Day 58: Sprints at Night, Distance in the Morning

Yesterday started with some KB cleans in the morning, followed by some weight lifting before some sprints.

The weight workout was about 30 minutes, including:
3x5 on Deadlifts
3x5 on Bench Press
3x8 on 1 Arm Rows
3x5 each side on Windmills

The 3x5's on DL's and BP's are at 90% of 5RM for the first set, then 80% of 5RM for the next 2. 

After that, we did some starts with the timer out of the blocks.
10 sets of 10m starts
5 sets of 20m starts

I'm still trying to work on the best starting block setup for myself.  I realize there are a lot of factors with that, meaning how well you come out, how fast you explode out, and how fast you keep moving. It is a good thing to practice all this on my own, along with our college athlete doing it.  It gives me greater insight versus just observing things and guessing.

This morning I went with a 20 minute run on the treadmill and got 2.5 miles in.  It was a bit tough on my calves, I'm feeling that I'm not used to it and need to spend more time getting them loose at night and in the morning as well.

My Slim Challenge is coming to a 3 week end and I've decided to take a break from it.  I'm basically at 200 and staying steady there.  I feel I'll take a break and continue on with my runs, sprints, and other workouts and then go on it again in a week or two.

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 57: Cleans To Begin The Day

This morning was another session of good old kettlebell cleans, doing them with the 53# bell and knocking out 40 reps per set, x 6 rounds and then a set of 60 to capture 300 reps total.  Going every 3 minutes on the sets can really keep the workout moving along.

Later tonight, I will get some lifting in and also some more sprint work in the gym with the Track Club on campus.

Now that I have a good workout schedule going for some barbell and dumbbell workouts, I can fit in some KB stuff in the mornings and also use the treadmill for some morning runs. 

My schedule will be fluctuating from time to time with more travel, but I'm glad I have more at-home options plus on-the-road ones to help me out.

I also may see an increase in Track Club interest and that will keep my evenings pretty busy.

All in all, there are some good things happening as I near 90 days on my goals.

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 56: A Run On The New Toy

On Saturday, I picked up a used treadmill in a nearby town and had my friend help me load it and put it downstairs. I now have a pretty good treadmill to use when its not so great outside and have another option than just going to the gym.

This morning, I went for 2.5 miles on it, trying to go at 8 minutes a mile pace.  It ended up being a good 20 minute run and at a faster clip than yesterday's run outside.  It's been quite a while since I ran at that speed, and my outdoor runs have been slower.  I was able to maintain it, but the first mile felt like a little struggle to get there. I think my calves weren't quite as warmed up as they should have been.

Overall, the treadmill felt good for a change and I'm happy I now have an indoor running option at home.

I wanted a treadmill all winter and kicked myself for not buying one last summer when I had the chance. At least now I have one and the room to put one in the basement. This should help keep me on task for my running goals. I don't mind going outside around now, but the weather forces you to dress with a bunch of layers and I hate it when I have half a load of laundry to do after a run. For indoor runs, it is definitely less clothes to wear compared to an outdoor run.

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 55: Morning Runs Are Fun

Had a long road trip last night to a basketball game that started at 9pm, so it was a late night pulling into town back home. Slept in a bit this morning and went out for a 2.5 mile run, as the temp wasn't too bad and hey, hardly any wind!  In North Dakota, I'll take a run on any day that has hardly any wind.

The run itself was dictated by my heart rate watch, which I discovered had a pedometer ability as a function as I scanned through my results of average heart rates and such.  I was mainly in the 170's with my heart rate and was closer to the lower 180's in the end of the run.

I went a 2.5 mile route and my watch estimated it at 2.48, not too bad with no GPS to go by.

I wasn't worried about time over my distances, as its hard to compare wearing heavy clothes and lighter ones in the spring/summer. The main thing is to just start running more and get tuned up for summertime running and races.

I'll see how I feel tomorrow, but I'll probably take a rest day or do a light HWR routine.

Now that I have the CU24 workouts to try, I may give one of those a shot, too.

