Nearly every day I get emails from readers about P90X and CrossFit. Most are favorable, some not so much, but mostly, people just want to know if these fitness programs fit within the context of the Primal Blueprint Fitness methodology. In this article I’ll explore what’s great about P90X and CrossFit, and then I’ll voice my nit-picky criticisms and explain how I think both can be improved upon.
It’s often said that any movement is better than no movement, that simply getting up and being active is better than sitting on the couch and stewing with guilt and self-reproach. For the most part, I agree with this assessment. It’s imperative that everyone be active, even if it’s just taking nightly walks or using the treadmill at the gym. But “just any old movement” isn’t ideal. Ideally, we should be performing movements that support, enable, and enhance quality of life. Our exercises […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

I love interval training.
Absolutely love it.
There is something magical about the HIIT, HIRT and Tabata workouts that I inflict upon my clients.
As the clock counts down, they move quicker, lift heavier and recover faster.
Whether it’s bike sprints…

or jumping lunges…

…interval training is a powerful tool for burning fat and getting really, really fit, really, really fast.
So, how do you get started with interval training?
Glad you asked.
Step One:  Buy an Interval Timer.
Seriously, you’ll thank me. No more watching the clock out of the corner of your eye or screaming at your workout buddy for not paying attention. Spend the 20 bucks. Buy a Gymboss interval timer. Clip it to your shorts. It will beep & vibrate to let you know when to start & stop.
Simple. Effective. Buy the damn timer.
Step Two: Select one of the many free HIIT/HIRT/Tabata workouts that I have posted here @ Health Habits

Why Can’t I Lose This Fat? […]

Original post by healthhabits

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Original post by healthhabits

The basis of Tabata Training is 4 minutes of intense interval training/circuit training. What you are doing is taking an exercise we'll use sprints as an example here.
Sprint as hard as you can for 20 seconds
Walk for 10 seconds
Repeat 7 more times for a total of 8 sets.
So what you have is a total of 4 minutes workout time.
Tabata Training can be done with a number of different exercises the idea is to use an exercise that gets the whole body involved or at least the major muscle groups.Tabata Training can be done with Barbells, Dumbells, Kettlebells or just Bodyweight exercises. I'll give you some other exercises and routines to try in a minute but first let me give you some background and how Tabatas work.
Tabata Training was developed by Izumi Tabata (imagine that) at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. They did a study on […]

Original post by WP-AutoBlog Import

Over the past couple of years, Boot Camp style workouts have been chipping away at health club profits.
And for good reason.

They generally cost less than health clubs
Unlike health clubs, they don’t require a 12 month commitment
The high intensity workouts burn a ton of calories
In good weather, exercising outdoors is awesome.
Group fitness is fun
Group fitness participants are more consistent with their exercise routine
Consistency improves the odds of achieving your goals

And, when you consider that two of the major issues facing our society are…

the economy – recession, unemployment, etc
systemic obesity and related diseases like diabetes and heart disease

…boot camp workouts seem like a sure bet for the fitness industry.
The problem is…
.
Most boot camp workouts kinda suck.
.
Strong words, I know. But not without reason.
You see, over the past few months, I tried out a variety of boot camp workouts up here in Toronto….and they all sucked.
Some more than others, but none of […]

Original post by healthhabits

MidgettGray.com & KnuckleUp OBX – Bootcamp Biggest Loser Challenge

Spring is coming up, and along comes swimsuit season, and then…. Everybody rushes to the gym at the last minute.
This year, we’re NOT going to let you do that. We’re getting you off of your couch and exercising, and paying you for it!
The Biggest Loser Challenge
In partnership with top online designer fashion boutique MidgettGray.com, KnuckleUp Outer Banks is going to award 2 students for their fitness achievements in this pre-summer season.
Students may win by losing the most amount of weight overall or by a percentage of weight loss. For example, if a 160lb student comes down to 135lb, while a 250lb comes down to 220lb, the first student would win by % of weight loss even though the second lost more pounds.
This way, everybody’s got a fair shot at the prizes. And we’re sure you’re going to enjoy the prizes!
What You’re Getting
For […]

Original post by knuckleup

Thank you and congratulations are due to loyal Mark’s Daily Apple readers, as you smashed viewership records in February, 2010. MarksDailyApple.com had hundreds of thousands of unique visitors and millions of page views! This level of volume ranks MarksDailyApple.com as one of the top-5 health and fitness blogs in the world. I am also excited to report that the first printing of The Primal Blueprint (16,500 copies) sold out in December, 2009, and I have recently received a second printing of 20,000 hardcover editions. The book continues to climb the rankings at Amazon.com, reaching the top-250 among all books and top-5 in the Exercise & Fitness category in recent days. (To help me push it to #1 check back on March 17. Read all the details here.)
While this is more than enough self-congratulation for one post, I do want to emphasize the collective power of the Mark’s Daily Apple community […]

Original post by Mark Sisson

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Original post by healthhabits

Here’s your second workout for week # 9
.
WORKOUT WARM-UP
1.  Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

.
2.  Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

.
3.  1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

And now for the…WORKOUT
Superset # 1

3 exercises performed back to back

7 sets of each exercise
No rest between sets
2-5 minutes rest between supersets

Exercise #1

Vertical Wood Chops / Slams – (cable, band or medicine ball)

7 sets
5 reps per set…
Using a weight that would allow you to […]

Original post by healthhabits