Burpees. The name's not pretty, but the results sure are!

A combination of squat, push-up, and vertical jump, the burpee has a somewhat nasty reputation for being the exercise of choice in prisons. But you should consider adding burpees to your routine for the same reasons inmates might: The burpee requires no equipment and can be done just about anywhere. Plus, it works your entire body, including those important core muscles, while increasing your cardio endurance.

So how do you do a burpee? The basic version is a six count move. Begin in the standing position, then:

1. Sit into a squat.
2. Kick your feet behind you so you're in a push-up position.
3. Lower your chest to the ground.
4. Press back up to complete the push up.
5. Pull your feet back in so you're in squat position.
6. Jump up in the air while clapping overhead.

VO2 Max -- also known as maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity -- is a measure of the maximum oxygen capacity , or how much air an athlete can use. The name is a combination of volume (V) and oxygen (O2). VO2 Max is considered to be the most accurate indication of an individual's aerobic endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

Calculating VO2 Max is done in a controlled environment such as a sports performance laboratory. The athlete is required to perform an exercise at maximum effort, such as running on a treadmill, while their oxygen uptake is recorded. The point at which oxygen consumption levels out is known as the VO2 Max. Their values vary depending on gender and age -- values can typically range from 17.0 (very poor performance) to 60.0 (very superior performance.)

Your VO2 Max is largely determined by your genetics, but research indicates that you can increase it through training. The most effective method for increasing VO2 Max is by engaging in continuous exercise that raises the heart rate to at least 70 percent of your maximum rate for 20 to 60 minutes three times a week.

Once you know your VO2 Max, be sure to check out other highly recommended online calculators.

The world is a blur when you run this fast. Photo: Kako, Flickr

Fartlek means "speed play" in Swedish and yes, it's pronounced just the way you think it is. Go ahead! Get your giggles out, then consider the serious boost you can give your training by adding fartleks into your regular running routine.

Developed in the 1930s, fartleks are an excellent way for both beginners and advanced runners to improve speed and stamina. Unlike traditional speed workouts, fartleks add short bursts of speed into your "normal" run. When the burst is over, you return to your normal cruising speed until you're recovered and start the cycle over again.

"This kind of training is a great way to keep your body guessing," says Lisa Bender, a trainer at CrossFit Central. "Fartleks push you outside of your comfort zone and help you become more efficient."

Workout need a boost? Beetroot juice can enhance your performance.

Photo: FotoDawg/Flickr

I've never liked beets. I blame my mom who forced me to eat them one horrible night when I was 10. My attitude, though, may have to change, as a new study has found that beetroot juice could boost stamina and increase exercise duration.

In this study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, eight men aged 19 to 38 drank 500 milliliters of organic beetroot juice for six consecutive days before undergoing cycling tests. They then repeated those steps, substituting a placebo for the beetroot juice.

So how'd they do? Surprisingly well. They cycled 16 percent longer following beetroot juice consumption versus the placebo. "This is an impressive improvement which would translate into a one to two percent reduction in the time to complete a fixed distance," says Andrew Jones, lead study author and professor of applied physiology at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, adding that the juice also reduced blood pressure.

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There may be a new antioxidant powerhouse poised to enter the realm of natural endurance enhancers. Quercetin, a natural flavonoid found in red apples, red onions, berries, cabbage, broccoli and tea (green and black), may be able to boost exercise endurance by 13 percent, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.

Twice a day, 12 fit college students with an average age of 23 were given either a placebo or a 500 mg quercetin table dissolved in Tang, which apparently masks the taste, texture and color of quercetin quite well. Who knew? After seven days, researchers calculated how long it took for each student to become fatigued on a stationary bike. The placebo and study groups were then swapped, and the process repeated.

Compared to their starting endurance capacity, the participants who were given quercetin showed a 13 percent increase in ride time before becoming too tired to continue.

Even my 54-year-old father talks about eating to win before 150-mile bike races. Turns out he's not the only one who believes food is fuel.

The experts over at Love + Blueberries say if you want to make it to the finish line, you've got to eat a certain way, and they suggest you put whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your tank. They've also got some tips for how to eat on the day of the race.

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There are many ways to train each muscle. I'm a girl who likes challenging and efficient exercises. This three-part routine, shown here and featuring me and Anthony Field of The Wiggles, not only made my arms shake ... it exhausted my chest and abs and left me breathless in a very short period of time. Looking for something new, challenging and fun? This is your answer.

