30 Days, 30 Workouts: Our anti-resolution guide to keeping you motivated
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It’s #NewYearNewMe time. Practically everyone has resolutions—even the supermodels (Kate Upton wants to start a journal; Cindy Crawford wants to take more beach walks). While writing down the day’s highs and lows and strolling seaside sound pleasant, the tough-love kind of goals can be downright difficult to keep (Give up chocolate? Hells no!) But we hear you: You want to be toned so you can rock spring’s crop-top trend, and we will make sure you can do so.
“Resolutions, as far as I’m concerned, fail,” says Eva Redpath, founder of Body Conditioning by Dancers and Nike Master Trainer. “We’re super committed to them, we’re hot and heavy with them, and we’re doing them for a short amount of committed time. In order to achieve what you want, you should make a lifestyle change, and that takes time.” And if your NYR list is a page long, she suggests you lighten up. “Choose one particular thing you want to work on. I wouldn’t recommend you try to quit smoking, lose weight, drink more water, go to the gym five times a week—all of that is extremely overwhelming and in my experience doesn’t work.” Once you’ve chosen a specific goal, “Set little miniature goals, so it’s like a ladder. Take one step at a time,” says Redpath. For instance, in the first week, try one new workout class and in the second week, try two.
So we challenge you, devout readers, to make one—only one!—fitness goal. Whether you’re looking to boost your mood or shape your butt, we have a plan for you. Garner inspiration from our 30 days of workouts, just make sure to build in rest days for muscle recovery. And, go!
Each week, we’ll be revealing a new set of workouts to try, including everything from hard-core CrossFit regimens to a 15-minute perk up. The best part? Each Thursday, we’ll be throwing it back to some of our favourite workouts from the past. Jane Fonda, here we come!
Jump to: WEEK ONE | WEEK TWO | WEEK THREE | WEEK FOUR
Tuesday January 7, 2014
Maria Sharapova’s New Year’s Crush Workout (15 minutes)
We love the Nike Training Club app because a) it’s free and b) it works. Download it to your iPhone, iPod touch or Android for access to more than 100 workouts, including this 15-minute strength, speed and stability workout by the bombshell tennis star herself. You’ll need a resistance band, a small sturdy box or stepstool, and light dumbbells. Bonus: Get a four-week training program with the app.
Wednesday January 8, 2014
Essentrics Barre Workout DVD or class (across Canada)
Actresses Sarah Gadon and Lily Cole are fans of the Essentrics program, which improves your posture, flexibility and strength. The program, developed by a Montreal-based mother-daughter team (Miranda Esmonde-White and Sahra Esmonde-White, respectively), includes moves such as pliés, leg lifts and arm circles—all of which can be done in a class or in your living room.
Essentrics Barre DVD ($20, essentrics.com)
Thursday January 9, 2014
Throwback Thursday: Dance Workout with Richard Simmons “Sweat and Shout”
You’ll laugh your butt off (this is so old school!), work up a sweat and dance like you have two left feet. The choreography is more difficult than a Zumba class, since the finger snapping and twisting start right away, but just keep moving. Do this when you need a light workout and don’t feel like heading to the gym. Grab a friend, too, so you can look ridiculous together.
Friday January 10, 2014
Coral TV Surviving Yoga with Sarah Bolen: 10-minute sequence
Sarah Bolen’s series of yoga lessons are so simple to fit into your day—some are just a few minutes long. This sequence is designed to stretch out your back and neck after a road trip, but it’s just as good after a day in front of the computer. After 10 minutes, you’ll feel relaxed and gently stretched out.
Saturday January 11, 2014
3K Run
Layer up for an outdoor run today (unless its unbearably cold, in which case hit the treadmill). According to a survey by StatsCan, more than 30 per cent of Canadians have low levels of vitamin D—all the more reason to enjoy a little sunshine in the dead of winter.
Sunday January 12, 2014
Nike Training Club App: Arm Definer (15 minutes)
Because we all want to be strong and rock a tank in a few months, this 15-minute program by the Nike Training Club is easy-peasy to make time for. It includes simple moves like biceps curls (while standing on one leg to improve stability) and push-ups. Do it on its own or in conjunction with cardio for more fat-blasting power.
Monday January 13, 2014
CrossFit Workout of the Day
CrossFit gyms are so ubiquitous, you likely have one around the corner. While some of the moves require serious skill (I’m talking about kettlebell swings and pull-ups), get some inspiration from the workout of the day.
