Discussion Board

I started yesterday, Faith, so I don't think there's any way that I'll catch up with you! I copied everything from the website and then modified it to stretch it out to 6 weeks instead of doing it over 30 days. My core muscles are pretty darn weak so it's going to be quite the challenge. I could barely do the side planks ("hover" as he calls them) and that's often where my challenge is in the self-defense classes I take twice a week.

Haven't done the workout yet today but hope to later. Just did a big bike ride (22 miles round-trip) with the self-defense class in the middle of it. I need to let my muscles rest a few hours before brutalizing them again today!

Chile, strengthening your core is going to astound you. Biking is going to become much easier (aside from the fact you are riding so much more). I did absolutely zero core work until I started doing CrossFit back in January. The gains in strength have been nothing short of amazing. My running is much better and it takes longer for me to feel fully fatigued (and I'm still a crappy runner, lol). I even have defined ab muscles now - visible through the flab when I "suck it in" - lol!

With zero core strength, I was really suffering during my marathon last November. Around mile 17, I developed pain in my lower back (weak ab muscles). I abandoned my walk/run and strictly walked the last nine miles.

Good luck to you and to all who are working the core! It's worth it.

Nomikins, I actually am working my core muscles some while riding. Tightening the abs helps lift some of the weight off the hands. I tend to suffer numbness in my hands after riding for a while so I've been trying to remember to keep the abs tight. Lift in the upper body helps with neck pain, too.

I'm encouraged to hear the gains are fast because the current workouts are very discouraging. I can barely lift my hips on the side planks. I have to put my top hand on the floor in front of my chest for assistance. We have to hold side planks in the self defense classes and I'm always the first to drop and that's with major cheating. (You can put your top foot flat on the ground in front of the other foot for support.)

I just took a Pilates class and I can't believe how hard it was! It looks so easy from the outside but the balancing and unusual moves must activate muscles I don't use much because I was wiped afterwards. Tomorrow I'm going to try a swimming workout class.

Michael

Way to go! You are getting stronger and stronger. The best way to progress is little by little. YOU are doing it. Nice work.

That is fantastic! One of my favorite quotes is: "It is not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently."(Deane Juhan) You are shaping your life and your figure by being consistent. Doing the work consistently is the fastest way to improve. Keep it up.

Chile, remember we all have a starting place and it is best to honor where we are and confidently move forward from there. It is ok if you can't do the side plank perfectly right now. The important thing is to challenge yourself. If that means modifying(not really cheating) a movement to make it doable, yet still challenging that is fine. Maybe side planks with bent knees would be a better place for you to start. Start with what you can do and challenge yourself. You will get stronger and will progress rapidly. Keep moving forward!

I'm in! Since I'm doing rehab for my shoulder, I'm trying to get a good overall body workout figured out, so this will help. I'll take measurements later today.

Way to go. Chile, I started out doing the program for six weeks also. But then I wasn't able to even do a complete hoover for the allocated time, so stepped back and decided I'd move up a week once I actually could do the exercises. That's brought me a lot of encouragment instead of discouragement of feeling weak and behind.

Oh those side hoovers, I started using my hand to help steady me. No using my hand was one of the first improvements I saw.

Bambi glad you are back. Hope you didn't back slide. If so, it'll pick up quick.

Thank you Derrick for coming up with this program. I love it so much better than others I'd tried that killed my neck. Plus I'm making more progress this way. I love it.

Faith I'm glad you're here, you're my 'control' in this experiment, just keep chuggin'. I did the core Monday and Wednesday and I'm going to try to do it again today. Have a great Thursday!

Measurements and day 1 completed. I start shaking within 10 seconds on the plank! Pathetic!

My jeans are a pair that I haven't worn since after I had my first baby (she's now 15!). It's the only old thing I kept since I really liked them. Surprisingly I could get them on, but I could barely zip them and everything in my tummy got pushed up and over and I could hardly breathe!

Thanks for the suggestion. I did that in class today and was able to hold the side planks for 30 seconds each without my other hand down. I think that will be a better way to actually build strength in the muscles to eventually move up to the normal way of doing them.

Momof4 please don't get discouraged. That's about where I was when I started. Heck my arms hurt so bad when I started that they kept giving out. I had to first strengthen them then move on to the core.

Bambi and I both had trouble with Plank for a minute, and Derrick told us to do what we could in the proper form, then drop to our knees for the remainder of the time. That helped.

It took me 3 weeks to hold for a minute. Really. I haven't been doing it long. Now I'm trying to complete both cycles of adding the toe taps and heel taps in.

I think those jeans sound like a good test pair

I slacked for a few days. I started back yesterday. I could see the damage it did with my progress. Shame on me. Be careful on taking more than a day or two off.

Thanks, Faith! It's always nice to get encouragement!

I wasn't very motivated again yesterday.. So today! Todays the day! I've only done it once this week.. I think the pressure of having to do it everyday and then missing a day and stressing about it wore me out. I think I need to not take it so seriously and then just 'try' to do it daily. That will make me a lot more likely to actually do it I think.
Hope everyone's seeing improvements!