I've tried the ab challenge of 30 days. Here's why I never do it again.

The fitness corner of the app store is currently full of all kinds of 30 day challenges: ab challenges, squatting challenges, arm challenges, and more. Basically, if you are looking to intensively target a part of your body over a month, some apps protect you. That's how, unlike a fitness enthusiast, I found myself doing planks, sit-ups, sit-ups, and leg lifts almost every day for a month.

A little history about me and my abdominal area. As I mentioned, I have rarely been a regular trainer, so no part of my body is particularly strong. But even when I played football as a cheerleader and a nugget during my senior year in high school – probably the best for me – I had never really had a flat stomach, let alone visible abs. I could not even jump very effectively as a cheerleader because I did not have the absolute strength to lift my legs up in the air. So, when it came time to choose one of these popular fitness challenges, the 30-day abs seemed like the obvious choice.

Knowing that I would not change my diet significantly or add more cardio than I already do in my daily life, the results would be subtle at best. Real washboard abs take months to carve and, as the app's information board says, the idea of ​​a 30-day challenge is more about creating a habit than getting meaningful results. .

The real test would be whether this 30-day routine could get me to work out regular weight training exercises in my daily routine.

The first days were practical and windy

The application I chose was called "30 Day Ab Challenge" (30 Day Challenge) of 30 Day Fit Body. Naturally, I opted for the Beginner challenge, level one, the easiest on six levels in total. The first-day exercises consisted of just 15 sit-ups, five crunches, five leg lifts and a 10-second board. The leg lifts were quite difficult, but everything else was in my capacity.

Read more: Harvard doctors say this neglected decision is a better way to get solid abs than sit-ups

The application even gives you a day off every three days of workout. Over the days, the exercises remain the same, they only increase. So, during the first few days, I thought this routine was perfect for me because the time was so tight. I could make it a habit.

But as the month went on, I realized that I had been playing

It quickly became clear that the real challenge lies in how quickly the number of reps increases: doing 15 sit-ups is nothing, but by day 10, when you're already doing 50, it's another story. At day 15, the routine requires 70 sit-ups, 90 crunches, 42 leg lifts and a 60-second board – and it increases daily.

Obviously, I did not expect it to be a month of crunches here and there – it's not a challenge. What I was not prepared for was how long the exercises would start, and so quickly. Half way, I could not do them just before going to bed or whenever I remembered them. It was something for which I had to deliberately start saving time.

I realize that it's a bit silly of me to complain about this, since most people who exercise are deliberately spending their time and sometimes even spending money on a subscription to a gym or sports equipment. But if the goal is to create a habit, it must be something that suits my lifestyle and, for the moment, 30 to 40 minutes of training, plus time for a shower, is a step forward. Especially when I can not say that I particularly like the exercises.

The results: a bit of definition and food for thought

Once again, I realize how much I am a baby in terms of exercise. But I think that if I add daily or near daily exercises to my life, it will be something other than repetitive exercises on the ground. If you're physically fit and physically challenged, you'll probably be able to enjoy it with 30-day programs like these. But for me, it looks like something that I can only imagine doing in a short, one-off burst.

But what about the results? Honestly, I think my belly looks a little more toned. No washboard to speak of, but it seems a little flatter. I certainly became stronger because I could feel that my muscles became more able to exercise over the month, even though they became more and more difficult.

Can I make a perfect tip? No, not yet, but fortunately, my cheerleader days are over anyway.