There is a new warm up video from Zuzana which is a bit long but will become second nature once you’ve done it a few times. You should always warm up your body and even your mind before you work out. If you don’t, you are much more likely to injure yourself. You will also have a much more powerful and energized workout after using her warm up principles because you are programming yourself with positive thoughts every time before you work out. Warming up your body is especially important before you are going to do an intense workout.

Tuesday I did an extra set of exercise #3 (squat to arm/leg raises) because I was a bit sleepy still. I always confuse it with #4 and think I have been skipping 3 from time to time– a hardship or skipping the videos for time reasons…gotta read all my own fine print better.

Wednesday Mack had a play date scheduled in the morning and I just couldn’t find a way to fit in the workout. Sometimes life it just like that. And from there things just starting going downhill. I’ve been extremely tired in the mornings lately and just couldn’t seem to get myself motivated to work out. If you’ve also been skipping workouts, don’t beat yourself up too badly. Things happen in life. What’s important is that you get back on track the next day and don’t let the lapse destroy your desire to get in shape.

Nearly every day that I do the Beginner’s Workout, I am really overjoyed when I reach exercise 12 (which marks where the final floor exercises begin.) That exercise means that I’m well over half-way done which is vital at this moment because I’m usually pretty winded. It seems that no matter how often I do this workout, it continues to kick my butt. And if I do it several days in a row, it’s the worst battle of all to get through it all. Perhaps it’s my muscles revolting. Or maybe it’s just because I’m learning how to do the exercises more effectively every day and therefore working the muscles better…creating a more exhausted me by the end of it all. I always finish feeling amazed that such simple workouts can have such a nice impact.

I’ve been reminded that although I often want to push harder and work out more, I still have a whole lot of responsibilities at home including a nearly full time workload with our personal businesses. So even though I can move my arms and legs throughout the day after working out, it doesn’t really mean that I need to be killing myself every morning either.

With that being said, I’m hoping to add the Buns and Fat Loss workouts to my routine. Because there are 3 of them (which happens to be a new format for Zuzana’s workout collections), I will do one each on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then on Tuesday and Wednesday I will cut myself a little slack and go back to the Beginner’s Workout. I don’t have a whole lot of fat to work off but I definitely want to tone up the buttocks in a big way so this seems like a great routine to start with. All you need for the workout is an exercise mat, a raised surface (2 chairs are probably best) and a timer. A bottle of water and towel will be useful too because I hear there’s a lot of sweating involved! Perhaps the newness of the exercises will encourage me to work it harder.

The exercises should be completed as quickly as possible to really get your heart pumping, but at the same time you should not sacrifice form for speed. Doing the exercises correctly and working the right muscles is much more important than beating the time clock.

Now where is my jump rope…??

The Buns and Fat Loss Routine with Beginner’s Workout Alternates

Part 1 (Monday)

The recap of the workout actually starts at min 5:50 after her “coffee talk” about the hottest celebrity butts. Unlike the Beginner’s Workout, we don’t get to see the entire routine. Instead it’s just a demonstration of a few reps each and the entire workout is written out below. You can also visit her website (see Part 1 link above) to see photos of each exercise.

Before you get started, put the two chairs (without armrests) side-by-side and lay an exercise mat or towel over the seat of them. You are going to be laying across them with your hips and legs hanging off as well as putting your feet on them so you don’t want to get them grungy.

