It’s time for another Angry Trainer Fitness contest here on the site – and we’re back with an old favorite!

By now you probably know that I’m a big fan of Gym Boss timers and use my timer in many of my Angry Trainer Fitness Workout videos . But for those of you that don’t have one yet we’re giving you the chance to win one of FIVE timers across the course of this week.

So here’s the deal – I’m going to give away one timer each day via a simple question.

I’m posting today’s question here on the site, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday‘s question will be posted on the Angry Trainer Fitness Facebook wall  and on Friday I’ll be posting the question via Twitter (@angrytrainerfit). Okay – got that!

The winners will be picked by the Angry Trainer Fitness Team so be sure to get creative and think hard.

Okay so here’s the first question – and it’s nice and simple!

Why do you NEED a Gym Boss timer?

Be sure to think outside the box and don’t just give me “because I need one for my workout”. And good news for all of my international friends – Gym Boss will ship to you should you win – so wherever you are, go for it! Just remember – for today only post your answer in the comment section below.

And if you’re not lucky but still want a Gym Boss Timer – just click on the ad on this page to check out the Gym Boss website and all the different styles on offer!

Good luck and oh yeah – only ONE entry per person per day!

Time for another special offer here at Angry Trainer Fitness – and I’m thrilled to tell you about this one!

I receive a lot of inquiries from companies who ask me to test out their products and offer my thoughts here on the site. If I love the product I’m only too happy to oblige – you’ve seen my raves for Gym Boss and Lifeline for example.

On the flipside I recently tested out a health bar for a company that tasted like death! You won’t be reading about that one here on the site!!!!

Thankfully today’s product is a good one! Up for my Angry Review this week is the Kamagon Ball  which at first sight probably reminds you of those bouncy balls with handles that you played with as a child. So what exactly is it and is it a worthy training tool?

As always I’ll tell it to you straight! When I first saw the Kamagon Ball and watched the exercise videos I said “Give me a break”. This is a case of the old Alfonso who thinks (on occasion) that he knows everything. But once I actually tried the ball myself and read how it functions I was a convert!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Think of the Kamagon Ball as a bigger, water filled kettlebell with handles on each side. The more water you fill it with, the heavier it gets. But that’s not all that happens. Since the ball is filled with water, when you swing it, lift it, or just plain old hold it during an exercise, the water sloshes around inside which requires a greater need for stability. They call this ‘Hydro Inertia’ and let me tell you, you can feel it. It calls into play many stabilizers and a greater need for balance than a regular old weight. In fact it’s actually kind of genius and once I thought about it more, I found myself asking why I hadn’t come up with this idea!

You can use the Kamagon Ball for just about any exercise. You can swing it like a kettlebell, use it as a dumbbell, grip both the handles and hold it for abs, legs, presses and virtually any exercise you currently perform. It’s really part Kettlebell, medicine ball and dumbbell all in one! You and a partner can even each take a side and perform buddy movements.

The ball comes in two sizes; large, which can be filled with water and weighs up to 45 pounds (52lbs when completely full) and a smaller ball that I find more suitable for certain movements. It weighs in at 2lbs. empty and can be filled up to 13lbs. Both balls have fill lines that show you which level corresponds to which weight in pounds. And they come in 6 colors so you can be fit AND fashionable!

I’ll be honest I love my Kamagon Balls (no jokes please). You all know I preach and hammer into your heads the need for functional, real fitness and working with this product definitely delivers. I highly recommend that you try one and see for yourself. I’m not being paid for this review and I wouldn’t tell you it’s a great product if it weren’t.

But wait, it gets better! Kamagon is giving Angry Trainer Fitness fans a 20% Discount. All you have to do is head to the Kamagon website and type in the code – TAT2012 during checkout. The normal price is around $150, so you’ll save $30! That’s awesome right?

Two emphatic thumbs up for the Kamagon Ball. I recommend you try one today.

All information contained within this site, Angry Trainer Fitness.com, is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or on any opinions expressed within this website. Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

Ready for some exciting news everyone!

You may recall that the very first partnership we formed here at Angry Trainer Fitness was with Sears FitStudio. I’m a proud member of their Fitness Advisory Board and provide content for the FitStudio website. If you haven’t checked it out lately, I urge you to do so. There are loads of articles on exercise, nutrition and well-being as well as many workout programs and hundreds of exercise videos. And the best part? It’s all FREE!

