Break out of your fitness comfort zone. “When you do
something that once seemed impossible, it boosts your self-esteem and provides
a sense of accomplishment,” says a trainer and the creator of fitbook+, a diet
and exercise goal-setting app. “And it can give you the tenacity to continue
when you encounter obstacles in other aspects of your life.” Ready to push your
workout limits? Set your sights on one or more of these eight goals. They won’t
just make you mentally tougher-they’ll help you get a stronger, slimmer, and
more flexible body too.
They won’t just
make you mentally tougher-they’ll help you get a stronger, slimmer, and more
flexible body too.
The goal: Do 5 pull-ups in a row
From middle school to the Marine corps, this exercise is the
ultimate test of strength.
“To lift your own body weight, you need a healthy ratio of
fat to muscle,” says Manzanares. Think women can’t raise themselves above the
bar? Peek in the window of a CrossFit gym for some major motivation, and then
follow this pull-up progression plan to eventually accomplish it yourself.
Do 5 pull-ups in a
row.
1.
Focus on the lowering phase
Use a high plyo box to position yourself at the top of the
pull-up position. Bend your knees and then slowly lower your body until your
arms are extended. Return to starting position. Do 3 sets of 5 reps three times
a week. When you can descend for 5 seconds, try the next version (below).
2.
Get a Spotter
Hold the bar with hands slightly wider than shoulders and
have a strong pal stand behind you. Try to pull up, with ankles crossed if
necessary, as your spotter helps lift your legs. Lower to starting position. Do
3 sets of 5 reps. When you can do 5 reps with minimal help from your friend,
try the variation below.
3.
Do half pull-ups
Stand on a plyo box that’s high enough so that when you grab
the bar your arms are bent about 45 degrees. Pull yourself up until your chin
is over the bar, then lower to starting position. Do 5 sets of 3. Easy?You’re
ready for a full pull-up.
The goal: Master crow pose
Meet the triple whammy of fitness:
“Crow challenges your strength, flexibility, and
brainpower,” says Kristin McGee, an NYC-based yoga and Pilates instructor. Her
program for nailing it:
Master crow pose.
1.
Strengthen your upper body
Twice a week, lie face up with knees bent and feet fat on
the floor. Hold a 15- to 20-pound dumbbell in each hand outside your shoulders.
Extend your arms straight up over your chest; hold for 30 seconds. Lower
weights to shoulders and repeat once more.
2.
Do garland pose daily
This deep squat will improve your flexibility for crow.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out. Squat
deeply. Press your palms together in front of your chest, and push your elbows
against your thighs [shown, top left].Hold for up to 60 seconds.
3.
Give crow a Shot
Once a week, get in garland pose, then place your hands on
the ground in front of you. Tip forward and rise up onto the balls of your
feet. Try to lift your right foot and then your left foot, pressing knees into
armpits and triceps into shins. Keep bending forward until feet are raised and
body is balanced on the backs of your upper arms [shown, top right].
The goal: Work out for 66 days straight
Think three weeks is the magic number for locking in a
habit?
You probably need three times that, according to a study in
the European Journal of Psychology. When researchers tracked people who were
working to establish a new behavior-such as jogging daily-they discovered that
the practice went on auto-pilot after an average of 66 days. If it sounds like
a lot of work, consider this: An exercise streak may actually be less taxing
(for your brain, at least) than trying to fit in sporadic sessions. “The first
three times you do something, it takes a lot of mental energy,” says clinical
psychologist Jennifer Taitz. But with repetition, the basal ganglia (the
habit-forming part of the brain) just takes over, and what once required
serious planning and willpower becomes easier. To boost your follow-through,
the study authors suggest tying your workout to a cue. For example, go to the
gym every day on your lunch hour, or jump rope while you wait for your morning
coffee to brew.
Think three weeks
is the magic number for locking in a habit?