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 54: A 5K Run and Some HWR

Last night after work, I went out for a 5K run.  The temp was a bit below 30 degrees and felt like it was falling with a chilly breeze for some of the course I ran.  I do have a darn-near perfect 5K route to take around town and it ends up almost coming perfectly back to my driveway.  The first mile was a hair over 8 minutes, second mile was mostly into the wind for about 9 minutes, then after a half mile, the last 6 tenths to go was with the wind behind me, making the last mile around 8:25.  All in all, it was 26:20 for the 5K distance, 25:30 at the 3 mile mark.

Morning runs are great for me, but evening runs have a great feeling as well. 

This morning was another HWR, 12 minute circuit, this time adding dumbbells and doing the following:

DB Deadlifts: 4 rounds of 20/10, about 8 reps per set
DB Alternating Presses: 4 rounds of 20/10, about 5 per arm, per set
DB Curls: 4 rounds of 20/10, about 5 per arm, per set. 
I then repeated the same 6 minute sequence to get in a 2nd round for the workout. 

You do have to rest the dumbbells between some sets, just because your grip gets pretty fatigued if you try to keep holding onto them, minute after minute.

That little circuit makes for a nice, simple, squat/press/pull sequence.
It's also a bit fun to do the sets of curls because after a while, a guy can miss doing curls. I think its a guy thing to be obsessed with how many variations of curls you can do.

Overall, its been a good week. I will see how the evening turns out and I might stay inside for a heavier strength workout at the gym or perhaps stay at home and do an indoor bike ride.

I'm still very happy with the results so far on Slim from AdvoCare. Into my third week now and will most likely add a 4th because its going so well.  This is really helping me move along towards my goals on weight but also appearance. 

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 53: 2 Weeks on Slim and KB Cleans

Yesterday was the start of Week 3 of the Slim Challenge. I did make it down to 200 pounds and 17% body fat.  That's a nice 8 pound drop in a little over 7 weeks and 2.5 pounds in the last 2.  Getting down to 190 and less than 15% body fat is coming closer now. Not sure if I can ever make it down to my end-of-college weight in the 170's and low 180's.

I did more kettlebell cleans this morning, doing sets of 40 instead of 60 like I did on Tuesday.  It was a typical 40 every 3 minutes, x 6 rounds and a final 60 reps for the final set.

This typically takes a hair over 20 minutes and has been a nice staple for me throughout the start of the year.

The snow is melting more and more, and hopefully we don't get hit with anything major and just smaller snowfalls in March/April. I'm aiming for some outdoor running, but for now I'm enjoying the sprints at night with the track club at the college. I'll also be doing more lifting before and that should help with more calorie burning.  I'm not getting in two workouts a day but on days I do, they are pretty brief in the mornings and a little longer at night.

I have one more week now of Slim and I'm looking at another week to go with it.

Slim is pretty affordable, especially with 20% off as a Preferred Customer.

Take a look at Slim here!

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 52: Sprints, Lifts, and Core Work

Last night was another night of some Sprint work with the laser timer, plus a brief strength workout beforehand. We did deadlifts, bench press, 1 arm rows, and windmills in a brief workout before the sprints began. 

For Sprint work, we did 5, 20m sprints followed by Flying 10's, which was the last 10m of the 20m distance timed with a 10m fly-in start.  How that works is one person holds down the timer pad and lets go when the sprinter comes past the 10m cone. The timer then captures that final 10m time.

This morning's routine was something short to get the blood flowing, so the new CU24 workout DVD's was a perfect fit. I decided to go with the Core workout from the supplemental workouts DVD in the collection.  It was about a 15 minute workout on a stability ball and also on the floor with a varied amount of exercises.  It was a nice blend of ab work and glute work.

I can see that workout being a nice finishing routine tacked onto some brief kettlebell workouts in the future. 

Last night on my ASAP Workouts page, I wrote a note about how I won't tell you that you'll lose X amount of weight or make X amount of money with AdvoCare, but I can help you use the products and the system to do your desired amount.  My goals are different than your goals, but AdvoCare has a great system to get both of them accomplished. It all comes down to helping people out and its why I like AdvoCare's entire system to help out so many in different situations. Not everyone wants to sell this stuff, they just want to use it.  So, they'll be a retail customer or become a Preferred Customer. If they want to develop a side business at home, AdvoCare also offers that opportunity.  There is no big pressure, just great options to choose from in using the products for your needs (workouts, as a business, etc).

