Previous installments of “Feel the Burn” can be found here.
I told you I was coming for you next, newbies. And here I am. With homework.
Did you ever read A Girl of the Limberlost? There’s a passage in which our heroine’s awful mother, who turns out to not really be awful, just bitter and damaged, finally takes her gross hair to a hairdresser for the first time ever (she was VERY bitter) and gets it cleaned and fixed and done up all fancy. It’s a classic makeover moment. Anyway, when the hairdresser finishes, she rips it all down right away and makes her do it and destroy it about five times in a row, so she’ll know how to do it herself next time.
That’s what working with a trainer is like, ideally. I mean, I have one regularly enough that you don’t ever have to for the rest of your life, but this is what you do if you join a new gym and get a free session or a cheap package: ask them to show you, ask them to watch you do it again, ask them how to set up the thing, ask them how many times you should do it, ask them what to do when it stops being hard, ask them if you can literally film it with your phone, ask them if they’d email you the workout you just did (they may say no, and that’s fine, but you should feel NO SHAME in asking) or describe it really slowly so you can write it down. You want to be able to fly on your own like a beautiful, muscular bird of prey.
Now, this is the workout I want you to do for me this week. It’s all body-weight based, so you can do it at home with no equipment (score!) and it can get easier or harder based on where you are fitness-wise, and it will work all of your parts, and it’s really challenging. It was MORE challenging, but I was all “oh, c’mon, guy, if they die on me, who will click the ads?” You’re welcome.
Disclaimers!
1. This is a joint creation by myself and an overly-optimistic trainer I am happy to connect you with. These are his quads —–>
2. Contact your medical professional before leaving your bed in the morning or switching breakfast cereals.
3. Eat something pleasant afterwards involving protein.
4. You’ll notice there are a lot of reps, and you may have heard that low reps are better. They are! But bodyweight stuff is different, right, this is designed to get all the muscle groups moving and working and whining at you, and we’ll give you something else in two weeks, and then we’ll get you ready to pick shit UPPPPPPP. GOD I LOVE PICKING SHIT UP.
This is a longish workout, so you may choose (this is honestly what I recommend if you are new to working out) to make this something you do over three days. They can be consecutive or not, I don’t know your life. Just break it up into three days. Here, I’ll just do it for you.
DAY ONE:
a) THIRTY PUSHUPS!!!! Lady or Tramp, as per your ability. If Lady is not where you’re at yet, and Tramp is a distant fantasy, do ‘em against the wall. You may find that your first set is Lady, and your second set is against the wall, and your third set is literally half an inch away from the wall and sucks. That’s okay! What I really want you to think about is getting all the way down each time. If you’re only getting down a little bit, go to incline. I want your arms and chest used to the right movement.
b) Thirty dips off a chair or a couch or a bench. Push the chair against the wall, otherwise you’ll send it shooting away from yourself and you’ll fall and blame me. Thirty may be a LOT for you, dips are really hard. Triceps are hard, in general. The smaller the muscle group, the more it hurts and the faster it hurts and the more excited you are to get a little better at it.
c) Hold a wall sit for 30-60 seconds. Oh, hi, those are your quads. Those are what your quads are. Trying angrily pounding them with your fists to make them feel better. You may have heard this called a skier’s sit. Wikipedia says it is a popular disciplinary tactic in the armed forces. So are pushups! Maggot.
d) 30 Russian twists. When I saw this, I was all, wtf is a Russian twist? and then realized I do them all the time, I just call it the side-thing with the ball-thing. You don’t have to use a ball or a weight, though, you’ll get there eventually. It’s just something you can do for your abs and core that isn’t crunches. Crunches are boring and they hurt your neck for a long time until you get stronger. If you’re already pretty good at this stuff, do them with your feet not touching the floor.
e) Take a break. Then do everything again. Then take a break. Then do everything again. You’re done!
DAY TWO:
a) Thirty squats, just bodyweight. Everything people say about squats is true. They’re horrible, they’re the foundational move for fitness, you gotta watch your knees like a fuckin’ HAWK, and you WILL get better at them. Your heartrate will be up when you finish your first set, guaranteed. You are not weak.
b) Hold a plank for thirty to sixty seconds. You will probably not be able to hold a plank for sixty seconds. The first five seconds, you’re all WHAT A NICE BREAK, and then you start to shake like a leaf in the wind. Think about keeping a little crunch in your abs, try to keep your hips down, and try to crumple with your knees first when you fall so you don’t land on your nose.
c) Do thirty Supermans. Oh, these are great. I love these. And absolutely do Child’s Pose after, it feels great.
d) Captain Superquads wanted you to do 10-30 burpees here. That is nuts, ten burpees will have you drenched in sweat as a newbie. Ten is fine.
e) Take a break! Do everything again. Take a break, do everything one more time. You’re done. There were literally thousands of websites offering to show you how to do burpees, but I kind of HAD to go with “The Art of Manliness.”
DAY THREE:
a) Alternating lunges, fifteen per side. If you’re all fit and stuff, do jumping ones, but you don’t have to! My number one tip for lunges, which will help keep your forward knee from overshooting your foot? Drop the back knee faster. Just let it sink faster, and it helps everything else out.
b) Thirty inverted or downward dog pushups. These can be challenging, but feel free to cheat by walking your feet in and out to find something more manageable. Again, the range of motion is what I want you to prioritize. Hang off your bed to do ‘em, if you have to, just try to get that angle right.
c) THIRTY REPS OF BICYCLE ABS. Ugh. This shitty thing here.
d) Thirty mountain climbers. Oh, I hate these, I do them all the time. You’ll need to take little breaks, probably. They’re awful.
e) Look, you know what I’m going to say. You have two more sets.
Now, hey, this is our first time doing this together, so Captain Superquads and I want all your feedback. Too hard! Too easy! These parts are possible, these other parts are bananas and cannot be achieved! I hate you! Is he single? (Nope.) Barrage us with questions and responses. We’ll adjust accordingly for our next set of things.
I’d be so happy if a bunch of you did this workout, though, and liked it, or hated it but chose to do it again.
Tags: exercise, feel the burn, fitness, russian twists could also be a great cocktail
nooooo nicole don’t make me
You can just tell me you did it, I’ll never know.
but that would be lying which is wrong
Hadrians Wall Update!: AS PROMISED
As I can now walk 20 miles in a single day (with breaks, I’m not a masochist) I think I can do 30 miles over three days. Even with the hills. I did 8 miles in the boiling heat on two crackers yesterday, too, so I am capable now.
