Crunches...

An everyday system, TM, is a simple, commonsense solution to an everyday problem, grounded by a pun or metaphor. Propose/discuss new systems here.
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gratefuldeb67
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Crunches...

Post by gratefuldeb67 » Wed Jan 11, 2006 5:21 pm

Okay, so I got this "Ab Roller" from my Mom's house last week and it's been sitting around for a few days...
But I used it today... Pretty cool device... I used to use it, right after my pregnancy, and C section birth of Richie in 1996... Between the grossly stretched out tummy muscles I had "undeveloped" due to my obesity and carrying around a mini football player (He was 11 lbs at birth.. LOL..), and the fact that I was stooping over much of the day, from nursing and bathing him, etc... my back wasn't much of a happy camper... After only about a month of exercise with it, every day, I was able to lose about one or two inches from my waist, and my back aches disappeared... And they were really bad, so it was a great way to rehabilitate...

So I'm making this a new "Every day system"...
Wish me luck... I just need to carve out the time every day, and stick to it, like with the Shovelglove protocol...
It took less than fourteen minutes and I did five sets of twenty crunches today... In the past I worked up to about 200 per day in sets of fifty, I think... I could definitely feel the muscles being isolated and it didn't strain my neck, since there's this nifty pad you rest your head on...

Incase anyone is interested in one of these, I think it was around $25 back a few years ago... Whether or not this is "interesting" or anything our forfathers did out in the fields, which it isn't, it isn't unpleasant either.. And I'm in desperate need of losing that stomach already!
(See photo of me on page 27 where my Buddha belly is hanging out!)

See you here in another week!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb

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gratefuldeb67
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Fri Jan 13, 2006 4:33 pm

Hi Guys and Gals! :lol:

I had to take a break from all exercise yesterday as I had a whopping nice spasm in my neck and upper back.. Fortunately, though I don't take it much, the ibuprofen in my medicine cabinet enabled me to relax and sleep last night and much of the pain is gone...
I'm pretty certain that a triggerpoint was just building up all week from being mentally stressed out and probably not having a great way to release my stress... Wow.. Even Yoga has only been a temporary stress reliever for me for the last two weeks..

Well I'm better today, so I decided to get back to the crunch regime I started... I'm tricking myself into doing them by saying "You can't have breakfast till your abs workout is done..." It's better anyway, to exercise on an empty stomach...

Hey! Check this out...
Last time I needed to take breaks and do five sets of 20...
Today I blasted through 100 crunches at once!!!
Yay!!!!!
That really surprised me!
Cool... :D And it only took me a few minutes...
Yeah.. this ab roller thing is working for me!
I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind "degrading floor exercises"... LOL...

Muscle Adaptation is amazing!!!! And I skipped a day yesterday...
Well maybe that break was healthy after all...

I look forward to changing my waistline this year, and feeling comfortable in my normal pants, not just my stretchy waist leggings!
LOL...

Peace and Love and soon to be looser pants!
8) Deb

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carolejo
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Post by carolejo » Wed Jan 18, 2006 5:00 pm

So, Deb... With this ab roller and all those crunches, one could say that you're really *ROCKIN* :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry. Terrible pun. Just couldn't resist.
C.
CaroleJo

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gratefuldeb67
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:26 pm

I am rolling and a rockin!!!!
Woo hoo!!!!!

Love your pun girl!

Have a great day!
Did you see my post on the "FSCK the gym" LOL ?

Love,
8) Deb

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:41 pm

Update here on the crunch front...
I have to say that I am amazed at how little back pain I experience from the four hours of shovelling snow yesterday...
I did feel some minor tightness, as a result of the cold and exertion, but I haven't got a stich of soreness today.. I'm really surprised..
It occured to me that I've been doing crunches, pretty much every week, for at least five days of the week and I'm pretty sure that my stomach muscles had some extra strength, which is needed to support the back, from it...
Yay!!!!!!

My latest move is to do half of the crunches with my feet on the floor, and then I wiggle up to a wall and put my feet up above my chest, with my legs bent at a ninety degree angle at the knees, and then I do the rest...
I really feel it when I get my low back down onto the ground in this way..
Still only doing 200 of them, but I know that if I suddenly start making myself do 400 or something, I'll just bail...
200 feels just right for now...