Do 4 rounds of the following exercises:

1. Jump Squat and Backward Lunge (alternating legs) – 10 reps
   Squat down,with your knees slightly pointed out and bring your hands down to the ground between your legs. Stand back up and as you come to a full standing position, jump up with your arms reaching up above your head. Once standing on the ground again, extend one leg back (alternate each time) and bend at the knee. Keep your stationary knee above your ankle, bent at a 90° angle. Bring the extended knee down to the ground. (One rep counts as 1 jump squat and one backward lunge.)
2. Hip Extension – 20 reps (min 6:59)
   Lay across the chairs with your hips on the edge. Cross your legs at the ankles and lift them up straight up off the ground. Once raised, uncross your ankles and open your legs. Recross them with the opposite foot on top and lower to the floor. Lift legs, open, recross with opposite leg on top, etc. (One rep includes lifting legs off the ground, opening, crossing and bringing back down to the floor.)
3. Bulgarian Squat – 20 reps on each leg (min 7:20)
   Put the top of your foot on the chair behind you, keep the shin of your front leg vertical and squat down to bring your back knee as close to the ground as possible. Put your hands behind your head to help you keep your balance.
4. Mountain Climber – 30 reps (min 8:16)
   Get on the floor, in a push-up stance. Keeping your weight on your palms, jump one leg up closer to you while the other remains reaching back. Then alternate legs, bringing the first leg down and the previously extended leg up towards your body. (Each jump counts as 1 rep.)

Beginner’s Workout (Tuesday)

Part 2 (Wednesday)

For these exercises you will only need an exercise mat and a single chair.

1. 2 walking lunges, 4 backward jumps and Half Burpee with Jump Up (no push up) – 30 reps (min 1:55)
   Make two large strides forward, lunging down so your knee is almost to the ground. Try to keep the bent leg knee at a 90° angle and the knee directly above your ankle. After two strides (one on each leg), make four bunny hops backwards. Put your hands down on the ground, extend your legs behind you (as if about to do a push-up), bring your legs back up toward your body with a hop-like motion, stand up and make a small jump as you reach standing position.
2. Step Ups and One Leg Elevated Squat – 30 reps on each leg (min 2:15)
   Place your right foot in the chair and step up onto it. Bring your left leg up in the air so your left knee is at waist-height. Lower your left leg back down to the floor and position your right foot in the chair so that your heel is touching the chair. Bend your left leg at the knee, lowering your body and extending your right (a single-leg elevated squat). Complete all reps on one leg then switch.
3. One Leg Bridge – 2 sets of 15 reps on each leg (min 2:34)
   Lay on your back on your exercise mat on the floor and you’re going to do a one-legged hip raise like you learned in the beginner’s workout. Extend your arms so they point toward your feet and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Extend one leg up in the air, keeping it vertical to your body and your foot flexed. Then raise your hips up in the air so that your leg and stomach form a straight line and slowly lower your hips back down to the mat. Do all reps on one leg first then switch to the other.
4. One Leg Wall Sit - 2 reps holding on each leg for 30 seconds (2 minutes total) (min 2:48)
   With your back against a wall, squat down in a sitting position and extend one leg out in front of you. This way all your weight is on one leg. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then switch. 
   

Beginner’s Workout (Thursday)

Part 3 (Friday)

You only need a jump rope to complete these…oh and extreme body control for the pistols!

Do 6 rounds of the following exercises.

1. Side Jump Lunge – 30 reps (each jump counts as 1 rep) (min 4:21)
   Bend one knee and extend the other leg out to your side. Your body should be lowered to your bent knee and hands will briefly touch the ground. Stand up, then switch legs with a jumping motion.
2. Pistols – 5 reps on each leg (min 4:35)
   Extend one leg out in front of you and bend your knee until you are in a squatting position. Stand back up and repeat all reps on one leg before switching. Because this exercise is nearly impossible, you can also bend down in front of a chair and brace yourself as little as possible on the chair to complete the reps.
3. Jump Rope Skipping – 100 skips
   25 skips with feet together, pause, 25 skips alternating legs (jogging), pause, 25 reps feet together, pause, and last 25 reps of jogging. So all together you will do 100 skips. It is important that you put as much energy as possible into each set and then pause for just few seconds to reset for another 25 reps.

I’d love to read your comments and progress. If you are linking to your blog and you talk about other things than BodyRock, please link DIRECTLY to your own post so that those of us who want to give you some encouragement can easily find your post. If you don’t have your own blog or website where you can talk about your progress, then just tell us how you did in your comment! Also feel free to save this image to your computer and upload it to your BodyRock Challenge blog posts!