Other fitness updates: Because I want to be strong and awesome, I am lifting heavy weights (10k) in addition to my yoga routine. I shall add this challenge in IF I HAVE TO. I wish I could get stronger faster.
😀 Thanks for the update!
Ooh, I am totally going to do this. I was getting bored with Pilates videos and I was going to start the NerdFitness Angry Birds workout again, but I will do this instead.
But seriously, Nicole, 30 PUSHUPS??? 3 SETS OF 30??? 🙁 🙁 🙁
I don’t care how easy you have to make them. Literally drop and give me ninety.
But Nicoooooole my arm muscles are LITERALLY al dente spaghetti noodles.
…OKAY FINE NICOLE. OKAY. I’LL TRY.
If I can move my arms tomorrow, I will report back.
I just finished Day 1 today because I was busy (i.e., drinking) Thursday and yesterday. My arms feel like spaghatta nadles.
Thoughts:
Some of these I found difficult (because I’m weak), so it became more like 3 mini-sets of 10 or 2 of 15. with a tiny break in between.
1) I hate push-ups forever and ever. I did ladies the first set and then walls the rest.
2) LOL tricep dips right after push-ups. I ended up doing floor dips after the first set because the only chair in my apartment appropriate for chair dips happens to be my cat’s favorite, so he sort of took it over as soon as I brought it in my room.
3) I did 60 seconds my first time around and definitely cried during the last 10 seconds. Then it was 50 and 45. OW.
4) I was confused as to whether one rep was just a twist one way or a full twist (left-right). I did the former the first set and it was easy, so I did it the second way the next two and it sucked, so I assume that was how I was supposed to be counting.
Anyway, I hate you guys! This is horrible! But also the best.
But before I finish this novel of a comment, two music recs for anyone doing this workout:
Tragedy is a Bee-Gees metal tribute band. They are GREAT and perfect for this.
Also, NPR Music has a Workout Mix on Spotify that’s very motivating. Sometimes you just want to punch your quads to “Sabotage” during a wall sit, right?
“Hold a plank for thirty to sixty seconds.”
No. Absolutely not.
I’ll do it! (Gaaah) I’m going to be that nerd in the gym with a printout of her workout on it.
I’m glad I’ll be doing this at home, because I’m going to have to have a printout of the entire workout plus how to do all the things, because the only one I know how to do right is pushups.
I put all my workouts on my phone. I don’t know what’s worse: being the nerd with the printout, or secretly being the nerd while having everyone else think I’m taking up gym equipment time while texting.
a) Nicole! After that push-up post, I’ve started doing 5 inclined pushups against my desk whenever I get bored/frustrated/numb with my work. It’s great! At first I feel all refreshed and virtuous but, by the 5th rep or in a later set, I begin to get annoyed with the exercise instead of my deskwork and that helps me stay focused, somehow.
b) Can’t wait to make my downstairs neighbors loathe me with those burpees. A few times, I’ve walked around in my apartment in clicky boots (2pm on a weekend) and they’ve followed me around banging on the ceiling with a broom handle.
Weekly pull up update: Still can’t do one … I think I better give Nicole’s regime a go! Though Im a bit scared it might take a me a week just to do 90 push ups. :-S
Start at the top–jump up to holding yourself with your chin over the bar, then lower yourself as slowly as you possibly can.
Do your know what your lats feel like? That’s the big muscle group involved in a pull-up. Focus on contracting them as you come down.
Eventually you’ll build up enough strength to do a pull-up from standing, and then from dead-hang!
I believe in your strength! RAWR.
RAWR Thank you RAWR!
(I am going to believe that rawring helps and will be incorporated in to my regime)
One thing you can do that eases pull-up difficulty is to use a mounted bench press bar and pull yourself up from a kneeling position to standing height instead of up and off the ground as you would with a standard pull up. It’s sort of like doing push-ups from your knees instead of your feet, a good transitional exercise you can use to condition yourself until you’re strong enough to handle the real thing..
Thanks! I like this idea of a transitional pull up.
Ugh I am currently too injured to literally do anything other than carefully rest at the moment, so reading this is bumming me the hell out at the moment rather than filling me with the joy I was anticipating.
/debbie downer 4 lyfe
I feel you. I am on crutches, and not being able to run/lift/do anything is super bumming me out. (Small upside – crutches do wonders for your arms/shoulders.)
Can I just say thank you for putting this together for people who are poor and cheap and can’t join gyms or buy weights?
(But I’m not starting until September because I’m going on vacation and vacation means never having to work out.)
If you’ve got some extra cash lying around at some point, consider getting an exercise ball and an exercise band, both of which greatly expand the already impressive range of exercises you can accomplish using only your body weight.
Wait, it is humanly possible for someone to do all of these things, three times, ON THE SAME DAY? hahahasob.
Dumb question, is one rep of a bicycle-ab doing it on both sides, or just one?
One side.
I’m thinking I might do all of them but only two sets rather than three. That works, right? (my motivation to push myself really hard in weights is “two set days” where I go heavy/hard/extra reps but only run through everything twice instead of three times. I am not a trainer or anything though so who knows how much good that does)
Two sets, three sets… I think as long as you’re doing something, Nicole will be proud.
RIGHT? I read through it thinking a hopeful “…. yeah, I could maybe!” and then got to the end instruction and made the boggled Scooby-Doo sound. Two more sets? LIKE, OF THE WHOLE THING?
So I might start with a single set (but not the Russian twists, holy cripes) and then sit quietly for a day or two to see if judgment gets visited upon me in the form of terrible searing back pain*.
*I have a back injury from being kersmashed into by a car, so I’m cautious about all non-PT-prescribed exercise and also: yes, Nicole, I will speak to my health-care professionals first**.
**I will not actually speak to my HCPs first, but it seems reasonable to reassuringly acknowledge your disclaimer with my own. Now you can’t sue me, AHAHA, TURNABOUT.
Ok, so mountain climbers: my feet slip back, constantly, when I try to do them. Like, when I pull one leg up, the other one slips back and sometimes causes me to fall right onto my face which, while somewhat painful, I’m sure it enriches the mornings of the other people at the gym. It seems to happen on almost any type to floor surface. Is this a shoe issue? Should I be pressing down with my opposite leg in a way that I am not? Am I the only person who has this problem? SO MANY QUESTIONS.
have you tried doing them on a yoga mat or a thicker mat? The grippiness helps me not slip (something I’ve also had happen). Granted, I do mine at home, barefoot. It seems to help though.
