I feel like saying “Is anybody there? Anybody at all?” as Jason Robards did in the movie “The Day After (1983).” Today is day 66 of the 100 day burpee challenge. If you have made it thus far, you have already performed 1122 Burpees! Can you believe it? My boys and I have been pressing on in spite of having to make up for missed days bringing our total since Dec 20 to 3267 Burpees! My goal for the year is 10,000 and I am almost half-way there. Even if you have not been able to be consistent try to jump back in there, maybe starting just before it became too difficult.
Many of you have had to bow out of the challenge due to increasing pain in neck, back, knees, etc. Do not get discouraged because you now have an opportunity to learn more about your body and discover its weaknesses . . . no, “training opportunities” is a better phrase. This is the time for honest, detailed evaluation of movement patterns, correcting of years of microtrauma to the muscles and tendons. If you have developed pain, say in the shoulder, you must carefully look at your form and correct the functional movement first. Pain in the shoulder indicates a movement problem in the push up (assuming you are performing the Burpee with Push Up). Hands placed appropriately? Arms bent at good angle? Core muscles activated? Glutes tight? I can not go into every aspect of a correct push up, but careful evaluation will show you the culprit. If you have been over every aspect of the movement in absolute detail, then you move to strength improvement. If you are weak in one movement, you can not correct by doing more of the same movement! You must decrease the resistance, lessen the strain. Usually with bodyweight exercises this means looking at movements that build up to the one you are trying to strengthen, those that come before your movement goal. For instance, the push up progression should go from wall push ups, incline push ups, knee push ups, then regular push ups. One of the best resources on Progressive bodyweight movements to date is the book called Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade. Sure, you can laugh or make fun of the title, but a few weeks into this you will not be laughing but encouraged with the functional, progressive strengthening that you have gained!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Day 66!
I feel like saying “Is anybody there? Anybody at all?” as Jason Robards did in the movie “The Day After (1983).” Today is day 66 of the 100 day burpee challenge. If you have made it thus far, you have already performed 1122 Burpees! Can you believe it? My boys and I have been pressing on in spite of having to make up for missed days bringing our total since Dec 20 to 3267 Burpees! My goal for the year is 10,000 and I am almost half-way there. Even if you have not been able to be consistent try to jump back in there, maybe starting just before it became too difficult.
Many of you have had to bow out of the challenge due to increasing pain in neck, back, knees, etc. Do not get discouraged because you now have an opportunity to learn more about your body and discover its weaknesses . . . no, “training opportunities” is a better phrase. This is the time for honest, detailed evaluation of movement patterns, correcting of years of microtrauma to the muscles and tendons. If you have developed pain, say in the shoulder, you must carefully look at your form and correct the functional movement first. Pain in the shoulder indicates a movement problem in the push up (assuming you are performing the Burpee with Push Up). Hands placed appropriately? Arms bent at good angle? Core muscles activated? Glutes tight? I can not go into every aspect of a correct push up, but careful evaluation will show you the culprit. If you have been over every aspect of the movement in absolute detail, then you move to strength improvement. If you are weak in one movement, you can not correct by doing more of the same movement! You must decrease the resistance, lessen the strain. Usually with bodyweight exercises this means looking at movements that build up to the one you are trying to strengthen, those that come before your movement goal. For instance, the push up progression should go from wall push ups, incline push ups, knee push ups, then regular push ups. One of the best resources on Progressive bodyweight movements to date is the book called Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade. Sure, you can laugh or make fun of the title, but a few weeks into this you will not be laughing but encouraged with the functional, progressive strengthening that you have gained!
