Heart-pumping plyometric workout

I haven't always been a meathead. In fact, when I first began my fitness journey, I was more of your classic "cardio bunny."

Throughout childhood, I was an active kid by default. From age 4 to 18, I was a competitive dancer, gymnast and cheerleader—high-intensity sports that require a lot of jumping, flexibility, stamina, throwing/holding girls in the air, flipping your body weight—built-in cardio whether you really want it or not. Throughout college, I continued taking classes and teaching at a local dance studio, and I also cheered competitively for an all-star gym.

When I graduated, all of my team sports finally ended, and I realized the college lifestyle (don't act like you didn't enjoy late-night pizza, too) had caught up to me. It wasn't long before I fell into the treadmill trap—thinking an hour of steady-state cardio on the treadmill would help keep me "fit." I became an avid runner and completed countless 5Ks, 10Ks and a few half marathons before realizing I actually didn't enjoy running. Don't get me wrong; I think running is a great sport and it works for some people...but it doesn't work for me. I decided to put my running shoes to rest. When I worked at Men's Health magazine, I got my first taste of strength-training and absolutely loved it. The rest is history.

Now, you'll never catch me on a treadmill, unless I'm doing weighted lunges, sprints, walking on the steepest incline or running backwards. (Yea, that last one gets me a lot of weird looks.) But steady-state cardio? Nope.

I'm fairly confident in saying I might be the only self-proclaimed meathead who actually loves a good cardio session. Most of my weight-lifting friends wouldn't be caught dead doing straight cardio; and my friends who are runners tend to stick to the pavement. But me? I love both—strength-training and cardio. I love challenging myself with weights and watching my body become stronger. (Not to mention, I felt like a total beast the first time I could squat and deadlift more than my body weight.) But I also love completing a cardio session that leaves me gasping for breath and dripping with sweat. Yes, I might just be a freak.

My current training split has two cardio days per week. My weight-training includes active recovery and short rest periods, so I'm never just lolly-gagging between sets, but I have two days where I only do cardio.

One of my cardio days is pure plyometrics—jump-training with bursts of power and speed movements where I exert maximal force during a short period of time. I love plyometrics because I have to use larger muscle groups to give 100% right off that bat—and these workouts send my heart rate soaring through the roof. I basically want to die within 15 seconds, so I must be doing something right.

A few weeks ago, I looked over the workout I was supposed to do, then took it upon myself to get creative and add a few extra exercises into mix. What can I say? Sometimes you just really want to kick your own rear. (And do a little extra abs/core work while you're catching your breath.) So that's just what I did. I'm no certified trianer but, If you're in the mood for an awesome sweat sesh, I recommended the following:

Heart-Pumping Plyometric Workout 

• 15 Straddle jumps on a bench (When you land your straddle out, control it on the way down, don't let your butt plop onto the bench so you can fire up to jump onto the bench for the "in" mountain) into 20 mountain climbers (hard count—right and left leg counts as 1)
  (15-20 seconds rest after the mountain climbers, repeat 4 times)
  
• 20 seconds of battle ropes (alternating arms right and left) into 15 kettlebell swings (use medium weight, drive your hips forward on the swing up)
  (45 seconds rest after the KB swings, repeat 3 times)
  
• 15 single-leg power step-ups per leg (keep one foot on the bench/step and drive the other leg up and you jump straight up into the air), into 15 stability ball pike-ups(45-60 seconds rest after the pike-ups, repeat 3 times)
  
• 10 High box jumps (We're talking high–I used 11-12 risers)
  (1 minute rest, repeat 5 times)
  
• Speed ladder drills—3 times hop-scotch style (Squat outside the ladder, up straight inside—down and back counts as 1, so you technically have six total) into 10 slam ball tosses (get some air and use a moderate weight; I try to hit the lower part of the ceiling)
  (1 minute rest after the tosses, repeat 3 times)
  
• Sled push down a long stretch into 10 burpees (My gym has a track, so I do it down one of the straightaways)
  (1 minute rest after the burpees, repeat 2 times)

If you're giving 100% and going HAM on every single power move, I can almost guarantee you'll be drenched afterward. Good luck, and have fun! You'll thank me later.

Stay sweet [sweat] and sassy,

Kat

The perfect pre-workout protein pancake

Pancakes have become a staple in my diet and part of my Saturday morning routine. When my weekend rolls around, I eat a large pancake before heading off to the gym to begin my day with a brutal leg workout. Sure, some people think I'm nuts for spending my Saturday morning at the gym/enduring an intense sweat sesh while the majority of people in my time zone (and age demographic) are sleeping, but it works for me. Thanks to my schedule during the week, my body no longer knows what sleeping in feels like, and it's a good day when this girl doesn't wake up until 8 or 9 a.m. But I digress...

