Operation Craving Competition, Pt. 1

Q.

SSG Ken and Stephanie Weichert,

I need some advice! I have a competition in two months that includes trail running while carrying my own gear in a backpack for 30 kilometers. Other than hitting the trails, what else do you suggest? Thanks for what you two do!

Best Regards,
SGT Tina L., Indiana Army National Guard

Q.

SSG Ken and Stephanie Weichert,

I love your workouts! I followed the APFT workout calendar in Pushing for Points and nearly maxed the test. In fact, it was the best score that I have ever gotten in the APFT! Thanks! My question is how to train for Special Forces tryouts? I heard it is really competitive. I want to make sure that I do my best! HOOAH!

Sincerely,
SGT Bill S., INARNG

A.

Dear 1LT Spencer and SGT Bill,

We’re thrilled that the fitness programs are working for you! We’ve had a tremendous response to our 30-day APFT workout calendar in Operation Pushing for Points! By following this program, many Soldiers have achieved the best scores they’ve ever had.

We’re pleased that there is such a huge interest in athletic, competitive training! We believe that in both of your cases, the answer to meeting your goal is to develop functional strength and build a strong core. Too often, we train in one plane of motion and work toward keeping our arms and legs strong without starting with a strong trunk/core. The core is where all movement originates.

This program also will cause you to move in various directions or different planes of motion. Although your body naturally moves across many planes of motion, many of us focus on the frontal plane, meaning, forward motion; or some of us simply sit or stand in one spot while exercising. How effective will this be for you when you need explosive power to get up from a crouched position and run? Will your body have a natural response pattern due to your consistent training?

We call this particular program, Operation Craving Competition. Due to the length and volume of information we’ll be delivering, we’ve decided to break it down into two features. In this issue—Part One—we’ll focus on intermediate-level exercises choreographed to increase your core strength, agility and stamina. We look forward to watching you progress into a highly trained, tactical athlete.

Let’s get started!

HOOAH!
SSG Ken and Stephanie Weichert

---

Warm-up Phase:


Foam Rolling: Perform 3-6 minutes of foam rolling, or self-myofascial release techniques, in order to improve flexibility and sports performance, and to reduce potential injuries.

Upper back foam rolling (1-2 minutes)
Start: Balance your body on a foam roller, foam roller aligned against the back of your shoulders, feet shoulder-width apart, hips slightly elevated and palms resting on the ground.
Actions: Maintain a neutral spine and slowly push your body with your legs, allowing the foam roller to massage the area between your shoulders and mid-back. Return to the start position and repeat. Breathe naturally.

Upper leg and hip foam rolling (1-2 minutes each side)
Start: Balance your body on a foam roller, foam roller aligned with your lower left thigh above the knee, left leg straight, slightly elevated and foot flexed. Bend your right leg and position your foot on the ground behind, or in front of the left leg. Turn your body to the left and balance your upper body with your hands on the ground slightly more than shoulder-width apart.
Actions: Slowly push your body with your arms, allowing the foam roller to massage the left iliotibial band and gluteus. Return to the start position. Repeat until you have reached your goal. Switch sides and repeat. Breathe naturally.

Lower leg foam rolling (1-2 minutes)
Start: Balance your body on a foam roller, foam roller aligned above your ankles, feet 12 inches apart, hips slightly elevated and palms resting on the ground.
Actions: Slowly push your body with your arms, allowing the foam roller to massage from bottom to top of the calves. Return to the start position and repeat. Breathe naturally. Note: An option would be to apply pressure to one leg at a time by bending one leg and positioning it on the ground behind the foam roller.


Aerobics: Perform 5-8 minutes of aerobics exercises, such as Running in place, Side-Straddle-Hops “Jumping Jacks,” or High Steps/Knees.


Stretching: Perform 3-6 minutes of flexibility exercises.

Bent-over Calf Stretch (30 seconds each leg, 1-2 times each)
Start: Balance your body on your hands and feet with your hips slightly higher than your head, hands shoulder-width apart and knees bent 90-degress. Elevate your left foot and cross it over the back of your right ankle.
Actions: Raise your hips and straighten your right leg. Push your right heel down toward the ground and hold this position until your goal is reached. Return to the start position. Switch legs and repeat. Breathe naturally.
 
Trunk Twist (30 seconds each leg, 1-2 times each)
Start: Lay down on your back, arms extended and level with your shoulders, palms on the ground. Bend your legs 90-degrees at the knees, feet together and placed on the ground.
Actions: Slowly twist your trunk to the left and hold your legs on the ground, or as close to the ground as possible, until your goal is reached. Return to the start position. Switch directions and repeat. Breathe naturally.
 
Scorpion Stretch (30 seconds each leg, 1-2 times each)
Start: Lay down on your front side, arms extended and level with your shoulders, palms on the ground, feet together and straight.
Actions: Slowly twist your trunk counterclockwise, bend your left knee, curl your leg behind you and place your left foot on the ground to the right side of your body, or as close to the ground as possible, and hold it there until your goal is reached. Return to the start position. Switch directions and repeat. Breathe naturally.

Core Targeting Phase:

Suspended Body Leg Lifts
Start: Using a sturdy bench, lift your body up and position your arms through a pair of abdominal straps. Have the bench removed and hang still, with your legs straight.
Actions: Tighten your abdominal muscles, bend your knees and lift your legs until your knees reach or exceed hip level. Return to the start position and repeat. Continue until your goal is reached. Have the bench returned when you have reached your goal. Perform the actions slowly to prevent a rocking action. Exhale through your mouth as you lift your legs and inhale through your nose as you return to the start position. Note: This exercise can be performed while suspended against an abdominal bench.
Basic: 10-30 seconds
Intermediate: 31-60 seconds
Advanced: 61-90 seconds
 
Plank Hold
Start: Balance your body on your forearms, feet together or up to 12 inches apart, back and legs straight, chin tilted upward slightly.
Actions: Tighten your abdominal muscles and hold this position until your goal is reached. Breathe naturally.
Basic: 10-30 seconds
Intermediate: 31-60 seconds
Advanced: 61-90 seconds

Lateral Pillar Bridge
Start: Balance your body on your left forearm and left leg, right leg on top of your left, right arm bent and placed on your right hip. Feet flexed and left hand made into a fist.
Actions: Tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your hips until your back and legs are straight. Hold this position until your goal is reached. Switch positions and repeat. Breathe naturally.
Basic: 10-20 seconds
Intermediate: 21-30 seconds
Advanced: 5-10 seconds (with top leg elevated)

