Starting Over with The 100 Pushup Challenge
Today I re-started the 100 Pushup Challenge using the iTouch App, 100 Pushups. This app is a simple little app that basically takes its user through a series of workouts over a 6-week period to reach the goal of doing 100 consecutive good form pushups. Today I did my initial test and competed a total of 28 good form pushups.
I originally started using the app a few weeks ago but found that I was not committed to doing a full complete pushup. Instead, because I was not being true to myself I was working through the program doing partial pushups. In other words I was only going half-way down instead of creating a 90 degree angle at the elbows and dropping my chest down as far as I could. I used this video for inspiration on how to do one properly:
How To Do a Push Up – For more of the funniest videos, click here
So, with the strictest of form in mind, I have restarted the program and did the initial test and founds that I was able to just squeeze out 28 good form pushups. Not too bad considering even before I started the program a few weeks ago with bad form pushups I could only squeeze out 12.
My goal now is to do 100 good form pushups.
Stay with me as I continue on – I plan to record some video of my progress as I go along. I also am going to restart the 200 situp challenge and will the associated iTouch app and will write about that here too! Stay with me.
My 5 Favorite iTouch (iPhone) Fitness and Weight Loss Apps
When I bought my iTouch a few years ago I never thought it would have an impact on my fitness level and ultimately weight. With the invention of the apps store on iTunes the way I workout has changed for the better.
If you go do a search on iTunes right now for fitness you will get back a whole schwack of different apps – some free and some not. I have tried a number of them and at this point have landed on 4 that I use consistently and have a positive impact on my workout and weight loss experience.
How They Have Changed How I Work Out
The first and most beneficial aspect to the iTouch apps is the organisational aspect they provide. On one little device, I am able to hold the music and podcasts that I want to listen to when working out, but it also allows me to store and access information and workout programs that allow me to be more efficient in my workouts.
For example, with the 100 Pushups app, I can be anyware (my iTouch is always with me) and get my pushup workout in. With respect to running, I simply enter in the number of kilometers I need to run for the day the night before and when I am ready to go at lunch I turn Nike+ on and away I go.
The other organisational benefit to my fitness and weight loss goals is that the programs automatically keep track of my workouts so that I have a good summary of the activities, times, distances, reps, etc. that I have completed. Overall, they have been a time-saver.
My 5 Favorite iTouch (iPhone) Fitness and Weight Loss Apps
I say iTouch with the iPhone in brackets because all of these apps will obviously work on both devices. If you are like me and get a mobile phone from your company then the iPhone may not be a possibility so we have to “settle” for the iTouch.
The following 5 apps are the ones that I am using the most right now. This list can change as I find new apps.
100 Pushups
Simply put, this little app guides the user through a series of workouts on the road to completing 100 continuous pushups. It is simple in its goal yet effective. I am doing this program because of the benefits the pushup has on fitness ability – it works out many parts of your body at once. In addition, how cool would it be to say you could complete 100 pushups in a row!
200 Situps
Written by the same people as the 100 Pushups program, the 200 Situps program once again guides you through a program that will prepare you for the task of completing 200 pushups in a row. I thought this was a good balance with the pushup program. I used to hate doing ab work. This program has provided me with a concrete goal and so far some results (no six pack but I can feel that my midsection is stronger).
With both the 100 Pushups and 200 Situps app, my only beef is that I believe the interface could be designed a little better. When I first started using it I was slightly confused on how to record the workouts. However, after I figured out how it all went together there has been no issues since.
Livestrong.com Calorie Tracker
It works by establishing a calories per day goal based on your height, weight, and your activity levels. With that goal in mind and presented strongly within the app, you record what you eat during the day and the app keeps track of the calories. With this, you can see where you may be over or under your calorie counts. You can also see your problem areas.
The biggest problem I have with the Livestrong.com Calorie Tracker is that you need to be connected to Wifi or your cell network to get the calorie data. Not a huge issue for me, but a pain if I am away from WiFi for any real length of time.
Nike+
I spoke about this project earlier. In this post I am going to refer to the specific app that the Nike+ places on your iTouch. Every time I run my iTouch comes with me. Having an app on the device that guides my running workouts has been great.
As I mentioned above, I simply enter in the running workout I am going to be doing that day and a voice comes through the speakers updating me on my progress and how much further I have to go.
When I am back home, I plug the iTouch into iTunes and that syncs my latest workout with the Nike+ website where I am then able to track my runs and see my progress. It all works very well.
The one thing that I have found that I do not like is that there is no way to upload a coaching program through Nike+ onto the iTouch. On the Nike+ website you can get a training program – a 10-K program for example – and then print that program out and follow it on your path to completing a 10-K race. It would be very nice if you could upload that program to your iTouch and all the runs would be on your decive, taking you through the whole program from start to finish. Even better would be a coach talking to you through the deive tell you to speed up or slow down depending on your pace and just providing encouragement along the way.
iFitness
Fitness is more of a database of weight-lifting exercises than anything else. It does allow you to track the exercises you complete in terms of reps and weight but the real value I have found is providing me with suggestions for weight-lifting exercises that I can do to keep changing things up. As we all know, you need to keep your body guessing and the best way is to change up your workout program from time to time.
There are hundreds of exercises listed with full instructions and images on how to complete them in proper form. A user can also add their own exercises to the database if there is one they like that is not listed. Overall, this has been a pretty useful app.
What Are Your Favorite Fitness and Weight Loss Apps
Those are the iTouch apps I have been using regularly lately. However, I am always on the lookout for more so please use the comments section to let me know what suggestions you have!