I wanted to post this on Friday but, well, I didn’t. So instead you get an extra day of my workout randomness. If you missed the workout routine post, go back here to find it.

Last Monday I was feeling very winded and wiped out during and after the workout. I was really aware of the fact that I hadn’t worked out in 4 days and I was kicking myself a bit for letting it go that long. My muscles were tired afterwards but there wasn’t any real lasting burn aside from a bit of tightness here and there (shoulders, thighs).

Tuesday I my desire for sleep get the best of me. It was just too cozy in the bed and Mack let me sleep until 9. That made it totally worth it.

Wednesday I decided to add a few reps at the end of the workout, including 10 additional reps of the leg stretch (#15) and 10 reps of the laying hip twists (#17) to give the abs a boost.

Thursday I was back off my horse again but Friday I managed to overcome the happiness about the weekend and just git ‘r done. I generally feel that I have a much more energized and fulfilling day when I exercise. Perhaps it’s because I’m up so early but after showering, it’s still 8 or 8:30 which isn’t much earlier than I usually wake up. But once I’m showered I’m really ready to take on the world.

Here is it Monday again and I had the same worn out feeling after exercising. I take it as a very good sign. And as I progress I can feel the exercises working the muscles instead of just wondering if I’m doing things right. I’m still adding extra reps here and there as I feel the urge. I don’t want to over do it but as I mentioned before, I’m dying to move on to something else. So I will be scouring Zuzana’s website later and will select a new crazy routine. It will likely either be something for the buttocks region or the hips/love handles. I still plan to use the extreme workouts twice a week and the beginner on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Should I fail to do one of those workouts…well I’ll just cross that bridge when I get there. I’m still hoping to get on a 5 days a week schedule finally. If only life would stop interrupting!

If you’re working out with me and ready to move on, what sort of workout would you like to see me add? Do you want abs instead? Or arm pumping routines? I’ll do my best to make sure the workouts don’t require any special equipment either.

Ready for some new photos? Since it’s the first week of February I’ll throw some up at the end of the week. I’ll also give you an update on my other stats.

Have you been drinking plenty of water? Eating more fresh veggies and cutting back on fats? Have you managed to keep yourself from raiding the cookie jar every 5 minutes? Discipline and hard work will reap the greatest rewards.

Please leave a comment below if you’re working out with me. If you are linking to your blog, please link DIRECTLY to your own post so that those of us who want to give you some encouragement can easily find your post. If you don’t have your own blog or website where you can talk about your progress, then just tell us how you did in your comment! Also feel free to save this image to your computer and upload it to your BodyRock Challenge blog posts!

A good place to start is always at the beginning. Because I haven’t done any real workout out in about a year, I’ll be using the BodyRock.tv Beginner Workout series to get things going. This series is easy enough for a beginner of any level and can also be done by those who are overweight and/or advanced in age. Once I feel like this routine isn’t pushing me anymore, I’ll either increase reps and/or weights…and ultimately move on to additional exercises too. If you’re working out with me and I start to move on, don’t feel pressured to move also. Every person needs to move at their own pace based on their athletic and physical abilities. If you are looking to lose weight as well as tone muscle, you should visit the Diet section of BodyRock.tv and also have a look at her post “How do I reduce my body fat?”

Here’s some starting photos of myself. Maybe I should hit the tanning bed before the next set. I will include photos each week to show you my progress in addition to my posts…and I might even throw in a few videos just to make it fun. I hope you’ll do the same so we can really encourage each other along the way.

