10 Awesome Workout Tips and Exercises to Help you Stay on Track!

Hey my fitness fanatics, 

Hope you are all doing well and keeping up with getting those workouts in. Here are some secrets to getting a toned, trim body! Here are some ultimate moves and motivation tricks to kick a fitness routine into high gear. Put a few of these tips into action each week and you're guaranteed to see faster results!

1. Tone Up on the TreadmillSave time at the gym with this 10-minute cardio/sculpt session: Hop on a treadmill holding a three- to five-pound dumbbell in each hand, and set the speed to a brisk walk. Do a one-minute set each of shoulder presses, bicep curls, triceps extensions, side laterals, front laterals and standing triceps kickbacks one after another as you walk. I's an amazing upper-body challenge that also gets your heart pumping. Do this series two or three times each week. As you improve, work up to doing four-minute sets.
   
2. Power Up Your RunsAdding wall sits to the end of every run. It will strengthen your quads, hamstrings and glutes, improving your speed and endurance. Lean against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart, then squat until your knees are bent at 45 degrees. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, work up to doing 10 sets. Add a challenge by including heel raises- Lift your left heel, then the right, then lift both together twice.
   
3. Chart Your ProgressStay motivated using a fitness report card. Write down these subjects- Cardio, Muscle Conditioning, Flexibility and Attitude. Next, set goals for example, doing 10 regular push-ups and grade yourself A through F at least four times a year. When you see how much you improve, you'll want to stay in great shape.
   
4. Try This All-in-One TonerA side-step squat with wood chop works your arms, torso, abs, back, legs, inner thighs and butt. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a three- to four-pound medicine ball in your hands. Bend your arms up so that the ball is at eye level over your right shoulder. As you bring the ball toward your left knee, step out with your left leg and bend it no further than 90 degrees, keeping your right leg straight. Return to the starting position. Do 10 to 15 reps and repeat on the other leg.
   
5. Break Out the ShovelWhy pay someone to clear snow from your driveway? Besides burning nearly 400 calories per hour, shoveling snow develops muscular endurance and power. But be safe- Minimize the amount of snow on each shovelful, and bend from your knees and hips, not your back.
   
6. Work Out During Your WorkdaySit on a stability ball to strengthen your core, and keep dumbbells or exercise tubing at your desk. Squeeze in 12 to 15 reps of exercises like dumbbell curls, overhead presses and ab crunches; aim for two or three sets of each. This gives you more free time to fit in fun workouts like biking or tennis.
   
7. Take This Jump-Rope ChallengeThe best cardio workout is the jump-rope double-turn maneuver. It's intense: You'll burn about 26 calories per minute! Do a basic jump for five minutes, then jump twice as high and turn the rope twice as fast so it passes under your feet twice before you land. This takes timing, patience and power. But you'll get in great shape just by working at it.
   
8. Give Yourself a BreakYou don't have to be a fitness saint to get results. Follow the 80/20 plan- Eighty percent of the year, you'll exercise regularly and eat well. Know that you'll slip 20 percent of the time due to holidays and work deadlines. When you accept that fitness isn't an all-or-nothing proposition, you're more likely to stick with it for life.
   
9. Get a Jump on Weight LossAdd plyometric box jumps to your workout to improve your cardiovascular stamina and leg strength. You'll really sculpt your hamstrings, quads and glutes. Find a sturdy box that's at least one foot high. Starting from a standing position, explosively jump to the middle of the box, then jump back down. Repeat 20 times.
   
10. Don't Skimp on CarbsYour body needs them to fuel a workout, so reach for fruit or high-fiber crackers an hour beforehand. If you'e exercising for 90 minutes or longer, include some protein so that the carbs break down more slowly, giving you longer-lasting energy. Your best bets- low-fat cheese and crackers, trail mix or half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Hope you guys enjoyed and will start implementing these tips and workouts into your routines!! Stay happy and healthy! 

Until next time, 

Pistols...Out! 

xo