Tuesday January 14, 2014
Doutzen’s Lower-Body Workout
Genetics aside, Victoria’s Secret Angels really do work hard to get runway-ready. Michael Olajide Jr., co-founder of New York gym AeroSpace, designed this quick lower-body workout for Doutzen Kroes more than a year ago, but we still keep it around for leg day.
Wednesday January 15, 2014
Cardio, 10 minutes x 3 different machines
Today is all about getting your heart rate up and sweating it out. Whether you’re a fan of the treadmill, StepMaster or elliptical, choose your three machines and go. You’ll eliminate boredom and repetitive movements. Psst: You can even add jump rope into the mix for extra balance training.
Thursday January 16, 2014
Throwback Thursday: Jane Fonda “Lean Routine”
Witness Jane Fonda in her fitness heyday—lacy black unitard and all. There’s a good chance this video was part of your mom’s collection in the ’90s. In the hour-long aerobics sesh you’ll skip, step and hop around non-stop. And even though this post is about exercising, our fave part is the outfits: thong leotards, slouchy socks and cut-off denim shorts (one guy even wears sweatpants and a vest, shirtless). We dare you to wear something comparable.
Friday January 17, 2014
Equinox Do-Anywhere Workout
This 16-minute session requires incredible core strength and balance to perform advanced moves such as the Pull-Push Side Plank and the Single-Arm Plank kick. If you find single-arm moves challenging, try using both arms. If jump squats are too advanced, try stationary squats. Basically, make this workout your own by modifying if needed. The unique thing about this series is the “stacked” strategy: You start by doing move 1 for 30 seconds, then you rest for 30 seconds; then you do moves 1 and 2 for 30 seconds each, and then rest for 30 seconds. This pattern is continued until you do all six moves in a row, ending with a 30-second rest. (Oh, and then you repeat the sequence.) A killer workout.
Saturday January 18, 2014
Ice Skating
Pretend you’re in Central Park and enjoy a snowy skate around the ice rink. You’ll burn calories and work your glutes too.
Sunday January 19, 2014
Jock Yoga by Michael Decorte
Michael Decorte, founder of Jock Yoga, melds muscle-building with mind-clearing in his butt-kicking classes. This is the kind of yoga for athletes who might lack flexibility but have a whole lot of strength. Anyone who has ever done a chaturunga knows that it takes serious triceps muscles. Well, imagine repeating it over and over and over—that’s where the jock part comes in. (Wooden yoga blocks also serve as weights in Warrior 1 and 2.) If you’ve ever questioned yoga’s power to make you sweat, try this.
Monday January 20, 2014
Row
Rowing is the latest cardio method to reach star status. Why? Your entire body is engaged, so you simply torch more calories. If you’ve never used a rowing machine, ask a staff member at the gym to show you the ropes, and start with short sessions (even five minutes is exhausting). Many people mistakenly think the movement is all about pulling with the arms—not so. It’s a multi-stage movement. You could also try ShockWave, an interval-training class at Equinox that incorporates rowing machines, Bosu balls, Ballast balls and weights.
Tuesday January 21, 2014
Aerial Yoga (cielostudios.ca, theflyingyogi.ca)
This is yoga with a twist: Using hammock-like swings, you’ll contort your body into modified yoga poses and let gravity do its thing. Balancing is a challenge as you learn to stay afloat: Warrior pose in the air requires crazy inner-thigh strength to keep your legs from splaying into splits; inverting your body into a headstand pose may prompt a head rush but decompresses your spine. This is the ultimate body-soul workout—you’ll leave feeling like a Zen Gumby.
Wednesday January 22, 2014
The 7-Minute Workout
This superfast workout was designed by pros at the Human Performance Institute, a place where a panel of experts train people who deal with high-stress situations, whether they’re CEOs or professional athletes. Download the app for free: The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout. You’ll need a chair and your bodyweight for moves like step-ups, high knees, jumping jacks and triceps dips. Do it once, twice or three times through.
Thursday January 23, 2014
Throwback Thursday: Tae Bo
This video brings back memories of the late ’90s. Billy Blanks and his muscular team lead us through a 24-minute kicking-and-punching session. Done slowly, it’s easy enough to get the moves down, but when you speed it up the real work begins. While Blanks’ spandex onsie and exposed pecs date this workout, the moves are still found in all kinds of martial arts-cardio workouts these days. If you put some muscle behind your jabs, you’ll work up a sweat.