Swimmer (Prone Alternating Arm and Leg Lift)
Start: Lay down on your front side, arms extended over your head straight, palms facing inward, legs straight and feet 12 inches apart.
Actions: Tighten your lower back muscles and lift your left arm and right leg. Return to the start position and lift your right arm and left leg. Return to the start position and repeat until your goal is reached. Breathe naturally.
Basic: 10-30 seconds
Intermediate: 31-60 seconds (continuous movements)
Advanced: 61-90 seconds (continuous movements; lower back arched with gluteus muscles engaged)

Jumping Pull-ups
Start: Stand with a neutral spine, arms at your sides, feet shoulder-width apart.
Actions: Squat down until your reach 90 degrees at the knees. Maintain your weight directly over the middle of your feet and heels. Keep your knees aligned with your feet. Jump up and grasp the horizontal bar or hand grips and perform a pull-up, pausing in the ‘up’ position for a few seconds. Return to the start position slowly. Repeat until your goal is reached. Note: The objective is to return to the start position as slowly as you can and to jump up quickly.
Basic: 5-10 seconds
Intermediate: 11-20 seconds
Advanced: 21-30 seconds


Aerobic Conditioning Phase:


Foxhole Push-up Sprint Drill
Start: Lay down on your front side, arms bent and hands placed on the ground beside your chest, feet together or up to 12 inches apart, feet flexed.
Actions: Using your arms, push off of the ground quickly, bend your legs and sprint forward 10-yards. Crouch your body, turn toward the direction you came, lower your body to the ground and perform a push-up. Repeat the actions and sprint in the opposite direction toward the start position. Repeat until your goal is reached. Breathe in through your nose and out through mouth.
Basic: 30-60 seconds
Intermediate: 61-90 seconds
Advanced: 91-120 seconds

Grapevine Aerobic Drill (Karaoke)
Start: Stand with arms slightly elevated to the sides, feet shoulder-width apart.
Actions:
Step 1 - Stand with your feet together. Using your left foot, take one step to your left.
Step 2 - Step behind your left foot with your right foot and place your right foot behind and slightly to the left of your left foot. Note: Your right foot should be pointing toward your left heel.
Step 3 - Step to the left with your left foot. Note: Your feet will be aligned left heal to right toe.
Step 4 - Step in front of your left foot with your right foot and place your right foot across and slightly to the left of your left foot.
Step 5 - Step to the left with your left foot. Note: Your feet will be aligned left toe to right heel.
Step 6 - Repeat until your goal is reached. Switch directions and repeat. 
Basic: 30-60 seconds
Intermediate: 61-90 seconds
Advanced: 91-120 seconds

Competitive Sprint Drill
Start: Assume a “standing start position” by placing your toes behind the start line with one leg 12-18 inches behind you. Shift your weight on the front leg and bend your lead knee 90 degrees. Bend your trunk forward with opposite arm in front and slightly elevated.
Actions: Run forward 50-yards as fast as you can. Rest 30-60 seconds and repeat. Continue until your goal is reached. Breathe naturally. Note: This event is more challenging when running against a more advanced contestant.
Basic: 1-2 sprints
Intermediate: 3-6 sprints
Advanced: 7-14 sprints

Single Leg Lateral Hopping Drill
Start: Stand with a neutral spine, elevate your arms slightly to the sides and bend your right knee, elevating your right foot behind you.
Actions: Bend your left knee slightly and jump 6-12 inches to your left. Leap to the start position. Repeat until your goal is reached. Switch legs and repeat. Breathe naturally.
Basic: 20-30 seconds (each leg)
Intermediate: 31-45 seconds (each leg)
Advanced: 46-60 seconds (each leg)

Lateral Leaping Drill
Start: Stand with a neutral spine, arms at your sides and feet together.
Actions: Bend your knees 90-degrees and jump up and to the left 24-36 inches, knees and arms raised while in mid-flight.


BONUS EXERCISE

Tire Flipping Drill (Advanced)
Start: Place a large tire 12 inches in front of you and stand with a neutral spine, arms at your sides, and feet shoulder-width apart.
Actions: Squat down until you reach 90 degrees at the knees. Maintain your weight directly over the middle of your feet and heels. Keep your knees aligned with your feet. Bend forward at your hips and grasp underneath the tire with your hands, keeping your arms straight. Stand up and push the tire until it flips forward. Jump forward and repeat until your goal is reached. Exhale through your mouth as you stand and flip the tire and inhale through your nose as you squat downward.
Advanced: 60-90 seconds


Cool-down Phase: Perform the Warm-up exercises.


Stamina Stopwatch
Bronze Medal: 1 full set = approximately 45 minutes
Silver Medal: 2 full sets = approximately 60 minutes
Gold Medal: 3 full sets = approximately 75 minutes
Note: The Warm-up and Cool-down Phases are performed only once.


Try our 7-day workout schedule:

Monday
Operation Craving Competition

Tuesday
Running Long Distance 3-6 miles
8-min Abs x 1-2 sets
Note: Download ‘8-min Abs’ on iTunes for FREE! Go to the iTunes store, type "Army National Guard Fitness", and download our videos and audio workouts now!

Wednesday
Operation Craving Competition

Thursday
Rest

Friday
Running Interval Training x 2-4 miles
8-min Abs x 1-2 sets

Saturday
Operation Craving Competition

Sunday
Rest

Remarks:
1. Repeat 7-day schedule x 4 sets to complete the month.
2. Rest periods may be adjusted, as needed. However, be certain to include 1-2 rest days per week for rest and recovery.
3. Perform no fitness training 24-48 hours prior to a competition.
 
Nutrition Advice:
1. To lose additional body fat, try reducing your intake of breads and pastas, dairy products and sugar.
2. Check with your physician before making any changes to your diet or exercise plan.
3. Want to read more diet advice? Go to www.NATIONALGUARD.com/fitness, Get Healthy, and read Operation Diet Dissection.

Let us know how it is working for you. Contact us directly at sgtken@gxonline.com. HOOAH!

Want to get all of the photos and the workout in a pdf?

Download the full workout from GX magazine for FREE »

Staff Sergeant Ken Weichert (a.k.a. “SGT Ken”) is a Six-time Soldier of the Year, Master Fitness Trainer and veteran of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Desert Storm. Ken and his wife Stephanie, a Certified Personal Trainer, founded START Fitness, a group exercise and hiking business that delivers military-style workouts to Soldiers and civilians since 1998. Ken and Stephanie have led thousands of Soldiers to better health through Operation Fit to Fight, a tactical fitness instructor training program designed to prepare Soldiers for Basic Combat Training, deployments, leadership schools and post-deployment reintegration. Operation Fit to Fight creates tactical athletes who lead by example and are ready to perform necessary duties in response to natural disasters or in defense of our country! Ken and Stephanie currently produce health and fitness programs for GX and HOOAH magazines, and for the National Guard website.

