Leg Shaper Workout!!!

***Train till the sweat burns your eyes and your Heart Explodes with Passion*** 

Hey there, thanks for stopping by ;) 

Here's my Leg Workout for Today! I did this workout on a shot of wheat grass & was practically fasted... My goal is to retain muscle but re-shape it and get shredded by summer!!! 

Warmup: 40min cardio (20min run at 6.3-7.0mph & 10min incline speedwalk 7-15% incline and 4.0mph & 15min stepmill)
All of the following Exercises were performed in tri-sets/circuit fashion:
-4sets Each:  Barbell Squats (135lbs) 15reps x Pop squats 15reps x Side late raises (12reps)
-4sets Each: Reverse Barbell Stepups (135lbs) 12reps x Alternating Jump Lunges 20reps x Rear delt flyes
(12 reps)
-3sets Each: Romanian Deadlifts (135lbs) 15reps x 40 bench jumps x 15 reps pop-squats holding 25lb plate
-200 reps Walking Lunges one set
-3 sets 15 reps Plie Squat with 50-60lb DB
The plan was to do another 20min of spinning but I had some errands to run. I will probably go for a run later... Enjoy the workout and let me know if you try it!!!! 

xo,

Weekend Core Workout for a Tighter Midsection!!

Hi guys! As promised on my facebook page earlier, I said I would share my latest core workout :) This one was really effective; my abs felt tighter as I was leaving the gym and pretty much all weekend I felt like I was wearing a girdle around my midsection!! Lol... Hope you enjoy it and I have included some modifications for the more advanced moves! 

Start with a light 10min warmup on cardio machine of choice:

• 6 sets 20, 15, 12, 12, 10, 10 reps Hanging Leg Raises (wide grip) *modification - lying leg raises (toes pointed out and slow on the way down/negatives)

• 3 sets 25-30 reps crunches with feet up (first 20 reps: 10oblique crunches on the left side & 10 on the right side)
• 4 sets 20 reps: V-ups. *modification - crunch and reverse crunch combined into one motion.
• 60 second Plank on 2 stability balls with feet on one stability ball/forearms on the other. *modification - plank with forearms on stability ball, toes on the floor. 
• Broomstick twists: 3 sets 25 reps.
  
  

Sample Clean Breakfast For Leaner More Visible Abs

Are you doing everything you can to develop a stronger core and more visible abs?

If you are already going to the gym on a regular basis, performing ab workouts 2-3 times a week and keeping up with 2-3 cardio sessions a week but still don't have visible abs or you simply aren't seeing the results you want; TRY THIS BREAKFAST! I know it's only one meal idea, however, it's your first meal of the day, so why not start with wholesome clean fuel???:)

Try scrambling 4-5 eggwhites, 1 whole egg (season with salt, pepper, herbs) ... i use "i can't believe it's not butter" to lightly grease my frying pan. Cook on medium/high and cover for a few min and turn to low heat... remove the cover and add a splash of milk and scramble up your egg/eggwhite mix. I added in a slice of fat-free cheese. Serve with a side of sliced tomatoes and 2 pieces of brown toast(I added some peanut butter to one toast and a slice of fat-free cheese to the other toast)

For males, i suggest a higher protein intake for your first meal, so have 8 eggwhites and 2 whole eggs plus 2 slices toast.
For the ladies, i suggest sticking with 4-6 eggwhites, 1 whole egg and depending on how lean you are; 2 slices of toast if you have a lower bodyfat percentage already (under 20%) OR 1 slice if you are at a slightly higher bodyfat range!
Eating clean can be quite simple it's just a matter of getting the right ratios of proteins/carbs/fats at the right time of day, to keep your body strong and energized but still burning fat! :)

Have a great week!!! xo

Alex L. :)
 

February 2013 Journal Entry and Update!!

Hello to all my readers and thank you for stopping by my blog !!!
I hope you are all having an amazing start to 2013 and sticking to all those New Years Resolutions! I know it's been a WHILE since i've posted anything on here. I have been really busy, travelling and handling personal stuff, but I have managed to stick to my healthy and active lifestyle. I took some time off during the holidays and ate TONS of great food, but still remained active and I am now back in the gym, lifting as heavy as possible, incorporating at-home workouts when i don't have time to get to the gym and doing lots of small cardio workouts, outdoors in the snow lol :)

So far so good... I am really happy with the way things are going for me this year and I am looking forward to putting some new nutrition experiments into effect this spring and seeing how lean i can get... I am thinking of hitting the stage again this year; of course for a figure competition just to see how well my body responds to my meal plans and workouts!!!

 

One thing i would like to point out to everyone that's reading this is: STAY AWAY FROM THE SCALE WHEN COMMENCING ANY HEAVY WEIGHT TRAINING AND CLEAN EATING JOURNEY!!!! Those numbers fluctuate more than women's emotions right before their period lol... I have tracked my weight at anything between 145 during my Christmas binge to 160 when i started hitting the weights and leaning out... and now anywhere between 147-155 depending on the day! I am 5 foot 6 inches... According to a lot of silly guides and templates out there, my weight is "too high" for my height.. hahahaha... well guess what? I can see cuts/abs and symmetry and new muscle starting to surface..... so, F&CK the scale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If i can pull off a full, ultra-lean 140-145lbs look this summer I will be extremely happy!!! In the meantime I am travelling with hope, enjoying every step of the way, lifting heavy and always smiling! Anything you do in life, you must do passionately and with love for the journey, otherwise its an auto-fail and so not worth it!

