One of my biggest passions is sports and fitness. I was an active child, a high school athlete, and a professional cheerleader. I spent my college years at Arizona State University working towards a degree in Kinesiology, studying everything from Exercise Physiology to Bio-mechanics…and loved every minute of it! Unfortunately, with three kids and living a military lifestyle, my days no longer allow me to devote myself to this passion. BUT….I still like to maintain a certain lever of fitness. It makes me feel good. I love to feel healthy and strong.
A couple of weeks ago I got a group of mom friends together online and we started a fitness challenge that was easy to do, wasn’t too much of a time commitment and required no gym equipment. We all have really been enjoying the workouts, have been getting stronger and are seeing results! Since they only take about 15 min. a day, it is totally do able even if you are a busy mama! Really, anyone can do it! Just make sure you go at your own pace and only do as much as your body is comfortable with.
The two week challenge is designed to be progressive. You will start out slow and as you get stronger, we will add more each day. The days alternate between upper and lower body to give your muscles time to recover. Abdominal work is added in each day, with the occasional rest day, since core strength is such an important part of your over all health.
I have decided to share the challenge with all of you and I really hope you enjoy it as much as we have! Also, if you are looking for a support group of some pretty awesome women, you can join our closed group on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/247770722013956/
**Disclaimer: Although I have studied all aspects of sport and exercise science at great lengths, I do not currently hold any certifications for athletic or physical training. Any activity you do, you do so at your own risk. And as always, consult with your physician before starting a new exercise regimen.***
DAY 1
- 25 Jumping Jacks
- 30 second plank
- 20 walking lunges
- 30 second plank
- 20 walking lunges
- 25 calf raises (full range of motion)
- 25 calf raises pulse at top (stay in contraction and only release half way)
- 20 squats (full range of motion)
- 10 squats pulse at bottom
- 20 second wall sit
**Repeat squats, calf raises, wall sit
- 20 basic crunches, feet on floor bent knees
- 20 pulse at top
- 20 basic crunches, feet up table top position
- 20 pulse at top
DAY 2:
- 30 seconds Jump Rope (don’t worry, you don’t actually use a rope, just the motion
- 30 second plank
- 10 push ups (knees are fine)
- 10 triceps dips (using a chair, coffee table, etc.)
- 30 seconds Superman with flutter (lay face down, legs striaght and arms stretched out in front of your head. Lift arms, legs, chest up off the ground just a couple of inches and do small flutter kicks with your legs and arms)
***REPEAT
***REPEAT
- 20 basic crunches
- 20 oblique crunches to each side, alternating and stopping in center in between each one.
- pulse 10 on each side.
DAY 3:
- 25 High Knees (1 = Right and Left)
- 30 sec. plank
- 20 straight leg lifts to the back (each leg)
- 20 bent knees lifts, pressing foot towards ceiling (each leg)
***these are done on hands and knees with leg going back gehind your body
- 20 straight leg lifts each side (laying on your side)
- 20 bent leg lifts
- 30 second plank
***Repeat All leg lifts
- 1 minute wall sit
- 50 basic crunches
Day 4:
- 30 sec. jog in place with butt kicks (when your knees bend, your foot comes back to kick your butt)
- 30 second plank
- from low plank position (on elbows) move your arms up, one at a time to a high plank position (on hands) and then lower again—this is ONE, do that 10 times * we will call this “up up down down”)
- 20 triceps press (stand with knees slightly bent, and bend over the waist at a slight angle. put arms behind you, turning palms to the ceiling. press up in small movements)
- HOLD triceps contraction for 10 seconds
- 50 arm circles front (put arms straight out to the side to make a T, make SMALL controlled circles)
- 50 arm circles back
***REPEAT
***REPEAT
Day 5:
- 30 jumping jacks
- 40 second plank
- 25 lunges (each side) with knee lift
- 40 second plank
- 30 calf raises turned in
- 30 pulse at top
- 15 squats knees and feet together
- 15 pulse at bottom
- 15 squats legs wide
- 15 pulse at bottom
***repeat calf raises and squats
- 25 basic crunches
- 25 crunches right side
- 25 crunches left side
Day 6:
- 40 second jump rope
- 40 second plank
- 10 wide push ups
- 5 triceps push ups (keep hands right under your shoulders and elbows in)
- 30 second superman with flutter
***Repeat
***Repeat
DAY 7:
- 30 high knees
- 40 sec plank
- 20 butt (gluteus) lifts center (lay flat on the floor, knees bent, arms down and lift your rear up, do not let it rest on the floor in between)
- 20 right side (cross left knee over right)
- 20 left side
- 30 second wall sit pulsing knees together
- 30 sec hold with knees pressed together
***REPEAT
- 50 crunches
DAY 8:
- 45 sec jog with butt kicks
- 40 sec. plank
- 10 up up down down
- 30 triceps press
- 15 sec. triceps hold
- 45 second triceps push up isolataion on the wall (hands against the wall and lean forward into the triceps push up position and hold)
- 50 arm circles front
- 50 arm circles back
***REPEAT
***REPEAT
DAY 9:
- 40 Jumping Jacks
- 30 walking lunges
- 45 sec plank
- 30 walking lunges
- 35 calf raises
- 35 pulse
- 20 squats, open-close-open (open and squat right, close feet together squat center, open squat left, close squat center=1)
- 35 calf raises
- 35 pulse
- 30 basic crunches
- 30 pulse
- 30 crunches table top
- 30 pulse
DAY 10:
- 40 sec jump rope
- 45 second plank
- 15 push ups
- 15 triceps dips
- 40 sec superman
***REPEAT
***REPEAT
- 50 basic crunches
- 50 bicycle crunches
DAY 11:
- 40 high knees
- 45 sec plank
- 30 back leg lifts, straight (each side)
- 30 back leg lifts, bent (each side)
- 30 side lifts straight (each side)
- 30 side lifts bent (each side)
***REPEAT
***REPEAT
- 75 basic crunches
DAY 12:
- 45 sec jog with butt kicks
- 45 sec plank
- 10 up up down down
- 40 triceps press
- 20 sec hold
- 75 arm circles front
- 75 arm circles back
***REPEAT
***REPEAT
DAY 13:
- 50 Jumping Jacks
- 1 min plank
- 40 lunges with knee lift (each side)
- 1 min plank
- 40 calf raises turned in
- 40 pulse at top
- 30 squats knees and feet together
- 30 pulse at bottom
- 30 squats legs wide
- 30 pulse at bottom
- 40 calf raises turned out
- 40 pulse at top
- 15 squats, knees together
- 15 pulse at bottom
- 15 squats wide
- 15 pulse at bottom
- 50 basic crunches
- 30 crunches right side
- 30 crunches left side
DAY 14:
- 1 minute jump rope
- 1 min plank
- 15 wide push ups
- 5 triceps push ups
- 45 sec superman
***REPEAT
***REPEAT
- 20 slow release sit ups (4 counts down, one count up)
- 50 alternating sides
- 50 basic crunch
I will be working on a series of short videos to demonstrate some of the exercises. For now, if you have any questions, please leave a comment and I will try and explain it as best I can.
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