Strength Training Workouts

Fab Deal: 40% Off at NewForBaby.com

New For Baby

To make room for new stock, New For Baby is having a monster sale on their adorable baby clothes (think cute hoodies, colorful onesies, cozy blankets and more).

Now you can snap up loads of cute pieces for your little one or buy baby shower gifts in bulk for all the moms-to-be or new mommies in your life. Our fave is the baby’s first outfit kit (on sale now for $30) for boys or girls.

The discount code is: SAVE. Just enter it at checkout for 40% off your whole order (this includes sale items) and all orders over $100 receive free shipping.

Celeb fans of the line include Tori Spelling, Heidi Klum, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Nancy O’Dell.

Posted in CBB Faves, Fashion & Gear, Fashion & Gear – Clothing, Fashion & Gear – Deals, Main, Shopping Guide, Shopping Guide – Clothing

Maclaren Grand Tour LX Stroller: Luxury Is an Understatement!

Maclaren Grand Tour LX

The Maclaren Grand Tour LX stroller is, well, grand!

Long known as the leader of the umbrella stroller set, Maclaren has upped the ante in the stroller market with the creation of the new Grand Tour LX.

It’s a luxury ride for children from newborn to toddler and it’s sure to impress parents looking for a little something extra in their stroller.

Click below for the details!

Putting it Together

The Grand Tour LX ($900) comes ready to use right out of the box. Just unfold and go. If, however, you want to use any one of the included goodies — like the canopy, raincover, mosquito net or Strollometer® — it may take you an extra 30 seconds or so, but other than that, the Grand Tour LX is really easy to get on the road.

The Seat

It has three seating positions (upright to full-recline) and ample room for your little one. It can also be mounted on the chassis facing forward or backward — a feature few strollers have. I also really love the padded, five point system harness — it’s super easy to figure out. The seat fabric is machine washable and comes in a variety of  stylish color-options.

The Ride

The Grand Tour LX has all of the fluidity of a typical high-end stroller. It’s easy (and, I’ll admit, fun!) to push, has an adjustable handle and it navigates sidewalks and store aisles with ease. It has puncture-proof wheels which I initially worried would sacrifice the quality of the ride but I was pleased to discover that the full suspension more than compensated. And I love the easy-to-use foot-operated brake, as well.

The Fold & Storage

This is perhaps the most striking feature of the Grand Tour LX: You can fold it and un-fold it in a flash. When folded, it stands upright for easy storage and quick access when needed. It’s compact but sturdy and will fit easily in the trunk of a car or tucked behind the front door at home. It’s no umbrella stroller size-wise, to be sure, but it’s still easy to pack and store.

The Goodies

Okay, get ready for it. This stroller comes with almost everything you could ever possibly need in a stroller (and some things you may have never dreamed of!). In addition to things like a cup-holder, rain cover, bug cover, baby carrycot, reflective accents and the famous Maclaren lifetime warranty, the Grand Tour LX also has built-in headlights (seriously), with multiple visibility settings (constant, flashing, colored) which mom or dad can control with a remote control (seriously… again).  The remote mounts on the handlebar console which flips open to feature a clock and thermometer.  And if that’s not enough, the Grand Tour LX includes an onboard Strollometer® which measures distance by way of an integrated wireless sensor in the wheels.

I know it sounds almost comical but, truth be told, it’s both useful and fun to have these features. They all conspire to ensure mom or dad is safe, fit, and never late! Unfortunately, Maclaren hasn’t yet figured out a way to ensure that baby helps with the same missions…

Available Accessories

There are plenty of accessories available for the Grand Tour LX, including infant car seat adaptors, a boot which turns the Grand Tour LX into a sleeping bag on wheels, and adorable toy sets for the bumper bar to occupy little riders when you decide to put the Strollometer® to the test!

Maclaren Grand Tour LX in a Nutshell

This stroller is thoroughly impressive. Expensive, yes, but it is a marriage of the ease of a classic umbrella stroller with the style and durability that you would expect in a modern ‘glam’ stroller. It folds and unfolds in a flash, adjusts to the different needs of every parent and child, and is sleek and stylish. It’s an excellent stroller for any age and may just be that one mythical stroller that does it all… and then some!

– Stephanie

Posted in CBB Faves, Fashion & Gear, Fashion & Gear – Strollers, Main

 At the end of the day strength training for women is actually not very different from strength training for men. The difference lies in an individuals goals rather than their sex. In most cases when it comes to females who are looking for strength or weight lifting programs, they are mostly looking for a program that will create more toned muscles rather than bulky big muscles. The majority of women I have trained over the years are incorporating strength training with the primary aim of decreasing body fat. Unfortunately this is often the goal at the top of their list. I say unfortunately because many women get stuck on the aesthetic benefits of exercises and fail to recognize the positive impact exercise could have on many aspects of their lives. Strength training for women when embraced from all angles can have a massive impact on an individuals body, health, performance and self-confidence, to name but a few. When beginning a strength training program I encourage everyone to take a close look at the following three areas:
1. Exercise
2. Nutrition
3. Attitude
I am a true believer that in order to reach ones health and fitness goals all three areas need to be addressed.

