Training for power comes with time and one should have a pretty good base of fitness before attempting some of these exercises. Extra precautions should be warranted to those who may have ankle weakness or other orthopedic challenges. You may have heard of plyometrics, which refers to very powerful, 2 legged, explosive like exercises that help speed and power.
Training Note:It’s your choice if you wear shoes or not, or if you train on an unstable surface such as the beach (which is more challenging). I try to train barefoot so that I can mimic the feel of the board. If working with weights, be careful not to drop them on your feet! Everyone’s training needs and experience will vary, so the number of sets/reps you perform is up to you. Typically, if you are just starting out, try 1-3 sets with 10-12 reps each, making sure you are always in perfect form.
Exercise 1: Box Drops Equipment: Box or stable platform (24-29 inches off ground)
This exercise requires you to drop to the ground from a box or raised platform and land softly. It is very important to land on the balls of your feet, not on your heels. The box I’m using is 29 inches tall.
Exercise 2: Box Hop Ups
Equipment: Box or stable platform (24-29 inches off ground)
This powerful exercise can be a great cardio blast too. You can increase the difficulty by changing the speed or height of the box or platform you are jumping to. I suggest not standing too far away from the box or too close; about 12 inches away from the box seems to work well.
Shock Your Body to Get the Results You Want!
by Suzie Cooney, CPT of Suzie Trains Maui
World Champion Greg Minnaar
You ask, “shock your body”? Yes indeed, train really hard! Want to make serious changes in your body, read on. I’ve written many articles about how to avoid the dreaded plateau and burn extra body fat and now it’s time again to revisit this well-known training topic. I want to share in this article a couple different types of training methods that may just help you get through that time when your body is not responding and needs something very different to make these changes, or shed those last 5-10lbs. Let’s burn that fat baby!
I often whisper into the ears of my clients when they are grunting in the sand, covered from head to toe in sweat and I’m trying to get just one more rep out of them, as their teeth are clinched, I softly say, ” this is where your body changes”. I get the rep and they look at me like I have three heads, but they did it and get the results!
My True Collection team mate, Greg Minnaar trains hard! To pull these tricks and to maintain this kind of speed his routine is intense. Check out these photos:
There are many styles and types of training that offer many good results. Training needs to be fun, BUT it also must be effective and not lead to injury. Starting with a good base of fitness first before exploring more “hard core” training methods is highly recommended. If you go out of the gate too hard, or mix too many different types of training together all at once, for example, plyometrics, interval training or increase the numbers of pounds you’re lifting, there’s a good chance you could get hurt and you have a set back.
Motivation. It is the most important aspect of any fitness regime and yet sometimes it is so difficult to find! There are lots of tricks to stay motivated. For me it’s all about doing something I like to do. Then it’s easy to stay active. I also change up my activity… a lot. Winter for me means snow. Lots of snow. I love to snowboard, ski, snowmobile and cross country ski. In summer I enjoy being on the water, at least when the wind is blowing. For the last few years I’ve been learning how to kite surf. Continuing to challenge myself with something new helps me stay motivated. Having a friend to play with is also a great way to stay motivated. Sometimes when the couch seems more appealing than your bike… it’s great to have a cheerleader to help you get moving. And when you have an abundance of energy you get to do the same for your friend.
I’ve always considered myself pretty fit but certainly recognize that there are some big gaps. And at 45 those gaps are getting deeper. 3 weeks ago I was fortunate enough to get invited to tagalong to a Suzie Cooney workout. I hadn’t previously worked with a personal trainer and the session I did was tailored for someone else… but I loved it and immediately booked myself and my husband in for our own sessions with her.
My idea that a personal trainer was akin to an army sergeant couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yet Suzie provides a perfect motivational force! And she is a force. Moving weights back and forth a few hundred times is not on her program which is good because it has never been on my program. I didn’t know you could do some much with an rubber band and a ball. Every training session is different and each session is filled with an incredible variety of exercises. It is never boring. Suzie works hard at tailoring your work out to address each individuals needs. After our sessions my husband and I always compare what we did… and of course.. who is better at what!
I wish that I could take Suzie with me when I am not on Maui because with her help my current fitness goals are getting closer and closer.
Thanks Suzie!
Lisa is an inspiring, charging woman. I enjoy training and working with Lisa for she goes to task and beyond with a fierce focus like I’ve never seen. She has broke records in the studio and takes pride in perfecting and executing all the exercises I put forth and eagerly accepts ANY challenge that I place before her.
