New Year's Workout and Sale

I will be sending out a New Year's workout to those who subscribe to the On The Edge Fitness newsletter.  If you have not subscribed yet, it only takes a second.  Then you will get the workout we will all be doing at On The Edge Fitness on New Years day!  Perfect way to start off 2013!

Don't forget our Holiday sale. Only going on for a few more days.  25% off the ENTIRE online store. Code: holiday25

Kettlebell Swing Updated

I filmed a kettlebell swing video about 8 years ago, when I first began my journey in to kettlebells.   I shared it on YouTube a few years later.  It helped many learn the swing who didn't have access to a live instructor.  The only issue now is I don't swing like that any more nor teach it that way.  I invited Franz Snideman from Revolution Fitness, my first kettlebell coach, to help break down the "current" swing that we practice today.  Believe it or not, the swing has evolved into something more athletic, more powerful and efficient! For those of you who have access to RKC or StrongFirst Instructors, this may just be review.  For those who don't have access to an instructor and continue to learn from videos and/or books, this is a nice breakdown taught briefly in an easily digestible format.  Apply one technique at a time and watch your kettlebell swing become stronger!  Let us know how you do!

To view video directly on YouTube click here

Happy Holidays!

How Kettlebells Have Changed My Life

(To read this where I originally posted this, which has all the comments, please click here)

"What the hell is that?" I asked as I picked up a big, heavy black ball with a handle on it.  My college and gym rat friend Joel replied, "A kettlebell.  It's a gift for a friend.  It actually costs quite a bit."  I was very intrigued, but it didn't go any further than that.  Little did I know my life was about to change.  

In 2005, I was working as a personal trainer at a gym located in Oceanside, California   (I'll refrain from disclosing the name as I didn't leave on the best of terms) when they received a flyer promoting a Russian kettlebell workshop for trainers only.  Instantly it brought me back to holding that heavy black ball that I was so curious about.  The flyer hung up on the bulletin board in the back for days and I must have walked by and read it 15 times.  For some reason I was obsessed! They wanted to send a trainer from their gym to the workshop in La Jolla to then come back and share what they had learned.  I volunteered immediately so they sent me.  This was the first time that I met Franz and Yoana.  Franz ran the workshop and did an incredible job at teaching this "new" method to a bunch of conventional trainers.  Yoana demonstrated and I was extremely inspired by her strength.  That 6 hour workshop was one of the biggest eye openers of my life.  I will never ever forget my first teachers.  I went back to the gym where I was working in Oceanside so excited to share what I'd learned.  Unfortunately, the owners dismissed it entirely and I was told not to teach it in the gym.  That's when I knew it was time to move on.

I knew in my heart that learning as much as I could about Russian Kettlebells was my calling.  I spent hours researching everything that I could get my hands on.  A few months later, I flew to Minnesota for the Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certifcation (RKC) since I wanted to learn directly from Pavel, the man himself.  That weekend I was surrounded by the most cutting edge, independent thinking group.  The Senior instructors, which are now equivalent to Masters, were Mike Mahler, Brett Jones, Steve Maxwell, Andrea Du Cane, and Jeff Martone.  I will never forget how scared shitless I was throughout the weekend, but being a part of something so different and finding myself surrounded by some of the most amazing people from all over the world was an incredible experience.  People flew to Minnesota from all parts of the globe.  It was a life changing weekend.  

Since that incredible certification, I have gone on to have a successful fitness career incorporating kettlebells and its philosophies.  In 2005, kettlebell instructors were scarce and thus I was able to use my blog, videos, and DVDs to spread the word and inspire others.  It still baffles me that I have received thousands of testimonials from people of all walks of life thanking me for changing their lives.  Is there anything more satisfying than that?  Let's not forget that since then I have married, been pregnant twice, recovered from two C-sections, and am now raising two beautiful little girls.  

As we come into 2013, I wanted to sincerely thank all the people who were responsible for introducing me to kettlebells, brilliant training methods, and who helped mold me as the coach who I am today.  It really isn't just about the kettlebell.  The kettlebell is just an avenue for a different way of thinking.  It�s a mind set.  It's a way of life.  It has opened doors to so much more.  It changed my life.  I have never been stronger, leaner, and more fit than I am now.

