Need some new jams to pump up your workouts?  Here are my top picks.

Songs for Cardio: Take it Off by Ke$ha, Album: Animal; I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas, Album: The E.N.D.; My Body by Young the Giant, Album: Young the Giant; Times Like These by Foo Fighters, Album: Foo Fighters Greatest Hits; No Hands (Electro Remix) by Hoodfellas, Album: Mixtape Vol. 5; The Great Adventure by Stephen Curtis Chapman, Album: The Great Adventure; Drum Song by The Temper Trap, Album: Conditions; One (Your Name) [Vocal Mix] by Swedish House Mafia, Album: One (Your Name); Liberty Walk by Miley Cyrus, Album: Can’t Be Tamed; Explosive by Bond, Album: Explosive- The Best of Bond; Losing My Religion (Glee Cast Version) by Glee Cast, Album: Losing My Religion (Glee Cast Version)- single

Songs for Strength: Bring me to Life by Evanescence, Album: Fallen; Church by T-Pain, Album: Epiphany; Blow by Ke$ha, Album: Cannibal; Eminence Front by The Who, Album: The Who Greatest Hits; Enter the Sandman by Metallica, Album: Metallica; Get Up/Levantate by Pitbull, Album: The Boatlift; Wanna Be a Baller (Edit) by Lil’ Troy, Album: Sittin’ Fat Down South; All I do is Win by DJ Khaled, Album: All I Do is Win; New Years Day (USA Remix Kevorkian Remix) by U2, Album: War;  The Fire by The Roots & John Legend, Album: How I Got Over; Lose Yourself by Eminem, Album: 8 Mile Soundtrack; Remember the Name (Edit) by Fort Minor, Album: The Rising Tide; Saving Grace by Tom Petty, Album: Highway Companion; Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand, Album: Franz Ferdinand

Songs for Flexibility: Patience (Cool Wave Mix) by Sixth Finger feat.Dew, Album: Bossa N Roses; Sweet Child O’ Mine by Banda Do Sul feat Natascha, Album: Bossa N Roses; Paradise City (Vibes Edition) by Scubba, Album: Bossa N Roses; Goodnight Moon by Shivaree, Album: I Ought to Give You a Shot in the Head; What if I Stumble by DC Talk, Album: Jesus Freak; Killing Me Softly with His Song by Fugees, Album: The Score; Heartless (The Voice Performance) by Dia Frampton, Album: Heartless (The Voice Performance)- Single; Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus by Ollabelle, Album: Ollabelle; Free Fallin’ (Live) by John Mayer, Album: Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles; All that You have is your Soul by Tracy Chapman, Album: The Bridge School Concerts, Vol. 1

“Ultimate” is overused in reference to workouts as much as mama and drinking are overused in country songs… but I truly think I have come up with the ultimate workout!  Before I continue, you should know that the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the organization that I have my most highly regarded certification as a health and fitness specialist, and the fitness industry’s “gold standard” training non-athletes, frowns on workouts that last over 60-minutes for the general population.  Many of us are not exactly “general population.”

Before attempting The Ultimate Workout, it is essential that you have an established aerobic base.  Furthermore, check with your physician before beginning this or any vigorous workout program.  The workout that I  am about to impart to you will exhaust you, mentally and physically.  During the most intense intervals, I find myself praying and quoting scripture just to get through them!  In my opinion, this is the ultimate workout- mentally, physically, and spiritually.

The Ultimate Workout is a progression of “The BB Workout.” http://cardiopump.com/2011/08/25/the-brook-benten-workout/  The BB Workout is a great challenge!  I achieved the best physical figure of my life simply using that workout.  The thing is, with time, the body adjusts to the demands that you put on it.  Once that happens, it’s time for progressive overload.

The first step to intensifying “The BB Workout” is to add a 30-second sprint at the end of each ascending interval.  Simply perform that exact same workout, but change the last 30-seconds in each ascending interval to a personal sprint pace, instead of the 3.5 or 4.0 MPH power walk, as indicated.  *If you have join issues or injuries that make hi-impact exercises (like running) contraindicated, this intensification is not for you.

It will take months before you need to progress from there.  The general population will strive to be able to, one day, complete “The BB Workout” without modifications.  Highly conditioned individuals will progress to the intensified option, suggested above, with adding the 30-second sprint intervals.  The extremely conditioned- and a little bit crazy- individuals will finally turn to The Ultimate Workout!

THE ULTIMATE WORKOUT:

Perform “The BB Workout” with adding a sprint for the last 30-seconds of each ascending interval.  Finish the workout, as prescribed.  THEN, put on a 10-pound weighted vest (Hyperwear Hyper Vest Pro) and perform the exact same thing over again, with the extra weight!

I, personally, prefer to add the extra weight for the second round through, but you could vary the workout by adding the weighted vest for the first hour and performing it with body weight alone for the second hour.

You could also modify this workout by just going through the series one time (60-minutes) with the weighted vest and ending your workout there.  I wouldn’t call that “The Ultimate Workout,” but I’d qualify it as a pant-kicking, calorie-torching, heart-pounding, slap-yo-mama good workout!

*Adding a weighted vest adds greater impact on the joints.  Overweight individuals and those with joint issues should not run with a weighted vest.  Lean and injury-free individuals should not run for long periods of time with a weighted vest because of the greater impact on the joints.

May you find that one of the workouts above is just right for you.  Here’s me raising my bottle of Evian and toasting YOU to a healthy and fit 2012!  May we continue to push our limits, strive for more, and amaze ourselves at all that our mortal bodies are capable of!