But how do you keep your hands from slipping? As soon as mine get even a tiny bit sweaty, they’re shooting right out from under me, even (especially?) on carpet. Do I need some workout gloves?
Okay so should we send the funeral bill to The Toast, or directly to Nicole? Just in case.
I think we should send them to Captain Superquads
Because I was just dying to know, and thought I would share:
“According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the exercise was named in the 1930s for American physiologist Royal H. Burpee …”
There once was a man who went through his whole life with the name ROYAL BURPEE. No wonder he invented sadistic exercise moves.
Does he have any living descendants that we can massacre?
Ooh, this looks awesome. Nicole, I know you aren’t a doctor so I promise not to get litigious if you answer this question, but I’m asking cause I know you had a baby and maybe you know – I’m a couple months postpartum and am supposed to strengthen my core but not do crunches because my rectus abdominis separated in pregnancy. Do burpees and mountain climbers mimic a crunch movement do you think? Or am I being paranoid? Ahh, figuring out what to do with my body now is hard. (On the upside my biceps are looking swole from lugging around a 12-pound baby.)
I just plain don’t know! I do not know. You’re amazing.
Hey I have that too! Diastasis recti or something. Its given me a perma-outie, which, not cute. My doctor said a tummy tuck would take care of it though hahahha..ha..*sobbing*
Hello! I had a baby 1 year ago and this is what I would suggest. DO NOT DO ANYTHING FOR AT LEAST 3 months— AT LEAST. When people say that you can start exercising after 6 weeks, what they mean is very gentle exercise, like easy walking or swimming. Because you had a separated abdominis, I’d also recommend a couple of sessions with a physical therapist.
What I was told was kegels are highly recommended right off the bat and, when you feel up to it, planks, and then alligators, and mountain climbers are your friend. You may want to start out with just laying on the floor on your back and pressing your lower back to the floor, using your lower abs to do so.
Also, I am not a medical professional so please don’t sue me either.
@Nicole – Ha, thanks. I know baby stuff has a limited audience, but for what it’s worth, I’d read the hell out of something about how you went from postpartum can’t-do-much phase to your current hardcore state. Tell me it gets better, oh moms of older children.
@halleloujah – yes! that’s the one.
@ghechr – Thanks for this! I have only just started up again and certainly not at the level Nicole is describing here. Like, walking and a couple geriatric 20-minute jogs. It’s definitely an odd state, because I miss workouts like this and feel like I want to kick it up a notch, but I know the core ain’t what it used to be. I like the PT suggestion, I think I’ll look into that.
IT GETS BETTER. It really does. I have a 15-month-old and I was not able to exercise for a while after he was born because I had a third degree tear. Do very gentle exercise and get tons of water and good food and give yourself a million high fives.
I would like to add: you birthed a baby! that’s amazing! As someone who has not done this, but who needs workouts for sanity purposes, I would say, find the balance between physically possible for you and good for your mental health. I would guess that this would look very different from what you did before, and would recommend PT to anyone.
i’m not sure if i am going to manage to do this, but i have emailed it to myself, so it will sit there, looking at me, telling me to just put on yoga pants and sneakers and go look silly in a park or something. (so as not to terrify my cats/boyfriend)
But terrifying your cats burns extra calories!
I’M GONNA DO IT. I have done each of these things on their own (Russian Twists last night!) but am bad at doing them all in a row. I will probably break myself.
*whimpers* I will try to try, but I am anticipating TOO HARD.
Also, dumb question, but if I’m just doing this shit at home, does it matter if I’m barefoot or in socks or wearing sneakers? Will I fucking something up if I do this on my carpeted bedroom floor to hide from my roommates?
ahhhhhhhhhhh.
Barefoot or the socks that are grabby on the bottom, carpet is fine. You’ll prefer carpet for stuff where you’re sitting, because ow. Or that’s me and the infamously concave butt, I don’t know. I look like an old man in a backless hospital gown.
Cool, thanks, Nicole! I also just realized I have a yoga mat; maybe that would be good too?
Yay! I am traveling and need bodyweight workouts I can do anywhere! This is perfect timing for me. IMMA DO THIS WORKOUT ALL UP AND DOWN THE WEST COAST, NICOLE.
I have a dumb question for Nicole or anyone else who knows about Fitness and Exercise and Generally Being Healthy. I have started do workouts kind of like this, but a little easier and with the addition of free weights, and today my doctor said I need to do more cardio (though she also praised my ab muscles, which are apparently solid, though invisible due to their belly pudge blanket). I kinda thought this sort of workout was cardio-y if you’re moving fast? I guess not! What are types of cardio I can do if I a. hate running and b. don’t have access to a gym or pool/treadmill/elliptical/etc?
Jumping jacks/jump rope? I’m having this problem, too (I mean, except for the praiseworthy abs), and when I remember to do these, I find them pretty fun. On the other hand, they’re pretty high impact and I would need a more supportive sports bra if I were to do them as my main cardio or else I would strain a tit or something.
Jump rope! I forget that this is an actual form of exercise and am still thinking of jump rope as elementary school gym torture. Thank you for the ideas!
Yes, this is totally cardio if you’re getting your heart rate up. That’s what cardio is, kinda. Getting your heart rate up and getting breathless. TBH my favorite kind of non-running or swimming cardio is putting on awesome music and dancing around in my underwear. Heart rate up, breathless, 300% awesome.
Burpees. Ahahahahaha! You will die.
[“Not an expert” disclaimer] I think when someone is talking about cardio specifically, as it’s own thing, they mean doing something that keeps your heart rate elevated over a certain level for a sustained period of time. The exercises here, while they will absolutely get your heart rate up, also include some down time – so your heart rate will increase, then decrease, then increase. More or less, anyway. It’s good for your heart but in a different way, I think?
As for what you can do…walking’s a start, no? Especially if you’re not getting any cardio at all right now. Do you have anywhere nice and naturey to walk? With hills? Otherwise, do you have access to any sort of group exercise class, say at a local rec. center, or even videos you can do in your living room? Do you like dancing? Some folks love Zumba (not me, though) and that might be up your alley. I started doing this BodyCombat thing at my gym that’s basically a martial arts-y aerobics thing which I find tremendously fun. Basically, for any kind of activity you like, there’s probably an aerobics version of it, and more than likely a video you can buy/rent/download.
jump rope! 🙂
Hula hooping! They’re super cheap.
Yup. These are totally cardio-worthy.