Many of you have had to bow out of the challenge due to increasing pain in neck, back, knees, etc. Do not get discouraged because you now have an opportunity to learn more about your body and discover its weaknesses . . . no, “training opportunities” is a better phrase. This is the time for honest, detailed evaluation of movement patterns, correcting of years of microtrauma to the muscles and tendons. If you have developed pain, say in the shoulder, you must carefully look at your form and correct the functional movement first. Pain in the shoulder indicates a movement problem in the push up (assuming you are performing the Burpee with Push Up). Hands placed appropriately? Arms bent at good angle? Core muscles activated? Glutes tight? I can not go into every aspect of a correct push up, but careful evaluation will show you the culprit. If you have been over every aspect of the movement in absolute detail, then you move to strength improvement. If you are weak in one movement, you can not correct by doing more of the same movement! You must decrease the resistance, lessen the strain. Usually with bodyweight exercises this means looking at movements that build up to the one you are trying to strengthen, those that come before your movement goal. For instance, the push up progression should go from wall push ups, incline push ups, knee push ups, then regular push ups. One of the best resources on Progressive bodyweight movements to date is the book called Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade. Sure, you can laugh or make fun of the title, but a few weeks into this you will not be laughing but encouraged with the functional, progressive strengthening that you have gained!
Day 53 Feb 10, 2011
Have you had a little bump in the road to your 100 day burpee challenge? An illness perhaps? Some creative calculation can put you back on track. Jump back in there today just so you can complete these 100 days. For many of you, this is the first time you have ever performed this wonderful exercise and you are reaping the benefits. You are more than half-way there! I figure there are at least 3 levels of completion (I know, the rules state you have to make up all the days, but bear with me here): Level 3 - Those that keep trying but miss a few days but they jump in there on whatever day just to keep going; Level 2 - Those that successfully complete the program as written by making up those days missed according to the rules; Level 1 - Those that are doing the 33, 66, and 100 # mixes like some of us because we feel adding only 1 a day was “too easy.” There is of course those that will start, then stop their modified burpees, to not restart again.
Ok, so here is my “bump in the road.” Upper respiratory illness that was serious enough to cause me to miss 3 days of burpees. Those of you that know me well enough know this had to be pretty bad because I have burpee-d straight through other illnesses before. I am supposed to be at 66 burpees/day (66 burpees/day from day 33 to day 66, then 100/day from day 67 to 100). 3 days of missed burpees equal 198 burpees. My creative calculation for makeup is that there are 13 more days left before my next transition and increase. This equates to about 15 extra burpees/day to make up those #s. So 81 burpees/day with 82 on day 66 and I still complete my goal. It also helps to look longterm: the 100 day challenge as written will give you 5050 burpees. If you are on the 33, 66, and 100 burpee track you will have performed 6567 Burpees! Since that is my final goal, all make ups for me must add to 6567 by day 100.
Ok, so here is my “bump in the road.” Upper respiratory illness that was serious enough to cause me to miss 3 days of burpees. Those of you that know me well enough know this had to be pretty bad because I have burpee-d straight through other illnesses before. I am supposed to be at 66 burpees/day (66 burpees/day from day 33 to day 66, then 100/day from day 67 to 100). 3 days of missed burpees equal 198 burpees. My creative calculation for makeup is that there are 13 more days left before my next transition and increase. This equates to about 15 extra burpees/day to make up those #s. So 81 burpees/day with 82 on day 66 and I still complete my goal. It also helps to look longterm: the 100 day challenge as written will give you 5050 burpees. If you are on the 33, 66, and 100 burpee track you will have performed 6567 Burpees! Since that is my final goal, all make ups for me must add to 6567 by day 100.
Day 40
So, I am a little behind, but the following are some posts that I sent via email to participants.
Can you believe it? Day 40! At this point, you are getting a great cardiovascular and strengthening workout. This is no longer a warm-up phase. Perhaps the Burpee Challenge transformed into your primary workout. In my small group, we are doing 66 Burpees a day until day 66. Let me tell you there is a big difference between 33 a day and 66 a day. Oh I would sweat with the 33 but it was over very quickly. Now, on a slow day, I am really having to push myself through double the time (sometimes close to 8 minutes). I believe that most of this is still nutritional deficits. After my birthday (17th), I have stuck to one main nutritional principal: White not right. Just the other day, I added one more to my basic nutritional plan: I have to EARN my carbs! I feel better, not as sluggish, and I am already losing some of that “holiday” fat! Nutrition is a key principal! Hang in there!
