Friday 28 February 2014

28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Twenty-Four #28DayFit

Day Twenty-Four
(aerobic/cardio)



Choose two exercises within your level:

Beginner Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 18 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 28 minutes at a relaxed pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 18 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 18 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. 

4. Jump rope for 18 minutes. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 18 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this eighteen times.

6. Do 18 minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

7. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, five times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

8. Dance to fast music for 18 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

9. Take a 30-minute long intermediate-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

10. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 6 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 6 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 6 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 6 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

11. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 7 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this seven times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, seven times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for seven minutes. This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

12. Hula hoop for 16 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling. You can break the work out into two sessions of 8 1/2 minutes each if 17 minutes is too difficult for you.

13. Spend 18 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This will work out your legs and increase your heart rate for better cardiovascular fitness.

14. Do 8 cartwheels and 8 forward somersaults. It's okay if you don't do these perfectly. Just have fun and try not to get too dizzy.

15. Spend 10 minutes doing yoga. If you cannot find a yoga class to attend, you can use a video or look up some yoga fitness routines on-line. Yoga is a great way to help with your breathing and relaxation as well as muscle flexibility.


Intermediate Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 28 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 38 minutes at a reasonable pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 23 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 23 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. 

4. Jump rope for 23 minutes. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 23 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this 23 times.

6. Do 28 minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum. 

7. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, six times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the intermediate level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

8. Dance to fast music for 23 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

9. Take a 30-minute long advanced-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

10. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 7 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 7 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 7minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 7 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

11. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 8 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this eight times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, eight times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 8 minutes. This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

12. Hula hoop for 20 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling. You can break the work out into two sessions of 10 minutes each if 20 minutes is too difficult for you.

13. Spend 24 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This will work out your legs and increase your heart rate for better cardiovascular fitness.

14. Do 12 cartwheels and 12 forward somersaults. It's okay if you don't do these perfectly. Just have fun and try not to get too dizzy.



15. Spend 15 minutes doing yoga. If you cannot find a yoga class to attend, you can use a video or look up some yoga fitness routines on-line. Yoga is a great way to help with your breathing and relaxation as well as muscle flexibility.


Advanced Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 38 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 34 minutes at a fast pace and then jog for 11 minutes. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. 

3. Jog for 28 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 28 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog.

4. Jump rope for 14 minutes, then do star jumps/jumping jacks for 14 minutes, then do another 14 minutes of jump rope and finish with 14 more minutes of star jumps/jumping jacks. Changing up the exercise helps to break the monotony of doing the same thing. The mind likes having the second-long breaks between doing one action and doing the next to look forward to. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Use the elliptical crosstrainer for 28 minutes. You need to either vary your speed and incline or you need to stay at a mid-to-high range with both. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

6. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, eight times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the advanced level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

7. Dance to fast music for 28 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

8. Take a 60-minute long advanced-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

9. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 9 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 9 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 9 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 9 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

10. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 10 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this ten times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, ten times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 10 minutes. 
This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

11. Hula hoop for 23 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling.

12. Spend 24 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This works out various muscles in your legs, and, even works the abdominal muscles and arm muscles when done correctly. Be sure to wear appropriate safety gear.

13. Do 17 cartwheels and 17 forward somersaults. It's okay if you don't do these perfectly. Just have fun and try not to get too dizzy.

14. Spend 23 minutes doing yoga. If you cannot find a yoga class to attend, you can use a video or look up some yoga fitness routines on-line. Yoga is a great way to help with your breathing and relaxation as well as muscle flexibility.

15. Spend 15 minutes is meditation. This is time you spend breathing deeply. Take a deep breath in for a count of 8, then hold it for the count of 4, then breath out for a count of 8. Repeat this throughout the fifteen minutes and feel your body relax. Try and find a quiet space to do this in. There are other breathing exercises that can be found on-line to do instead of this one, but whichever breathing exercise you do, spend the full 15 minutes doing it. You will find this helps sharpen your mind and relax your body.