Buuuuuut you have to keep your heart rate up–like, not be able to talk because you’re out of breath while doing these kind of heart rate up.
The burpees especially should be making your heart go WHOA. 🙂
Jump rope is a good idea! What about jump squats and burpees? I love LOVE LOVE kettlebell swinging/snatching if you have access to kettlebells.
As long as you’re not resting for too long between individual exercises (as opposed to sets of exercises, which you’ll want to put at least 2 minutes between) you’ll get your heart pumping. Like try and transition from one exercise to the next in 10 seconds. You’ll get used to it 😉
I am a big fan of exercises that involve using my body and nothing else, except maybe a wall or a chair or something. I have these slanted ceilings in my room that are amazing for balancing oneself in different positions. I never count reps, though – I just keep going until I wanna stop, then I start up again, or move onto something else, because I am fickle and get tired of doing the same thing over and over and overrrr.
Wait why am I the only person who loves mountain climbers mountain climbers are the best more mountain climbers.
But seriously fuck burpees.
Yes, yes you are the only person who loves mountain climbers. You are a sick, sick individual. Curse you and curse Captain Superquads for putting this in the workout.
I like them, too! You’re sort of almost lying down! Though I like most exercises that don’t require jumping in the air or using arm muscles.
ahh this looks great- I love how you’ve encouraged us to break it up into manageable chunks. I’m always looking for stuff I can do at work or at home on days I can’t make it to the gym. I’ll give this a whirl and report back!
I might try this because I do not gym and only do home workouts and love interval type rep shit, but more importantly that toast looks delicious.
Captain Superquads looks like a rugby player. I’ll probably do this workout for that fact alone.
Also, I love/hate all of these.
Thank you so much for this! This is perfect timing and I cannot wait to do it.
Also, rugby players. Rugby plllaaayyyyeeerrssss. GIMME DEM LEGS.
I’m done now.
I am 9 pushups in. I am dead.
change it up to push up from your knees! Whatever is challenging but also manageable. It kinda sucks how many people are discouraged from exercising because they feel like they should be able to do “proper” exercises a “proper” number of times starting off. I couldn’t lift weights for years because I was embarrassed from barely being able to lift 25-pound dumbbells starting out. But everybody starts somewhere. Eventually I came to grips with myself and started lifting at 15, and all of a sudden exercise wasn’t as intimidating or impossible-seeming.
I’m training like a crazy person with running and yoga, but I never do enough strength training. Thank you for this! I am working toward a half and need some MUSCLES to keep improving.
No, man, squats are the BEST. I have a killer ass and quads and the first time I tried to see how many squats I could do in a row they were so easy I thought I must be doing something wrong (until the DOMS set in the next day). But when I’ve just forced myself through other bodyweight excercises, the fact that I can do so many squats in a row makes me feel accomplished. And then I switch and do some lunges and I wonder why they are so GD hard (it’s the bending the back knee, it feels wrong and unnatural)
Ditto. I LOVE squats, but lunges are terrible.
You really, really, really have to watch your lunge technique, it’s easy to fuck up and the grudges those joints can hold are as bad as any back injury. A few years ago I thought I could lunge with added weights and the torn cartilage I got for my trouble still bothers me sometimes.
I have written each of these “days” on 3 post-its and I will do my best to do each day twice before the next post!
Here’s hoping I don’t die.
HOORAY EXCITEMENT oh god help. Will report back once I get up the courage to do it.
OK THIS INTERESTING to me. I run 5 k 3 times a week. I know this is not much, but it’s not nothing. Here’s what I could do of these: 9 lady pushups, 30 dips, 60 seconds of wall-sit. 30 Russian Twists. Then I started to get weird and wobbly and despairing. Then I did 20 squats, but my brother arrived and told me they weren’t squats really, so I did about 5 real squats. 45 seconds of plank. 10 supermans. 10 burpees but I stopped and thought hard between each one. I did the correct number of lunges, but I HATED YOU AND EVERYBODY. I did not do the mountain climbers or the downward dog pushups, but the bicycle abs things were fine.
Then I realised you had written some horrific sentence like ‘take a break, do it again’ at the end of all these. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN. So the thing is, I think this is a very bad start, and running 5k does not mean as much as a thought it did. But then again, if I try again tomorrow maybe I will get better?
It’s not that the running doesn’t mean anything! It’s just a different type of fitness. I’m sure there are ways in which it is helping you (like general endurance), but for the most part this is working different muscles in different ways. I have a tendency to get really down about that, too, but feeling like everything else I usually do is nothing compared to what I’m doing now is generally a sign of a good workout.
You will get better! And cardio like running is great in different ways than strength training— very good for your lung capacity, blood pressure, heart rate. Don’t undervalue it just because it is not as unpleasant as trying to do squats!
Each day sounds like a ridiculously hard workout for beginners, let alone doing all of it in one workout. Nicole, what’s more important: to do the number of reps specified, but do the easiest version of the exercise, or to just do as many reps as you can? And for the exercises that can’t be made easier, I guess you do as many as you can or skip it if you’re not ready for it?
Yes, there’s no way I’m up to this, even in the split version, but I might try some bits with a view to working up to the full workout. Eventually.
I’m not sure about body weight exercise circuits because of how total they tend to be, and how little leeway you have with regard to adjustment, but when I did weight training I found that repping to failure (that is, the point at which you can’t continue a set of reps) is more important that completing a given number.* Generally if I could only do a small number or could do a very large number, that was an indication that I was overestimating / underestimating my weight limit. If you can peak out around 10-20 reps, you’re golden.
With all strength training, you ideally should avoid wiping yourself out (because it’s discouraging, but also because you’re more prone to injury). If you’ve got adjustable weights, find a number that’s not a cakewalk to lift but that you can capably rep until you get to that 10-20 range. If you’re working with your body weight and burning yourself out, look up less strenuous variants of the exercise and work your way up. And DON’T push yourself to a punishingly difficult and arbitrary rep number just because you feel you “should” be able to hit it. Do what you can do, and push yourself little by little. A common lifting practice is to do two sets of reps at a given weight and then add a small amount of weight for the last set, and you can follow the same principle. If you can do 5 pushups before it starts getting too hard, do 2 sets of 5 and with the third set, try for 6. And if you can’t, don’t sweat it, keep doing 3 sets of 5 until it becomes easier. And it will! Cuz muscles get stronger.