Special thanks to Pavel for introducing his kettlebell methods along with ground breaking material.  Pavel is one of the most gifted teachers who exudes a teaching style that stands alone.  Thank you to John Du Cane, responsible for making kettlebell education so accessible and being behind the scenes of some of the most memorable events of my life.  Huge thanks to Mike Mahler, Brett Jones, Jeff Martone, Ross Enamait, Franz Snideman, and John Brookfield for leading the way from the beginning of my career.  Thank you to my colleagues who I have also learned a great deal from Max Shank, Mark Cheng, Katie Dawers, Della Whelchel, Elise Badone, really too many to name, and ALL my RKC and StrongFirst friends (family) that have grown close with me over the years.  We have watched each other blossom and continue to grow.  It's been such a wonderful road.  May you all have an incredible 2013.

Single Leg Deadlift warming up with 106lbs  (photo courtesy of F3Nutrition)

   

Strength Through Females Eyes and 6 Week Strength Program

I had the honor of writing for Pavel Tsastouline's StrongFirst blog about what it takes to be a strong female.  How strong does a woman need to be to be considered "strong"?   Click on the image below and it will take you directly to the article.   "Masters" women which we refer to ages 50 and older, I will be providing some strength baselines in the comments. I really enjoyed writing this.  Hope you enjoy it! 

Continue reading here



p.s. For ongoing strength and conditioning classes and programs you can access any where  in the world visit Lauren's Playground

Todays Workout - What A Drag

Find yourself a hill and set out a course of approximately 20m. Perform 10 Sandbag Thrusters at the bottom of the hill, drag your sandbag to the top of the hill anyway that you can and perform 10 Sandbag Cleans at the top.

Aim to complete as many rounds as you can in 15 minutes.

Men should aim for a 40kg sandbag; women aim for 20kg.

Record your score.

Train hard!

Sandbag Centurion

A simple sandbag endurance session today - so you'll want a moderately heavy bag.

100 Sandbag Cleans
100 Sandbag Push Press
100 Sandbag Back Squats

Complete in any order you choose, as fast as you can.

Men aim for a 30kg sandbag; women aim for 15kg.

Record your time.

Train hard!

Sandbag Workshop Hits The UK!

Did you hear the good news? I'm running a Sandbag Training Masterclass in the new year! This one is based in the UK but I hope to add a few more during 2013 - principally in the US, Australia and Asia. If you have any suggestions for venues and/or locations then I'd love to hear them (contact me). 

Anyone who attends will be sure to learn lots, get some expert tuition, work hard and have fun! And you'll also be automatically inducted into the Sandbag Fitness Hall Of Awesomeness.

Full details here

Red Lentil Vegetable Soup (Stew)

This warming comfort soup is very simple to make.  This red lentil with roasted red pepper soup was inspired by my talented friend Allison.  It does take time, since the lentils and veggies need to simmer and need to be stirred.  I make this at night after my kids are in bed while talking to a friend or listening to music.  You can really get a lot done while making this soup.  Make it on an evening where you can hang around the kitchen.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Red Lentils (Washed and separated)

1 Zucchini Chopped

4-5 Carrots Chopped

3-4 Garlic Cloves Chopped

Chopped Green Onions 1-2

4 Cups Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth

2-3 Cups Organic Low Sodium Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

1 tsp of Turmeric

Himalayan Pink Salt to taste

Add Cilantro to taste

Directions:

Heat up deep pan or pot on medium with 1 Tbs of Olive Oil.  Stir the soaked Red Lentils in olive oil and quickly add the Vegetable Broth and cover.  Take it to a boil stirring frequently so the lentils don't burn.  Once it boils take it down to a simmer.  Simmer for about 20-30 minutes.  Lentils should be soft.

