Fresh_Fitness

Warm Up
It's a beautiful day in sunny South Beach, a perfect day for a perfect workout. Joe, Karen, and I begin our training session with an easy warm-up jog. While winding through the streets of the historic South Beach Art Deco District, admiring the architecture, people watching and taking in the neighborhood's tropical beauty, we discuss nutrition strategies to complement this week's fitness agenda. The warm-up jog culminates with a series of sprints leading to the white sands of the South Beach oceanfront.

Tired of Staring at the Walls? Change your setting. Natural scenery can break training monotony. Working out with a partner adds a social element to your fitness routine. Train at different speeds (intervals) to add stimulation.

Athletic Drills (not just for athletes)
After a water break and brief walk on the sand, I lead Joe and Karen through their pre-workout stretching. While stretching, the couple is invigorated by deep breathing, redirecting their energy for the day's workout challenges. The fresh ocean breeze and gentle crashing surf provide a serene backdrop for our vigorous workout session. Now, at ease, and warmed up, Joe and Karen begin their first set of athletic drills. During the next 15 minutes, Joe and Karen will undergo a transformation. While performing athletic drills, Joe imagines himself to be a professional football player moving through each exercise with power and precision. Karen is an Olympic gold medallist, paying close attention to her technique and posture; she glides gracefully through an assortment of sports inspired exercises.

Fun & Games
Once the athletic drills are complete, it's game time. I direct the couple to the gladiator pit, a ten-yard square of deep sand, to play a round of bear soccer. Joe faces off from the south goal and Karen defends the north. The first player to score three goals wins. Joe charges, on all fours, to the eight-pound medicine ball lying in the center of the pit. From all fours, bear crawl position, Karen begins her defense. Mirroring Joe's movements, Karen deflects the moving ball with her hands and feet, inhibiting Joe's scoring attempts. After 10 minutes of hot competition and pouring sweat, Karen is victorious.

Challenge Youself Change your current routine with a new fitness toy. Incorporate games or sports into your training program. Prepare for an event (5K, tennis tournament, bike race, etc.) or join a community sports league, friendly competition can be a motivational boost.

Circuit Training Challenge
With a half an hour remaining in our training session, Joe and Karen begin their intensely challenging strength and cardiovascular circuit. Today's training circuit is not the monotonous machine to machine circuit training found in health clubs. Each exercise provides a specific challenge to improve coordination, balance, strength, and mobility. During their training circuit, Joe and Karen complete sports related and body shaping exercises to improve total fitness. Two minutes after the onset of the circuit, Joe is showing signs of fatigue. "No time for rest now, rest when we're done!" I shout with enthusiasm. We quickly change exercises from frog squats to overhead medicine ball tosses. Joe, legs burning with fatigue, welcomes the change of activity with a subtle smile. Once his legs are exhausted, throwing around the eight-pound medicine ball is a relief. Within minutes, their legs have recovered and it's time, to work them again. "Ten jumps, how far can you go?" I question, as the two eye their previous marks in hopes of improvement

Cool Down
After 15 minutes of a rapid progression of diverse challenges, the training circuit is complete and we are ready to cool down. Today's cool down consists of a hybrid of yoga poses, dance techniques, and martial arts moves to improve range of motion. During our final minutes, we improve flexibility with intense, passive stretching. Minds cleared, muscles relaxed, and skin glistening, we enjoy the sunshine.