Dear Friends,
It's World Down Syndrome Day!
Today, March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day, and we raised $2158 this past weekend for Ruby's Rainbow and the 3/21 Pledge! Thank you to our host, Jessica Kissane, her family, and especially her daughter Cassidy, for providing rainbow balloons, headbands, and beads for all the dancers that came in-person! Your donation will help students with Down Syndrome achieve their dreams of going to college!Thank you to my dear friend, Shannon Larsen, (who I used to dance with 20 years ago), for driving over an hour to attend her first class with me on Saturday, making yummy cookies and drinks from Arbonne products for everyone, and putting together this incredible one minute highlight reel of Saturday's fundraising event!
Click the image below to watch highlights of our 3/21 Pledge Stop Drop and Dance fundraiser (don't forget to unmute the video!)
*LAST FIVE DAYS!*
Days 21-25 ABS Challenge
Congratulations!!! We are down to our last five days of our 25 Day ABS challenge! If you have stuck with the entire program since March 1st, I KNOW your core is stronger! Great job! I have stuck with it each day as well, and although it hasn't been easy, I will say that 4-8 minutes is just enough time to tell myself, "No Excuses," and get it done!
For these last five days, we are moving to EIGHT minutes!!! Just do your best, whatever that looks like. If you're just starting, welcome! If you started and stopped, re-start again now! If it's too long, feel free to mix up exercises if you need to, or modify them to help you get through all 8 minutes. Let's finish strong!
What you need:
- Yoga mat
- Clock, stopwatch, or timer that shows seconds (iPhone Clock App has a stopwatch!)
- SAVE these newsletters to refer to exercises
How it works:
Complete each exercise as many times as you can for 50 seconds work and 10 seconds rest. This is 1 round. Feel free to modify exercises and take extra breaks if you need it, but try to complete all the rounds for that day! If you miss a day, double up on the next day if you can =)
- March 1-5: Complete 4 rounds (done)
- March 6-10: Complete 5 rounds (done)
- March 11-15: Complete 6 rounds (done)
- March 16-20: Complete 7 rounds (done)
- March 21-25: Complete 8 rounds (THIS EMAIL)
Bonus Round:
Building core strength and toning abdominal muscles requires cardio as well! As an added challenge, try to reach 10,000 steps everyday for 25 days! This is easy to track on the Health App if you have an iPhone or Apple Watch, or invest in a pedometer! Get outside, go for a walk or run, dance with us, or simply march/jog in place at night when you watch TV instead of sitting on the couch!
March 21st: Hundreds (More or Less)
Starting Position: Lie on back with legs together towards the ceiling. Extend actively through toes and lower legs towards floor, keeping entire back pressed into mat below. Lift head and shoulder blades off floor and reach fingers actively towards feet. Look towards toes and keep chin tucked towards chest.
Movement: With arms completely straight and fingers glued together, begin to pump arms a few inches up and down as you hold the rest of your body still. Take 5 short breaths in with 5 pumps, and 5 short breaths out with the next 5 pumps. Keep repeating until time is finished.
Modification: Make it easier by bending your knees 90 degrees with shins parallel to the ground and keeping the upper body pumping motion. Make it harder by keeping legs and arms only a few inches from the ground, as long as the lower back does not lift off the floor.
-----
March 22nd: Awkward Plank to Locust
Starting Position: Place hands and feet shoulder distance apart in a high plank. Keep a diagonal line from heels to hips to shoulders. Pull belly up to spine and engage core.
Movement: Lift opposite arm and leg off the floor at the same time with as much control as possible. Lower entire body down to the ground and lift hands and legs off the floor. Push back up to an awkward plank with the other leg and arm lifted up. Repeat movement. *This GIF is sped up in order to decrease the file size. Slow down this movement and focus on control!*
Modification: Make it easier by lowering knees to mat in a kneeling plank for the entire movement including the awkward plank and the kneeling pushup. Or from a full plank position, only lift the leg or arm instead of both. Other options include standing and placing hands against a wall or use the back of a sturdy couch or bench (be mindful floor is not slippery). Take extra breaks when you need to, even if it's after every repetition! Just keep going!
-----
March 23rd: Leg Lift to Mini Shoulder Stand
Starting Position: Lie on back with legs together up towards the ceiling. Bend elbows next to ribcage with hands pointed up towards the ceiling. Press entire back and head onto mat and chin away from chest.
Movement: Lower legs down a few inches off of mat as long as lower back does not lift off ground. Without momentum, lift legs back up towards ceiling and take a reverse curl to a mini shoulder stand by digging elbows deeply into mat to help you lift higher. Focus on how slowly and controlled you can lower your back down from the shoulder stand. Repeat movement.
Modification: Make it easier by lowering legs only halfway down towards mat (45 degree angle). Make it easier by lifting only into a reverse curl versus as high as the mini shoulder stand. Make it harder by lowering from the shoulder stand super slow!
-----
March 24th: Alternating Oblique Sit Up
Starting Position: Lie down on back with legs together on the ground. Bring arms out to the sides with palms facing down.
Movement: Lean to one side and lift knees diagonally up towards the chest. Press bottom hand and forearm firmly on the ground to help you lift up. Bring top elbow to crunch towards knees. Repeat on other side.
Modification: Make it easier by doing an oblique crunch instead of a sit up. Make it harder by straightening both legs and lifting into a full V-up and reach top hand to feet. Make it harder by keeping bottom arm completely straight and only press hand down instead of forearm.
-----
March 25th: Sit Ups
Starting Position: Lie down on floor with knees bent and feet hip distance apart. Flex feet and dig heels into the ground. Fold arms across chest and touch opposite fingers to shoulders.
Movement: Sit all the way up and tap elbows to tops of knees. Lie down completely to the floor and repeat.
Modification: Make it easier by hooking feet underneath a couch or have someone sit on your feet to give you an anchor. Make it harder by completing as many reps as you can within the time limit, and use as little momentum as possible!
CONGRATULATIONS!
25 Days of Abs DONE!
Our First Retreat
Something incredible organically happened in the past few months...
What began as a whisper in my ear, became an idea that came to life, and through announcing only in live classes and to in-person dancers, we formed our first ever "The Power With Grace" retreat! This Saturday, March 26th, 45 of us will be traveling to Tulum together for a 5-day, 4-night fitness/dance/yoga retreat. And yes, we will be working out for 3 hours a day... in addition to day trips, group bonding, and beach time of course! Please send us wishes of good health, safety, and wellness, and I hope you can join us next time!
While we are away, I will keep up this entire week of classes on-demand for members, or you can purchase these classes on-demand as well.
Mark Your Calendars
In addition to our upcoming Tulum retreat this weekend, I plan to take time off during my daughters' Spring Break to spend exclusively with family. Thank you for your understanding!Please always check the website www.thepowerwithgrace.com/classes to see the most up-to-date class schedules. I don't want anyone showing up to an empty class!
Hope to see you this week!
Love,
Grace
