Full body workout: Play Time

Hey everyone,

In this full body workout, we felt like having a bit more fun and being creative.  Thus, we decided to do an unstructured 'play time' workout.  As the name suggests, you try out different exercises based on what you feel like doing, without worrying as much about sets, reps, rest periods, etc.  It's also a great time to try out new exercises.  The main focus is going with how you feel and having fun!

Tutorial - Bodyweight Squats and Bulgarian Split Squats

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Today we are featuring a Couplefit video tutorial of bodyweight squats (3 variations of increasing difficulty), as well as bulgarian split squats.  Both of these exercises can be performed without any fitness equipment, although you can also hold weight to increase the exercise difficulty.

Fitness Challenge: Flight of 100

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It was time for another fitness challenge.  As we looked back in our training log recently, we realized that we had neglected farmer's walks over the last couple of months.  These are an excellent full body exercise and are very functional - in a basic sense, they involve walking while carrying weight.  You may have seen them featured in strongman competitions...

We have created another version of farmer's walks: stair carries.  As you'll see in this post, there are many different variations of this exercise, but they are all challenging, albeit in different ways.

Pulling and Pushing Workouts

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Last week we completed back-to-back full-body workouts and found that completing them on consecutive days was quite tiring and did not allow enough time for muscle recovery. This weekend we decided to do things a bit differently. We split the exercises into pulling (i.e. back and hamstrings) on the first day, and pushing (i.e. chest, quads and shoulders) on the second day.  

Tutorial - Bodyweight Hamstring Exercises

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Continuing our exploration of bodyweight exercises that you can you do without equipment, let's take a look at 2 ways to target our hamstrings.

Tutorial - Bodyweight Lunges and Step-Ups

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As we've discussed in recent posts, there are many different bodyweight exercises that you can perform without any equipment.  To continue exploring that idea, we have created a brief tutorial focusing on how to perform bodyweight lunges and step-ups.

A Second Full-Body Density Workout!

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After Tuesday's full-body density workout, we decided to try another one on Wednesday.  We did switch up the exercises, to target our muscles differently.

How Can I Become Fit and Lean, Without Equipment?

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We received a question about what type of training is possible without any equipment, with a focus on getting leaner.  This is an excellent question, as the lack of equipment often stops many people from exercising.  However, bodyweight exercises can be an extremely effective and versatile tool in your fitness arsenal.  These are exercises that you can do anywhere - at home, in the office, or when travelling.  Their versatility means that you can always manage to fit in a workout.

Gymnasts train exclusively with bodyweight exercises...

Density Workout #1 - Full Body

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We got home from work and were in a rush to fit in a workout.  Due to an evening commitment, we only had 45 minutes available.  In these situations, we usually turn to one of our favourite workout styles - density training.  It allows us to accomplish a significant amount of high-intensity exercise in a short amount of time, without sacrificing the quality of exercises or the amount of weight lifted.

Bodyweight Exercise During Pregnancy

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Last week, we received a request for more information on exercise during pregnancy.  For most pregnant women, staying fit and healthy is very beneficial to both you and your baby.  Read on to find out more about bodyweight exercise during pregnancy...

Another Awesome Clydesdale Workout!

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We had a special Sunday workout today, where we trained with our friend Mark.  He's in excellent shape and was the co-creator of our Clydesdale training (see previous post at http://couplefit.blogspot.ca/2011/11/clydesdale-training.html).  Today, we did another awesome Clydesdale workout with him, including some favourite exercises from last year's session.

Upper Body Workout - Getting Stronger!

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Since it is the weekend and we have more time for our workouts, we decided to do an upper body strength workout.  We decided to use a couplet format (two exercises super-setted together), but had longer rest periods in between sets to allow for our strength levels to recover.  We also tried to pick challenging exercises where we'd be lifting heavier weights and targeting multiple-muscle groups with each exercise.  In short, we focused on getting stronger.

Outdoor lower body workout - circuit training!

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It was a beautiful day, so we decided to take our training outdoors and do our lower body workout in the backyard.  It's always refreshing to change up your routine, especially when you get to enjoy your exercise outdoors, with the fresh air and sunshine.  The new setting will help you with motivation and ensures a truly enjoyable workout!

Is excess weight affecting your fertility?

