To close out our series, Week 8 focuses on power endurance, building your cardiovascular conditioning, along with your ability to be explosive, using a slam ball—think: medicine ball, but more durable. You’ll perform one of two flow circuits of slam-ball exercises (depending on your fitness level) that train the whole body and help melt fat.

Congratulations on completing Fuel Your Force! We hope you’ll carry these healthy habits with you to wherever your adventures may take you.

DISCLAIMER
The materials and information provided in this presentation, document and/or any other communication (“Communication”) from Onnit Labs, Inc. or any related entity or person (collectively “Onnit”) are strictly for informational purposes only and are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a qualified medical professional.

Star Wars, Fuel Your Force, Week 8, Endure

Products used in this workout:
Death Star Slam Ball
Perfect Shaker bottle

DIRECTIONS
Perform the exercises as a flow circuit, completing one rep of each in sequence without rest in between. (You’ll notice that the moves flow into one another—the end position of the previous exercise sets up the start of the next one.) You’ll repeat rounds of the circuit for 5 minutes straight (so set a timer), completing as many rounds as you can in that time. Aim to keep a consistent pace—don’t go so fast that you break form or tire yourself out quickly. Remember to breathe!

If you’re new to slam ball training, perform the exercises that Jena demonstrates. If you’re more advanced and feeling strong, do the versions that Eric demonstrates. For reference, both Jena and Eric use a 20-pound Death Star Slam Ball, but choose weights that are appropriate for your level (see our stock of medicine balls for more options) and will allow you to complete all your reps with good form.

JENA
1. Clean
Place the Slam Ball on the floor and straddle it with feet shoulder-width apart. Draw your shoulders back and down (think about Superman showing the “S” on his chest), and then tilt your bottom back and upward. Now push your hips back as if trying to reach the wall behind you so that you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Continue until you can reach the ball—your shoulders should be directly over the ball and higher than your hips.

Take a deep breath and brace your core. Think
“proud chest” and try to draw your shoulders down and back even farther. Keeping your head, spine, and pelvis in one line, push through your heels as you extend your hips to come up explosively and heave the ball to chest level.

2. Squat
From the top position of the clean, twist your feet into the floor, screwing them outward so that you feel your hip muscles fire up. Imagine you’re spreading the floor like a rug beneath your feet—create that tension. Take a deep breath into your belly and spread your knees apart as you squat down as deeply as you can while keeping alignment from your head to your pelvis. Your knees should line up with your first two toes in the bottom position—don’t let them cave inward. Squeeze your glutes as you come back up to standing.

3. Press Toss
From the top of the squat, press the ball overhead explosively, so that it leaves your hands for a moment and rises into the air.

4. Slam
Catch the ball as it comes down and then slam it into the floor as hard as you can, bending your hips back, softening your knees, and drawing your arms forward to do so.

ERIC
1. Rotary Clean
Place the ball on the floor to your right. Turn to your right side and drop into a lunge position—your right leg is forward and bent 90 degrees and your left leg is bent 90 with the knee nearly touching the floor. Reach out and grasp the ball.

From there, explosively stand up and rotate your body to the left side, pivoting your feet and pulling the ball into your chest as you rise and drop into the lunge on your other leg. Now extend your legs to stand up as you rotate back to face front.

2. Press Toss and Twist
Toss the ball overhead and catch it as it falls. When you catch the ball, pivot back into your right-leg lunge so you face the right side again.

3. Turn and Slam
Perform a rotary clean again to face the left side, raising the ball overhead as you turn. When you’re standing tall with the ball overhead, slam it into the floor.

Star Wars Fuel Your Force Biohacks – Patience

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The hinge pattern involves moving at the hips, bending and extending them so that your glutes—the most powerful muscles in your body—do most of the work. Deadlift variations train the hinge. The squat requires you to keep an upright torso as you bend your knees, placing most of the load on your thighs. The simplest pulling motion is a row, which fires up your back and biceps, and the push can be trained with an overhead press, which hits the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Training all these movements in one session provides a total-body workout, and doing them as a circuit adds a cardio-conditioning component that helps build endurance and burn fat.