Thursday 27 February 2014

28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Twenty-Three #28DayFit

Day Twenty-Three
(anaerobic/strength training)



Choose two exercises within your level:

Beginner Level

1.  Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 14 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. Start with smaller weights. At this level, you will probably need to work your way up to heavier weights. If you are comfortable using heavier weights, then go ahead.

2. Do 14 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 14 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your abdominal muscles.

3. Do 14 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 14 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 14 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this fourteen times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.

6. Do 9 push-ups. Facing down, put your arms on the floor, elbows straight and keep your back straight and your legs straight out behind you. Slowly bend your elbows to touch your chin almost to the floor while keeping your back straight. Then straighten your arms, raising yourself back up from the floor, again, keeping your back straight. Repeat this nine times. This is an excellent workout for your arms, but can also have a positive impact on your abdominal muscles and back. If this is too difficult for you, instead of keeping your legs straight out behind you, you may instead kneel on your knees for this.

7. Grab some small hand weights and hold the weights at shoulder height, almost sitting on top of your shoulders but nor touching. Slowly raise your arms straight up, as if pushing the weights up above your head. Then slowly lower them to just above your shoulders again, keeping them close to you. Repeat this 14 times. This will work out your upper arm and your shoulder muscles. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights, and be careful not to drop them.

8. Swim 14 laps in a pool that is smaller than Olympic-sized or 9 laps in an Olympic-sized pool. The resistance of the water against your movements is a great way to tone your muscles and the weightlessness your body experiences in the water means that the exercise is not harmful to your joints. Most communities have a pool that you can use for small fee.

9. Hold a medicine ball down in front of you, keeping your back straight. Continuing to keep your back and arms straight, raise the medicine ball above your head, then lower it slowly to your right. Bring it back up above your head and then lower it slowly to your left. Then bring it back up above your head and slowly lower it in front of you again. Do this 8 times. This will work out your back muscles and your abdominal muscles as well as the muscles in your upper arms and shoulders.

10. Do 8 crossover crunches. This is the same as a regular crunch but you keep your hands held behind your head and with each raise of your body, you semi-touch one elbow to the opposite knee, then you repeat the process again using the other elbow. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.


Intermediate Level

1. Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 20 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. At this level, you should be able to start with some medium-weight hand weights. You might still need to work your way up to heavier weights.

2. Do 19 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 19 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your stomach muscles.

3. Do 18 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 24 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 19 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this nineteen times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.

6. Do 14 push-ups. Facing down, put your arms on the floor, elbows straight and keep your back straight and your legs straight out behind you. Slowly bend your elbows to touch your chin almost to the floor while keeping your back straight. Then straighten your arms, raising yourself back up from the floor, again, keeping your back straight. Repeat this fourteen times. This is an excellent workout for your arms, but can also have a positive impact on your abdominal muscles and back.

7. Grab some small hand weights and hold the weights at shoulder height, almost sitting on top of your shoulders but nor touching. Slowly raise your arms straight up, as if pushing the weights up above your head. Then slowly lower them to just above your shoulders again, keeping them close to you. Repeat this 19 times. This will work out your upper arm and your shoulder muscles. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights, and be careful not to drop them.

8. Swim 19 laps in a pool that is smaller than Olympic-sized or 14 laps in an Olympic-sized pool. The resistance of the water against your movements is a great way to tone your muscles and the weightlessness your body experiences in the water means that the exercise is not harmful to your joints. Most communities have a pool that you can use for small fee.

9. Hold a medicine ball down in front of you, keeping your back straight. Continuing to keep your back and arms straight, raise the medicine ball above your head, then lower it slowly to your right. Bring it back up above your head and then lower it slowly to your left. Then bring it back up above your head and slowly lower it in front of you again. Do this 13 times. This will work out your back muscles and your abdominal muscles as well as the muscles in your upper arms and shoulders.