I want to help you find a solution with AdvoCare for your needs.  It's been working great for me and I feel it can work great for you, too. Read more about it at http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Days 50 and 51: An Off Day and More Kettlebells

Monday turned into an off-day for me.  I guess my body was a bit more sore than expected after 2 longer than usual rides and a long stretch of days without a rest day, too.

This morning I went after the kettlebell cleans again, using the 53# bell, doing sets of 60 this time and getting them done every 4.5 minutes.  I had 240 done after 18 minutes and hit another 60 to finish, still hitting my 300 total.  It was basically 5 sets of 60, instead of 6 sets of 40 followed by a finishing set of 60.

I at least had a good bit of endurance in the tank with the sets of 60. 

Last night, I shared some before and after photos of the 7 weeks that I've been on AdvoCare and doing the mix of my workouts.

Here are some side views:
The one in black shorts is January 2nd.

Below is after 7 weeks on Feb 20th.

All in all, its been a nice bit of progress.  I'm only down 6 pounds but it feels like 10 off of me.

I did the following:
24 Day Challenge: 10 days of Cleanse, 14 days of Max Phase.
14 days of MNS and Spark, similar to the Max Phase of MNS, Spark, and the Meal Replacement Shakes.
Days 39-49: I used the Slim Challenge, using two packs of Slim per day.

I have another week to go on it once Wednesday hits me.

Now is a great time to be a Preferred Customer too, if you want to try the 24 Day Challenge, or do the Slim Challenge like I'm currently doing.

Let me help you: take a look here at http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo.

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Days 48 and 49: 40's and Fat Biking, and a 7 Week Update

This Saturday and Sunday, I added a lot of miles onto my Fat Bike and also did a little 12 minute HWR circuit.

Saturday started with a 12 minute round of HWR and some weights to the mix. 
2 minutes of squats with 35# DB's
2 minutes of alternating presses, 30# DB's
2 minutes of alternating curls, 30# DB's
2 minutes of mountain climbers
4 minutes of deadlifts with 35# DB's

That is another circuit I think I'd do again, I liked the addition of dumbbells to the mix with one bodyweight exercise to take a break from. It also felt good to finish with a good total body lift for that 4 minute round.

I had a short period of work at the college to help with a recruit (who ended up signing to play Volleyball, yay!), and I went out for a ride once I got home.

Just a bit of slushy ice and snow is left on the bike trail, plus some streets but it is really melting from the heat wave of 40's and low 50's we've been getting since mid-week last week.

Saturday's ride was a hair over 13 miles. It felt so nice to get a bike ride in these warmer than usual temps in February.  A year ago, it was in the -20 below zero range!

The sun was out for the first half of my ride before hiding behind some clouds.

Sunday, I went for a 20 mile ride around town and out to Portland Junction and back with my best friend. It was a bit warmer, closer to 50 and with a southern breeze.  My legs were a bit tired in the evening, but I'll take that feeling after getting in a great bike ride during the winter months when I can.

Up here, we can still get dumped with nasty weather in March or April, so I'll take these rides when possible.

I got my CU24 Level 2 workout DVD's in last week, I may wait until the first full week of March to give them a try.  I'm going to be doing some workouts with the track club starting this week, so my main lifting routines will be done with them along with sprints.

If I do the CU24, I may just do them in the mornings.

It was a great gift to get, a gift from AdvoCare for ordering the 24 Day Challenge package earlier this year and getting the DVD set for free with another order. 

I sold another business's workout DVD's a few years back and they NEVER offered a free DVD workout system like that.  And I was still paying a high amount per month just for hosting fees on my sales site.  Looking back, I would have saved so much more money by selling AdvoCare products versus theirs.  My hosting fees for two months were the same as an entire YEAR with AdvoCare...there are reasons why I really like this business and selling their stuff to people in need.

