Summer Bootcamp series on the Waterfront

I am excited and proud to announce that this year my "Summer Bootcamp Series" will be sponsored  by the Camden County Board of Freeholders and the City of Camden.Let's get in shape and enjoy the amazing views that the waterfront has to offer.This is an all levels class and I am looking forward to seeing everyone there.

I will be teaching every Wed night at 5:30 pm starting May 6th.

Wiggins Park Marina 

Wednesday May 6th - July 29th

Class fee $5 and $3 for Camden residents

~ All classes are cash only.

~There is plenty of parking

5 tips to keep your New Years Resolution 2015

So here it is guys 5 tips to help you  make and keep your New Year Resolutions for 2015. Make this your year. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself .Don't be afraid of change. Stop fearing success. Embrace the power you have to change your body to the one you want. And last but not least stop making excuses.

5 Ways to Avoid Overeating on Thanksgiving

OK everybody loves Thanksgiving . We all  tend to eat a little too much at holiday dinners. The average weight gain between Thanksgiving and New years is 7- 10 pounds. So here's a few tricks to get you through the beginning of the holiday season.

1. Eat a little before you go
So because most of us wait all day for the insane amount of carbs we are about to consume. We tend to eat everything as if we have never eaten before and will never eat again.
If you eat a little before you for a example , protein shake , a protein bar small salad. You wont be so ravenous and eat a weeks worth of calories in 30 min .

2. Drink something
So drink a glass of water before you even eat, to help make you feel full.
If no water is available vodka is completely acceptable. LOL (ok maybe not) But you get the point.

3. You don't need 3-4 plates of food
Some of the holiday dishes are just that holiday dishes. So you don't get them everyday. But ....you do not need 4 servings of sweet potatoes casserole. Its good I know, but calm your ass down . Sit down fill you plate and make a plate to go. It's perfectly acceptable.

4. Left Overs
You don't not need a weeks worth of leftovers. Thanksgiving is one day. No one should be eating thanksgiving until Christmas...( you know I'm talking to you! ) LOL

5. Take a walk
Take a walk in between courses to help with digestion. It will also give you a moment away from the table to catch up with family and friends.

Fitness is a way of life for all of us. But there's nothing wrong with enjoying life pleasures occasionally . Eat up but not to the point you're in a carb comma. LOL

HAPPY THANKSGIVING  TO YOU AND YOURS !

INSTAGRAM : DIVARICHARDSFIT
FACEBOOK: DIVA RICHARDS

30 min workout Week 1- Featured on Fox GoodDay Philadlphia

So as the holidays approach I was asked the question " How can we avoid the traditional holiday weight gain?"
Below is a 30 min workout if done 2-3 days per week that help ward off those unwanted pounds.
Just 30 min  of physical activity will help you maintain and/ or improve your overall fitness.
For the next 8 Mondays of 2014  I will post a 30min workout that can be done in home with minimal equipment to help you stay at your best.Each workout will contain a  6 Part focus:
-Cardio
-Lower Body 
-Upperbody
-Abs
-Flexibility
Also a Nutrition focus.

Each section is 4 rounds (1 minute of work and 30 seconds rest) ( 6 min per section ) This means your working intervals should be intense as possible and try to only rest on the rest interval. You can download a round timer app on your tablet or smartphone to keep track.If no round timer do 4 sets of (15reps-beginner to 30 reps Advanced )

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/clip/10831933/cold-weather-workout-idea


1.Cardio jump rope or jumping jack
-Cardio intervals used to warm up the body and get the metabolism going. 4 rounds

2. Lunges - Alternating forward Lunges with a 90 degree angle in both legs.
- strengthens entire leg  (quadriceps hamstrings Glutes )4 rounds

3.Upper Body 
-Push-ups regular or modified( chest and triceps) 2 rounds

-Band rows for the (back and biceps ) 2 rounds

4.ABS - Crunches - 2 rds & Bicycles -2rds  Obliques (4rounds total)

5. Flexibility 

 -Down ward dog (1round)

-Upward dog (1round)

 -Lying on back bringing Knees into the chest (1round)

-Low back stretch twisting (1 round) 30 sec each side

6.Nutrition - Avoid office snacking  by having healthy options at your desk. Good examples are  fruit, nuts and granola to name a few options. Water and hot tea always great options to assist in curbing hunger:)

Total working time 30 min
Just a little bit of work everyday will get you  closer to your goals.
#hardworknoexcuses


Make sure to follow me on-
Instagram : Divarichardsfit
Facebook: Diva Richards 






http://www.myfoxphilly.com/clip/10831933/cold-weather-workout-idea

This F'k'n knee brace , 2 months No squats

So before I get asked what happened a million times I'm just gonna answer it now.
I don't believe  in feeding energy into negative things. It kind of like when you have a cold and everyone says " aww are you sick " By the time you answer the question for the 50th time you feel like shit cause everyone reminds you about how ill you are...LOL I hate that shit .

I was supposed to do a figure competition and I had to pull out. I started having problems squatting.Let's be honest I couldn't bend my knee and could barely walk .  My  psoas was acting up and it got to the point that everyday walking was it was down right painful. So I want to see Dr. Eric Nelson . He is F'kn awesome .  We figured out that i had asome major imbalances on my right side that could all be contributing to the pain. So every week we would work one thing at a time and  the muscular pain I was feeling decreased drastically. I still had this insane burning sensation in my knee. It would come and go but when It came it was f'kn awful.