For example, standing on a stability ball is no easy exercise. Then why don’t you add some dumb bells to the mix and some shoulder presses. Follow this by a grueling “weighted” session on the Vew Do Board, INDO Board and then finish off with a leg burning round of high performance land surfing on the Brett Lickle special SURF BALL trainer pictured here:
Besides her outer beauty, she is a walking, living example of health and fitness and I hope everyone who reads her story will step it up a notch. When you see her photos you know, this is an athlete! Lisa and I have much in common like fast motors, and fast action packed adventure. You can be sure Lisa will be charging on her snowmobile faster than ever with more body confidence and her training will help her in any condition that is demanding of her catlike, quick reactions. Also be sure to look up if you’re kiting or windsurfing on Maui, she could just be soaring over your head catching some big air. She’s also taken a quick learn to SUP and is already stepping into some tight step turns on her second day! She is real and she is mighty and I’m glad to know her.
Want To Reach Your Fitness Goals Faster? Keep on Your Fitness Track with an Exercise Log
By Suzie Cooney, CPT Suzie Trains Maui
Keeping an exercise log can help you stay on track with your fitness and diet goals.
I know making progress toward your health, diet and fitness goals isn’t easy … especially if you aren’t keeping track of that progress. People hire me to hold them accountable. But once you are on your own, you will have longer lasting results and continue to see your body changing if you keep track of your progress. I always try to impress upon that you will see a change more quickly in your body if you keep track. Just like keeping a food journal will more than like double your weight loss!
Here are some great tips to ensure you the success you desire!
Measure your success and progress:
One of the basic principles of weight training is progression. During each additional workout you need to challenge yourself to stress and overload the muscle a little more than the last workout. I love to help clients with this. First set we may go easy, but the second set, get ready! Depending on your goals, this progressive overload will continuously strengthen the muscle, increase endurance, size or a combination of the three.
However, if you don’t know how much weight you used, the number of repetitions or how many sets of a given exercise you performed, it becomes very difficult to consistently overload the muscle and make progress.
If you keep detailed notes of your exercises, the order in which they were performed in, the weight used, repetitions, sets and rest periods, you’ll always know exactly what you did in your previous workout. This will help you make sure that your next workout is slightly different and slightly more challenging than the last.
Exercise Logs Help You Identify “dull points and plataues” in Your Workout
Actual Exercise log 3 days a week
Here’s an example of a real training log of one of my clients. He trains 3 times a week and by the end of the week we made great strength gains which is one of his goals.
Ever have a workout where you felt weaker than normal during a particular exercise?
This can be the result of many factors, including over training, the order in which you performed your exercises, the intensity or volume of the exercises you did before the current one, or even whether you did cardio before your weight training.
Training logs provide a quick way to look at all of the different variables in a given workout and identify factors that could be impacting your performance. A variable can be either, speed of the repetition, if you are on 1 leg or 2, or by simply increasing the weight or by decreasing your rest period in between sets.
You’re the only doc than can rip and carve on and off the water.. I’ve seen your work in the OR and on the water.. way cool my friend.. Surfing like this requires quick action, strong hips and legs for holding that rail. Thanks for sharing this great shot. Suzie
Aloha Friends!If you’ve always wanted to have a private personal trainer, this may be for you!
I’ve been experimenting with a few clients and I’ve decided to offer something new and fun for those on a tight time schedule and budget.Express Workout – Suzie Trains Maui. Train with me, get fit and have fun in half the time! Join me in a supervised, custom workout that targets all muscle groups including cardio. Enjoy surround sound while you pump it up and make the most of your time. I’ll be safely pushing you during your workout depending upon your ability. We are constantly on the move. Heart rate is up and we’re having fun!
To maximize the benefits, your 30-minute workout consists of both resistance training and cardiovascular training.
I can make a wonderful a workout for you with two-thirds resistance training and one-third cardiovascular training. In a 30-minute workout, that’s 20 minutes of resistance and 10 minutes of cardio. Yes, just 10 minutes. But 10 strongminutes!
Each workout is different! It’s a great way to jump start your week or get motivated again. Call me for details.
**All new clients are required to have a pre-fitness assessment. Towels and water provided. Assessment includes photos, movement observations, flexibility review, blood pressure screening and lifestyle review.
Ever get confused on how to choose the right energy drink? Take a moment and listen to some helpful information that will make a huge difference the next time you may opt for a quick boost. Whether you are hitting the waves for a big session or having a nice walk on the beach, know how to choose the right energy drink to keep you going!
This audio clip is from the Maui Breakfast Club. Maui’s number one rated talk show every Friday from 7am -8am. Tune In The Maui Breakfast Club: with Tom & Kellie Health & Fitness Specialist, Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui KAOI 1110 AM Join Tom Blackburn-Rodriguez, Co-Host Kellie Pali and Maui Weekly Special Correspondent Trisha Smith. “If it’s Friday, it’s the Maui Breakfast Club.”
