MARIA FINNEGAN FITNESS
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Everyone has a DAY ONE. 

Week One workouts - Spring Challenge 2018

3/27/2018

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This is our Week 1 of workouts.  Follow along with all my videos at BurnAlong.
Use my code: MFF49 to get a year subscription for 49.00 
Find my name and "favorite" all my workouts so you can easily access them everytime you are on the site.  Super easy and fun! 



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Day 4 - Water the grass you're standing on....

3/23/2018

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Day Four. 
Back on New Year's Eve, I shared this quote/picture on instagram and my fitness FB page. The quote was taped to the mirror where I get my hair done and was something that I needed to see and read in that moment. At the time I was feeling pretty negative and unproductive with some career goals and It was like the universe knew I needed a swift kick in the butt. A reset of my mindset. It worked. The next weekend I started shooting video for my online workouts and putting some other plans in motion.

Today I was back in the same chair at the salon, looking at the same quote and thinking, this is perfect for our Spring Training Challenge. Whatever your reason for jumping in with us, it's time for you to take care of you! No more judging, comparing, complaining. Work with what you got! Like we said on Day Two, let go of the past, be present today, and create space for your intention/plans to manifest.

We are four days into this challenge and we are getting ready to ramp things up. Fitness and wellness are always my focus with these challenges. What I've learned over many years in this career though is that fitness and wellness come in many forms beyond just the physical. Just as I do with my clients and students, I like to start off with mindset preparation, refection and goal-setting discussion before jumping into workouts or more intense tasks.

Intentional Task for tonight/tomorrow: 
As we wind down the week here on Friday and enter the weekend, please think about one or two goals you are going to work on over the next 4 weeks. They could be big giant huge goals...or maybe something smaller. Your intentional task for today or tomorrow is just to write these down. Big or small, we will work on them together.

On Sunday evening, I will post a week of workout ideas and nutrition suggestions, as well as a week's worth of recommended videos from my BurnAlong site for your first full week of fitness and movement. If you want to join BurnAlong to be able to view all of my videos, you can check it out at www.burnalong.com. There is an option to do a free trial. You can also get a year's membership for 49.00 using my discount code MFF49. You do not have to join BurnAlong to be a part of this challenge! You will have to join if you want full access to all the workouts. Let me know if you have questions about any of that.

Have a great evening friends.
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Day Three.

3/23/2018

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Day Three. 
Just for today.....

I don't know where and when I started using this phrase in my teaching. One day these words were just there. Three little words...."just for today." Examples....”Just for today...we can drop the knee into low lunge if that feels better.” “Choosing child’s pose instead of down dog...just for today.” “Just for today, taking our intention from our mat into the rest of our evening.”

Yesterday I watched/listened to one of my own yoga workouts at the gym. This is not only for quality-control :-), but also a chance for me to “take a class” and not have to think...just follow. I heard myself say "Just for today" several times and it was a unique position to be in; hearing my own words in my headphones while I moved through my yoga flow. Even though I preach it and teach it, yesterday was one of the first times I actually got to experience and feel the meaning of those three little words in a class and it was pretty powerful. “Just for today” gives us permission to take things at our own perfect pace. I didn’t have the energy to hold my high lunge posture so I had the freedom to drop to a knee “just for today.”

Taking this idea off the mat and into life, “just for today” allows us to take something that might seem difficult, overwhelming, or challenging and make it a little less intense or stressful. Sometimes we can get so caught up in what we ought to do, perceive we should do, are supposed to do....that we neglect to listen to our bodies and our intuition. “Just for today” takes the pressure off the “should’ve/would’ve/gotta” mentality and let’s us determine what actually feels right at that moment. “Just for today I am going to spend 30 minutes reading a book.” “Just for today I’m hitting snooze twice.” “Just for today, I’m going to accomplish 2 things on my to-do list instead of all 15!”

This spring training challenge is all about YOU and working on some of your own goals whether they are physical, work-related, emotional, etc. On Day one we reflected on aspects of our lives where we might feel imbalance. On Day two we wrote down some intentions. At this point, it all might seem overwhelming already and we haven’t even gotten through day three! 
That’s where “Just for today” comes into play.

Today’s intentional task:
1. Think about some of your goals you are starting to set. Think about some of the reasons why you are participating in this challenge. 
2. Though you might have big, broad, ambitious goals, let’s see if we can take any one of these ideas and create a smaller, attainable part of it using a “just for today” sentence.

