A few favorite strength moves from Dara Torres' coach

IN THE GYM


Once Torres is through with the pool and back on terra firma, Strength and conditioning coach Andy O'Brien takes over, using Bosu balls to strengthen stabilizing muscles throughout her body. Here are seven of their favorite exercises.



Shoulders

1External Cable Rotation

Using a cable machine with the cable at waist level and elbows at hips; rotates arms in and out to opposite sides-Begin with your right arm and rotate it to the left side, keeping the left arm still and then switch to the left arm, rotating it to the right side.

Do 10-15 reps on each side; 3 sets



2 Swiss Balance Ball Letters

Lie on stomach on a Swiss balance ball with three-pound weights in each hand and while balancing on the ball put your body in the position of the letters T, Y, Z, W and V. Do each letter 15 times; 3 sets.



Core

3 Twist Balance Cable Rotation

Using the cable machine, hold a small sized balance ball in left arm at stomach and reach around the ball with right hand to grab the cable then rotate from the middle to the right and the left, working the obliques. 15 reps each side; 2 sets



4 Floor Crunches

Low-Do the first set flat on your back with an eight-pound medicine ball between the knees. Knees are bent and feet are on the floor. 30 reps

High-Do the second set of crunches flat on your back with the ball between your feet and feet up in the air. Reach up and try and touch the ball. 30 reps

Elbow and Knee Touch a.k.a your traditional bicycle crunches-Lie on your back and bring your knee to the opposite elbow. 30 reps



Do 3 sets.



Upper Body

5 Weighted Pull-Ups

Traditional weighted pull-ups (Torres adds 15 pound weights to each ankle to her 130-pound frame) 15 reps



6 Bosu Push-Ups

Flip a Bosu ball upside down-with the flat part facing up-and do a push-up. 15 reps; 2 sets.



Lower Body

7 Weighted Bosu Ball Squats

Flip the Bosu ball upside down and stand on the flat part and with your legs shoulder width apart and a 40-pound weights in each hand do a squat. 10-15 reps; 2 sets





ON THE STRETCHING MAT

Torre's secret weapon is resistance stretching: a trainer positions a muscle in the shortest possible position and continuously contracts it through the entire range of motion for that muscle, while Torres provides resistance. She typically stretches for two hours three times a week, and will do shorter sessions up to four times a day when she's racing. She mostly works with two stretching trainers, Steven Sierra and Anne Tierney of Innovative Body Solutions. They compiled this breakdown of a typical stretching session.



1 "Mashing" to loosen her up-45 minutes

*Mashing is deep tissue massage using the trainers' feet! One trainer works Dara's legs while the other simultaneously works the upper body. Mashing can be very intense and goes deep into her muscles to release knots and adhesions quickly-this allows her muscle to contract better and flushes toxins.



2 Lower body-30 minutes

*The leg is divided into 8 major muscle groups and stretched in this order: Calves

Quadriceps, central, medial and lateral hamstrings, glutes, iliacus (adductors), tensor fascia lata, and abductors.



Note: All Resistance Stretching stretches are using Dara's resistance-very different from other forms of stretching where the leg is lengthened and then held in position in order to "stretch."



* The same routine is repeated on the each leg. If imbalances are found, then problem-solving is used (balancing muscle groups). i.e. if the lateral quadriceps is not stretching, Anne and Steve would target the medial hamstring first, and then return to the lateral quad).



*After both legs have been worked along the 8 major muscle groups, Dara does double leg stretches (one of the benefits of having a 2-person stretching team-another reason why Dara's training is like no other)



3 Upper body-30 minutes

*Dara prefers to have both trainers work her arms at the same time and do deep rotational stretches while she is on her back and elevated on a massage table (so the arms can go past the plane of the "floor.") All major muscle groups are addressed, chest, back, lats, traps, biceps, triceps.



* The arms are stretched together in X and Y formations and across various planes and angles. Not only is Dara resisting during these exercises, but by "rotating" her arm, the trainers are essentially "wringing out" the arms-allowing them to stretch tendons, fascia, more muscle, and the joint capsule. (Picture it like wringing out a wet towel- it gets a lot dryer a lot faster, the more you twist and grab more and more fibers).



4 Core Strength and Flexibility-20 minutes

* After Dara's arms and legs have been stretched individually, trainers begin stretches and massage techniques to address the core and rotation of the core.



5 Finishing Touches -palpation, more mashing, and lung pumping -5-20 minutes

* Finally, trainers finish up the 2 hours by palpating the diaphragm and mashing out the lats. Both of these allow more range of motion (ROM) in her shoulder girdle.

* To palpate the diaphragm, Dara lies on her back in a sports bra to expose her ribs and abdominals. The trainers essentially "dig" under her ribs to access the rectus abdominals and diaphragm. This form of "massage" allows her rib cage to expand and open up more.