* As indicated, I don’t know if this is wise for circuits of exercises that work similar muscle groups. With discrete weightlifting you can target completely different groups and thus do consecutive sets of exercises with minimal rest and without much fear of strain or injury. But crunching to failure and then switching immediately to lunges probably won’t work, by contrast. Body weight exercises tend to work a lot of groups at once, which is why they’re inarguably better for you in terms of conditioning.
Crowdsourcing: how do you guys motivate yourselves to actually Do Exercises when you work 10-13 hour days parentheses’ed by hour commutes and also are a night owl to whom the idea of “wake up at 6 and do your workout then!” sounds like a legit human rights violation? AAH CAN I “HAVE IT ALL” (not getting fired, sleep, & abs)?
To be perfectly honest, I don’t exercise! Pretty much at all. At some point in my future I would like to do more of it; I enjoy hiking and lifting things, but right now I can’t run a brand-new business and see my friends as often as I’d like and do other things I enjoy/am committed to and also work out, so working out went away. (This is just me! Nicole can do it, and that’s great.)
I finally started working out on my lunch breaks because I get long ones. Would switching up the timing help?
Personally, I sit at a desk and get so fidgety that making my muscles burn a couple of times a week feels really good. I am usually dragging myself into the gym and in near-refusal to go every single time, but then I always feel so much better afterwards. Also, I cannot go unless I bring my change of clothes and stop directly on the way home, because if I go home at all I am done for the day. Also, I bring a granola bar to work so that I can snack on it before the hour-long drive there, because I hate going to the gym hungry.
It also helps me that I just make it a necessary schedule thing: Tuesdays and Fridays, the first one being mandatory and beyond excuses, the second being okay to reschedule to Sundays.
I go for a run on my lunch break three times a week– if I change, run for 45 minutes, and have a quick shower to rinse off the sweat, I can do it in an hour. But that’s predicated on the fact that I work on a a beautiful campus with lots of nice roads to run along, and I have showers in my building. And my employer is very nice and doesn’t mind– nay, encourages me!– to do it. So this is useless advice if you don’t have all those things, sorry! Just congratulate yourself for dealing with what sounds like a very busy schedule.
I always work out at night. I cannot STAND getting up early to exercise.
But man, I feel you on the 10-13 hour days and God-awful commute.
This may not be feasible if your work schedule’s unpredictable, but I’ve found that my absolute best motivator is to sign up for classes, since I can’t just tell myself I’ll go tomorrow instead.
For unscheduled workouts, since I’m allergic to working out in the morning, I would (and will!) do Nicole’s nightmare challenge the second I get home from work. If I give myself any time to relax beforehand, it’s not happening. This absolutely means I need to have a late afternoon snack on hand at work so I’m not thinking about making dinner immediately upon walking in the door.
I used to rely on tricks like ‘do it first thing, before I’m even awake enough to consider not working out a possibility’ or joining a gym near work and going there instead of home or putting on gym clothes and sneakers and sitting there until I’ve got some motivation. I’ve also seen the “do ten minutes and then you can stop” suggestion which I think is a good one. Or if you’re the sort of person who’s always hungry by the end of the workday, have a decent snack before your commute so you’re powered up for workouts but not hungry for dinner when you get home.
At a certain point after a couple years of this, physical addiction kicked in. Now I start feeling gross in a very particular vaguely nauseated groggy malaise sort of way around 5:30 if I haven’t worked out yet and hitting the gym (or the run, or getting a sweat on in my living room) makes that go away.
Ugh, I totally sympathise! Stuff that’s worked for me (sometimes):
1. Do stuff on the way home.
No matter the good intentions, when I get home, I’m going to either sit down and not get up or start making dinner. In a previous job there was a swimming pool not far off my route home. Currently I’m running home from work once a week. This also divorces the choice from the doing the activity and fixes the time: if I’ve brought my gear, when I pack up I’m running home. From home I’ll sit around thinking “I’m going to run today. In just a little bit” for hours, until it’s too late.
2. Short exercise sessions still count.
I have a couple of 10 minute solutions and yoga DVDs with short routines. 10 or 20 minutes at home before getting dinner is not a huge commitment to make. At the moment I have some glute exercises for running. I’m not managing the 4 exercises, 3×10 reps every couple of days that I’m meant to, but I am doing something every morning and evening – say 1 set of 2 exercises.
3. Make a commitment
Sign up to something you would feel bad about backing out of. Working out with a friend (not for me!), a personal trainer, an exercise class (maybe prepaid?), a run that is within your grasp but that you’d have to train for.
Good luck!
Like anything regarding energy, getting good sleep and eating well will help you a lot. Drink water, etc. Eat a little something protein-rich shortly before you work out for energy (also because without protein your muscles will burn themselves instead of fat). Stretch before and after your workout. Body weight exercises are great because all you really need for the majority of them is a sufficiently large parcel of uncluttered floor space so they don’t require a ton of prep or hassle.
I been there, tho, and it sucks at first. Just do what you can when you can, and if you’re like me then after a few weeks your body will get used to the workouts and start craving them when you try and slack off. And if you can stick with it for a month or so, the effects of exercise on your body will stop being hypothetical, and that’s ultimately the best motivator.
Well this is helpful. And I can do it while watching Luther! Staring at Idris Elba has to be a valid cure for angry quads, right?
So Nicole, I’m confused. I’ve been told that you should alternate workout days. Legs, Monday. Arms, Tuesday. Legs, Wednesday…etc, etc, etc. But who has time for focusing on one body part!?
What if you’re doing these full body strength training workouts? Should you rest in between? Stick in a cardio workout? Take a rest day? I’m currently strength training 3x a week, with at least a day of cardio (Running) or rest in between. Is this silly? Should I be getting swole everyday?
If you’re transitioning between these exercises in short order (~10 seconds, not counting the rests between sets) then it’s a pretty good cardio workout. Some people cycle through strength training days to (light) cardio days to rest days, but rest days are non-optional since they reduce burnout and thus the risk of injury. If you’re just doing general strength training, 3 workouts a week is more than likely fine, given that they’re spaced out. If you’re training for marathons or power lifting competitions, that’s a different story.
My brain blesses you for this, but my body? My body curses you, Nicole. Eventually it will be grateful, but for now, manifold curses will be writ, using my pain as ink, on your earthly existence. xoxo
this song popped into my head after finishing the day one (or as much of it as I could do)
Maaaan, I strength train three times a week (I just bench pressed 135 pounds for the first time yesterday!) and I think three sets of all this might kill me dead. That’s not to say I won’t try it, though.
body weight exercises are the best, but yeah, they are pretty hardcore.