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If you're reading this blog, you probably already know how much your weight affects your overall health. But did you know that being overweight or obese can have a significant impact on your fertility and ability to achieve and maintain a healthy pregnancy?

Upper Body Workout - Couplets

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For our upper body workout, we decided to incorporate couplets.  A couplet is simply two exercises which are super-setted (i.e. performed back-to-back).  We find that this works best when the exercises target opposing muscle groups (e.g. a pushing exercise for chest or shoulders, then a pulling exercise for back).

Check out Revivelife TV!

 Hey everyone,

A few months ago Tannys appeared as a guest on Revivelife. This program, by naturopathic Dr. Joel, airs weekly on Rogers TV.

Tutorial: How to do a squat

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If you're looking for a foundational exercise that works a significant amount of muscle and delivers great fitness results, look no further than the squat.  Squats are a classic exercise - in fact, they are a fundamental movement pattern for humans.

Tutorial: How to do a pushup

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The pushup is a classic bodyweight exercise.  You can do them anywhere!  This is an upper body exercise, which primarily focuses on your pectoral (chest), deltoid (shoulder), and tricep muscles.  They also work your core, as you maintain your body in a straight-line position.

Recently Featured in Total Fit Magazine!

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Tannys recently had the opportunity to contribute an article to the Ottawa magazine "TotalFit".  This magazine, promoting premium fitness and healthy living, is available online, as well in select stores (e.g. Chapters) throughout Ottawa. 

Gutsy Walk 2012

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On June 10th, we had the opportunity to participate in the "Gutsy Walk" in support of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada.  This fundraising event, started in 1996, involves thousands of Canadians at almost 80 locations across Canada, with the aim to raise money to find a cure for inflammatory bowel disease.

Canada has one of the highest rates for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the world, with 1 in 160 Canadians being affected, and rates continue to increase.

Strength Training + FGB - Lower Body

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With a successful strength training + FGB workout for our upper body (see previous post), we were excited to try out this format for a lower body workout.  It turned out to be another great workout!

Strength Training + FGB - Upper Body

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In recent workouts, we have really enjoyed the combination of strength training and conditioning work.  Both aspects are uniquely challenging and taxing and support our overall fitness goals.  This week, we tried out a new workout format which incorporates both strength training and conditioning, though a mini-Fight Gone Bad (3 FGB 5-minute circuits).

The Beast has arrived!

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When we got home from work, a package was waiting for us on our doorstep.  The Beast had arrived!  A month before, we had ordered a new kettlebell for Alex's birthday.  It was a special order from the U.S. - when we researched it online, we quickly discovered that this kettlebell is widely nicknamed 'the Beast'.

Workout in King City

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This weekend I was away at a conference in King City, just outside of Toronto. Luckily I had a chance to fit in some exercise while I was there. Hopefully this helped combat the effects of sitting for hours on end!

1.5 Reps - An Experiment

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As Tannys is away in Toronto this weekend and we're doing separate workouts, I decided to conduct an experiment.  In our last leg workout, we started out with two exercises using a 1.5 reps format.  For those who haven't tried this technique, it essentially involves twice as much work in each rep - which you then count as only one rep.  The main advantage to this type of training is that it increases your muscle's time under tension, increasing the workload and also forcing you to use a slightly slower, more purposeful pace in each rep.  So, what was the experiment?  Well, I decided to see what would happen if I did a full upper body workout using only 1.5 reps...

Power and speed workout

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For our lower body workout, we chose to focus on power and speed.  When many athletes train, they focus on these attributes.  They do so because power and speed can be leveraged, in almost any sport or physical endeavour, for superior results and performance.

Upper Body Density Workout

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On days when we're in a rush but want to fit in a good workout, we consider our high-intensity time-based workout options (e.g. Tabata, FGB, and density).  This time, we chose to do an upper body density workout.  This type of workout has several advantages.  First, it is completed in 33 minutes - always a plus!  Second, it includes 10 different exercises, allowing for a great variety of physical challenges and the ability to customize/adapt it to suit your goals and capacity.  These workouts are also a conditioning challenge, as you don't have the luxury of time for much rest (excluding the two-minute rest periods).  They also allow you to maintain your strength, as you can stick with heavier weights and just reduce your reps as you cycle between the two different exercises in any set.