Blog | FVT Warrior Wellness | Lee’s Summit Personal Training & Kettlebell Coaching

SPCA / FVT Charity Boot Camp – The Story of Munchie the Chihuahua

We are holding a charity boot camp at FVT to benefit the Sacramento SPCA on December 20th at 10am.

This event is a great opportunity to:

– Get an extra fat-burning, metabolism-boosting Saturday morning workout
– Bring a friend or family member to check out what we do
– Try out our program if you’ve been meaning to do so
– Help a local animal in need!

=> Reserve your spot at the SPCA / FVT Charity Boot Camp here

I was checking out the SPCA website today, and came across a story that I felt compelled to share with you.

Your donation and attendance at our charity boot camp event will go towards helping dogs like Munchie!

###

This is the story of Munchie, a Chihuahua mix who started out as a stray and found herself a happy ending.

Originally found in someone’s backyard, it was clear that Munchie would need a fair amount of medical treatment. Upon surrender at the Sacramento SPCA, the little dog with her tongue hanging out of her mouth, quickly won the hearts of our shelter staff. Through a medical assessment, it was determined that not only did she need to have nine teeth extracted, but she also had a cancerous mammary mass along with a heart murmur.

All of a sudden this silly faced little dog was faced with a long road ahead of her.

Then walked in Sharilyn — a former Sacramento SPCA staff member, a current volunteer, and a regular supporter, but more importantly, someone who was willing to adopt little Munchie, no matter what lied. When asked what made her want to adopt Bridget, Sharilyn told us that, “the ‘imperfect’ ones are the ‘perfect’ ones to me.”

Munchie, now Bridget, has since recovered from surgery and spends her days lying in the sun and being doted on by the family. Sharilyn says she is one happy pup and to “watch out for that tongue, because she loves to give kisses and they are big ones!”

Sharilyn and Bridget share their home with another Sacramento SPCA alumni, Bubbles, who was adopted in 2007.

###

Poor little Munchie – but what a great ending to the story!

Sign up for our SPCA Charity Boot Camp effort on the 20th of December, and 100% of the proceeds will go towards the Sacramento SPCA:

=> Reserve your spot at the SPCA / FVT Charity Boot Camp here

Thanks, have a great day, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance
Owner, FVT Boot Camp and Personal Training

Meet These FVT Superstars!

We have ten new client success stories up at ForestVanceTraining.com. Check em out here:

=> Meet these FVT superstars!

These folks all started at different places in terms of fitness level, training background, and exactly what they were looking to accomplish.

What they have in common, though, is that they all dedicated themselves to reaching their goals, worked hard, and had the personal discipline to stick with it.

So AWESOME! We are very proud of all you have accomplished. Keep up the great work!!

AND … if YOU’VE been working hard to reach your fitness goals … I hope this is inspiration for you. Your goals ARE within reach. Keep pushing, and don’t give up! You can do it!!!

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

Owner, FVT Boot Camp and Personal Training

PS – Have YOU experienced success either at the FVT studio in Sacramento, CA, or anywhere else in the world with one of our training plans / programs / etc? I want to hear about it! Shoot me a message and let me know!

December 2014 FVT Challenge Workout and Results

Challenge workout time!

Give the workout below a go (make sure to read the overview first), and get ready to kick your results into overdrive:

September 2014 FVT Challenge Workout

– 100 kettlebell swings (16k for women, 24k for men)
– 50 burpees (touch body to the floor on each rep)
– 100 push ups (knees for women, toes for men)
– 50 inverted rows (body should be parallel to the floor; body touches bar/etc. at top of each rep)
– 100 walking lunges (tap knee to the floor at the bottom of each rep; ea step counts as one)

– Weights listed are “prescribed” and what you want to eventually work up to using … BUT use good judgement and safety when selecting a weight for YOUR own fitness and ability level
– Exercises can be done in ANY order you want (do NOT have to do reps consecutively)
– 25 min time limit
– Under 23 mins is awesome
– Under 20 mins is the “gold” standard