10. Do 13 crossover crunches. This is the same as a regular crunch but you keep your hands held behind your head and with each raise of your body, you semi-touch one elbow to the opposite knee, then you repeat the process again using the other elbow. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.


Advanced Level

1. Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 24 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. If you have hand weights, they should be a minimum of 5 pounds each, but, at this level, you are probably capable of heavier weights.

2. Do 24 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 24 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your stomach muscles.

3. Do 24 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 34 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 24 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this 24 times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.

6. Do 24 push-ups. Facing down, put your arms on the floor, elbows straight and keep your back straight and your legs straight out behind you. Slowly bend your elbows to touch your chin almost to the floor while keeping your back straight. Then straighten your arms, raising yourself back up from the floor, again, keeping your back straight. Repeat this 24 times. This is an excellent workout for your arms, but can also have a positive impact on your abdominal muscles and back.

7. Grab some small hand weights and hold the weights at shoulder height, almost sitting on top of your shoulders but nor touching. Slowly raise your arms straight up, as if pushing the weights up above your head. Then slowly lower them to just above your shoulders again, keeping them close to you. Repeat this 24 times. This will work out your upper arm and your shoulder muscles. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights, and be careful not to drop them.

8. Swim 29 laps in a pool that is smaller than Olympic-sized or 19 laps in an Olympic-sized pool. The resistance of the water against your movements is a great way to tone your muscles and the weightlessness your body experiences in the water means that the exercise is not harmful to your joints. Most communities have a pool that you can use for small fee.

9. Hold a medicine ball down in front of you, keeping your back straight. Continuing to keep your back and arms straight, raise the medicine ball above your head, then lower it slowly to your right. Bring it back up above your head and then lower it slowly to your left. Then bring it back up above your head and slowly lower it in front of you again. Do this 17 times. This will work out your back muscles and your abdominal muscles as well as the muscles in your upper arms and shoulders.

10. Do 18 crossover crunches. This is the same as a regular crunch but you keep your hands held behind your head and with each raise of your body, you semi-touch one elbow to the opposite knee, then you repeat the process again using the other elbow. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.


Wednesday 26 February 2014

28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Twenty-Two #28DayFit

We are in the final week! I hope everyone has been managing to fit in some workouts every day so far.

Day Twenty-Two
(aerobic/cardio)



Choose two exercises within your level:

Beginner Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 15 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 25 minutes at a relaxed pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 15 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 15 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. 

4. Jump rope for 15 minutes. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 15 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this fifteen times.

6. Do 15 minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

7. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, four times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

8. Dance to fast music for 15 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

9. Take a 30-minute long beginning-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

10. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 5 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 5 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 5 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 5 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

11. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 6 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this six times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, six times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for six minutes. This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

12. Hula hoop for 14 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling. You can break the work out into two sessions of 7 minutes each if 14 minutes is too difficult for you.

13. Spend 17 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This will work out your legs and increase your heart rate for better cardiovascular fitness.

14. Do 5 cartwheels and 5 forward somersaults. It's okay if you don't do these perfectly. Just have fun and try not to get too dizzy.


Intermediate Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 25 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 35 minutes at a reasonable pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 20 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 20 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. 

4. Jump rope for 20 minutes. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 20 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this 20 times.

6. Do 25 minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum. 

7. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, five times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the intermediate level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

8. Dance to fast music for 20 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

9. Take a 30-minute long intermediate-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

10. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 6 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 6 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 6 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 6 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

11. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 7 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this seven times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, seven times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 7 minutes. This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

12. Hula hoop for 15 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling. You can break the work out into two sessions of 7 1/2 minutes each if 15 minutes is too difficult for you.

13. Spend 22 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This will work out your legs and increase your heart rate for better cardiovascular fitness.

14. Do 7 cartwheels and 7 forward somersaults. It's okay if you don't do these perfectly. Just have fun and try not to get too dizzy.


Advanced Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 35 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 38 minutes at a fast pace and then jog for 9 minutes. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. 

3. Jog for 25 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 25 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog.