Next add all the chopped vegetables and bring up the temperature while stirring for a few minutes.  Return to a simmer and cover. Add the spices after half hour of simmering.  I enjoy my veggies very soft.  Now it's time to add 2-3 cups of the Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup.  If you love the taste go ahead and add the whole thing. Stir well!  One of these days I'll make a fresh base.  If you want to make your own Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup, then more power to you!  

Let it simmer for another hour if you like it super soft and stir it and check on it periodically. 

Garnish with cilantro and season to taste

EASIER WAY (no veggie version)

Hope you enjoy this as much as my family does!  

Must Have Training Kit For 2013

Do You Have Any Fitness Goals For 2013?

"Fail to plan and you plan to fail"

Sensible words for anyone who is trying to improve their health and fitness for the long term. While I'm always keen to say that the real key is to work smart, hard and consistently - a few purchases here and there can really help. In this newsletter I've written my list of essential Sandbag Fitness training kit to make sure that you smash any and all goals that you have for the forthcoming year!

Train hard!

Matt

Number 1 on the Sandbag Fitness kit list has to be The Complete Guide To Sandbag Training - 188 pages of straightforward sandbag training info, exercise descriptions with images and over half a year of programmes!

Now available in Paperback, eBook (pdf and ePub) and Kindle. And you can currently get the Paperback for 50% off until the 21st December!

Click here to get the Paperback

Click here to get the eBook

Click here to get the Kindle version

If you're still following the sandbag workouts with a homemade sandbag then it might be time to upgrade to one of Brute Force Sandbags excellent products. The Heavy Hitter is my personal favourite:

• It loads to 90kg/200lbs
• It's just the right shape for load carries and bear hugs
• It is handleless so it really develops your grip
• It's practically indestructible

Click here to check out the Heavy Hitter

If you're serious about tracking your progress (you should be) and you want a great timer that will easily cope with all of the workout options at Sandbag Fitness then you need a Gymboss. Affordable and portable, this is simply the best timer out there.

Click here to check out Gymboss timers

Do you need some additional coaching?

Training for a particular goal or event?

I offer coaching services for those who have serious goals or those that need to get the very best results in a shorter period of time. If you can't train with me in person then I also offer Exercise Video Analysis and Online Coaching - both highly effective options.

Click here to get Online Coaching

Click here for Exercise Video Analysis

Click here to book Personal Training Sessions with me

Interested in MMA or other combat/contact sports?

Sandbag Training For MMA & Combat Sports is my 194 page guide to get the very best from sandbag training to improve your strength, speed, power, endurance and agility. It explains, in detail, how to perform over 60 sandbag exercises and includes a full range of training programmes to get you in fighting shape.


Click here to get your copy

My Gift To You

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

I started Sandbag Fitness back in 2010 as a way of documenting my training and helping others to improve their heath and fitness. Nothing has changed and I still do it for the reward that comes from seeing others achieve their goals.

You can email me anytime you want with questions, feedback or even just to say hi. I personally answer all emails. Say hi to Matt

Check out a range of free articles here

Get involved in the conversation on Facebook


I hope you have a great holiday, wherever you are and whatever you're doing. 

Matt

Train Like A Man, But EAT Like A WOMAN!

Update: Since writing this article I've had an influx of emails from women confessing to me their struggles relating to these females highlighted in this article.   I took a chance writing this article and have definitely received some rebuttals with no scientific backup.  Dr. Berardi, from Precision Nutrition, has shared this article on his main Facebook page for the females considering some sort of fasting approach to health to give it a second thought.  He's worked with over 10,000 women and has had lots of success and continues to experiment on himself and keeps diligent records of what works and what generally does not work.  To have someone of his caliber along with Dr. Krista  Here is a study he found backing this article up.  New study he found here plus a 60 minute lecture he just did on Intermittent Fasting  here.

Sharing the untold stories of Intermittent Fasting (IF) and other dietary fads. This article is exclusively written for Breaking Muscle. It was an honor to write this and hopefully help women all over the world.  Special thanks to all the wonderful females that helped make this possible for me to write.  