Friday January 24, 2014
Prancercise Workout at Home (or just dance around your home)
Take some inspiration from Joanna Rohrback and strap on some ankle weights and dance, dance, dance—or something like that. (Please don’t Prancercise down the street, but enjoy the vid.)
Saturday January 25, 2014
Kickboxing and Muay Thai Class (tkmt.ca)
Warning: You could leave this class with a few bruises from kicking the pads, but it’s worth it. In addition to basic moves such as planks, jacks and high knees in the warm-up, you’ll learn the fighting stance, and how to kick and throw a killer punch (you’ll also learn to use your elbows!). You’ll leave the class feeling badass.
Sunday January 26, 2014
Cross-country skiing or snowshoeing
Both of these activities can burn more than 400 calories an hour and are great ways to clock some time in the great outdoors. You’ll work your legs, and it’s great for training your stability as you move over uneven terrain.
Monday January 27, 2014
Studio Lagree
Sebastien Lagree has helped celebs such as Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman and Rebecca Romijn sculpt their muscles, so he knows a thing or two about transforming bodies. Studio Lagree features the trademarked Megaformer, an apparatus that is like a Pilates reformer gone wild. It takes care of all your body parts, whether you hook your foot into a strap to do leg pulses (on all fours), slide yourself forward and back (on your knees, while holding handles at the top), or stand and do lunges (sliding one foot forward and back). You’ll feel your muscles burn all the way through class.
Tuesday January 28, 2014
Hard Candy Fitness Addicted to Sweat Cardio Dance
If you’ve ever wanted to dance like Madonna, or like one of her back-up dancers, this class is for you. “Madonna walks”—strut to one side, then jump up to switch sides while fist-pumping—could happen, and you’ll learn some fancy footwork while you’re at it. It’s so fun you’ll forget it’s a workout.
Wednesday January 29, 2014
Suspension Training
Using your bodyweight and a TRX apparatus (adjustable straps that hang from the ceiling, with handles), this workout engages your core with every move and trains your stability. Hold onto the handles and lean forward into a standing chest press, or slide both feet into the handles with your hands in a push-up position for mountain climbers. This workout can be modified for beginners and amped up for seasoned pros. It’s a refreshing change from dumbbells.
Thursday January 30, 2014
Throwback: Jack Lalanne Face Workout
The late and great Jack LaLanne, often referred to as the Godfather of Fitness, had a holistic approach to health—he was, after all, a proponent of juicing long before we started chugging rainbow-coloured concoctions. Jack said we should work our facial muscles as we would any other muscle. Here, his first vid of 30 on exercising your face.
Friday January 31, 2014
Pole Dancing
We know, we know—pole dancing is so last year or the year before that, etc. But after watching Rihanna’s “Pour It Up” a gazillion times, we can’t help but want to swing around on a pole. Not to mention, we’d like to get toned like RiRi and her star dancer.
Saturday February 1, 2014
Tabata training
If you want to supercharge your workouts, try a Tabata drill—it will take you only four minutes to complete. It works like this: Choose a plyometric movement, such as a jump squat, and do it with all-out intensity for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this sequence seven more times. Once you’ve mastered that, you can follow the jump squats with another move, such as push-ups. Try working up to four Tabata drills for a 16-minute sweat sesh. It’s so difficult, you’ll hate us, and then love us.
Sunday February 2, 2014
Weights
Do three sets of 10 to 15 reps of the following: Biceps curls, shoulder presses, squats, walking lunges and calf raises. Feel free to swap the exercises for your favourite strength moves.
Monday February 3, 2014
GoodLife BodyFlow
You’ll leave this Zen-filled class smiling. Combining yoga, tai chi and Pilates, it tones muscles—burning as many as 390 calories—and calms your mind. The best part? The final 10-minutes of relaxation and meditation.
Tuesday February 4, 2014
Jillian Michaels BodyShred, available at GoodLife
This half-hour workout will leave you spent—like wobbly legs, drenched, crawl-up-the-stairs spent. “You can do anything for 20 seconds!” is a common motto of the instructors, but 20 seconds feels like an eternity when doing rockstar jumps. The class works as a trio: three minutes of strength moves that pick up the heart rate, two minutes of cardio moves, and then one minute of active rest. You repeat this trio several times, each round with new exercises.
Wednesday February 5, 2014
Body Conditioning by Dancers
BCBD is a mash-up of cardio, strength and dance exercises designed by Eva Redpath, a fitness instructor and a dancer. While her classes are offered as packages of six- and eight-week sessions, try this express workout at home today.