* Finally, Dara lies on her side on the floor in order for her lats and infra/supraspinatus to get mashed out. This provides relief for shoulder impingements.

Push up Challenge

I want you to start doing push ups everyday.  If you can't do a full body then start with push ups on your knees.  Go to failure each day.

There are no excuses....
You can do these anywhere......

-the kitchen
-outside while the kids are playing
-in the morning
-at night

Doesn't matter when or where...just do them.  Every day.....as many as you can.

Get strong,

Melissa

Remember those cookies you ate???

Ready to blast fat in 24 minutes...I did this one this morning after my weight workout and TRUST ME...it really works.

Follow this plan twice a week, in between your strength workouts.  Do each exercise as many times as you can for 45 seconds.  Rest for 15 to 30 seconds between each exercise.  Take a 60 second break after the entire sequence, then return to the first exercise and repeat the whole circuit.  During week one, do six rounds.  Add one round each week until you've reached 10.

STATIC SQUAT IN-AND-OUT JUMP
Stand with your feet less than hip-width apart, hands behind your head, back straight.  Lower into a squat position.  Keeping your knees bent and staying low, jump and spread your legs so that you land in a squat.  Jump back to start.  Continue alternating as fast as possible.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
Assume a pushup position with your arms straight and body in a straight line.  Drive your right knee toward your chest, then return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg.  Continue alternating legs as fast as possible, maintaining control.

LUNGE JUMP
Stand with feet together, elbows bent 90 degrees at your sides.  Lunge forward with your right foot.  Jump straight up as you thrust your arms forward, elbows still bents.  Switch legs in midair, like a scissor, and land in a lunge with your left leg forward, arms at your sides.  Continue alternating legs.

SQUAT THRUST
Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides.  Bend your knees, put your hands on the floor, and extend both feet back so you're in a pushup position.  Keep your back straight and core braced.  Jump your feet back up to your hands, then stand.  Repeat as fast as possible, maintaining control.

Advanced Cardio Workouts

These are not for a beginner.  These are really intense but they will really help you out of a plateau.  Try one of these 4 workouts for your next cardio session.

• Bike 55 min., 10 min. warm up 1 min. hard/ 2 min easy for 30 min.  The hard should be gradual where by the time you finish the intervals you're legs are spent.  Cool down 15 minutes high spinning 80-85 revolutions.
• Bike 55 min., warm up, moderate effort, check cadence (revolutions every 5 minutes, between 80-85 rpm./18-19mph) at 15 min do 2 min. increase resistance and maintain 85 rpm/ or 19mph.  Decrease resistance (easy/moderate) until 30 min. and repeat 2 min. hard, then decrease resistance until 45 min. and do 2 min. all out effort until legs are burning, then decrease resistance.  Easy remainder of time.
• Hard run: 10 minute warm-up easy jog, then do intervals of 1 minute hard followed by 2 minutes easy, do this for 40 minutes, then 5 minutes cool down.
• Hard run: 10 minute warm-up easy jog, then 30 seconds hard followed by one minute easy jog, do this for 30 minutes, cool down 15 minutes.

Hang in there,

Melissa

Cardio Challenge

Do this 3 x's per week

On the treadmill.

0-2 minutes walk 3.5
2-5 minutes jog 5.5
5-6 minutes jog 6.0 incline on 2
6-7 minutes run 7.0 incline on 0
8-9 minutes run 7.2 incline on 0
9-11 minutes walk 3.8 incline at 4
12-14 minutes walk 4.0 incline at 5
14-15 minutes run 8.0 incline on 0
15-17 minutes walk 4.0 incline on 6
17-18 minutes run 7.5 incline on 0
18-19 minutes walk 4.0 incline on 6
19-20 minutes walk 3.8 incline on 3

If you can't hit the numbers on the treadmill...just use this pattern and do your best.  This is a very challenging 20 minute cardio session.  Try to add this 3 times a week with your strength training and you will see some results in a very short time! 

Get ready to sweat!

Melissa

Another Beginner's Workout

2 days a week (non-consecutive days)

1. Bench press with dumbbells, barbell or machine (chest)
2. Dumbbell side lat raise (shoulders)
3. One arm dumbbell row or lat machine pull down (upper back)
4. Dumbbell extension behind head (triceps)
5. Dumbbell Bicep curl (biceps)
6. Leg extension or lunge (thighs)
7. Standing calf raise (calves)
8. Lying leg curl  or a roll out with a ball (hamstrings)
9. Crunches (abs)

Feel free to substitute any of these exercises for any others, this is just a guideline.  Do this routine for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per exercises, except calves and abs, where you can go up to 20-25 reps.  Rest one minute between sets.  After 3 to 6 months, you'll want to add exercises and move up to a split routine.

Beginner's weight lifing program

Here is a great beginner's program for you if you have dumbbells.
Total Body

2 sets of 25 reps with no rest in between.  Do this 2 to 3 times a week with a day of rest in between.

