When you’re focused on achieving true functional fitness, you DON’T NEED MACHINES. Seriously. That’s because your body is the machine! It can do incredible things when you add a simple bar, kettlebell, or medicine ball. Or even on its own. Body weight exercises are second-to-none for improving strength, agility, balance, mobility, flexibility, and cardio.
Don’t believe me? Check out this video!
Train hard,
Steph
Check out this Russian-inspired workout including kettlebell work (originated and popularized in Russian army training), Russian twists, and a couple slightly more generic movements just for fun – including the burpee (named after an American physiologist). 
Spend at least 10 minutes warming up and getting loose.
AMRAP in 20 minutes of:*
20 One-arm overhead kettlebell lunges (split the reps 10 per arm)
20 Russian twists holding a kettlebell (seated with feet 6″ above floor)
*AMRAP – as many rounds as possible
Enjoy!
Steph
THIS BLOG IS MOVING TO: www.hitclubfitness.com. PLS CONTINUE TO FOLLOW OUR POSTS BY VISITING / SUBSCRIBING THERE!
There’s a lot of “strong vs. skinny” rah rah floating around these days. While I’m obviously all for the “strong” argument (and have, in fact, posted about this very topic recently), I’m also for focusing altogether on what your body can DO as opposed to how it looks.
Regardless of how you look (skinny, muscle-y, big boned), if you work out hard and love/hate every moment of it, this post is for you. Body image is a touchy subject for women – and men – and often gets tied up in self image. They’re two very different monsters but, for many of us, they’re hard to separate.
It took me a long time to get to the “body acceptance” place, and I credit so much of that to training hard and putting away my scale. Pushing my body to do things I never thought I could has made me a more self assured, confident person. (There’s that body image/self image connection again.) Working out hard has helped me accept my body for what it is – athletic and strong.
I encourage you to start trying to shift your mindset by working hard, tracking your progress, and putting away your scale; you’ll be amazed at the freedom you’ll find.
Here’s a great video from some of CrossFit’s fittest ladies; hear their take on body image, self image, and how they see things. You may or may not agree with them/this video but that’s not the point: watch it and then think about YOUR take on all this. Feel free to post your comments below – I’d love to hear what YOU have to say.
Train hard & focus on the INCREDIBLE things you’re capable of doing,
Steph
Hit the reset button on your health and fitness with the help of the NEW H.I.T. Club website www.hitclubfitness.com and the NEW H.I.T. Club eBook, High Intensity Training for Every Body: 90-Day Guide to Lose Fat, Build Muscle, & Get Fit FAST!
Here’s an excerpt of the eBook, which comes with a FREE 90-day H.I.T. training program!
“H.I.T. Club Fitness is about training like an athlete – even if you aren’t one. It’s about getting stronger, losing fat, and improving overall fitness. Using the H.I.T. Club training strategy called Dynamic H.I.T. Progression™, you will get fitter in 90 Days than you would with the same old treadmill + weights routine.”
Here’s what you can expect from the exclusive new FREE membership-based website!
Sign Up NOW for your FREE H.I.T. Club Website Membership!
Don’t put off getting in the best shape of your life. 2013 is yours. Check out the new site and the new eBook and start training like an athlete and transforming your body (and mind) today!
Train hard,
Steph
It’s no secret that mainstream media likes to portray “fit” as “skinny.” Women (and men) grace the covers of so-called fitness magazines Photoshopped and airbrushed to the nines; I worked in marketing in the supplement industry so have seen the extremes of this firsthand. You wouldn’t believe how much time and money goes into photo “touch ups.”
Still, knowing this is not new. We are now all well aware of how unrealistic magazine cover models and ad models in general are but we still buy in. Tell me you don’t occasionally look through a beauty or fitness mag and feel your self confidence and body image plummet for just a second. Even the most self assured of us is victim to this sometimes – and this is exactly what the media expects and THRIVES off of. It’s what allows them to continue doing what they do.
How can we fight back against the constant “fit is thin” mainstream media garbage?
The media will never, EVER, stop producing what they do so trying to stop that tidal wave of ridiculousness would be infuriating. Instead, we need to redefine for ourselves, in our own minds first, what is fit and beautiful. Fit people come in all shapes and sizes, and weight has ZERO to do with fitness. There is no mold we need to shape ourselves into to feel strong and beautiful.
Fitness is defined by what we do every time we walk into our gym, box, or studio. Not by how we look.
Instead of focusing on losing a lot or a little here or there, let’s focus on the crazy, amazing things we can DO. Think about what you’re capable of every time you attempt a new PR, exercise, or insane workout. Our bodies are strong and adaptable beyond belief – it’s our minds that need the work.
To end this rant, I thought I’d add the video that inspired this post. Yes, it’s CrossFit women (okay, okay, I may be biased!) but it is representative of women of ANY sport who love to train hard, lift heavy things, disregard what mainstream media says is “fit,” and generally be bad ass. 
Train hard, always, and be awesome!
Steph
Follow via RSSFounder of H.I.T. Club Fitness - High Intensity Training for Every Body.
I'm a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Copywriter who is passionate about fitness and health. I love helping others discover their inner athlete while getting in amazing shape with High Intensity Training.
Most importantly, I live what I teach and love what I do every day!