Ladies, we have made some amazing strides in a short amount of time. We�ve moved from pink weights to swinging kettlebells almost as heavy or heavier than we are. Women of all types and ages have taken the leap from weak to strong. Congratulations ladies, we did it! We are still doing it! 

Lauren Brooks

More women are embracing strength as a necessary part of their training. We are clearly not afraid to be strong. The movement of females lifting heavier, while still keeping their feminity, realizing they can feel better without looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger is spreading like wildfire. It was uncommon years ago to see females, much less new moms, swinging around heavy weights or doing pull-ups while smiling at their new baby. It has been an honor to be an integral part of the female movement towards kettlebells, which opened the flood gates to strength and the mastering of pull-ups, dead lifts, and so much more. But have we taken it too far? We train like men and pound for pound some of us are even stronger than men. The question is: are we supposed to eat like men too? 

Ladies... CONTINUE READING HERE

Get 50% Off My Sandbag Paperback!

To celebrate the holiday season I'm offering the chance to get 50% off The Complete Guide To Sandbag Training in paperback!

This crazy offer is unlikely to be repeated any time soon and I might even change it once the egg nog has worn off so make the most of it.

Click here to get your copy

The Plank - How Good Is It?

In recent years the plank has become the "Number 1" exercise for developing core strength and protecting the back from injury. It's an exercise that can be used by a wide variety of individuals and has a much lower incidence of injury associated with it than say a standard sit up or crunch. But how effective is it at developing core strength? Is it just an exercise that doesn't aggravate existing spinal/postural conditions?

The Plank

What is Core Strength?

Another "buzz" word, core strength is heavily touted as the primary goal for most strength programmes in todays fitness industry. Most people incorrectly identify core strength as abdominal strength but it should really be used to describe the stability and strength of the spine as a whole. Thus, we you see an individual following a programme that heavily includes some abdominal and lower back work to promote core stability there is most certainly a deficiency in the programming. When talking about core stability we should think about all of the muscles that assist in supporting the spine, these include:

• Cervical - upper back (rotators, extensors, lateral flexors, anterior flexors)
• Thoracic - middle back (rotators, extensors, lateral flexors, anterior flexors)
• Lumbar - lower back (rotators, extensors, lateral flexors, anterior flexors)
• Transversus Abdominus
• Multifidis
• Diaphragm
• Pelvic Floor
• External and Internal Obliques
• Rectus Abdominis

But we all know that there are many other factors that affect spinal alignment or posture. An individual with excessive anterior flexion through the shoulder girdle (rounded shoulders) is certainly having their posture affected. So we should also consider that shoulder position is another important factor in maintaining spine strength and alignment. This then opens up a whole new area of core strength - one in which we can view the musculature of the entire torso as "core muscles". And if our definition of core strength is to maintain good posture and spinal alignment then this is entirely correct. So, we can also include:

• Deltoids
• Trapezius
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Pectorals
• Gluteals

A slightly different view of core strength but I hope you can appreciate this integrated approach.

Biomechanical Assessment of the Plank

I will keep this section purposefully simple. The plank, in which we are required to maintain neutral spine under load in the prone position, can achieve the aim of activating core muscles. The characteristics are as follows:

• Lack of movement through the pelvis/spine
• Weight supported through the arms
• Position is prone

If we accept that, in exercise terms, we generally improve in the specific areas we focus on then the plank would achieve the following:

• We would improve our ability to activate core muscles and maintain a stable postural position
• We would become strong in the prone position
• The arms would become better at supporting our body weight

This is where we can start to see that the plank has some flaws. Improving strength in a prone position has a very limited application for the general population. In fact most of us display postural problems in the following situations:

• Standing for extended periods of time
• Picking up a load from the floor
• Twisting while holding a load
• Twisting without a load
• Lifting something above the head

Conclusion

While I certainly didn't want to go ahead and bash the Plank as an exercise (I programme it myself), I did want to raise the point that it's important that we qualify the exercises that we select for our own programmes and the programmes of others. I think the Plank has it's place but I certainly don't class it as the best or most effective exercise for most individuals. 

