Daily RAW: 6/30/13 - FitRanX, different workouts?

Greetings RAW Warriors,

Here's today's BW workout from FitRanX HQ to get you started...

Level 0-3

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Bridge x8
2. Plank w/ Alternating Foot Lift x8
3. Bear Crawl x8
4. Stationary Lunges x8
5. Lying Knee Tucks x8
6. Total Body Extension x8

Level 4-6

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Alternating Lunges x8
2. Plank Walk Up x8
3. Wounded Bear Crawl x8
4. Rolling T's w/ Push-Ups x8
5. Lying Knee Tucks x8
6. Skater Hops x8

Check Out The Video Library Here:
http://www.youtube.com/myfitranx
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I've been debating about offering some different workouts of mine as Daily RAW's, like I've been doing with the Rats Alley Barbell Club Manual's workouts for Monday & Thursday routines.

For the next month, I may just offer some workouts that are based on my two top-selling Kindle guides. I see that "Just Swing It!" and "Just The Workouts" are my two top selling guides at the moment, so maybe I should provide something along those lines, such as some sample routines based on those programs, or a hybrid of the two.  RABC is based upon some workouts from JTW, so maybe mixing in the KB Swings into the program is the way to go.

You'll have to see what I come up with for next week's routines.

Until then, you can still get a FREE copy of "Track Attacks!" for your Kindle this weekend, right here: http://tinyurl.com/trackattacks

You can also get a very new guide, "Coach Rick's Top 5 Budget Fitness Tricks" for your ideal home gym operation.  Just released it on Thursday evening, and just like every other guide, its only 99 cents.  Check it out at http://tinyurl.com/rkofp

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak

Daily RAW: 6/28/13 FR WOD, Kindle stuff

Greetings RAW Warriors,

Here's another FitRanX WOD, plus updates on my free Kindle guide, and brand new one that's out today as well!

Body Weight WOD

ALL LEVELS

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Knuckle Draggers x8
2. Side Plank w/ Pulse x4 on each side
3. Burpees x8
4. Jump Squats x8
5. Plank to Tricep Extension x8
6. Gator Crawls x8

 Check Out The Video Library Here:
http://www.youtube.com/myfitranx
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Some Kindle Guide News: 

"Track Attacks!" is free this weekend for your Kindles, from today through Sunday! Add these mini-workouts to the end of your runs to add some speed and finish off your runs on a solid, fast note.  I have used these for the past decade with track/XC runners, plus my own workouts. 

Download the guide right here:  http://tinyurl.com/trackattacks

My newest guide, 'Coach Rick's Top 5 Budget Fitness Tricks' is also available... its a guide on home workouts and how to setup your own home gym on a budget.

I've helped out lots of athletes and fitness clients with finding a workout solution for home, even when they'd come to the gym and train with me.  Some need a little extra, or want to get something in if they can't make it to the gym.

I made this guide after talking with a co-worker who told me, "You should make a guide for people on how to set up a home workout gym, but on a budget." 

So, here you go! Its the first guide on the list at http://tinyurl.com/rkofp

Enjoy the reading this weekend!

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak

Daily RAW: 6/28/13 FitRanX & Kindle Guide News

Greetings RAW Warriors,

Here's the FitRanX BW WOD for you, plus some news on Kindle guides from me:

Body Weight WOD

Level 0-3

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Body Weight Row x8
2. Crunch w/Feet Elevated x8
3. Split Shuffle x8
4. Prisoner Squat x8
5. Leg Lifts x8
6. Squat Thrust x8

Level 4-6

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Spiderman Push-Up x8
2. Inchworm x8
3. Split Shuffle x8
4. Prisoner Squat x8
5. Frozen V-Sit x8
6. Squat Thrust x8

 Check Out The Video Library Here:
http://www.youtube.com/myfitranx
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Look out for Friday's blog announcement on which Kindle Guide I am giving away for free on Fri-Sat-Sun this weekend: yep, its another Freebie Weekend for 'Occupy First Place' Kindle Guides! 

I should also have a new guide available tomorrow too, called "Coach Rick's Top 5 Budget Fitness Tricks".  Its a quick little resource guide on finding fitness bargains for your home gyms and for avoiding the crazy stuff you might be suckered into getting for your home gyms. 