Exercise:
Years ago many women stuck to aerobic-based exercise and believed that this was the best form of exercise to achieve a feminine appearance. However strength training for women has taken the world by storm. Female athletes who are not strength training will be left behind in their chosen sport. A strong, defined beautiful female physique can be created by incorporating a combination of various strength training routines into ones exercise program on a regular and consistent basis. Weight training and weight lifting, Pilates, various plyometric type exercises and kettlebell training all classify as strength training. It is therefore easy as a female to find something that works for your body and something that you enjoy. Initially I would suggest trying a variety of strength training techniques. Make sure you give each a good month or two to see how your body responds and also to see how much you enjoy it. You want to firstly find something that you enjoy and secondly find something that works best for your body. Personally I began strength training some twenty years ago. I began with machine weights but quickly moved to free weights. For a few years prior to having kids, I was very focused on Ironman triathlon racing and my strength training was mainly in the form of body weight resisted exercises such as push-ups, dips and chin ups. Now with two young kids, I run a Pilates and personal training studio. My strength training of choice is currently a few Pilates sessions per week plus a couple sessions using a combination of kettlebells, medicine balls and body weight resisted exercises. I keep my strength training as functional as possible so that I get the crossover benefit for running, swimming and cycling. I love the combination and highly recommend it as a form of strength training for women who are willing to work hard but love getting great results.

Nutrition and attitude are vital to achieving health and fitness goals and I’ll chat more in depth about these in another post.

Exercise Boosts Bone Density in Breast-Feeding Moms – Atlanta Journal Constitution

Exercise Boosts Bone Density in Breast-Feeding Moms Atlanta Journal Constitution A combination of strength training and aerobic exercise for three days a week resulted in less loss of bone mineral density: 4.8 percent compared to 7 … and more »

 If you have made a decision to improve your health and fitness or possibly your sporting performance or even your body shape by including various weight lifting routines into your exercise regime, I would strongly recommend taking the time to read through this article first.

So what is your specific goal? In other words, what do you you want to achieve by incorporating weight lifting routines into your weekly schedule? If you don’t have an answer to this question, my first suggestion is to sit down and think clearly about it. It is absolutely vital that you have a goal, a specific direction. This goal will dictate how you lift weight, the specific exercises you include, the weights you use, the speed at which an exercise is completed and the number of repetitions and sets you will need to complete.

To make the importance of goal setting clear, I’ll take you through the following example.
Person A: A 32 year-old competitive age-group triathlete who’s goal is to improve power and strength specifically related to improving his performance as an athlete over the three triathlon disciplines i.e. swim, bike and run
Person B: A 22 year-old female wanting to improve her muscle definition, decrease body fat and generally look and feel better about herself. Person B is currently participating in 2 kick boxing classes per week, she also walks for 45 minutes three times per week and trains using ‘light’ weights twice per week.

It is clear that the weight lifting routines for person A and person B would be completely different based upon their goals. When training towards improving muscle power and strength specific to a particular sport such as triathlon, one would need to be doing weight lifting routines that focused more on higher reps using lighter weights. Exercises may be performed at various speeds to simulate muscle patterns typically experienced when engaged in that particular sport. Using equipment such as kettlebells will be extremely useful as they encourage use of core stabilizing muscles which are essential to good posture and play a role in injury prevention, especially those related to the lower and mid-back.

On the other hand, Person B’s weight lifting routines should be completed using heavier weights, less repetitions and all exercises should be completely slowly and with precision. It is a common myth, especially amongst females that in order to create a toned, well-defined body, the rule of light weights and more repetitions should applied to their weight lifting routines. This is untrue. In fact it is diet that plays a central role to ones appearance. A well balanced, calorie controlled diet would need to be adhered to alongside a series of well programed and progressive weight lifting routines, in order to achieve a well-defined body.

Once you have your goals in place and have had a professional set out various weight lifting routines for you to complete, the next step would be to constantly re-evaluate. As you body responds and adapts, it is important to keep adjusting and re-adjusting your weight lifting routines so that you are constantly challenged and therefore always progressing. A final point is the importance of rest and recovery with any weight lifting routines. This is an essential step to allowing your muscles to regenerate as stronger more powerful muscles and ultimately lead to you moving forward with your goals.

Forget running – football is the best way to kick-start a woman’s … – Daily Mail

Daily Mail

Forget running – football is the best way to kick-start a woman’s … Daily Mail … have high heart rates and perform many sprints, turns, kicks and tackles, making soccer an effective integration of both cardio and strength training. …

 As an ex-elite level gymnast, I am extremely pro strength training without weights. I have experienced first hand just how effective using your own body weight can be to develop strength, power and muscular endurance. If done correctly this type of training can yield extremely favorable results. One of the greatest benefits of this type of training is that it can be performed at home without any equipment. If you do choose to train at home alone, I highly recommend that you study your technique and form using a mirror to ensure you are performing the strength exercises with as much precision as possible. Poor form and/or incorrect technique can place strain on your body inappropriately and can often lead to injury.