And remember, a bag of potatoes full of dumbells is a LOT heavier than a bag of potatoes full of feathers; MUSCLE IS DENSER AND WEIGHS A LOT MORE THAN FAT AND DON'T FORGET, IF YOU ARE EATING SOUND, NUTRITIOUS FOODS, YOUR BONES WILL BE STRONGER AND DENSER THAN A PERSON EATING CEREAL AND SKIMMED MILK ALL DAY :)

And take into consideration aswell, that when consuming 'sucralose' (splenda products), large amounts of vegetables (especially greens), sodium and workout supplements (whey/pre workout supps.) YOUR WEIGHT WILL BE AT LEAST 5-7 LBS MORE DUE TO WATER RETENTION so be aware of this fact!

 

Well, that's it for now; stay tuned for more updates from me as this year unfolds! I do plan on making some cool youtube workout flicks aswell, so make sure to check out my channel www.youtube.com/bikinialex and for those of you interested in your own personalized meal plans and workout programs, to help you reach your physique and health goals more effectively and faster, please send me an e-mail alex@alexliska.com for more info!

 

Lift heavy and Smile!!!

xo

Alex L. :)

Lift, Tone, Sculpt & Re-Shape Your Lower Body With This Workout!!

By: Alex Liska
Hey guys! Thanks for stopping by my blog :) I had to post what I did at the gym today for lower body, it was SO intense, yet i could feel my quads, hamstrings and glutes tightening with each set of exercises so it was well worth the pain! Hopefully I won't be too crippled tomorrow morning.. LOL

5 min warm up on treadmill followed by:

• 4 sets 25 reps lying leg curls superset with
• 4 sets 25 reps stiff-legged deadlifts
• 3 sets 20-25 reps Reverse One-legged hack-squats (no added weight)
• 4 sets 20 reps leg extensions superset with
• 4 sets 12 reps standing leg curl machine
• 4 sets 25 reps leg press (feet positioned very high on the platform, pushing through the heels)
• 4 sets 20 reps barbell front squats superset with
• 4 sets 15-20 reps jump squats
• 100 walking lunges (each leg)

I finished this workout with 45 minutes high incline treadmill power-walking :D

Keep in mind that in order to re-shape and lean out your lower body nutrition is key! Browse the archives of this blog for nutrition tips, recipes and more info :)

xo,

Lift, Tone And Sculpt Your Lower Body With These Simple Tips....

By: Alex Liska

Now that the warm weather is here, I decided to share a few tips as well as an at-home workout video clip to help tone the lower body, lift the butt and sculpt those thighs! There are many different variations of squats, lunges and plyometric (bodyweight) exercises that can be done to work on the lower body and tighten it. However, the most important thing is the diet. If you are eating clean, staying active and performing a few slimming/trimming moves 2-3 times a week you will likely see great results!

Here are a few tips that will help you achieve that 'bikini-body' in less time!!

• Go for a brisk 15-20 minute walk every day.
• Drink more water (helps flush toxins and waste out of your body)
• Eat more green veggies
• Increase your Omega 3-6-9 Fatty acids intake! (Salmon, Flaxseeds, Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans or a good omega oil supplement)
• Increase your protein intake (preferably from natural sources- meats, fish, eggs, nuts/seeds etc...)
• Add a few slices of lemon or lime to your water (helps your body detox and also adds flavor and electrolytes to your water. Lemon also has fat-burning properties!)
• Perform resistance/body-weight exercises 2-3 times a week (can be done at home with little or no equipment)
• Have a glass of dry red wine with dinner every now and then (contains 'Resveratrol' which helps regulate hormone levels and contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties)
• Enjoy some organic dark chocolate (70% cocoa and up) for dessert instead of cakes/pies or other starchy/sugary foods!
• Stretch whenever you get the chance to! (Helps lengthen the muscles for a longer, leaner look)
• When doing resistance or body-weight exercises, FOCUS ON COMPOUND MOVES that utilize various joints and muscles (Squats, lunges, one-legged deadlifts). They help you burn more calories because there are more muscles (main movers and stabilizers as well as assisting muscles) involved and they require more core strength/stability!
• Drink Green Tea (high in catechins, flavonoids, antioxidants and contains fat burning properties. It also helps your body flush out wastes and aids in overall detoxing of harmful toxins/wastes that can accumulate over time) 

Those are just a few tips that can help you raise your metabolism, burn more fat, increase your energy and will help tighten and tone all those problem areas so you can feel confident and look great in your swimsuit this summer ;)

The only piece of equipment needed for this exercise is a chair! How easy is that? No need to rush to the gym and search for fancy equipment! You can perform 2-3 sets of 12-20 reps of this exercise 2-3 times a week and if you are following a few of those tips mentioned above you will see great results!

Best of Luck!

-Alex L. :)