Month: March 2012

Why Pull-ups Are Worth the Effort

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For a very long time I avoided pullups and chinups like the plague. Why? Because they were hard and I couldn’t do them! Once I hit 11 years old they suddenly became impossible for me! I would shake, and try as hard as I could, but nothing happened. Talk about frustrating!
The fact that I could not do a pullup annoyed the heck out of me. However, I haven’t belonged to a gym in years, so it wasn’t like I was around pullup bars all the time.
Last summer my friend’s husband was talking about how much he loves pullups, and I said I couldn’t do it. He told me to try and pointed to his pullup bar, and lo’ and behold I could knock out 5 pullups!
What changed? I started doing high intensity home workouts, along with my yoga and running. All of a sudden I had the strength to do it. I’m not going to pretend they are easy for me. In fact, I don’t do pullups nearly often enough. Maybe it’s time I start.
What are some of the benefits of pullups?
They work your biceps, triceps, shoulders, lats, and traps. They are fantastic for your back, hands, fingers and forearms. They will increase your core strength. They also help prevent muscle imbalances by working the back of your body.
Plus: It will feel great knowing that you can do it! Honestly, that is my favorite part of pullups. It feels like an accompishment, and it’s a benchmark that shows how much I have been able to strengthen my body.
So try it! Keep working at exercises that challenge your whole body, and keep trying those pushups. Even if you move up an inch it’s progress!

Toned and Tight: Melissa Bender Workout

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Hi Everyone,


This is tonight’s workout! It was more of a stream of consciousness workout for me. It wasn’t what I had planned on doing, but instead I went with what I felt like doing. I filmed it after I actually did the workout. The breakdown is below, as usual! 


Have a great night!

Melissa

Toned and Tight
B=Beginner
I=Intermediate
A=Advanced


1. Squats (B: 10, I: 15: A: 20)
2. Seated Leg Lift (B: 20, I: 30: A: 50) (per leg)
3. Table (B: 15, I: 25, A:30)
4. Leg Thread Pulse (B: 15, I: 25, A:30)
5. Plank (B: 30 seconds, I: 60 seconds, A: 2 minutes)
6. Down dog/Chatarunga (B: 5, I: 10, A: 15)
7. Standing Kick Back (B: 20, I: 30: A: 50) (per leg)
8. Extended Kick Back (B: 10, I: 15, A: 25) (per leg)
9. Hip Rotations (B: 10, I: 15, A: 25) (per direction)
10. Forward Fold/Mountain (B: 10, I: 15, A: 25)

12 Minute Ab Fat Burn: Melissa Bender (full length video)

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Hi Everyone,

Today’s workout focuses on fat burn, and strengthening your abs/core. If you find some of these moves difficult don’t let it get you down! Whenever I find a workout move that is a big challenge for me I find myself adding it into my workouts more often. I was thinking about this while I was doing the three-way mountain jumpers because I find them especially tough. I was thinking “Argh! Why did I put this in yet another workout! I hate these!” and the answer is that anything that is difficult I want to get better at. 

So if you find something especially challenging please don’t give up, or avoid it. Rise to the challenge and continue to do it until you get better at it! That doesn’t mean you can’t modify the activity on the way up (in fact that’s the wise thing to do!), but continue to try and work toward your end goal. 

With that said, enjoy the workout! Be sure to push and challenge yourself to your individual level. This is a major fat burner, and it strengthens an area of your body, the core, that is imperative to any other workouts you will do. 

Have a great day!
Melissa

All Levels:
Maximum number of reps you can do within each 50 second interval. You get 10 seconds of rest between each exercise. 
*I went through this workout twice, and followed it with a cool down walk on the treadmill for 15 minutes. 

  1. High Knees
  2. Plank Arm Lift
  3. Jump Squat
  4. Crab Reach
  5. 3-way Mountain Jumpers
  6. Weighted Russian Twist (you can do this without a weight as well. My weight was 10 pounds)
  7. Lunge Kick (right)
  8. 1,2,3 Abs
  9. Lunge Kick (left)
  10. Pulsing Leg Stretch
  11. High Knees
  12. Ball Rotations


Sweat-acular Workout! Melissa Bender

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Hi Everyone,

As you can see in the picture above (and in the running shots from the video) this workout had me seriously sweaty! I filmed the video and then did the workout, and Jesse decided to get some shots of my cardio bursts in between. 🙂

Jesse did this workout with me, so we alternated 5 minute intervals, and 5 minute cardio on the treadmill. He started out running, and I started out with the reps. You can do it either way, I promise you will feel it! 

The entire workout takes 30 minutes (including the cardio) if you are doing it one the advanced level. Obviously I was running on the treadmill (8.5 or 7 min. miles), but you can also jump rope, do high knees, jumping jacks or split up one of the cardio burst workouts. 

Try it out, and let me know what you think!
Melissa

Beginner: Max reps during 30 second intervals, 3 minute cardio bursts 
Intermediate: Max reps during 45 second intervals, 4 minute cardio bursts
Advanced: Max reps during 60 second intervals, 5 minute cardio bursts


1. Small Plie Jumps
2. Standing Leg Series (left)
3. Standing Leg Series (right)
4. Forward/Backward Lunges (left)
5. Forward Backward Lunges (right)


Cardio Burst 1


1. Heel Tap Abs
2. Leg Circle (left)
3. Leg Circle (right)
4. Bicycle Abs
5. Up/Down Dog


Cardio Burst 2 


1. 3 Way Mountain Jump
2. Side Plank Leg Lift (left)
3. Side Plank Leg Lift (right)
4. Spiderman Pushups
5. Flip Flops


Cardio Burst 3

Leap Your Way to Fantastic Abs: Melissa Bender Fitness

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Hi Everyone!

This day only happens once every 4 years, so in honor of Leap Year we are doing the “Leap Your Way to Abs” workout. 

In the video I forgot to show the equipment free variation for the ball pull-ins. If you don’t have a stability ball go into a plank position and bring your knee to your elbow before returning to plank. Alternate legs. 

Tomorrow starts a brand new month! I love March because it marks the beginning of Spring (plus it’s my birthday month!) So look for lots of new workouts. I can’t wait until it gets nice enough to start filming a few outdoor workouts. 🙂

See you tomorrow,
Melissa

Beginner: 10 reps
Intermediate: 15 reps
Advanced: 20 reps


Bonus: Do 10 minutes of cardio! Check out one of the cardio video workouts, run or jump rope. I ran a mile on the treadmill, and added in some extra jump squats to bring it up to 10 minutes. 🙂 

  1. Deep Knee Bend Jumps
  2. Ball Pull Abs
  3. Butt Kick Squats
  4. Side Plank Hip Lift (right)
  5. Side Plank Hip Lift (left)
  6. 1 Leg Pulse Jumps (right)
  7. 1 Leg Pulse Jumps (left)
  8. Handstand Kick (or down dog pushups)
  9. Ab Series (right, left, through, hip lift=1 rep)
  10. Leaping Mountains
  11. Burpee
Repeat!