Explode! It's good for your health.

Hump day! Inching closer and closer to the weekend. I have a lot to look forward to, Andrew is coming to Boston, college friends are arriving for a big wedding weekend [next wknd], spring dinner party, basically overall love and happiness.  This has been a crazy week at work so far, so I am very much looking forward to Friday evening for some relax and unwind time. I don't have much for you in the way of sports updates, I definitely watched Biggest Loser last night instead of the Bulls game, it was a lot more interesting. Last night on BL there was the final elimination to determine the final four, who are competing for the huge cash prize at the end of the show. It was an impressive episode, all three women left are in the 150's and posted losses of 4, 5, and 5 lbs. One week, 5 lbs, already weighing 155lbs. KICKING ASS. I get so fired up watching this show, probably not normal. I would like nothing more than to make a guest appearance and get my butt kicked by Jillian and Bob for a couple of days. Shannon's paradise.

Theme of the day: explosion. I realize this could be taken many ways, and do with it as you wish, but my use of the word 'explode' relates to moving explosively during your workouts. I am going strong with 2-a-days this week, upper body Mon AM, running Mon PM, spin Tues AM & PM, so as I sat last night thinking about my morning's workout, I realized I needed some explosiveness in my life. The motion of exploding does WONDERS for your body. It engages your core, back, glutes, thighs all in one exercise. It increases heart rate and burns calories at an insane rate. Essentially, there is nothing better for your body than explosive plyometic exercises. As you probably know by now, slow and steady is not my jam. It really shouldn't be anyone's jam on a consistent basis. Nothing wrong with settling into the occasional long run or bike ride, but intervals, hills, plyos etc are much more effective methods of exercise.

I incorporated a couple of different explosive exercises into this morning's lift, and my body is already thanking me for it! For a frame of reference, I sweat as much lifting as I do while running intervals. If you are lifting hard enough, and explosive enough, it almost counts as cardio [but not really, DO BOTH!].

Hump Day EXPLOSIONNNNN

Circuit of explosion - x3
Kettlebell swings x 20 - get into a deep squat while swinging the ball back between your legs, explode forward with your hips and glutes
Jump squats x 20
Leg press x 20 - slow on the way down, explode up for each rep

Power pulls & cleans
Power pull x 6, power clean x 6 @ 95lbs
Power pull x 5, power clean x 5 @ 115lbs
Power pull x 4, power clean x 4 @ 125lbs
Power clean x 3 @ 135lbs

Deadlift
3 x 8 @ 145lbs

There is no better exercise [maybe other than clean and jerk] for exploding than power cleans. Coupling that with the 'circuit of explosion', you are going to explode right out of the gym! Deadlifts are obviously great for glutes, thighs and back strength. Explode all you want with deadlifts but be careful of jarring your back.