Bar Room Fighting

After a good hour long shower to scrub off the gunk and camo from our two week stay in the field at Ft. Drum, my buddy Mike and I had set out to the local watering hole to relax with a cold one.

Now Mike was one of those all-around "good old boys" from Texas and had a strong sense of right and wrong and standing up for people was in his blood.

Admirable, yes...but was seriously put to the test that night and some hard lessons were learned.

Sitting at the bar, I could sense Mike getting a little agitated. When I asked what was bothering him, he said that he had been listening to the guy behind him giving the waitress a hard time and making sexual comments that she had been trying nicely to avoid.

I told him to let it go but Mike was always ready to put on his "white hat" when the need was there. He turned around and finally asked the guy to "cut the waitress some slack and just enjoy his drink." Well, anyone as drunk and obnoxious as this guy would be hard pressed NOT to puff out his chest and, while telling Mike to "mind his own f*&%ing business!", started advancing.

Mike saw it coming and it wasn't hard to meet the stumbling idiot halfway and land one on his chin to send him reeling backwards over a chair.

It looked like the guy was out of the fight and Mike had decided he had taught him a good lesson, one that he'd never forget.

That was until a glass of beer missed Mike's head by about 2.7 inches as he was turning away! The fight was on and the guy's adrenaline had kicked in...HARD!

He tackled Mike at the legs and the two of them were soon tangled up on the floor as people were scrambling to get out of the way.

The fight didn't last long because the bouncers were already on the move and were able to pull them apart. In the end, we were all escorted out of the club, slightly bruised, one damsel out of distress, and some valuable lessons learned by Mike.

Here's my view (and I'd like to hear YOURS! Leave a comment on the blog!)

1. Be sure your decision to START a fight is based upon "need". That is, to stop an actual attack on an innocent person or to defend yourself in a serious "beat-or-get beaten" or "kill-or-be killed" scenerio.

2.) Don't start something you're not fully prepared to follow through on. If you're not completely committed to leaving someone in a crippled mess at your feet, then you're not yet prepared to fight. You may start out trying to do "minimal damage" but the other person (as well as 2 or 3 of his friends) may be MUCH more committed to teaching YOU a lesson in return!

3.) Once you make the fateful decision to strike, DON'T STOP!

Using the techniques many of you have learned from whatever style of fighting system you're training in, it only takes 5-7 seconds to strike 5 devastating targets on an attacker's body. Assume you need to USE THEM ALL, but don't be surprised if he's completely out of the game after 1-3.

Just BE SURE he's out of the game! Be aware enough to tell when he won't get back up and when one more strike would be "excessive".

You don't want to kill someone unless it's a life-or-death situation.

4.) Remember these rules: STRIKE FIRST - STRIKE HARD - STRIKE REPEATEDLY!

5.) Don't stand around to admire your work!

You never know when the attacker's friends will reach out and give him a hand by hitting you over the back of the head.

Immediately scan the entire area for other attacks heading in your direction. If there are...take them out! If not, know where the exits are and get the hell out of Dodge!

More from Jeff at:
- www.CloseQuartersCombat.com
- www.AdvancedMassBuilding.com
- www.OptimumAnabolics.com
- www.CombatTheFat.com

Jeff Anderson is a 10 year veteran of the U.S. Army, a Master Fitness Trainer, and Master Instructor of Close Quarters Combat self defense. A full time fitness and self defense author, Jeff has trained thousands of men and women in the practical application of advanced military fitness methods as well as close combat tactics for "real life" self defense.

Tone Your Bum and Then Some - Part 4

I want you to have a beach bum this summer – not be one! – so here's another solution to tone your bum, and then some.

By multitasking your toning moves you can work the arms, back, abs and your butt with every move. By adding cardio intervals that also work the backside, you'll melt away fat and boost your metabolism. Pressed for time? It only takes half an hour, three times a week.

Leading up to summer, each weekly blog includes a backside-focused multitasking toning move and one cardio interval. This is #4.

If you can't wait for all the moves in the columns, my new 30 minute multitasking toning and cardio interval BOOTY CAMP DVD is available now for $19.99 at www.nikkifitness.com and on Amazon.

Toning: Balance Beam (tones glutes, hamstrings, triceps and upper back)

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and light weights in each hand (5 -8lbs). Bend at the waist while pushing the hips backward and keeping your back flat. When the weights reach your knees, stop there. Keep the knees slightly bent and transfer your weight to the right leg. Simultaneously lift the elbows to the sky, palms facing in, and lift your straight left leg behind you so that your foot, hip and head are in a straight line, parallel to the floor. Hold your leg here as you push the weights backward and close to the body for a triceps kickback. Bring hands back toward ribcage, then lower the elbows and straighten the arms so the weights hang back toward your knee. Keep your back straight as you stand (dead lift) and lower the left leg to the floor. Repeat for 15 reps and then switch legs.

Trainer's tip: To modify, keep both feet on the ground and do the row and kickback, then stand for dead lift.

Cardio: Jumping Lunges (works glutes, quads, calves, and abs as assistors)

Start in a standing position, hands on hips. Jump in the air and land in a right lunge with right knee directly over the ankle and left leg behind. Jump again and scissor or switch legs so you land into a left lunge with the left knee directly over the ankle. Do 15 alternating jumping lunges, then repeat the Balance Beam or my Booty Camp moves from the first 3 columns.

Trainer's tip: To modify, do alternating front lunges.

Check out the first 3 parts to this series:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Stress Eater's Diet

Is the economy putting your health on the back burner? Cutting costs by buying boxed mac and cheese? Working out but gaining weight because stress at work causes you to head to the cookies and donuts at 3pm?

Today's job, house and stock market pressure, and the pressure of not having a job, is stressful. Not only is stress a bad thing for your health, but it also causes bad eating and exercise habits and a downward spiral toward medical bills.

Invest in yourself and your health. Just think how much more stress you'd have if your health went south!

Start with the fitness advice on this blog to get your body moving, and then add this resource I found to get that bad food off the back burner and healthy food into your mouth! Great advice to curb cravings, tell you what food gives you a good mood, and even what kind of teas boost your metabolism!

Stress Eater Diet

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 3)

For fitness buffs and runners who live in New York, even the vast trails of Central Park get boring. If your mind and body are craving a change of pace, but your eyes still want the trees and grass of the park, all you have to do is add a little play to your run day.