If you're interested in getting the rings like the one's shown here in this video, visit RingTraining.com and look for Elite Rings. And for more star-studded training videos, fitness tips and recipes, visit Fitzness.com.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, I'm a woman in my early 40s and have really let myself go over the past decade. I used to have a nice figure, but now I'm stuck with a 'lumpy bumpy butt' that is far too big. The rest of my body needs work too. I joined Weight Watchers two weeks ago, cause I saw that you wrote it was a great program. I'm down three pounds already. So, what do you advise I do to improve my backside. It's awful! Marlene

A. Hello Miss Marlene. I'm glad you sent me your question, and I'm confident I can help. There are a lot of things you can do to tighten up that tush. You've already taken the first step with Weight Watchers -- losing weight will be most important for getting rid of bulging pockets of fat.

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Endurance athletes are some of the most disciplined, dedicated people. Tap into that mojo by learning how to think like they do.

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Jennifer Lopez's much-anticipated triathlon occurred this weekend, and the singer/dancer/actress/new mom completed the race in two hours, 23 minutes, and 28 seconds, smiling the whole time. She wasn't the only celebrity taking part in this year's Nautica Malibu Triathlon -- Matthew McConaughey and Anna Kournikova also competed in the half-mile ocean swim, 18-mile bike ride, and four-mile run.

Lopez received plenty of encouragement -- she was cheered on my hubby Marc Anthony as well as McConaughey. However, the cause she was running for might have been encouragement enough, seeing as how she raised $127,000 for the Children's Hospital of L.A.

But, if you know JLo, you know that drama tends to follow her, and this is no exception. She pulled out of a guest judging stint for the finale of Project Runway the day it was set to film, just days before the triathlon. Her excuse? A foot injury. I'm thinking (well, hoping, actually) that she was just experiencing a little pain and wanted to get it in the best shape possible for her race. And, she obviously did -- not only did she finish the race, but later that night, she was dressed to the nines for her husband's birthday bash ... in New York!

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hey Fitz, My name is Sarah and I'm almost 16. I have always been involved with sports including: hockey, basketball, soccer and you name it! Now that I am older, I have slowed down a bit and only play basketball for high school and travel. This is what is bothering me: I can't seem to run as long as I used to. I get tired easily and run out of breath. I'm not fat or anything, and I am even really fast. But by the time I run one length of the court I'm pretty much dead. What am I doing wrong and what do I need to do to change this? It seems like I get more out of breathe each season. Thanks, Sarah

A. Hi Sarah, Thanks for writing. I have two thoughts on what may be happening with you, the first being more probable than the last. Most likely, you've just become out of shape. That doesn't mean you're obese or in horrible shape, it just may mean you're not capable of doing as much as you were two years ago when you were involved in three sports! You take pride in the fact that you run fast. That's great! But, the fact that you like to go all out probably makes you more likely to suck wind at the end of one lap.

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With the Olympics coming up, the use of supplements to enhance performance is big business. I asked my pal Jose Antonio, PhD, Sports Nutrition expert what was hot and gave me this scoop. Besides safe and effective supplements like creatine, protein powders, and even fish oil, there's a new kid on the block. It's called beta-alanine!

Beta-alanine is basically an amino acid that has been shown to help fight off the fatigue-promoting effects of lactic acid. When muscle pH drops from intense exercise, beta-alanine helps buffer this increased acidity. Technically, it is muscle carnosine (which is made from beta-alanine) that does the buffering.

What could beta-alanine help as far as Olympic events? Sports like wrestling, the long sprints such as the 400 meter dash, boxing, and team sports in which there is a lot of sprinting can be helped. In fact, a recent study from the International Journal of Sports Medicine proved that beta-alanine significantly improved muscular endurance. So for those of you seeking that extra performance edge, look out for beta-alanine!

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If you've got a crabgrass problem like I do this year, weeding can be exercise. In fact, it can be a high-impact aerobic activity, if you do it at my house.

Weeding can be done for flexibilty and endurance, and we are now told by some researchers that low-key fitness, like weeding and strolling, is the answer to a long, healthy life.

So, in the spirit of weeding like a fiend, I write this Fitku:

Stretching, pulling weeds
Beautiful garden, exercise
Squatting, bending, done!

Do you buy it? Can weeding be exercise? I know my sore thighs and ankles tell that story the next day....