7 Week Update:

After 7 weeks now, I'm down to 202 pounds and 16.7% body fat.  I have always fought some 'belly bloat' the past couple of years and I feel that the AdvoCare products are taking care of that well.  The Slim product I'm taking is really helping with that, my obliques are reducing and starting to show some slight definition again.  I've only been on it for a week and a half, and I like how it reduces the appetite throughout the day and especially at night.  I will be on it for a full 3 weeks and will probably order another week's worth because its working so well.

My Day 1 Stats:
Day 1:
Weight: 208
Body Fat %: 18.3%
BF Weight: 38 pounds
Day 49:
Weight: 202
Body Fat %: 16.7%
BF Weight: 33 pounds

I'm aiming to get down under 200 now this next week, plus to get around 15% or lower would be a great goal to hit too.

If you want to know more about AdvoCare and were to start, ask me!  Or check out the site and the Product Navigator tool.

If you have looked at the products and finally want to order some, consider becoming a Preferred Customer for only $19.95.

Check everything out at http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 47: Back Home, Back to Kettlebells

I finally made it back home from my recruiting rounds and hit the kettlebells this morning for some KB Cleans. 

Since it has been a while, Monday was my last KB workout, I started with the 40# bell and did 100 straight, doing this in right around 4 minutes. I rested 2, then hit the 53# bell and hit a round of 100 straight on that as well.  All in all, it was 200 reps.  I may do a bike ride tonight if it isn't too bad outside, as the temps are looking to be in the 40's. 

The past two days, I only took one pack of Slim each day as my afternoons got too tied up to take the 2nd pack. 

Today should be an easier one to get back on track with it, and control the diet a bit better. Breakfasts at the hotels were easy to do, lunches were a different matter.  Dinner didn't go too bad each night. 

Weight wise, it feels like I gained some pounds but that always seems to happen on my travels. 

I should bounce back over the weekend here.

I did get a nice surprise at home, the CU24 Level 2 workout DVD's from AdvoCare came with my order. 
Since I ordered the "All-In 2017" special package of the 24 Day Challenge previously, they set it up to give away the complete CU24 Level 2 series with your next order in a short time frame.  That was an easy decision: order at least one product and get a $40 set of DVD's for free!

It's another reason I really like AdvoCare as a company, compared to others I've sold for in the past.

It's not only some great products, but also has great rewards, from being a Preferred Customer, to being a Distributor as well. 

Learn more about AdvoCare at http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 46: More Hotel Workouts

If I were doing a 90 day challenge, today's the halfway point.  I started numbering these days for the 24 Day Challenge, but I feel its not a bad thing to continue and use the blog as a nice little journal of sorts to track what I did and what progress has been made.

I'm still on the road today and will be back home tonight, planning to get some sprints in later this evening once I get back.

This morning was another 12 minute HWR style of a workout.
3 minutes of 20/10 for Standing Ab Twists
3 minutes of 20/10 for bodyweight squats
2 minutes of push-ups
2 minutes of band curls
2 minutes of mountain climbers (all done in 20/10 formats of work/rest)

Planning to hit the kettlebells on Friday morning and also try a race on Saturday morning in Grand Forks.  The weather is really, really nice this week and the race day temps look great to go do a 5K.

The HWR style to workouts is a great fit for hotel room workouts, as I've often mentioned before.

The workouts can be downloaded to your computer to play at any time. I've done enough HWR workouts to follow the formats and create my own unique styles, such as the ones I've done the past 2 mornings.  I have my GymBoss timer set for the 20/10 work/rest periods.  If I forget it, I also have the GymBoss App on my phone to do the same thing. All I brought with was my timer and a set of bands.

Check out HWR today at http://tinyurl.com/cbhwrevsale

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 45: Hotel Circuit and Week 1 of Slim Challenge Complete

I'm on the road for a couple days for my recruiting job, so it was a hotel room workout this morning.

I brought my GymBoss timer and did a 12 minute circuit with some bands and bodyweight.

2 minutes of 20/10 with Band Squats
2 minutes of 20/10 with Band Curls
2 minutes of 20/10 with Push-Ups
6 minutes of 20/10 with Total Body Extensions

4 exercises, packed into 12 minutes.

It's a nice start to the morning.  I may get in a little circuit tonight when I hit the next town.

