Day 11 - Triceps Push-ups

Exercise Description

As per push-ups but start with hands underneath chest and thumbs touching.

Options & Modifications
Move hands slightly apart to make it easier. Touch your chest to your hands to make it harder.

Bonus Tip
Don’t use push-up bars due to risk of them tipping over. Concentrate on a straight back and a neutral spine!

Don't Forget
I'm holding a little contest to win a $25 iTunes Giftcard!! Send me your photos of you taking part in the challenge then share them on the InSpiral Facebook page or on instagram using the Hashtag #chris50at50 or email them to me. I'll award the prize to the most entertaining photo (as judged by Moi! It could be a silly photo, a weird workout location or just spectacular scenery or surprise me!!...). Multiple entries per person are welcome. Judges decision will be final. No monetary alternative available. Electronic gift card will be emailed to the winner within 10 days. All photos must be posted by 1st May 2013 to be eligible.

Day 10 - Russian Twists

Exercise Description

Sit on the floor with feet together. Lean back to a 45-degree angle off the floor and lift legs up to 30 degrees. Clasp hands together and using the side obliques, twist the upper body from side to side, touching the floor on each side.

Video Demonstration
Click HERE to view the video demonstration



Options & Modifications
Clasp one dumbbell in both hands to make it harder, rest feet on the floor to make it easier.

Bonus Tip
Suck your belly button in toward your back and tense your abs. Don't forget to breathe... 

Day 9 - Jumping Jacks

Exercise Description

Start by standing upright, feet together with hands by your sides. With a jump, open your legs so feet are a little wider than shoulder width apart. At the same time bring arms above your head so they touch. Jump again back to the start position. Repeat 50 times.

Video Demonstration
Click HERE to view the video demonstration



Options & Modifications

Make it easier by taking feet less wide and hands just to shoulder level. Make it harder by turning it into a star jump – open legs and bring arms up on the way up, land in the start position.

Bonus Tip

The further the hands are from the body, (straight arms) the more difficult it is.

Don't Forget
I'm holding a little contest to win a $25 iTunes Giftcard!! Send me your photos of you taking part in the challenge then share them on the InSpiral Facebook page or on instagram using the Hashtag #chris50at50 or email them to me. I'll award the prize to the most entertaining photo (as judged by Moi! It could be a silly photo, a weird workout location or just spectacular scenery or surprise me!!...). Multiple entries per person are welcome. Judges decision will be final. No monetary alternative available. Electronic gift card will be emailed to the winner within 10 days. All photos must be posted by 1st May 2013 to be eligible.

50 @ 50 - the story so far...

So we’re one week in and it seems like a lot of people are enjoying my, (our) 50 @ 50 challenge. Photo proof will follow at a later date.

Currently we have 135 budding athletes signed up – plus a few kids helping their struggling parents; that’s almost 7,000 push-ups and as many as 13,500 high knees between us, not to mention of course two hours of planking!!!

We have people form every walk of life, every age and from across Canada, the USA, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Cyprus, Israel, Hong Kong and Australia and one guy who has spent many years cycling most of the way round the world – and these are just the ones I know about! We have a 62 year old ex Cambridge University Professor – fitter than most people half his age, and my own awesome Mum at the young age of 80! Also joining us are a few ex ‘Airborne Forces’ guys who know all about going beyond their limits, a guy who pushed me beyond my limits during my own Airborne training and who also coached the current Deca-triathlon world champion. (That’s TEN Ironman triathlons in one event – Google Simon Bourne!) We have some young Mums, (OK Moms!) who are all experts in sleep deprivation, a skydive school owner with many thousands of skydives under her belt. We have a female bodyguard, some health coaches who just couldn't turn down the challenge, a guy who less than two years ago broke his back in a motorcycle accident, (who also ‘mistakenly’ did 50 reps of 50 second planks!!!). We have at least two physios – so if anyone pushes too hard I know who to call and at least one person with the same birthday as mine, if somewhat younger!

So we've had an excellent first week, thanks to all for joining me as I (try to) age gracefully – here’s to the next three weeks…

And if you're joining the party late.....WELCOME!

Feel free to jump into the challenge at any time! And don't worry about feeling the need to catch up; just join in on whatever date you want to, do that day's exercise and then just carry on into May...:-)

Day 8 - Shoulder Press

Exercise Description

Stand with knees slightly bent and feet shoulder width apart. Start with weights level with shoulders. Press weights straight up until arms straight, lower slowly.

Video Demonstration
Click HERE to view the video demonstration

Options & Modifications

Add weight or slow right down for more difficulty.

Bonus tip

Start with weights high and keeping one arm straight, lower and raise the opposite weight so that one arm is always straight up.

Day 7 - Tree Pose

Exercise Description

Not rocket science really, see photo! Hold for 50 seconds on each leg.

Options & Modifications

Place bent leg on calf for ease, above knee for more difficulty.
Place arms straight up in air (more difficult to maintain balance) or keep hands by your chest in prayer pose to help centre balance.

Bonus tip

Close eyes and relax – if you can…

And Don't Forget...
I'm holding a little contest to win a $25 iTunes Giftcard!! Send me your photos of you taking part in the challenge then share them on the InSpiral Facebook page or on instagram using the Hashtag #chris50at50 or email them to me. I'll award the prize to the most entertaining photo (as judged by Moi! It could be a silly photo, a weird workout location or just spectacular scenery or surprise me!!...). Multiple entries per person are welcome. Judges decision will be final. No monetary alternative available. Electronic gift card will be emailed to the winner within 10 days. All photos must be posted by 1st May 2013 to be eligible.

Casting my net...Stuff you should read

So how's it going this week? I hope you're all still 'bringing it' when it comes to the 50 @ 50 Challenge!! I've been tacking on the reps at the end of my usual workouts - it seems many of you have been doing the same. Some of them also work well as part of your warm-up routine - like the jumping jacks or jump lunges coming up this week. Keep posting your photos too! There's a $25 iTunes gift-card up for grabs for the photo I deem most entertaining or spectacular!



I took my 'mid-term' exam as part of my studies this week and as a result I'm excited that I'm now certified as a Health & Nutrition Coach and am now taking clients. (I'm looking forward to telling you more on that soon!) As part of my studies I'm doing a tonne of reading these days! (yes, for those sarcastic 'mates' out there, I CAN read!) But isn't modern studying just great? - gotta love the internet for over-whelming yourself with information. And it got me thinking that I want to put some of those great articles I read in one place - so I can reference back to them, but also, so I can share some great resources and interesting reads with you guys too. So every couple of weeks I'll be 'Casting my Net' across the interwebs and bringing you my list of stuff you should read!

So here it is; this week I've been Casting my Net here;

• Despite what you may have heard, overcoming food cravings can actually have little to do with willpower. Go easy on yourself, the body has powerful mechanisms that move us to eat. Here are 7 ways to free yourself from food cravings
• We all have them....those poor, sad, withered fruits and veggies you forget about at the bottom of your fridge, not to mention the waste of money or precious gardening time - here are 8 new tricks that will miraculously extend the life of your produce. 
• Do you suffer from fatigue or low energy? Do you eat healthfully yet wonder why you can’t lose weight? This post discusses How to keep you Adrenal Glands healthy with the Proper Foods (and covers what the Adrenal Glands are, and why they matter, just in case you were wondering!)
• I'm a big fan of dried fruit mixed in with a home-made trail mix as a tasty snack but is it good or bad for me - the answer is here! 
• And finally for now, How to get Sh!t done working from Home was a must read for me - I'm still fairly new to this, and when there's a new motorbike in the garage it gets a little tricky staying on track, right?!...right!!