Take a look at the exercises that you are currently practising and try to ascertain the precise benefits that  they provide for you. Is it appropriate to progress or regress the exercise? Have you selected an exercise based on it's proposed benefits rather than it being right for you?

Train hard (and smart)!

Double Kettlebell Metabolic Conditioning (Fat Blast)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Grab 2 Kettlebells and let's have some fun.

Follow along or set your timer for 15 seconds of hard work, 15 seconds of rest.

Nothing wrong with eating pumpkin pie and enjoying your favorite foods over the holidays.  Don't forget to have fun during this time with your workouts, move, invite the family to do an easier version, and again HAVE FUN!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving from Della, Katie, and Lauren from On The Edge Fitness!

How Do I Get Started With Sandbag Training?

I often get asked this and my answer is always the same - get started.

I can talk for a long time (some say too long) about the benefits of sandbag training but the reason I got started was because the sandbag was easy for me to get hold of and very inexpensive. I simply purchased a 25kg/55lb bag of sand from a local hardware store for �1.50. I decided to try sandbag training and started sandbag training on the same day - no drawn out decision making process, no procrastination, no nonsense.

If you are thinking about giving sandbag training a go then you should just do it. Do you know what happens when you start thinking about improving your fitness and goal setting but then do nothing about it, telling yourself that you'll "do it tomorrow"? Your brain (and eventually your body) will start to make the association that fitness and goal setting = no action. Pretty soon you'll be incapable of doing anything.

This is also true of any process of change. Have you ever written a list of things that you have to do and then not started crossing things off that list straight away? It doesn't work. You need to build momentum early on and then, once you start to see results, you'll begin to get into a routine.

This is a post about sandbag training and there are literally hundreds of workouts to try on the blog so you shouldn't be short of ideas. But, it could also be a post about anything that you need to change and want to improve in your life. So get out there, do something positive and let me know how you get on.

Train hard!

The Milo Experiment Rises From The Ashes!

A few months back I wrote about the Milo Experiment - my attempt to conduct a very simple, linear strength progression with my sandbag. The goal was to add a small amount of sand each workout and keep going until I couldn't add anymore. See the original post here

Well, with one thing and another, I got sidetracked and never did any update posts. One of our followers (Randy) pointed this out to me the other day (thanks Randy). The thing is, I did actually carry on with the experiment but I was just lazy in telling you guys about it.

Want to know what happened?

I ran out of space in my sandbag.

I was following the experiment with my Heavy Hitter and I got all the way up to max capacity - that's around 90kg or 200lbs. I now need to get myself a new sandbag - thanks a lot Milo Experiment. Sure, I'm much stronger than I ever have been before but I have to go out and spend money on another bag.

But seriously, if you want to massively increase your strength in a very simple, methodical way then you should try this. Get yourself a sandbag and go through the daily ground to overhead lift (or lifts). Add a small amount of weight each day and commit to it. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

Train hard!

Todays Workout - Serious Strength

Todays workout is a simple strength session.

Load up a heavy sandbag and complete a max set of clean and press - ideally reaching fatigue around 5 repetitions. The clean and press can be done in anyway that you see fit. See here for some clean technique.

Rest for 3 minutes and repeat for a total of 5 rounds.

Train hard!

Crustless Personal Quiche (Egg Dish) for Whole Family

When it comes to meal time, sometimes it's hard to please everyone!  The other day I made some pretty awesome quiches with a homemade almond flour crust.  However, I was the only one that actually thought having the crust was cool.  They looked beautiful, but when it came down to it,  the crust wasn't necessary, just extra food that I didn't need, and my kids only liked the inside.  I think I'll save the crust taste for a personal pie that I'll make sometime.

These muffin tins are the perfect solution if you want to make an egg omelette or egg dish for a group of people who all have different tastes.  Each muffin tin can be personalized so you CAN please everyone!  One of these were filled with onions, arugula, and cheese.  Another just plain cheese.  One pepper, mushrooms, and spinach.  It's an easy way to please a family!

Large Oversized Muffin tin

They turned out awesome as well!

