Challenge!!

I do a lot of skulking around Pinterest and have lots of different boards, but one of my favorites to go back through and look at is my "A Shape Other Than Round" Board.  I have SO many workouts saved on there that it is great just for inspiration if nothing else.   Some of the workouts that I have pinned on there are 30 day challenges to increase the number of push ups or squats or other exercises that you can do.  I have tried to do these type of things before and sometimes I have worked my way through them.  I have obviously been working hard.  But, I really like to keep things mixed up and exciting so I do not get bored.  Also, the dreaded swimsuit season is right around the corner (the horror!).  So, the other day I decided that I was going to kick it up just a notch and put in some extra work.  I also thought this would be a great chance to hit my 50 push ups and 5 minute plank goal that I set at the beginning of this journey.  I looked through all of these different challenges and put together one that would be difficult, but doable.  It includes different movements to help build strength.  I plan on doing these exercises as an INCREASE to things I am already doing.  They will not take the place of my current plan, but will add to it.

I put it out on Facebook that I was doing this and asked if anyone wanted to join me.  I was OVERWHELMED by the response.  There are so many friends that want to join me on this journey and either bump up their hard work or to get themselves motivated.  I LOVE IT!!!  It is so exciting to be a part of this with these amazing people.  I even made a FB group and invited them all.  I had people posting to me first thing this morning that they had already completed their Day 1 workout!

I finished my Day 1 workout this morning after a KILLER rowing class and then a vicious spinning class.  I was pretty much wiped by the time I was done, but I was really excited because I was able to do the 5 push ups on my toes!  Woo Hoo!  If you want to take part, please let me know and I will clue you in.  This was today's workout:

50 Squats
5 Push ups
20 Second Plank
20 Second Wall Sit
5 Sit ups
25 Crunches

Think you are up for it?  Of course you are!!

So, the killer rowing class and vicious spinning class that I just mentioned were just that.  Killer and vicious.  In rowing class, we did some different things than we have been doing.  We did some new races which were fun and fast.  I was pulling 100 meters in 19 seconds.  I pulled 150 meters in about 30 seconds.  That is pulling pretty fast.  Our instructor said we weren't going to do a 500 split race.  After the class, we all stretched and cooled down.  Apparently though, we all got hit with the idiot stick and decided that we needed to do a 500 split race on our own.  So, we did.  I didn't pull as quickly on it as I have been, but I was still under 2 minutes which I am happy with.  Then I went to spinning and I don't know if it was because of the rough rowing class or if spinning was just exceptionally difficult today, but about 20 minutes in I hit the dreaded WALL.  I truly thought there was no way my legs would turn any more.  I thought about stopping and being done.  Thankfully, I was working with an AWESOME instructor and she is so motivating.  I knew there was no way she would let me quit.  She was encouraging and helped me keep my head in the game.  I busted through the wall and even set a new high for myself at 150 rpms!  I have NEVER done that.  I was pretty excited!  I just kept going.

The biggest thing that I did was this: I prayed that the Lord would help me bust through and stick it out. I continued to pray though out the rest of the Spin class to finish strong.   Some people may be thinking that these are silly things to be praying about and that God has better things to do than help me get through a class at the gym. I say that God loves me and He put me on this path and journey.  He knows me and He supports me.  He LOVES watching me succeed and He is there for me when I need Him (and even when I don't know that I do!).  It is because of God that I am where I am and I will gratefully take HIS support in EVERYTHING I do.  I hope that you will too.  If you are struggling in anything you are doing, then I suggest talking with Him.  He will show you what you need to do and where you need to go.  He will be with you, all you have to do is ask!

Have a wonderful day!

Faith. Courage. Strength. Change.
(I think this is going to be my new motto.  What do you think?)