Mmm, get in my belly.

I'm a VERY methodical person in everything I do, and I'm fairly confident in saying I'm the definition of type-a personality. (For evidence of that, check out my most recent article that ran in American Way magazine this past December.) That being said, after many failed attempts, I was pretty pleased when I finally mastered the perfect pre-workout protein pancake.

Before trying this recipe, I should warn you: in no way does my pancake resemble the fluffy stack of butter-laden, spongy cakes you'd find on the menu at your local IHOP. I mean, dream big. Instead, I'd like to think of this breakfast as the healthier stepsister to IHOP pancakes. For me, it has the perfect amount of protein and carbs to use as fuel for a hard workout—without leaving me feeling stuffed or sluggish. Aside from being absolutely delicious, this recipe also involves minimal ingredients, which is always a plus. I know not everybody has the same macro nutrient goals as me (men, you might need to double the recipe or add extra ingredients), so adjust your measurements accordingly!

The Perfect Pre-Workout Pancake

What you need:

• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 scoop of Cellucor's cinnamon swirl whey protein (swap with whatever protein you'd like, but I highly recommend this brand/flavor)
• 1/2 medium banana (I use approximately 55-60 grams)
• 2 egg whites
• Stevia and cinnamon, to taste
• Your choice of topping (I typically use one/some of the following: nut butter, PB2, sugar-free maple syrup, fresh berries, etc.)

I always have these ingredients in my kitchen!

Instructions:

1. Measure out the ingredients into a blender & blend everything together. (No need to separate wet vs. dry ingredients.)
2. Blend until smooth. (It doesn't look like much liquid, but the batter gets pretty thin.)
3. Spray a small to medium-sized pan (I think mine is 6-7 inches) with your spray of choice. (I use Trader Joe's coconut oil spray.) Heat on low.
4. Pour the batter in the pan. The amount of batter fills up my pan, so I end up having one pancake to cover my entire plate.
5. Wait for the batter to bubble, just as you would with a "normal" pancake, then flip it over. It should be pretty sturdy and easy to flip—not crumbly or messy.
6. Let the other side heat/brown. I like mine to be a light golden color.
7. Remove from the heat, add toppings, and enjoy!

Approximate macros for pancake, no toppings: 255 calories, 3g fat, 33g carbs, 24g protein

What are you waiting for? Go make this pancake immediately, then enjoy it as much as I do.

Stay sweet [sweat] and sassy,

Kat

Here we go, one more time...

The popular phrase "third time's the charm," couldn't be more true when it comes to my blogging efforts. So, here we go again, my third (and hopefully final) attempt to keep a consistent blog. Add that to my list of 2015 New Year's resolutions…

If I had it my way, I'd be self-employed as a blogger. Unfortunately, blogging doesn't quite pay the bills or support my horrible habit of buying obnoxious, brightly colored Nike shoes—at least not yet. So for now, my goal is to blog at least two or three times a week…you know, when I have free time away from my full-time job, early-morning training sessions, social commitments with family and friends, food prep time—and that other little thing called "life."

With this blog, my ultimate goal is to give you the inside look into my health and fitness journey, which is constantly evolving. This past year was a time for growth and new experiences. After completing two half marathons and finally accepting my body isn't constructed to be a runner, I hung up my Mizunos for the time being. Instead, 2014 will be remembered with other experiences:

• I took my first hot yoga class. (I consider it a personal victory that I withstood suffocating temperatures for 90 LONG minutes.)
• I found a personal trainer who was the perfect fit for me.
• I joined Camp Gladiator, which I highly recommend.
• I stopped hot yoga. (No shame there)
• I competed in the Camp Gladiator Games as a top 10 finalist for female teams across the nation.
• I painfully said goodbye to my trainer when he moved.
• I competed (and placed first!) in my first-ever Spartan Race. It's safe to say I am now hooked on obstacle races.
• I have progressively gotten stronger, leaner and more confident in the athlete I've grown to become, which might be the milestone I'm most proud of.

Those are just a few highlights, and I'm certainly not finished yet! I have some pretty high-reaching goals for 2015, and I'm excited to share those with you as a new year begins. (And no, I won't give any hints, because I want you coming back and continuing to read my blog!)

So until next time, stay sweet [sweat] and sassy,

Kat