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

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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. 

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. 

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!

12 Days of Fitness Challenge: Day 2 - Squats

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Happy Day 2 of the Fitness Challenge!  How did those push ups go yesterday?  How many did you get through?  Remember, part of the challenge is checking in to stay accountable!  This will be particularly important as we get closer to Christmas this week when things start to get busy! So remember to use the hashtag #12daysfit if you’re on social media, or comment on the blog posts with your progress! 

We focused on our arms yesterday, so today’s challenge is going to be leg-based: squats!  Squats are a great low-impact leg exercise that will target your quadriceps and glutes if done correctly.  Start standing with your feet about hip width apart (pictured below, A).  Bend at the knees and lower yourself down as far as you can, keeping your spine aligned and chest up (pictured below, B).  An easy way to do this is to think about sticking your butt out behind you (pictured below, C).  Seriously, it helps!  Immediately come back up to starting position.  Continue this pattern for as many reps as you can.  

If you’re in need of some variety for today's challenge, feel free to try these options:

  • jump squats - propel yourself up into the air on the way up out of the squat position (make sure to land light on your feet!).
  • add a hold at the bottom - try doing 10 squats, and then holding the last one down for 10 seconds.  Repeat that pattern for as many as you can.
  • add some pulses - similar to the hold, try 10 full squats, and then on the last one, pulse your legs, bringing yourself up only about halfway, and then back down again quickly. 

As with yesterday’s challenge, do as many as you can until you start to lose form.  Poor form here would be lowering your chest to your knees, needing to brace your hands on your knees to continue, etc.

Rules for today’s challenge:

  1. Check in on social media or the blog to let me know how you’re doing!  Have comments or questions?  Feel free to ask those, too!
  2. Just like yesterday, I’d like you to get through 2 sets today. 

Let me know how you do!  We’re on our way to a healthier holiday season!  Remember, it’s not too late to join, so get your friends and family involved!  Have them sign up so they don’t miss any special tips, motivational posts or other fun challenges coming your way! 

12 Days of Fitness Challenge: Day 1 - Push Ups

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On the first day of Fitness, my trainer gave to me... (sorry, I had to).  Happy first day of the 12 Days of Fitness, everybody!  I hope you're as excited as I am to get these exercises started!  Today's exercise is the traditional push up.  I know, I know, push ups?  Everyone seems to have a love-hate relationship with the push up.  So, why are we starting off with them?  Well, for starters, they're a great way to engage your entire body in one move: shoulders, chest, abdominals, quads and glutes to name a few!  They don't require any equipment and use a limited amount of space, so feel free to "drop and give me 50" right in your own living room!  (Kidding about the 50...)

Now, I think the traditional push up is one of the most common exercises that people do with poor form:  

  • Unengaged core = sagging lower back, which can lead to low back pain;
  • Chin tucked into the chest, looking at the ground = obstructed airway and therefore less oxygen to the muscles;
  • Butt up in the air = unnecessary additional pressure on your shoulders

 I'd like to teach you the proper way to do a push up - not only form, but also your breathing technique:

  • Start in a high plank position, hands directly underneath your shoulders (pictured below, top)  
  • Engage your abdominals so your back is stabilized, and keep your spine in one straight line from head to low back  
  • Lower yourself to the floor keeping that position throughout the move; as you do so, breathe IN  
  • As you push yourself up (keeping proper form throughout), breathe OUT (somewhat forcefully) 

How'd that feel?  Wondering how many to do?  For almost all of the exercises in this challenge, that's going to be up to you!  I'd like you to do the maximum amount you can.  For those of you who are already in a fitness regimen, start from the traditional push up position (pictured below, A & B).  If you're just starting out, instead of being up on your toes, bring your knees to the floor (pictured below, C & D).  Remember the same rules apply for form: spine aligned, core engaged, head in a neutral position to allow oxygen to the working muscles.  If you get through 5, great!  10?  Awesome!  20?  Wow!  Keep going until you start to lose form (i.e. if any of the "poor form" points start to happen).  Once your form starts to suffer, stop.  Take a break and let your arms rest.  Now, if you did your first round from the traditional position, I want you to try to do a few more from your knees (pictured bottom).  If you started from your knees, try to do a few more from the same position.  I know you can do it!

Rules for today's challenge:

  1. Get through the push up sequence twice today.  That means doing one set until failure (loss of proper form from both traditional and knees positions), then some hours later at your choosing, do another set.  You can do these in the office, at home in your living room (as shown), or even if you're traveling!
  2. Make sure you check in and report how you're doing!  Use #12daysfit on social media and take a picture if you'd like (I'd love to see you demonstrating proper form)!  If you're not on social media, comment below on this post with your progress!  I'll be checking in, too. :)

I hope your holiday week is off to a great start!  If you're not on the mailing list for the challenge yet, don't worry!  It's not too late to sign up!  Check it out here and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for subscriber-only emails with fun mini challenges, motivational tips, and more!  Now, let's get that first round of push ups started! :)