 I get an MRI and  go to the orthopedic doctor.  It comes back that I have very little to no cartilage in my right knee. I mean I figured I had some nasty arthritis, it does run in my family  but WTF man. He tells me there are  4 stages of wear and tear . Guess what stage I am ? Yup stage f'kn 4 the worst one.

So I ask the ortho doctor what does this mean . He tells me I  have  3 options . 2 of which require surgery  (microfracture or cartilage transplant ). They both would require 6-8  months recovery ( ain't nobody got time for that ). The other would be an injection that provides fluid like solution for the knee to reduce friction and allow me to go back to normal somewhat.

 To be honest I just f'kn cried . I had no idea it was so bad . I have the knee of like an 80 year old arthritic woman. So then orthopedic doctor  asked what sport did I play and how some one so young had such a jacked up knee.

 I played  basketball middle and high school . I was a professional dancer (modern dance and hip hop) age 16 til 33.  I just recently stopped because it was just  becoming too much .  I would be do freezes and floor work and it would take me 3 days to recover . Different  muscles and different conditioning. Then there is 15 years of teaching aerobics and 8 years  as an amateur boxer.

 So 20 years of over lapping sports and to be honest this is my first real Injury and I guess it ain't that bad. Hell I've been crossfitting 2 years and no issues go figure.( knock on wood)

So long story short It took me a couple of days to get my mind right and realize its not the end of the world. Anyone who has played any sport knows not being able to perform feels like death. I know that people have come back from worst. I refuse to believe that I can't come back from this 100%. I must say not being able to walk was a huge reality check. There are days when I literally could not bend my knee or even get out of bed .So what does this mean . 

Well , this means I have to adjust my training and find ways to continue to do what I love. I still got a lot of crossfitting to do and "no stinking injuries stopping me from doing that" I will never be able to fix it . Joints don't  grow back . There are was to stimulate new cells but I don't play that surgery shit. We'll take the less evasive measure and go from there . If it gets to a point where I can't manage it  I'll do what's necessary . But I'm done talking about it and focusing on squatting again . I have no legs . I've been hitting all my lifts from the hang mostly .I can do everything in Crossfit but squat &  run . Rowing hurts sometimes just depends on the day . 

Done talking. Moving on . Hard work, No excuses . 

Signed,
 Team train smarter , not harder

My fitness is my armor against the world!!!!!

My fitness is my armor against the world !
I work out because I control me . My bodies strength is my comfort zone . I remember growing up and being bullied, and my way of dealing with it was to workout and be ready for anything:)

 I want to be fit enough to run if my life depends on it.  Agile enough to avoid if needed, and  strong enough to fight if I have to . I want to have the endurance to go the distance in this battle of life as if it is  do or die. It maybe a little crazy or even  far fetched but I pride myself in being fearless a ready for whatever the world throws at me physically and mentally . So if for no other reason to be fit why not that!
I want to be able to always stand up for and protect  me and mines in this day and age you never know. Why not be ready ! Train as your life depends on it ! Because in 1 way or another it might ! Not trying to freak you out but this is the shit the pushes me and motivates me everyday !

Your lack of activity and inadequate nutrition all effect your ability to get around and how well your body functions . High blood pressure, diabetes , not being able to walk a flight of steps or chase after your child.
Some of the greatest and most successful people use their fitness as a means to keep them focused and on point. Why not you ?
If you know someone who struggles with improving their fitness , send them this link. Just a different perspective , I don't care about you being skinny . I want you to be the best you and enjoy the life god gave you !
Motivational Monday Get after it !

There is no fitness fairy , no magic pill

There is no fitness fairy or magic pill. In the event that I find it, I will be sure to package the pills and capture the fairy. Find a way to sell you both and become a billionaire overnight . LOL until that time we all have to work hard and stop making excuses.

 The Crossfit Open! I thoroughly enjoyed my open experience. I am definitely better than last year. I felt stronger.  My mental toughness and tolerance have greatly improved. I definitely went places in my head that are dark, ugly and quite frankly down right demonic. You have to be out your mind to want to crossfit , so yes I am f'n crazy ...LOL

April training schedule very few days off

Secondly, Mayhem in the Meadowlands. That was my first team competition and it was awesome. I normally am not a fan of the team thing. I'm hate relying on people but there are definite benefits to team crossfitting. I hate squat cleans ;) Lady T and Jsax are amazing athletes and human beings. I would compete with these ladies again any day !

Lastly, I'm about 10 weeks out from my physique competition and I'm feeling good. The hardest part is just  fitting it all in. Working out whenever I have a free moment seems to be the formula. I train between 8-12 clients a day so it's hard but late night cardio has truly been part of the answer. It's whatever works. I have a progress picture below and I have not lost that much weight truthfully.It's about achieving the look I need to win. In this first 8 weeks I've only lost 8 lbs. It hasn't even been a pound a week . More like a pound 1 week and  no weight loss for two weeks then 3 pounds randomly .That's why I tell you it's not about the number on the scale. I'll post my diet in the next blog, because a lot of people have been asking me.
Also I will be posting a lot of good workouts in the next couple of months to get you last minute people ready for summer as quickly as possible:)

Check out my you tube channel-divarichardsfitness in the coming weeks as I will be posting full body in home workouts .Also follow me on Instagram-divarichardsfitness as I will be posting various exercises there. Find your fitness, change your life ! Get after it !

Progress-slow steady consistent.