March Exercise Challenge
 

Let's hop into March with extra energy for our exercise routines! :bunny2:

State your exercise goal and track it throughout the month with this supportive group of fellow exercisers. We'll compile our workout goals into a list. As each goal is met during the month, it gets turned RED in celebration.

This thread is for fitness and exercise goals. For other weight loss goals, be sure to see our sister thread: March Weight Loss Challenge

allright. I was wondering whether to come back in March, because I think i'll keep gym-ing it anyway, so not really needing to report on that for motivation, happily, but what I have decided to do is use this thread to get going on starting to practice my handstands, otherwise i'll just not quite get round to it.

My mission is to be able to balance on my hands, but don't know how long that will take to achieve. This month I will make a start on the process
I did a 1:1 tutorial last week and have got some exercises to practice, so in March I want to:

• 5x wrist strengthening exercises per week
• 3x handstand practice per week

I got up and got in dvd walking this morning with no problem, so think I will stick with challenging myself with lifting again in March. My March Goal is 240 mins. of lifting.

Thanks for keeping us going Joy. :coffee:

Exercise goal for March: workout 3x a week for an hour minimum, plus snowboarding once a week (usually about 6 hours on the slopes). Total 840 minutes working out. Snowboarding is my happy place but I'm still taking it easy after my ACL tear, so I'm tracking those hours/minutes more for fun.

Thanks for starting the new thread gardenerjoy!

February wasn't great for various reasons, inc. an incident with a flight of steps in the final week...
I think I want to do a different challenge this month, just because I'm tired of putting pressure on myself to walk and making it less enjoyable.

So, in March I would like to try and do 30 squats a day (930 for the month) as well as dancing every day (I don't want to put a minimum time on it, just make sure that I do something every day).

I'm interested in your wrist-strengthening exercises ange82much. Mine are very weak.

Thanks, gardenerjoy for this thread.

I do workout regularly...and I get BORED at having to log it forevermore since it is BORINGly THE SAME. I lift for 45 minutes and then I cardio for 45 minutes and then I stretch for 10 minutes. I do that 3 x per week. DULL.

BUT, I kind of feel "spring" coming and I desperately WANT to be more mobile on the weekends - because I am stuck at my computer all the weekdays. So, I think I will grade myself for the activity that I choose on weekends.

(i) tomorrow (Sat, Mar 2), I am scheduled to do a 10 km hike somewhere. I believe it is a flat hike, although we are not allowed on the trail without "icers". Which I have. I will bring my snowshoes, but certainly won't manage a 10km snowshoe if that's how this goes. Anyway, sure, I'd like to do the whole 10 km, but if it sucks or I get cold, I am fine to turn around and call it a day. IT WILL BE MOVEMENT.

(ii) Sat, Mar 9, I am scheduled to do a hike that has "99 steps" in it. I do not think it is 10 km....but it will be >5 km. Again, have to bring icers and if I get cold or bored, I will turn around.

(iii) Sat, Mar 16 - I am travelling this week, will bring my workout clothes and likely aim to do some kind of cardio this Saturday.

...that's all I have scheduled so far, but it is MORE weekend exercise than I have managed all f*$@#^ winter!!!

I managed to jog for 20 minutes straight one time last month, but then I got sick and haven't even been walking much, let alone running, and I'm still coughing, so my lungs aren't up to running again yet. But I have started back up with my walks. So my goal for March is work my way back up to jogging 20 minutes straight. I'm going to start back in with just walking 30 minutes or more every day until my lungs are fully recovered and I stop coughing and then start walk/jogging 3x per week.

I'd also like to do at least 30 squats per day. Thanks Newlyn for that idea.

1: walked 35 minutes + 30 squats

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100

newlyn - here's the link to the warm-up wrist exercises that my handstand tutor prepared
wrists exercises

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100

My weekend did not turn out as planned....we were not permitted to go on the hike because we did not have "icers". So, instead, hubby and I walked 4 km around in the snowy landscape. Good enough to not feel like it was a 'failure'.

Here is where my week is at:

(i) Saturday: 4 km walk at a slightly brisk pace.
(ii) Sunday: nuthin'
(iii) Monday: 45 minutes weightlifting, 45 minutes cardio-step and 10 minutes stretching
(iv) Tuesday: nuthin'

....I do intend on repeating my Monday workout on each of Wed and Fri....

I am fine with working out 3 times per week. 4 is a bonus (and usually "4" will be a unstructured workout). 5- or 6- workouts per week is getting much harder to accomplish along with my work/family commitments.

I've not really got in to my handstands practice yet, not sure why, but a very bad excuse is that there's nowhere obvious to do it, so I would have to go to the local park or something, which is completely do-able, I just haven't done it.