Can you believe it? Day 40! At this point, you are getting a great cardiovascular and strengthening workout. This is no longer a warm-up phase. Perhaps the Burpee Challenge transformed into your primary workout. In my small group, we are doing 66 Burpees a day until day 66. Let me tell you there is a big difference between 33 a day and 66 a day. Oh I would sweat with the 33 but it was over very quickly. Now, on a slow day, I am really having to push myself through double the time (sometimes close to 8 minutes). I believe that most of this is still nutritional deficits. After my birthday (17th), I have stuck to one main nutritional principal: White not right. Just the other day, I added one more to my basic nutritional plan: I have to EARN my carbs! I feel better, not as sluggish, and I am already losing some of that “holiday” fat! Nutrition is a key principal! Hang in there!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Day 32 - 32 Burpees!!
You are doing great! Hopefully, you are now making your burpees a major part of your workout if not all of your workout. This means trying to put all those #s of burpees in a compact, reasonable amount of time. How did your timed trial go? The result of that gives you some understanding of the level of your fitness. But those numbers are starting to add up. Getting tired of the same old 3 sets of 10? Now that you are in the 30s, you can try to mix things up to keep from getting bored. Check out this wonderful video below. Note: this guy is doing Tabata rounds for extreme, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Tabata is 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, eight (8) times! I do not recommend you perform this level, yet. However, a series of 30 secs on, and 90, 60, or 30 seconds off until you have completed your 32 burpees would be an excellent introduction to the benefits of HIIT. Remember, as with our regular burpees, the following variations must first concentrate on form and quality, not speed, to prevent yourself from injuries.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Day 15
My son said, “You picked the worst possible time to start this!” And that is why it is the best possible time. By maintaining the burpee regimen when it has been so busy, you have proven you can stick with it in almost any situation. But for me, busyness has not been the problem, it has been very poor nutrition. Can you feel that gunk trying to get out of your body with your burpees? The burpee is forcing you to eat better. Another advantage of starting now is if you missed one or two days the make up is not as bad with the lower numbers. Have you been working on sets of burpees? 10,11,12, maybe 15 at a time? You are doing a great job!
On 12/31, I was taking my daughters to see “Tangled.” No one was in the theater (at the time). So I moved to the back and dropped down to do a set of 15 burpees (the only day I have divided my workout up). I hate doing them in jeans! As usual, I went all out with each one. So when I finished, I was gasping for air and sweating. A theater staff person came in about the time I was pacing in back to cool down, she looked around then left. After going back to my seat, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and the young staff person was asking if I needed any water and “Are you ok?” I had to politely explain I was not having a heart attack, I was feeling the joys of the burpee! Someone at work said, "you are quite an inspiration and a hoot! The theater staff has probably had their share of crazies in the theater and then there was Kiltman!
Think of the craziest place that you will do at least 10 burpees!
On 12/31, I was taking my daughters to see “Tangled.” No one was in the theater (at the time). So I moved to the back and dropped down to do a set of 15 burpees (the only day I have divided my workout up). I hate doing them in jeans! As usual, I went all out with each one. So when I finished, I was gasping for air and sweating. A theater staff person came in about the time I was pacing in back to cool down, she looked around then left. After going back to my seat, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and the young staff person was asking if I needed any water and “Are you ok?” I had to politely explain I was not having a heart attack, I was feeling the joys of the burpee! Someone at work said, "you are quite an inspiration and a hoot! The theater staff has probably had their share of crazies in the theater and then there was Kiltman!
Think of the craziest place that you will do at least 10 burpees!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)