Bootcampers get toned...

[Gammeldragz]

A thread for those of us wanting to tone up a bit after the weight loss!
I've downloaded the 30 day an challenge app mentioned on the BC thread. Also going to do push ups as I was getting better at these until I gave up my martial arts lessons. One day I will do a full one, still only able to go halfway down...

Day 10 and 11 done. Crunches went from 30 (on day 9) to 50 and then 65! Crazy!

Oops In my attempt to visualise how I do bicycle crunches, I got my lefts and rights mixed up

Change the middle paragraph of the instructions to the following

Straighten your right leg at a 45 degree angle and bring your bent left leg slightly closer towards your chest, while you're doing this turn your right rib cage (not just your right arm) towards the left bent knee. Straighten your left leg and bring your right knee in while turning your left rib cage towards the right bent knee.

Don't strain your neck - keep the lower part of the back of your skull cradled in your hands. Keep visualising pumping air into your upper rib cage as you rotate through the centre.

And my Pilates instructor was reminding us today while we were doing a similar exercise to be very careful with this sort of rotational exercise if you are suffering at all from osteoporosis.

This looks like the Cycling Crunches that prettybird described.

Yes? Looks like something I'd want to do slowly to ensure I'm working the right muscles and getting a good stretch.

That's exactly it cleareyes I just hadn't got round to searching on YouTube.

I agree with doing them slowly and carefully. I find with The Shred/Ripped, I am often doing the ab exercises much slower than the pace JM does them. I actually think it's harder to do them slowly with due care.

One bit of guidance my instructor describes is when raising your head off the floor is to think of lifting the back of the rib cage upwards and to slide the front of the rib cage towards your pelvis, with your head following rather than straining upwards with the neck. That's why I disagree with some of JM's descriptions, even though I understand why she uses them (to stop people digging their chins into their chests).

prettybird I actually appreciated your clear description (except the bit where you had the wrong leg/elbow move ) because it included specific advice about where the weight should be, which areas it shouldn't be, etc.

I agree with you about slow v fast exercise, but I'm a Pilates devotee as well so it's a given we do things slowly but with purposeful positioning. To be honest by the time I remember to have a soft face, imaginary hands pushing my shoulders down, and a string pulling up my pubic bone during each move, it turns out slower rather than faster.

I think one of the reasons exercise DVDs have them whirling all over the place at speed is because they want to work up a cardio workout as well.

Becuse they're stuck in the lowfat and sweaty exercise world.

Because no one could possibly be fit and attractive from eating lots of fat and moving slowly.

Disclaimer: I do believe cardio is necessary and fun. Just not necessarily whilst flinging one's body about in all sorts of strenuous positions. Dancing is good.

I did it late yesterday! Just trying to keep up with it. D12 today?

Great job everyone who's keeping up with this challenge. It seems to have got the better of me!

Which is fine. I'm happy to accept I'm not fit enough for this yet but will continue with Pilates and daily treadmill walks and maybe introduce a Zumba class. In time, with more weight loss and strength, I will try again.

I've just done day 3 of the squat challenge. Was going to do the full body thing but probably couldn't do half the exercises (cannot do push-ups for a start, and my sit-ups are rather dodgy too!). Might start the plank challenge at some point - I'll see. It's slightly worrying that my knees creak terribly whilst doing the squats - I'm too young to be falling apart!!!!! Is easier now that I've checked what I'm supposed to be doing, as the first day I decided I needed to go all the way down as it were, and got into trouble after 6. Only going to a 90 degree angle is far easier.

May head to the gym this afternoon and do 30 mins on the cross-trainer. I know I'm not supposed to go every day but I'm getting addicted! Am saving C25K for the mornings I can get in there, but would like to do something today. Will see how I'm feeling later on.

Help what is the app?

Search for 30 Day ab challenge in the app store. I think most of us are using the turquoisey one (though I'm just on the squat challenge atm - there are a few different ones by the same developer).

I didn't manage to do day 13 yesterday and am off to Paris today, so decided to take a break over the weekend and get back to it next week. I have to be honest the amount of reps we have to do are putting me off doing it.

That's partly why I didn't join in this time - although I'm on board with the "BootCampers getting toned" ethos.

I've now done 2 days of Level 3 of Ripped in 30. Like Level 2, there are exercises I physically can't do because of my short arms. Two are variations of the table top one I whinged about described previously (both the table top bit, which is brilliant, judging by the pain excruciating on the triceps, and in a separate exercise, the ab hold where you're supposed to just lift your bum off the ground). The other one I'm going to blame my short arms for rather than my lack of strength as I can't get sufficient leverage to jump to standing from my back , so instead I do a wee jump while still leaning back in one hand before rolling back onto my back and raising my legs.

Keep toning everyone Every little helps - even if it is as simple as walking more.

I'm absolutely on board with Bootcampers Toning. Just not Bootcampers Boring!

Much like a way of eating needing to work, exercise is also personal. As long as everyone finds a way, that's great.

In the meantime I'll keep cheering on the posters doing this Abs challenge and being all about their abilities.

Photo attached for getrunningirl. The app is by Jozic

How's everyone getting on? I'm plodding on maybe that's not the right word with the JM Ripped DVD. Done 3 days of Level 3 and going to do another 3 this week (I've been doing 5 days per Level but don't want to do just one of Level 4 on Friday and then have the weekend off truth is that I'm not looking forward to Level 4, which involves burpees )

Seriously thinking about starting to do some short runs. I really want to lose another 8lb between now and Christmas, so that I can see 11 stone something on the scales which I know won't last over the Festive period

Is everyone still doing this? I'm onto day 11(?) of the squat challenge (55 is today's target), which I also do as tricep dips and calf raises. Not sure if it isn't getting a bit too much and I should stick to 50 as a maximum, now, but part of me thinks I should stick my heels in and go for it regardless. I'll see.

Have also ordered a callanetics book - the 20 stomach workout, so will hopefully start that next week. Would be great to get a toned stomach for once in my life!

I was never doing the specific challenge on the app but I am part of the "Get Toned" brigade.

I'm now done 3 days of Level 4 of Ripped. I can now do the burpees first time round without having to walk my hands back in albeit slower than they are doing them but second time round I struggle. Also don't have enough energy to do the 2nd half of the aerobics in this section which is plié jumps with scissor kicks. My legs come inwards but my heels don't even touch, let along cross over