December Self-Challenges

[muck_a_luck]

I cannot believe it will be December on Wednesday.

So! It is now time for the December Challenge Declaration Post!

Challenge yourself for December! Find a fitness goal that you want to achieve, that you can achieve with diligence in one month.

Declare your goal by December 1, then on January 1 we will have a roundup of how we all did!

It can be simple, like being able to run a mile by the end of the month (even slowly!).

It can be progressive, like moving from wall pushups to floor pushups.

It can be process oriented, like trying to exercise 25 of the next 31 days.

Try to make it something YOU want that is challenging but doable.

If you want to participate and you just can't think of anything, check out what everybody else posts, then copy them! :D

I also offer a generic challenge: Achieve 20 pushups in a row at 45 degrees or lower.

Comments

[just_ann_now]

December 1 will be Day 8 of my current 40 Days of Yoga challenge: Rodney Yee Every Day! That challenge will end on January 2, the last day of my Winter Break.

[alexseanchai]

Yoga every day. And checking in every day. I MEAN IT THIS TIME.

[yvi]

I am doing two main forms of exercise these days and these are my goals to be accomplished by December 23 (I will be at a congress from December 26 to December 30 and don't expect to get much exercise done from December 24 to January 1), so in about 3 weeks:

* running: run uninterrupted for 2,500 meters = 5 rounds, however slowly

* weight-lifting: write down what I can lift for these exercises on November 30: bench press, squat, dumbbell row, bicep curl, and shoulder press. By December 23, be able to press 4 kilograms more on the shoulder and bench press, curl 4 kilograms more, squat 10 kilograms more, and row 3 kilograms more. All of these need to be done for 10 times. I have no idea how realistic that is, but we shall see and I'll adjust this goal as necessary :)

[bewize]

I'm starting the Bridge to 10 K program (after completing Couch to 5 K) and I hope to be through at least 5/6 by the end of December.

[alphaviolet]

OK, because I want a challenge... the most difficult Zumba class I know, once a week. More or less. It is fun, but not in an easy way. :P

[zennish]

This month's going to be utterly brutal in terms of work but I want to at least make it to Crossfit 4x a week and aim for 5x a week.

[prudens_mcgonagall]

I was able to exercise 26 days in November, so let it be trying to exercise 27 days of the next 31

[semielliptical]

Continue with some exercise every day, and twice a week, a yoga practice over 45 minutes.

[on_topic]

Just starting off, so I'll go with--exercise 24 of the next 31 days.

[rydra_wong]

Hrm, I want to work on getting my scapula stabilized properly and my shoulders in good shape so I can get back to bench and overhead presses without hurting myself.

(Work towards Royal Pigeon continues in the background.)

[zennish]

Psst - here's something I found super helpful for shoulder iffyness: this exercise called a 'wall angel'.

It says it's for rotator cuff rehab (and it is) but I find it really good for stretching out tight pectorals and realigning the neck muscles too.

What's probably best is leaning back into the wall with your lower lumbar spine pressed as flat as you can make it, and elbows and wrists pressed into the wall. For a better stretch, I find if you push your arms straight up instead of moving them in it activates the wee muscles inbetween your shoulderblades. Hope this is of some help - shoulders are such finicky little bastards.

[rydra_wong]

*nods*

I know that one -- I just need to be consistent about doing it ...

[mixofsun]

I'm just going to continue to try to exercise 30 minutes or more every day.

[yvi]

Is there going to be a post where we can say how our November challenges went?