Cycle through the following 3 exercises (20 reps of each) until the ad break is over. Repeat for each ad break throughout your favourite show

• Oblique Crunch – Left & Right Side
• Leg Extensions
• Toe Touches

If you need help with this one, make sure you sing out via our contact page or on Facebook. We’ll be able to offer some modifications if you’re not quite at this level yet!

• Are You Sweating? Being sweaty is a great way to gauge how hard you are working. If you are either dripping or have a fine mist over you, it means you are working at a point where calories are being burnt, so don’t stop, keep going.

• Can You Hold a Conversation? Often you hear thatyou should be holding a conversation when you are jogging. I disagree. If you are huffing and puffing and talking is difficult, it means you are in a high intensity training situation, where calories are being burnt and you are working your butt off. This is fantastic.

• Do You Have Muscle Soreness the Next Day? There is a difference between good and bad muscle soreness. Bad refers to an injury with a pain that is more than just uncomfortable (and you will be able to tell the difference). If this is your situation, it is best to see a specialist before you train any further. However, “good” pain is when you wake up the next morning and you feel the muscles you have worked the previous day. This shows that you have been working hard and training your body correctly.

• Are You Reaching Your Goals? If you are not reaching your goals, it may mean that you need to up the intensity of your workouts. So try increasing weights, or having shorter rest breaks or increase your distance or speed. It is important to be huffing and puffing as well as having a bit of sweaty action going on.

• Do You Enjoy Your Workout? A lot of people find that if they do not enjoy what they are doing, they don’t put in 100%. So if you dislike the training you are currently doing, try something new and different, you will likely find you will work harder and be more motivated to get your next session in! There is no point training half-heartedly if there is a different fitness regime out there that makes you want to give 110%.

Time for another workout from our very own Emma Nickholds. This time round she has devised a 5-4-3-2-1 workout to try out as we start to get into the cooler months. It’s important to schedule your workouts in even when it’s cold – let’s face it, you’ll be warm in no time.

• 5  alternate between 30 seconds of high knees and 30 seconds of star jumps for 5 minutes
• 4  alternate between 20 static lunges and 20 walking lunges for 4 minutes
• 3  alternate between 20 pushups and 20 dips for 3 minutes
• 2  minutes jump squats
• 1 minute plank

This one will surely get your heart rate up and burn some serious calories. Best of all it’ll only take about 15 minutes to complete. (You could always do something crazy and repeat it 2-3 times!)

Jump on over to our Facebook page for extra advice about this workout or to let us know how you go with it!

• Do Something You Love - It’s hard enough to exercise while its cold and raining outside, let alone trying to do it for something you hate. Choose a class, or a piece of cardio equipment that excites you (or at least something you don’t dread!) and will be more motivated to make a start. You’ll be warmed up and burning calories in no time!

• Set New Goals – Set short and long term goals. Make sure they are challenging goals but achievable ones based on the amount of time you intend to commit. Challenging goals are a great motivator but setting goals that are unachievable will only set you up for failure.

• Incidental Exercise - Make a real effort to increase your incidental exercise as it gets cooler. It’s an awesome way to burn extra calories without even thinking about it as well as a way to keep a bit warmer when at home, work or just out and about. Stairs are a drag but you’ll get a lot warmer, and burn more calories, if you walk them rather than stand around in a lift.

• Have Activity Nights, Rather than Movie Nights - Instead of sitting rugged up by the T.V. why not try some activities like Twister or play tennis on your Wii. It’ll warm you up from the inside out and who knows, you might even have a heap of fun doing it!

• Prioritise – Make a conscious effort to put exercise and training first when it’s cold. Treat your training as an appointment that cannot be skipped or put off til next week. If you happen to miss a training appointment, make it up as soon as possible. Your long term health and fitness is as important (more important generally!) than anything else that may be in your calendar. You will thank yourself when summer comes around!

Looking forward to hearing about some awesome results through the colder months!

Here’s the April Workout of the Month from Emma. It’s a bit advanced for some of the newbies out there as it involves quite a bit of jumping and high intensity cardio work. It is, however, great for those who have been at it a while and certainly something to work towards. You might like to start by completing one round and then build up to being able to complete three rounds. We’d love to hear how you get on with this one. Jump on over to our Facebook page to let us know!

Complete each exercise for 30 seconds, and then have a 30 second rest. Repeat 3 times.

