Tag Archives: workout for your lifestyle

(At least) 10 things I learned in 10 years of working out

Everything works

That’s right. Everything. Going for a jog, it works. Swinging a kettlebell, it works (damn right it does). Heavy deadlifting, light deadlifting, even an aerobics class. It all works. At least for a while. You’ll need to change things (going longer, faster, heavier,…) to keep it working. Of course, not everything you do will work for everything.

Dieting is central

I admit I didn’t pay real attention to it until the beginning of this year. Never seemed to need it. I’ve always been kind of lean-ish, and at other times I worked out so much I didn’t really need it, I simply burned everything I put in. Of course, I didn’t really build any muscle nor got the gains I should’ve (hindsight truly is 20-20). Now that I’m paing attention I’ve built more muscle and strength at a pace I didn’t before. I’ve also been recovering better.

There’s no need to get married with a style or tool

I used to be very… let’s call it religious (nothing against religion). At first, it was all about the bodybuilding, then it was all

Training zealot, enjoy your workout

There’s no need to be a training zealot. Enjoy yourself and learn from everything! – Photo by Joachim S. Muller

about sports, the it was all about heavy lifting, followed by kettlebells. In reality, this is a waste of time. You should do what’s best for you and your goals and needs. Right now I’m focusing on bodyweight skills and strength, with some light cardio put in the mix. In about 3 months I’m going to merge kettlebell endurance with bodyweight strength and skills. There will be compromise, but I’ll be better for it.

A little every day goes a long way

I’m a big fan of high frequency training. Actually, I believe it to be, if you can manage it, better. But I do mean a little. Going balls out every day takes a lot of recovery and it will probably be too much. I mean, a little every day. Don’t go anywhere near failure.

Your body has the ability to adapt to everything

The human body is, by far, the most sophisticated machine in existence. And it has the ability to adapt to most things. Just take it step by step, in small increments, and you’ll be fine.

Eat healthy

Eating healthy is the best way shake the extra calories. These are whole foods that will satisfy you a lot more than regular crap. This way, less food, fewer calories will go a longer way. You’ll also get most of your nutrients that way. Just hit your macros and you’ll be fine. Also, don’t be afraid of eating some crap now and then (but not often).

The best program is the one you enjoy doing

This one’s basic. Working out should be something you enjoy, even look forward to (you would be, after all, improving your health). As I said, everything works. Find something that’s a right fit with you!

There’s no such things as an overnight success

We’ve all seen amazing transformations online. We all like getting inspired. But this doesn’t happen over night. The one thing all of these cases have in common is that they worked day in and day out, powered by motivation or simply punching the clock. They ate right, they trained right, they had the right mindset. Even cases fueled by pharmaceutical substances had to work at it. There’s no such thing as a magic program that will put you 20 kg of muscles while lowering your bf to single digits and making you nimble as spider-man. It simply won’t happen.

What to get that success? Read the next item then!

Small milestones

You should have a long-term goal: getting healthier, looking better, etc. But the best way I found to stay motivated is through small milestones. Shorter term, definite goals to be achieved between a month and three. My magic number is 6 weeks. Take small steps to your long-term goal. How to do it? Define what your goal means (what’s getting healthier? Is it being leaner? Reducing your resting heart rate? Probably a combination of things) and think about the milestones you should hit for it. One or two things with every 6 week challenge will work well.

Check out Nerd Fitness’ 6 weeks challenges. It’s where I learned about this, and I’ve been better for it.

Motivation is not what’s cracked to be

Sure, motivation pics will send a surge of energy and get you off your ass once or twice. But truth be told, it’s not motivated people who get it done. It’s the people who are focused on their goals and know that they’ll have to work smart and hard to get them, even when they don’t want or feel like it. Sometimes you have to tough it out. Believe me, if they haven’t come yet, they will.

Fitness motivation

Here’s a jolt anyways!
Image from motivationalquotesideas.com

Of course, this is not all I’ve learnt (I hope) but I think these may be the most important I have. What about you? What have you learnt in your training years?

Motus Virtute

How to workout for busy people – Conditioning focus

This is part 3 of the How to workout for busy people series (click here for Part 1 and Part 2), in which we’ll focus on conditioning.