DISCLAIMER
The materials and information provided in this presentation, document and/or any other communication (“Communication”) from Onnit Labs, Inc. or any related entity or person (collectively “Onnit”) are strictly for informational purposes only and are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a qualified medical professional.

Star Wars, Fuel Your Force, Week 7, Strength

Products used in this workout:
Stormtrooper Kettlebell
Perfect Shaker bottle

DIRECTIONS
Perform the exercises as a circuit, completing one set of each in sequence without rest in between. You’ll do 5 reps for each movement (5 on each side for the ones that alternate sides) and complete as many rounds as you can in 5 minutes (so set a timer). If you’re new to kettlebells, perform the exercises that Jena demonstrates. If you’re more advanced and feeling strong, do the versions that Eric demonstrates. For reference, Jena uses an Onnit Harpy kettlebell (26 pounds), and Eric has a Stormtrooper bell (60 pounds), but choose weights that are appropriate for your level and will allow you to complete all your reps with good form.

JENA
1. Deadlift
Place a kettlebell on the floor and straddle it with feet shoulder-width apart. Draw your shoulders back and down (think about Superman showing the “S” on his chest), and then tilt your bottom back and upward. Now push your hips back as if trying to reach the wall behind you so that you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Continue until you can reach the kettlebell—your shoulders should be directly over the weight and higher than your hips.

Take a deep breath and brace your core. Think “proud chest,” and try to draw your shoulders down and back even farther. Keeping your head, spine, and pelvis in one line, push through your heels as you extend your hips to come up and stand tall with the weight at arm’s length in front of you. Think about keeping a long spine so your lower back doesn’t round forward. Squeeze your glutes as you lock out your hips.

2. Squat
From the top position of the deadlift, bend your hips back a bit and then pop them forward fast as you pull with your arms to clean the kettlebell up in front of your chest. Your hands should grip the ends of the handle and should be right beneath your chin.

Twist your feet into the floor, screwing them outward so that you feel your hip muscles fire up. Imagine you’re spreading the floor like a rug beneath your feet—create that tension. Take a deep breath into your belly and spread your knees apart as you squat down as deeply as you can while keeping alignment from your head to your pelvis. Your knees should line up with your first two toes in the bottom position—don’t let them cave inward. Squeeze your glutes as you come back up to standing. Begin the next rep from there.

3. Split-Stance Row
Step your right leg back so you take a staggered stance and hold the kettlebell in your right hand. Keeping your alignment (remember your long spine) and a proud chest, bend forward at the hips and rest your left elbow on your front thigh. Use the arm to help you stabilize and keep your balance. From there, keep your shoulders square to the floor and row the weight to your hip, driving your elbow back and up. Complete your reps and repeat on the opposite side.

4. Push Press
Stand up and clean the weight to your right shoulder. Keeping your body very straight and tall, dip your knees quickly and then reverse the motion to generate momentum. Allow it to help you press the weight straight overhead. It’s OK if you can’t lock the weight out overhead. Use whatever range of motion you can without causing pain. Complete your reps and then switch legs and repeat.

ERIC
1. Plyo Deadlift
Perform a deadlift as described above but come up explosively so that your feet leave the floor as you lock out your hips. Land softly with knees bent and begin the next rep immediately—allow your body to sink right back into the bottom position.

2. Clean To Squat
As you come up on your last rep of plyo deadlifts, clean the kettlebell to your chest as in the squat described above. From there, perform a squat, and then lower the weight back to arm’s length. Clean the bell on each rep.

3. Gorilla Row
Place the bell on the floor and stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Get your proud chest shoulder position and tilt your bottom back again, and then push your hips back to bend your torso toward the floor. Grasp the kettlebell and row it to your side while keeping your shoulders square to the floor. Maintain a braced core.

