Get Strong: Your Monthly Fitness Challenge July 2022

This post originally appeared on the blog Stepping Away From the Edge July 22, 2022.

Several months ago, I introduced my monthly fitness challenge, explaining my “inspiration” and why I think it’s so important to do strength work ESPECIALLY as we age. (You can read all about that here.)

So.

How are you doing? By now, I hope you’re having some success with my challenges. Keep up the good work. Every day! (And if you haven’t started yet? Well. You can begin today!)

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Here’s this month’s fitness challenge:

Challenge #10 — Create a 2-minute Every Damn Day routine for yourself. And then do it . . . every damn day.

When it comes to improving our strength, consistency is key. This month, I’m challenging you to create a 2-minute routine that you can build into your day, every day. What you put in your 2-minute routine is completely up to you, based on what you want to work on regularly.

Here’s my 2-minute Every Damn Day routine: (Start your stop watch!)

First, I do 10 push-ups. (Why? Because I want to focus on strengthening my upper body and core, and push-ups are a great way for me to do that.)
Next, I do 5 pilates roll-ups. (Why? Because I want to maintain my core strength, stability, and flexibility. And I hate core work, so 5 is enough.)
Then, I do a yogic squat. (Why? Because it’s good for my hips, my knees, my legs, and my ankles. It keeps me flexible, and it translates into a functional movement I can incorporate into my life — squatting down in the garden, or when I’m doing housework, etc.)
From the yogic squat, I move back onto my butt and roll back into a plow pose. (Why? Flexibility and mobility, mostly — but it also keeps my spine supple . . . and it feels really good, too.)
Then I roll out of that and into another yogic squat.
From there, I stand up (no hands!), and do my hands-free sit-on-the-ground/stand-back-up practice. (Why? So I can keep getting up and down from the floor. Fighting gravity is a good thing to do every day.)

Done! (Hit your stopwatch again; It should be . . . just a couple of seconds over 2 minutes.)

I do this every day, usually after my meditation time, but sometimes I tack it on at the end of a yoga practice or other, regular workout. If I’m having a busy day and won’t have time for my regular workout, I do it just after I brush my teeth in the morning. It’s quick. It’s easy to do. It’s become a habit.

As you create your own 2-minute routine, the most important thing is to keep it short, simple, and filled with do-able elements that YOU need. You don’t need to sweat. You don’t need to suffer. You don’t need to change clothes, even. You just need to do it every day.

So. What are you going to include in your 2-minute routine? That’s up to you! Consider what you want to work on, and what will help you get stronger. Some elements you might consider: