The No Excuses Workout - Day 19

Only two half-days left in Phase One after today... Three weeks is usually the amount of time needed ot turn a habit (which takes about three days) into a lifestyle.  Having accomplished that, I'll most likely stop the daily workout blog.  Before and After pictures will post in late August or early September when I've completed Phase Three.

I could stop here.  Doing just Phase One would get me in really astounding shape.  However, I'm aiming a little higher than that... :)

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, sixteen repetitions (from Day Thirteen)
Frog Crunch - one time, sixteen repetitions (from Day Sixteen)
Alternating Crunch - one time, sixteen  repetitions (from Day Seventeen)
Reverse Crunch - one time, sixteen repetitions (from Day Eighteen)

New Exercise: Standard Crunch

Yes, four Crunches in a row.  My core is strong enough now that I can actually handle it.  While most gym-members have done a the Standard Crunch before, I was taught to do it differently than most are familiar with.

Starting in the typical Crunch position (small of the back pressed into the floor, legs and knees together, feet close to but not touching the body, my navel pulled toward my spine), I curl up just enough to so that my shoulder blades come up off the floor, mat, or mattress.

And here's where things are different.

Rather than continuing to curl up, I simply try to pull the bottom of my rib cage toward my pelvis.  This isn't a Sit-Up with your abs tight - it's called a Crunch for a reason.  What I do is "crunch" those muscles together, like my abs are making a fist.  I perform the motion slowly, making sure that the movement (and hold at the top) last for a count of four before lowering myself back to the "shoulder blades off the ground" position for an additional count of four.

This morning I did sixteen repetitions.  And while it was tough and my muscles cried out for mercy, in less than three weeks I actually HAVE muscles again to do that.

Cardio

I've moved my cardio to the evenings and I'm still Walking With Purpose for at least twenty minutes a day.

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)
Side Punch - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Sixteen)
Front Punch - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Sixteen)
Cross Punch - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Seventeen)
Elbow Strike - one time, twenty repetitions (from Day Eighteen)

Starting in the same position as the other Punches, I turn my fist so that my palm is facing me and flex throughout the motion as I slowly punch upward toward the ceiling for a count of four.  I then reverse the motion and flex back to the starting position before repeating the movement on the opposite side.  The right/left combo is one repetition.  I'll do twenty reps this evening.