August 11th, 2011
Rocky Mountain Bootcamp In Colorado1 Comment
All right, first of all check out the gorgeous picture above. That's the view we had on one of our hikes this week and it's what you're missing if you're not here in Colorado this week as part of our Rocky Mountain Fitness Adventure. Not to worry, though, we have an awesome trip in Vermont coming up in October.
Anyway, we're about to go out on a hike later this morning and then whitewater rafting this afternoon, but I wanted to show you the bootcamp workout we did this morning int eh cool, crisp, fresh air of the Rocky Mountains. 
1) Run 50 yards up a hill (and back)
2) T- Stabilization x 10 each
3) In/Outs x 20
4) Squat Jumps x 20
5) Walking Lunge x 20 total up a hill followed by uphill sprint x 10 yards.
6) 8 Count Bodybuilders x 8
7) Draw 2 cards
a. Diamonds = Get Ups
b. Hearts = Suicide Planks
c. Clubs = Jumping Lunges (each)
d. Spades = Russian Twist (each)
When you draw the cards, whatever suit shows up is the exercise you do, and whatever number is on the card is how many reps you do. Aces = 11 reps, Jacks, Queens, Kings are 10 reps.
Each time you go through the circuit, add 2 reps to exercise #2, 3, 4, and 6 and draw 2 extra cards each round (so round 2 is 4 cards, round 3 is 6 cards, etc).
Perform as many rounds as possible in 30 minutes. Rest as needed.
August 7th, 2011
Firm, Flat Abs In 15 Minutes3 Comments
If you want to get firm, sculpted sexy abs (and if you've been reading this blog at all), you understand that crunches just won't do it. They strain your neck, can injure your lower back, and flex your spine (when you should be training your spine for stability). Crunches also don't burn belly fat, so as you can see, they are overall just a waste of time.
There are a lot of awesome plank style movements that will strengthen and tighten your abs, but this workout will focus on standing movements. Not only will these movements help to firm and flatten your abs, you'll be improving your posture, and strengthening your hips, legs, arms and shoulders, making it much easier to carry heavy grocery backs or sprint after your little ones.
In this 15 minute abs workout, we've got 4 exercises. Do each one for the prescribed number of reps, with no rest in between exercises. Rest for 30 seconds after completing 1 round of the entire circuit and then repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 rounds.
Here are the exercises:
Resistance Band Rotation x 15 Each Side
Diagonal Woodchoppers x 12 Each Side
Medicine Ball Slams x 20
Overhead Bulgarian Split Squat x 10 Each Side
August 2nd, 2011
Amazing Abs In 6 Minutes?No Comments »
Can you really get amazing abs in just 6 minutes? The simple answer is NO.
You can’t just do a 6 minute abs workout and expect to lose a ton of belly fat. It must be combined with proper nutrition, resistance training, and high intensity interval cardio. If you’re doing the workouts in Bootcamps On Demand, then you're all set for the workout portion.
Add a 6 minute abs routine such as the one below, to fine tune your abs and make them even more defined.
In this workout, you have six exercises. Each one you will do for 30 seconds. Once you finish one exercise go to the next one with no rest. Complete the circuit twice, with a non stop clock (no rest between rounds 1 and 2).
By the way, you can get 10 six-minute abs workouts as a free bonus when you join Bootcamps on Demand in August.
Rock and Roll Plank x 30 seconds
Resistance Band Rotation x 30 seconds
Stability Ball Tuck x 30 seconds
Spiderman Plank x 30 seconds
Mountain Jumpers x 30 seconds
Stability Ball Plank x 30 seconds
Try this out and please let me know if you feel it in your abs. 
Scott
August 1st, 2011
Get A Beach Body Fast1 Comment
Are you interested in blasting fat, building muscle, and sculpting your entire body as quickly as possible? If so, read on, because not only will your results be quick, the workout itself will be quick too. None of this sitting around and resting 2 minutes between sets.
This is one of the workout variations that I use in Bootcamps On Demand and it's called a Quad Set. We're taking 4 exercises, and you'll do each one in a row with no rest in between. After you complete all 4 movements, rest for about 30-60 seconds, and then repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 rounds.
We're going to be working your entire body, so let's go!
Medicine Ball Walking Lunge With Rotation x 12 reps each leg
Renegade Rows With Push Ups x 10 reps (10 total push ups)
Dumbbell One Legged Step Up With Overhead Press (10 each leg, 20 total presses)
Squat Thrusts x 12 Reps
Let me know how the workout goes. I would love to hear how you do.