The first two articles focused on the first 2/3rds of the four-mile route that will eventually take about an hour to complete. Here we conquer the reservoir. After your triceps dips, stretch the arms and start running to the steps on your left. Run up the stairs. You can do this once or several times depending on how much time and energy and time you have. (There is another water fountain at the top of the steps.)

After stair sprints, jog the entire reservoir, starting slow to recover from the stairs. You can run looking at the water, or take the wider path outside the reservoir.

When ready, start interval sprints here, jogging and then sprinting off and on until you come to the southwest side of the circle.

Your last full-out sprint will take you to exit ¾ around the reservoir at West 86th street. You'll see a large entrance to the track and another water fountain, usually with a dog bowl or two nearby.

Memory cue: you are are "almost back," so time for "upper back." If you don't find a place to lay down between here and CPW at 86th street to the right, then save this move for when you get home and skip to stretching. If you are like me, and don't mind laying down in the grass after a sweaty workout, then go chest down and place your arms extended to the sides, forming the letter "T." Lift the shoulders, hands, elbows, knees and feet off the ground, focusing on squeezing the shoulder blades together. Keep looking at the ground to keep the neck in line with the spine. Do 20 of these to work the opposing muscles and even out the push ups.

If you like to stretch outside, do it here. If at home, you can check out the free four minute stretch video from my soothing stretch column. When it's over, you not only had a nice long run, but with toning moves along the way, you boosted your fat burn and your metabolism. The whole routine helps me focus on what circuit is next, and not on which mile I am on.

Remember, it's bad to get lost in the park, but great to get lost in your workout!

For more info: DVDs, photos and advice at www.nikkifitness.com

Check out the first 3 parts to Put Some Fun in Your Run:
Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 2)
Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 1)

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Nikki Fitness Booty Camp DVD Giveaway

Attention Military.com members! Here is your chance to win a copy of my NikkiFitness Booty Camp DVD! Hurry up and enter before the contest ends.

Ten lucky winners will receive a copy of the NikkiFitness Booty Camp DVD. In NikkiFitness Booty Camp, NikkiFitness, New York City–based Crunch fitness instructor, has created a way to fit in an hour-long cardio and muscle-sculpting workout in just 30 minutes. Since interval training-interspersing cardiovascular aerobics moves between muscle sets-is known to boost metabolism, Nikki threw in intervals as well.

For more information and to enter, visit Nikki Fitness Booty Camp Fitness DVD Giveaway.

www.nikkifitness.com

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Skates Like a HUMMER: Converting to Quadlines

Q.

 Hello, SSG Ken and Stephanie Weichert!

Thanks for what you two do! I get GX magazine delivered to my house and I try your workouts every week. They are awesome! I have lost 20 pounds in 10 weeks and I increased my APFT score by 24 points. Keep the tips coming!

With the weather getting better, what are some creative exercise programs to do outside?

HOOAH!

SGT Tina L., Indiana Army National Guard

A.

 Hello, SGT!

Thanks for the compliments! Keep up the great work. Your results are outstanding!

Stephanie recently tried an outside exercise program that she has not attempted in several years and loved it! A week later, she got me on it. It was great! I worked muscles that I have not worked in a long time. I suggest that you do the same! Let me know what you think.

Best Regards,
SSG Ken Weichert

From Stephanie’s Journal:

Much to the delight of all little girls during the mid-eighties, Baby Skates made her entrance into the world. When turned on, this plastic doll clumsily teetered to and fro on her little skates, magically inching forward and occasionally tottering over. Now, with that vision in mind, you might be able to imagine a 5’10” fully grown woman who at one time played with that doll, somewhat mirroring that image while skating.

Today was my first foray into ‘Skatesville’. I gripped my neighbor’s old broken down green Ford truck as I carefully stepped my way down our shared sloped driveway. The striking realization of its exact slope was not apparent until I laced up my brand new Quadline skates with their ginormous 100mm wheels and began to maneuver my way down the driveway to the street. Baby Skates at this juncture had me beat, as at least she was able to use her bodyweight to move forward.

Stephanie laces up her Quadlines.

Photo by Chris Kissling

Body weight, who needs body weight? Gravity had a vicious grip on me and was coaxing me into this new relationship with the pavement, faster than I was apparently ready to move. However, move I did, step-by-step, right down the driveway, using my neighbor’s truck as a crutch. After running out of truck to grip, I allowed myself to be fully immersed in this new relationship with the Quadlines and the pavement.

Twenty minutes later I had figured out how to somewhat utilize the rubber stopper located at the front of my glowing white skates. Like the bored coffee shop employee, they decide to work when things are going slow. Thirty minutes later, and quite popular with the 5-10 year old crowd, I was continuing through the neighborhood. I began to realize skating requires quite a bit of kinetic energy from my gluteus minimus and maximus (you know, the backside, the bum). I realized “core work” on skates has quite a different connotation to it than does static gym exercise. I was pleased that my pads did not make friends with the pavement.

Forty minutes later, I was on the last slope home. I didn’t realize that Mt. Everest was only steps outside my front door and that my condo rested in the valley of two mountains. I was cruising at speeds illegal in residential areas, arms flailing, trying to recall a skiing maneuver, the snowplow, in an effort to reduce my speed from mach two to mach one, while staying in one piece. I was in temporary horror at the speeds at which I had found myself traveling. Luckily, I was still standing when I arrived at the foot of Mt Everest, a football field later.

As I sat down to remove the skates that evening, I thanked God my Creator that I had made it in one bloodless piece. I looked forward to day two.

Hello, again, SGT!

The skates that I used are called Skorpions. I got them from Skates.com, and I highly recommend them. They are fast and efficient, and their customer service is great!

The Skorpions fastened directly around my military boots. They worked well, even with my size 12-wide boots. The difference is that I had to immediately get used to the wide wheel frames. My first time up, I found myself rubbing the inside wheels together. However, after a few minutes, I was trying old tricks. Best of all, I was spending quality time with my wife!

We made a full day of it on our next skating experience, adding some exercises in the park to strengthen our core and upper body muscles in the process. After skating until we wanted a break, we pulled over to a grassy area and performed abdominal exercises and push-ups. After we had enough of the core and upper bodywork, we carefully stood up and rolled forward for another skating run.

After a few hours of that, we plopped down on the grass and pulled a couple of sandwiches out of our small backpacks and enjoyed the warm sun and serene moment. I suggest you do the same!

