Basketball Workout with Jade of Spades

I picked up tons of fitness drills and techniques when I played basketball for Duquesne University.  Today I incorporate these moves in my training. Every 4 weeks I am creating a new workout for Slam Magazine. The workouts are inspired by the moves and drills we did with our basketball coach & strength & conditioning coach in college. Basketball is a fun, competitive game, which is why I adapted the Jade of Spades workout into a fitness game for Slam Magazine.  Exercise and fitness should be fun so I figured the best way was to create game-like exercises, similar to Jade of Spades (If you are not familiar with Jade of Spades, check it out!).

I hope my workouts inspire athletes, former athletes, retired athletes and anyone that has a passion for staying healthy to continue & incorporate fitness in their lives.  Even those that have a difficult time working out, I hope this inspires a lifestyle change! Check out the Slam workout! Stay posted every month for new updated Jade of Spades influenced basketball workouts!

SLAM: Basketball Workout with Jade of Spades

Follow Living Jade on Twitter for health, fitness & updates @LivingJade 

Post Thanksgiving Day Workouts

On Thanksgiving Day people tend to overeat. I hope most people were proactive this year and didn't over consume at the dinner table. Sometimes it is ok to indulge - every now and then. But if you must indulge make sure you workout. On the morning of thanksgiving day, before the festivities begin is the perfect time to get your workout in. Missed  your workout the last few days? Take some time to catch up.  If you have not tried Jade of Spades then this is the perfect time to try it.  Read more to see the 'Post Thanksgiving Day' workouts from Living Jade. 

Top 5 Benefits From Stretching

It is important to stretch especially if you exercise often. Cardio and strength training will make your muscles short and tight. Stretching will help to loosen and elongate your muscles, but it is important that you are stretching correctly. I have learned that dynamic stretching proves to be more helpful than static stretching. You will get more out of your workouts if your muscles are loose, resulting in improved and more efficient range of motion. Read more to learn about the top 5 benefits from stretching. 

Motivational Quote of the Week

"If you really want something, you can have it if you are willing to pay the price.  And the price means you have to work better and harder than the next person."
-Vince Lombardi

                                                                                                                                         

Headphones For Fitness Fanatics!

A few weeks ago I attended a launch party for Polk Audio. Rudy Gay and Heather Mitts were two of the celebrity guests in attendance.  It was a great event at the penthouse in the Cooper Square Hotel. I have worked out with the headphones since and I love them!

When I workout with ordinary headphones they always fall out of my ears and the wire length is never long enough! But the Polk headphones are practically customizable to your ears - perfect fit and perfect wire lengths! I'm pretty tall so I think it's great Polk offers long and short wire lengths. Read more about what Ben Newhall, VP Sales & Marketing for Polk Audio, had to say about these speciality headphones. 

Weight Gain & Fat Unavoidable After 40?

As we get older our bodies change and so do our lifestyles. Metabolism slows and many of us have less active lifestyles and may experience muscle atrophy (the wasting or loss of muscle tissue) and weight gain. To avoid this we have to be conscious of what we are eating and if we are getting enough exercise.  Read more for pointers on avoiding weight gain and fat.

Motivational Quote of the Week

"Take pride in how far you've come and have faith in how far you can go."

-Unknown 

Little Black Dress Workout

I recently came across the "Little Black Dress Workout" in the Focus on Fitness segment that I filmed with the Early Show a few years back. Take a look at the video! A specifically designed 4-week program, it still pertains to everyday workouts  especially if you are trying to fit into that little black dress! 

Watch video here: Little Black Dress Workout

Spin Class - It's Not That Intimidating

Spin class can often seem intimidating because there are a lot of people in a dark room. People are peddling very fast and often an instructor yells loudly in a motivating manner. If it's your first time taking spin class you may shy away from this type of cardiovascular activity.Trying different types of cardiovascular activities are great. Spin class is especially great for people who find running on treadmills boring and even for people with knee issues.

Taking the First Step

"No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch!"

-Author Unknown 

Fitness Answers From the Advisory Board

In the November/December issue of Fitness Magazine, as an advisory board member, I was asked the following: Is it better to workout harder or longer if I want to lose weight?

You can cut your workout time in half if you push harder. Alternate six challenging cardio bursts, like one minute of jumping rope, with six sets of strength moves, like 15 shoulder presses for a quick workout. For more tips on how to lose weight go to Living Jade. 

Congrats to Those Who Ran the Marathon!

Congrats to everyone that participated in the ING Marathon. Kudos to everyone that finished! Running a marathon is truly a tough competition. Although I did not run in the marathon I was able to support a friend and a client who both finished the marathon. After the race I had the chance to speak with my client about his experience in his first ever marathon. 

Fitness Quote of the Week

"The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body.  The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results." -Anthony Robbins 

The Secret to Great Abs

I'm back from Jamaica and definitely missing the weather! I was going through my pictures and videos and found this one about abdominals - thought you guys may find it interesting.

I ran into Colleen and Marshall at the water sports shop. Colleen wanted to know the secret to great abs.  After telling Colleen that the key to a flat stomach was more than just crunches, Marshall showed us his abs. If you want great abs you need to eat well, incorporate cardiovascular activities like running and swimming into your workouts, and of course strength training.

Live Every Day to the Fullest

Life is short and unpredictable, you never know how tomorrow will turn out. If you have been reading my blog you know that I have been grieving tremendously. My trip to Jamaica was a great escape from reality.  Dealing with the loss of my sister reminds me every day how important family is and also that you only live once - so live life to the fullest. Someone once told me that "FEAR is just an acronym for False Expectations Appearing Real."

Celebrating Halloween Vegan & Gluten Free

Growing up in England my family didn't celebrate Halloween. My first experience with all the costumes and candy occurred when we moved to Canada. I was amazed! On halloween night my siblings and I came home with pillowcases stuffed with candy.  In North America it is celebrated like a national holiday with tons of candy making it very unhealthy. A friend of mine, Erika, has a son and daughter who have very strict diets - Vegan and gluten free. I thought this would be troubling for the kids not being able to eat and enjoy the candy like the other kids.  So I asked Erika how she handles this and her answer really inspired me.