Current weight: 127 pounds (57.6 kilos)
Height: 5’11″ (180 cm)
Body fat: 27% (according to my scale but this could be wrong)

All you need to get started with this routine is a pair of light free weights (dumbbells, pilates balls, cans of soup — anything you can grip firmly in your hand that will give you some additional weight) and an exercise mat. If you’re a bit unstable for some of the exercises you may also want to have a chair nearby. I’ve written out the entire routine below so you know what to expect. I had to work out some of the exercise names myself because Zuzana did not state them so forgive me if they are ridiculous. If you know the correct name, please feel free to point that out and I will promptly correct it. I’ve also embedded all 6 videos so you can click from one to the next quickly and easily without going back and forth from her site to mine…and because she doesn’t list all six on a single page either. It just makes it easier to get through the routine.

The workout routine is broken down into 6 videos but it is one complete body workout and you should be doing all steps every day, not just 1/6 of the workout. It will take you about 30-40 minutes. Do each exercise with slow deliberate movements. Also remember to return to the starting point after each rep, pause slightly and then continue with the next rep. The point is to get your body used to these motions and to get you ready for her really hardcore videos which require more strength, stability and coordination. Watch the videos at least once to make sure you’re getting the exercises correct. Also keep an eye on her form so you will work the right muscles and not hurt yourself.

Part 1 of the BodyRock Beginner’s Workout — Exercises 1 – 4

Part 2 of the BodyRock Beginner’s Workout – Exercises 5- 7

Part 3 of the BodyRock Beginner’s Workout – Exercises 8 – 9

Part 4 of the BodyRock Beginner’s Workout - Exercises 10 – 13

Part 5 of the BodyRock Beginner’s Workout - Exercises 14 – 15

Part 6 of the BodyRock Beginner’s Workout - Exercises 16 – 17

The BodyRock Absolute Beginners Workout Routine

1. Front punches — 12 reps (6 on each side, alternating)
   Hold weights in hands. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly out. Punch diagonally in front of you, keeping arms parallel to the ground and without locking the elbows.
2. High kicks — 12 reps (6 on each side, alternating)
   Hold weights in hands. Raise arms until hands are at least shoulder height; level with your head is better/more of a challenge. Kick leg up toward opposite hand. Try to kick your hand if you can.
3. Squat to arm/leg raises — 12 reps (6 on each side, alternating)
   Hold weights in hands. Bring feet together. Squat until almost to seated position (as if sitting down in a chair). As you stand up, lift your arms out to shoulder height and raise one leg out to the side.

   Repeat exercises 1-3, then go on.
   

4. Squats to knee ups — 16 reps (8 on each side, alternating)
   Hold weights in hands. Squat all the way down, toes pointed slightly out and knees staying apart. Bend elbows, bringing arms into your body and hold weights at shoulder height. Your elbows should point down to your knees. Stand up and once you are fully standing, lift one knee up to your chest.
5. Laying arm raises — 12 reps
   Lay on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Make sure that your lower back is pressing into your mat and contract your abs. With the weights in your hands, extend your arms so your hands are by your hips. Raise your arms up over your head and down to the floor above your head, keeping your arms extended the whole time. Then return them back to the starting position.
6. Laying scissors – 12 reps
   Again, still laying, make sure your lower back is pressing into the mat and that your abs are engaged. Raise your arms with weights in-hand so that your arms are extended straight above your head. Move your arms in opposite directions, one down to your hips and the other to the floor above you head, keeping your arm extended the whole time. Return both arms to the middle and pause. (1 rep) Then repeat, alternating which arm goes up and down.
   
   Repeat exercises 5 and 6, then go on.
   
