The "Improve Everything in Under 5 Minutes... - Strength & Flex

Strength & Flex

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The "Improve Everything in Under 5 Minutes" Challenge

Rignold profile image
5 Replies

It has been a while since I threw down the challenge gauntlet. The 28 Beginner Squat Challenge back at the start of the year was fairly successful. The rather meandering and undefined Lent Challenge less so. This one is slightly different in that it is something I decided to do myself and then one of the admin in one of the other groups suggested I share it on the forums. It is not of my creation. I claim no credit for it. I'm just going to do it and invite any of you who wish to to take part too.

but "Improve everything in under 5 minutes"? That sounds a rather extravagant claim. It sounds like one of those clickbaity links that pop up on Facebook or the Tagline on the cover of a Health and Fitness magazine,

but yes. I guarantee that if you see this challenge through it will have a marked impact on your cardio vascular fitness level, your stamina, your leg and core strength and you will get significant visible body composition results, and it will never take up more than five minutes of your day.

After the collapse of the over complicated Lent Challenge, you will be glad to hear that this one requires no equipment whatsoever (other than a watch, clock or timer of some sort), only involves one exercise and that does not entail any complicated technique or real need to observe form. You can do it indoors or out. It will not interfere with any other training you may be doing. You will not get callouses or blisters. Karen from accounts will be giving you jealous/admiring glances before you are even at the halfway mark.

Assuming you are generally able bodied and do not have a medical condition that precludes exercise you can start from any level - obviously the fitter you are the quicker you may progress and if you are an absolute beginner it may take longer to get up to speed at the beginning.

The only caveat is that this is not a short challenge. As I said you may get through it faster or slower depending, but personally I am reckoning on about 90 days. But 5 minutes a day at the very outside. And faster, leaner, stronger... significantly... minutes off your race times, inches off your waist... guaranteed... or your money back.

The eagle-eyed and cynical among you may have notice that I have not given any specifics away yet. Just like those clickbaity websites and Fitness magazines, I'm trying to tantalise you into committing before giving away the secret. You'll love it though.

(actually that very last bit is not guaranteed to be true. Unless you're a masochist. But you will love the results)

So, who's in?

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Rignold profile image
Rignold
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5 Replies
ekomspots profile image
ekomspots

I'm in but my idea of squats is probably not yours. Trying to recover strength and flrxibility after broken ankle I do try to do "knee bends" several times a day...hardly squats but trying..😊

sunny369 profile image
sunny369

I'm curious to know how to improve everything in under five minutes?

Rignold profile image
Rignold in reply to sunny369

Ah, mea culpa, I did not post the follow up in this group. I posted it in the Weight Loss, C25k, Bridge to 10k and Marathon forums but forgot here. Doh!

I will see if I can dig it out and add it here, but basically, in the meantime, the short answer is burpees. The (eventual, very long term) goal is to get 100 burpees in 5 minutes. the process in he meanwhile is to work up to that.

It has been proving a lot harder than it even sounds, and is a daily short dose of pure misery, but an effective one. We are three weeks from the start now and I have been doing the burpees every day. I am still building my basic fitness level rather than increasing speed much, but my core strength has dramatically improved, I have lost 3.5kg and my burpee max has gone from 32 in 5 minutes to 58.

sunny369 profile image
sunny369

ha! well this should be interesting! I will be lucky if I can do burpees at all!! Still I suppose I can only improve....

Walkmore profile image
Walkmore

I’ve nothing to lose - apart from inches!!

Will give it a try 😀

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