4. Jump rope for 13 minutes, then do star jumps/jumping jacks for 13 minutes, then do another 13 minutes of jump rope and finish with 13 more minutes of star jumps/jumping jacks. Changing up the exercise helps to break the monotony of doing the same thing. The mind likes having the second-long breaks between doing one action and doing the next to look forward to. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Use the elliptical crosstrainer for 24 minutes. You need to either vary your speed and incline or you need to stay at a mid-to-high range with both. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

6. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, seven times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the advanced level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

7. Dance to fast music for 25 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

8. Take a 30-minute to 60-minute long advanced-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

9. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 8 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 8 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 8 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 8 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

10. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 9 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this nine times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, nine times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 9 minutes. 
This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

11. Hula hoop for 20 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling.

12. Spend 24 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This works out various muscles in your legs, and, even works the abdominal muscles and arm muscles when done correctly. Be sure to wear appropriate safety gear.

13. Do 12 cartwheels and 12 forward somersaults. It's okay if you don't do these perfectly. Just have fun and try not to get too dizzy.

14. Spend 20 minutes doing yoga. If you cannot find a yoga class to attend, you can use a video or look up some yoga fitness routines on-line. Yoga is a great way to help with your breathing and relaxation as well as muscle flexibility.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Day 28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Twenty-One #28DayFit

Today is the last day of week three and tomorrow begins the final week!

Day Twenty-One
(aerobic/cardio)



Choose two exercises within your level:

Beginner Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 14 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 24 minutes at a relaxed pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 14 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 14 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. 

4. Jump rope for 14 minutes. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 14 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this fourteen times.

6. Do 14 minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

7. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, four times, then do the 14-minute boxing session once. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

8. Dance to fast music for 14 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

9. Take a 30-minute long beginning-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

10. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 4 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 4 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 4 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 4 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

11. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 5 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this five times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, five times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 5 minutes. This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

12. Hula hoop for 12 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling. You can break the work out into two sessions of 6 minutes each if 12 minutes is too difficult for you.

13. Spend 15 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This will work out your legs and increase your heart rate for better cardiovascular fitness.


Intermediate Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 24 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 34 minutes at a reasonable pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 18 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 18 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. 

4. Jump rope for 18 minutes. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 18 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this 18 times.

6. Do 24 minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum. 

7. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, four times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the intermediate level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

8. Dance to fast music for 18 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

9. Take a 30-minute long intermediate-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

10. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 5 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 5 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 5 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 5 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

11. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 6 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this six times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, six times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 6 minutes. This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

12. Hula hoop for 14 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling. You can break the work out into two sessions of 7 minutes each if 14 minutes is too difficult for you.

13. Spend 20 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This will work out your legs and increase your heart rate for better cardiovascular fitness.


Advanced Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 34 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 40 minutes at a fast pace and then jog for 7 minutes. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. 

3. Jog for 24 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 24 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog.

4. Jump rope for 12 minutes, then do star jumps/jumping jacks for 12 minutes, then do another 12 minutes of jump rope and finish with 12 more minutes of star jumps/jumping jacks. Changing up the exercise helps to break the monotony of doing the same thing. The mind likes having the second-long breaks between doing one action and doing the next to look forward to. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Use the elliptical crosstrainer for 22 minutes. You need to either vary your speed and incline or you need to stay at a mid-to-high range with both. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

6. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, six times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the advanced level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

7. Dance to fast music for 24 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

8. Take a 30-minute to 60-minute long advanced-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

9. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 7 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 7 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 7 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 7 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

10. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 8 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this eight times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, eight times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 8 minutes. 
This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

11. Hula hoop for 18 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling.

12. Spend 22 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This works out various muscles in your legs, and, even works the abdominal muscles and arm muscles when done correctly. Be sure to wear appropriate safety gear.

13. Do 10 cartwheels and 10 forward somersaults. It's okay if you don't do these perfectly. Just have fun and try not to get too dizzy.