These Top 5 Tips include:
1. Buying slightly used stuff if possible, and where to find it for a decent price
2. The "3B's" of resistance training needs
3. How doorway gym items help you save space and money
4. Workout Videos and their applications
5. What factors to decide when you want to get a new gadget off a TV infomercial

The guide is small, but packed with money-saving tips and tricks to help you avoid getting burned on some expensive items.

So, on Friday, look for: a free guide, plus the newest guide I just created!

June has been a GREAT month for workout guide sales for my Kindle series. Its been the best month overall, almost selling 2-3x the amount of guides I usually sell in a typical month.  Thank you if you have purchased any of the guides recently, I'm glad I could help you with your goals!

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak

Daily RAW: 6/27/13, FitRanX, Kindle guide soon?

Greetings RAW Warriors,

Here's today's Daily RAW for Bench & Deadlifts, plus some more stuff from FitRanx.

Daily RAW: 6/27/13

Deadlifts: 4 x 5
Bench Press: 4 x 5

Bent Over Rows:  4 x 8
All Star Sit Ups: 4 x 5 per side

4 Minute Warning:
Kettlebell Swings: 4 minutes of 20/10 work/rest pattern
Switch arms every 20/10 period
Change up KB weights from light to heavier if desired for the last 2 minutes.

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FitRanX BW Workout of the Day:

Body Weight WOD
...
ALL Levels

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Ninja Squats x8
2. Bicycle Crunches x8
3. Spiderman Push-Ups x8
4. Jumping Lunges x8
5. Crunch w/Leg Lift x8
6. Sprints x8

 Check Out The Video Library Here:
http://www.youtube.com/myfitranx
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I recently started working on another Kindle guide, this time its in regards to budget-minded fitness solutions.  Not everyone's going to the gym, or can get to the gym every single day.  Even when I was a trainer, I would do most of my workouts at home instead of at the gym (mainly due to being the only trainer at the club and members would barrage me with questions during my workouts...a total disruption of workout flow!). Since that time I have gained a lot of insight and personal experience into finding workout solutions for people at home: from relatives to friends and former athletes who are now out of school or college and want some at-home workout questions answered to stay on top of their goals.

Be on the lookout this week for this new guide.  Working title so far is "Coach Rick's Top 5 Budget Fitness Tricks". 

Until then, check out my current lineup of guides at http://tinyurl.com/rkofp for a wide arrange of guides for training programs and tips galore. The guides are having their best month ever for sales in June, thank you if you have purchased any of them over the past few weeks.  Just Swing It! and Just The Workouts are quite the tag-team of top sellers for me this month.  I'm glad those guides are helping some people out!

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak

Daily RAW: 6/26/13, Cycling As An Option

Greetings RAW Warriors,

Here's today's FitRanX BW Workout of the Day from FitRanX HQ -

Body Weight WOD

ALL Levels

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Side Lunges x8
2. Run in Place x8
3. Side Plank x8
4. Regular Push-Ups/or on Knees x8
5. Burpees x8
6. Flutter Kicks x8

 Check Out The Video Library Here:
http://www.youtube.com/myfitranx

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I've decided this week to hit my bike some more for my cardio.  I have a hybrid bike for road & gravel riding at a good clip, so I will head out to the country gravel roads and take on the rolling hills and quiet scenery while doing it.  There is the occasional tractor and livestock you'll find on the ride, but its no big deal.  Its still pretty quiet and peaceful. 

Last year I had to ride my bike a lot due to a foot injury and I really grew to enjoy it again as a mode of exercise.  I trained pretty intensely for some triathlons almost 10 years ago now, back in 2004 & 2005. Back then I had a mountain bike to start with, then I got a really good road bike for the race.  My road bike has seen some better days and now I've gone to the hybrid style that can go easily on both road and gravel terrain.  Its like a mountain bike, but faster than one, for going on gravel.  I am just a couple mph behind my speeds on a road bike with the hybrid, and last year, I did a 20 miler mostly on gravel and averaged about 17-18 mph while on that ride.  I'm now looking at a hybrid bike with even skinnier tires on it to really fly a bit faster, but for now, my Schwinn OR2 bike is doing just fine.

If you live in the country or rural areas, these new hybrids are a solid choice to buy, due to their versatility.  Yes, they are a little heavier than a regular road bicycle with skinny tires, but for the sturdy nature of a mountain bike to tear up gravel roads with, with some good speed, its a great bargain.  I got my Schwinn hybrid bike last year at Target for about $260.  I think its a great buy for how fast I can go on it, and for the rides I've been on with it since last summer.

