If you've been on Facebook lately then you probably have seen some friends "liking" or taking on a 30-Day Ab Challenge. It might seem like the average squat or push up challenge you've seen around on social media, but there's something that separates this one from the rest. Robyn Mendenhall Gardner, a 40-year-old mom of eight from Montana, was looking to get back in shape when she decided to create the June ab challenge.
What started out as a personal project she shared with her friends on Facebook suddenly became a huge trend on the social media site getting her over 2.6 million "likes." How crazy is that?!
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The fit mom got into physical fitness in the recent years and posted the ab challenge on her Facebook page on Memorial Day weekend. Little did she know that it was going to explode online over the past week.
"Honestly, I found it online, It's not really my own," she said. "I'd tried this challenge myself, but I quickly lost interest. So I decided to invite some friends and family members to keep me motivated." This just goes to show you how influential social media is on its users!
The ab challenge, which started on June 1, consists of different ab exercises such as crunches, sit-ups, planks, and leg raises until June 30. The challenge has a picture of a woman with a rock solid six pack which Gardner assures aren't hers. "People should know I did not start this challenge with rock-hard abs. That's my motivation picture–every time I'm eating something I shouldn't be, that picture reminds me of where I want to be," the mom insists.
Even she doesn't have explanation over why the ab challenge she posted garnered so much attention. when there are others just like it around. "I was hoping to motivate others–and therefore, motivate myself–but this is beyond anything I could have expected."
The American Council on Exercise though heed that these types of ab workouts are lower tiered and practically don't work. However it does serve as a good way to get lazy people on board with exercise.
When I first saw many people liking the ab challenge on Facebook I also wondered what the big deal was about. I was under the impression that ab exercises didn't do much for the physique but if it gets people to workout more, then I don't see the harm. I just hope they aren't having high hopes of getting J.Lo abs by the time the month is over. If you want to give the ab challenge, a shot, check it out in the image below!
Images via Robyn Mendenhall Gardner/ Facebook
