April Abs Exercise Challenge

Welcome to the April Abs Challenge for April

My monthly exercise challenge for April is one for the core; this challenge has two exercises each day, one to target the upper abdominals and one to target the lower abdominals. All you need is a few minutes each day and a little motivation; we will get you into the habit of doing a little exercise every day. The challenge is progressive and simple, just going up by one rep daily. The two exercises will only take a little time to complete. Our challenges are designed to keep you active and working, NOT to provide ridiculously hard workouts; participation is important.

Each exercise has progressive variations to suit your fitness and ability level.

This exercise challenge will work your abdominal muscles daily, building strength and stamina and improving core stability. The abdominals are essential in everyday life and should not be understated; they help support your trunk, protect your lower back, and enable you to go about your day. A sound core will ensure you can perform at your best, prevent injury, and perform manual tasks without fatigue.

Equipment Needed

• A Good Exercise Mat

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Test your progress

To test how we get on throughout the month and how well you’ve progressed, it’s a good idea to perform a simple sit-up test. It would be helpful to recruit a friend or loved one to help you time your effort and keep count. All you need to do is set a timer to one minute and perform as many repetitions of a full sit-up exercise as you can within the minute.

Warning: If you feel pain during the test or are unable to continue, stop and record the number you achieved.

Repeat the test at the end of the month to check how much progress you have made.

Scoring the Challenge

The challenge is split into three levels to score your progress; you don’t need to keep to one level; you can mix & match and go up or down a level. Each level has a score associated with it. Use the free-scoring sheet available for download below to track your progress and tally your monthly total score.

You get either one, two, or three points for the target level and one, two, or three points for the exercise variation. You can earn a maximum of ‘6’ per day and a minimum of ‘2’, unless you skip a day, in which case it would be ‘0’.

Download Scoring Sheet

April Abs Challenge Scoring Sheet 70 KB 55 downloads

Scoring sheet to be used with the April Abs Challenge …

Download

For example, if you choose the LEVEL 2 target Guide and the Level 2 Exercise Level of Box Crunch and Alternate Leg Lower, you will get two points for the targets achieved and two points for the exercise variation, for a total of four points for the day.

NOTE: You can choose a level 1 target with a level 3 exercise level or any other combination; use the scoring sheet to track each day. 

Challenge Design

The April Abs challenge has been put together as a simple ascending pyramid design programme, with reps going up at a steady rate of one per day for Crunches and leg Lowers. Don’t be fooled by its simplicity. These challenges aim to get you moving and doing something daily.

The willpower required to get yourself doing these exercises will often be greater than the effort needed to do them.

Your Daily Target Guide

To start, lie on your back in the supine position with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.

• Choose the arm position for the chosen intensity.
• From this position contract, your abdominal muscles lift your head, shoulders and mid-back off the floor, 
• Hold this position at the top for a second or two and slowly resist as you lower yourself back to the floor.
• Remember not to thrust your upper body up off the floor.

Leg Lower

To start, lie on your back in the supine position with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart. You will now raise one or both legs off the floor and maintain a 90-degree angle or straighten fully, depending on the level of intensity you require. 

• Focus on lowering yourself towards the floor slowly & under control
• Maintain abdominal tension
• Remember to breathe