March Strength Challenge

[liv]

Time to start preparing for those skimpy summer outfits?
Lift weights to look good naked!!!

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 in March
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

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

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

Other interesting web pages
Lies in the gym
Women's Weight Training

Here is an 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)

[Georgiana]

It will be weight lifting and pilates, but I'll go for less than I did last month (gotta bite the bullet and do more cardio ).

Georgiana 0/1200

[liv]

I'll be working on cardio too. Working to get my running minutes up as I hope this snow will soon be gone and I can run outside again.
I will be adding back lower body exercises again - some squats and lunges and do yoga 2-3 times a week as usual. Abs at least two times and upper body twice a week (but I will be cutting down the number of upper body exercises)

Georgiana 0/1200
liv 0/750

[BikiniPlease]

I will be doing yoga for 2 hours, 3 times a week and spend 30 minutes every day on strengthening a different body part

Max 0/1200

[liv]

Welcome Max. Wonderful that you could join us

Georgiana 0/1200
liv 0/750
max 0/1200

[liv]

I started. Did squats, lunges and abs. (and bought tickets for the Leonard Cohen concert in the middle of it)

Georgiana 0/1200
liv 30/750
max 0/1200

[TogaGirl]

I'm in! I meet with my "evil" trainer twice a week for 30 min each of psycho strength training as I like to call it and then he gives me an additional 30 min strength workout to complete on my own for each week. So this will keep me accountable!
So i'm in for 360 strength training minutes for the month (90 each week)!! Getting ready for those summer bikinis!! I'll report when I get back later!!

[TogaGirl]

Got my 30 minutes in with trainer mike today. Lower body: we started by running stairs, then did squats, leg lifts, and star jumps. Core: several sets of planks (I DESPISE planks) Abs: bicycles, weighted side lifts, and hanging leg lifts (ouch!) Upper: worked on shoulders today with shoulder presses and pulls

I NEED A NAP! Be back wed!

[Georgiana]

March 2nd: One hour upper body -- push-ups, lats and lots of dumbbells.

Georgiana 60/1200
liv 30/750
max 0/1200
TogaGirl 30/360

[Georgiana]

March 3rd: 45 min lower body w/ dumbbells

Georgiana 105/1200
liv 30/750
max 0/1200
TogaGirl 30/360