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August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

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  • August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

    August already kind of depressing. But I want to fight it

    New to the challenge? Don't worry. It is not very complicated. Jump in.

    This will be the place to report your weightlifting and strength training and earn your monthly prize.

    No special equipment is required. You can use what you have like water bottles, cans or just gravity - it all works well. You do not need any experience either. Just take the plunge. It is easier than you think. See the end of the post for suggestions of exercises to include in your routine. Start small if you are a beginner. You can always build up later.


    Rules of the challenge

    1. Pledge the amount of minutes you will strength train
    2. You will have to work to strengthen all parts of the body (lower, upper, core).
    3. To be eligible for the challenge you have to share with others what your typical weekly workout schedule will look like. Exercises can be lifting weights, using gym machines, exercise balls, push ups, squats or doing yoga/pilates exercise for strength and flexibility. No equipment requirement though.
    4. You have to schedule recovery/rest days.
    5. Log in at least twice a week to report your minutes. Copy the whole list and add your minutes.
    6. There will be a prize at the end of the month



    Websites to help you put together a routine
    The Major/Basic Muscle Groups of body & their Exercises/Workouts
    Dumbbell Exercises Complete with Animated Diagrams
    Dumbbell Exercises | Dumbbell Workouts | Dumbbell Muscle Menu
    http://www.trainwithmeonline.com/dum...&equipment=yes
    Free Resistance Training Exercises
    Weight Training, Exercise Instruction & Kinesiology
    http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...s-workout.html
    http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ut-videos.html
    http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com...exercises.html
    10 minutes pilates sculpting (I started with this YouTube video - I used water bottles - it is a great starter arm exercise)
    Dumbbell Exercises from Sparkpeople on YouTube - It is 20 minutes and a good one to start with
    I want Six Pack Abs, Core Exercises - lots of core exercises.

    If you do not have weights check yoga and pilates or flexibility and strength exercises that uses gravity. A resistance band can be handy to and easy to store.

    Examples of weight free exercises
    squats
    lunges
    push ups
    sit ups
    crunches
    dips
    How To Exercise Your Thighs Without Weights (Sports & Fitness: Tone Your Legs)
    The No Weight Workout - Exercise
    Sandeep's Fitness Page - A Simple Home Workout (Without Weights)
    Exercise Classics - No Weights Required!
    Plank Pose
    I want Six Pack Abs, Core Exercises

    You can use exercise videos - yoga, pilates, strength, callanetics

    Other interesting web pages
    Lies in the gym
    Women's Weight Training
    Fit Zone: Exercises|Workouts - MSN Health & Fitness (very cool - shows what exercises to do for what muscle )

    Icon you can use for your signature:



    Example of routine:
    Upper body: Push-ups, chair dips, planks (will do three times)
    Core: Planks, crunches (normal and reverse) (will do three times same day as lower body)
    Lower body: Squats, lunges, jumps (will do three times a week -alternating with upper body)
    Startdate: November 18, 2007. Female 5'2"

    May Challenges 2010
    Push-ups: 450/800
    Abs: 850/1900
    Squats: 650/1200
    Lunges: 500/1000
    Strength: 490/1200
    Running: 50/100 km


    2 Years on Atkins.................. President Challenge Medals earned


  • #2
    Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

    Not too many joining yet I am certainly going to keep working out and love to chat with fellow strengthers so please join.
    I will be somewhat busy the first part of the month. But I will do yoga classes regularly and I will continue pushups for chest, tricep and bicep exercises. Work on abs with more crunches and still squat. And do lunges - which I dislike but I know they work. So I hope I will be fine.
    Minutes pledged:

    0/750
    Startdate: November 18, 2007. Female 5'2"

    May Challenges 2010
    Push-ups: 450/800
    Abs: 850/1900
    Squats: 650/1200
    Lunges: 500/1000
    Strength: 490/1200
    Running: 50/100 km


    2 Years on Atkins.................. President Challenge Medals earned

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

      This is perfect! My pilates videos are collecting dust. And my husband is military so I have free gym membership I never use! Hopefully this will motivate me! So 30 minutes * 4 times a week * 5 weeks...

      Put me down for 600! Thanks Liv!!
      Start date: June 26, 2009

      September Strength Challenge 30/600
      September Stability Ball Challenge 40/200
      September Water Challenge (80 oz/day) 9/30

      August Strength Challenge 600/600 (Just barely...but YAY!)

      Mini-goals:
      Size 12...7/10/2009!
      Size 10...
      Size 8...


      Comment


      • #4
        Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

        Thanks for joining Stacy

        liv 0/750
        stacy 0/600
        Startdate: November 18, 2007. Female 5'2"

        May Challenges 2010
        Push-ups: 450/800
        Abs: 850/1900
        Squats: 650/1200
        Lunges: 500/1000
        Strength: 490/1200
        Running: 50/100 km


        2 Years on Atkins.................. President Challenge Medals earned

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

          OKAY last month was a bust but I am back for this month and hoping to do better.

          chinadoll 0/800
          liv 0/750
          stacy 0/600
          JILL

          HW 298
          HW (this time) 248
          GOAL ONE 228
          (take 2)
          GOAL TWO 213 (personal goal)
          GOAL THREE 199 ONE-DERLAND
          FINAL GOAL 165

          It's not about the results. Its about the process.