Been busy with normal gym routine though and am ramping up my trekking with regular Saturday full-days, so i'm doing plenty, just not the handstands. I'm working away next week though, so maybe the change in location and inability to get to the gym will get me going with them.... otherwise i'll commit to knuckling down to them when I get back

3: 30 minutes exercise bike, 40 minutes strength training
4: 30 minutes treadmill walk with weights

Welcome to our March exercise challenge!

ange82much: 5x wrist strengthening exercises & 3x handstand practice per week
Beeps2011: better weekend movement
gardenerjoy: 1100 min
Lacerta: walk 30 min & do 30 squats per day
Newlyn: 930 squats, dance every day
SnowMama: 3x one-hour workouts per week, plus snowboard once a week, 840 min for month
workinglikeadog: 240 min lifting

Good grief, I FORGOT to weigh in at the gym this morning. After my workout. Sigh.

I was TIRED, I'll say that. I did not sleep that well last night (woke up 3 HOURS before my alarm went off!) and then I did 40 minutes of heavy lifting followed by 50 minutes of cardio and 10 minutes of stretching.

wow, Beeps that's a long gym session!
I go every day but it's normally just for a 45min class (plus 10min walk each way which I enjoy). And sometimes back again at night for a yoga class.
Not sure i'd want to show up if I thought I had all the work you fit in, in front of me though! Great work!

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100

3: 30 minutes exercise bike, 40 minutes strength training; 70/840
4: 30 minutes treadmill walk with weights; 100/840
6: 30 minutes exercise bike, 30 minutes strength training; 160/840

Beeps, are you training for a race? That's the only way I'd do 50 minutes of cardio at the gym. Lol. Nice work, you're dedicated!

I really don't like cardio that much....but, I am pretty bored with my weigh-lifting, too.

What I do like, at my gym, are the step-cardio classes! I like the music. And, because it is a "group dynamic", it feels so much more "social" (even though I do not know anybody else in the class, lol).

So, I go to the gym to do my weights....and that is "solo" - and then, I simply tell myself I only have to do "ten minutes" of the cardio class. That, as soon as I do "ten minutes", because I do not like cardio, I am TOTALLY free to leave! But, of course, ten minutes into the class, I wind up doing the whole thing!! Mind over matter, really.

Actually ALL my workouts start out as being "ten minutes only"....I promise myself that if I make it to the gym, I only have to stay for "ten minutes". And, yeah, usually I get through 45 minutes of weights followed by a 45-minute step class (and then cool-down/stretching after that).

When I am super-time crunched, I will always choose weight lifting over cardio.

Also, I only have to work out 3 x per week when I have these longer sessions....I have ZERO energy to be working out the days in-between, lol.

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100
7: 10 walk, 50 yoga; 290/1100

Cardio, today. My knee was kind of wonky and I decided heavy-lifting was not a good idea.

Thanks for the info. ange82much!

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100
7: 10 walk, 50 yoga; 290/1100
8: 20 yoga, 25 walk; 335/1100

My March Goal is 240 mins. of lifting.
6th = 30 m
9th = 30 m (60 total mins.) - snow is still coming down, ugh! Good thing I'm in this challenge.
12th = 30 m
14th = 30 m (120 total mins)
:strong:

I'm slinking in on the 9th with my first check-in. I underestimated how sore my foot was so I haven't been exercising.

9: 30 squats

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100
7: 10 walk, 50 yoga; 290/1100
8: 20 yoga, 25 walk; 335/1100
9: 30 walk; 365/1100

3: 30 minutes exercise bike, 40 minutes strength training; 70/840
4: 30 minutes treadmill walk with weights; 100/840
6: 30 minutes exercise bike, 30 minutes strength training; 160/840
10: Snowboarding 9AM - 330PM

9: 30 squats
10: 20 squats

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100
7: 10 walk, 50 yoga; 290/1100
8: 20 yoga, 25 walk; 335/1100
9: 30 walk; 365/1100
10: 40 walk; 405/1100

I am travelling for business this week. So, I won't get a workout in until saturday. I did do 35 minutes of heavy-lifting this morning, followed by 45 minutes of cardio-step-class and a 5-minute stretch.

I should have stretched for longer...my back is SUPER sore right now. Sitting in an airplane tomorrow for a long flight won't feel very good.

Saturday will be cardio.

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100
7: 10 walk, 50 yoga; 290/1100
8: 20 yoga, 25 walk; 335/1100
9: 30 walk; 365/1100
10: 40 walk; 405/1100
11: 35 walk, 15 dance & stretch; 455/1100

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100
7: 10 walk, 50 yoga; 290/1100
8: 20 yoga, 25 walk; 335/1100
9: 30 walk; 365/1100
10: 40 walk; 405/1100
11: 35 walk, 15 dance & stretch; 455/1100
12: 35 dance, stretch, ST; 490/1100

9: 30 squats
10: 20 squats
11: 5900 steps (12 minutes jogging)
12: 6060 steps (25 minutes walking)
13: 7015 steps (13 minutes jogging)
14: 7057 steps (17 minutes jogging; 14 minutes walking)

I've decided that instead of having a set goal, I need to just exercise every day, regardless of what that is. It seems that as soon as I set a goal, I don't want to do it! Also, squats were really messing with my knees so I need to build them up slowly rather than jumping in with 30. I've started jogging on the spot, which is something new for me and is giving me some cardio. I'm only doing a little at the moment because running of any kind is a totally new thing for me, but I'm enjoying it. One day I might even leave the house and do it outside!