Have fun!
SSG Ken Weichert

Staff Sergeant Ken Weichert (a.k.a. “SGT Ken”) is a Six-time Soldier of the Year, Master Fitness Trainer and veteran of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Desert Storm. Ken and his wife Stephanie, a Certified Personal Trainer, founded START Fitness, a group exercise and hiking business that delivers military-style workouts to Soldiers and civilians since 1998. Ken and Stephanie have led thousands of Soldiers to better health through Operation Fit to Fight, a tactical fitness instructor training program designed to prepare Soldiers for Basic Combat Training, deployments, leadership schools and post-deployment reintegration. Operation Fit to Fight creates tactical athletes who lead by example and are ready to perform necessary duties in response to natural disasters or in defense of our country! Ken and Stephanie currently produce health and fitness programs for GX and HOOAH magazines, and for the National Guard website.

An Old School Bodybuilding Trick For A Smaller Waist!

Whatever happened to the "old school" days when pro bodybuilders had tiny waists that gave them such an incredible "V-shape"?

Look at all the juiced-up pro's now...waists the size of redwood trees! When did THIS become sexy?!

Forget it...what you REALLY want is a hornet-like waist that will make your shoulders and chest appear even BIGGER as you strut your stuff out on the beach this summer! Here's a trick from the "old days" that works GREAT for keeping your waist cinched up tight...and doesn't require 1,000 situps!

Old School Ab Tightener Trick

Do this exercise once every single day. (I do this first thing in the morning when I wake up and I'm lying in bed - can't get any lazier than that, right?)

First thing you do is exhale while pulling in your abdominal muscles like you're trying to suck your belly button all the way to the back of you spine. Hold it and contract for a 10-second count and then release. Take a 5 second breather and then repeat this procedure another 3 more times. This'll wrap up those core ab muscles nice and tight like you're strapping on a girdle! A lot of people taking my "Combat The Fat" fat-melting program ask me what's the very first thing I do in the morning to get the day started.

Well THIS is it! Give er a try and you'll see why!

More from Jeff at:
- www.CloseQuartersCombat.com
- www.AdvancedMassBuilding.com
- www.OptimumAnabolics.com
- www.CombatTheFat.com

Jeff Anderson is a 10 year veteran of the U.S. Army, a Master Fitness Trainer, and Master Instructor of Close Quarters Combat self defense. A full time fitness and self defense author, Jeff has trained thousands of men and women in the practical application of advanced military fitness methods as well as close combat tactics for "real life" self defense.

Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 2)

For fitness buffs and runners who live in New York, even the many trails, loops and hills of Central Park can get monotonous. If your mind and body are craving a change of pace, make the park your personal training playground.

The first article focused on mile one of the four-mile route that will eventually take about an hour. In the spirit of the obstacle theme, I use visual landmarks so you’ll remember the moves and not have to bring a printout.

We already completed a low ab circuit in the playground at 81st street, a step up leg circuit near CNN, and pull-ups at the second playground. That took us to the middle of the park at Central Park South.

Start running again to the east end of the park and as the two lane road curves to the left, follow it north until you start to smell the horses pulling tourists in carriages. (If you don’t notice, the horse carousel is there on the left as the path turns North.) Here’s your memory cue: “P-U equals pushups.” Find another bench and bust out 20 good pushups. If you are advanced and don’t mind a little dirt, take it to the ground instead. Otherwise use the seat or the back of the bench, depending on your level of strength.

Get your jog on again until you see the lake and the Boat House restaurant on your left. Time to “jump in the lake” with jumping lunges. You want an intense New York style move? This is it! 20 jumping lunges starting with right foot forward, knee over ankle and feet about the-length-of-your-leg distance apart. As you literally jump to switch legs scissor style, get some air in the center of the move - what we trainers call plyometrics. You are really strengthening your legs and lessening jogging jiggle while boosting the booty with this move.

Now shake it out, get some more water at the fountain by the café, and run up the hill to the black cat on the left. “Top tones triceps.” Find a bench to your right and set yourself up sitting normally. Place your hands and knuckles forward, at the edge of the seat. Straighten your legs so you are balancing on your heals, and lift your backside off the bench. Lower your hips down toward the ground until your elbows point directly behind you at a 90 degree bend (pictured). Do 20-30 dips. (Trainer tip: the slower you go the harder they will be. Also, do extra bicep curls at home or at the gym at some point this week with weights or tubing to work the opposing muscle.)

If you are out of time, take the path to the left at the stoplight ahead past the great lawn, theater, castle and keep walking toward the West side, and you are back where we started. If not, continue north toward the reservoir.

Check out part one and part three of this article:
Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 1)
Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 3)

For more info: Nikki's free stretch video and multitasking fitness DVDs available at

www.nikkifitness.com

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Top 10: You know you need some NikkiFitness when...

You know you need some NikkiFitness when...

1-People ask when the baby is due but you aren’t expecting

2-The last time you made a workout mix the first song was by MC Hammer

3-You walk to the meeting room to start a conference call, and the client thinks it’s a sick heavy-breathing prank.

4-Gossip magazine photos of Tara Reid’s flabby backside would be an improvement.

5-Your trainer celebrated when you jogged for 3 minutes without stopping

6-You cry after cheeseburgers, and have dreams about plastic surgery.

7-You spend 2 hrs a day working out but your heaviest weight is 5 pounds and you think pilates is hard.

8- Your “healthy lunch” included diet coke, lean pockets, and twizzlers.

9- It takes you a week to work through all body parts (legs M, chest and back T, abs W, arms TH, cardio F.)

10-You are a skinny b*t%h who eats whatever she wants but can’t do a pushup.

Get some NikkiFitness in your life. Sign up for my e-newsletter to motivate your workout and fit in your fitness! www.nikkifitness.com

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

The Secret to a Devastating Elbow Strike

One of the most devastating strikes you can use in close quarters combat is the elbow strike.

However, many people don't understand the dynamics of this powerful move and end up getting it completely wrong, resulting in a missed target and insufficient power at the point of impact.

Let me explain...

Striking someone with your elbow requires you to be very close to their body because you don't have as long of a reach as you do with throwing a regular punch. Because of this shorter range, the farther away you are from your attacker, the more your whole body has to move in order to hit your target (in this example, the head).

Many people who try to throw an elbow strike from "punching range" (about 3' from your attacker) therefore end up signaling their intentions too early as the person they're trying to hit picks up their movement with their eyes and instantaneously flinches backward.

This creates a "moving target" for you that's harder to hit and because their head is moving back in the same direction as your elbow strike, less force is generated at impact.

Does that mean that you can't take advantage of the elbow strike unless you're right up in someone's face?

