Low Impact My...

As I mentioned yesterday, I am doing this 31 day fitness challenge. It is from "Thrillist" which sends out daily emails about restaurants and things to do in your city, etc. I'm probably a few years older than their major demographic, but I saw this fitness challenge and it said I didn't need to join a gym or buy any special equipment so I thought I'd give it a try.

Yesterday went well. Today, which is only day 2, was a bit more of a challenge. They called it "low impact lower body work." Well, maybe it's low impact if you are a 20 or 30-something who just happened to drink too much during the holidays and have worked out more recently than in the past 6 months. It was a circuit of 6 exercises that you were supposed to do for 45 seconds each, resting 15 seconds between the exercises and then a full minute after you completed the 6. You did this 4 times and the workout would take about a half an hour. The first exercise was "prisoner squats" where you put your hands behind your head while you squat. While I could do these with relative ease, it certainly got my heart rate going. Next was alternate lunges, which I could also do. Then I was supposed to plank for 45 seconds. Considering I only did it for 20 seconds yesterday, I figured I may skip this one and just double up on one of the other ones. Next one was standing on one leg for 45 seconds with your leg out behind you and your opposite arm stuck out straight. I used to have EXCELLENT balance. This one hurt. Luckily I stood closer to a wall so when I started to teeter, I could hold on and push myself back up. I was embarrassed, but since no one saw me but the cats, I guess it's ok. Next was something called "bird dog" where I was on my hands and knees and lifted opposite arm/leg outstretched ahead or behind me. I don't have carpets in my apartment, or a yoga mat so this one was incredibly painful and hard on my knees. I did it for about 20 seconds and gave up in favor of a stretch until I do it next time with a towel (or three) beneath me. Then was the oblique work. From the picture, I was supposed to sit down with my knees raised, feet on the floor and move back and forth with my elbows bent. Again, this was difficult because apparently I can't sit on the floor with my knees bent slightly and feet on the floor. But I pushed through.  

I made it through the workout. The planking was replaced with a stretch where I am trying to reach my toes (I figure by the end of the 31 days I can do it), and the bird dog was replaced with another stretch, but the other ones I did and completed the circuit 4 times. I was out of breath and a bit discouraged. I glanced at what they have planned for tomorrow and I'm not sure I'll be able to do it. 

I'm not a quitter however, and I will attempt to do my best each day with this challenge. I may have to improvise from time to time or replace ones I can't do with ones I can, but I will do my best. That's all I can ask of myself, especially since I've really not done any exercise for a long time.