It's been a solid first week of this Jumpstart! Fitness Challenge and you all should keep up the positive momentum by trying this Quick Workout Of the Day.  Bang it out on Saturday, or give it a go on Sunday, or just be badass and rock it on both days!

If you're awake, say hi to me in Central Park on Saturday morning, where I'll be running nine miles all by my lonesome.  Giddy up!

QWOD for Saturday, July 30th, 2011

• 50 biceps curls with 5-10 lb. weights/soup cans/gallon jugs of water
• 25 dips on edge of chair/couch/bed
• 50 air squats (butt should touch couch every time)
• 25 more dips
• ***REPEAT ONCE*** and then...
  
• 25 burpees with pushups
  

Five minutes is pretty short, right?  Hell yea!  That's as long as it will take to do today's Quick Workout Of the Day.  Go all out and as you're sweating and breathing hard, keep reminding yourself "Hey, Self, it's only five minutes!"

QWOD for Thursday, July 28th, 2011

• Do as many rounds in 5 minutes of:
• 10 pushups
• 15 dips
• 10 side lunges to the right
• 10 side lunges to the left
• 10 jump squats

Leave the number of rounds you did in the comments section.

"For Runners, Soft Ground Can Be Hard on the Body" is the title of a New York Times article just out today (thanks to Josh for the heads up.)  The article basically talks about how people think there will be more shock absorption when running on dirt paths or ground, so they slam into the ground even harder, leading to more injuries.  While running on harder ground, their brains tell them to land softer, so they don't slam into the ground as much.  This way of thinking hurts my head.

Runners consistently buy the cushiest, most supportive shoes they can so there will be less impact on their joints.  This is the same reasoning as people who run on soft surfaces to avoid impact.  Regardless of the whether people run with 10" of foam under their foot or run on grass, ONLY THE PAIN IN BLOCKED, NOT THE IMPACT.  Your joints will still get rocked and rolled if you run with poor form on any surface, no matter what you have on your feet.

Good running form eliminates unnecessary joint impact, and allows for a smoother, more efficient stride.  So what is proper running form?

Pose running is the most efficient, least impacting, and fastest way to run.  Hands down.  To learn more about Pose running, check out my running page and start down the road to pain free running!

Here we are, going into the last weekend of the Jumpstart! Fitness Challenge.  With two challenges looming for next Thursday, it's time to buckle down and really push yourself to get strong, get toned, get angry!

Give this Quick Workout Of the Day a try over the weekend and be confident for your final exam next Thursday...

QWOD for Saturday July 9th, 2011

• 2 minutes of warmup (jog in place, jumping jacks, burpees without pushups)
• Max rep dips on chair, edge of bed or couch
• 5 more dips
• Max rep assisted pistol squats holding onto a door frame, partner, etc.
• 2 bonus pistol squats
• 15 diamond pushups
• 2 bonus diamond pushups
• 20 single leg squats per leg
• ***REPEAT TWICE***
  

It's Wednesday.  It's hot out.  You're probably sore from yesterday's workout (I know I am.)  You probably have a zillion excuses to not do today's Quick Workout Of the Day.

But you're an animal.  You're a champion.  You have a goal: get ripped and feel great!

So you're going to get off the couch, leave you're air conditioned apartment, and keep up that positive momentum by dominating today's workout.

Go git 'em tiger!

QWOD for Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

• 2 minute warmup (jumping jack, high knees, leg swings, etc.)
  
• Run for 3 minutes
• Stop, do 20 pushups
• Run for 3 minutes
• Stop, do 15 pushups
• Run for 3 minutes
• Stop, do 10 pushups
• Run for 3 minutes
• Stop, do 10 pushups
• Stretch quads and calves for 2 minutes
• Do 10 burpess with pushups
  

Have you ever aspired to finish a half marathon?  Maybe even a full marathon?  What about a 50-mile ultra marathon?  That would be nuts!  Well, what if you had the chance to run a crazy 100-mile ultra marathon up a mountain?  Crazy, right?

Even if you can't fathom running a local 5k, check out one man's experience running the Western States 100, a 100 mile race in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.  Barefoot Jason Robillard has an excellent writeup of his race experience that's worth the lengthy read.  It's inspiring what the human body can achieve with training, friends, and most importantly, a strong will.

As for yours truly, my marathon training schedule started this week, so with me luck!  I'll be sure to give plenty of updates on my Marathon page!

I love the 4th of July.  Fireworks.  BBQ's.  Burpees 'til you puke.

This weekend (or maybe twice this weekend), give this Quick Workout Of the Day a try and have some sweaty fun with it!

QWOD for Independence Day weekend, 2011

• Go outside and do 50 jumping jacks
• Bear crawl for 2 minutes, doing 5 pushups every 30 seconds
• Crab walk (hips up!) for 1 minute
• 20 1-legged squats per leg (keep your chest up and bend the knee as deep as possible)
• 50 air squats with good form
• Side planks with leg lifts for 30 seconds per side
• Superman for 1 full minute (keep those arms off the ground!)
• 25 squats jumps
• 25 dips on a bench
• ***REPEAT ONCE***