          "I've never come home after a workout and said, MAN, I wish I had NOT exercised today!"



          Comment


          • #6
            Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

            Okay I'm back again as well, I am in for 600 this month as well, need to push myself harder...
            Dibby
            HW 258/SW 239/CW 232



            Comment


            • #7
              Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

              Im in again this month. I didnt quite make goal last month, this month i have signed up to do the stability ball challenge, so i will pledge 300 minutes this month doing strength exercises with my kettlebell. Im aiming to do these 3 times a week.
              female ~ 38 ~ 5.5'
              Re-started Atkins on 1 March 2010



              Comment


              • #8
                Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

                cafe_et_creme 0/300
                chinadoll 0/800
                liv 0/750
                stacy 0/600
                female ~ 38 ~ 5.5'
                Re-started Atkins on 1 March 2010



                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

                  Put me down for 720 minutes.

                  cafe_et_creme 0/300
                  chinadoll 0/800
                  liv 0/750
                  Norman 0/720
                  stacy 0/600
                  sigpic Me, at 195 lb. September 24, 2009. It's 5:30 a.m. and can't wait to hit the coffee.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

                    cafe_et_creme 0/300
                    chinadoll 0/800
                    liv 0/750
                    Norman 186/720
                    stacy 0/600
                    sigpic Me, at 195 lb. September 24, 2009. It's 5:30 a.m. and can't wait to hit the coffee.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

                      cafe_et_creme 0/300
                      chinadoll 0/800
                      liv 0/750
                      Norman 252/720
                      stacy 0/600
                      sigpic Me, at 195 lb. September 24, 2009. It's 5:30 a.m. and can't wait to hit the coffee.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

                        Ugh! Day 4 and I'm still at 0! I need to get motivated!

                        I see Norman is chuggin' along !!

                        How's everyone else doing?
                        Start date: June 26, 2009

                        September Strength Challenge 30/600
                        September Stability Ball Challenge 40/200
                        September Water Challenge (80 oz/day) 9/30

                        August Strength Challenge 600/600 (Just barely...but YAY!)

                        Mini-goals:
                        Size 12...7/10/2009!
                        Size 10...
                        Size 8...


                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

                          cafe_et_creme 30/300
                          chinadoll 0/800
                          liv 0/750
                          Norman 252/720
                          stacy 0/600
                          female ~ 38 ~ 5.5'
                          Re-started Atkins on 1 March 2010



                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

                            So what can we do stacy to get you going.
                            Yes Norman started strong
                            I am off with some yoga - plan on lifting tomorrow

                            cafe_et_creme 30/300
                            chinadoll 0/800
                            liv 50/750
                            Norman 252/720
                            stacy 0/600
                            Startdate: November 18, 2007. Female 5'2"

                            May Challenges 2010
                            Push-ups: 450/800
                            Abs: 850/1900
                            Squats: 650/1200
                            Lunges: 500/1000
                            Strength: 490/1200
                            Running: 50/100 km


                            2 Years on Atkins.................. President Challenge Medals earned

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: August Strength Challenge - Power up everyone

                              Originally posted by stacy3477 View Post
                              Ugh! Day 4 and I'm still at 0! I need to get motivated!

                              I see Norman is chuggin' along !!

                              How's everyone else doing?
                              Believe me, I hate squats. With a passion. What keeps me motivated? You guys and a look in the mirror. I tend to have thin legs. If it wasn't for this squat challenge, I'd look like a bird. I tend to put on muscle easily on my upper body. I'm squatting to get a sort of an hour glass figure. I'm hoping my hip area will expand a bit. My shoulders are very wide but my hips are not. That's why I do three sets of full situps because I know they work the hip abductors.
                              I usually do six sets of squats. I begin with a light weight, say about 145 lb and maybe crank out 40-75 reps depending how I feel. I add weight until I reach my last set, which usually taxes me fairly well. On the last set I might do 4-8 reps. I do not use a lifting belt until my last, heavy sets. I usually use converse sneakers, high tops, because of the flexible soles. Well, I use converse sneakers most of the time for everything. I keep my heels on a 2' x 4' and I go a just bit lower than parallel about 190 degrees. I wear a heavy sweat shirt and I rap the bar bell with a towel because when I go heavy it causes bruising around my traps and deltoids.

                              My favorite routine is super setting the bar bell back squat with dumb bell or bar bell pull overs. It's funny how the body compensates. When I first started the squat / pull over superset, when I finished a set, I'd find myself on the floor sweating profusely and gasping for air. I now hardly feel it.

                              By the way, the weights I use are irrevelent. The trick to working out is intensity.

                              I notice how few men, if any, sign up for these challenges. Exercise intensity knows no sex bounderies. We all have a purpose and that's to be the best we can be. Some of you might struggle with 5 lb dumb bells and I'm having trouble breaking the 325 lb limit. It's not the weight you use, the amount of reps you do or the total number of sets done, but the effort each and every unique organism puts into their work out routines.

                              Just try to do your best and do not compete with anyone else posting their reps, etc. Compete with your self and set realistic goals.
                              sigpic Me, at 195 lb. September 24, 2009. It's 5:30 a.m. and can't wait to hit the coffee.

                              Comment

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