My Slim Challenge continues this week, and I ordered another pack of Slim to extend the challenge over 3 weeks of time.

My weight is staying fairly steady after a slight weekend climb, but I am noticing differences in my sides most notably.  I think the sprints at night the past two weeks are helping out too.

I had a nice surprise when I ordered.  AdvoCare threw in a free gift of the CU24 Level 2 series of DVD's, as a thank-you for ordering a 24 Day Challenge package earlier this year.  That's a $40 gift, which is pretty sweet overall that a company would offer that on any order.  I don't remember that sort of thing happening with other companies I've sold for.

The free gift was only available if you ordered a 24DC package and ordered something from AdvoCare at the present time for a limited time.

This a great advantage of being a Preferred Customer or a Distributor with AdvoCare, when things like this come up.  Your savings just pile up when you order these quality products!

It's why I tell you, my readers, about the company.  I feel its helping me out greatly and it can help you out, too: as a customer, or even as a Distributor to run your own part-time business of helping others.

Talk to me today at rick@asapworkouts.com or find me on Facebook at ASAP Workouts if you want to learn more about being an independent distributor. 

Signing up for either PC or ID is pretty simple at http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 44: Sprints plus some HWR

Last night, it was more sprints with the track club, working more on starting block technique.  I'm still trying to find the right mix of foot placement to get a better start.

We did 8, 10m starts and then 6, 20m sprints. 

This morning was another round of 12 minute Home Workout Revolution, doing the "Screach" routine. It was a mix of split squats, the 'screach' exercise which was like a mountain climber mixed in with a T-push-up.  After that, it was lateral lunges, inch worms, and instead of jumping jacks, I did a combo of a push-up with a mountain climber.  It was push-up, left leg up, right leg up, repeat.  I got about 5 pushups with 10 touches per 20s period.

The Slim Challenge is still going well.  It has been very easy to keep up with the packets, just 2 a day.

I've noticed my sides have really gone down.  Things are slowly but surely getting to where I want them.

After today, its one more week left, and I feel I'll still be doing more of it, if 2 weeks is going this well for me.

If the 24 Day Challenge seems like a bit too much for you, I suggest trying a Slim Challenge for 2 weeks and getting two boxes of it to complete the challenge.  This isn't an official package sold by AdvoCare, such as their 24 Day Challenge package.  However, its as simple as ordering 2 boxes of Slim.  If you're a Preferred Customer, you'll save even more. 

If you're interested in being a Distributor, you'll start saving 20% and build yourself up to 40% as an Advisor with increased sales and customers in your business. 

Be sure to check out all 3 options (retail customer, Preferred Customer, or Distributor) at http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 43: A Kettlebell Start to the Week

It's another Monday morning, and another kettlebell workout with KB cleans starting my day.

I'm keeping up with my 40 reps every 3 minutes pattern, getting to 240 total, then doing 60 to finish my last round.  Makes for a great workout of 300 reps in about 20 minutes.

It will be an interesting week, as I travel a little on the road from Tuesday night through Thursday.  I always feel that meals on the road end up being a struggle, however I will have some Slim to my advantage to help curb appetite. 

Also planning to do more HWR workouts on the road for the two nights I'm gone. I have all the workouts saved on my computer, so all I need to do is pick them out and play them. 

Take a look at the selection at http://tinyurl.com/cbhwrevsale at the Home Workout Revolution site.

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com
http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo - for the latest in AdvoCare products!

Days 41 and 42: A Fat Biking Weekend

For Saturday and Sunday, I chose to just enjoy the outdoor weather and go for some rides.  I went with my best friend Mitchell on Saturday morning, as we expected it to be warmer than it was and perhaps a bit nicer out like the forecast said it would be.  Instead of 30's, it was 20's with some wind that seemed to bite right through you.  We also tried to ride down some of the bike trail, but it wasn't all cleared off and we found ourselves stuck in the frozen slush and snow combinations.  It wasn't a long ride, only about 4 miles worth, but it was a slow and hard one it seemed.  Still, it was good to get outside, even in weather that wasn't as warm as you expected.