###

And the results:

Women:

V.C. 17:30

S.F. 18:34

C.L. 18:45

D.T. 18:59

J.M. 20:29

P.K. 20:56

L.T. 21:00

R.R. 21:00

M.T. 21:06

S.K. 21:10

S.L. 21:20

E.T. 22:04

L.B. 21:13

B.C. 22:20

A.M. 22:27

C.P. 22:40

C.G. 24:05

A.P. 24:14

G.K. 24:45

L.R. 25+

C.S. 25+

K.M. 25+

L.A. 25+

Women Modified:

K.S. 21:55

A.C. 22:29

O.M. 25+

S.M. 25+

Men:

B.R. 18:04

D.M. 19:02

R.M. 19:54

J.M. 20:27

B.P. 21:09

R.A. 21:46

T.M. 23:14

M.P. 24:09

S.S. 24:45

M.H. 25+

J.V. 25+

###

Great work to all! ’till next time –

– The FVT Team

How to Do More Pull Ups

This seems to be a hot topic at the moment, as over 30 of our boot campers prepare for the FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout on the 10th of January.

Below is a simple, condensed version of the plan I shared with our Ultimate Challenge Workout folks a couple of weeks ago.

###

How to Do More Pull Ups

Path #1 (if you currently cannot do ANY pull ups):

— get a big rubber band
— start with a strong enough band that allows you to do 5 reps
— when you get up to 10-12 reps, switch to a lighter band and start over again at 5 reps
— repeat this process with one or two more bands until you are strong enough to do them on your own

Path #2 (if you currently can do at least one pull up or chin up)

— practice frequently (3-5 times per week, do a couple sets of chin ups or pull ups)
— do NOT go to failure! Always leave a rep or two in the tank and use perfect form. You don’t go to complete muscle failure on any other exercise most likely … it would fry your CNS among other things. So why do it on pull ups?!?
— mix it up from day to day. Some days do standard pull ups. Some days use band assistance and go to higher reps. If you are strong enough, some days do weighted pull ups and work in a lower rep range. Mix up your grip – pull up, chin up, mixed grip, etc

###

Simple, but highly effective. Follow that plan for the next six weeks exactly as laid out and you WILL be better at pull ups, without a doubt.

ALSO – you can still sign up for the Ultimate Challenge Workout, but you should do it soon if you’re looking to be ready in time. It’s about 5.5 weeks away. We have options for both existing clients and new clients at the link below:

=> FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout – details and sign up here

That’s it for today. Enjoy your weekend, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II
ForestVanceTraining.com

FVT Charity Boot Camp for Sac SPCA – Saturday Dec 20th @ 10am

On Saturday, December 20th @ 10am, we’re coming together for a charity fitness boot camp workout – and we need your help!

Your donation will support the mission of the Sacramento SPCA – helping animals and people throughout the Sacramento region. The staff and volunteers of the Sacramento SPCA will care for more than 11,000 homeless animals this year alone.

Click here to reserve your spot now

This 45 minute circuit-style body weight, kettlebell, TRX, and resistance band boot camp workout is a great opportunity to:

— Get an extra fat-burning, metabolism-boosting Saturday morning workout
— Bring a friend or family member to check out what we do
— Try out our program if you’ve been meaning to do so
— Help a local animal in need!

Click here to reserve your spot now

Thanks –

– The FVT Team

3 Minute Ab Workout

Today I’ve got an awesome 3 minute “Global Ab Targeting” routine for you from my friend and colleague Jason K.

You might recall Jason as the Former Fitness Instructor to US Marines.

Global Ab Targeting is a method that Jason designed as part of his new program, 180-Abs. According to Jason, it’s more effective than 300 sit-ups and even 60 minutes of cardio if you want nice looking abs!