Example: I need more sleep. “Just for today, I’m going to stop whatever I’m going at 10pm and get myself into bed by 10:15pm.”

Write your “Just for today” sentence somewhere you can see it.

Have a lovely evening friends. Thank you for being a part of this challenge. I can feel the buzz of energy from all of you and I'm so excited to be in this together with you.
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The 22 workout

1/10/2018

 
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My birthday is December 22nd.  
Tim's birthday is February 22nd.  
22 was my H.S. soccer jersey number.
22 is my favorite number and the theme for this workout. 

22 exercises.  22 reps.  
Super duper good fun.  
Enjoy.

Warm up:  5-8 minutes of your favorite cardio/dynamic stretching movements
Equipment:  light hand weights (3-8 lbs) , mat, YOU

1.   22 squats 
2.   22 alternating forward lunges 
3.   22 jumping jacks 
4.   22 alternating reverse lunges 
5.   22 alternating overhead presses
6.   22 bent over rows 
7.   22 anterior deltoid raises 
8.   22 pushups (good times!) 
9.   22 side-lying leg lifts (target outer thigh muscles here...abductors) 
10.  22 side-lying leg lifts (target outer thigh muscles here...abductors) 
12.  22 alternating leg v-ups (weight over chest, lift upper body and one leg up and touch weight to toe, then lay back down and repeat with other leg)
13.  
22 chest press on floor (option to hold bridge while pressing weights over chest)
13.  22 mountain climber legs while holding plank 
14.  22 moving bridge lifts (hold bridge and lower hips down and up, engaging glutes) 
15.  22 wide squats
16.  22 burpees (more good times!) 
17.  22 alternating side lunges (step out to the side, hips/knees/toes turn in direction of lunge to side, slight hip hinge, step feet back together and step out to other side and repeat)
18.  22 high knees    
19.  22 bicep curls 
20.  22 overhead tricep extensions 
21.  22 v-sit twists 
22.  22 alternating knee drops while holding forearm plank 

Warm down/stretch: 5 minutes 
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Ladder Workout

1/9/2018

 
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A ladder drill is a progressive reps workout and a nice way to mix up your strength routine. 
This format can get tough so feel free to modify how far up the "ladder" you climb..remember you have to come back down again. This workout could be modified if you are in the gym and have access to either cable machines or other strength equipment. 

Equipment:  dumb bells (medium weight), resistance bands, mat, a workout buddy (optional) 

Warm up:
5-8 minutes of cardio/dynamic stretching (squats, lunges, arm circles, etc.) 

Ladder format: 
2 reps of each exercise, then 4 reps, then 6, then 8.
If you have the time and ready for more, come back down the ladder starting at 8,
then 6, then 4 and 2 reps of each.  

1. Wide squats
2. Overhead press with weights or bands
(stand on band, hold handles and press up over head) 
3. Side lunges 
4. Single arm lat pull downs with bands 
5. Partner squats with bands  (loops bands with partner, step away from each til there is good tension and sit back into squats...if you don't have a buddy, then loop the band around a pole, tree, etc) 
6. Partner rows with bands (
loops bands with partner, step away from each til there is little tension when arms are fully extended. With a  little bend in the knees and engaged core muscles, draw the handles back, bending the elbows, engaging the mid-upper back muscles  and let the elbows slide close to the rib cage in a row, then return to fully extended). Again, this could be performed without a buddy and using the band looped around a pole, tree, etc. 
7. Push ups  
8. Plank with mountain climber legs
9. Bicep curls 
10.Tricep dips off a bench, chair, curb (or overhead tricep extension with weight) 

Warm down/Stretch: 5 minutes at least 
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Evan's brutal cardio/core workout

1/3/2018

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This workout was created by one of my awesome students this past semester.  It's an intense workout so feel free to cut the work times down and increase the rest times as needed.  Enjoy! 

Equipment:  Plyo boxes (or bench/platform), mat

Warm up:  5-8 minutes on cardio machine of choice

WORKOUT: (1-3 rounds)
  1. 60 seconds high knees , 30 seconds rest
  2. 60 seconds side plank,  30 seconds rest
  3. 60 seconds v-ups (one leg at a time for safer back health), 30 sec rest
  4. 60 sec box jumps, 30 sec rest
  5. 60 sec plank, 30 sec rest
  6. 60 sec burpees, 30 sec rest
  7. 60 sec side leg lifts (each leg) , 30 sec rest


Warm down/Stretch: at least 5 minutes 
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Strength and Cardio Combo!