Not at all. Here's the secret to overcoming this obstacle and still be able to land a devastating elbow strike at further distances...

The answer is in your "lead hand", or the hand that is closest to your attacker.

Assuming that you're going to strike with your right elbow, you would first bring your left hand up, under your attacker's line of sight, and grab the back of the neck/head.

At the same time as delivering your elbow strike, you're going to pull his head, trying to get your left hand to meet halfway with your right elbow.

This accomplishes several things...

1. Your lead hand is closer and quicker so you can control your attacker much faster and easier by quickly grabbing on and pulling him in.

2. By pulling and striking at the same time, you shorten the distance it takes for your elbow strike to hit it's target by 50%.

3. Because his head and your elbow strike are traveling toward each other, you greatly increase the amount of force at the point of impact (think about a head-on collision in your car vs. rear ending a car going in the same direction as you)

Learn to use your lead hand to your advantage and you'll quickly master the elbow strike.

More from Jeff at:
- www.CloseQuartersCombat.com
- www.AdvancedMassBuilding.com
- www.OptimumAnabolics.com
- www.CombatTheFat.com

Jeff Anderson is a 10 year veteran of the U.S. Army, a Master Fitness Trainer, and Master Instructor of Close Quarters Combat self defense. A full time fitness and self defense author, Jeff has trained thousands of men and women in the practical application of advanced military fitness methods as well as close combat tactics for "real life" self defense.

Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 1)

The first time I ran through Central Park, I got lost.I was visiting friends on the Upper East Side and went for a jog. I wondered, “How can anyone run in this place without stopping to look at a map every few minutes?”

How things change. Now I live near the park, walk through it to get to work, run there at night, and take personal training clients to the sheep’s meadow for boot camp. I even shot part of a fitness DVD near the Belvedere Castle. For fitness buffs and runners who live in New York, even the many trails, loops and hills of Central Park, get monotonous. If your mind and body are craving a change of pace, make the park your personal training playground.

We’ll start our revved-up running route at Central Park West and 81st, because you have to start somewhere, but you can do this routine in any order. The first article focuses on mile one of the four-mile route that will eventually take about an hour. In the spirit of the obstacle theme, I am going to use visual landmarks so you’ll remember the moves and not have to bring a printout. Warm up with a brisk walk to the entrance and find the playground on your left. Lay down on the top of the slide, holding on the sides with your hands about at shoulder level. Do long leg lifts for the lower abs, the large range of motion starts from an inch off the slide to 90 degrees, feet pointing to the sky. To make it interesting you can even lift your hips off the slide at the top of the move and push your feet into the clouds. Aim for 20 or so.

Next, lay face down with your hips over a swing and feet more than shoulder width apart, anchoring you to the ground and inching forward for balance. Hands at your head and do a set of 20 back extensions by lowering head and shoulders about 30 degrees toward the ground and then lift the torso back to hip level. Runners depend on strong backs and this will offset the lower abs we just worked. Now start with a slow jog and follow around to the right to join the running, bike and car road heading south. As you round the corner at the light, follow to the right, this is around 70th street. We are heading for the CNN building. (Note: You’ll pass a water fountain on your left.) Once you see the red CNN tower in Columbus Circle and are close enough to read the time on the clock, find a bench on your right.

Memory cue: its “time to step up” the effort. Place your right foot onto the bench and muscle your body up off the ground. As the right straightens, bend the left knee and lift it to hip level to engage the abs. Step down with both feet on the ground to finish one rep. Do at least 10 before switching to the left. Each week you will be able to do more. Now pick up the pace and run parallel to Central Park South on the main road again. There is another playground on your left if you want another set of abs, and back. Add pull-ups as a bonus. Next week I’ll map out complete mile 2. Try just adding these moves to your run and we will build from there. Remember, it’s bad to get lost in the park, but great to get lost in your workout!

Check out part two of this article:
Put Some Fun in Your Run (part 2)
Put Some Fun in Your Run (Part 3)

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

No Cramping!

Muscle cramps got you down? Certainly if you work out a lot, or have been to military basic training, you have experienced muscle cramps.  Check out this video I made for you to help you reduce muscle cramps, brought to you by UltimateBasicTraining...

SGT Michael Volkin is the author of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Boot Camp Survival, available at UltimateBasicTraining.com.

Thumb Trick for Chest Training

Any bodybuilder worth his salt knows that to REALLY add some flare to your pecs, you MUST add Incline Dumbbell Flyes to your chest routine.

But now there’s a way to make this powerful exercise even MORE effective using a killer THUMB maneuver for more forcefull contractions.

Here’s how YOU can take advantage of this awesome tactic…

1. On an incline bench (set to no MORE than 30 degrees incline), hold a dumbbell in each hand at the starting position (arms extended above you, palms facing each other).

2. With your arms slightly bent, perform a standard flye by slowly lowering your arms to the side. BUT…

3. As you lower them, instead of keeping your hands and wrists locked, ROTATE your hands so that your THUMBS point TOWARD THE CEILING at the bottom of the movement. (Make sure you feel a good stretch in your chest at the bottom.)

4. While focusing on contracting your chest muscles (rather than your arms), quickly raise both arms to the starting position while ROTATING your hands so that your palms face each other again at the tip.

This maneuver actually creates an isolated range of motion movement within your pecs resulting in increased muscle contraction and fiber stimulation.

To prove it, try this…

Hold one arm in the "bottom" flye position while placing your other hand on the chest muscle of the “working arm”.

Now, rotate your hand back and forth between the thumb “up” and the “normal” position.

Feel that movement in your upper pec?

Good! Now stick a dumbbell in your hand and get ready to GROW!

More from Jeff at:
- www.CloseQuartersCombat.com
- www.AdvancedMassBuilding.com
- www.OptimumAnabolics.com
- www.CombatTheFat.com

Jeff Anderson is a 10 year veteran of the U.S. Army, a Master Fitness Trainer, and Master Instructor of Close Quarters Combat self defense. A full time fitness and self defense author, Jeff has trained thousands of men and women in the practical application of advanced military fitness methods as well as close combat tactics for "real life" self defense.

Tone Your Bum and Then Some - Part 3

Booty Camp Part 3

Have you been working on your beach bum this winter or did comfort food attack your back? If the later is the matter, I have a solution. Tone your beach bum and then some!

By multitasking your toning moves you can work the arms, back and abs, but also work your butt with every move. By adding cardio intervals that also work the backside, you’ll melt away fat and boost your metabolism. Pressed for time? It only takes half an hour 3 times a week.