4. Strict Press
Stand up and clean the kettlebell to your right shoulder. Tighten your glutes, draw your ribs down, and brace your core. Press the weight overhead without using your legs for assistance.

Paleo-Friendly Waffles

Yields: 3 waffles
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1 pasture-raised egg
½ cup Simple Mills Gluten-free Pancake and Waffle Mix
2 tsp beetroot powder (for natural red color)*
⅛ tsp charcoal powder (for natural dark grey color)
¼ cup fresh, organic berries
1 tbsp coconut whipped topping, optional
*As an alternative to create a natural red color for the waffles, you can blend or muddle ½ cup of fresh strawberries with the stems removed. Then add to the batter.

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat waffle iron to high-heat setting and spray iron with a non-stick oil.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the melted coconut oil, almond milk, egg, and waffle mix, and whisk until smooth. Pour ⅓ batter into the “Star Wars” upper left quadrant of the waffle maker. Cook according to instructions.

3. With remaining ⅔ of the batter, stir in the beetroot powder (or alternative), and mix thoroughly. It should be red throughout. Pour ½ of this batter into the “Alliance Starbird” upper left quadrant.

4. With the remaining ⅓ of the batter, mix in the charcoal powder. Remember, a little goes a long way, and the color of the charcoal powder will mask the red of the beet. Pour the dark grey batter into the “X-Wing” bottom-left quadrant and cook.

5. Serve with a dollop of coconut whipped topping and fresh berries if desired.

The post Star Wars, Fuel Your Force, Week 7, Strength appeared first on Onnit Academy.

DISCLAIMER
The materials and information provided in this presentation, document and/or any other communication (“Communication”) from Onnit Labs, Inc. or any related entity or person (collectively “Onnit”) are strictly for informational purposes only and are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a qualified medical professional.

Star Wars Fuel Your Force, Week 6, Down Breathing

Products used in this workout:
Onnit’s Han Solo Yoga Mat
Perfect Shaker Bottle

DIRECTIONS

Lie on your back on the floor with your arms at your sides. Turn your palms to face up and tuck your chin.

Take 4 seconds to breathe in.
Hold 4 seconds.
Take 4 seconds to breathe out.
Hold the end of your exhale 4 seconds.

Repeat for 8 rounds. Note that this practice also works sitting at your desk or in a chair—you don’t have to be lying down.

ONNIT BIOHACK – CONTROL YOUR LANDSCAPE

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Plyometrics, or “plyos,” are exercises that put a sudden stretch on your muscles. That activates their stretch reflex, a defense mechanism in muscles that prevents them from being stretched to the point of injury by contracting them hard and fast. The resulting contraction gives you the ability to explode—to leap! That’s why plyos are a cornerstone in the training of athletes of all kinds (and wannabe Jedis on Earth).

To amplify the effect plyos have on fat-burning and your endurance, we’re having you do them in every-minute-on-the-minute fashion. Called EMOM for short, you’ll set a timer and do your exercises as a circuit, beginning each round at the top of each minute. Whatever time you have left between when you’ve finished your reps and when the next minute begins is your rest period. In other words, the harder you work and the faster you go, the more time you’ll get to recover before the next round. That means you’ll have every incentive to give the workout your full effort—no slacking!

DISCLAIMER
The materials and information provided in this presentation, document and/or any other communication (“Communication”) from Onnit Labs, Inc. or any related entity or person (collectively “Onnit”) are strictly for informational purposes only and are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a qualified medical professional.

Star Wars Fuel Your Force, Week 5, Leap

Products used in this workout:
Onnit’s Han Solo Yoga Mat
Perfect Shaker Bottle

DIRECTIONS
Perform the exercises as an every-minute-on-the-minute (EMOM) circuit for 5 minutes. That means that you’ll need to start a timer. At the start of a minute, you’ll do reps of each exercise in sequence without rest. When you’re done, you’ll rest until the end of that minute. At the start of the next minute, begin your next round. You’ll do 6 total reps for each exercise (for exercises that alternate sides, do 3 reps each side). We’re giving you two options for the circuit, based on two levels of difficulty. You can choose to do the basic level or the (harder) power level. The basic level is modeled by Jena (with the exception of the frog sprawl), while Eric demonstrates the power level.