I just did this! I am currently unemployed and trying to use my time more constructively (i.e. not in bed watching the Kardashians all day) so I thought this would be a good jumpstart to my day. I am not in very good shape (I go to yoga once a week cause my friend teaches it outside, but that’s it) and I found this to be hella hard, but do-able. I did door frame pushups and only did 30 secs on the squats and I felt kinda light headed and wobbly at the end, but I did it! And I’ll do the next one tomorrow! Okay now I just have to NOT reward myself with Kardashians until happy hour.
I did day 2! I hated it! I loved it!
I adamantly refuse to do any exercise that involves jumping or bouncing (my knees are older and my breasts larger than the average reader, I think) – what can I do instead of burpees?
Leave out the jump?
I’ve found that there is a WORLD of difference to my ankles and knees if I land lightly (like a ninja!) from a jump instead of THUDDING down. When you land from a jump, you should land on bent knees, with your knee behind your big toes. Landing flat is what will really, really fuck up your joints.
Landing like a ninja requires more muscle control, too, which is never a bad thing.
Hey, request! I like this series and it coincides really well with this point in my life, because I’ve been a lazy elliptical/treadmill-user for years, but only recently did that free training session at my new gym and got introduced to weights and stuff. I find it’s much more satisfying.
That said, I really like the TRX, and was surprised to see how versatile it is in terms of exercises and intensity levels it can accommodate. Could one of these posts in the future maybe talk about good routines to do with TRX straps?
I keep finding that doing body weight exercises make me feel like I’ve injured myself for the next 3-5 days. I think it must just be that my form was just wrong enough that I both got nothing out of it and hurt myself.
I have found much success in doing machine exercises since joining the gym a month ago. I’ve been alternating big legs day with big arms day during the week and moderate whole body on the weekend and cardio in between. It’s working in that I keep wanting to go to the gym and I feel only general soreness/stiffness instead of wanting to lay down because it feels like I wrenched something.
Definitely check your form. If you’re not shy (I know I am), ask somebody at the gym to rate it, otherwise watch youtube and follow along. ALSO make sure you stretch before and after exercise, and eat a protein-rich meal directly before or after your workout, otherwise your muscles will be angry at you the next day. A pissed off body is pretty much standard the first time you put it through its paces, but it learns to shut up, and those two things can really help a lot. I remember barely being able to stand the morning after my first track practice in high school.
Also, how many rest days do you get in during the week? That schedule sounds pretty intense.
Nicole, I just did the day 1 workout and I have some feelings!
1) I am dead, you killed me.
2) It was fun!
3) I am so much worse at push-ups than I ever thought possible 🙁 🙁 🙁
4) Can’t wait for day 2!
5) Can we start a Nicole’s victims’ support group? I want some motivation to do these when I know they’re tough.
Is anybody using Fitocracy? I have an account that I haven’t used in probably a year, but if people want we could make a Toast group for cheering each other on. My username over there is Fringehead.
I used to, and their was a hairpin group, but I stopped because I found that anything not weights or extreme sports basically doesn’t count. I was walking and bike riding and swimming and getting like no points, which I wasn’t there for the points really. But then one time I accidentally put in that I did ocean swimming and for the same distance I swam in the pool it gave me EIGHT THOUSAND POINTS instead of like 200. And yet no place to put what stroke you’re doing, which makes a big difference to how hard I’m working. So anyway yeah, I was, but it made me sad, so I stopped.
ok, I’ve been doing an easier iteration of this for a few months now. BUT 90 REPS ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR TREE, SUPERQUADS?!?! UGH.
On the bright side, even though I can’t run due to plantar fasciitis, my thighs are like tree trunks and strong as fuck. So they do work. *grumbles grudgingly*
For all of you squatters out there, a super huge tip to keeping your knees in the correct position is to do squats facing a wall. Like, literally stand 2 with your feet 2 inches away from a wall, and squat.
Here’s a good example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG6Ujk_yazE
okay I did day 1 one time through. My thoughts:
thirty (lady) pushups were pretty do-able, but I’ve gone most of the way through the 100-pushups program (and actually one day managed to do 100), which I think is the root of that
thirty dips, on the other hand, made me want to kill myself. My max is about 10 in a row, then I have to stop, and on the last few I definitely relied on my legs.
The wall sit, like other similar excercises starts out deceptively simple. My problem with things like this and plank is that I am very bad at sitting completely still so I get bored in the first 15 seconds. Then the difficulty kicks in. I managed 45 seconds. Possibly could have pushed to 60, but I wanted to be able to stand back up.
Thirty Russian Twists – I do not know that I fully understand the body mechanics of this one. And I can’t hold my feet off the ground like that unless I have my ankles crossed. Once I figured that out, I was able to power through. Definitely I can see how it’s a good core work out, but that position is hard esp since all my excess weight is in my stomach, and it was very frustrating to feel like I was doing it wrong.
Now I am going to have my chocolate milk.
I looked this up because I couldn’t make the description make sense. Most of the places I’ve seen say to keep your feet on the floor, but tip your toes up so that your tendon is flexed. Then, when you’ve gotten better at it, to start doing it with your feet off the floor. Obviously this is based off of internet reading and not actual expertise, but this feels doable to me, I don’t think I could do feet off the floor right away because my core muscles are ok but my lower back muscles are crap so things like this, I get 10 reps in and then my back just kind of caves in on itself, since I am so top heavy.
I just did Day One, too. The chair dips were killer. At first I could only do 4 at a time and then had to rest, but I pushed through and on the final set I did 15, then a quick rest, and then the other 15.
Podcasts! Podcasts make such a difference for me when I get bored. My favourite one to listen to while working out is queenandcrone.com
As with small animals or children, distractions are the best strategy to keep me doing what I should be doing.
Nicole, you forgot to mention that Katharine Comstock BURNED HER WRINKLY FACE SKIN OFF in an effort to look younger.
I’m gonna do this! PPM linked me, because I was saying I want to go to my gym and lift weights but I’m scared about it. I’m still gonna go to my gym but I’m gonna try this and get some muscles happening, first. I was doing a similarish nerdfitness thing for a while but then I got depressed and any desire to do anything drained out of my feet. Also, I am really appreciating the whole vibe of this. OBVIOUSLY, since it’s Nicole. I’m just so wary of fitness stuff, ya know? But I miss feeling strong and shit.
Haha! I read through day one and thought, “Yeah! I’m in.” And then I scrolled down and saw there was a day two (should’ve guessed) and my desire shriveled.
But maybe I’m in… maybe.
