1. illustrationsbyjasonschneider
What’s the best way to
crank out 30 full-body
blasters in a row? Strength
and conditioning coach Carl
Paoli has a secret: Add a
bowing and piking action to
conserve energy. “A less
dynamic [standard] burpee
style is valid if you want to
focus on developing [upper-
body] strength,” says Paoli,
“but bowing allows you to
focus on skill,” which can up
your reps. So scrap every­
thing you think you know
about burpees and take it
from this elite gymnast
turned strength coach.
*burpee tips Excerpted from Free+Style:
Maximize Sport and Life Performance with Four
Basic Moves (Victory Belt, 2015).
Find a New
Fitness Goal
If one of your New Year’s
resolutions is to challenge
yourself with something
new, consider entering a
triathlon. The sport will
whip you into shape while
feeding your competitive
edge. Fitness model and
top triathlete Silvia Ribeiro
shares some tips that help
her finish strong.
Start small. There’s no
need to jump right into a
long-distance triathlon
when a shorter race will
give you the same thrill
and help build your
endurance without putting
your body through
unnecessary stress.
Burpees
DoneRight
Eat right. Sure, you can
spend thousands on a
fancy bike or other gear,
but “your body is your
most important piece of
equipment, so treat it
right,” Ribeiro says.
Practice taking in water or
sports drinks during your
training so you know what
will work on race day, and
keep a balanced diet so
you have enough fuel.
Enjoy the journey.
Training for a triathlon
takes time (usually at least
three months of prep), so
be patient. “Finding joy in
the process will make or
break your stay-with-it
power,” Ribeiro says.
Stay positive. “Your
mind will try to take the
easy way out during the
more painful segments of
the race, but a positive
attitude can keep you
focused,” says Ribeiro. “In
tougher moments, call to
mind the goal you’ve set
and the countless weeks
of hard work you’ve
dedicated to your training.”
—Delfina Ure
Find Your Starting Line
1Stand tall, with
feet together, knees
locked out, hips
engaged, squeezing
your butt, with abs
tight, arms by sides,
and back flat.
2Bend over by hinging
hips and pushing them
back, keeping a straight
line from hips up to
head, hands and arms
close to body on floor,
knees slightly bent but
close together.
3Jump feet into the top of
a plank, chin tucked in, feet close.
Lower into a pushup until
your body reaches the ground,
elbows close to body, and
neck in line with rest of
body. Allow thighs, hips, and
belly to touch the ground
as you keep knees straight
and feet flexed.
5Return to standing
by lifting chest to a partial
squat position. Then
perform the jump, keeping
your body neutral, and your
arms and torso in a slight
hollow body position (C).
Land in a narrow stance
to put less stress
on the knees.
4From the bottom position,
bow your body into an
arched position, like an Upward Dog
pose (A), locking elbows out and
keeping hips low to the ground and
knees as straight as possible.
From here, create a dynamic snap to
push your hips up into a pike position,
jumping feet forward and landing
with feet just behind hands (B).
Maintain control, with your
butt and belly engaged.
The race Swim Bike Run
Sprint 0.5 mile 12 miles 3.1 miles
Olympic 0.93 mile 25 miles 6.2 miles
Half Ironman 1.2 miles 56 miles 13.1 miles
Ironman 2.4 miles 112 miles 26.2 miles
Pulse
24 | m&f Hers | jan/feb 2016
Pro tips
a b c