4/29/19: DIY TIPS
We’re in-between months and it’s the perfect time to explore the Studio before the May Program begins on Monday! Every week I connect with many of you who are traveling, returning from a hiatus, or have trouble following the weekly schedules because…Life. There are so many ways to use Studio LB and at the end of the day it should work for you whether it’s your main thing or your side piece.
You receive four new workouts each week, but you also have an extensive workout library that’s just shy of 500 workouts and there are SO many gems in there!
There’s a lot to explore, celebrate, and re-visit, and this week is an ideal starting point to showcase a few Studio LB favorites and DIY tips. The beauty of these tips is that they work regardless of workout style (Cardio, Sculpt Standing or Grounded) or season:
Know your Goals
Part of DIY’ing it is understanding what your personal goals are. From there, you can achieve your goals. For example, if one of your goals is fat loss, you’ll want to lift heavy during full length workouts (unless I say otherwise) and also choose workouts that target the large muscles of the lower body (fat burners). FYI: I create at two of these for you each week.
Make it Personal
If something isn’t working for you in a particular week, why head back to a favorite or peruse the Quick Burn library? There’s no reason to fear mixing it up. If you've been adding your favorite workouts to "My List" in Studio LB, this is a great place to start.
Don’t be afraid to go back in time
My workouts are always evolving, so something from 2017 or 2018 may feel really fresh. To jump back in time go to Series--> The Full Library--> choose a previous month from the drop down menu. (Note: we've greatly improved our audio quality over the past two years. The workouts were great in 2017, but the audio is not).
Play with Props
Do you always start with cardio or sculpt? Why not start from a new perspective and search a prop that speaks to you? By beginning with something you love or maybe something you haven’t done in a while like a dowel workout, your workout will feel more personal, fun, and revived.
Program with Purpose
Each week I make sure we’re balancing the body with a mixture of flexion, extension and rotation along with incorporating both standing and grounded work. You’ll also notice equal balance of weighted work, cardio and sculpt. Grouping movement together by function and purpose helps to give more context to the week. Once you start balancing things in this way, you’ll see what you have too much or too little of. Doing too much cardio or repeating the same workout everyday won’t get you very far or do you much good.
When you work from a place of balance, your weekly schedule will feel purposeful. If you don't want to think too hard, you can repeat an entire week from a previous month. I do my best to make sure nothing goes untouched, under or over-worked in a particular week, so you know it's always a safe bet to follow a full week.
Less is More
Quick Burn workouts really work in 30 minutes or less. With every workout, I make sure you are in the total-body zone so that you don’t create muscle imbalances. The art of programming is tricky to get right, and it’s easy to overwork or underwork parts of the body when you’re DIY’ing it. When you’re not following the weekly QB schedule, make sure you’re choosing a Cardio + Sculpt and Standing Abs workout each week. Lifting heavy will give you way more burn for the time.
Elevate what’s Pre-Existing
It’s amazing how a few small tweaks can unlock your workouts freshness and vitality. Something as simple as working with a 2 lb. heavier weight or adding ankle weight can make a huge impact.
Let it be a Work in Progress
Finally, it’s important to allow your workout and your progress to be a work in progress. You have to accept that fitness and progress takes time. It isn’t a race, and there’s no finish line, so try to relax and enjoy the process!