• Mountain Climbers
• Star Jumps
• Tuck Jumps
• High Knees
• Forward and Backwards Jumps
• Lateral Jumps
• Vertical Jumps

Pop some music on and go for it. Should all be over in less than half an hour

Bootcamp – Try a bootcamp. Its not as scary as you think it is. Most fitness clubs, gyms and studios run one. Choose one that fits your lifestyle. Be happy with the number of times you train per week, its location, the instructor and how many weeks its runs for. Shop around, there are plenty to choose from.

Running – You may never have been a runner in your life, so this is a good chance to start. Whether it be outside or on a treadmill, try it and see. It’s a great motivational tool to see your body accomplishing what your mind has set out to achieve.

Personal Training - A lot of people are afraid of personal trainers but it is just like bootcamps – there are heaps to choose from, so find someone who is right for you. They will motivate you, personalise a program, be your inspiration and be with you every step of the way.

At Home Strength Training -Just because you are at home, it doesn’t mean you have to stop training. Make a training session  you can do by yourself, in a small space, with a limited amount of time and with no equipment at all. You can do it all by yourself. (keep an eye out for our workouts of the month on this blog for training ideas)

Partner Up - Try training with a friend. You may be able to teach them new things and vice versa. Even if your fitness level is different, it will allow you both to have support, encouragement and find a new bond between you.

What other ideas have you got for mixing up your routine? Jump over to our Facebook page and share some things you have found successful.

Hold each exercise for the entire advertisement, then rest for the next one, then repeat until the ad break is over. Move on to the next exercise for the following ad break.

• Wall Squat
• Hover/Plank
• Incline Pushup (hold halfway down)

We’d love to hear how you go with this one! Let us know over at our Facebook page!

High Knees can be done in any place and at any time. They are a great filler exercise between weight training exercises to keep your heart rate high, or can be used as a core workout and varied upon as you get fitter and stronger.

Other benefits include -

Improves Leg Power - Either doing high knees on the spot or in a forward motion, gives you the ability to push hard through your legs for a sustained amount of time. This builds leg power and strength in the muscles you use most to run with, improving your running technique and take off speed.

Improved Muscle Strength - This motion of running on the spot with exaggerated high knees strengthens the hip flexors, shin, calf and foot muscles, along with the adductor and abductors muscles in the legs. Overall, your legs will be more stable, whilst doing plyometric exercises and running.

Aerobic Benefits - Doing high knees can increase your fitness and cardiovascular intake, thus burning more calories and increasing your metabolism.

Increase Stamina and Endurance - Performing high knees between other exercises during your workout can improve your stamina. These intervals will eventually increase your endurance and resistance for other cardio exercises such as running and cycling.

Improve Jumping Ability - High knees can help improve jumping height and power, by strengthening the activated leg and core muscles, associated with the exercise.

• Ascot Vale
• Brunswick
• Carlton
• Coburg
• Fitzroy
• Flemington
• Kensington
• Moonee Ponds
• Northcote
• North Melbourne
• Parkville

If you’re ready to let Melissa help you achieve your health and fitness goals, let us know via our contact page or use our enrolment form.

1000 Steps Kokoda Walk – Located within the Dandenong Ranges National Park, the 1000 steps Kokoda Walk is a unique and renowned tourist spot at Mt Dandenong. The 1000 steps boasts the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk, a popular walking trail of this area. Nicely maintained by the rangers, the Kokoda Track is a beautiful walking track with adjacent forested areas, bushlands and various scenic points.

Mullum Mullum Creek – This is a bike and pedestrian track, which starts in Croydon and links up near the Yarra River in Templestowe.

The Tan - Here you can walk, jog or run around Melbourne’s iconic ‘Tan Track’, a 3.8km track around King’s Domain and the Botanic Gardens.

Albert Park Lake - Albert Park is popular for a range of activities like dog walking, jogging, cycling, sailing and rowing. Apart from the lake itself, other attractions include sporting facilities, ovals, playgrounds, restaurants and a 5km walking and running track. Sporting facilities include a golf driving range, gymnasium and the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Jells Park - Jells Park is nestled in the Dandenong Creek Valley, Wheelers Hill, away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. The park attracts over 900,000 visitors a year, with over nine kilometres of paths and trails, 127 hectares of wide open spaces and enough picnic areas for everyone to enjoy.