   
7. Kneeling leg lifts — 15 reps on each leg
   Kneel down on all fours. Keep your back straight and your abs tight. Extend one leg straight out behind you, point your toes and slowly lift your leg up and down. You should keep the glutes and the rest of the muscles on your extended leg contracted when performing the leg raises. Only your leg should be moving, not the rest of your body which is taking the momentum from the move. Do all reps of one leg then return to your starting position and begin on the other leg.
8. Kneeling side leg lifts — 15 reps on each leg
   Still kneeling on all fours, lift one leg out to the side of your body, keeping your knee bent. Bring it back down and briefly set your knee back on the ground. Do all reps of one leg then return to your starting position and begin on the other leg.
9. Half squats with one-arm shoulder press — 10 reps on each arm
   Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart and your weights in your hands. Bend one arm at the elbow and bring the weight to your shoulder, then bend at the knees until you are squatting. Stand up and as you reach the top, press your arm straight up above your head. Bring the arm down to the bent elbow starting position with your hand near your shoulder. Repeat this step on the same arm until all reps are complete then switch arms.
10. Backward lunges — 12 reps alternating legs (6 on each leg)
    Stand with your feet together and lunge backward with one foot, bringing your non-stationary knee toward the ground. Your stationary leg should form a right angle to the floor and your knee should stay over your ankle. Never let it move forward to your toes. Hold the weights in your hands if you like or if you need extra balance you can hold on to a chair while you do the lunges.
11. Deadlifts with rows — 15 reps
    Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, weights in your hands. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back arched and your arms extended down towards the ground. When you have bent about halfway down, stop and bend your arms, pulling your hands in toward your body. Extend your arms again and return to a standing position.
12. One leg hip raises — 10 reps on each leg
    Lay on your back on your mat on the floor. Extend your arms so they point toward your feet and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Extend one leg up in the air, keeping it vertical to your body and your foot flexed. Then raise your hips up in the air  so that your leg and stomach form a straight line and slowly lower your hips back down to the mat. If this is too difficult, keep both legs on the ground together and lift your hips up in the air, then back down. Do all reps on one leg first then switch to the other.
13. Bent knee leg lifts — 20 reps on each leg
    Roll over to your side, supporting your head in the air with your hand (your upper arm and elbow are on the mat). Bend your knees at a 90° angle to your waist. Lift the top leg up, rotating your knee toward the ceiling and keeping the leg bent and in line with your lower leg. Bring it back down to your other leg and briefly set it down on your other leg. After 20 reps, roll over on your other side, reposition yourself and do another 20 reps.
14. Single extended leg lifts — 20 reps on each leg
    Remain laying on your side and straighten your lower leg out to form a straight line with your body. Keep the upper leg bent at a 90° angle to your waist. Lift the lower leg up with your foot flexed. After 20 reps with one leg, roll over and do the other side.
15. Single leg stretch — 20 reps alternating (10 on each leg)
    Lay on your back with your head and shoulders slightly off the floor. Your chin should be up off your body and you should look down toward your feet. Hug one knee up to your chest while extending the other leg parallel to the floor. Alternate legs, keeping the same position with your head and shoulders. If you feel pain or discomfort in your neck after the first 10, you can rest for a moment before continuing with the second set of 10.
16. Laying alternate leg/arm lifts – 20 reps
    Flip over onto your stomach and lay with your legs and arms stretched out so your body is as long as possible. Keep your whole body tight during the exercise. Lift one arm and your head (keep your face looking toward the floor) and your opposite leg (so if you lift your right arm, lift your left leg with it). Then alternative with the other limbs.
17. Laying hip twists — 20 reps
    Lay on your back again, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Your back should be pushed down into your exercise mat and your hands should be slightly away from your sides to help you balance. Lift your legs up, still bent at the knee, so they form a 90° angle to your body (approximately). Twist your legs slightly to one side, keeping your upper body as stationary as possible. Return your legs to the middle position, pause, and then twist your legs to the other side. Do not lay your legs down on the floor beside you or cause yourself to rock. It should be a small movement done with your abs and not your body rocking until your arms push you back.

Please leave a comment below if you’re working out with me. If you are linking to your blog, please link DIRECTLY to your own post so that those of us who want to give you some encouragement can easily find your post. If you don’t have your own blog or website where you can talk about your progress, then just tell us how you did in your comment! Also feel free to save this image to your computer and upload it to your BodyRock Challenge blog posts!