Scott
July 25th, 2011
3 Moves To Maximize Your Metabolism6 Comments
Wanna burn more calories from your workout without working out for hours? Then you'll want to perform exercises that are multi-muscle in nature. That's just a fancy way of saying that the exercises should work more than one muscle group at a time. Performing workouts like these will torch more calories in less time and will kickstart your metabolism and leave it in high gear.
This is how we design our fat torching bootcamp workouts that you may have seen at Bootcamps On Demand.
In this workout, you have 3 exercises. You'll perform the prescribed number of repetitions for each movement and do as many rounds as possible of the circuit in 15 minutes.
Exercise #1 - Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat With Overhead Press – 10 Reps Each Side
Exercise #2 – Mountain Climbers with Push Ups – 12 Reps
Exercise #3 – Dumbbell Squat with Bent Over Row – 12 Reps
Enjoy! Let me know how it goes.
Scott
July 15th, 2011
Medicine Ball Push Ups – Are They Too Easy For You?No Comments »
When exercisers get proficient with regular push ups with their knees off the ground, it is necessary to make the push up more difficult so that core and upper body strength gains can still be made.
One of the ways to make the push up more challenging is to use a medicine ball. Usually one hand is placed on a medicine ball and the other on the ground. The instability of the medicine ball and unevenness of your hand position makes this push up much more challenging than a traditional one.
But what happens when this becomes too easy?
Here are 4 challenging options for you when the medicine ball push up becomes too easy.
1) Use 2 medicine balls and have one hand on either ball, feet on the ground.
2) Use 2 medicine balls and have one hand on either ball and your feet elevated on a bench, or if you're brave, on a stability ball.
3). Try both hands on one medicine ball to emphasize the triceps and have your feet on the ground, or elevated on a bench or stability ball.
4). Or if you're ready for this challenge, try 3 medicine balls (like the picture above) and have one hand on a different medicine ball and both feet on a medicine ball. This will definitely rock your abs, and upper body while challenging your strength and balance.
Give these a shot and I'll see you soon!
Scott Colby
Creator of My First Six Pack
Please share this article with your friends and family who might want that extra kick in their workouts
June 28th, 2011
Bootcamp Vs. CurvesNo Comments »
One thing I don't really like about Curves, or other places similar to that, is that they have you do the same 'ole 10 station circuit (or how ever many stations they have) day in and day out.
Heck, I know some bootcamps that do this, and this definitely violates principles #5 and #6 from yesterday's blog post and probably a few others.
If you missed my blog post about my top 7 tips for an effective bootcamp workout, read The World's Most Effective Workouts Are…
Now people are always asking me how to make exercise fun. Well here is a simple way you can put more fun in your workouts. This can be done indoors or outdoors, with other people or alone. It requires no equipment.
Take a piece of paper and write down 6 different bodyweight exercises on it and the number of repetitions.
In our bootcamps, I write these down on a big white dry erase board.
Here is an example:
1. Push Ups x 20 reps
2. Dips x 20 reps
3. Step Ups x 20 reps
4. Squat thrusts x 15 reps
5. Squats x 30 reps
6. Alternating lunges x 20 reps
Make sure you have exercises that will workout your upper body, lower body, conditioning, cardio and uses your abs for stability.
Give each exercise a number 1 thru 6.
Start by running 100 yards or doing jump rope 100 times.
Then take a dice and roll it twice.
Whatever 2 numbers come up, you have to perform the corresponding exercise.
So if you roll a 2 and a 4, you'll be doing 20 Dips and 15 Squat Thrusts.
After you do the 2 exercises, go back to the running or jump rope and roll the dice again.
Do this for 3-4 rounds and you have one heck of a fun, challenging workout that only takes about 10-12 minutes.
Enjoy!
Have an awesome day!
Scott
June 27th, 2011
The World’s Most Effective Workouts Are…1 Comment
I think the world's most effective workouts for fat-burning are bootcamp style workouts.
But they can't just be any bootcamp workouts haphazardly put together.
Each workout must include 7 things for it to be the most effective for fat-burning.
1) It should include compound exercises which work more than one muscle group at a time (like squats, lunges and push ups) vs isolation exercises which only work one muscle group at a time (like biceps curls and crunches).
2) It should include high intensity strength training overloading your muscles (this means the weight you are lifting – even if it's your bodyweight – should be challenging and difficult to finish.
3) It should include high intensity interval cardio training. There are times during the workout where breathing should be difficult. This will ensure that your metabolism stays elevated for several hours after the workout ends.
4) It should include a proper dynamic warm-up. Going for a 5 minute walk or jog is not a proper warm-up for an intense bootcamp workout.
