So last month I did a 30-day plank Challenge. Didn't quite make it to 300s, but I did go from barely being able to plank for 20s to making it for 100s and I was happy with that.

This month, I want to try an EASY beginner's ab crunch challenge. I'm attaching a calendar. All we have to do is follow the calendar and post our successes here.

Who wants to join?

Performing the basic crunch

Follow these steps to perform crunches:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Place your hands behind your head so your thumbs are behind your ears.
3. Hold your elbows out to the sides but rounded slightly in.
4. Tilt your chin slightly, leaving a few inches of space between your chin and your chest.
5. Gently pull your abdominals inward.
6. Curl up and forward so that your head, neck, and shoulder blades lift off the floor.
7. Hold for a moment at the top of the movement and then lower slowly back down.

Gym alternative: Ball crunch

You can use a large plastic exercise ball (sometimes called a physioball) as an alternative to the basic crunch described above. Follow these steps:

1. Sit on a physioball and roll your torso down so that your back — from your shoulder blades down to your tailbone — is resting on the curve of the ball and your head, neck, and shoulders are above the ball. Your knees are bent, and your feet are planted on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Perform the same abdominal curling movement as you do for the basic crunch. You have to move slowly and keep your abdominal muscles fully engaged to keep yourself from wiggling around on the ball or rolling off of it.

30 Down!!

And how many did the little man get in today?

30 Down!!

And how many did the little man get in today?

None.... today I got watched from the couch with huge blue eyes that blinked slow!! He's feeling sickly today

None.... today I got watched from the couch with huge blue eyes that blinked slow!! He's feeling sickly today

Aww. Poor baby

Sick boys are so sad!! He's been laying on me all day

35...happy to report that my sickly monkey was down on the floor with me tryn again tonight. He got 2 1/2.....lmao

65 today to make up for 0 yesterday so I am up to date.

I may bail on this challenge. Not sure yet. I will give it a few more days to see if it makes sense to do this one with my daily workout (cross fit), the plank challenge, work and family time. Fit 20 knees to elbows in after doing the plank hold for the other challenge. Again, did these after the primary workout of sprinting a mile and doing some rounds of 10 rep max back squats so already taxed for energy. I do not have time to spend more time or, dare I say, energy, in the gym and spend close to 1.5 hours as it is doing all the prescribed cross fit stuff (warmup, mobility, pre workout, skill, workout,cool down, stretching). Not enough hours in the day. Hope I do not let you down if I duck out.

Edited December 5, 201312 yr by Fiddleman

I just got to my hotel room so won't be happening tonight. Will try to make it up tomorrow.

Sorry I have missed the ab crunches. Been stuck in offices, airports and 18+ hour days. Was meant to make it home tonight, but DFW airport is shut down so will be stuck in Atlanta. Don't you hate when life interferes with our plans?

I sure do. In the project management world when this happens, we call it reality because it looks so good written down on paper.

I may bail on this challenge. Not sure yet. I will give it a few more days to see if it makes sense to do this one with my daily workout (cross fit), the plank challenge, work and family time. Fit 20 knees to elbows in after doing the plank hold for the other challenge. Again, did these after the primary workout of sprinting a mile and doing some rounds of 10 rep max back squats so already taxed for energy. I do not have time to spend more time or, dare I say, energy, in the gym and spend close to 1.5 hours as it is doing all the prescribed cross fit stuff (warmup, mobility, pre workout, skill, workout,cool down, stretching). Not enough hours in the day. Hope I do not let you down if I duck out.

Fiddleman, you can bail on this topic. When Gamegirl started this one she said it was "easy" and I think your exercise skills are way past easy.

Gonna make up last 2 days and do todays

40 today

I am caught up. I got my grandchildren ages 4 and 2 to do some with me. They soon lost interest but it was cute to see them crunching along.

I never find these challenges until way late! I'm starting tomorrow (as it's just about 11pm)