Today I ventured on my own and went out about 1:15 in the afternoon. The sun was out all day and the slush and puddles on the roads made for quite the adventure throughout town.  I went for roughly half an hour, and I did not have a GPS tracker going for me to tally up my mileage.  I think it was roughly 5.5 miles worth, according to previous memories of the route I took.  This ride went a lot better and basically just got my bike wet with a little bit of mud. 

 

 

Made it easy for a quick wipe-down to clean it up a tad before the next ride.

 

I know this fat bike is not quite like the super spendy ones, but it does have good traction on icy, slushy streets and enabled me to get a lot of good exercise this weekend outside.  A winter stuck inside due to extreme cold temps can wear on the mind a lot.

 

I have been keeping up with my AdvoCare Slim Challenge.  I can say its pretty easy to do.  Take one a half hour before breakfast, then another roughly 2 hours after lunch.  It is working well and I can already see my sides going down and some definition starting in my midsection.  It is also helping that I'm cutting down my eating at night, too.  Drinking a shake really helps keep me with a 'full' feeling and helps keep off the cravings to hit the fridge or cupboards.

 

My first week of the Slim Challenge is almost up, it will be finished on Tuesday with the first week.

 

Take a look at AdvoCare Slim here and see if it is a doable challenge:  I bought 2 boxes for 2 weeks worth of a challenge. http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo , look for Slim in the "Trim" line of products under the Shop tab.

 

Don't forget to check out what it takes to be a Preferred Customer, which helps you save 20% initially and up to 30% over time on AdvoCare products!  Its only $19.95 a year to be a PC member.

 

Success Starts Here!

Coach Rick Karboviak

http://asapworkouts.com 

Day 40: More Starts and Not As Many Cleans

Last night's sprint session was working more on starts over 20 meters, working on quality over just a quantity of volume.  I made some adjustments and its going a little better.  We had some guys join us and try out the blocks and laser timer, some may join us next week for some sessions. 

This morning was another round of kettlebell cleans, this time going for 240 total instead of 300.  I did 40 every 3 minutes to get it done in under 18 minutes total.

This weekend is looking like a great one for some outdoor exercise, planning to do either some runs or some bike rides on the fat bike. Today should be around 40, with highs close to that over the entire weekend.

The AdvoCare Slim Challenge I'm doing is going very well after 2 days.  I'm amazed how well it helps with appetite control.  That's one big thing I've noticed.  I have 12 more days to go with it.

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 39: More Sprints and A KB HWR Session

Last night, I spent it doing more sprints with the running club and used our new starting blocks.  It was a change for this guy, who's never really used them!  I know I need some more practice and refining of where to put the blocks.

My first day of using Slim was pretty good. Very easy to take, just 30 minutes before breakfast and another in the afternoon. I'm down a pound since yesterday already, so its a good start. 

This morning's session was another 12 minute HWR workout with a kettlebell.
4 minutes of 1 arm KB squats, 7 per 20s round.
4 minutes of 1 arm KB presses, 6 per round.
4 minutes of Alternating Swings, 12 swings/round x 8.

Tonight will be more sprints with the club. 

So far, it has been a good week for workouts!

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com
Check out AdvoCare Slim here: http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Day 38: Swings, Sprints and Cleans

Last night was another track club night, so I did some KB swings paired with some 10, 20, and 30m sprints.  We did 10 alternating swings (5 per side) with the 30# kettlebell, then did a sprint.  For the 30m sprints, we did it with a flying start for the first 10 and got our flying 20m time out of that trial.  One of us had our hand on the timer and took it off the pad when the other person passed us. My hamstring got a little bothered by it, but this morning it felt better.

This morning's routine was another session of 300 KB cleans, doing 40 every 3 minutes and after 18 minutes of that, it was a set of 60 to finish it out. 

I also started the AdvoCare Slim Challenge this morning. I will take a package of Slim in the mornings, 30 minutes before my breakfast, then take another in the afternoon. I'll do this for 2 weeks total. 

If you have interest in trying it out, I suggest just trying it for as little as one week with a box of Slim.  Take a look at it and also don't forget to consider being a Preferred Customer as well to pick up 20% savings right away on your order: http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Mini-Challenges For Motivation

A good way to jump start any fitness regimen is to add in some Mini-Challenges.

