Sit-up

The Thrill of Victory

Not the agony of defeat. I want you to succeed. I was quite nervous about posting today’s video because I know it is difficult, challenging, and can be daunting. I want you to be challenged, but I also want you to be successful.

I am trying to keep these videos short and sweet. Okay, at least, short. That means I have so much more to say, but don’t want to take the time in the video to say it. That is the reason I’m also posting blogs about the videos.

Here’s the thing, there are more ways to scale things. If there aren’t any ways to scale it, to make it more accessible, there are always substitute movements that can be used.

If I’m using weight, isometric options exist. If I’m doing some crazy movement that doesn’t work with your current status, joints, back issues, confidence level, etc. then I can help with coming up with something else instead.

If you would like some other options or ideas, send me a DM and I will come up with some way for you to succeed. I may also put out a second blog with options for successful workouts included. Something like this. They will be titled The Thrill of Victory.

If you are not comfortable with being on the floor and would like a substitute for a sit-up, try this. Sit on a hard-bottomed chair with a back (like a dining room chair). Sit with your butt all the way on the chair and your back leaning against the back or the chair and then pick your knees up towards your chest lifting your feet off the floor. If that is still not available yet (so new goal: get to this point) you can do this with a chair with arms or hold on to the edge of the table for support while lifting your legs. You can also do one leg at a time alternating legs.

See? There are ways. There are so many ways. You can. I will help strategize with you so you can see the thrill of victory because you deserve it. You are working hard. Your hard and my hard and some super-duper 20-year-old’s hard are all different and each needs to be honored. We are at this place at this time. It is from here that we can move forward.

Now, to the dang planks. Unless you would prefer another modifier before planks. Insert that now. Stand at your kitchen counter or at a flat wall. Don’t use a door, those things move. Stand a couple feet away from your solid surface, place your hands on the edge of the counter, or flat on the wall at shoulder height, and then lean into your hands. And then, if needed, inch your feet back until you are in a plank position, body in a straight line from feet to shoulders. Start the time count at this point. Then walk your feet back in when you have gotten the time cap.

The magic happens with consistent practice. It all takes time. Even those super-duper kids improve with time. Keep going and amazingly enough, you get there – wherever “there” may be.

Stay balanced.

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Get Down

There are times when being on the floor in the place to be. Today is that time.

There are many ways to build core strength. One familiar way is through sit-ups. There is a video out in the world with 50 different types of sit-ups. I’m only going to talk about one.

Having your arms move with your torso, assists with leverage and getting your body to rise. This is quite helpful. Having some lumbar support may be helpful as well. This can be done by having a rolled towel under your lower back or using something called an ABMAT which is a little pad that is certainly not necessary to have. You can have your feet anchored or unanchored. To anchor your feet, you can place them under the edge of a couch/sofa or chair. You can have a partner hold your feet, as well.

As you come up, the ideal is to “break plane” or bring your shoulders forward enough to pass your hips. This can be seen as you touch your knees, ankles, or even the floor in front of you.

A plank is another standard floor movement. While on your forearms or resting on your splayed hands that are slightly rotated outward, you lift your prone body up, held rigidly in a straight line from heels to shoulders. I find it more difficult to use my forearms, but some people swear by it. This move also entails tightening the core to hold the body rigid, thereby strengthening the core muscles.

The variation for a plank would be to not be perfectly straight. You can hike your butt up into the air a bit, if needed. This would be more of a pike or downward dog pose. It is still working your strength and your core.

Today’s workout:
3-4 sets
3-5 sit-ups
5-10 second plank hold
rest as needed

Use a real timer and don’t just try to count off those seconds in your head. Your phone’s timer will work fine.

This is a more challenging workout. That’s because there is a certain satisfaction or even joy in achieving something challenging. Joy and satisfaction aren’t just hanging around floating in the air. They come from knowing that a struggle happened and you won.

When I first started CrossFit, all the much younger people were doing so much more than me and I was sure they were not struggling as I was. They were young. They were fit. They were capable. Then … a superior athlete made it to the final playoff round at the I CAN Games. She had to complete a certain number of double unders in a row. This is a jump rope move where the rope goes under your feet twice each time you jump up. She struggled and she struggled. Whatever the number was, she couldn’t get there. She was in the finals. She was one of the best at the meet. She never did get them. Time ran out. She never gave up. She tried again and again. The struggle was more than real. I hope she was as amazed at her performance as I was. She was, in my opinion, the greatest athlete there. She never quit. I remember her all these years later. I don’t know who won the event.

As you struggle with certain moves, remember you are winning by the struggle. You are the champion of your life. You are a rock star.

Stay Balanced.

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