12 Days of Fitness Challenge: Day 3 - In & Outs

First off, Merry Christmas Eve!  I hope you're enjoying some much needed time off with friends and family.  Second, Happy Day 3 of the challenge, everyone!  Congrats on finishing the first 2 days strong!  Since we've targeted our arms and our legs so far, it's time to move onto our abs.  Today's challenge exercise has many names, but I like to call them in & outs.  Here's what you're doing:

• Start lying on the ground, face up, with your forearms flat on the floor.  Elbows are in line with your shoulders, and palms flat.  Keeping your legs as straight as you can, lift your legs off the floor slightly (pictured below, A).
• From this position, bring your chest up and knees in using your abdominals to do the work (not your hands).  Your hands remain on the floor for balance, if needed.
• Breathe OUT as you come up; and inhale on the way back down.
• Continue this pattern for as many reps as you can. 

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If you're getting upwards of 25-30 reps and you don't feel tired yet, you probably could stand to increase your intensity slightly.  To increase the amount of work your abdominals do in this exercise, get rid of the hand brace.  Instead, take your arms off the floor completely, and bring them out to the side (or overhead) to start (pictured below, C).  Then bring them in front of you on the way up (pictured below, D), continuing the same in & out motion as above. 

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The same rules apply with today's challenge - check in on social media or on this blog with your progress, and get through your sets twice today.  Let me know how you do!

Be sure to enjoy your time with family and friends today, and make sure to keep yourself accountable for these exercises (I'll be checking in with you)!  Remember, it's not too late to join, so tell your friends and family, get them involved, and let's stay active today!