I have a guide on using cycling as a cross training method, called "Cross-Training: The Original XT", with my series of Kindle guides.  You can check those out at http://tinyurl.com/rkofp or at the links at the top of the blog here.

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak

Daily RAW: 6/25/13 & SodaStream - A better option?

Greetings RAW Warriors,

Here's today's FitRanX BW Workout of the Day from FitRanX HQ...plus a surprising rant on SodaStream devices. It may be better to drink your soda this way.

Level 0-3

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Body Weight Squat x8
2. Penguin Crunch x8
3. X-Body Mountain Climber x8
4. Reverse Lunge x4 on each side
5. Bicycle Crunches x8
6. Skater Hops x8

Level 4-6

30 min TABATA - 20 sec Doing Exercise, 10 sec Rest - Do this 8 times, then switch to the next exercise.

1. Alternating Reverse Lunges x8
2. Plank w/ Alternating Foot lift x8
3. Frog Leap and Squat Thrust x8
4. Close Grip Push-Up x8
5. Bicycle Crunches x8
6. Side to Side Jump x8
Check Out The Video Library Here:
http://www.youtube.com/myfitranx
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Today's little rant is on a little discovery I made over the past weekend, and it pertains to Pop, or Soda, depending on where you live. (In Ohio, it was called Soda, up here in ND & MN, its mostly called Pop). 

I've seen this new SodaStream thing in the stores lately and wondered if it was worth getting into.  I feel I already drink enough pop the way it is, sometimes too much in one day.  I thought I would try it out and since you make your own, it should cost less overall, plus you'd use less bottles/cans and throw away a lot less of that stuff.

So, I decided to crunch the numbers a bit, and give my reasons why I think this device will help me cut down on waste, cut down on intake, and keep me more aware of how much pop I'm drinking.

Let's say you get 3, 12 packs on sale for $10 total.  That's about 28 cents a can, on a sale price.  Plus 36 cans you have to throw away, plus 3 cardboard packs to toss, too.  A regular price for a 12 pack around here is near $5, so now its about 42 cents a can at that rate.

Now, with the SodaStream device, it makes 1 liter at a time, and each bottle of Soda Mix (such as ones for Cola, an Energy drink mix like Red Bull, and my new fave, Fountain Mist, a Mountain Dew like flavor), costs anywhere from $5-7.  Lets use Cola as the example, which was $5 at the store.

Now, its easy to discover that each bottle of Soda Mix makes about 12 liters, or 33 cans worth, of pop for you.  But you also have to factor in the carbonation factor, which on my device makes about 60 Liters of soda for you.  A replacement cartridge could cost $15 if you recycle it at Target, which is where I got my device from.  A cartridge off the shelf is $30 new. 

So, the cost for just the Cola mix for 33 cans worth is about 15 cents a can, and carbonation is about .008 cents an ounce, or roughly 10 cents total for 12 ounces in comparison.  So, even though its 25 cents total to make about 12 ounces of pop, you would still save money over time versus the sale price of 28 cents. You'd really save a lot compared to a regular price at 42 cents a can. 

However when it comes to bottles, if we use our math here, its .008 cents per ounce for carbonation, and 1.25 cents per ounce for Soda Mix.  Total cost is 2.05 cents per ounce (.0125 + .008 = .0205, or 2.05 cents).  For a 1 liter bottle, its only about 67 cents to make 33 ounces of pop.

For a typical 20 ounce bottle, its about 41 cents.

Considering I'd buy half-liter bottles in 6 packs, now I'm spending about $2.00 to make 6, half-liter bottles.  (3 liters of pop total, .67 x 3 = $2.01) I've seen most stores sell them for $4-4.50 a 6 pack, now I'm making them for about half the cost or more.  That's going to save me money over time.

Okay, so that's the money-saving equations to showcase how much you'll save, but here's what I thought about too:  Its also going to make you more aware of how much you consume when you have to make it yourself each time.  You can't just grab a can & go, you'll have to make it quick (only takes about a minute to do) if you want some pop. 

My unit came with a 1 liter bottle, and I also bought some half-liter ones.  For today, I brought two half-liter bottles to work after making it this morning, and limited my drinking to that during work.