Well now Sears is taking things up a notch. They’re setting up an exercise retreat this April in Mexico – and guess who’s going to be there. Yep, yours truly – The Angry Trainer. Where did I put that sun-cream?

We all know Mexico is beautiful. But check out the company I’m keeping and who else will be heading up classes and lectures at the event. We’ve got Bonnie and Steve Pfiester  – creators of the DoBCX boot camp program, Andrea Metcalf, author of Naked Fitness and YouTube fitness star Scott Herman. During each of the 3 days of the retreat, we’ll all be holding signature fitness classes like Yoga, Boot Camp, Strength training, MMA/Endurance and so much more. Plus we’ll be playing in the sand under the beautiful sun, sharing meals and even dancing a little Zumba! It’s sure to be an adventure of a lifetime.

But there’s more! Sears is giving you a chance to WIN a trip to the beautiful Riviera Maya in Mexico and participate in this amazing retreat with the FitStudio team. The event runs from 19^th – 22^nd April at the beautiful El Dorado Royal Spa and Resort and features 3 fun filled days of the ultimate fitness and health experience!

There are SEVEN chances to win in total – each for 2 people – for a grand total of almost $4,000 per package. Cool, huh!

If you fancy entering, simply head to the FitStudio Sweepstakes entry form. It’s really simple to take part in the competition. So what are you waiting for – get going!

Now of course it would be great to win, but in case you don’t get lucky this time – or want to guarantee your spot, Sears has made this trip extremely affordable for everyone. For just $814 per person (exclusive of air fare), you get 4 nights at the El Dorado Royale in a Jacuzzi Junior Suite, plus entry to the Fit Studio and My Destination Wellness Kick Start Plan including personal training, exercise classes, nutrition workshops and round-trip airport and hotel transportation. Now seriously, that’s a freakin’ deal! Just contact a Fit Studio trip specialist  and they’ll get you all set up.

I can promise you this is going to be an amazing experience and event, I mean how can it not be?

So, if you fancy a break in the sun and the chance to hang with The Angry Trainer – get going!

So today is the day!

It’s been a week since I announced we’d be giving away 4 copies of the new Anytime Fitness book titled Working Out Sucks! (But It Doesn’t Have To).

As I said in my recent review, I love author Chuck Runyon’s style and the book’s overall message so this publication is getting the official Angry Trainer thumbs up!

To enter the contest, all you had to do was submit your current workout routine and some details about yourself – age, goals, experience etc. After the contest close (midnight last night), I’d then randomly pick 4 winners. It was that easy.

So this morning I’ve selected the winners. I literally put all of the names on individual pieces of paper and shook them up in a bowl (I know – so high tech!)

Here are the winners:

1. Jo

2. Charlie

3. Holly

4. Missy

Congratulations to all of you – I’ll be in touch soon to sort out your prizes. I want to remind everyone that didn’t win that I do truly like this book. You should know by now that I would never endorse or suggest you spend your hard earned money on a product unless I felt it was truly worth it. And remember all net proceeds from the book go to a great charity.

Also don’t forget that I’ll be using some of the workout info you submitted for our new feature Is My Workout Working? Earlier in the week I gave Jacob some feedback on his regime… so who’ll be next?

In the meantime stay tuned for some more exciting contests coming your way soon!

It’s now officially the New Year and as promised, Angry Trainer Fitness is starting 2012 off with a bang!

You may have noticed here on the site that I recently reviewed the new fitness book – Working Out Sucks!  a manual geared towards new trainees and written by Chuck Runyon, CEO and co-founder of Anytime Fitness. As I said in my review, I really like the message of the book and Chuck’s humorous way of delivering smart and useful information. It’s a great read.

The book features a 21–day workout challenge that includes a meal plan and is a useful jumping off point for those looking to start a new life in fitness. And since it’s the New Year and many of you have vowed to get in shape and become healthier, we’re giving away 4 copies of the book! After all it’s my mission to help all of you get fitter, healthier and understand your body in ways you never have before.

