This short little challenge is all about pushing yourself and making yourself stronger! It will run from Sunday May 4 - Saturday May 17.

Everyone needs a starting point, each team member needs to start a post in this thread and post up their starting numbers for the following exercises:

• Plank position (minutes or seconds held)

• crunches

• chair position (minutes or seconds held)

• Balance on one foot

• Balance on the other foot

**note about balancing on one foot, stand on one foot, hold the other leg out to the front off the floor, arms should be up over your head or straight out to the sides, abs should be held tight**

Goal - make a goal! It could be that by the end of the 14 days you want to see a 25% increase, or maybe you want to be able to do 12 pushups, you decide, make it realistic but push yourself!

Reward - Always pick a reward! Even if its something as small as a new toenail polish! You need something to work for!

Your mission - to work on these exercises as often as you can to improve your numbers. By the end of the 14 days we are going to see who has the greatest % improvement. If you try them each day, push yourself to go just one more by the end of the 14 days I bet you'll be amazed at how far you've come!

Channeling some Jillian - I don't wanna hear any excuses! I don't want to see anyone saying they CANT! Because you can! I don't care if you can only do ONE push-up...its a start! And in 14 days I bet you'll be able to do TWO! But, you've gotta start somewhere. Just get on the floor and do it! Do it for you! Feel free to call me all the names you want LOL! But you will thank me in the end!

Okay, so to hold yourself accountable and to keep thinking about working on these little exercises you should edit your post in this tread and give updates on your progress. Trust me you are going to be inspired by it and people will be inspired by you which is going to help you work even harder!

Another little hint: the time spend doing this counts as time on the Beach Hopping challenge!

Here we go Red team!! Time to get strong and work on those bikini bods! Good luck!

Melissa's starting numbers:
* Pushups - 13 modified
* Plank position (minutes or seconds held) - 18.12 seconds
* crunches - 13
* chair position (minutes or seconds held) - 53.31 seconds
* Balance on one foot - left = 1 min 05 seconds (calf burning!)
* Balance on the other foot - 1 minute 18 seconds very wobbly

Goal: to double my times!

Reward: new shorts and a top!

Muse's starting numbers:
* Girl Pushups - 4
* Plank position (minutes or seconds held) - 55s
* crunches - 50
* chair position (minutes or seconds held) - 60s (ow!)
* Balance on L foot - Redo Also
* Balance on R foot - Redo Also

Goal: Just to increase any of the above! How's that for Wishy Washy?

Reward: New running socks

Starting-may2

Pushups: 5
Plank position (minutes or seconds held): 19 seconds
crunches: 20
chair position (minutes or seconds held) : 51 sec.
Balance on L foot: 9 sec.
Balance on the R foot : 38 sec.

Current...yay!
Pushups: 15
Plank position on hands/toes (minutes or seconds held): 52 seconds
crunches: 35
chair position (minutes or seconds held) : 2:16 sec.
Balance on L foot: 31 sec.
Balance on the R foot : 1:12 sec.

Goal: to increase times/reps to triple what i can do at start!
Reward: A bubble bath with the works (bubbles, candles, music, champagne, maybe hubby....

Heather's starting numbers:
* Girl Pushups -3
* Plank position 30 seconds
* crunches - 40
* chair position 30 seconds
* Balance on one foot - 60 seconds
* Balance on the other foot - 60 seconds

Goal: to double my times and number of pushups/situps! (I'm copying our fearless leader because she scares me when channeling Jillian)

Reward: New sexy bra

Monte's Starting Numbers
Modified Pushups: 6
Crunches: 25
Plank: 0:25
Chair: 0:42
Balance on Right Foot: 1:00
Balance on Left Foot: 1:00

Midpoint Numbers
Modified Pushups: 10
Crunches: 35
Plank: 0:40
Chair: 0.45
Right Foot: 1:45
Left Foot: 1:20

Final Numbers
Modified Pushups: 16
Crunches: 45
Plank: 0:51
Chair: 0:55
Right Foot: 2:10
Left Foot: 2:02

Goal: 12 pushups, 50 crunches, and double the times on the others.

Reward: Get Remington Steele on DVD.

I didn't completely make my goal, so I am only going to get the first two season. I shouldn't get them at all, but I want 'em!

Stacy's starting numbers:
* Pushups
* Plank position (minutes or seconds held)
* crunches
* chair position (minutes or seconds held)
* Balance on one foot
* Balance on the other foot

Goal: 50% increase...atleast!