Leading up to summer, each weekly blog includes a backside-focused multitasking toning move and one cardio interval - this is #3.

If you can’t wait for all the moves in the columns, then my new 30 minute multitasking toning and cardio interval BOOTY CAMP DVD is available staring now for 19.99 at www.nikkifitness.com and on Amazon.

Toning

The Move: Triceps pushup with glutes lift (works chest, back of the arm and booty). Start in pushup position on your knees. Move your hands in closer than a traditional push-up and directly under your shoulders. Allign the shoulders, hips and knees in one line and do not allow your butt to go up to the sky – keep most of the weight in your hands. As you lower to the floor, bring the chest almost to touch the ground and bring the elbows back and almost touching your ribcage (not out to the sides). As you push back up to the sky, raise your right knee off the floor and push the flexed sole of your foot to the ceiling. Lower knee back to floor to complete one rep. Do 12-10 reps on the right side, then skip to the cardio move below, and then come back to a tricep pushup on your left side.

Trainer’s Tip: If the triceps pushup is too difficult, do the first 8 or so with hands in under shoulders and elbows close to sides, and then the rest with the hands wider than shoulder width and allow the elbows to point away and out to the sides, over the wrists.

To Intensify: This is harder than a normal pushup, so I am showing the modified version in the photos. For advanced, do a full pushup on your toes instead of the knees and with elbows in by the sides. Lift your straight leg about a foot off the ground up towards the sky, lower and repeat.)

Cardio

The Move: Lunge to touch (works quads, glutes and thighs). If you are working this in with the other moves from blog 1 and 2, then you have been using weights. Place the weights on the ground about 7 feet apart. We will use these as touch targets. Lunge sideways to the right with toes pointing forward, right hand on your right quadriceps (above the knee). Reach the left hand across the body to the floor where you placed the weights, just in front of the right foot.

Push off your right leg and reach both hands over head to reach for the sky. Land into a left side lunge, reaching the right hand across to the other weight on the floor in front of your left foot to complete one rep. Repeat the move for 30 seconds, then do 30 second of pretend jump rope, followed by 30 seconds more of the lunge to touch (This cardio interval should last a minute and a half all together.)

Go back and do your second multitasking triceps/glute pushup on the left side and repeat the cardio. Work the moves from this blog in with the other two Booty Camp moves from blog 1 and 2 to boost your booty and your metabolism!

Check out these articles:

Tone Your Bum, and then Some! Part 1

Tone Your Bum, and Then Some! Part 2

Tone Your Bum, and Then Some! Part 4

Fitness – Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Tone Your Bum, and Then Some! Part 2

Booty Camp Part 2

So you've decided on the bathing suit instead of the cover-up this summer. You need a beach bum for that bikini! (Guys, this works for you too, nothing like looking good in those summer khakis.)

By multitasking your toning moves you can work the arms, back and abs, but also work your butt with every move. By adding cardio intervals that also work the backside, you’ll melt away fat and boost your metabolism. Pressed for time? It only takes half an hour 3 times a week.

Leading up to summer, each weekly blog includes a backside-focused multitasking toning move and one cardio interval - this is #2.

If you can’t wait for all the moves in the columns, then my new 30 minute multitasking toning and cardio interval BOOTY CAMP DVD is available staring now for 19.99 at www.nikkifitness.com and March 30th on Amazon.

Weights

The Move: Triceps Skull Crush and Booty Bridge (works triceps and glutes) If you are coordinated, this multitasker will be a nice change from boring triceps dips! Lay on your back with light to medium weights in both hands and arms straight up to the sky, palms facing in. Lift the butt off the floor into a bridge by bending knees and pushing through the feet. Lift the right foot off the floor and extend the leg straight out, parallel to the floor.

As you lower the weights toward each side of your head, next to your ears, be sure to keep the elbows over the shoulders - we are only moving from the hands and wrists to the floor, not the whole arm. At the same time, raise the right foot to the sky as pictured.

Lower foot parallel to the floor again as you raise the hands to the sky. Your leg and arms move together as if your shoelace were tied to your wrists. Do 15 reps. Change sides and do another 15. Put down the weights and get to your first set of cardio.

Cardio

The Move: Plyo Power (Works glutes, quads, abs) Start by standing up. Do a right front kick leading with the knee, then exploding that powerful kick with the foot flexed, hands in ready fight position in fists by your chin. As you lower the leg, lunge back with the left foot. Support yourself by keeping your right hand on the right quad as you lower town to touch the floor with your left hand.

Trainers tip: lunge far back so that your right knee is directly over the ankle as you reach for the floor. Hop back up for the second right kick by using your powerful leg and glute muscles! Do 20 on the right, 20 jumping jacks, then 20 on the left.

Go back and do your second multitasking skull crusher move and repeat until you compete 3 sets of both exercises.

You’ve just toned your bum and then some!

Check out Part 1: Tone Your Bum, and Then Some! Part 1

Check out Part 3: Tone Your Bum and Then Some! Part 3

Check out Part 4: Tone Your Bum and Then Some! Part 4

Fitness – Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

The Hidden Stomach Muscle

Everyone can identify with the 6 pack abs look, but few enjoy doing sit-ups. With this article, I will teach you how to get your stomach flat with less sit-ups.

There is a muscle called the Transverse Abdominus that acts as a stabilizer to your entire middle section.  If your not familiar with this muscle, go through basic training.  Drill sergeants love exercises that involve the Transverse Abdominus because when this muscle is strong, your back and stomach are strong.  Unfortunately, traditional sit-ups and crunches hardly exercise the transverse abdominus.  In order to maximize that 6 pack abs look, you will need to strengthen this muscle.

Let me tell you a brief story. I was doing stomach crunches my entire adult life, but when I reached 30 I realized that my ad muscles were getting harder to see. No matter what I ate (or didn’t eat) and no matter how many stomach exercises I did, my abdominal muscles kept slowly disappearing. Then, I started incorporating exercises that involved the Transverse Abdominus.  Ever since then, I am happy to stay my stomach muscles are more prevalent than ever before. Not only that, my posture is better.  Why? The Transverse Abdominus is connected to your back, ribs and pelvis.  In essence, it is the ultimate stabilizing muscle for your entire mid section.

A simple Internet search will reveal many techniques and exercises for strengthening the Transverse Abdominus, but I will name a few of my favorites here. Again, if you have ben through basic training, some of these exercises will be familiar to you:

The Focused Crunch – Although they are similar, do not mistake this exercise for an abdominal crunch.

