Week of Grace is a 7-day journaling project, scientifically designed to you make you happier, healthier, and more productive. For 7 days, please join in and answer to the gratitude question posted! To get the full benefits, you should write out your response rather just think about it. Like the featured guests, you may comment here, or you can tweet #weekofgrace, email a friend, or even write out your response longhand.

Week of Grace for June 2010 starts Thursday the 24th and ends Wednesday the 30th.

Look for Featured Guests in the comments this Month:

• Denise Levine: Outside In Organizer
• Daniel K. Printz, Esq.: The Legacy Lawyer
• My client: Stephanie
• My client: Lynn
• My client: Paul

MyWorkoutCreator.com is different from other workout sites because you get a customized workout with different exercises EVERY TIME you log in. You pick your goal (weight loss, lean & tone, muscle mass, etc), your level, and your equipment, and you get a workout designed for you, just as if you had a super-smart personal trainer with graduate degrees, years of experience, and multiple certifications!

Mike is offering a $1 trial to the first 100 people who sign up. Please check it out! There’s also a free featured workout and lots of fitness resources just for registering!

When I workout to music, I like to fall into sync with the beat. For example, it’s very natural for me to take about 170 steps per minute when I run, so I like to listen to music that has 170 BPM (beats per minute) like Misirlou from Dick Dale & His Del-Tones.

To find the BPM of a song and save it to iTunes, search for “BPM detection software iTunes”. On a Mac, I personally use:

For Automatic Detection:
http://www.wildbits.com/bpmer/

Manual Detection:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19324

Finally, to determine your running pace in BPM, download this awesome free MP3 file from hellasound.com: http://tr.im/mlK6

Lunges 100 feet, 21 pullups, 21 situps.
Lunges 100 feet, 18 pullups, 18 situps.
Lunges 100 feet, 15 pullups, 15 situps.
Lunges 100 feet, 12 pullups, 12 situps.
Lunges 100 feet, 9 pullups, 9 situps.
Lunges 100 feet, 6 pullups, 6 situps.

I’ve seen Luan do those full pullups! He’s a monster! And sub-10 minutes is FAST. I tried out a few variations… here’s a modified version that most of my clients can do:

32 Alternating Lunges to the FRONT (16 per leg)
20 Body Rows (or TRX Pullups), 20 Situps (anchored ok)
32 Alternating Lunges to the BACK, 16 Body Rows, 16 Situps
32 Alternating Lunges to the SIDES, 12 Body Rows, 12 Situps
32 Alternating Lunges to the DIAGONAL FRONT, 8 Body Rows, 8 Situps
32 Alternating Lunges to the DIAGONAL BACK, 4 Body Rows, 4 Situps

Okay, time yourself:

50 Squats – Tap your bottom on a small stability ball or bench.
40 Mountain Climbers – Front foot lands between hands. Can use pushup bars or kettlebells.
30 Jumping Jacks
20 Pushups – Toes or knees. Chest should be 4″ to the ground.
10 Situps – Legs bent, heels on ground, elbows touch knees at top.

I got 2:05! Thanks, Mike!

Hey, all you trainers and coaches out there, send me your fit challenges!

The “real” pose that’s closest to Serene Possum is Corpse Pose, or Savasana, and here’s a little more about it:

http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/a/savasana.htm

Let the toes fall outward or inward, whichever feels most natural.

Arms are also relaxed, resting on ground, at any angle that allows the muscles to “melt.” Elbows may be bent in the most comfortable position.

Palms up or down, whichever is more relaxing. Hands should curl naturally.

Slow your breathing, and take deep breaths. Head may turn to one side, if that feels easier on the neck. You may close your eyes.

The name of this pose is “Serene Possum”. I typically end my own training sessions with this pose, or even after a hard set. My clients will also usually finish their workouts in this position, uttering the ancient chant/prayer of “thank God the workout is over” or something similar. Interestingly… I don’t think I’ve never had to explicitly teach anyone this pose, so I’m inclined to believe it’s something inherent to our human nature.

Here is a photo and a video for Serene Possum.

Mondays & Wednesdays: Run/Walk 20-30 Minutes
Thursdays: Yoga or Strength Workout at Gym

Sat (2/14) 45-Minute Run/Walk
Sat (2/28) 50-Minute Run/Walk
Sat (3/7) 55-Minute Run/Walk
Sat (3/14) Big Day! 10K Run or 4-Mile Walk

Mix up your workouts! Try a new trail or beach! Or contact me if you’d like a customized workout!

If you are trying to replace a run or walk, PACE yourself so that you don’t have to take breaks. It might also help to keep in time with some music.

Warmup:

• 10 body weight squats.
• 10 large arm circles forward.
• 10 large arm circles backwards.
• 10 body weight squats again.
• 10 pushups, from knees or toes.

Repeat 3-6X:

• 10 lunges to the FRONT, each leg, alternating (easier) OR 1 leg at a time (harder), 20 front lunges total.
• 20 jumping jacks (if jumping gets too hard, jog or march in place for 40 steps).
• 5 pushups from toes or knees.
• 10 lunges to EACH SIDE, alternating OR 1 leg at a time, 20 side lunges total.
• 20 jumping jacks + 5 pushups.
• 10 lunges to the BACK, each leg, alternating OR 1 leg at a time, 20 back lunges total.
• 20 jumping jacks + 5 pushups.
• 10 DIAGONAL lunges to your FRONT RIGHT, using your right leg.
• 10 DIAGONAL lunges to your FRONT LEFT, using your left leg.
• 20 jumping jacks + 5 pushups.
• 10 DIAGONAL lunges to your BACK RIGHT, using your right leg.
• 10 DIAGONAL lunges to your BACK LEFT, using your left leg.
• 20 jumping jacks + 5 pushups.
• 20 crunches.
• Plank – hold 30-90 seconds, whatever you can do.

Stretch!

Warmup:

• 10 Squats
• 20 Jumping Jacks
• 30 Punches
• 20 Jumping Jacks
• 10 Squats

Repeat 3X:

• 10 Pushups (Knees or Toes)
• 10 Lunges to the Front (Each Leg, 20 Total)
• 10 Burpees
• 10 Lunges to the Back (Each Leg, 20 Total)
• 10 Plank-ups
• 10 Lunges to the Side (Each Leg, 20 Total)
• 10 V-ups

Repeat 2X:

• 30 Mountain Climbers
• 20 Side Crunches (Each Side, 40 Total)
• 30 Straight Crunches

Stretch:

• Back
• Triceps
• Chest
• Hamstrings, Back, Neck