Monday 24 February 2014

28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Twenty #28DayFit

Day Twenty
(anaerobic/strength training)



Choose two exercises within your level:

Beginner Level

1.  Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 12 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. Start with smaller weights. At this level, you will probably need to work your way up to heavier weights. If you are comfortable using heavier weights, then go ahead.

2. Do 12 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 12 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your abdominal muscles.

3. Do 12 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 12 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 12 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this twelve times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.

6. Do 8 push-ups. Facing down, put your arms on the floor, elbows straight and keep your back straight and your legs straight out behind you. Slowly bend your elbows to touch your chin almost to the floor while keeping your back straight. Then straighten your arms, raising yourself back up from the floor, again, keeping your back straight. Repeat this eight times. This is an excellent workout for your arms, but can also have a positive impact on your abdominal muscles and back. If this is too difficult for you, instead of keeping your legs straight out behind you, you may instead kneel on your knees for this.

7. Grab some small hand weights and hold the weights at shoulder height, almost sitting on top of your shoulders but nor touching. Slowly raise your arms straight up, as if pushing the weights up above your head. Then slowly lower them to just above your shoulders again, keeping them close to you. Repeat this 12 times. This will work out your upper arm and your shoulder muscles. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights, and be careful not to drop them.

8. Swim 12 laps in a pool that is smaller than Olympic-sized or 8 laps in an Olympic-sized pool. The resistance of the water against your movements is a great way to tone your muscles and the weightlessness your body experiences in the water means that the exercise is not harmful to your joints. Most communities have a pool that you can use for small fee.

9. Hold a medicine ball down in front of you, keeping your back straight. Continuing to keep your back and arms straight, raise the medicine ball above your head, then lower it slowly to your right. Bring it back up above your head and then lower it slowly to your left. Then bring it back up above your head and slowly lower it in front of you again. Do this 6 times. This will work out your back muscles and your abdominal muscles as well as the muscles in your upper arms and shoulders.


Intermediate Level

1. Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 17 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. At this level, you should be able to start with some medium-weight hand weights. You might still need to work your way up to heavier weights.

2. Do 17 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 17 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your stomach muscles.

3. Do 16 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 22 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 17 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this seventeen times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.

6. Do 12 push-ups. Facing down, put your arms on the floor, elbows straight and keep your back straight and your legs straight out behind you. Slowly bend your elbows to touch your chin almost to the floor while keeping your back straight. Then straighten your arms, raising yourself back up from the floor, again, keeping your back straight. Repeat this twelve times. This is an excellent workout for your arms, but can also have a positive impact on your abdominal muscles and back.

7. Grab some small hand weights and hold the weights at shoulder height, almost sitting on top of your shoulders but nor touching. Slowly raise your arms straight up, as if pushing the weights up above your head. Then slowly lower them to just above your shoulders again, keeping them close to you. Repeat this 17 times. This will work out your upper arm and your shoulder muscles. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights, and be careful not to drop them.

8. Swim 18 laps in a pool that is smaller than Olympic-sized or 12 laps in an Olympic-sized pool. The resistance of the water against your movements is a great way to tone your muscles and the weightlessness your body experiences in the water means that the exercise is not harmful to your joints. Most communities have a pool that you can use for small fee.

9. Hold a medicine ball down in front of you, keeping your back straight. Continuing to keep your back and arms straight, raise the medicine ball above your head, then lower it slowly to your right. Bring it back up above your head and then lower it slowly to your left. Then bring it back up above your head and slowly lower it in front of you again. Do this 10 times. This will work out your back muscles and your abdominal muscles as well as the muscles in your upper arms and shoulders.


Advanced Level

1. Grab some small hand weights and put your arms straight up above your head. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the hand weights to behind your head. Slowly unbend your arms and repeat this 22 times. This will work out the underside of your upper arms. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights. If you have hand weights, they should be a minimum of 5 pounds each, but, at this level, you are probably capable of heavier weights.

