12 fitness Challenge advanced ideas

Happy Fitness Friday! Each Friday, I share a post about how to feel good. Whether it’s going for a walk, trying a yoga practice, or having a sweaty tabata session, I truly believe that moving the body is good for the mind.I also believe that fitness is for every body and should be accessible to everyone, regardless of ability and opportunity. In my work as a yoga instructor and personal trainer, I always encourage people to modify my instructions. You are the best judge of what works for you. Working out should feel good and should leave you feeling better, not worse.That’s not to say I don’t think you shouldn’t push yourself or that every workout ends with you feeling like you’re dancing among the clouds. Working out is hard. Building strength takes commitment and dedication. And a lot of sweat.Honoring your body requires an honest evaluation of your ability and your mindset. Does your body need to rest or are you resisting change? Do you need to modify an exercise or are you scared to push yourself?Keeping all of this in mind, today I’m excited to invite you to join me in a 30 Day Push-Up Challenge. (Now doesn’t that sound like a party?! 😃)For 30 consecutive days, we will practice both a plank pose and push-ups, increasing in number over the course of the challenge. Every day. For 30 days. These exercises can easily be practiced at home and take just a few minutes. Even the busiest person can find a way to participate in this challenge.There are SO MANY ways to do a push-up, that I’m confident there is one that is right for you.Wall Push-UpA wall push-up is done against a wall. Stand at least an arms length away from a wall and rise onto the balls of your feet. Place your palms on the wall, making sure your wrists are in line with your shoulders. Bend your elbows to the side, lowering yourself as close to the wall as possible. Straighten your arms and repeat.Table Push-UpFind a sturdy table (or countertop or chair). Grab the outer edge of the table and walk your feet back until you are making a diagonal line from shoulders to heels. Lift your heels so you are on the balls of your feet. Bend your elbows to the side, lowering yourself as close to the table as possible. Straighten your arms and repeat.Knee Push-UpsFrom Plank Pose, drop your knees onto the ground. (If you have sensitive knees or are on a particularly hard surface, feel free to use a pillow or a blanket under your knees.) Bend your elbows to the side, lowering yourself as close to the ground as possible. Straighten your arms and repeat. Traditional Push-UpFrom Plank Pose, bend your elbows to the side, lowering yourself as close to the ground as possible. Straighten your arms and repeat. Advanced Push-UpsOne you’ve mastered the traditional push-up, you can challenge yourself further by altering either the position of your hands or feet. Tray a push-up with your hands below your chest in a diamond shape or step your feet wider apart or closer together. If you have a pair of dumbbells at home, add in a row between push-ups, alternating arms.Regardless of which type of push-up you do, keep these tips in mind:Place your palms on the surface with fingers spread away from each other. Palms should be shoulders-width distance.Keep a diagonal line from either shoulders to heels or shoulders to hips if doing a knee push-up. Try to avoid dropping your hips or rounding your back. Engage that core.When you lower into the push-up, try to get your elbows into a ninety-degree angle.Every day is a new opportunity. Try not to be attached to whatever ability your body had the day before. There will be days where you feel like a push-up master and days where you can barely complete a single push-up. IT DOESN’T MATTER. The challenge (like most things in life) requires you to show up. There is no expectation of performance. Feel free to pick a push-up that works for however you are feeling on any given day. If you need a break, take a break. If you need to break up the push-ups into a few sessions, go for it.Have fun! Really. The sense of accomplishment after finishing will be amazing.Ok…here it is. Download a pdf of the challenge here. DownloadAre you ready to join me for this challenge? Let me know in the comments and follow me on Instagram for daily reminders and motivation.