First of all, Congratulations on taking the 30 day challenge! You will be amazed how tone and fit you will get just by incorporating weights into your exercise routine and eating right for your metabolic type! If you missed day 1, no worries! For past workouts go to the top of this page and click on the “Coaching” tab and there will be a “Free 30 Day Dumbbell Challenge” tab. Click on that for all past workouts. It is important to start at the beginning of this challenge and work your way through the program how it is laid out.
Here is the first workout and the start of this program!
DAY 1 ~ Sculpt The Body of Your Dreams With This 30 Day Challenge!
So here is how this challenge is going to work.
- This challenge can be started at anytime. Always start with day 1, day 2, day3…day 30 and so on. Once you start the challenge, continue on it for 30 consecutive days.
- For your next 30 days, I have pre-done daily posts with the exercises that you need to do for your specific day.
- A library of workouts can be found under the “coaching” tab at the top of this website under “Free 30 Day Dumbbell Challenge.”
- I will include an animated image (courtesy of an amazing free site dumbbell-exercises.com & ball-exercises.com) showing you how to do the exercise.
- The only equipment needed is an exercise ball and dumbbells.
- You will get 7 workouts a week showing you how to do the exercises (one workout will be a light workout or rest day.)
- So if I work your chest and arms, then I will not work them the next few days and so forth. I will work different muscles throughout this program.
- Support can be found at any time in the posts below the animated exercises in the comment section that reads “Join The Conversation.” Every comment will be answered. Share your support, successes, challenges, questions, and feedback in this section.
- Incorporate this exercise program into your daily exercise routine and you will be amazed how tone and fit you can get in 30 days!
- Don’t have an exercise routine? Start out with this 30 day challenge and you will see results!
- Once your 30 Day Dumbbell Challenge is done, challenge yourself again for another 30 days but increase your weights to intensify your workouts!
Before You Get Started
You Can Complete This Challenge!
Remember, I will have a section under the “Coaching” tab called “Free 30 Day Dumbbell Challenge” where you can go back and view past workouts. Please note in these pictures you will see a workout bench. You do not have to use a workout bench if you do not have one. Most of these exercises can be done right on your exercise ball. I use my ball as a bench, and a chair. No expensive equipment needed. How easy is that? Follow the chart below with the number of sets and reps that you should do. Take your time doing these exercises and don’t rush through them. Always keep good form and as always, listen to your bodies language. If you feel pain, stop. I do these exercises in circuit format. Here is an example of how I completed my workout.
DAY 6 (Abdominal Workout)
My first circuit was as follows.
I followed the intermediate level.
First Set:
- 12 ball crunches
- 12 ball crunches- legs elevated
- 12 ball side crunches (both sides)
- 12 ball jacknives
- 12 ball bridge T-fall off (on both sides)
- ab #1 stretch
- 12 ball crunches
- 12 ball crunches- legs elevated
- 12 ball side crunches (both sides)
- 12 ball jacknives
- 12 ball bridge T-fall off (on both sides)
- ab #1 stretch
Exercises For Day 6
Ball Crunch
- Lie on your lower back on the exercise ball and place your hands behind your ears.
- Roll your shoulder blades up and lower yourself back down after a short pause.
- To avoid straining your neck, look straight up instead of looking at your knees.
Ball Side Crunch
- Lie on your side against the exercise ball, arms across your chest, legs extended and feet wide apart to give you balance.
- Raise your upper body up from the ball and lower it back down after a short pause. Alternate sides after each completed set.
- Breathe out while contracting your ab muscles and breathe in while returning to starting position.
- My special note – it might be a bit difficult to balance. To help with this, place your feet against a wall to stabilize you.
Ball Jackknife
- Place your ankles on top of the exercise ball, legs extended, chest facing the floor and extend your arms to lift you from the floor.
- Keeping your weight on your extended arms, roll the ball in by bending your knees and hips and extend your legs back after a short pause.
- Breathe out while rolling the ball in and breathe in while returning to starting position.
Ball Bridge T Fall-Off
- Lie on your shoulder blades on top of the exercise ball, knees at 90 degree angles, back straight and extend your arms out to keep balance.
- Roll off the ball slightly to one side and return back after a short pause. Alternate sides between each repetitions.
- Keep your back straight throughout.
My Daily Comments. Do you have questions? Need some additional support?
Whoo hoo!!! I knew this was going to be a challenging workout! The ball jacknife was the most challenging for me. Holding your body in a plank position really works your abs in this exercise and when you tuck your body in, you work the lower abdomen muscles making this a great exercise. I absolutely love the last abdominal stretch, one of my all time favorite stretches! Tomorrow is a stretch day. It is always important to properly stretch your muscles. I think you are really going to enjoy tomorrows workout! Almost done with week 1, great job!!
Day 6 down – I actually could feel my abs this morning before I started -I think it was those reverse crunches with the ball yesterday! I found the jackknife tricky but fun once I got it (scared my husband wtih a couple big thuds first!!) and I also like the side crunches on the ball but found I had to use one of my legs to keep balance (top leg, bent knee with foot placed in front) as I gained confidence I moved my bracing foot closer to my extended leg’s foot.
Thanks for the motivation about getting back on track after being away for a while! It can be discouraging when you feel you’ve lost some of the strength you gained before you had to stop for a bit. Even after a week, I felt slower and more winded runnign and weaker on core work.
See you tomorrow!
messages4katherine great job! I agree with you my abs were hurting on this workout too and I knew it was the reverse crunches (gets me every time) from the day before. I am glad to see you are back at it. By the end of this challenge I promise you will feel stronger and will see more definition in your muscle tone. Thanks for keeping us posted. I am sure your comments are motivating for others out there just starting or thinking of starting this challenge 🙂
I struggled with the ball crunch legs elevated, even tho I tried to look at the ceiling I still get a neck strain…so I subsituted reverse crunches. Also struggled with the jack knives…but will work on those! 🙂
Hi… I am starting this workout late… and I don’t know if you are still checking this thread…. So far I love this workout! What is the best thing for me to replace the jack knife with? My upper body won’t hold me up on the ball to do these just yet. For this time I just did reverse crunches….
kpoindexter Reverses crunches will be fine to do as well. If you want to adjust the jack knife a bit so it isn’t so hard, try placing the ball on your thighs rather than your ankles and then tuck up onto your knees. Does this make sense? That will be much easier and you still will get the benefit of the exercise. Great job on completing the first week! Tomorrow is a stretch day and should feel really great!
Day 6 done.
Is it okay if I do two days at a time? Then take an off day in between instead of lifting every day?
Okay, I pushed through day 6. Got it done late in the day which is not my favorite time of day, but it’s done.
Just finished day 6, I’m completely loving it so far!! I didn’t have an exercise ball so tried to substitute it the best I could but it wasn’t much good. Thankfully I had a root in my attic and found an exercise ball so just redid it. Was harder but better! But I literally Couldnt manage the jackknife, I had a few good goes but it wasn’t happening. Other than that, it’s brill 🙂
Is it possible to do these exercises without the ball? Would they be as effective? I spent so much time on this workout, but I feel as though most of my time went towards learning how to use the ball instead of strengthening my abs and gaining weight. And just when I thought I’d mastered the ball, I slipped and my head hit the wall! Frustrated.
PS isn’t this a dumbbell challenge? So why is this an abdominal workout day with no dumbbells at all?
I have stayed as.close on schedule as.much as I’ve wanted to, but I think I’m starting to see results! Gotta keep it up!! ☺