(More info on exactly what Global Ab Targeting IS, and WHY it’s so effective, HERE)

Let’s get right into it:

3 Minute Ab Workout

Complete 2 Rounds of each exercise at 30 seconds per exercise –

1 – McGill Crunch, 30 seconds

2 – McGill Raise, 30 seconds

3 – Prone Iso Ab, 30 seconds

That’s a great little ab routine you can do any time, any place … and the “Global Ab Targeting” approach will have you rocking those six pack abs in no time!

Learn more about Global Ab Targeting and Jason’s full 180-Abs system here

Thanks, train hard, and talk soon –

– Forest Vance, MS, RKC II
ForestVance.com

11 Training, Diet, and Lifestyle Tips to Survive the Holidays

This is a tricky time of year. If you’re not careful, you can undo a LOT of the progress you’ve worked so hard for all year long, over the next five or six weeks.

Ouch!

That’s why I came up with these 11 training, diet and lifestyle tips to help you not only survive, but THRIVE this holiday season!

11 Training, Diet, and Lifestyle Tips to Survive the Holidays

1 – Keep going!

You have worked hard all year getting stronger and leaner and meaner. DO NOT un-do your progress now … keep the momentum rolling.

2 – Make a plan and stick to it

Have your plan for when you’re going to do your workouts, exactly what your’re going to do, etc mapped out. Have a plan for your meals. And have the discipline to stick to it!!

3 – Train FOR something

We organized the FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout this year to give our local Sacramento clients something to train for over the holidays. It’s like an “ultimate fitness test” workout … it’s about three hours long and includes everything from kettlebell lifting to body weight exercise to running a 5k.

Point is, sign up for an event – whether you’re in Sacramento and you sign up for this one, or you’re anywhere else in the world and you do a mud run or a 10k or whatever else … having something to train for and stay focused on is SUPER helpful.

4 – ENJOY your holiday meals

I am saddened by these articles where people talk about “how to cut calories at your Thanksgiving dinner” etc. Enjoy your holiday meals for gosh sakes!! 😉 You can have a cheat meal every once in a while. It’s not a problem … as long as you are dialed in the other 90% of the time.

5 – Avoid food pushers

This is easier said than done, especially during the holiday season … but if you can, STAY AWAY from those family members and friends and others who pressure you into eating foods that you are trying to avoid!

6 – Have minimal equipment workouts ready

Having some minimal / zero equipment workouts ready is KEY to staying on point w the training … almost guaranteed you’ll have a time or two where you can’t do your regular workouts. So have something planned ahead of time you can knock out with minimal time and minimal equipment.

7 – Weigh yourself weekly

You do NOT want to eat to your heart’s content, slack on the workouts, miss weighing yourself for six weeks and then to your horror discover you’ve put on 10 pounds by the 1st of January.

Instead, weigh yourself every week. It’s what I have all my Elite Online Coaching Clients do, and it’s a KEY part of the amazing results they get.

(BTW – I recommend you do this ALWAYS, like for your whole life … not just during the holiday season.)

8 – Move every day

Keep moving. It will help you burn a few extra calories and it’s important for your mental health … especially if it’s winter time in your part of the world.

Do your regular training sessions, walk, bike, do your mobility and flexibility work … whatever you enjoy that keeps you moving!

9 – Get an early start on 2105

Most people are thinking they will start on their fitness program in the beginning of the year … YOU are going to start NOW and get a jump on the procrastinators! 😉

10 – Keep your fitness a priority

I KNOW you have a lot going on during the holidays … so do we all! BUT … you can still make fitness a priority, still try your best to eat healthy, and still make it a point to get your workouts in.

11 – NO EXCUSES

Saved the best tip for last 😉 NO excuses this holiday season. Get it done.

Example story. The other day I had plans to work out, but a variety of factors left me watching my three and a half month – old daughter at the last minute during my planned training time.

I decided that I was going to make it happen anyway … so I put her in her jogging stroller and did jumping jacks and push ups and lunges etc while she watched.

It wasn’t the most intense workout of my life but it was WAY better than nothing … and she laughed and had fun too (until she fell asleep), so it worked out for everyone!