So if you fancy winning yourself a copy of the book here’s what you need to do.

This time around I’m going to be drawing names at random from all the comments submitted below. But in order to be eligible I want you to tell me about your current workout regimen. The reason is that we’re working on a new feature here on the site where we give all of you out there advice on your workouts and regimes – what you’re doing RIGHT and what you’re doing WRONG! So I want to hear from as many of you as I can to help you out!

Just tell me what types of exercises you do, how many day per week, for how long, reps, sets etc. Essentially, the more detailed the better! Also let me know what your GOALS are and anything else you think I might need to know to ‘review’ your workout – if you want to share your weight, age, etc, feel free – but I want to respect your privacy so it’s up to you. By the way when I write these future pieces I’ll just use your username so they can be as anonymous as you like!

Once you’ve left your information, your name will go into our prize pool and when the contest closes, I’ll draw four names at random – that’s it, simple right?

So get commenting and let me know what you’re doing to keep in shape. The entry deadline is midnight, Friday, January 13^th (yes Friday the 13^th!) and I’ll announce the winners the next day. And if you’re a seasoned fitness pro, enter anyway. You can always give it s an awesome gift to someone who needs it! Good luck!

Hi everyone – time for a little gift giving here at Angry Trainer Fitness!

At the start of the week we launched a contest to win THREE Gym Boss Interval Timers! – and now it’s time to announce the results.

Here’s a refresher on how the contest worked. A few days ago I published a workout I performed using a Gym Boss to keep track on my times. In order to win one of the first three timers we’re giving away, all you had to do was guess the total time that my workout took. Sounds easy – but it really wasn’t!

Here’s the circuit with the interval and rest times added in:

Alfonso’s Gym Boss Workout

CIRCUIT #1

1. Pushup w/ Alternating Knees 45 seconds on / 15 seconds rest

2. Jumping Jacks 45 seconds on / 15 seconds rest

3. One Legged Deadlifts 45 seconds on / 15 seconds rest

4. Jump Squats 45 seconds on / 15 seconds rest

Rest 45 seconds

Repeat 1 more time

Rest 60 seconds

CIRCUIT #2

5. Resistance Band Rows 45 seconds on / 15 seconds rest

6. TRX Chest Press 45 seconds on / 15 seconds rest

7. Burpee Jump Squats 45 seconds on / 15 seconds rest

8. V-Ups 45 seconds on / 15 seconds rest

Rest 45 seconds

Repeat 1 more time

Done!

Total Time = 18 minutes 30 seconds

As you can see I kept this one pretty simple – performing the exercises to a set time – rather than timing a set number of reps. I wanted to give those of you who closely follow my workouts a fighting chance of guessing the total duration!

The three people who guessed the closest to my time are:

1. Yap 18:30 Nailed It!

2. Kerri Boozer 18:40 – So close!

3. Amy 18:00 – Great guess

4. Kim S 19.00 – Just over!

Yep, as you can see we had two clear winners and a tie for third place – so what we’re going to do is give away FOUR Gym Boss Timers – one to each of our winners! I’m a regular old Santa today!

Congratulations to the four of you and we’ll be in touch real soon to arrange your prizes. But for those of you that didn’t win, don’t worry – you have 6 more chances to win!

Here’s the deal – From December 26^th – 31^st, I’ll post an exercise I’ve performed that day on the Angry Trainer Facebook Wall   In order to enter, you have to again guess how long each exercise took (so you’ll need to ‘like’ my page first) – closest entry wins and if there’s a tie we’ll select the winner randomly.

This time around you should leave your guesses on my Facebook wall – NOT here on the site! The closing date is at midnight each day – and we’ll announce the result the next day. Got it? So to be clear, you can’t enter on the Angry Trainer Fitness website, only Facebook. (You may recall I was going to give away a timer via Twitter but since we’ve awarded an extra one this time around I’ll keep the rest of the contest on Facebook!)

Okay everyone – keep checking my Facebook page – and good luck!

Can you believe we’re running another contest?

As you probably saw we only just wrapped up our Vibram Five Fingers contest yesterday, but since it’s the time of year for giving we thought ‘heck – why not set up ANOTHER Angry Trainer Fitness contest to see out the year’. I know, I know – we’re spoiling you!

