal time: 35 minutes Previous Best: 35:42

CrossFit Goals (This will only make sense to my CrossFit friends)
Complete an uninterupted "Fran"
21 full pullups
21 95# thrusters
15 full pullups
15 95# thrusters
9 full pullups
9 95# thrusters

CrossFit Total (Back Squat + Shoulder Press + Deadlift)
Goal: 750 lbs

Filthy Fifty
Goal: 23 minutes (the pullups will kill me) Previous Best: roughly 35 minutes
50 Box jump - 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings (35 lbs)
Walking Lunge
50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press (45lbs)
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots (20 lbs med ball)
50 Burpees
50 Double under jump ropes

"Cindy"
Goal: 18 rounds
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Pullups
10 Pushups
15 Body Weight squats

Max rep pushups (full range of motion)
Goal: 75

That's it. I better get my butt to the gym.