A Mini-Challenge is a good, short, and brief 2 to 4 week period to really focus on one part of your fitness goals.

Some examples:

A 10,000 Kettlebelll Swing Challenge: I've done these in the past, usually in January when a national challenge month has been held.  It's a pretty common challenge among kettlebell enthusiasts such as myself. I took a break from it this year since I was already going to do a special challenge. I've documented my previous 10K Swing Challenges in my Kindle guides at http://tinyurl.com/rkofp . You don't have to wait to start one each January, a 10,000 Swing Challenge can be started for pretty much any month out there. For those curious, over 30 days, its an average of 333 total swings per day.  I have done higher volume mixed with lower volume workouts to complete the challenge in less than 30 days.

The 24 Day Challenge: This is the one I just finished in January that was put on by AdvoCare. It involved a 10 day Cleanse phase, followed by a 14 day Max phase.  I felt I made more progress on the Max phase portion and a big part of that was due to the MNS packs I took from AdvoCare.

14 Day Challenges:  This is a good stand-alone challenge that a lot of AdvoCare reps will do, sometimes extending it to a 4 week, 28 day effort.  I'm going to be starting up the Slim Challenge, taking it for 2 weeks instead of 4 like many are doing.   I bought enough Slim packages to cover this over the 14 days.   Another 14 Day Challenge could be just using MNS packs for 14 days, or combining it with Spark.  Take a Spark before your workouts and also take your MNS packs as planned out.  MNS packs are typically 30 minutes before breakfast, another before lunch, then one pack with breakfast and another with lunch or dinner. The MNS packs are a simple way to take in multiple products without having to buy each bottle separately.  Spark also comes in handy sticks, 14 to a bag, to really blend in well with this type of challenge.  These types of challenges are better suited for taking nutritional supplements for the short term to see how well they work for you. They are great if you are on a budget and can't afford higher challenge packages like the 24 Day Challenge one.

Various Workout Plans for 28 Days: giving a workout plan a solid trial basis for 4 weeks of time is a good gauge to use.  It allows for a brief focus of effort, week by week, and allows you to fit it into other large scale efforts.  90 Day programs are also popular, but many will wane off of them if they hit a small roadblock or have a really bad stretch of days when the plans go off the rails.
A 4 week, 28 day or 30 day plan can help you turn a month into a success and help lay a solid foundation to build upon. Some good ones to use at home are Home Workout Revolution and also The Achievable Body.

These are just a handful of challenges to consider, especially if January did not get off on a great start for you with your fitness goals.  Know that there are other solutions than just starting all the time in January with a new set of goals, the process is continual and short-term challenges can help you make a big difference over time!

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 37: More HWR

Today's routine was a HWR one, 12 minutes in total.
2 minutes Standing Ab Twists
2 minutes Push-Ups
4 minutes BW Squats
4 minutes Mountain Climbers

The original routine called for 2 minutes of Mountain Climbers and 2 minutes of Lunges. I opted for 4 minutes of MC's.

Tonight, I'll do more sprints with the running club.  Later this morning I'll do some more snow removal, doesn't look like much though.

My Slim packages didn't come in on Monday, and should come later today.  So, my Slim Challenge will start on Wednesday.

I used my Spark as a substitute for the plan on Monday and will continue that today, although officially I'll move the start to Wednesday for my two weeks worth of the challenge.

Check out more information on Slim here at http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo .

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
Home Workouts Plus!
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 36: Rest Days and KB Cleans

I took off Saturday and Sunday for some rest days. My shins have thanked me.  It was actually more rest than just 2 days, since my last workout was Friday morning, it was about 3 days total rest.

I went with Kettlebell Cleans this morning, nailing another 300 clean workout in about 20 minutes. I've been keeping up with 40 every 3 minutes, doing 6 rounds of that and finishing with a set of 60 to complete it.

I was going to start my Slim Challenge today, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.  My AdvoCare Slim did not come in time, but should come today from where its tracked.  I will use some Spark as the substitute.

