"SEC-S25W3: Building Strength (Increased Intensity"

Hello dear fitness lovers, I warmly welcome you all to week 3 in this Steemit Engagement challenge for season 25. Week 2 saw new users who accepted the challenge to keep fit, it also saw intermediate and advanced users who continued in their fitness journey through the programs for that week. It was a happy thing to see them all.

In this week 3, I hope to see more and more beginners, intermediate and advanced users who will take on the programs I have listed for week 3. The programs are friendly to all three groups as they are easy to achieve.

For this week, our focus is on **building strength (increased intensity).

Below are the programs selected for this week which helps in building strength, thus

Dumbbell deadlifts
Incline Push-ups
Dumbbell shoulder flys
Side Plank

Dumbbell Deadlifts

This is a weightlifting exercise program that focuses primarily on lower back, hips and legs. But the movement to achieve it coordinates various muscle groups to lift the weight and this promotes overall strength and power. Since dumbbells are readily available, it has become a great option for beginners and those wanting to vary their training routine. It has become more popular than the traditional deadlifts with barbell.

How It Is Done

first, you need to reach out to your dumbbells, one on each hand. Then stand erect with then with the dumbbells by your sides and leg-hip apart.

Then, slightly bend your knees and hinge at the hips, chest up and engage the core. Then lower the dumbbells towards the floor when bringing the 2 dumbbells to meet in front but close to the floor. Remember that you aren't squatting here, just hinge.

Next, bring the dumbbells to it's original position by reversing the motion, driving through your heels and extending your hips as you return the dumbbells. It is important to focus on using your legs and hips to lift the weight instead of just pulling them with your back. The video will explain better.

Repeat the routine until you have completed the remaining reps.

If you try as much as possible to do the program correctly, you are going to improve your functional strength, enhance your athletic performance, and encourage proper movement pattern that will help reduce the risk of injury in your daily activities

Incline Push-ups

This is a variation of the normal pushups where you have to stay flat on the floor, here you will need an elevated surface like bench, box, table or wall and even step. This means that your upper body will behave to be elevated from where you push up. This reduces the amount of body weight that is need to push the body up and this, making it a good option for the beginners or those seeking to vary their routine. In doing this, you will stress the chest, shoulders and triceps muscles efficiently.

How To Achieve It

Simply locate an elevated surface, place your palms on it. The surface should be the height of either your waist or your chest level. Your body should be straight and this form a straight line from your head to your heels. Lower your body towards the elevated surface, engage your core and keep your elbows tucked, then push your body up back to the starting position and repeat to complete the remaining reps. With this elevated surface, the pressure on the arms and shoulders are reduced compared to the standard push up.

This is a good option for strength building, for those seeking to master the standard pushups but find it difficult to start. Starting with these helps them to progress faster to the standard one. This also helps to reduce strain.

Dumbbell Shoulder Flys

First of all, I want to recommend a smaller kg of dumbbells for this particular exercise. Either 1/2 kg, 1 kg, 2 kg, or 3 kg on each hand depending on your ability. Because here, the shoulders will be flying as the name implies. If you don't use a smaller dumbbells that is very light for you, you can't be able to fly. Get a 50cl or a litre bottle and fill with water for each of the hands depending on what is available to you.

Dumbbell shoulder flys is an isolation program that focusses primarily on strengthening and developing the shoulder muscles especially the deltoids. It involves raising dumbbells on each of your hands sideways as though they are your wings, keeping them outward the sides to create a lateral movement

How To Achieve It

Stand or sit upright, holding dumbbells on each of the hands at shoulder height.then bend the elbows slightly and lift out your hands to the sides until they reach shoulder level or just above it. Please you must be in control of your arms' movements, then return the hands to their original position and continue until the number of reps are complete.

This exercise helps with shoulder stability and strength which enhances the performance of the upper body in various ways especially during exercises.

Side Planks

Side plank is a bodyweight that targets the obliques core muscle which is located at the side of the abdomen. It helps to strengthen lateral muscles. It also engages other muscles like the quadratus lumborum and transverse abdominal muscles which enhance the overall core stability and strength.

How To Achieve It

Locate your yoga mat or it's alternative, lye sideways with legs extended and stacked on top of each other. Then, lift your body up with the bottom forearm directly placed beneath the shoulder to bring the body off the ground, supporting the body only with the forearm. Only the side of the foot remains in contact with the ground to support the forearm in lifting the body up. The body forms a straight line from the head to the heel.

This helps to work the obliques and go activate the muscles across the shoulders, back and hips which leads to an effective full body stabilizing exercise

This particular program is helpful in reducing back pains, as it strengthens the support of muscles around the spine. It also helps with better posture and enhanced balance.

Week 3 task

✅ Carry out all programs on the table below 👇 They can be done in one day for the purpose of this challenge but it is recommended that the programs be spread for at least, 3 days in a week for maximum benefits. Explain how you achieved each of the individual programs.

Week Focus	Programs	Duration/Reps
Building Strength (Increased Intensity)	warm-up (jump rope or brisk walking)	5 to 10 minutes
✓	Dumbbell deadlifts	3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
✓	Incline Push-ups	3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. (Hands elevated)
✓	Dumbbell shoulder flys	3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
✓	Side Plank	2 sets of 15 to 20 seconds per side
✓	Cool Down	Full body stretch

✅ Record a video while carrying out these programs and Upload it to show when you are actually carrying out these programs. The video should not be less than 5 minutes. No need to add rest periods but you can rest in between programs. You are free to join the video s if you have taken them differently. Also, upload at most 4 pictures to back up your actions and one must show your sweaty face.

✅ Explain your experiences in detail which you had while carrying out these programs including the body parts where you feel the most impact of each of the programs, if the programs were difficult for you or not, how you got your dumbbells and so on. Just be detailed

Note that participants are to source for dumbbells. They will determine the kgs they can carry. If the conventional dumbbells are not within their reach, they can create one for themselves by filling any plastic bottles with either sand or water or look for another alternative. Dumbbells must be 2, one for each hands

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