Newlyn, for me to get the proper squat form, I have to wrap an exercise band around my knees (not the knobby part of the knee....above that!). It helps my valgus knee problem. (This may NOT be your knee issue, so bear with me!)

Here are some other ideas:

https://www.stack.com/a/this-5-drill...er-knee-valgus

I did get to the gym on Saturday. A 75-minute cardio session. Felt great. A few weights at the end, but nothing to write home about.

Today, I did heavy lifting, but only got in about 30 minutes (I usually aim for 45). I also did 40 minutes of step-cardio and a light stretch afterward (again, too short....I needed double the time.)

The weather is FINALLY starting to change. I will build in some afternoon walking on some days just to keep me away from the pantry. Nothing dramatic. Even a walk around the block helps!

Newlyn: I have to be careful with squats and lunges for my knees, too. Using support helps a lot at first, even when I don't think balance is an issue. That way I can focus on form until I get strong enough to support the move on my own. I like your idea of exercising every day -- that's been key for me. Keep track of your streaks! The longer it gets, the easier it is to get myself to do at least 10 minutes of dancing or jogging on the spot or stretching, so that I don't break the streak.

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100
7: 10 walk, 50 yoga; 290/1100
8: 20 yoga, 25 walk; 335/1100
9: 30 walk; 365/1100
10: 40 walk; 405/1100
11: 35 walk, 15 dance & stretch; 455/1100
12: 35 dance, stretch, ST; 490/1100
13: 25 walk; 515/1100
14: 50 walk; 565/1100
15: 25 walk; 590/1100
16: 25 walk; 615/1100
17: 25 walk, 15 dance & stretch; 655/1100
18: 25 walk, 10 dance & stretch; 690/1100
19: 25 walk; 715/1100

My March Goal is 240 mins. of lifting.
6th = 30 m
9th = 30 m (60 total mins.) - snow is still coming down, ugh! Good thing I'm in this challenge.
12th = 30 m
14th = 30 m (120 total mins)
19th = 30 m - 2nd workout using machines instead of free weights, sorta strange and a bit odd lifting with others. I am thankful for the opportunity though.
23rd = 30 m (180 total mins. )
26th = 30 m (210 total Mins., 30 to goal)
:wl:

The weather is GLORIOUS today...I am going to go for a walk. I am promising myself none of my "walks" need to be very long - just to stretch my legs and move out of winter-funk mode.

I have already worked out for about 105 minutes today - 45 minutes heavy lifting followed by 50 minutes of cardio-step and 10 minutes of abs/stretching. So, I actually am quite sleepy.

I expect the fresh air might help me wake up, too!

March goal: 1100 minutes

1: 30 dance & stretch & ST, 5 stairs (14 flights); 35/1100
2: 35 dance & stretch; 70/1100
3: 45 shovel snow, 15 dance & stretch; 130/1100
4: 60 dance & stretch; 190/1100
5: 30 dance & stretch; 220/1100
6: 10 walk; 230/1100
7: 10 walk, 50 yoga; 290/1100
8: 20 yoga, 25 walk; 335/1100
9: 30 walk; 365/1100
10: 40 walk; 405/1100
11: 35 walk, 15 dance & stretch; 455/1100
12: 35 dance, stretch, ST; 490/1100
13: 25 walk; 515/1100
14: 50 walk; 565/1100
15: 25 walk; 590/1100
16: 25 walk; 615/1100
17: 25 walk, 15 dance & stretch; 655/1100
18: 25 walk, 10 dance & stretch; 690/1100
19: 25 walk; 715/1100
20: 20 ST & stretch, 5 stairs (14 flights); 740/1100

I've completely failed with my March target of working on my handstands practice. I did some whilst I was away in India, but while I've been at home I've just been doing my normal daily gym visits and haven't really got round to the extra handstands practice. Partly there's nowhere obvious to do it, but that's just an excuse.

Actually i'm happy with my exercise this month. I'm still enjoying all the gym stuff and still pushing myself there, and feeling fit and strong, but I haven't done what I said I would do :(

ange82much, I have a friend (on facebook) who is also doing handstand-practice! She dropped it for a year (not expectedly....just busy-ness) and now that she is trying again, she is posting some of her "attempt" videos up on facebook. I find it interesting because, as a gymnast when I was young, it is nice to see people still trying things "at her age". I am not that interested in doing handstands, headstands or backbends anymore - but I could do them at one point in time and that feels like enough, for me.

I had to miss the gym this morning - work emergency. I am having a massage this afternoon, so I guess "nope" to any workout today. I am doing an outdoor hike tomorrow for a couple of hours and that will have to suffice for my Friday skip-gym day.