Here’s how the basic level EMOM would look: At the start of a minute (0:00), do 3 reps of the split jump on each leg (6 total), followed by 6 reps of the low frog sprawl, and then 6 reps of the squat jump. Afterward, rest until the end of that minute, trying to control your breathing. At the top of the next minute, perform your next EMOM round.

While EMOMs are designed to make you move fast, don’t try to beat the clock at the expense of good form. If you feel your movements are getting sloppy, slow down and do them right.

Basic Level EMOM

1. Split Jump
Get into a lunge position—step forward with one leg and bend your knee until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Your rear knee should nearly touch the floor. From there, jump up and switch your legs so that you land in a lunge with the opposite leg forward. Each jump and lunge is one rep.

2. Frog Sprawl
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, squat down, and bend forward to place your hands on the floor. Perform a half pushup, lowering your torso near to the floor while flaring your elbows and knees out (this is a sprawl). Now jump up and land in a deep squat position with your hands in front of your face. That’s one rep. Make sure your knees line up with your first two toes and your head, spine, and pelvis form a straight line in your squat. Immediately jump back into the sprawl.

3. Squat Jump
From the bottom of the squat, jump up, extending your hips and knees as you throw your arms out to your sides for extra momentum.

Power Level EMOM

1. Sprinter Plyo
Get into a deep lunge position with your rear leg as far back as you can reach it and your weight on your front leg. Explosively jump and drive your rear knee forward, as if you were a sprinter taking off out of the starting blocks. Land and repeat for 3 reps; then switch sides.

2. Frog Sprawl
Perform as described in the basic EMOM.

3. Jump Tuck
Stand up and then perform a deep squat, keeping your head, spine, and pelvis aligned. As you come back up, jump as high as you can and tuck your knees to your chest.

INGREDIENTS
2 pasture-raised eggs
2 tbsp filtered water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 box Artisan Bread Mix
1 tbsp grass-fed butter, melted
¼ tsp Onnit Himalayan salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp poppy seed

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, vinegar, and oil. Add the baking mix and stir to combine. Let sit for four to five minutes to allow the dough to thicken.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat lightly with cooking spray. Divide dough into 12 equal portions and place on the sheet.

4. Moisten hands with warm water to prevent sticking and gently roll each piece until it’s about 3” in length. Then roll one side in towards the center, continuing until you create a pinwheel shape.

5. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. Lightly brush each pinwheel with melted butter, then sprinkle the garlic, salt, and poppy seeds on top.

6. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are light brown. Serve warm.

The post Star Wars Fuel Your Force, Week 5, Leap appeared first on Onnit Academy.

In the third installment of our Star Wars: Fuel Your Force program, you’ll learn how to improve your balance with an 8-exercise series you can use as a warmup before workouts, or as a routine on its own.

DISCLAIMER
The materials and information provided in this presentation, document and/or any other communication (“Communication”) from Onnit Labs, Inc. or any related entity or person (collectively “Onnit”) are strictly for informational purposes only and are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a qualified medical professional.

Star Wars Fuel Your Force, Week 3, Balance Series

Products used in this workout:

Onnit’s Han Solo Yoga Mat
Perfect Shaker Bottle

Directions
Perform 5–8 reps of each exercise in the following order.

1. Hinge
Stand with feet between hip and shoulder-width apart. Draw your shoulder blades together and down (think: “proud chest”) and then hinge at your hips, pushing your bottom backward as if trying to touch it to the wall behind you and slightly upward to the ceiling. Try to drive your hips back as far as you can without letting your lower back round forward, and don’t let your shoulders drop below them. You should feel a stretch in the back of your legs.

