The Official 300 Spartan Workout

I bet you've seen the film and wondered, "How on earth do they get so ripped!?" Check out this workout for how to get that "Spartan" body:

Jump Rope Benefits

While more and more people are starting to join gyms in an effort to lose weight and get in shape, this isn't always necessary--you can get a great workout just using your jump rope! This article discusses three ways that you jump rope can be used to improve both your health and the quality of your life. You'll be so happy with the results, you won't want to put the jump rope down!

Weight Loss

One of the most important ways that jumping rope can be used is as a means to achieve weight loss. Before we begin to discover how jumping rope can help you lose weight, it is important to learn how weight loss works. There are 3500 calories in one pound--and therefore, in order to lose one pound of weight per week, you must eliminate 700 calories each day. This can be done in a variety of ways. A person can either try to cut all of these calories out from their diet, they can try to burn off all of the calories through exercise, or they can use some combination of both of these methods. Research has found that people who lose weight and keep it off typically use diet and exercise in order to reach their weight loss goals. Jumping rope for 30 minutes will produce a caloric burn of approximately 300 calories--and therefore, in order to lose one pound per week, you must jump rope for thirty minutes every day and cut out 400 calories from your diet. While this may seem intimidating, it will promote the greatest amount of weight loss in the healthiest manner possible.

Increased Cardiovascular Fitness

Another great benefit of using a jump rope during exercise is increased cardiovascular fitness. Your cardiovascular system involves your heart and the arteries and veins that bring blood and oxygen to and from the heart and the rest of the body--and therefore, by improving the ability of this system to work, you will not only have a greater ability to perform your daily tasks, but you will become less breathless during exercise as well. While strength training can increase muscle tone, it has been found that low to moderate, sustainable exercises such as walking, biking, or jumping rope are the best way to improve the quality of your cardiovascular system. Be sure to consult with your doctor, nurse, or health care provider to make sure that you heart is healthy enough to begin this type of exercise routine.

Muscle Tone

Finally, exercising with a jump rope is a great way to improve the muscle tone in your legs and lower body. After the first day of jumping rope, you may experience some soreness in your legs--this is because the muscles have been working hard enough to cause microtears. These microtears will eventually heal themselves in a few days--and because of this damage and repair, your muscles will be stronger, larger, and more toned than when you started the exercise.

10 Tips to Fit in Exercise

1. Be less efficient. People typically try to think of ways to make daily tasks easier. But if we make them harder, we can get more exercise, says Sabrena Merrill, MS, of Lawrence, Kan., a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). “Bring in the groceries from your car one bag at a time so you have to make several trips,” Merrill says. “Put the laundry away a few items at a time, rather than carrying it up in a basket.”
2. Shun labor-saving devices. Wash the car by hand rather than taking it to the car wash. “It takes about an hour and a half to do a good job, and in the meantime you’ve gotten great exercise,” Merrill says. Use a push mower rather than a riding mower to groom your lawn.
3. Going somewhere? Take the long way. Walking up or down a few flights of stairs each day can be good for your heart. Avoid elevators and escalators whenever possible. If you ride the bus or subway to work, get off a stop before your office and walk the extra distance. When you go to the mall or the grocery store, park furthest from the entrance, not as close to it as you can, and you'll get a few extra minutes of walking — one of the best exercises there is, Dr. Fletcher says. “Walking is great because anyone can do it and you don’t need any special equipment other than a properly fitting pair of sneakers.”
4. Be a morning person. Studies show that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick with it. As Merrill explains, “Are you going to feel like exercising at the end of a hard day? Probably not. If you do your workout in the morning, you’re not only more likely to do it, but you'll also set a positive tone for the day.”
5. Ink the deal. Whether morning, afternoon, or evening, pick the time that is most convenient for you to exercise and write it down in your daily planner. Keep your exercise routine as you would keep any appointment.
6. Watch your step. Investing in a good pedometer can help you stay motivated. “If you have a pedometer attached to your waist and you can see how many steps you've taken, you’ll see it doesn’t take long to walk 5,000 steps and you will be inspired,” Merrill says. And building up to 10,000 steps a day won’t seem like such a daunting a task.
7. Hire the right help. While weight training is important, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you run the risk of injuring yourself or not being effective, Merrill says. It’s best to get instructions from a personal trainer at the gym. You also can buy a weight-training DVD and follow along in your living room.
8. Keep records. Grab a diary or logbook, and every day that you exercise, write down what you did and for how long. Your records will make it easy for you to see what you've accomplished and make you more accountable. Blank pages? You’d be ashamed.
9. Phone a friend. Find someone who likes the same activity that you do — walking in the neighborhood, riding bikes, playing tennis — and make a date to do it together. “Exercising with a friend or in a group can be very motivating,” Fletcher says. “You are likely to walk longer or bike greater distances if you’re talking to a friend along the way. The time will go by faster.” Don’t have a buddy who is available? Grab an MP3 player and listen to your favorite music or an audio book while exercising.
10. Do what you like. Whatever exercise you choose, be sure it’s one that you enjoy. You’re more likely to stick with it if it’s something you have fun doing rather than something you see as a chore, Fletcher says

Creative ways to get Kids to Exercise

It seems the minute you mention the word "exercise" to kids, they quickly come up with excuses indicating they have something more important to do. However, if you ask kids if they'd like to play a game, go swimming or bowling, they are the first to have their coats on.

Getting kids to exercise takes a certain amount of creativity. While in some homes, the entire family may be involved in a daily exercise routine, other families may not exercise at all, or only do so a few days a week. Teaching children about health and the importance of a good diet and exercise program starts when they are very young. It then becomes a natural extension of their home life instead of a drudgery or chore they run away from.

If your kids are of school age, undoubtedly there are after school programs that engage in such sports as tennis, basketball or baseball. These after school programs not only help your child develop social skills, but become very active which then spills over into their home life as well. If your kids are into baseball, perhaps they can join their local little league. Exercise has to be fun for kids and sports clubs are not only fun but educational as well.

From an early age kids mimic parents. If you exercise at home utilizing DVDs, your little ones may want to join you if they sense you are having a good time. So too, the more exposed they are to family exercise routines the more likely they will want to participate without encouragement.

Whether you belong to a bowling league or a swimming club, or simply walk or jog with friends, this is a great time to take your kids along and get them interested in these activities. Make a game or contest out of whatever activity you engage in. Kids love to compete, especially if their parents are involved.

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"When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful."


Motivation to do that next gym workout, or go for the next run, or just get out of bed in the morning can be tough. Luckily, there are videos around like this one that get you fired up. Come back to this video each time you feel your motivation is low, and we can almost guarantee that you will be ready to go hard during your next workout after watching it.