Get Your Sweat On

not only is it friday, but it’s also the opening day for the olympics!  go team USA!  can’t wait to see the opening ceremonies and cheer on our olympians!  (if you cannot tell, i am really excited)  as if that were not enough, it’s also the weekend of my favorite event in charlotte– 24 hours of booty.  a 24 hour course is set up in the heart of charlotte as a fundraiser for cancer research.  i will be out riding on saturday, and i can’t wait to cheer on the riders who may need a little encouragement from a full night of riding.  check it out if you are in the area this weekend.

this is an older ride, but full of every good thing to make you sweat: sprints, endurance work, jumps and climbing. enjoy:

• rhianna – we found love (3:36) : warm up/stretch
• coldplay – every teardrop is a waterfall (4:03) : steady, quick climb
• liquid soul – adrenaline (7:54) : endurance work for the full 8 minutes.  uncomfortable resistance for the first four minutes.  add a tiny bit of resistance.  two minutes out of the saddle.  final minute in the saddle surge.
• pitbull – rain over me (3:52) : jumps
• simple plan ft. natasha bedingfield – jet lag (3:25) : sprints
• flo rida – good feeling (4:07) : jumps
• lady gaga – edge of glory (5:20) : sprints
• t.i. ft. rhianna – live your life (5:39) : jumps.  i cut this song off early to keep within a 45 min class
• katy perry – last friday night (3:51) : finished with sprints.  these caught everyone off guard at the end, but a great way to finish the ride.
• hillsong live – the lost are found (8:02) : cooldown/stretch

Somethin’ Bout Sprints

today’s ride was the hardest one i’ve put together in a while.  i definitely regretted teaching back to back classes and using the same playlist for both.  great range of music here, so a little something for everyone.  enjoy!

• white stripes – my doorbell (4:01) : warm up/stretch
• kip moore – somethin’ bout a truck (3:34) : first climb.  this was fun because i never play country, i may have to do that more often!  i increased intensity with each section of the song.
• lady gaga – marry the night (4:25) : sprints  30/30/30
• adrenaline – liquid soul (7:51) : this was super fun.  moderate incline, one minute out of the saddle climb, one minute in the saddle surge.  sounds easy, but a total of 4 rounds with no recovery really wears you out.
• adam lambert – never close our eyes (4:08) : recovery for the first minute, then back to sprints.  30/30/30
• neon trees – everybody talks (2:59) : out of the saddle sprints, 20/20/20
• cream – white room (4:58) : what a great, classic rock song.  some additional recovery time in the beginning and then straight uphill ascent.  in last 2-3 minutes, i had class hit the in the saddle peak, then out of saddle peak, and then back in the saddle for final 30-45 seconds.  intense!
• marianas trench – haven’t had enough (3:30) : sprints again, but i had a 5rpm increase for 10 seconds, and then when chorus jams out, we sprinted all out for 15 seconds.  there were 3 of those.
• justin beiber & nicki minaj – beauty and a beat (3;48) : jumps.  rotating 30 seconds in, 30 seconds out.
• i had another set of sprints built in at this point, but everyone looked like they were going to die, so i didn’t go for it.  i’ll save that one for later!
• katy perry – wide awake (3:41) : stretch/cool down

Smoothie Boosters

It is no secret: I love smoothies.  They are a great way to satisfy daily fruit, protein and nutrient needs, plus it is a fun experiment to find the tastiest, healthiest combination.  I love mixing random fruits (remember the banana and avocado smoothie?) and testing other healthy ways to boost the nutritional value.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• Flax Seed.  I have mentioned this before, but I am a huge fan of this powerful seed.  I pretty much put it on everything: eggs, greek yogurt, salads, and of course I add it to each smoothie I make.  Flax seed is rich in Omega-3s — powerful fatty acids that strengthen immunity and promote healthy heart and artery health.
• Wheat Germ.  Wheat germ is an excellent source of fiber, folate and the antioxidant Vitamin E.  Wheat germ provides one gram of dietary fiber per tablespoon (approx 25 calories per tablespoon).
• Spinach.  Ok, when you’re thinking of a yummy berry smoothie, the last thing you probably want to add is spinach.  But seriously– you can barely taste it!  Spinach is a great way to add iron, calcium and fiber to your favorite smoothie.
• Chia Seeds.  Chia seeds are a great way to add in protein and both soluble and insoluble fiber to aid in blood sugar stabilization.  The seeds soak and retain water, so I soak them in a water for abit before adding to the smoothie.  Another small way to help you stay hydrated throughout the day!

Most of these boosters are super easy to find at your local grocery or health foods store.  I always use almond milk for my smoothies (too many documentaries have scared me away from regular milk!) and also add in a whey protein powder.

Something to keep in mind with your protein intake– your body can only absorb a certain amount of protein based on your weight and physical activity.  Sorry folks, but eating 500g of protein a day is not going to turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger.  If you’re moderately active in weight training, you should consume approx. 1.2g per kg of your body weight — weight in lbs x 0.45 (converting lbs to kgs) x 1.2 = your daily intake of protein.  So, a 180lb man should consume 97g of protein per day.  The protein requirement is less if you are a non-active adult and greater if you are an endurance/strength athlete.  You should consult a personal trainer or nutritionist if you have any questions about how much protein you should be taking in each day!

Enjoy!  Let me know what you think or if you have other suggestions!

Peak 8 Round 2

hi everyone!  apologies for the delay in posting – i have been busy with work and just returned from a student trip to daytona beach.  this was my third year on the trip and it was an awesome week as always.  one of the highlights of the trip was an official “jollyspins” penny that a few of us purchased at a local souvenir shop.  it was definitely a hit and there have been requests for more… maybe a jollyspins apparel line in the future?

here is the playlist for this week’s ride.  i went with peak 8 intervals again, i needed a good workout after being at the beach for a week and not being able to workout.  also, a few of my students joined my class this week, maybe their “after” picture gives you an idea of how hard this ride can be.  here is the spotify link : peak 8 6.28.12

• k’naan – wavin flag (3:33) : warm up / stretch
• martin solveig – hello (3:13) : initial climb
• britt nicole – amazing life (3:33) : jumps in and out of saddle
•  js16 – stomp to my beat (3:58) : peak 8
• m.y.c. – rock (5:38) : peak 8
• benny benassi – control (3:29) : peak 8
• afrojack, eva simons – take over control (3:30) : peak 8
• phoenix – 1901 (3:13) : recovery
• walk the moon – anna sun (5:21) : steady ride, slight increases in resistance
• september – party in my head (4:25) : lifts
• ben howard – keep your head up (4:25) : cooldown / stretch