SEC-S25W4: Core And Cardio

Hello dear friends from the SteemFit & StayFit community!

I am excited to share with you my in-depth experience of Week 4 of the Steemit Engagement Challenge Season 25. This week's theme was Core and Cardio, with an emphasis on cardiovascular and muscle strengthening, the session was especially enlightening and tailored to my individual physical requirements.

Warm-up

In order to gradually increase my body temperature and heart rate, I began my session with a mild yet vigorous eight-minute warm-up that alternated between side steps and on-the-spot walking, and through these exercises, I was able to improve my flexibility and coordination which are necessary for performing the following movements safely while also efficiently preparing my joints and muscles.

Bodyweight Jump Squat

I then continued with bodyweight jump squats, performing three sets of eight repetitions, standing with my feet shoulder-width apart, I lowered myself into a squat position while pushing my hips back, then I energetically jumped up, making sure to land gently on my tiptoes and bending my knees to absorb the impact, this exercise strongly uses the quadriceps, glutes and calves while significantly increasing the heart rate and improving the muscular power of the lower limbs.

Barbell Chest Press (Modified)

For the chest press, instead of dumbbells, I opted for a barbell because it's what I had available. Lying flat on my bench, I executed three sets of twelve repetitions. Gripping the bar firmly, I lowered it slowly to my chest, elbows at 45 degrees to my torso, before pressing upwards in a controlled motion, this exercise notably engaged my pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, providing excellent upper-body strength training. The barbell required extra control and stability, deeply engaging my core muscles as well.

Russian Twists (Modified)

Regarding the Russian Twists, I adapted the exercise by placing my heels on a raised support in order to relieve lower back pain, sitting on the mat with my torso slightly tilted backward to form a V angle with my thighs, I performed two sets of ten repetitions per side, this adaptation allowed me to perform the twisting movements efficiently and safely, strongly engaging my abdominal and oblique muscles while considerably reducing the pressure felt in the lumbar region.

Burpees

Finally, I concluded this active part of my session with three sets of eight modified burpees, from a standing position, I lowered myself into a squat to place my hands on the ground before jumping back to reach a plank position, then I quickly brought my feet forward to resume the squat position and finish with an energetic jump by stretching my arms above my head, this very complete overall exercise strongly stimulated my cardiovascular and muscular system, using almost all muscle groups and thus concluding my session in intensity.

Cool Down

I spent roughly ten minutes doing stretching and relaxation exercises to gently wrap up. These exercises targeted the muscles used during the session, specifically the hamstrings, quadriceps, and lower back. This crucial step helped me recover more efficiently, eased muscle tension, and improved my overall recuperation.

My Experience and Feelings

This session was particularly enriching, especially thanks to the modifications I made to adapt it to my personal physical conditions. Using the bar for the bench press required more muscular control, thus strengthening not only my main muscles but also my abdominal core. Raising my heels during the Russian Twists provided real comfort while allowing me to effectively engage my abdominal core.

The jump squats and burpees were of great cardiovascular and muscular intensity, pushing my physical endurance to its limits and causing a healthy fatigue as well as a feeling of personal satisfaction at the end of the session, I clearly felt the positive effects of the training, in particular a very marked muscular fatigue in the trunk, pectorals and legs.

I carefully documented my session with photos as well as a full video, accurately capturing my exercise execution and specific adaptations, highlighting my genuine commitment to this challenge.

My YouTube video