Nicole I am stoked to do this. It might take me three days but I’ll get there!
I did day 1 plus day 2 (except squats) on one day, now am on to do the rest. I do crossfit so a lot of these moves are familiar, which helps. I also really appreciate Nicole’s attitude.
Came in late to this, but managed 3x the Day 1 stuff. Except can I say: push ups are still yukky. It’s a good feeling workout, though, and I like the challenge, thanks!
Yay! This is hard but I (mostly) did it. Thank you for taking the time to tell me what to do, otherwise I’d have done 5 half-hearted crunches again and then checked to see if anyone’s tweeted anything interesting in the meantime
I did three x day 1 – and 2 of day 2 – and just one of day 3 so far.
I’m liking the arm soreness! The exercises are familiar to me since I’m a lapsed outdoor-boot-camp and aerial conditioning person. Lots of fun and familiar tricep/sidebody soreness. Love these so far!
Okay. Look. I’ve been going to the gym (after 40+ sedentary years) for a couple of years now, fairly steadily. Worked with a couple of trainers, know stuff about form, can actually break into a light jog when forced, etc.
So I’m coming at this from ‘I’ve been slack bc who wants to sweat EVEN MORE during summertime + vacations w/ no gym time” level, and I broke this into 3 days. I could maybe if I had to and you were yelling at me do it all in 1 day, but I didn’t.
Day 1 – A+ I have a lot of work to do before I can get trampy with my pushups on a regular basis, but overall it was a good day’s work for me.
Day 2 – A I finally did burpees, which I managed to avoid in all that prior training time, lucky me. I’d have done fewer, but my 13yo decided to join me in this endeavor, and it’s embarrassing to be out-burpeed by some skinny little punk. (I can totally take him in supermans, though, RAWR.) So I got through it, and was pleasantly achy the next day
Day 3 – C because DOWNWARD PUSHUPS ARE THE DEVIL INCARNATE AND I HATE EVERYONE. Everything else I liked just grand. Well, “liked.” Can’t I just do more burpees instead? That was our actual plea to the unresponsive overlords on the internet. To do burpees instead. So now you know how evil those are.
Anyhoodle, looking forward (well, “forward”) to whatever the unresponsive overlords throw at my unwilling but obedient body next.
Oooh I am excited to try this. This is precisely what I was hoping for when this series started!
I don’t know if I will actually be able to do all 3 days this week because I have sports for 2 days this week and I going on a road trip that needs prepping for, but I wanna try and at least get one or two of these in this week.
Feedback after 2 days:
1. I had no idea I could do 90 push-ups in a day. I can even move my arms the next day! Thanks for helping me find that out.
2. My knees are special delicate snowflakes. They hate burpees and lunges. While I’m willing to tell my chest muscles to suffer, the knees get veto power. I’m replacing the lunges with Romanian dead lifts. Got any suggestions for the burpees?
3. I kind of hate gyms: they smell bad, cost money, have terrible lighting, and require effort to get to. Whenever you get to the picking things up portion of this entertainment, would you and Capt. Superquads consider including suggestions for fun things to do at home?
Day 2 done. I am sweating buckets. I think this is a combination of the heat and me doing this workout faster because I’m more comfortable with these exercises. (SQUATS FOREVER). Planks suck, but my cat helped me by laying under me while I did them so I was more inclined not to collapse onto him. I can’t really do burpees in my room, but I did 30 jumping jacks instead.
I finally got a chance to try this. Since I’m not really a beginner but also have no attention span/get annoyed doing three really hard sets, I did the whole thing in one day twice through.
I thought it did a really good job of hitting most major body parts (though maybe a little more glutes would be sweet… I love working them glutes) and got me seriously sweating with almost no equipment (I grabbed a five pound weight for the Russian Twists). So that was awesome. but I think parts of this are more beginner-friendly than others. The downward dog push-ups in particular. I think I’ve seen something similar before, but it was HARD to figure out exactly what I should be doing here. and I sort of thought I might be hurting myself or might be half-assing it or might be doing it sort of right… I don’t know what was going on.
10 burpees…. yes that is definitely plenty for beginners. holy crap, my legs were aching after 10 of these.
The dips right after the push-ups – much harder than doing dips NOT right after push-ups. damn. I was asking for it with the squats + wall sit in the same day, though. I’ll know more tomorrow, but I have a feeling I am going to be very sore in the muscles getting buffer satisfying way tomorrow. unless those downward dog push-ups got me.
I’m also confused about the downward dog push ups. You go onto your elbows? Not regular push-up style?
Day 1 (Saturday): I broke all the muscles in my arms, mainly from dips after pushups. Had to take a day off between days 1 and 2.
Day 2 (Monday): I wept a little while in my last set of supermans + burpees. Surprisingly, I am in less pain that I expected to be in today.
Day 3 (Tuesday): TBD.
I did Day 1 yesterday, and had pretty much the same result I always have when I strength-train: I felt like dying throughout a lot of it (had to break up the push-ups & dips sets, and my last push-up set was in a doorway), but then 20 minutes later I felt fine and I am not sore at all today. Why does this always happen—am I not pushing myself hard enough?? It’s so dissatisfying! I want to FEEL THE BURN!!
I did all of Day 1 plus half or so of Day 2 in one go last night. There are a number of the exercises I cannot do due to being a delicate fucking flower – burpees, lunges, anything that involves putting my weight on my wrists. I can manage push-ups if I use the kitchen counter, but the hand-flat-on-the-floor moves are straight out. I did all the sets on everything I did, but generally not all the reps. Anyway, wow! Even with my modifications this is a great workout. I’ve been looking for something that will improve my muscle endurance and this may just be the ticket.
I just did Day 1, and as a lapsed CrossFitter who is marooned in a town where fitness seems to be 5-10 years behind the rest of the world–while I was doing an overhead press with a barbell, a trainer mansplained to me that I should use a machine or do it sitting down because I was going to hurt myself because I’m a girl, not to mention another trainer rushing over to me telling me not to do GHD stuff so fast because I would get tired–this workout was like a sweet, sweet balm for my soul. (Holy long sentence, Batman!) Please keep these coming! Looking forward to Day 2 tomorrow.
I guess this is also as good a place as any to say that I am coming to luuurve The Toast. I don’t comment that much, but I visit every day and read most everything, and so far I’ve gotten a ton of solid book recommendations. To wit: Nightingale Wood is my new jam! I guess the next step is figuring out how to merge my existing WordPress account with a commenting account here, but that’s a job for another day… Anyway, tl;dr: Viva The Toast!