5) The workouts should have variety. Doing the same workouts over and over again are a sure-fire way NOT to get results.
6) The workouts should be fun. If you get bored with your workouts and not enjoy them, are you really going to stick with it.
7) The workouts should not contain any crunches. If you're in a bootcamp and the instructor has you do crunches, you should run from that class as quickly as possible. Anyone that has you do traditional crunches during a bootcamp workout must not realize that crunches can injure your lower back, and that flexing your spine is not good for it.
Bonus Rule: The workouts should be adaptable to all fitness levels - from the beginner to the advanced athlete.
The one other thing that you should be really cautious about is understanding who is putting the bootcamp workouts together.
Are they qualified?
Did you know that there are people selling bootcamp workouts online and they've never even taught a bootcamp class before?
I'd be a little bit cautious about those programs.
I ran bootcamps in Dallas for almost 6 years and I put together every single one of the workouts.
I'm still running bootcamp workouts here in Denver every Saturday morning, and everytime we do a new workout, people always say it's one of the best workouts they've ever done.
I love putting these workouts together and I do bootcamp style workouts myself 3 days a week.
I can honestly say I'm in the best shape of my life.
Have an awesome day!
Scott
June 15th, 2011
Lose 3 Inches Off Your Belly By July 4 – Workout #3No Comments »
A) Set The Table
You’ll begin this workout with 3 maximum effort tests.
Then move on to the main circuit (Serve It Up)
1) Perform as many squat jumps as you can in 1 minute
2) Perform as many DB Squat Presses as you can in 1
minute
3) Perform as many Squat Thrusts as you can in 1
minute
B) Serve It Up
Those numbers you got in the max effort tests will be used in
the following circuit.
1) Run 200 yards
2) 10 Push Ups
3) 15 Walking Lunges with Rotation (total)
4) 200 Jump Rope
5a) The number of squat jumps you got in your test
5b) The number of DB Squat Presses in your test
5c) The number of Squat Thrusts you got in your test.
The first time you do this circuit, perform the exercises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a
The second time, do 1, 2, 3, 4, 5b
The 3rd time, do 1, 2, 3, 4, 5c
The 4th time, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a
And so on.
Complete as many rounds as possible in 30 minutes.
Exercise Demonstrations
Squat Jumps – http://www.vimeo.com/14838586
DB Squat Presses – http://www.vimeo.com/15710765
Squat Thrusts – http://www.vimeo.com/14838700 (Beginner version - http://www.vimeo.com/14837926)
Push Ups – http://www.vimeo.com/14837712 (Advanced do this – http://www.vimeo.com/14838069)
Walking Lunge with Rotation – http://www.vimeo.com/14838516
June 14th, 2011
Lose 3 Inches Off Your Belly By July 4 – Workout #2No Comments »
1). Warm up for 5 minutes at a level 4-5 on the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale
2). Perform 1 minute of cardio exercise (like running) at a level 8-9 on the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale
3). Recover at a moderate intensity at a level 4-5 for 2 minutes
4). Alternate between the high intensity and moderate intensity for 3 rounds.
5). Cool down at a level 3 for 5 minutes
(there are many modes of training you can do for this one – running, hill sprints, jump rope, burpees, mountain climbers, etc).
Use The Rating Of Perceived Exertion Scale to Measure Intensity
Rating of Perceived Exertion
What I generally use is a rating of perceived exertion scale. This is a subjective scale of how hard you are working during your exercise session. The rating of perceived exertion uses a scale of 1 to 10.
Here is the scale and the association perceived level of exertion. I like to use this scale when I'm training.
Level 1: I'm watching TV and eating bonbons (obviously you're not exercising
very hard)
Level 2: I'm comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long
Level 3: I'm still comfortable but breathing a bit harder
Level 4: I'm sweating a little but feel good and can carry on a conversation
Level 5: I'm just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily
Level 6: I can still talk, but am breathless
Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to. I am sweating like a pig
Level 8: I can grunt in response and can only keep up this pace for a short time
period
Level 9: I feel like I am probably going to die.
Level 10: I feel like I am almost dead.
OR TRY ALL OUT SPRINT TRAINING (make sure to warm up first).
Sprint training is a little different than interval training. Interval training will help you develop sustained anaerobic endurance. Sprint training consists of really short bouts of explosive power. Think of a sprinter running 100 meters as fast as he or she can. The fastest athletes in the word run that in under 10 seconds. So during sprint training you are at a level 10 on the perceived exertion scale, but you only have to maintain this for a few seconds.
Often my sprint training routines will consist of sprinting 100 meters, walking 100 meters (back to the start), and I'll do this about 6-10 times
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