This time around we’ve joined forces with our friends at Gym Boss – one of the products I recently recommended in my Top 10: Holiday Fitness Gifts. If you don’t know yet, Gym Boss timers are the BOMB! They’re simply the best timer on the market and a must for anyone serious about tracking their interval training.

So here’s the deal. We’ve got TEN Gym Boss interval timers up for grabs – so there are LOTS of chances for you to win!

Here’s how it’s going to work. This morning I performed a workout using my Gym Boss timer, and I’ve published my circuits below. All you have to do is guess how long the routine below took me (cause of course that’s what the Gym Boss does – it helps you time your workouts!) And of course you can also give the circuits below a go yourself…

We’ll give out the first 3 Gym Boss times to the THREE people who guess the closest. Make sure you use minutes and seconds. This is a real guessing game, because you have no clue how long my work or rest interval periods are – but of course if you’ve been checking my Angry Trainer Workouts over the last few months you’ve probably got a decent idea.

Here’s the circuit:

Alfonso’s Gym Boss Workout

Circuit #1

1. Pushup w/ Alternating Knees

2. Jumping Jacks

3. One Legged Deadlifts

4. Jump Squats

rest ?

Repeat 1 more time

rest ?

Circuit #2

5. Resistance Band Rows

6. TRX Chest Press

7. Burpee Jump Squats

8. V-Ups

rest ?

Repeat 1 more time

Done!

Remember your guess is the total time this workout took, including all rest periods and intervals. Take your best shot!

We’re going to wrap THIS PART of the contest up on Friday 23^rd December at midnight EST – so you’ve only got a few days to enter. We’ll then announce the results on Christmas Eve – giving three of you a nice, early Xmas present.

But remember we have TEN Gym Boss timers to give away in total. So between 26^th – 31^st December I’m going to be giving ONE away each day via the Angry Trainer Fitness Facebook page . So if you’re not following me on Facebook – what are you waiting for!

The Facebook contest will follow the same pattern – except I won’t be giving full circuits – but instead a simpler exercise e.g. 50 Push Ups, a 2 mile run, etc. But the idea is the same – you have to guess how long each ‘exercise’ takes me! (also each Facebook ‘contest’ will close that night so you have to be quick!)

Finally I’m going to be giving the FINAL Gym Boss away via Twitter at some point before the end of the year – so once again if you’re not following me on my Angry Trainer Fitness Twitter account (AngryTrainerFit) now’s the time to join up!

Okay everyone – good luck – and get guessing!

Hey everyone – it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for!

If you remember, a few weeks we announced our Vibram 5 Fingers contest. I filled a big bowl with whole load of chocolates – everything from M&M’s to Twix bars to Snickers  and a whole lot more – and asked all of you to guess how many calories were in the bowl.

The 3 Angry Trainer Fitness fans who guessed closest to the total calorie count would win an Angry Trainer / Vibram’s gift certificate redeemable for a pair of my favorite footwear. In case you don’t know about Vibrams – and how much I love them – check out my original posting on why I’m such a fan of Five Fingers footwear! They’re definitely a prize worth winning.

We had over 200 entries and some of you came close, real close, to guessing the exact calorie total. As a reminder – here’s the pic of all that candy.

And here’s what was in the bowl and the total calorie count:

M&M x 3 630

Dove 190


Peanut Bar 240


Mounds x 2 460

Caramello 220


Milky Way 220


Reese’s 200 


York Peppermint 140


M&M Holiday 250


Chunky 190


Almond Joy 220


5th Ave 260


Baby Ruth 280


Snickers 250 


Reese’s PB Cup Large 600


Twix 440

Reese’s Pieces x 2 = 420


Whatchamacallit 230


Hershey’s Drops 290


Heath Bar 110


Gold Coins x 2 = 300

So the total calorie count is – drum roll please – 6,140 calories!

And the winners are…

Barry – 6130 calories

Vinh N - 6129 calories

Debbie – 6115 calories

Congratulations you three! I’m super impressed with how close you all came.

My ATF team will drop you a line over the next couple of days, so we can mail your Vibram’s gift certificates! And for all of you that asked me – the candy found a good home. You didn’t actually think I would eat that stuff did you?