Just did day three, and all I have to say is…ARE YOU KIDDING ME with those downward dog pushups! I had to do them hanging off of my bed and they were still hard. Owowowowowow.
But I’m really loving this series! I’m an avid runner and have been wanting to work more strength training into my routine. Looking forward to subsequent installments!
finished day 3. everything was manageable except the downward dog pushups! i was also confused as to whether we should be doing pushups in downward dog position, or moving from downward dog to quarter dog. ouch. i ended up doing half pushups in downward dog position.
the most difficult / painful for me were the chair dips. it still hurts to wash my hair! i guess that means it’s working…
Nicole, happy birthday, because I just finally did Day 1 of this workout in my underwear in my apartment while watching Sherlock on Benedict Cumberbatch day. The dips alone almost killed me, but I did everything! Gonna try day 2 tomorrow.
I am late to the party, and even though it’s been said before – I like the motivation behind this a lot!
As an ok-but-lapsed-fit person, who is trying to get ready for teamsport trials and add things to do (ok, I’m lying, I mean really “motivate myself”) to a weekly training program, this is ace. I did all 3 in one day in an optimistic mood (except those downward dog push-ups, where I wobbled like a newly-born deer and then my feet skidded out from my too-short mat, and I gave up). And then the undersides of my shoulderblades and ribs (?) were crazy sore for the next 3 days, which has never really been a muscle group I realised existed before. So that’s great! Keep it all going! I like the different levels of stuff given too (“do like between 10-30, depending on how you go, if you start dying maybe stop” etc).
Late as well, but just finished workout 3!
Couldn’t really do the dowward dog push-ups, either. Nicole, can you do those? I am impressed and would like video evidence.
Super-super late, but I finally finished day 1. The first go-round I thought I was in pretty decent shape (except for the tricep dips because omg wtf). By round 3 I was in the quivery, oh-mama-no stage, and I’m not at all sure I was doing the Russian Twists correctly. Other than that, I feel good and only slightly dead.
Day 2 report: If you can do 30 burpees in a row … you are a witch. Or Captain America.
I could not do 30. I could not do 10. I could do 3, then fall over, then 3, then fall over, then 3.5, then totally collapse. All to the majestic accompaniment of farts. Forget the guy’s name – that’s why they should be called ‘burpees’.
On the plus side, I managed 2 60-second planks, so that’s pretty awesome.
Completed day 3: Downward dog pushups are literally impossible for me to do. The only way I could approximate the motion was by starting in a modified (i.e. on my knees) d-dog. Also I found the mountain climbers + the lunges a bit tough on my cranky toe joints.
Hey, I’m not sure if you’re still answering questions about this workout, but I figured I’d try it anyway: how would you do all three as one single workout? Would I do Day 1 x three and then move on to Day 2 and so forth? Or would I do Day 1 straight into Day 2 and then straight into Day 3 and then repeat all two more times? I want to try this all at once, but not exactly sure how. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Any help is appreciated! Love the series, by the way.
I’m also late to the game, but I love this series and after reading all the entries finally decided to give the workout a shot. Anyway, my question is what happens after Day 3 (since all three in one day is beyond me right now)? I thought about just going straight back into Day 1 after Day 3, but am way too sore for that! It probably just depends on the individual, but thought I’d ask if anyone has a recommendation just in case.
I love the Toast by the way — I’m a long time reader of the Hairpin and defected over to here when my favorite writers left 🙂
I am (clearly) not Nicole, but I think adding rest days wherever necessary is probably OK. I took one between day 2 and 3 before starting over again.
So I just tried Day 1 for the first time, and I was pretty proud of myself for getting through it all (even if I had to do the pushups against the wall and discovered that dips turn me into Al Swearengen). But I was on the last time through the wall sits when my cat apparently decided it was LAP TIME NAO, and jumped up on my lap, because she is a sadistic drill sergeant. But! I still held that bastard for 60 seconds, even with 10 extra pounds of wobbly feline.
Back to say that I did this workout in its entirety even though I wasn’t exactly sure of the sequence. I made a few modifications (hanging off a chair for downward dog pushups, using said chair for mountain climbers because I have bad range of motion in my hips, and regular pushups on my kitchen counter instead of the floor). Even with these changes, this workout was SO HARD. When I finished I had serious concerns that I might puke. Also, it took me an hour.
My problem is that one day by itself is not really enough for me, but all three days together is too much.
I’ve been doing two at a time – Day 1 & Day 2, one day off, then Day 3 & Day 1, day off, Day 2 & Day 3, etc. Works fairly well at being hard but not soul destroying.
ooo, that’s a good idea. I’ve been doing all three days in one but only two sets. was aiming to do three today, but my shoulder started giving me not-good pain. so twice through + icing.
Back to say that I did this workout in its entirety even though I wasn't exactly sure of the sequence. I made a few modifications (hanging off a chair for downward dog pushups, using said chair for mountain climbers because I have bad range of motion in my hips, and regular pushups on my kitchen counter instead of the floor). Even with these changes, this workout was SO HARD. When I finished I had serious concerns that I might puke. Also, it took me an hour.
My problem is that one day by itself is not really enough for me, but all three days together is too much.
I am way late, but I’ve been on vacation. That’s my excuse.
Did Day 1 & 2 as a single workout.
Burpees are the worst. The very worst thing. I hate them immensely.
Everything else was okay, but my legs and core are much much better than my arms.
I tried out all the exercises the other day too, down dog pushups are cruel cruel things. I think I did 2. Clearly tweaking is needed. Mountain climbers seem like a blast though! Fun! But maybe not after I have to do 90 of them in a day or two.
I’m late to this, but I decided to try it. I’m suuuuuupppeerrr out of shape, so I’m doing fewer repeats out of the gate (ten pushups instead of thirty, five burpees instead of ten). IT’s going well, I haven’t hurt myself yet!
VERY late feedback here but I love this challenge, am starting with 2 times through instead of 3 because I am a baby, modifying/trying to keep from irritating my wrists, which are host to chronic issues – haven’t been able to manage burpees without pissing them off. (My favorite workout is kettlebells but I’m wayyy out of practice.)
And most important part of this trip report is that yesterday while holding the plank my kitten walked over, curled up under my chest, started licking my hands, and farted.
I'm getting married in T-minus 100 days or so and it feels incredibly right and fitting that I should make this my official pre-bridal workout. It's fast, simple and equipment-free! Thank you, Nicole! Also, IT HURTS!