Take on this 2012 Fitness Challenge

Seven weeks is all you need, well maybe only nine weeks for the running aspect, to get back into shape, feel good about you, and even push yourself. Yes, every year, many people make those New Year Resolutions only to never have them pan out. This could be due to many various reasons. Too busy, not enough time, gym memberships are excessively expensive; I am addicted to Zumba and other reasons. Well, stop feeling guilty, stop procrastinating, and stop making up excuses.  What am I talking about here? Good old fashion push ups, sit-ups, squat thrusts, and the capability of conditioning yourself to go from couch potato to running a 5k Marathon.

100 Pushups in Seven Weeks

Yes, I am serious. In seven weeks, the challenge is to do 100 consecutive pushups without strain, pain, or exhaustion. The way it works is to do an initial test for what you are capable of doing right now. Based on those results, you then find your starting point. For me, a 41 year old, my current Pushup amount is a pathetic five, maybe six if I push out the last one and hopefully not a kidney or something. This puts me at Rank 2.

Once I do the initial test, I go to where Week 1 starts and look at the column where my initial test puts me. Since I am between Rank 1 and 2, I will start out with Rank 1. There are 5 Sets to be accomplished. Thus, for me, the first set would be two, then 3, following up with set 3 with 2 pushups, set four will have me at 2 additional pushups and the final set maxing out at 3. Total, I would have done 12 pushups in one setting.

Two-hundred Sit-ups

Sit-ups are the most common factor in a basic exercise program. Like the pushups, you want to do an initial test of how many you can do. The ultimate goal is to complete 200 consecutive sit-ups at the end of the six-week regimen. In addition, like the pushups, you will find where you can perform the amount of sit-ups and where your starting point will be.

Two-hundred Squats

Have you always wanted to increase your leg strength? Squats will be the way to go on this exercise program. If you have weights at home, you can implement them as well. If not, do not worry about it. However, the goal is to perform two-hundred consecutive squats in six weeks time. This follows the same program as the pushups and sit-ups, initial test, find your ranking, and find your starting point.

One-fifty Dips

Have a good solid chair or couch? This exercise routine will be put together in your six-week fitness program. Again, there is no gym membership, no expensive exercise equipment one needs to purchase, and it all uses your body weight as resistance in strengthening and conditioning. Much like all the others mentioned, do an initial test, find your rank, and start at the starting point suggested for your age and rank.

Couch to 5K running program

This program is designed to take someone who has not really done any running, or is out of shape and then condition their body to start building up endurance and stamina required to run long distance. This program is nine weeks long and not six weeks long. However, once started on the suggested exercise program, it may become part of a person’s daily routine where they constantly do their work outs to keep themselves fit and in shape. After all, this is what weight loss is all about right?

Each week is broken into three days, with week one. There is no initial test. There is no ranking. It is a simple 20-minute program that can be done on those alternate days where one is not doing the pushups, sit-ups, squats, and dips.

The actual program outlook

Now, we come to the part where we put together the fitness routine. Here is how my New Years Resolution routine will look like.

Monday –

Stretch for 5 Minutes

Set 1 Pushups

Set1 Squat Thrust

Set 1 Dips

Set 1 Sit ups

Repeat for Sets 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Tuesday –

Week 1 – Workout 1 running program

Wednesday –

Stretch for 5 minutes

Set 1 Pushups

Set 1 Squats

Set 1 Dips

Set 1 Sit-ups

Repeat for sets 2, 3, 4 and 5

Thursday -

Week 1 – Workout 2

Friday –

Follow Monday and Wednesday exercise program

Saturday –

Week 1 – Workout 3

Notice that the running alternates with the fitness program. The total amount of time should be at least 30 minutes long. This helps get our bodies focused and awaken to perform the tasks we are requiring our bodies to do. Will this program work for all? I do not know, heck, I am not sure if it will work for me. However, I do know that when we condition our bodies to perform specific tasks on a consistent basis, our bodies are quickly able to adapt to that condition. Integrate this with also healthy and nutritious menu items may help give us that rounded weight loss program that many diet fads fail. Furthermore, aside from the dips, this program is the very same type of program that many of our troops participate in for physical fitness exercises in basic training.

Take this week, prepare a time to do the work out program, and then in nine weeks, let us see how successful we are in performing these routines and the end results of these routines give us.

Cautionary note: Should always consult a qualified physician before engaging in any exercise program. In addition, this article is based on my own personal goals and do not make any claims to whether it will be successful for everyone.