Lisa Olona is a certified transformational mind & body coach, with an inspiring approach to both weight loss and mindset. Her workouts can be accessed through her Online Fitness Academy, and are designed specifically to help busy professionals find the right fitness program and nutrition plan for them.
Her fitness boot camp was named Best of Peoria (Arizona) multiple times and Lisa, personally, was named Best of Peoria in the trainers category. Her workouts have also been featured on big-name television channels such as NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX, and she herself has appeared on the front cover of the Arizona Republic. Lisa’s released her best-seller book ‘Cross Your Creek: A Determined Woman’s Guide to Becoming Unstoppable’ this year.
Today Lisa’s here sharing a snippet of what her My Lockdown Workout looks like for us all to try…
How did you get into fitness?
My passion for fitness started in childhood. I played sports from a young age, and at the age of nine I could often be found creating obstacle courses for my friends to complete. Later, after a successful stint as a high school and collegiate volleyball coach, I shifted my focus. I decided I wanted to create wellness programs that would help improve the lives of busy women, and went on to accomplish a great deal in this line of work.
What is one of your favourite lockdown workouts?
My favorite workout focuses primarily on weights. I like to superset my exercises with only about 30 seconds rest between each superset to keep the heart rate up. An example would be:
SET 1
Deadlifts (15 reps) – Keep feet together, hold dumbbells in front of your legs. You’ll have a slight bend in your knees, then lock them in place. Keeping your chest out, spine long (not allowing it to round), press your hips back as if someone had a string attached to your tailbone and was pulling it back, stretching the weights down your legs toward your feet.
Lat Pulldowns (15 reps) – Grab the bar with your hands just outside of shoulder width, pull the bar down toward your chest, while sitting up tall. Slowly let the bar go back up till your arms are almost at a full extension then repeat.
Rest 30 seconds and repeat for 4 rounds.
SET 2
Front squats (15 reps) – Hold the weights in front of your chest, move your hips back as if you are reaching to sit in a chair, then sitting back into your heels start to squat down keeping your knees behind your toes.
Pushups (15 reps) – hands are just outside of your shoulders, bring your chest down between your hands, let your hips come down with you, keeping them locked between your shoulders and knees, then push yourself back up.
Rest 30 seconds and repeat for 4 rounds.
SET 3
Shoulder press (15 reps) – sitting tall, start with the weights at your shoulders, palms forward, then press the weights above your head, coming back down toward your shoulders slowly then repeat.
Bicep curls (15 reps) – keep your elbows tight to your side, holding the dumbbells in your hands with your palms forward and arms extended, curl the weight up, then slowly go back to an extension and repeat. Make sure elbows stay close to your sides with shoulders locked in place.
Overhead tricep extensions (15 reps) – Knees at a slight bend and hips back just a little, take the weights above and behind your head. Extend the weight up toward the sky, then bring it back behind your head, keeping your elbows squeezed in tight.
Rest 30 seconds.
SET 4
Forearm plank (60 seconds) – on your toes and elbows, keep your elbows directly under your shoulders, palms down and hands apart, chin down toward the ground so your spine is in a straight line. Make sure your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles are all in a straight line and hold that position.
Rest 60 seconds and repeat for 3 rounds.
What’s your nutrition like when doing a lockdown workout?
In terms of nutrition, I believe that everyone is different and there is not a one size fits all program. I personally like to work out while my body is in a fasted state. Therefore, I drink a lot of water before and during my workout. I also drink a very specific brand of BCAA’s during my workout.
After my workout I drink a specific brand of a whey protein meal replacement shake. The important thing to know about post workout nutrition is to make sure you are getting your carbohydrates and protein within an hour of your workout.
Do you have any tips for those new to working out?
For beginners, I highly recommend getting a coach. Don’t be afraid to do some shopping and find a coach that you feel connected with, who also shares your values. It’s important to hire a coach that works with you on customising your nutrition and workout program to your likes and dislikes. This way it will be a program you enjoy, and when we enjoy something, we are more likely to stick with it.
Also, make sure you know this coach genuinely cares about your progress and your overall success. Your fitness and nutrition program should just be a part of your overall health and wellness. Make sure your coach is someone who values your mental health as much as your fitness goals.
When you have someone in your corner that you can trust, knows what they are doing, and can see the whole picture it will be the game changer in making sure you reach your goals and are living your best life… mind and body.
You can follow Lisa on Instagram at @lisaolona and find out more about The Unstoppable Woman progam on her website lisaolona.com.