Different types of Conditioning

Yes, there are different types. But, for practical purposes let’s focus on long sessions and short sessions. To build an all

Long distance running, conditioning, endurance. Not the best for busy people, but necessary

Steady state for long sessions will get you the desired results. Be them bodycomposition, endurance or recuperating ability

around conditioned body, you’ll have to do BOTH. Since time is an issue in this series, we’ll try to be as efficient as possible.

Training in long sessions will be focused on steady state cardio. I know, I must be from a different day and age if I believe this to be necessary (and you’re busy people, how dare I?). But if you think that it’s ineffective as conditioning (we’re not talking fatloss) then you have a different thing coming. Doing over 90 minutes in a row will not only improve your conditioning and endurance, but will also vastly improve your mental toughness and body composition (there, I said it).

Short duration training is where HIIT will work best. There are literally thousands of routines scattered all over the web. It’s effective, efficient and to the point, which is what busy people are all about. It will be simple, not easy.

Frequency

This one you should be playing by ear, I’d love to say you’ll have to do X amount a week, but truth be told, this workouts should leave you gassed. But I still advocate for higher frequency. So, if you plan on doing 15 minutes per session, think about going 5 times a week with short duration workouts, and once a week for long sessions. I recommend doing 30 minutes of HIIT and 90 minutes of steady state workouts.

The recommended prescription is 3 HIITs + 1 steady state workouts per week.

The Busy People Workouts

I’ll put 3 protocols for you to follow. Even though most modalities can be adapted to them, I’ll put what I found to be the best to apply it.

On the top of every minute

Choose 1 or 2 exercises (that complement each other), and set a timer to announce the start of every minute. You’ll be doing a fixed set and rest what remains of the minute.

Progress: Every time you hit the amount of reps, add 1 to every set. Once you start getting only 20 seconds of rest, choose a harder variation or add weight.

Recommended: Kettlebell swings, snatches, bodyweight squats.

As Many Rounds As Possible

This popularized by Crossfit method is as effective and brutal as they come.

Pick a sequence of exercises that will cover your bases (a push, a pull, a hip hinge, a squat, a core). Set a timer for the allotted time and do between 3 and 5 reps per exercise. You’ll keep going through the circuit until the time finishes.

Progress: Take note of how many circuits you finished. Next time you’ll have to do more.

Recommended: Bodyweight exercises and Kettlebells will probably go a longer way. Pick variations/weights you can do 10 reps with and do 5 per set.

Sprint ladders

Effective as hell but they will beat you. Choose 3 different distances (30m, 60m, 100m (that’s meters)). You’ll sprint the first distance, return jogging to the start line; run the second distance, jog back to the beginning; sprint the third, walk back to the beginning and start over. Do this 5 times. You’ll feel amazing after it (well, maybe not directly after it, it may take some recovery).

Progress: just add ladders, or go by rungs. Ideally you’ll always go balls out and progress will be slow.

You may switch this for kb snatches or swings.

Kettlebell swing, conditioning, full body. Great for busy people

Kettlebell swings are probably one of the best conditioning exercises out there.

Long sessions.

Feel free to keep this as optional, and if needed do it on the weekend. Do 90 minutes of whatever you enjoy the most. Keep it light and keep it constant. Don’t stop before the 90 minutes are up.

What? No tabatas?

No. Hell no. What most people know as Tabatas are a watered down, bullshit ridden imitation of the protocol. There’s four reasons why I don’t put them here:

  1. The tabata protocol calls for 20 seconds of intense, balls to the wall, execution, and 10 seconds of active rest with lighter movement (like jogging is to sprints). Please tell me how you’re managing that with squats. I thought so.
  2. Chances are that, with the exception of sprinting, kettlebells (and I doubt most people can manage it) and a fixed bicycle, you won’t be able to go all out for twenty seconds.
  3. If you seriously can go more than one full out tabata workout, congratulations, you’re better off than probably 90% of the planet. But, doing “tabata pushups”, “tabata pull-ups”, “tabata squats” and “tabata crunches”(I did puke  little bit there), you should be an all star athlete. Seriously.
  4. Most people can’t really handle it. If you can do the tabata protocol (realistic ones, sprint or bikes) then go for it. Chances are you can’t.

No go beat yourself up!

Next one I’ll be discussing on how to get both strong and conditioned for busy people. But chances are you already know how!

Motus Virtute