Recipe Ingredients:

6 servings

1 tsp of Coconut Oil

10-12 Organic Free Range Eggs

Veggies of choice (note: you only need about 2-3 Tbs since it's going in a muffin tin)

I used: Red Onions, Sauted Mushrooms, Fresh Arugula, and Fresh Spinach.  Use any meats or any veggie your little heart desired.  Get as creative as you like.

Cheese of choice* (optional) 

I used a few sliced of Grass Fed Chedder cheese.  1-2 tsp per egg tin.

1/4 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

Directions:  Take 1 tsp of Coconut Oil and with your finger tips grease each muffin tin very well.  Pre heat the oven to 350.  

Whisk all the eggs together in a large bowl.  Add Himalayan Pink Salt.   Pour egg mixture in to each over sized muffin tin about 2/3 full leaving room for the veggies and cheese you plan on adding.  Drop the veggies in each muffin tin and sprinkle cheese over it to your personal preference. You may want to stir the veggies in a little so they aren't just cooked on top as well as the cheese.  

Put it in the oven and bake between 15-20 minutes.    If you have regular size muffin tins you can use these as well. They won't need to cook as long and you will make many more.   Let them cool and they should come right out if you used coconut oil.  Cut them up in to little pieces for your little ones since they are very hot in the center. ENJOY!!

Halloween Workout

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Hope you enjoy this workout as much as we did!

Go through the each exercise and do 1 rep.  Lateral Jumps  are an exception and will be 40 reps each time through.  Rest with a 4 Figure stretch or hip flexor stretch.  Then start again and do 2 reps for each exercise.  All the way until you finish 7 reps for each exercises.

FINISH the workout with 20 second of 100% all out work, to 10 seconds of rest for 2-3 rounds.  Grab a light bell for this! If you don't have Ropes, do 2 Handed Swings or Jump Squats instead!  Enjoy!!!

The Complete Guide To Sandbag Training In Paperback!

After a few weeks of edits and re-designs The Complete Guide To Sandbag Training is finally out in paperback!

I've had so many requests for this (especially from those of you that don't have Kindles or other e-readers) that I think you'll be happy with the result. It'll be launching pretty much everywhere over the next few weeks but you can pick up copies right now at Amazon:

Check it out at Amazon.com

Check it out at Amazon.co.uk

Here are some screenshots from the re-designed interior:

I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a review or a like at Amazon.

Train hard!

Matt

Conditioning With Rings DVD is Here

I had the honor of working with the amazing Frankie Addelia in his brand new Ring DVD.  I highly suggest you add some ring training to your program if you aren't already doing so.  Many of these exercises can also be done using a TRX.  This DVD is very user friendly and perfect for all ages!

Conditioning With Rings Complete System DVD

 Conditioning With Rings Complete System DVD

Why Kettlebells are Perfect For Mommies (Especially the New Ones)

Here is an oldie but goodie.  I wrote this for Liftkettlebells.com several years ago.  Thought it was time to bring to attention on my blog.  More and more new moms are continuing to use this tried and true method.  You can of proof over on our inspiration page. I'm living proof as well! I've had 2 C-sections and my babies were huge!

Kettlebells for women with children

Why Kettlebells are Perfect for Mommies

(Especially the New Ones)

Whether you just had a baby or have been enjoying motherhood for many years, we all have something in common. We put our children first and tend to neglect ourselves. The biggest complaints I hear from moms are, �I can�t seem to get the fat off my midsection,� �I just don�t have two hours a day to spend in the gym.�

Well, I�m here to give you some wonderful news.  You don�t have to spend hours in the gym to get rid of the fat that you accumulated during your pregnancies. You can start by training with kettlebells which takes no time at all.  Here are some of the reasons why kettlebell training is perfect for a mom.

Kettlebells kill two birds with one stone
With kettlebell exercises you are able to get your heart....

