Ed Tech Fitness

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core strength

Ed Tech Fitness Challenge – Get to the Core!

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Strengthening your core (a loose description of back and stomach muscles) has many benefits in everyday life as well as when you are engaged in vigorous exercise. This week let’s work on gaining those benefits!

Benefits of Core Strengthening

Harvard Health has a good overview of the benefits of improving core strength (https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-real-world-benefits-of-strengthening-your-core). Strengthening your core can improve your posture, can make you less susceptible to incurring “muscle tweaks” from routine tasks, and improve your balance. Anecdotally, I feel like my aerobic capacity is better when my core strength is better too.

Challenge of the Week

This week spend some time each day doing an exercise to improve your core strength. There are lots exercises that you can do to improve your core strength. Pick an exercise that works for you and your current fitness level.

I did a lot of planking earlier this year. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of hanging crunches (not recommended if you haven’t done any core work in a while). Here’s a good core exercise routine for beginners that doesn’t involve any crunches.

Ed Tech Fitness Challenge of the Week – Bird Dog

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What a difference a week makes! At this time last week everyone in Maine was grumbling about the possibility of more snow. Today, we’re grumbling about humidity and thunderstorms in the forecast. Over the weekend it was nice enough to get outside to play. I got in a 62 mile bike ride on Saturday as part of my training for a 200 miler at the end of June. How was your weekend?

The top of Evans Notch in the White Mountain National Forest. Beautiful place for a bike ride.

Challenge of the Week!

This week’s challenge is a fun one! This week we’re doing a core strengthening exercise called bird dogs. This exercise looks kind of funny and it is actually fun to do. When done properly, bird dogs will improve your balance and core strength.

You do this exercise starting on your hands and knees then lift your right arm and left leg, then switch. Watch the following video starting at the 5:09 mark to see a demonstration.

Calendar of Ed Tech Fitness Challenges

The calendar of May’s previous challenges and the upcoming challenges is available right here.

Good luck this week!

Requisite disclaimer: I am not a medical professional or personal trainer. Please consult your physician or personal trainer if you have any questions about your ability to complete these exercises.