If you want to keep the weight off, increase your muscle mass today. Muscle is critical for quality of life. People who lose a lot of muscle mass during their weight loss programs usually lose some of their fitness as well.
When this happens, they can’t do as much physically, so their performance declines when surfing, playing golf, hitting a tennis ball or even carrying a bag of groceries.
Muscle holds a lot of your body water and is essential for regulating body temperature. Muscles are big spenders and burn lots of calories 24/7. When people are on restrictive diets ( bad ) the body is tricked into believing it’s on a deserted island with minimal or no food – therefore as a natural defense mechanism, the body attacks it’s most active tissue, muscle in order to SLOW down the body’s metabolic rate.
There are wonderful health benefits of building muscle:
Increases endurance and flexibility
Protects your joints (reducing risk for injury)
Increases your energy level and boosts metabolism
The math: If you gain 1 pound of additional muscle tissue which can burn 35-50 calories per day…over the course of a year you can burn 91,250 calories a year! Fat burns 2 calories per day. On average, the amount of muscle gain when performing a resistance program, a person can gain 3-5 pounds ever 3-4 months. Keep in mind that this will vary greatly depending upon age, genetics, and type of training program you are performing. Continue reading Keep The Weight Off and Join the Muscle Mass Today
Introducing my new Maui Teen Health & Fitness Role Model, Cami Comet! I will be asking Cami to send us her workout routines, what she eats to stay healthy and how she is helping her friends at school, stay fit! Welcome Cami. Super cool to have you on the Suzie Trains Maui Team! You go Cami! Feel free to leave Cami a comment to welcome her! Suzie
Cami writes:
I am fourteen years old, and my goals are to stay consistent with my eating habits, and to get some physical exercise in, but still have time for school, friends, and family. Maybe even exercising with those people also.
The sports I like to do are soccer, beach volleyball, tennis, swimming, running, bowling, hiking, water activities, etc. I love all of those, and there is more, but I am not necessarily that great at doing the sports, I just like to have fun!
I also love my veggies. I pretty much like all of my vegetables except for radishes, mushrooms, etc. But there is just one veggie that I will eat with every meal, and that is asparagus. Although I do like broccoli, brussel sprouts, and salad; asparagus is my number one!
Being fit and healthy means feeling good, looking good, and staying at it. Meaning keeping your diet under control, and squeezing time in to be active.
This is the final journal entry of our Maui’s, Phil McGain as he crosses the finish line! As always, entertaining and very inspiring!
“I started to high five and low five anyone who put out there hand and even people who didn’t put out there hand, I was on a high at this point, I was about to finish, I wanted to make the most of it.”
The RUN 26.2 miles of pain and pleasure.
I sat down and pulled off my bike shirt, throw on my running shirt, get my compression socks on which are really tight and hard to pull on, shoes are on, tied, hat on, GPS on, I bolt out of there which seemed like a few minutes but I think it was more like 4 minutes. I look down at my GPS and see my pace at 11 minute per mile, slow down I tell myself, you want to be around 11.5 minute per mile until you get your running legs and get a feel for how your energy level is. I come to the first aid station, people everywhere, “water, coke, gel, Iso, cake, bars, fruit”, it’s all there. Yes this race is well-catered and good thing. I grab a water and have my first gel and a salt tablet. I’m feeling wonderful. The entire run course is lined with people, all cheering, sitting in chairs, drinking German beer, sleeping, enjoying the fact that we are out here doing all the work and they get to sit relax and watch. Continue reading Maui’s, Phil McGain Part 3 “The Run” Germany IRONMAN
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Category: Exercises, Naish Updates, Quick Fitness Tips, SUP Enthusiasts | 
Tags: ankle weakness, balance, box drops, breaking training plateaus, endurance training, exercise variables, fitness, Kaenon Polarized Eyewear, leg muscles, leg power, Maui, Maui Model, Maui personal trainer, Maui Sports Model, Naish, Naish Hokua, Naish International, plyometric training, plyometrics, powerful leg, Quick Fitness Tips, Stand Up Paddle, Stand Up Paddling Fitness, strength training, strengthen, SUP conditioning, SUP Core Training, SUP Cross Training, Suzie Cooney, Suzie Trains Maui, toned legs, toning legs
Express Workout – Suzie Trains Maui. Train with me, get fit and have fun in half the time! Join me in a supervised, custom workout that targets all muscle groups including cardio. Enjoy surround sound while you pump it up and make the most of your time. I’ll be safely pushing you during your workout depending upon your ability. We are constantly on the move. Heart rate is up and we’re having fun!
There are wonderful health benefits of building muscle:
but I am not necessarily that great at doing the sports, I just like to have fun! 