In order to avoid boredom when strength training without weights, I highly recommend a circuit-style training session. By rotating through a number of different exercises using various muscle groups, you will be able to keep your heart rate raised throughout the session giving yourself the added benefit of stimulating your cardiovascular system. This type of training I have found very effective with athletes, in particular triathletes, runners and rowers. The reason for this is that exercises are extremely functional, muscles are moved and stimulated in similar patterns to when performing that particular sport.

When doing or instructing strength training without weights, I either program a session based around completing a certain number of sets and reps and then recording time or alternatively repeating a specific number of each exercise for a predetermined time. I find both methods work really well and alternating between the two keeps things interesting.

Examples strength training without weights session of the day:
Name: “The Joseph”
Always warm-up before completing the main set. A warm-up may include a power walk building to a light jog, followed by a few shallow squats and a handful of push-up. This warm-up should last about 5-minutes in total.
Main set

• 400m run + 50 squats – repeat x 3
• 100 skips + 25 push-ups – repeat x 4
• 25m walking lunges + 10 Burpees x 5

This set is completed for time
Cool down: a slow walk is always a good way to complete strength training without weights as it allows you to slowly lower your heart rate whilst moving. To complete this session I highly recommend a few stretches. Main muscle groups to focus on stretching include quads, hamstrings, chest and calves.

This seemingly simple strength training workout if done correctly and at a high intensity will certainly challenge anyone. Give it a go, you will love how you feel afterwards.

 I am a massive fan of Pilates. I discovered this exercise form by chance eight years ago whilst working as a health promotions officer at the Victoria Police Force. Crazy position that was, but that’s another story. Anyway, I was sent on this Pilates course to hopefully implement some of the principles into the training of new recruits and help the Police force overcome their massive workcover claims related to workplace injury. The course itself was life changing. It began with a four day intensive workshop and by the end of the fourth day I could already see more definition in my abdominal area. I was inspired to incorporate Pilates into my exercise regime on a regular basis and also decided to begin instructing mat classes at a local council hall in the evenings after work. I convinced my husband to give one of my classes a go and he has never looked back either. He was of the opinion that Pilates was an ‘easy, low key’ type of workout. He never expected to be challenged as much as he was during the session. The beauty of Pilates is that it fits into the category of strength training workouts but has all these additional features that gives it added appeal.

Pilates is very much focused on the ‘core’ muscles. Whether you are doing a strength, flexibility or balance type exercise the core is always a central theme. The core muscles consist of all the different layers of abdominal muscles, the mid and lower back muscles and the muscles making up the pelvic area. A strong core can act as a natural corset and support your torso during everyday activities and during exercise when the body is placed under a degree of stress. Pilates is one of the strength training workouts that has naturally attracted more females than males. This is mainly due to the fact that Pilates style exercises tend to create longer, leaner muscles rather than bulky short muscles and this feature is of course extremely appealing to the fairer sex. The benefits of Pilates stretch far beyond developing stronger muscles and a stronger core. This is a list of some of the other benefits that may attract you to this fantastic exercise form:

• All Pilates exercises are structured in a particular way to stimulate muscles equally from back-to-front and from side-to-side. This results in an extremely well balanced body and has a profound effect on ones posture. Clients very often report that they feel taller and more confident.
• One of the principles of Pilates is ‘flowing movement’ i.e. exercises are never held completely still. This translates into extremely functional exercises that will make a difference to your everyday living
• Improved range of movement and flexibility is another key benefit. Once again this translates to more comfort and ease of movement on a day to day basis.
• During all Pilates exercises there are a multitude of areas to focus on, these include, the technique of the exercise you are performing, the specific breathing pattern that accompanies that exercise and maintaining a strong core throughout the exercise in order to support your back. This makes it extremely difficult for your mind to wonder off and think about anything else e.g. how much work you have to do or how you need to get the kids lunch organized, or whatever. It is for this reason that Pilates is a fantastic way to escape from you life for 45-60 minutes and enjoy ‘exercising in the moment’.
• There is a large focus on breathing in Pilates and it has been shown that this type of deep breathing can in fact have a positive impact on lung capacity and function.
• Improved coordination is yet another benefit

So if you are looking for strength training workouts that not only result in stronger muscles but have a multitude of additional benefits, I would highly recommend giving Pilates a go.

Kettlebells make a comback in the gym – Frederick News Post (subscription)

Kettlebells make a comback in the gym Frederick News Post (subscription) They are called kettlebells, and although they date back to the 1700s in Russia, their merit as a weight loss and strength training tool is gaining … and more »