Ok folks, tomorrow is the first day of the Health Challenge! And I don’t know about you, but I’ve given myself some pretty aggressive exercise goals for this year’s challenge. So, over the next two months, here is what I would like to achieve:

• 2,500 Pushups – That is 50 pushups a day for 50 out of the 60 available days. Should help my arms, chest, back, and cardio.
• 1,000 Bicep Curls – Obviously, this is just for one thing! Cause the ladies love a good gun show! :-) I typically curl 30 pounds (per arm) X 30 reps, 3-4 days a week. If I achieve this, I will have curled 15 Tons per arm during the two months.
• 1,000 Squat Thrusts – This is an all around exercise which is especially great for the abs.
• 10 Miles on the Treadmill – Ok, this might not seem that agressive to you guys, but I sustained injuries in the Marine Corps and running is a little painful. But still, I want the cardio.
• 250 Pullups – I mounted a pullup bar in my house, and I intend to work these in for more upper body strength throughout the program.

That’s it! Now, in case you worry that this is a fairly limited routine, let me remind you that in the Marine Corps just about the only exercises we did were pushups, pullups, situps, squats and running. And in 13 weeks of boot camp people’s bodies changed. So I guarantee you that if you will set some goals on the exact same exercises as I’m doing here, you will see weight loss as well as strength and endurance gains. (Of course you still have to stick to our rules!)

So, how about it? Do a little math and then let me know what you are committing to for the next 8 weeks!

(Photo courtesy of Pierre Gazzola and of Major Dave Quick, C.O. – India Co., 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment.)