Squeeze your butt as you come back up to standing tall. That’s one rep.

2. Staggered-Stance Hinge
Stagger your feet so that your right toe is next to your left heel—your stance should be a little narrower and your weight should be mostly on your left foot. Repeat the hinge motion described above. Do your reps, switch legs, and repeat.

3. Lateral Hip Bend
Return your feet to just outside hip width and turn your toes slightly inward. Shift your weight and push your bottom out to the right and slightly back so you feel a stretch right outside your hip pocket. Keep a soft bend in your knees. Repeat on the left side. Try to get your hips a little further past your feet on every rep.

4. Scrape The Barrel
Using the same stance as in the lateral hip bend, push your hips out to the right and then forward in front of your toes. Continue making a big circle, pushing the hips to the left and then back behind you. You’ll feel like you’re scouring the hip joint (somewhat like scraping the inside of a pot or barrel with a scour pad). Try to get a little deeper with each rep. Do your reps and then repeat in the opposite direction.

5. Leg Swing
Balance on your left leg and stand as tall as possible. Swing your right leg as high as you can without arching or extending your spine. Let your knee bend on the way down so your foot scrapes the floor and the knee bends 90 degrees behind you. Do your reps, but do not repeat on the opposite leg yet. Go on to the lateral leg lift.

6. Lateral Leg Lift
Raise your right leg out to your side as high as possible while staying tall. Don’t swing it; control the movement and hold it at the top for a split second. Keep the edge of your foot flat, toes pointing forward. Do your reps but do not repeat on the opposite leg yet. Go on to the leg circle.

7. Leg Circle
Raise your right leg in front of you and then around and out to your side, making a circle. Continue to stand tall; don’t lean away from the moving leg. Complete your reps and then repeat in the opposite direction.

* Repeat exercises 5–7 on the left leg. *

8. Knee Roll
Stand with your feet just outside your hips and bend forward to place your hands just above your knees. Drive your knees inward so that they almost meet between your legs, and then forward and outward in a big circle. Make as big a circle as you can, but don’t go into a range that hurts in any way. As your knees come outward, allow your feet to roll onto their outside edges. Do these slowly. Do your reps and then change direction.

Spinach & Kale Chicken Bites

Products used in this workout:
Storm Trooper Wood Cutting Board
Death Star Kitchen Timer

People are always saying they’re going to “try” to eat better—whole foods, higher protein, and more vegetables. Our philosophy? To quote Master Yoda, “Do or do not. There is no try.”
Here’s a recipe that shows you how to make lean chicken breast and veggies delicious, fast to prepare, and fun—the resulting bites look like your favorite green, pointy-eared Jedi!

Yields: 16–20 bites
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: Medium

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Add water to a large pot until it’s about an inch deep. Insert a steamer basket but make sure it’s above the water level. Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil.

3. Add the cauliflower florets to the steamer basket, cover the pot, and turn the heat to low. Check on them in two minutes. When the cauliflower starts getting soft, add the spinach and kale. When all vegetables have been steamed, drain any excess liquid from the pot and set it aside.

4. In a food processor, combine the steamed veggies, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Pulse until blended and the green color is uniform. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. In a large mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, pulsed vegetables, eggs, gluten-free breadcrumbs, and shredded cheese. Mix them together by hand.

6. Shape the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs. Place the balls on the lined baking sheet. To make Yoda ears, add a nickel-size amount of mixture to each ball and carefully shape into a pointed triangle. Repeat to make another ear, attaching each to the top right and top left sides of every meatball. Place two pine nuts in the center of the balls to resemble eyes.

7. Bake meatballs for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, add a pinch of shredded cheese on top of the meatballs to resemble hair, and return to the oven for one minute. Remove meatballs and let cool slightly before serving.

The post Star Wars: Fuel Your Force, Week 3, Balance appeared first on Onnit Academy.