The Slim Challenge for me will go for 2 weeks, as I've bought 2 weeks worth of Slim (2 boxes) and will be taking 2 Slim packs a day. I will take one 30 minutes before breakfast, and then one in the mid-afternoon. 1 box of 14 will last you a week at that rate. 

Other distributors are doing a 4 week challenge, but I'm going to try it for 2 weeks.  If you are interested in it, I suggest even trying it for 1 week with a box and see how it works for you, or try for 2 weeks like I am.

Check out more about AdvoCare Slim here, and you still can become a Preferred Customer to save 20% right away on it.  http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Keep up with my progress here and also at the ASAP Workouts Facebook page.


Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
Home Workouts Plus!
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 33: Sprints and the Slim Challenge

Last night, it was more sprints with the Running Club.  I was pretty sore from Wednesday's efforts, and Thursday was reduced on volume and higher on technique.

We did 10, 10m starts and 5, 20m starts.

For this morning's routine, I tried 200 cleans, but straight through, 10 per side, with a 40# kettlebell. The 40# one felt light compared to my usual 53#.  I wanted to go lighter and longer, due to all my soreness from the sprints.  I can tell I am not used to sprints, and it will take me some time, I'm sure.

I have also ordered some AdvoCare Slim, taking on a two week challenge with that, starting on Monday.

Each box has 14 serving sticks, and you take 2 per day.  I ordered 2 boxes worth and all in all, it was only $60 with shipping costs and tax included.  It would be about the same rate if you are a Preferred Customer, plus $19.95 if you haven't joined as a PC member yet.

I'm looking forward to it, as I'm on a good routine now and got my diet in better control since the 24 Day Challenge completed about a week ago for me.

Order some Slim today, right here. Don't forget to become a Preferred Customer to keep saving on AdvoCare products!

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
Home Workouts Plus!
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 32: Sprints!

I didn't workout this morning, basically because I did 2 workouts yesterday.  Kettlebells in the morning, then in the evening it was Sprints with the Running Club at the college.

We did some testing for 10m, 20m, and 30m distances.  Ended up doing 6 trials of each distance.

My 10m best was 2.26, 20m was 3.72, 30m was 5.18. 

I know its been a long time since I've sprinted like that, as my shins were sore about 2 hours after the workout.  They haven't been stressed like that in a long time.

Overall, it was a great workout to do with the club.  My body was pretty sore this morning, and since I'll be doing another workout tonight with the club, I took off the morning from a workout.

Tonight will be more sprints and working mainly on starts.

I did take some Spark before the sprint sessions last night.

Order your next package at http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo.

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
Home Workouts Plus!
http://asapworkouts.com

Day 31: Starting Out February

30 days have passed, and a new month has entered the landscape.  I'm still keeping up with my kettlebell cleans as a solid staple.  Planning to reduce more of the HWR to just 2 times a week, then do more kettlebell clean workouts and also throw in some Swings or Snatches from time to time.

This morning's routine was 300 cleans again, done very similar to Monday's routine.
40 cleans, every 3 minutes, x 6, then a set of 60 to finish.  This took me about 20:30 to do for a total time.

I took Spark this morning and that added a lot of punch to the workout.

If you're still on the fence with AdvoCare products, I invite you to try out Spark first.  It's even better if you're a Preferred Customer, in which you'll also get a sample box of Spark sticks along with your membership package. Of course, your membership also gets you 20% off right away, with the incentive to save 25% after your first $500 of purchases, and 30% once you surpass $1000.  It really is a great incentive savings program, as the more you purchase, the more you save over time!

I talked about this in my Facebook Live video that I put up on Sunday.  You can join a place like Sam's Club, and get daily savings off their products, but you don't really save any more with the increase in the products you buy.  The $15 container of soap will still cost the same after your spend $1000 there. 

PC members can also get upgraded to being a Distributor to save even more (up to 40% when you reach Advisor status).  The opportunity to become a Distributor is up to you.  Its something you can do right away as well and get a full Distributor package with even more samples of products.

Check it all out at my AdvoCare page here: http://tinyurl.com/asapadvo

Success Starts Here!
Coach Rick Karboviak
Home Workouts Plus!
http://asapworkouts.com