Don’t worry if you didn’t win this time around though. We have ANOTHER holiday contest launching next week – with 10 CHANCES to win – so stay tuned.

 

Happy Holidays everyone!

Yep, the holidays are approaching fast and New Years is just around the corner. It’ll be here before you know it! Which means health and fitness will be at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Well here at Angry Trainer Fitness we want to help YOU get into shape for 2012 – and we’ve got a great fun giveaway to give you a head start.

Hopefully you read my Top 10: Holiday Gift Guide a couple of weeks ago where I outlined my top 10 fitness related treats that should be a part of EVERYONE’s stocking!

One of my picks was Vibrams Five Fingers the shoe that has changed the way I think about footwear. You may remember the post I wrote about Vibrams several months ago and how I became a total convert to the idea of five-fingered footwear.  I’ve been suggesting you all try them for a while now as they’ve totally changed my life. I wear my Vibrams everywhere – at the gym, in the street, even in business meetings!

Well the guys at Vibrams are big fans of the Angry Trainer Fitness site. So together we’ve paired up for a fun end of the year giveaway. Yep, we have THREE pairs of Vibrams Five Fingers (model/style will be at Vibram’s discretion) to hand out to THREE different ATF readers. You ready…

In our last contest I had you all coming up with captions for an old Angry Trainer picture (you remember the one!) But this time around we’re going for a calorie counting theme!

You see the photo below. It’s a bucket of candy – measuring about 5 inches deep and with over 20 assorted candy bars and packets in there. It’s all the stuff I ask you to steer clear off generally. But here’s the question – what’s the TOTAL calorie count of all that candy?

All you have to do is leave your guess below. You can enter ONE time only (no cheating please) and the three people who come closest to the actual total will win the shoes (in the form or a voucher redeemable for a pair!)

If there’s a draw I’ll put the three names out of a hat. The contest closes a week on Saturday, 17^th December at 12 midnight EST and then we’ll announce the answers shortly afterwards here on the site.

Feel free to spread the word to all your family and friends and get them to have a guess too!

Remember – you only get one vote! Think about it and post your TOTAL calories guess in the comments section below. Good luck!

Hey everyone, how are you all doing?

So it’s been a month since we launched our TRX Suspension Giveaway Contest and the results are in!

As you know I love the TRX system – it’s an awesome training tool and so I was thrilled when the TRX team agreed to give away one of their TRX Suspension kits (valued at over $200) to a loyal Angry Trainer Fitness fan

The contest was really simple – All you had to do was come up with a witty caption to go along with my high school senior picture.

Oh boy, did I let myself in for it with this one! I’ll have you know, this was the style in 1991 and went very well with my black, Velcro top Reeboks and Z. Cavaricci pants! I mean seriously, look at this picture –

So here are my three favorite comments that really made me laugh.

1. Mike wrote in and said, “If Richard Marx and Billy Ray Cyrus had a son”. Seriously, I bust a gut when I read that line. Hat’s off Mike, very funny!

2. Suzy went to the Matrix for the inspiration for her comment “Trinity: “It’s the question that drives us, Neo.”
Alfonso: “What IS the Mullet?” I’ll have you know I defined the Mullet in 1991!

3. And finally Lisa wrote “Oh wait, I get it. So THIS is why you shave your head, now. THIS is the haircut that scarred you from ever growing hair on your head again.”

Now to be truthful it was really hard to pick a winner, and believe me many of you wrote some funny lines. But I have to be honest and pick what goes most with my sense of humor… and that’s number 2!

Congratulations Suzy! The reason I like the comment is simple – I’m a huge Matrix fan so Suzy scored some big points with me, and I think it’s super funny. I could see it as a Saturday Night Live skit for sure.

And for Mike and Lisa, you’re not going away empty handed – I’ll send you both out an Angry Trainer T-Shirt (you may have seen me wearing them in my fitness videos – and they’ll be on sale via the site soon!) Suzy, Mike and Lisa – my team will be in touch soon to send on your prizes!

And for everyone else, this is just the beginning. There will be more contests coming your way and you’ll have another great opportunity to win some awesome fitness gear! So thank you to all of you who participated. You all gave myself and the Angry Trainer team a lot of laughs!