I first heard about Zuzana from BodyRock.tv about a month ago. Stefan showed me one of her workout videos which was being passed around the stock broker network in Frankfurt and I was both awed and inspired by her right then. Check her out in the video below; it’s just one of many simple yet killer workouts that she has online.

After I saw my first Zuzana video, I said to Stefan: “I’m going to start doing her workouts cause I want to look like that!” But where to start? She has tons of workout videos online but instead of starting with something that may leave me in pain for weeks, I think starting at the beginning it a good way to go. Thankfully Zuzana has been kind enough to make a 6 part beginner’s video workout which is perfect for starting out.

I intend to get up at about 6 am (shortly after Stefan gets out of bed in the morning) and do the workout then. Mackenzie usually sleeps until 8 or so which will give me plenty of time to exercise and shower before she gets up. I’ll work out Monday-Friday and rest on Saturdays and Sundays. Yes, this is hard on the body and I may end up doing a cardio day on Wednesday instead (maybe with my boxing program on Wii) but we’ll see how it goes.

As I starting off point, I’m 5’11″ (180cm) tall, weigh 127 pounds and have 27% body fat (according to my digital scale which calculates that for me.) Obviously I don’t have much fat to burn but rather want to get my muscles in shape and well toned. I haven’t worked out much in the last year (since before I was pregnant with Mackenzie) but take two daily walks with Ayla which are about 30 minutes each…and lately they’ve become more challenging while pushing a stroller through 7+ inches of snow! I tried a Wii Fit program for a while but always found it too time consuming while cycling through exercises.

I always feel better when I’m working out, though, and certainly need the core training for my back these days. Mackenzie isn’t getting any lighter and now that she’s getting closer to walking, we’ll be trying to take on some of the projects around here that we didn’t get to last year. To me, exercise is a core component of living a healthy life. Diet is another one of those aspects. Thankfully we eat very little fast food and have home-cooked meals nearly every night. The only thing we’ll need to work on is adding more fresh veggies and fruits to our diet…so we better find a way to get our salad table warmed up quickly so we have fresh greens to eat!

I also need to reintroduce myself to my 2 liter bottle of water and start chugging water down again. I drank tons of water while pregnant and right after Mackenzie was born, but now that I’m chasing her all over the house, my bottle is rarely nearby. The advantage of using one large water bottle that you need to polish off every day is that you don’t need to keep track of how much water you drank during the day…the bottle does that for you. Fill it up once in the morning and drink it all during the day until it’s gone!

What I like about the BodyRock beginner’s program is that you can do it virtually anywhere with very little equipment, assuming you can remember the steps (or have a cheat sheet for yourself). Even on the more advanced stuff, Zuzana mixes things up and you can pick or chose your workouts based on what you have available. A lot of the more advanced workouts are done as quickly as possible so you not only get your workout done quickly (10-20 minutes for the entire workout) but you also get a really hard workout. This is especially helpful for parents working from home whose time is precious as they balance all their various hats on their heads.

So let’s get started! Do you want to workout with me? I’ll be posting a new BodyRock Challenge post every Friday. There I will recap my own progress from the previous week, leave some motivation for all of us and announce any changes to the workout routine. If you aren’t ready to move up to the next level, don’t worry; just keep working out at the current level until you feel it’s too easy or you notice you aren’t winded at the end of the workout.

Please leave a comment below if you’ll be working out with me. I’ll add a Mr. Linky to the bottom of each BodyRock meme post if there’s a lot of responses. If you are linking to your blog, please link DIRECTLY to your own post so that those of us who want to give you some encouragement can easily find your post. If you don’t have your own blog or website where you can talk about your progress, then just tell us how you did in your comment! Also feel free to save this image to your computer and upload it to your BodyRock Challenge blog posts!

The full BodyRock beginner’s workout routine will be posted tomorrow so start getting yourself ready. I’ve tried it out and although it may not look so challenging, you’ll definitely feel the burn!