I now know that I'm saving money, not wasting bottles/cans, and putting a limit on my intake because I want my purchase to last longer over time, too.  I also like the fact that the pop you make isn't full of aspartame if you choose the diet stuff, it isn't full of high fructose corn syrup, and another thing I noticed was that its just the right amount of fizz added.  It seems to be bubbly, but not so bubbly like you get in a can or bottle.  Goes down a lot smoother, and some flavors I got in the sampler pack taste a lot better too! 

So, if you are looking at the SodaStream or similar devices out there to make your own pop, I would suggest it due to the fact you'll make your very own & save money, you will know what you are consuming overall by being more aware of how much you make, and when you do drink the stuff, its not as nasty as the stuff already made for you in bottles & cans. Plus you will also help with the environment by having less cans/bottles tossed away overall, plus cardboard/plastic rings as well.  The unit itself has no batteries, its all run on compressed CO2. So, no electricity used up either, unless you are counting the cooling factor of getting your water cold before you make your drinks. Overall there is no electricity (plug-in or batteries) used by the machine to make the stuff.

I know it sounds like s shill for selling SodaStream units, but its not.  It is simply a way to help you make better choices when it comes to an issue like this.  If a device helps you save money over time, and can help you consume less of the stuff over time, maybe it is worth looking into.  I know a LOT of athletes who have "an issue with pop" and have a hard time cutting down on it.  Perhaps this device could help them out over time in cutting down their overall intake and save money, too.

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak

Daily RAW: 6/24 & A Peek at SPARTA FitRanX

Greetings RAW Warriors,

Its time for another week in the RABC, its a 4x5 week in Phase 1.

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Daily RAW: 6/24

Deadlifts: 4 x 5
Bench Press: 4 x 5

Band Rows (heavy) 4 x 8
Windmills: 4 x 5 each side

4 Minute Warning: 20/10 x 2 each exercise
Push-Ups
Bodyweight Squats
Burpees
Total Body Extensions

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I wanted to share a sample workout from the SPARTA FitRanx protocols, to give a sneak peek into what all takes place.

First, we start with a basic warm-up with rolling devices, taken across the main muscles of the body: quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, lower back, upper back, & shoulders are targeted with these devices.

Then, we break into the FitRanX Workout of the Day that is chosen for the week's workouts (2-3 times a week is the frequency of SPARTA FitRanX workouts).  This past week, the WOD called "Hotel" was chosen.  It was a bodyweight conditioning circuit of:

Mountain Climbers
Crunches
Jump Rope
Planks
Squat Thrusts (changed to Burpees with my group)
Seal Jacks

This circuit lasts for about 20-21 minutes, with the Tabata format being used for 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest for X times per station. I have tried various methods, the best seems to be 2 rounds of 20/10 per station with a 1 minute break at the end of the circuit, before you go through another round. 

For the SPARTA conditioning circuit, I created 8 stations of drills to go through.
Each station is done in a 30 second period, with varying rates of work/rest per 30 seconds.
For example, 10 seconds of work with 20 seconds rest, 15/15, and 20/10 rates are used per station.  I don't want to give everything away but we go for certain rounds with varying work/rest periods.

"Brutus" is the name of the circuit that I matched up with Hotel.

Left Arm KB Swings
Jump Rope Crossovers
3 Hurdle Fast Leg
5 Yard Sprint/Backpedal
Right Arm Swings
Jump Rope Scissor Jumps
3 Hurdles Lateral Shuffles
5 Yd Lateral Cone Shuffles

This circuit also takes about 20 minutes to go through. 

Another workout session of SPARTA FitRanX replaces the speed/power circuit with some straight line speed drills that are timed with an electronic beam timing system, such as 10, 20, 30 and 40 yard dashes. One session we do the big circuit, the other session we will do timed sprints, essentially.

All in all, the total workout takes about an hour to go through with breaks in-between sessions. 

All the SPARTA circuits are named after Roman names, and the FitRanX routines are named after military call names, such as Alpha, Bravo, etc.

The SPARTA FitRanX protocols can still be done in a case study with 6-7 weeks of training time. 
I still have some openings for conducting SPARTA FitRanX workouts at the Finley Wellness Center.  These sessions are free to be a part of, so if you need a solid workout program to go through that covers all the bases of strength & conditioning within an hour's workout, SPARTA FitRanX is for you!

Contact me if you want to take part in a 6-7 week case study with this program!

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Finley FitRanX - Go here for our Facebook Page
Coach Rick Karboviak