I love this ab roller thing!
Other than SG, I would definitely highly recommend this piece of exercise equipment for people considering doing crunches... It doesn't do the work for you, but it puts you into the best position and supports the neck and arms so you use your stomach, not your neck to do the work..

Have a great day all!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb

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Jammin' Jan
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Post by Jammin' Jan » Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:50 pm

I'm glad the ab roller is working so well for you. Crunches are really important exercises, not only to strengthen ab muscles, but, as you said, to provide strength for the back as well.

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:08 pm

Thanks Jan!!!
Happy Valentines Crunches!!!
LOL...
Love,
8) Deb

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:20 pm

I cranked out 300 crunches in one sitting just now!!!!!!
Flat belly, (or at least normal!) here I come!!!!!!!!!!!

Woo hoo!!!!!!

My rule these days is "No breakfast unless crunches are done" It's working very well!
Yay!!!!
Love,
8) Deb

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Jammin' Jan
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Post by Jammin' Jan » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:15 pm

If you did them mid-morning, you could say:


NO CRUNCH, NO LUNCH


Love,

Me

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gratefuldeb67
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:11 pm

That's great Jan!!!
LOL...

Love,
8) Deb

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:47 pm

Well yesterday I did my crunches while pizza was cooking in the oven..
Sadly dinner doesn't rhyme with Crunches...
I guess I could say, "No munches before Crunches?" :shock: :lol:
I think it took me about four or five minutes to do 300.. :twisted:
I like that number.. I decided that's what I'm going to do and not worry about doing more and progressing...
I can intensify these easily just by altering the speed and intention of my breath as well as using the mula bandha, which is an energy lock taken from Yoga, that involves the chakra system...
I was using some Bach concerto for rhythm and just kept cranking out the crunches in tempo with the piece..
It was a third movement, so
Allegro!!!

I didn't do crunches or anything yet.. I didn't even eat breakfast..
LOL...
Well seeya later..
Love and strong and sexy tummys!
8) Deb

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:33 pm

I did 400 crunches today!
w00t w00t!!!
But that's all I did, because I am really pooped out otherwise.. So still no UR or any SG and not even Yoga..
But I will be there tomorrow morning~

This time the first hundred hurt... My mind has been worrying excessively the last few days, and the abs are where both the Kidney and Stomach meridians run... Stomach chi is severly affected by worry.. And Kidneys store our Jing and this is what we use up to "Achieve our destiny" and lately I've been trying to push myself forward in a big way with all the job hunting promoting etc... This is taxing my Jing....My abs felt pretty sore, for "no good reason" especially because I only did 125 or so yesterday.. So I attribute this soreness from stuck chi... My low back has been aching on and off all day today, in one spot.. Behind my right Kidney.. Almost feels like period pain again.. Dull..Annoying..
Definitely need to watch out that I don't push myself too hard, as I feel close to my physical/mental limit...
But once I got into my rhythm, I was cool.. I was listening to Bach's French Suites played by my favorite Canadian musician, Glenn Gould.. :wink:
And I was keeping time with the music...
No wonder four hundred were so doable.. He plays fast! LOL...
I'm really happy about my good run of days here...
Can't imagine how I'll be a few months from now...
Severe sexyness is on order! :twisted:

Ha ha ha!!!

Have a nice evening everyone :)
Love,
8) Deb

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:08 pm

Hey you guys :)

I didn't do too much today except make calls and stuff for work..
Yay, I have a decent looking interview on the horizon next week..

I've been a real lazy Debbie today, but after 3:00 I woke up! LOL..
Did some meditation, some Yoga, and then I put on one of my favorite recordings by my friend Premik
(visit www.premik.com to see my friend.. He is cool!)

harnessed my oujai breath, locked my bandhas in place and away I went!!!

I did 500 crunches...
Yeah baby yeah! :mrgreen:

I really am psyched that these have been so doable.. They are almost too easy and it's making me wonder why? LOL.
I guess my muscles keep on adapting, and so I'm trying to continue to progressively challenge them..
I don't care if I have a six pack, but I would love love love to be able to look down there and not see a keg of flab!
LOL..
It is happening!