Legs
Squats
Lunges

Back
Lat Pull down
DB Rows

Chest
Chest press with DB
push ups

Shoulders
clean and press with DB
side or front raises

Bi's
DB curls

Tri's
 Overhead extensions or kickbacks with light weights

Ab's
Basic crunches

On the days you are not lifting weights try to do 20 minutes of HIT.  30 seconds on and 30 seconds off.  You can pick any cardio that you enjoy...just push it.

Have you hit a plateau?

Not getting any results....try a few of these ideas to get out of your rut:

• HIT training-intervals of walking, running, biking in 30 secs on and 30 secs off
• Go outside and do 20 minutes of sprints (up and down the driveway or sidewalk)
• Add 100 lunges to your routine carrying a plate in front of you
• Do something new-a body pump class, boot camp....do something you never do
• Add stretching, foam roller, yoga-staying flexible is key to getting the best results
• Push yourself...could you have run a little longer...lifted a little more weight...done one more rep?
• Find a workout partner that will push you
• Keep your eating clean
• Try cardio 1st thing in the morning on an empty stomach
• Change your workout-lift heavier, lift lighter with more reps, shake it up...get out of your rut
• Eat smaller meals throughout the day
• Run sprints up and down a hill outside in the yard
• Try to do 25 to 50 pushups every day (on your toes!!!)
• Listen to your favorite music while working out
• Focus your mind on what you are doing...this is your time
• Dance with your kids

Get off the couch!

Melissa

Today's Workout

Today's workout is very short but be ready to sweat.  Your goal is to complete maximum number of rounds during 15 minutes.  One round is made up of the following 4 exercises.

1. Jump Lunge-5 reps
2. Reverse push up- 5 reps
3. Jump Squat- 5 reps
4. Push ups- 5 reps

Do as many rounds of this as you can in 15 minutes. 

Now go sweat...come on...it's only 15 minutes!!

Melissa

Fitness Challenge For Today

I want you to challenge yourself with this test and see how well you do. Count how many you can do in 2 minutes of the following:
2 minutes of pushups without stopping (Full body if you can ...on your knees if you must)
2 minutes of situps or crunches without stopping
Run 2 miles as fast as you can.  How long did it take you?

Now let's start working on improving this over the next several weeks and we will test again soon!

My numbers were:
16 total body pushups then 30 on my knees
75 crunches
21 mins and 17 seconds to run 2 miles

Obviously I have not been running in a while:)

Stay Strong,
Melissa

H.I.T. High intensity training

I have had a few asking me about my thoughts on cardio and weight loss. I believe that you need cardio and resistance training for the best results. Unless you are an endurance athlete and  are trying to increase endurance/mileage then I believe HIT cardio is one of the quickest, most effective ways to lose extra weight. You can pick any piece of cardio equipment: Bike, eliptical, stairs, running, walking or jumping rope. A sample session would look like this:
30 seconds on (which means as hard as you can go for 30 seconds). For some people that would be a fast walk and others it would be a sprint. You need to really push yourself for 30 seconds and then take 30 seconds off....Again, off might mean a slow walk for some or a light jog for others.
30 seconds on
30 seconds off
For 20 minutes 3 times a week for a start.

Remember, "if you keep doing, what you've been doing, you're going to keep getting what you've been getting."

Boot camp

I started a new 9 week bootcamp program yesterday. It is a combination of weights, cardio and lots of plyometrics. It is based on military training....I can post more about the workouts if anyone is interested. Just let me know!

Workout of the day-upper body

No rest in between unless you absolutely have to.....
30 lat pull downs
60 push ups on toes
60 squat clean and press
60 DB Rows (30 on each side)
60 more push ups on knees
60 touch and press (30 each side)
30 lat pull downs
20 minutes of HITT cardio

Less than 1 hour!!

Today's Leg Workout

10 minute warm up

• 50 walking lunges
• 50 reverse walking lunges
• 50 step ups
• 50 side walking squats (25 on each side)
• 50 double tap lunges
• 50 reverse lunges
• Then went outside and did walking lunges up and down driveway....
• 20 minutes of HITT cardio on bike (30 seconds on (all out sprint) and 30 seconds off (slower pedal)

Workout tip of the day

50 lunges with a 35lb plate in your arms (go less if you need to)
100 lunges without any weights
50 more double tap lunges
Then 20 minutes of cardio....

20 minutes of HITT

Treadmill 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off.
15% incline run at 5.0 or faster then take a break and walk fast for 30 seconds.
Then 50 pushups!

Breakfast and workout today

Breakfast:
Whole Rolled Oats with Fresh Blueberries, ground flax, chia seeds and organic raisins with a small shake (Kefir, frozen mangos, chia seeds, flax, protein powder).
Workout:
I did upper body (very heavy and intense). Then 20 minutes of stairs and a 1 mile run with all I had left!
Now time with the kids!!!