Monika - on crunches - what I do is put my hands out in front of me, like I am reaching for my knees. I found that this seemed to make it much easier for me to feel the contraction instead of having them behind my head. I lift up, getting my shoulders off the floor as far as I can and really feel the contraction in my abs. Try to lift from your abs and feel them contract. I hold that contraction for 2-3 seconds and then go back down.

I also do a variation called oblique crunches. I lay on my back and let my knees go to my right side. The I lift up reaching toward my hips with my hands. Feel the contraction is your abs. Repeat on the other side. This works your oblique muscles.
Kind of like this but I seem to get a better contraction with my hands in front of me.
Side Crunch

When I first started these I got cramps in my muscles, and still do every now and then. What really helps for this is to lie on the floor and put your knees one direction and your shoulders the opposite direction. This give you a great stretch and helps when those muscles are cramping.

Happy crunching
Mary

Hi Everyone,

This is my contract to participate in the Fourth TDC Fitness Challenge!!

I am going to start by:

1. Walking at least 1.25 miles, 3 days a week, in my CardioStrides

Right now that is all I can commit to. As we all get in better shape, I am going to get back into Mountain Biking - as this is one of the most intense and fun workouts I have ever done.

Starting weight: 319
Measurements: coming soon

Where do I see this going: By summer, I will be mountain biking again and on my way to my goal weight and have the fitness level that I used to have - a resting heart rate of 48 bpm. My family will also be in great shape and my son will have fun running his laps in his football gear this year in August when it's 95 degrees and 90% humidity - or at least not hate it anymore. My wife will be riding with me and we will both be having fun staying in shape.

Hi Martha! Good for you and keeping up with your workouts. Do you watch Ellen? She had on Lynne ? someone-the lady that does marathon swimming, and actually swam a mile in freezing water down close to Anarctica. She has a book out "Swimming to Antarctica" although, I've seen articles about her before now. Anyway- you might like it. She's no toothpick either, btw.

Try vasaline/petroleum jelly. Sounds kinda gross, but that and Noxema/cold cream are what long distance bike riders use on the chaffy areas, like inner thighs, plus, it'll waterproof your skin up there and keep it soft.

Quibbers,

Most excellent idea. I acutally have vaseline and noxema in the cabinet - certainly worth a try. Thank you so much for the suggestion- I'll let you know how it works.

Don't want to give myself any whiney excuses not to meet my challenge!

Onward....

Well I'm moving right along with my challenge - I finished my 1st week of the walk 10K and am into week 2. I've also attended 2 aquafit classes so far this week, and will manage a couple more before the week is out. This challenge is great motivation!

Wynter

Dianne ~ Doesn't it happen fast, that loss of muscle / cardio endurance? We're definitely in 'use it or lose it' territory. However it's good to change activities so your muscles don't get used to doing the same thing ... so even though it was hard getting back into the routine, in a way that's good for you. Not to mention I’m sure you appreciated getting those sidewalks cleared of snow!

Martha ~ Great Job going for the water workout! Just like Quibbers posted, I had the same problem with swimsuit chaffing, and a bit of Vaseline did the trick ... hope it works for you! BTW, a while ago I posted a thread about Lynn Cox. She is one amazing role model!

Mary ~ Thank you so much for your crunch suggestions! I did both ‘normal’ and oblique - and boy! I can feel it right where I’m supposed to! I could only do a few, but that’s how it always starts, right? Soon I’ll be crunching my way to abs of steel. Thank you again for sharing your exercise expertise.

Jim ~ Welcome! And good job making goals you know you can do. Before you know it, you’ll be mountain biking with your lovely wife!

Wynter ~ Woo Hoo! You are doing fabulous!


I only did the 1 mile WAP yesterday morning because I had a fasting blood test later and I didn’t want to poop out on the way to the lab. I wanted to do a 2nd mile, but I managed to take another tumble and wrenched the heck out of my shoulder. It’s so sore that I wake up when I turn over in bed. It’ll heal - but I’m totally not going to push it.

So today I did the 3 mile WAP without weights and only used my left arm for upper body, modified because balance is an issue.

Have a great evening everyone!

I just found out about these challenges...can we jump in at anytime? I missed the deadline by 5 days...

Sorry if that is some screamingly newbie question to ask.

I've been sort of slug-like this week, but I'm working on ways to get out of this mode (this challenge is one part of it). I did a shortish but decent paced walk yesterday and will probably do it again tomorrow if the ice isn't too bad. Today I had to shovel which is always a bit of a workout. Fortunately for me, it was a nice light snow . Not getting a horseback ride in tonight because of the weather ... I don't think I'd be able to get my car out of the barn ice rink ... er, parking lot ... without 4 wheel drive!

I'm thinking I will either join Curves or the Y to attempt to get some structured exercise going. Once I get over that hurdle, the unstructured exercise should be easier ... in theory .

Ok Quibbers and AntiM

Vaseline works. What a wonderful, cheap solution. THANKS!

Went today and did 2 hours in the water with no chaffing. I have to get in on one more work out to meet my exercise goal this week - whoo hoo - This is a great challenge!

Onward!!

Amy ~ Welcome and come on in, the waters fine! {Especially where you're moving!} I'm glad so you're joining us.

Grendeldog ~ Oh No! The dreaded ! But I don’t think shoveling snow or taking a couple of walks is even remotely slug-like! Am I understand this right - you typically ride horses everyday? If so, I think that’s *wonderful*!

Martha ~ Yay! It's great finding a cheap and easy solution ... there are so few out there!

Okay, here goes (better late than never, eh?)...

I will:

* Walk two miles in less than an hour a minimum of three times a week
* Incorporate resistance training/stretching in the form of "8 mins in the morning" and follow the 28 day plan for it
* Walk up the hill I live on (about .25 mile steady incline) at least once a week

Today's weight (or at least my weight the last time I weighed, since hubby hid the scale): 274

There!

How's that?

Hi all please forgive me for the off topic post but this is important - I was out in the cold & wet thinking how awful it was for me and then got thinking about what happened to my sweet little nephew this week.

David just turned six and is only in Kindergarten!! School bus leaves boy, 6, alone in cold

It turned out okay but could have been much worse....we have been complaining about the cold in some of the exercise forums but at least we can get in from the cold! It was -28 C on Monday when this happened. Thankfully he had enough sense to look for help and found somewhere safe to go.

Please be sure that your child's school has a winter policy for early school closures and its up to date.

Thanks for reading....

Teresa ~ How horrible for you and the rest of his family! But I must say, he's a little survivor! And what a great attitude.

I'm so glad this ended well ... with temperatures so low it could have gone bad easily.

Last night my dd and I were doing the jogging program when all of a sudden during our warmup I felt something weird on my thigh. It didn't hurt but felt strange then I realized.....it was a muscle!!!! Had my dd feel it and she said it felt gross like a charlie horse but no pain. I guess the WAP tapes were working. Tonight I did all the exercises from www.toneteen.com I don't know what they are called but they are for 5 areas of the body. Exercise seems to be getting easier. Maybe its the variety and it's definitely the encouragement and accountability here. Only thing is tonight my right knee was clicking. Didn't feel any pain just heard it. Does anyone have any idea what it might be. Hoping everyone has a blessed day tomorrow, Maureen