2. Do 22 squats. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom as though you are about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and your knees should not bend any further than a 90 degree angle. Hold for 10 seconds and stand back up. Repeat this 22 times. This will work out your buttocks, the backs of your thighs and, if you keep your posture straight, your stomach muscles.

3. Do 22 front lunges. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower yourself so that your front knee is bent at no more than a 90 degree angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then straighten your leg and bring it back together with your other leg until you are standing straight again. Repeat, stepping forward with the opposite leg. This will work out your buttocks, your abdominal muscles, and the tops of and back of your thighs.

4. Do 32 sit ups. Lay with your back flat and your knees bent. Either have someone hold your feet down or tuck them under your couch to be certain you don't lift them off the floor. Cross your arms behind your head, but keep them loose. Keeping your back straight, lift your upper body until you are sitting up, then slowly lower yourself again. Be certain not to pull yourself using your arms. This is meant to be working out your abdominal muscles, so let them do the work.

5. Do 22 stomach crunches. These are similar to a sit up, except you do not sit up all the way. Lay flat with your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest. Curl your shoulders up towards your pelvis. As you lift your shoulders, keep the small of your back against the floor. Repeat this 22 times. This will work out your abdominal muscles and your obliques.

6. Do 22 push-ups. Facing down, put your arms on the floor, elbows straight and keep your back straight and your legs straight out behind you. Slowly bend your elbows to touch your chin almost to the floor while keeping your back straight. Then straighten your arms, raising yourself back up from the floor, again, keeping your back straight. Repeat this 22 times. This is an excellent workout for your arms, but can also have a positive impact on your abdominal muscles and back.

7. Grab some small hand weights and hold the weights at shoulder height, almost sitting on top of your shoulders but nor touching. Slowly raise your arms straight up, as if pushing the weights up above your head. Then slowly lower them to just above your shoulders again, keeping them close to you. Repeat this 22 times. This will work out your upper arm and your shoulder muscles. If you don't have hand weights, you may substitute bottles of water or canned food. Just hold the bottles of water or the cans in place of the hand weights, and be careful not to drop them.

8. Swim 27 laps in a pool that is smaller than Olympic-sized or 17 laps in an Olympic-sized pool. The resistance of the water against your movements is a great way to tone your muscles and the weightlessness your body experiences in the water means that the exercise is not harmful to your joints. Most communities have a pool that you can use for small fee.

9. Hold a medicine ball down in front of you, keeping your back straight. Continuing to keep your back and arms straight, raise the medicine ball above your head, then lower it slowly to your right. Bring it back up above your head and then lower it slowly to your left. Then bring it back up above your head and slowly lower it in front of you again. Do this 15 times. This will work out your back muscles and your abdominal muscles as well as the muscles in your upper arms and shoulders.


Sunday 23 February 2014

28 Day Fitness Challenge - Day Nineteen #28DayFit

Day Nineteen
(aerobic/cardio)



Choose two exercises within your level:

Beginner Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 12 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 22 minutes at a relaxed pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 12 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 12 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. 

4. Jump rope for 12 minutes. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 12 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this twelve times.

6. Do 12 minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

7. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, three times, then do the 14-minute boxing session once. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

8. Dance to fast music for 12 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

9. Take a 30-minute long beginning-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

10. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 3 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 3 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 3 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 3 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

11. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 4 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this four times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, four times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 4 minutes. This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

12. Hula hoop for 10 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling. You can break the work out into two sessions of 5 minutes each if 10 minutes is too difficult for you.


Intermediate Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 22 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 32 minutes at a reasonable pace. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs.

3. Jog for 17 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 17 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog. 

4. Jump rope for 17 minutes. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Do 17 star jumps/jumping jacks. You start with your legs together, then jump them apart. While this is happening, you are also bringing your arms up to clap above your head, keeping your arms straight at all times. Then bring your arms down as you jump your feet back together. In the USA, these are called "jumping jacks," and in the UK, these are called "star jumps." Do this 17 times.