I’m running a 5K race in two and a half hours. The weather conditions are bad… it’s very cold, raining, the roads are slick, and weak runners will be psyched out of showing up, altogether. This is reality, but it is also the defeat of the weak. They have lost the race before it even begins. To the strong, their “reality” is this: it’s sunny with a high of 75. Adrenaline is pumping as if it’s their first race and determination is possessing them as if it’s their last. They picture every step of the run. They feel the pain of the pace they’ll maintain, and they actually feel their hearts, lungs, and legs taxed as they visualize themselves pushing through the pain. They hear the sound of the gremlin that will enter their heads at some point in the run, telling them it’s too hard and to slow down; they prepare to flick him aside like a fruit fly. The race will be over in 20-minutes (or whatever their goal time may be); the permanent victory is worth the temporary pain. They will persevere. There is nothing and no one that can stop them from dominating this race.
I am in the mind gym. In this place, there are no excuses and no setbacks. It is this place that prepares me for the win I will take home tonight. The race is against myself. I will beat weakness. I will be strong, steady, focused, and confident. I will be undefeated.
“Ninety percent of the game is half mental” (Yogi Berra).

August 2011 has been MY month! By closely watching everything I’ve eaten and exercising a lot (you know my mantra: “more cardio, less lardio”), I have gotten into the best shape of my life. There is a favorite workout that I have done daily, and I’m super excited to share it with you. Since I have performed this workout so many times, I have coined it “the Brook Benten.” I chose incline walking, because I have a hamstring injury that limited me to no more than 12 miles per week of running, per orthopedic’s orders. Incline walking gives me all of the workout of interval running, without the impact on the joints or aggravation of the hamstring muscles. Here is the “Brook Benten”!!!!

Treadmill: set the speed to 4.0 MPH; begin with 0 incline and raise the incline every 3-minutes. Once you get to incline 11.0, reduce the speed to 3.5 MPH. Continue to perform this drill through incline of 15.0. Upon completing 3-minutes on incline of 15.0, begin descending at intervals of 2.0 for 2-minutes each. Holding on to the unit with your hands is not intended; pump your arms by your sides.

To be specific, here is the 60:00 breakdown:
0:00-3:00 0 incline, 4.0 MPH
3:01-6:00 1 incline, 4.0 MPH
6:01-9:00 2 incline, 4.0 MPH
9:01-12:00 3 incline, 4.0 MPH
12:01-15:00 4 incline, 4.0 MPH
15:01-18:00 5 incline, 4.0 MPH
18:01-21:00 6 incline, 4.0 MPH
21:01-24:00 7 incline, 4.0 MPH
24:01-27:00 8 incline, 4.0 MPH
27:01-30:00 9 incline, 4.0 MPH
30:01-33:00 10 incline, 4.0 MPH (in my opinion, this is the hardest one of the whole workout)
33:01-36:00 11 incline, 3.5 MPH
36:01-39:00 12 incline, 3.5 MPH
39:01-42:00 13 incline, 3.5 MPH
42:00-45:00 14 incline, 3.5 MPH
45:01-48:00 15 incline, 3.5 MPH
48:01-50:00 13 incline, 3.5 MPH
50:01-52:00 11 incline, 3.5 MPH
52:01-54:00 9 incline, 4.0 MPH
54:01-56:00 7 incline, 4.0 MPH
56:01-58:00 5 incline, 4.0 MPH
58:01-60:00 3 incline, 4.0 MPH

I end the workout there, because Lifefitness treadmills are pre-programmed by the manufacturer to shut down after 1-hour. If you are utilizing another type of treadmills, feel free to continue the workout for another 3-minutes in order to wrap up an additional descent at a 1 incline, 4.0 MPH.

Not all workouts are suited for all people. For your safety, please consult your physician before begin this or any workout routine.

5:00 Warm-Up (0 grade, jog pace): “Uprising” by Muse

4:00 Spring Intervals (0 grade, sprint during the THREE chorus runs): “My Body” by Young the Giant

3:30 Fast Run (0 grade, sustained personal best run pace): “Bright Lights Big City” by Cee Lo Green

3:40 Heavy Hill Walk (15 grade, 3.5 MPH): “Wanna Be a Baller (edited version)” by Lil’ Troy

3:30 Hill Jog (5 grade, 6.0+ MPH): “Jagged” by Old 97′s

4:00 Hill Power Walk/Jog (10 grade, 4.0+ MPH): “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus

1:45 Max Sprint (0 grade, personal best sprint pace): “That’s Alright Mama” Tyler Hilton version

2:40  Light Jog Recovery (0 grade, light and easy jog):  ”You Call It Rain” Old 97′s

5:40 Cool-Down (0 grade, easy walk to stop & stretch): “El Cerrito Place” by Charlie Robison

Enjoy the workout!  You are encouraged to post your comments upon completion!

Have you tried these free virtual downloadable workouts, available at cardiopump.com?  I am passionate about helping you get in to serious shape, and these free workouts, if combined with a healthy and calorie-conscious diet, will do just that.  There are so many intense options to choose from: Trekking (treadmill interval workouts), Indoor Cycling, Abs, Trekking + GoFit Kettlebell (treadmill intervals mixed with kettlebell swings), and Express Bootcamp (no equipment necessary!).

Simply go to www.cardiopump.com/virtual-workouts.  Pick the one that you would like to download, and click on that title.  Scroll to the bottom left of that page and click on the link that says “Click Here to Download this Workout.”  Select to save the file to your desktop.  Drag that saved file from your desktop into your iTunes folder.  Sync your iPod to iTunes and the workout will be there for your next sweatfest!

These workouts especially come in handy for vacations and business trips.  I, personally, leave on a beach vacay next week, and you can believe that Trekking 3, Express Bootcamp, Trekking 1, and Virtual Abs will be my own vacation workouts!

I hope that you enjoy the intense 15-45-minute fitness challenges that you’ll get in the free virtual workouts at cardiopump.com/virtual-workouts.