Last Saturday was day 50 of 100 days of the 100. That means that we’ve come up with over 50 ways to do the 100….and we now have just under 50 more to go (so don’t forget to share your photos and videos!)
Maggie doing the 100 at an historic site in Wethersfield.
The 100 is an exercise that you will find in almost any Pilates class. It involves lying with your back on the mat, body curled up, holding the position and completing 100 arm beats. It typically comes early in class and gets the entire body warmed up by getting your breath going and your blood moving. The exercise engages all of your major abdominal muscles, helping you to build strength that will not only assist you in class, but that you will be able to take into everyday life.
In order to hold your body up for an extended period of time, as you do in the 100, you must have endurance, specifically abdominal endurance. The only way to get endurance is to build it, which the 100 helps you do. There are a number of modifications for the 100 (hence why we need 100 days to capture them all!) and utilizing these modifications helps you build up the endurance for the full exercise.
During the first 50 days of our challenge we have employed numerous modifications such as putting your head down or leaving the legs in tabletop.
These modifications let you focus on your form and build up your abdominal endurance. Maybe you lift your head for the first 30 beats today, then next time for the first 40 beats, until you build up to the full 100. Modifications mean that ANYONE can do the 100! It’s an exercise that all nearly everyone can gain something from, whether they want to build endurance, strengthen their abdominals, or work on scapula stability.
Also- it’s fast! Though it may seem to be a long time to your abdominals, typically the 100 is less than a minute (depending on how slow you are counting). This means that you can fit your 100 in anywhere at any time. It can be something you do right when you get out of bed, or the last thing you do before you go to sleep. I fit in my 100 after I finish drinking my morning tea, before I get ready for work.
Why 100 Days?
Even though the 100 is a great exercise, you still may be wondering why 100 days?
Aside from the point that it’s a catchy title, we chose to do the exercises for 100 days because it takes commitment and consistency. In a world where we are constantly on the go and always busy, committing to exercise, and being consistent with it, is essential.
At Personal Euphoria, we’d like you to commit to the 100, but more importantly we want you to commit to yourself and your health and wellness. Commitment means that even if you miss a day, the next day you pick up right where you left off. It’s the same with healthy eating habits, sometimes you get off track, but your commitment and dedication will get you right back into it and make you successful in the long run.
Commitment goes hand in hand with consistency. You could commit to being the best basketball player in the world, but if you are not consistent with practicing your free throws, you’re not going to get far.
All habits, whether brushing your teeth or changing the oil in your car, require consistency to be effective. You wouldn’t brush your teeth only once a year before you saw your dentist, and think that your teeth would be fine. Exercise is the same principal. It takes doing something consistently to see progress and reach your goals.
Your ability to commit and be consistent can often come down to your mindset. Learn more by reading our blog about how When it Comes to Movement, Your Mindset Matters
We hope you’ve enjoyed our 100 challenge so far, and don’t forget, it’s never too late to join! Our challenge will end on Monday June 20th, the first official day of summer! And between now and then we have great themes like no pants day and limerick day! Follow us on Facebook to see every day’s 100 theme!
Written by PE Instructor, Jess Tucker. Â She has the original idea to do this 100 challenge. Â Remember to thank her when you see her!
