I'm in too deep now, it would be foolish to back down at this point.
* * * *
Day 22: Try something new today!
It is a quite a busy day for me today, so I didn't have time to go to the gym after work. When I received the text / email message for the challenge, it read: "Try a workout you've never tried before whether it be a class, a level in the circuit, or a WOW (workout of the week). Just try something different today! Enjoy!" I thought: why not squeeze in a quick work-out here at work? That's something new. I work in a construction site, and I have access to stairs and driveway ramps leading up to the top floor of this 9-storey building + roof deck. Our site is also very large, with a total perimeter of 1,230 meters.
So I took to the stairs and marched up to the top floor, and then went back down via the ramp. Did this for a couple rounds before going outside to go around the vast site. It was really hot that day so aside from breaking a sweat during this exercise, I also developed a tan. Haha.
So I took to the stairs and marched up to the top floor, and then went back down via the ramp. Did this for a couple rounds before going outside to go around the vast site. It was really hot that day so aside from breaking a sweat during this exercise, I also developed a tan. Haha.
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| My safety shoes are very heavy, so they were like additional weights. Haha! |
I know that it's technically not a gym work-out, but it just proves that you can use whatever is available to squeeze in a daily exercise into your routine. If I can do this everyday, I can probably develop my glutes! Hehe.
Day 23: Advanced Core Training
Another core day.
These are really handy exercises which you can do at home. After just one round you already feel the BURN. I could probably do this everyday! Rock hard abs, here I come!
- Plank push-aways / plank to push-up, 30 seconds (Go on on plank position with elbows to the floor, then move up to push-up position with hands to the floor, then move down to plank position. Repeat within the time required).
- Side planks with leg lifts, 30 seconds per side
- Marching Glute Bridge, 40 seconds (Lie down on a hook lying position (with knees bent and feet on the floor). Bring your hips up and keep it there. Then alternately bring your knees towards your chest while keeping the hips up the whole time).
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| Ang muskulado na ng legs ko... |
Core integration circuit:
- 10 sprinter's lunge, per side (Stand with feet together holding a weight if you can. Lift the right knee up towards the chest then step forward with the right foot and perform a lunge by bending both knees. Make sure the right knee doesn't go beyond the toes. Bring your right knee back up towards your chest. Then repeat the sequence for the required number of reps without putting the right foot down beside the left. After the right let is done, perform the same to the left leg).- 10 Spiderman Push ups (From plank position, bend your arms and lower your body, at the same time try to touch left knee to left elbow / right knee to right elbow.)
- 15 pairs speed skaters.
- 7 pull ups or 15 body rows
- 15 full burpees (with push ups)
I found the Spiderman push-ups to be the hardest. I mean, regular push-ups are already hard, but then you activate your legs too and your core is like: "What the heck are you trying to do to me, squish me from all sides?" I know that in the picture it doesn't look like I'm lowering my upper body enough...it's difficult OKAY? I'm working on my form on each rep, so it really look me awhile to finish all 10.
Day 24: Group Class Day
One of my favorite days because I get to attend Body Jam / Zumba / Body Balance. Unfortunately, today is also the day of my flight to Boracay, so it's impossible to attend a group class. :( However, they gave us the option to follow any of the work-out videos here. I decided to do the Episode 7 of the "Earn Your Beach Body" series, the Density Training work-out.
It says on the video description that "Density work-outs help you build a higher resistance to fatigue, and it helps you develop power. It is also a conditioning work-out that burns more calories in less time."
There are 5 exercises in the work-out:
- Sumo Squat Thrusts: They're just like burpees except that you start with your feet shoulder-width apart, in preparation for the squat position. And there's no power jump at the end!
- Prisoner Squats: You do squats with your hands behind your head.
- Push-Ups
- Body Weight Renegade Rows: Start in push-up position, then alternately lift your hands to elbow-height.
- Jumping Jacks
They didn't say how many repetitions to do of each exercise, so I just did 10 reps of each, and then 3 rounds of the whole set. Did the exercises in my hotel room right after a trip to Jonah's Fruit Shakes. Haha. Felt good to burn off all of that excess sugar. Then right after, my friends and I hung out by the beach front and played frisbee! Cardio!
Day 25: Meat Strike!
As a carnivore, this challenge did not sit well with me. I had a really difficult time doing this because I was on vacation with friends! I can't be a spoil sport and go solo during lunch or dinner, so I had to order vegetables from the restaurant they chose to eat, while they happily munched on their porkchops or chicken. Waaah. Also, if you know me well, you'll know that I absolutely HATE vegetables. I do not like eating leaves, thank you very much. I hate cucumbers most of all, followed closely by okra, carrots, asparagus and beans. *shudder*
So, yeah, this challenge was the MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE IN THE WORLD for me. But I'm already at Day 25, so I have no choice but to soldier on! Let's do this!
For breakfast, the only non-meat choice on the menu was a mushroom and cheese omelette. For lunch at Aria, I ordered the Gran Misto Aria, which is a vegetarian platter with eggplant mash, tomatoes and mozzarella, grilled bell peppers and deep fried zucchini; I also ordered a garden salad with vinaigrette. I was surprised at how much I liked the zucchini; it was the ugliest of all, very green and very slimy looking, but it was delicious!
