The No Excuses Workout - Day 16

If you've been following along in my workout, one of the reasons why it works is because it becomes crazy-intense.  What starts as one simple exercise and a walk around the block builds each and every day.  The measure of its effectiveness is very simple:  Anyone can do Day One; you actually have to an established level of fitness to jump in at Day 16.

Which means, I've improved my overall fitness level significantly in just over two weeks.

Phase One ends with Sunday's workout.  If all I did was Phase One for the rest of my life, I would maintain a very healthy lifestyle and be able to engage in all kinds of physical activities.  It's really just this easy.

Of course, there are new exercises to add to both the morning and evening workouts before I reach the end of Phase One.

AM Workout


Table Top - three times (from Day One)
Hug and Release - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Three)
Elevation - three times (from Day Four)
Lift - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Five)
Tic Toc - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Six)
Plank - three times (from Day Eight)
Tiny - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Nine)
Hang - three times (from Day Ten)
Bend - three times (from Day Eleven)
Reach - three times (from Day Thirteen)
Pushup - one time, eight repetitions (from Day Thirteen)

The new exercise is called the Frog Crunch.  Laying on my back, I pull my navel toward my spine and push my lower back into the floor or mattress.  I put my feet together and allow my knees to naturally pull apart.  Placing my hands together and interlacing my fingers, I move as if I'm going to touch my hands to my feet by moving them through my knees.  The movement doesn't go very far, but as long as I keep my navel pulled toward my spine and my lower back pushed into the floor or mattress, it's a very effective motion.

Cardio

At least twenty minutes of walking with purpose.  I've moved my walk to the evenings and I do it with the family.  We'll most likely go for thirty minutes, simply because the weather is beautiful and it's a great chance to get out and about.

PM Workout

Twist (No Shout) - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Two)
Bobble Head - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Three)
Too Sexy - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Four)
Popeye - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Five)
Kick Back - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Eight)
Flight - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Nine)
Pump - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Ten)
Chair one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Eleven)
Good Morning - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Fourteen)
Lower - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Fifteen)

The evening workout offers two new exercises..

The first is the Side Punch.  Standing with my feet a comfortable distance apart, I make soft (not clenched) fists with my hands and place each index finger at the corresponding corner of my mouth.  I then pull my navel toward my spine and stand up tall, shifting my weight so that most of it is on the balls of my feet.  Starting with my right arm, I slowly and fully extend my right arm to my side so I could draw a straight line that went from my left shoulder, through my right shoulder, and to my right hand.  About half way through the motion, I let my hand naturally turn over so that it is facing palm down when my arm is full extended.  My muscles flex through the entire movement.  I then return my had to the corner of my mouth.  That's one repetition.  I'll do twenty reps to the right side and then twenty to the left.

The second exercise is the Front Punch.  Starting the same position as the Side Punch, I slowly extend my right arm in front of me, flexing through the movement and allowing my hand to naturally roll over during the movement.  Rather than aiming for something directly in front of me, my "target" is at arm's length and slightly taller than I am, so that I'm punching upward at an angle.  I return my hand to its starting point and repeat the motion with the left side, alternating arms throughout the movement in a "left, right" pattern.  Doing the movement once with each arm equals one repetition.  I'll do twenty tonight.