• Put your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet should be firmly on the floor.
• Put your hands just below and to the sides of your belly button. Press a couple fingers from both hands into your lower abdomen.
• Begin by drawing your lower abdomen down towards the floor but do not move your pelvis.  Your chest should raise slightly.
• Stop drawing in your stomach as soon as you feel your muscles being to tighten. The muscles underneath your fingers should feel tight. If you move too far, you will stop working your Transverse Abdominus and begin stressing your oblique muscles instead.
• Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds while breathing normally.
• Do ten to twelve repetitions if this exercise is new to you, increase repetitions as needed.

Scissor Kicks – A drill sergeants favorite

• Put your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet should be firmly on the floor.
• Place your hands under your buttocks.
• Raise one leg about 12 inches off the ground and slowly lower it back down.
• As you lower one leg, raise the other in the same manner.
• Start with three sets of ten to twelve repetitions, increase repetitions as needed.

The Modified Plank - This is a tough exercise, proceed with caution.

• Start in the push-up position with your palms on the floor and toes on the ground.  Your back should be straight and your feet should be hip-width apart.
• Raise one leg as high as you can and then to a push-up.  Switch legs and repeat.
• Start with three sets of ten to twelve repetitions, increase repetitions as needed.

For other great workout tips, consult the Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook and Workbook at UltimateBasicTraining.com.

SGT Michael Volkin is the author of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Boot Camp Survival, available at UltimateBasicTraining.com.

Seeking USMC RECON Advice?

Stew - I am an infantry Marine. I've done a couple deployments to Iraq and now that my end of enlistment is coming up I decided I wanted to give RECON a try. I'm a good runner and decent swimmer. However I have a hard time treading water for more than ten minutes. What would you recommend to help me improve? Thank you sir any help is greatly appreciated.

You know you have to practice treading water...I do this after every swim for 5-10 minutes without hands - you have to build up to it that is all and check out egg beater kick without fins on youtube.com for a visual of how water polo guys tread water...but also try it with fins - basically swimming vertically what I call it...

Stew

Tone Your Bum, and Then Some! Part 1

Booty Camp Part 1

Are you going to BE a beach bum this summer and sport a cover-up or do you want to HAVE a beach bum? Spring is almost here, and that means you need to ask yourself this question now.

This is your chance to either boost your booty with a little more intensity and focus in your workouts for a toned beach bum, or do nothing and regret it come June.

By multitasking your toning moves you can work the arms, back and abs, but also work your butt with every move. By adding cardio intervals that also work the backside, you’ll also melt away fat and boost your metabolism. Pressed for time? It only takes half an hour 3 times a week.

Leading up to summer, I will be doing a weekly column that shows one multitasking toning move and one cardio interval. Collect them all or add them into what you are already doing. If you can’t wait for all the moves in the columns, then my new 30 minute multitasking toning and cardio interval BOOTY CAMP DVD is available staring March 7th at www.nikkifitness.com and March 30th on Amazon.

Multitasking Toning Move 1: T&A (works your chest, and glutes, with biceps, abs and hamstrings as assistors.)

Set Position: Lay on your back with one heavy weight in each hand, about 10 pounds. Place your elbows on the floor and out to the sides away from your body and bend them at 90 degrees. Your wrists and the weights should be directly over the elbows so that your arms form a goalpost shape. Bend your knees so your ankles are directly below them. Extend the left leg to the ceiling.

The Move: Push through your right foot to lift the hips up into a bridge and your left foot moves closer to the ceiling, at the same time push the weights to the sky as shown here. Do 20 reps on this side, perform the cardio move, then do 20 reps on the other side, with right leg extended to the sky.

Cardio Interval 1: Jumping pleas (works glutes, quads, inner thighs and calves):

Do 20 regular jumping jacks, then on #21 land in a plea squat position (pictured) with toes and knees wider than shoulder width, pointing to the sides, and aligning the knees over the ankles. Hop up and bring the feet and knees together and squat back like you were sitting in a chair, keeping the abs tight. That makes one rep. Jump back into plea squat and repeat for 20, finish with 20 more jacks and go back to the toning move on the other side. Finish with another round of this cardio interval.

You’ve just completed booty camp basic training!

Check out Part 2: Tone Your Bum, and Then Some! Part 2

Check out Part 3: Tone Your Bum, and Then Some! Part 3

Check out Part 4: Tone Your Bum, and Then Some! Part 4

Fitness – Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Military Fit in 14 Days! Is it Possible?

In my book The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook, I outline an 8-week fitness routine to get in shape for basic training. For many of you, 8-weeks is plenty of time and you should stick to the workout presented in my book. However, for those of you with less time to prepare, you should use the fitness program outlined here. Of course, you should always consult a physician before doing any fitness routine.

The first step you want to take is to determine your goals. Determine the minimum standards you need to pass by looking at the fitness charts for your branch of service (available in many places by doing a simple Internet search). This will be your goal.

Your second step is to get a rough estimate on where you currently stand in relation to your goals. You can do this by literally giving yourself a fitness test. If you can’t pass a certain portion of the fitness test, then you will need to bridge this gap as soon as possible before leaving for basic training.

Your final step will be to improve on any failed portion of your self diagnosed fitness test. The easiest way to get from point A to point B is a straight line. Therefore, don’t go to the gym to practice push-ups or sit-ups. You need to get your muscles in the rhythm of mimicking the movements you are trying to improve on. Don’t worry; it’s not an exact science. Let’s take push-ups for example. If you failed the push-ups portion of your self diagnosed fitness test by (for example) 20 push ups, you will need to work the major muscle groups of the push-ups in a systematic routine until you can reach the minimum fitness standards. The major muscle groups for the push-ups are the triceps and chest. To increase the strength of your triceps, simply do diamond push-ups. Get in the normal push up stance with your palms on the ground. Now, make an L with your index finger and thumb on both hands and slide your hands to the center. Your hands should now be directly under your head and your fingers should be in the shape of a diamond. You are now ready to perform diamond push-ups. As soon as you begin, you will feel the increased strength required on the back of your arms to push your body up. This will really help your triceps.

Most likely if you failed the push-up portion of the fitness test it is because of your triceps. They are a much smaller muscle group than your chest and will run out of strength faster than your chest. You will quickly increase your push-up count with diamond push-ups.

This concept works for all other exercises that you might have failed during your self diagnosed fitness test. Your fitness test targets what’s called compound muscle movements, which means each of the exercises requires multiple muscle groups to work together. By working the weakest muscle in each of these movements you will increase your repetition count greatly.

SGT Michael Volkin is the author of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Boot Camp Survival UltimateBasicTraining.com.