Glad I don't mind being on the floor like a degraded beast! :twisted:
Heh.. Had to say that!
LOL..

Here's to Everyday exercise systems!!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:13 am

Since it's Sunday, I decided to do a small amount of crunches..
Just made it to a little over 200!

Well it still beats skipping out..

Peace and Love,
8) Deb

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Post by carolejo » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:27 pm

Hi Deb,

you could try this thing we do in aerobics class - without the Ab roller, lie on your back with your knees bent up, raise your upper body off the floor an inch with your hands by your sides, than alternately tap your left knee, right knee left knee and so on about 30 times before you let yourself go back down again. KILLER and it works the oblique abs as well as the central ones.

C.
CaroleJo

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:56 pm

That's good core work...
Thanks Carolejo!
Hope you are enjoying your class!

I tend to do about an average of 250 with my feet up on the wall and my knees bent to 90 degrees... low back stays flatter that way..
Then once I'm into my last hundred, I start getting creative by moving away from the wall and keeping my feet up with my knees straight and my legs at about a 50 degree angle to the ground so when I come up with my crunch it creates a "V" shape... I can usually only do about 20 of these max before I have to lower my legs to the wall again...
I'm not too worried about my obliques to be honest... the rectus is really what I want to rehabilitate.. I had two operations in the last 12 years to that muscle (laser surgery to my pelvic cavity for removal of extensive endometriotic adhesions in 1994 and then my C-section birth of Richard, who was 11 lbs, and didn't want to come out! LOL...)

I like to work the obliques with Shovelglove and Yoga...

When I'm doing the crunches, I find it important to pull in my belly to my spine and really focus on keeping my low back flat... So, for now, I'm jut sticking with straight crunches..

How's your Dutch coming?
I keep imagining Goldmember in his golden velour sports jumpsuit saying
"Yesh Aushtin Powazhh", "You look toyt! Toyt like a toygah..."
LOL...

Do they really all have that National speech impediment where they "Sh" everything?
LOL..

Hope you have a great day CJ!
Love ya!
Peace,
8) Deb

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:45 pm

Could only muster up a measely 300 crunches today..
What is the world coming to?
LOL..

I used Jammin Jan's exercise mantra
No crunches no lunches..

Hunger is a pretty good exercise motivator!

To be continued.........
Peace and Love,
8) Deb

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:18 pm

300 crunches this morning :lol:

I am feeling my stomach tightening up and feeling strong..
It's an amazing feeling!

Have a great afternoon all!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb[/b]

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:32 am

Ooooh this is the first N day that I totally didn't do any crunches..
I didn't do too much of anything today..
That will stop tomorrow!

See you then!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:15 pm

Mustered up 200 crunches this morning despite the imminent arrival of my period any day now! They were a bit harder because of that.... :roll:

But the "non optional" aspect of EDS is great when you get it to start working in your favor!

Kickin my own ass!!!! :twisted:

When I'm more energetic, I'll up the amount... For now, as long as I make the effort, I don't care how many I do, as long as it's not 10!
LOL...
Everyday...
No excuses!

Have a nice afternoon all :)
Peace and Love,
8) Deb
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:04 am

Hi guys!
Wow I have totally taken an exercise *halt* this week...
But today I finally got my period... It was supposed to come around Thursday... The last three months I've been getting it later than 28 days..
A major pms annoyance, as as soon as I get my period, within 24 hours later, I'm ready for moderate exercise again and feel 100% more human..
It's been a very very weird week for me emotionally and I even skipped all Yoga, since last Sunday..
This insanity is ending right now!
Even if I only have the time for 14 minutes of SG, Crunches, Yoga or just meditation (which I am now making a mandatory part of every morning for myself :D ) it has a fantastic effect on me, just knowing I care for myself!
Whereas the lack of anything self caring, has very detrimental effects on my self esteem...

Weird.. Once I got into the habit of the daily crunches, and just took off five days, it literally feels like three times that amount!

Here's to a wonderful week!
Peace and Love,
8) Deb
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

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