Reward: Bob's book!
__________________

Karen's starting numbers:

* Pushups (Girl's) * Plank position (minutes or seconds held) * crunches * chair position (minutes or seconds held)* Balance on one foot * Balance on the other foot Goal: Originally I had the 25%, but that seemed too attainable. So I'm making a conservative goal of 50% increase and more aggressive goal of doubling my numbers.

Reward for Conservative Goal: Give donation to local recycling center - $15
Reward for Aggressive Goal: New flip flops and hat for beach vacation

50% goals met: pushups, plank, crunches

* Pushups -
4/29/08 - 8
5/5/08 - 9
5/12/08 - 10
5/14/08 - 12
5/16/08 - 12
* Plank position -
4/29/08 - 60 seconds
5/5/08 - 65 seconds
5/12/08 - 92 seconds
5/14/08 - 35 seconds
5/16/08 - 30 seconds
* Crunches -
4/29/08 - 20
5/5/08 - 25
5/12/08 - 50
5/14/08 - 55
5/16/08 - 60
* Chair position -
4/29/08 - 30 seconds
5/5/08 - 70 seconds
5/12/08 - 60 seconds
5/14/08 - 90 seconds
5/16/08 - 100 seconds
* Balance on left foot -
4/29/08 - 90 seconds
5/5/08- 105 seconds
5/12/08 - 21 seconds (oops, my balance was BAD today!)
5/14/08 - 30 seconds
5/16/08 - 35 seconds
* Balance on right foot -
4/29/08 - 32 seconds
5/5/08 - 43 seconds
5/12/08 - 20 seconds (ditto from the left foot!)
5/14/08 - 10 seconds
5/16/08 - 10 seconds

Goal: I'm going to go with a 50% increase (which means 12 pushups, 90 seconds plank, 30 crunches, 45 seconds chair, 135 seconds on the left foot and 48 seconds on the right foot!)

Reward: some new mp3s for my iPod!

So far I've achieved my plank goal, my crunch goal and my chair goal.
Gotta get crackin' on my pushup goal and my balance goal!

Well, I achieved all my goals - at least one time, except for my balance! I'm going to have to keep working on that one and the pushups!

Vanetta's Starting Numbers:

Pushups: 15
Plank position: 34 seconds
crunches: 10
chair position: 1 min. 26 sec.
Balance on left foot: 1 min. 5 sec.
Balance on right foot: 1 min. 13 sec.

Jewelie's starting numbers:
* Pushups 23
* Plank position (minutes or seconds held) 48 sec
* crunches 63
* chair position (minutes or seconds held) 1 min 10 sec
* Balance on Right foot 1 min 55 sec
* Balance on Left foot 1 min 27 sec

Goal: to double all the numbers, but especially the plank

Reward: a new outfit

Starting numbers:
* Pushups (girly)~
5/5 - 10
* Plank position ~
5/5 - 18 sec.
* crunches ~
5/5 - 40 - ever tried doing them with a chihuahua jumping on your face?!?!
* chair position (seconds held) ~
5/5 - 40 sec.
* Balance on one foot (right)~
5/5 - 108 sec.
* Balance on one foot (left) ~
5/5 - 110 sec.

GOAL: 20 push ups, 1 real push up, 45 seconds for plank, 65 crunches, 75 sec. chair position
REWARD: Wii Fit!!

Lonnie's Starting Numbers:
* Pushups- 0
* Plank position (minutes or seconds held)- 10 Seconds
* crunches- 30
* chair position (minutes or seconds held)- 20 Seconds
* Balance on one foot- 1 Minute
* Balance on the other foot-1 Minute
My Goal- Pushups- I will do atleast 10 without being on my knees, Plank Position- 30 Seconds to a Minute, Crunches- 60, Chair Position- 1 Minute, Balancing on My feet one at a time- 3 Minutes

My Reward-I always paint my toes myself so my reward will be a pedicure and a nice pair of flip flops

Roni's starting numbers:5/2/08

* Pushups- 20
* Plank position- 30s
* crunches- 80
* chair position -35 seconds (Hurt my knees)
* Balance on one foot (left) 60s
* Balance on the other foot (right) 60s (struggled)

Goal: to double my times!
Reward: New Running Shoes!

***************************************
5/13/08
* Pushups- 30
* Plank position- 30s No change. I suck at this.
* crunches- 110
* chair position -60 seconds and i thought I was gonna die!
* Balance on one foot (left) 90s
* Balance on the other foot (right) 75s (struggled)