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Okay, if you're like me, you're fat and slow after a long cold winter of eating too much and moving too little. I'm hell bent on getting back in shape and have even *gasp* climbed at Rocksports (badly, of course). I'm all about sticking to a solid regimin and one thing I really need to work on is my core strength, in order to protect my back. I propose a sit-ups challenge for the month of March (idea stolen from another climbing website).

If you are already sporting a six-pack, do 1000 situps a day: one set of 200 and 8 sets of 100 each. If you are not, do 420 situps a day: one set of 120 and 5 sets of 60.

Who is in? I've already done mine for March 1 and 2. I'm also challenging myself with pushups and pullups, but a little differently.

I don't think i've ever done 420 situps in a month let alone one day, but i'm game to try. What's your goal on pushups and pullups?
I also would suggest to start running it has always kept me in shape.

Hmm, somebody has been checking out boldering.com here lately....

While crunches are a good thing, you could better spend your time doing maybe, 100-200 quality ab exercises. I have been doing this Men's Health (I think), workout that is pretty cool. Works a bunch of angles and parts of the abs. Plus, abs are like other muscles - they don't get stronger by working out, they get stronger by recovering from the workouts, so the everyday thing might not be best.


Wes

Yeah, Wes, I agree that pure crunches aren't going to give a max return on the investment so I'm mixing up the muscle groups I work in my sets and just calling them all crunches. I'm including some lower ab focused leg lifts, some oblique focused crunches, and of course pure crunches (but even those vary). Now it was my understanding that abdominal muscles didn't need the recovery time of larger muscles. Is that not still the current thinking? I was always taught (years and years ago) that abs could be worked daily.

Sparky, I'm running (on an ellliptical trainer..) or swimming 4-6 mornings per week and also doing 50 minutes of gentle yoga almost every night. For pushups (now don't laugh), I'm doing a set of 15 and then 6 sets of 10 right now, between sets of "crunches." I plan to increase those sets by 1 each every day or every other day. I dunno yet. For pull-ups (now don't bust a rib here) I can only do 2 sets of 2 in a row, so I'm working on adding another set and gradually increasing those. No set number goals there. I'm also working on my bent and near straight arm hangs on my rock rings.

Should I keep the pullups and maybe even the pushups to every other day?

My arms are so weak for climbing. I couldn't even finish any routes at the gym yesterday without rests, so clearly I really need to climb more. I'm going to try to get 1 day a week at the Red and I'll be hitting the climbing gym once a week and doing laps on my woody when work pisses me off. Add to that I'm trying really really hard to eat right and I'm hoping to be 24 again in just a few months! 8)

While abs are more used to being worked everyday, I think the *current* thinking is you get a better return on your time if you have a rest day in there. Pushups and pull ups should be every other day for sure, esp. if you are pushing yourself. Cardio everyday is OK, but I usually do a much lighter workout after a harder one.

Wes

pyramids are the way to go for pullups. you know where you do one, rest, two, rest, three, rest, etc. then go back down. so lynne, what if you have an 8 pack or 10 pack (i've seen it before)? 200000 sit ups?

Hoe, I've never seen an 8- or 10-pack, but I have seen cases and kegs where abs should be... So where do you get 200,000? I guess Math isn't a focus in geology?? I did the pyramid deal with pull ups just now. I actually did 2 sets of 1-2-1, which seemed easier than just 2 sets of 2 - strangely. I will work up to respectable numbers (every other day of course). Any other tips out there?

Okay, Sparky is in, who else? I just put my "before" photo in my profile. I'll put up a bikini shot after!

My routine now consists of drinking lots of beer. I used to run more, but now I've cut my running in 1/2 due to injuries and have supplemented the cardio with the elliptical runner and the mtn. bike. If anyone wants the complete UBG workout regime, then email me - you too can be a fat 33 yr. old.

Lynne, you've just killed what's left of my sex drive with that photo.