Read the rest of the article HERE

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chunk Bread (Gluten Free, Low Sugar)

After making a delicious pumpkin bread yesterday that went very quickly, I decided it was time to start experimenting.  I had some dark chocolate bars from Trader Joe's and a very ripe banana.  I use the last bit of honey I had from yesterdays Pumpkin bread, but had some organic raw Agave that needed to be used.  I knew this would be a different bread.  Within one hour of mixing and crushing a chocolate bar, I had probably the most delicious bread, other than my apple cinnamon bread.  Kids like this even better.

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chunk Bread (Gluten Free, Low Sugar)

Ingredients:

2 Cups Almond Flour from HoneyVille

1 Very ripe Banana Smashed

1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree

1 small bar of Dark Chocolate Bar 72% Crushed and broken (or 1/4 cup of Dark Choc chips)

2 Jumbo or Extra Large Organic Free Range Eggs

2 Tbs of Organic Raw Agave (if you like very sweet bread add more)

2 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tsp of Cinnamon

3/4 tsp Baking Soda

Directions:  Mix dry ingredients, except for chocolate pieces in a separate bowl. Mix wet ingredients plus the Chocolate pieces.   Then combine dry and wet in a large mixer bowl and blend or stir very well.   Place in a loaf tin.  Bake at 350 for 45-50  minutes.  This one stuck to my tin so you may want to spray non stick spay on yours.  It should come out very moist and taste awesome!   Let me know how it goes!!

Todays Workout - The Unbearable Trifecta

100 Sandbag Bear Hug Squats
100 Sandbag Clean and Press
100 Sandbag High Pulls

Complete in any order, in any combination, as fast as possible.

Men aim for a 40kg sandbag; women aim for 25kg.

Record your time.

Train hard!

No Guilt Pumpkin Bread (Low Sugar, Gluten Free, Grain Free)

Now that Fall is here I get in the baking mood.  Especially when it comes to using Pumpkin. After all who doesn't like Pumpkin?  This was the first time attempting Pumpkin Bread. I've made pumpkin muffins before, but this was different since I only had a limited amount of ingredients.  It's one of the lowest sugar and high protein pumpkin breads I think I could make without actually adding protein.  I don't like to cook with protein powders.  Almond flour is packed with protein, fiber, and good fats.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Organic Pumpkin Puree
2 cups Almond Flour
1/4 cup Honey
2 Large Organic Free Range Eggs
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:  Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately very well.  I recommend using a mixer to blend all the ingredients together nicely.  It will be a thicker batter.  Put in a loaf tin.  Bake at 350 for 30-40  minutes.  I took mine out at 40 minutes.  I personally like my breads very moist so I think it could have come out 5 minutes earlier.  I will make these again soon and take it out earlier or add an extra egg.  I also may add 1 Tbs of Coconut Oil and see what happens. I love to experiment!  Either way, the pumpkin bread is a hit and the fact that the entire loaf has half the honey than most recipes call for, is awesome.   I love being able to get away with less sweetener!  The healthier the better!

I'm always open for suggestions.  If you make this let me know how yours turns out.  If you love sweet breads, then make sure to add more honey or use Agave instead.  You can also check out my new pumpkin banana chocolate chunk bread.

Enjoy!

Monday Funtime Kettlebell

This is a fun ladder circuit we did for the first 10-15 minutes of class after we warmed up.
More detailed directions are all below the video.  This is not a follow along.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did for our class.  In case you are wondering what we did after we did quite a few pull-ups, snatches, roll-outs, crawling, jump squats, and other FUN ways to start a Monday.  People were laughing.  At the end of our workout after I was tired I had fun with Della's daughter.  Photo below!

Here is the workout

1. 
Start with your less strong side.
1 Push-up
1 Clean
1 Front Squat
1 Back Lunge
5 One Arm Swings

Stronger side (other side)
1 Push-up
1 Clean
1 Front Squat
1 Back Lunge
5 One Arm Swings

2.

Start with your less strong side.

2 Push-ups

2 Cleans

2 Front Squats

2 Back Lunges

5 One Arm Swings

Stronger side (other side)

2 Push-ups

1 Clean

1 Front Squat

1 Back Lunge

5 One Arm Swings

Take a quick break for a hip flexor stretch or hip circles

Next do this for 3 reps, then 4 reps, finally finish at 5 reps.  Let me know what you think.  Enjoy!