I hope those 11 training, diet and lifestyle tips will help you survive – and even get BETTER – this holiday season. Keep going, stay focused, stay DISCIPLINED, and rock on –

– Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach
Owner, FVT Boot Camp and Personal Training

Ultimate Challenge Workout Week 1 Training Plan (free sample)

Spring 2014 FVT Rapid Fat Loss Boot Camp

This officially marks the first week of training for the Ultimate FVT Challenge Workout.

Each week, we’ll have a “focus” for all of our boot camp sessions – running, kettlebells, body weight exercise, etc – and for folks who are actually participating in the Ultimate Challenge Workout, we’ll also have some special training and “homework” to complete on their own.

=> Sign up for the Ultimate Challenge Workout here (just a few days left at the Early Bird Discount rate)

This week I’m going to share with you the FULL week one training + homework for the challengers – so you can get an idea of how the program is structured etc.

But moving, forward this info will be reserved for Challenge workout registrants ONLY.

Thanks –

– Forest

###

Welcome to week one of the FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout training program!

DURING boot camp sessions at FVT, we’ll have a “focus” each week leading up to the Ultimate Challenge workout.

In addition to that, I’ll be giving you some extra training info and “homework” to complete as a participant in the actual challenge workout itself.

Each week’s training and homework will be based around a skill that you’ll need during the challenge workout.

The tentative training / focus schedule is as follows:

— Nov 17th week – intro + running
— Nov 24th week – kettlebells
— Dec 1st week – body weight exercises
— Dec 8th week – core training
— Dec 15th week – running, part 2
— Dec 22nd week – kettlebells, part 2
— Dec 29th week – body weight exercises, part 2
— Jan 5th week – core training part 2 + final preparations

On to our training for the week!

FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout – Week 1 Training + Homework

As you know, the FVT Ultimate Challenge Workout includes a 5k run.

If you are currently running two or three times per week, this may be no sweat.

BUT … if you’re not running at ALL … I suggest you follow the “Couch to 5k” training plan at the link below:

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Now this is an eight / nine week plan, so you have enough time to get yourself ready to go … but YOU GOTTA START NOW if you’re not running already!

This is an awesome plan that THOUSANDS of folks have used to successful prep for and run their first 5k!

And, even if you are currently running a “little”, it’s still a great template to structure your training around.

Your homework is to schedule and map out a plan for your running prep leading up to the challenge.

This week in boot camp, we will be also incorporating running into each boot camp workout in some shape or form (sprints, runs around the building, etc) as our theme / focus.

An excerpt from the training plan linked to above:

“First off, you may be asking, “exactly how many miles is a 5K?” A 5K is 3.1 miles. We’re here to help you achieve your goal of beginning to run your first 5K. Too many people have been turned off of running simply by trying to start off too fast. Their bodies rebel, and they wind up miserable, wondering why anyone would possibly want to run in the first place.

You should ease into your 5K training plan gradually. In fact, the beginners’ program we outline here is less of a running regimen than a walking and jogging program.

The idea is to transform you from couch potato to runner, getting you to begin running a 5K or 3.1 miles and on a regular basis in just two months.

It’s easy to get impatient, and you may feel tempted to skip ahead in the program, but hold yourself back. Don’t try to do more, even if you feel you can. If, on the other hand, you find the program too strenuous, just stretch it out. Don’t feel pressured to continue faster than you’re able. Repeat weeks if needed and move ahead only when you feel you’re ready.”

Here’s the link to the full plan again:

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Questions? Let me know! Better yet, post them here in the Facebook group!

Have an awesome week, and talk soon –

– Forest

###

There you have a sample of the Ultimate Challenge Workout training plan. Hope that was helpful in giving you an idea of what to expect.

And don’t forget – if you’ve been considering signing up but haven’t “pulled the trigger” yet, you should take this opportunity to do so while we’re still at the “Early Bird” discount rate:

=> Sign up for the Ultimate Challenge Workout here (just a few days left at the Early Bird Discount rate)