Thursday Workout

[Jeremy Austin]

Abs and cardio again, just like Monday.

Start by doing the ab routine. If you
can't make it all the way to 2 minutes with the plank then just go as
long as you can. After that rest for about two minutes then start on
the cardio portion. Try not to rest between the pushups and the
intervals. By the end 5 pushups should be really hard. Be sure to
stretch before and after the workout and to drink lots of water.

Ab routine
2 minute plank
2 minute rest
1 minute side plank (one minute each side)
30 second rest
20 Mountain climbers (10 with each leg)

Cardio/interval training
(To be done with no rest besides the rest built in to your interval)
5 pushups
1 interval
10 pushups
1 interval
15 pushups
1 interval
10 pushups
1 interval
5 pushups
1 interval

Nobody has an idea about why Planks are better than crunches.

[Owen Townes]

For what we do, I'd guess planks are better than crunches because when
we're in stance it's a continuous strain on our lower abs, rather than
a rhythmic strain, to hold us upright

[Archimedes]

Well, I managed to get through the cardio, but I didn't quite finish the side-planks.  Doing the exercises after fencing practice may not have been the best idea.  Thankfully, I can sleep until noon tomorrow anyway.

--
~There are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others; the first is the most excellent, the second is good, and the third is useless. -Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince", Chapter 22

[Dante di Pietro]

Plyometric exercise.

[Jeremy Austin]

Good points, Wistric I was thinking a little bit more generic as in why planks are better in general for your abs.

The reason is this. You abs, obliques and lower back are stabalizer mucles. They combine to hold your core still while some other part of you body moves (actually they are employed when almost any part of your body moves). A crunch tries to stimulate the muscles by contraction and expansion, something your core rarely does. Plank's stimulate your whole core by making them perform their primary function (stabilization) for an extended period of time. Same with mountain climbers, your core has to stabilize your body while you limbs move.

Also, the way to get a "six pack" has more to do with decreasing belly fat than doing ab exercises.

[Phillip Jones]

Didn't do the Thursday workout. Sick and ended up working from home all day til about midnight...still trying to figure out how that happened...

[Martha Kwoka]

I actually did try the thursday workout...not to great results...I've
got to do more of these, for me the planks are more tiring on my arms
than my abs. I had to drop about once per to try to give my arms a
break then immediatly back up. The intervals, i dont think i had
enough water or food before and got dizzy and could only go half way
through them. Will do better this week.
-ilaria