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| See that green blob in the middle? I ate that and I loved it. |
For dinner, guess where the group decided to eat? Andok's! *insert internal conflict of emotions here* I ordered the chop suey (without eating the pork), and I had to endure the agony of seeing and smelling my friends' orders of chicken, breaded porkchop and liempo, while I ate my plate of healthy stuff. Sigh.
Day 26: Run!
We were tasked to take a 30-minute run today, so after breakfast, I changed into my work-out clothes, padded barefoot onto the sand, and ran along the beach! It's more difficult to run on sand because it's soft and uneven, so you exert more effort trying to keep your balance. You also have to constantly adjust to the ever-changing surface, so you are more prone to injuries if you do not have presence of mind.
According to an article by Jen A. Miller about the challenges of beach running, running on sand is like running with weights on your ankles and it requires 1.6 times the energy that running on a hard surface requires; Dr. R. Amadeus Mason, a team physician for USA Track and Field and an assistant professor of orthopedics and family medicine at Emory University, said that "With or without shoes, “it’s harder to get your foot planted into the ground, and it’s harder to get your foot up off the ground."
Too bad there are no beaches near Metro Manila.This could be an intense yet fun daily work-out! No wonder I see so many runners on the beach in Boracay. :)
Day 27: Push it! (again and again)
150 full push-ups!
From Week 1's 100, to Week 3's 120, I guess I was expecting this.
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| Suntanned. :) |
My form has improved, don't you think so? :)
Day 28: Final Pit-Stop
No exercises for today! We were just asked to rest, relax, and recharge for the last 2 challenges! It was also our final day in Boracay, so it felt good to just lounge around and relax. :) No picture for today, except for this one with my boyfriend on the trike to the airport:
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| Relaxing day on the island of Boracay! Recharged for the work week ahead! |
Day 29: Last Advanced Core Training
It's the 5th core training day!
Plank circuit:
- 3-point planks, 45 seconds (plank position, elbows on the ground; raise one leg up).
- Side planks with knee to chest, 40 seconds per side.
- Marching Glute Bridge, 1 minute.
Core integration circuit:
- 8 pairs split jumps.
- 12 Spiderman push-ups.
- 12 pairs speed skaters.
- 8 pull-ups or 15 body rows.
- 15 full burpees with push-ups.
The instructions said: "Do complete or full repetitions of each exercise. Rest for a full minute and continue on to the kettle bell routines below, for those of you who have access to kettle bells. If not, you may skip the routines."
I did not have access to kettlebells at that time because I didn't go to the gym, but I am posting the exercises here for those of you who want to try it:
Complete the 3 sets of the following kettle bell routines below (Swing It 1 to 3). Use 8 to 12kg for ladies and 12 to 20kg for the men.
Swing It 1
20 hand to hand swings
10 clean and press per side
12 snatches per side
Swing It 2
24 hand to hand swings
12 clean and press per side
15 snatches per side
Swing It 3
30 hand to hand swings
15 clean and press per side
18 snatches per side
Day 30: Check your fitness progress!
Yay! The last day! We were asked to check our progress by doing the same set of exercises from Day 1's Fitness Test.
- 1-minute push-ups (do as many push-ups as you can in 1 minute)
- the 90 second plank (hold the plank position for as long as 90 seconds)
- 1-minute burpees (do as many FULL burpees as you can in 1 minute)
- the vertical jump test (jump as high as you can)
The result?
DAY 1: 18 modified push-ups, 90-second plank, 12 full burpees.
DAY 30: 25 FULL push-ups, 90-second plank, 15 full burpees.
I'm so proud of myself, especially on the push-ups part. Before, I could only do sissy modified push-ups, and now I can do full versions! Tigas! Haha!
* * * *
I think my body has considerably improved in the past 30 days. I wasn't able to take before and after pictures, but I feel stronger and leaner. Still haven't gotten rid of the extra layer of protection around my abs, but I can feel the muscles coiling somewhere in there. Haha! My legs are more muscle-y now, too. That's a good thing because I have really spindly chicken legs. :(
Now that the challenge is over, I definitely will not stop with the good habits I acquired over the past few weeks. Being busy at work is not an excuse to miss a day of exercise; I just have to keep my goal in focus so that I will not be tempted to be lazy!
Overall, I think this is a good program to follow. It made me realize the importance of doing something active everyday. It doesn't matter if it's just 10 or 30 minutes of your day, if you consciously do something that will benefit your body, then you will see the results.
Thank you, 360 Fitness Club for initiating this challenge! I discovered that I am able to push my body to do things I thought were difficult before. The next 30 days will be the real challenge: will I be able to sustain this habit even without someone to dictate what exercises I should do?
Challenge accepted! Commit to be fit! :)
Get 360 Fit, the 30-Day Challenge: WEEK 3
Get 360 Fit, the 30-Day Challenge: WEEK 2
Get 360 Fit, the 30-Day Challenge: WEEK 1
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