6. Do 22 minutes of running on an elliptical crosstrainer. You need to be at a level 3 or above for incline. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum. 

7. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, four times, then do the 14-minute boxing session once. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the intermediate level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

8. Dance to fast music for 17 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

9. Take a 30-minute long intermediate-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

10. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 4 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 4 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 4 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 4 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

11. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 5 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this five times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, five times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 5 minutes. This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

12. Hula hoop for 12 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling. You can break the work out into two sessions of 6 minutes each if 12 minutes is too difficult for you.


Advanced Level

1. Run up and down one flight of stairs (in your home, at work or at the mall) 32 times (that's up AND down counted as one time). This is a great way to get your heart rate up. Just remember to be careful; the last thing you need at this point is to slip and fall down a flight of stairs. And wear appropriate shoes.

2. Walk for 42 minutes at a fast pace and then jog for 5 minutes. Make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. If the weather is not conducive to outdoor walking, go to your local mall or shopping center. You can also use a treadmill, if you have access to one. Take deep breaths as you walk, letting oxygen fill your lungs. 

3. Jog for 22 minutes. You can do this either by jogging in place at home, on a treadmill if you have access to one or by jogging outside for 22 minutes. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes. Don't forget to stretch before and after you jog.

4. Jump rope for 11 minutes, then do star jumps/jumping jacks for 11 minutes, then do another 11 minutes of jump rope and finish with 11 more minutes of star jumps/jumping jacks. Changing up the exercise helps to break the monotony of doing the same thing. The mind likes having the second-long breaks between doing one action and doing the next to look forward to. Make sure you are either wearing appropriate shoes or are on a padded surface (rug or mat) to prevent overly jarring your joints.

5. Use the elliptical crosstrainer for 20 minutes. You need to either vary your speed and incline or you need to stay at a mid-to-high range with both. Varying speed and rate of incline will give you the most effective workout. Don't forget to keep your arms working too. Elliptical crosstrainers give an overall body workout while keeping stress to your joints at a minimum.

6. Use the Wii Fit step exercise, the 5-minute session, five times, then do the 14-minute boxing session twice. This may seem like a very slow-moving work-out for the advanced level, but the key to these workouts is variation, so even though it seems slow, it should work-out a variety of different muscles.

7. Dance to fast music for 22 minutes. This works even better if you find a music video featuring dance moves that you can try and follow. Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" is one music video that, if you try and follow her dance moves, filling in your own movements for the few moments when dancing is not shown, will give you a good workout. That is only about 4 minutes long though, so you need to find some fast music that you can play continuously and move your body to it.

8. Take a 30-minute to 60-minute long advanced-level class that involves aerobic training. This class can be ballroom dancing, belly dancing, stationary cycling, Zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, martial arts or any number of things. Choose something you think you might enjoy learning.

9. Jump side to side, starting by moving your right foot to the right and following it with your left foot until your left foot touches your right ankle and then doing the same towards your left. Do this for 6 minutes. Then jump, with your feet together, from side to side, for another 6 minutes. Go back to the first form of jumping for another 6 minutes and then do the side to side jumping with your feet together for another 6 minutes. This will work out your leg and hip muscles.

10. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and wiggle your hips very fast, not moving any other part of your body, keeping your stomach and back as straight as you can, for 7 minutes. Then move your body in a semi-circle from the waist up down to the right, moving fluidly down in front and then to your left. Do this seven times. Then do this in the opposite direction, starting on your left and moving to your right, seven times. Then hold your arms straight out to the side, shoulder-height, and make small circles with them, keeping the elbows straight, for 7 minutes. 
This works out a wide variety of your muscles.

11. Hula hoop for 17 minutes. If you don't have a hula hoop, mimic the action you would do if you were trying to keep a hula hoop from falling.

12. Spend 20 minutes roller skating or in-line skating. This works out various muscles in your legs, and, even works the abdominal muscles and arm muscles when done correctly. Be sure to wear appropriate safety gear.