This is me just messing around.  She's a STRONG kid that does pull-ups and crazy things.  Most kids can't hold on to themselves this long.  Don't try this at home.  She's a freak of nature, in a GOOD WAY!!

Katie's Kettlebell Workout

Katie Dawers, instructor at On The Edge Fitness in Encinitas, designed this great class I had to share with you all. The beauty of this workout is all the strength exercises stay between the rep ranges of 1-5.  The high intensity exercises are higher reps of 6-8.  At On The Edge Fitness we all agree anything over 5 or 6 reps starts getting in the high rep category. 

I will explain the workout below since it may be hard to decipher from this photo.  Not that there is anything wrong with Katie's handwriting.  It's definitely better than mine.  :-)  Personally I used the 16kg's for the Double Presses and two 28kg's for the Single Leg Deadlifts for the workout.  I also used between the 28 and 32kg for the Squats depending on how I felt for that round.  I completed the 5 pull-ups for each round instead of doing 1 arm rows.  High Pulls I used the 18kg and the 20kg.  Swings I used the 32-40kg and the snatches I stuck with the 18kg. 

Directions:  Go through the entire list of exercises.  Refer to the photo to see how many of each exercise you will do. IGNORE the number written on the right of the exercise.  That was me tallying up how many TOTAL reps I did for the entire class.  

1 rep of Double Presses

2 reps each side of Single Leg Dead Lifts 

3 reps of Squats

(you get the picture.)

Your reps look like this. Refer to the photo to see how many of each exercise you will do. 

First Round 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 (8 being 1 arm snatches. That's 8 on EACH side)

Second Round 1,2,3,4,5,6,7  You end at the swings

Third Round 1,2,3,4,5,6 You end up doing 6 high pulls on EACH side

Keep going through until you are at 1.  

Then if you have anything left or time left, put yourself through a 4-8 min Tabata drill of ropes or light swings!  Enjoy!!

Mini Healthy Egg Bites (For Kids and Big Kids)

First of all my kids won't stop asking me to make these.  They devoured them in minutes!  These mini egg bites or egg muffins were inspired from my friend Allison who found this on Pinterest.  Of course I immediately went to her board and had to repin it.  Allison is a mom of 2, almost 3 kids, who I truly admire.  She always has the coolest ideas from anything to recipes, costumes, to home organization.  As a working mom of 2 kids myself, I truly don't know how she does it all!  

Originally I wanted to use the large muffin tins that these are designed for.  However, due to our home flooding a few weeks ago, I currently don't have a kitchen.  Our kitchen supplies were quickly packed in boxes and it's hiding in one of the 40 boxes that were packed by the emergency flood workers.  The only muffin tins I could find were my mini muffin tins.  The positive side of using mini muffin tins is they take just 10 minutes to bake and they truly are bite size.  The not so positive side is they are gone in 5 minutes!!  My kids couldn't get enough of them!  You can make these egg bites many different ways.  I experimented by only using one of our muffin tins.  Next time I'll fill both up and add grilled onions, chives, and mushrooms. For the kids I wanted to keep it simple.  

Time to Prepare: 6 Minutes

Time to Cook: 10 - 12 Minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

3 Extra Large Organic Free Range Eggs

6 Tbs Almond Flour

Small Handful of chopped Arugula or chopped cooked broccoli (optional) (Any topping you desire.  Keep it small since they really are very small)

2-3 Tbs of Grass Fed Chedder Cheese 

Directions: 

Spray the muffin tin with nonstick Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Beat eggs together,  then add the Almond Flour.  Beat again.  Then sprinkle the cheese and veggie mixture in and mix well.   You can add the cheese last and sprinkle on top if you prefer.  

Pour in each mini muffin tin 3/4 of the way.  They will bubble and rise past the top in the oven, but will flatten out  once you take it out.    Let cool for 5-10 minutes.  Spoon them out and serve. 

Hope you like these super cute mini egg bites as much my kids and I did.