1/3/2018

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Equipment:  Cardio machine, free weights, weight machines, cables

Warm up:  8-10minutes on cardio machine of choice/dynamic stretching

WORKOUT: 8-12 reps, 30-60 sec rest in between exercises).  Run through the entire sequence and repeat OR complete 2-3 sets before moving on to the next round.  

Enjoy! 
Round 1: 
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  1. Lat Pull downs
  2. Chest Press
Step Ups (60 seconds)

Round 2:
  1. Cable rotations (each side)
  2. High plank/Low plank
Step Ups (60 seconds)

Round 3: ​
  1. Seated Row
  2. 45 seconds plank
Squats (30 seconds)

Round 4: 
  1. Bicep curls
  2. Tricep Dips
Squats (30 seconds)

Round 5:
  1. Hanging knee raises 
  2. Bridge lifts
8 minutes cardio machine of choice

REPEAT from the top! :-) 


Warm down/Stretch: at least 5 minutes 






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Lower Body Strength Workout

1/3/2018

 
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Equipment:  Cardio machine, bench or platform, free weights, resistance bands

Reps:  8-12 per exercise.   
30-60 seconds rest in between exercises 

Sets:  2-3 sets


Warm up:  5-8 minutes cardio and dynamic stretching (arm circles, squats, lunges, etc)
Workout (complete in order, 8-12 reps each, repeat.....2-3 sets total)

  1. Step Ups or Jump ups (platform, box, bench...if stepping up, optional with weights)
  2. Bulgarian Split Squat (with or without weights)
  3. Step Ups or Jump ups (platform, box, bench...with or without weights)
  4. Dead lift options (barbell, free weights, single leg)
  5. Step Ups or Jump ups (platform, box, bench...with or without weights)
  6. Wide squats
  7. Cable abductors - each leg
  8. Cable hip extension - each leg
  9. Weighted/Non-weighted squats (free weights, goblet squats, barbell back squats)
  10. Calf raises or calf machine

Warm-down/Stretch: at least 5 minutes 


Muscle Group - Strength Workout

1/3/2018

 
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Warm up 8-10 minutes 

Equipment needed:  
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dumb bells (choose heavy enough so that 8-10 reps is challenging yet  possible), pull up bar (or machine) , bench or box, resistance band

2-3 rounds....either go through the whole sequence and repeat. Or stick with one muscle grouping and knock out 2-3 sets and then move on.  Your choice. Enjoy! 


Back/Chest : 8-10 reps....with 30-60 sec rest in between exercises
  1. Bent over rows
  2. Chest press
  3. Pull up

Shoulders: 8-10 reps
  1. Overhead press
  2. Angled deltoid raises
  3. Partner rows with bands (or loop band on equipment if you are working out solo)

Legs: 8-10 reps
  1. Steps up on bench or box
  2. Split squat (both legs) 
  3. Hamstring curl-ins on ball

Arms: 8-10 reps
  1. Bicep curls
  2. Overhead tricep extensions
  3. Tricep dips

Core:
  1. Low Bear Crawls (10 forward/10 back)
  2. V-sit with a twist (with or without weight) 20-30
  3. Forearm Plank to High Plank (8-10 reps)

Warm down/ Stretch at least 5 minutes 


Choose your Own Adventure Workout!

1/2/2018

 
One of my favorite book series when I was a kid was the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books in which the reader had a chance to pick her fate...."if you want to make a right turn, go to page 35; if you choose a left turn, go to page 82."  
I modeled this workout after those books.  You can choose your own path through this workout.  Go through once, twice or three times! 
Enjoy! 


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    Maria Finnegan

    Welcome and thank you for visiting this site. I'm happy and grateful to have a place where I can write about fitness and wellness. In addition to blogging about exercise and sharing workouts, I  also use this space to tell 200-word stories about the inspiring and amazing people I encounter in this career. I look forward to sharing as many of these journeys as possible, and would love to hear from you if you would like me to tell your story. You can contact me anytime. Thank you so much for your interest and your effort. Think fit...be fit...stay fit! You are stronger than you think. #STYT

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