290. How to work out during quarantine?

I promise by reading this article and embracing the principles you will change your life for the better. 

Here we go, in the quickest, simplest way possible. Let’s get started. Ready? 

We must remember that HOW TO WORK OUT DURING QUARANTINE is a concept that we must understand, it isn’t necessairly do this, this and this. 

Here’s the quick version for those who just want to know the important stuff: 

Action items: Pick one challenge then the other. 

• 30 days of hanging from a bar for a total of 5 minutes throughout the day ]
• 30 days of deep squatting for a total of 5 minutes throughout the day. 

In the meantime…

• Continue to reread this article – it’s all about repetition. 
• Commit to this 2 month challenge. That will lead to embracing the new lifestyle and making it your new normal.
• During month two, if you have free time – it’d be a great idea to prepare for month 3 of healthy living by planning in advance. 
• it wouldn’t be a bad idea to read and reread this article too
• Set time aside each week to plan your workouts. Simply list the exercises you’re doing, on what days, and a time. This should only take a few minutes each week – there won’t be too much to change week to week either, it’s more of a review. 

Remember these rules: 

• Rule #1: We have to DO the workouts. 
• Rule #2: Plan tomorrow’s workout today 
• Rule #3: Something is better than nothing, but quality over quantity. 

Do this monthly challenge FIRST. Pick ONE, then you do the other.  Everyday for 30 days straight and swing back our way with your results. 

• Challenge 1: Hang from a bar for a total of 5 minutes throughout each day for 30 days. A few seconds here and there added up to 5 minutes for the day. 
• Challenge 2: sit in a deep squat for a total of 5 minutes throughout each day for 30 days. A few seconds here, a few seconds there added up to 5 minutes for the day. 

Side note: modify these to your level, maybe heels on a block while squatting or feet on the ground while hanging. 

Why do the 2 months total of challenges first? Because after that 2 months of doing, you’ll see results, then become a believer and have the momentum to make this lifestyle a LASTING CHANGE, not just a bandaid or to have you fall off the horse. Results come when It’s a little bit every day, not a lot of bit once in a while. 

The core 4 of fitness: strength, cardio, flexibility, mobility

Deeper into the core 4. What’s our goal? Lose weight? Become strong? Overall healthy? Most of the time when we get in our car, we know the destination – where we are driving to, where we want to go. Wouldn’t you agree different destinations require different routes?

And here’s a simple weekly workout template you can follow to promote a healthy sexy body: AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE TWO CHALLENGES ABOVE

• Daily 
  • 5 minutes after waking up: Flexibility and Mobility 
  • 5 minutes before going to sleep: Flexibility and Mobility 
• Weekly: 

• Strength – push/ pull for 20 minutes 
  • Monday
  • Wednesday 
  • Friday 
• Cardio for 20 minutes 
  • Tuesday 
  • Thursday
  • Saturday
• Flexibility/ mobility for 20 minutes. 
  • Sunday 

To rule #3: Something is better than nothing, but quality over quantity → What should we do during the workouts? It’s not a bad idea to simply tick to the basics. 

And here are basic types of movements for each category: 

Remember these are for after challenge one and two above! That means these exercises come in month three. 

Incorporate these into your new workouts. Pick one or two exercises and get them done. (It’s great to pick two opposites like a push motion and a pull motion) 

• Strength: Pull ups, rows, push ups, dips, squats
• Cardio: walk, jog, run, bike, stairs
• Flexibility: ANY type of stretch. You could call it yoga, stretching, movement – whatever you’d like to call it. Touch toes, hold leg back, forward pigeon, frog, downward dog, etc. A few specific stretches on a sore area can go a lonnnng way- let me know some issues and I’ll get some stretches for you. 
• Mobility: hanging from a bar, deep squatting, spinal wave. 

Fun Facts: These two small things done daily will improve your life beyond your wildest dreams. 

• If I had to do one thing for health at home: eating healthy foods. The more fruits and vegetables the better because they’re so nutrient dense and water rich which is exactly what our bodies need. Then it’d be to drink more water. A gallon a day is a great goal. 

• If I had to do one thing for fitness at home: mobility, even more specifically deep squatting or hanging. It’s about time we stop looking like a question mark. Then it’d be a flexibility routine as these practices are extremely parallel and I feel like this is where I would get the most back for my buck if I only had time for one thing. 

Here’s the long version:

We must remember that HOW TO WORK OUT DURING QUARANTINE is a concept that we must understand, it isn’t do this, this and this – we already know what we should be doing but we clearly haven’t been doing them coulda, shoulda, woulda’s…

Regardless of our past, we’re focusing on what we can do now moving forward, and by the time you’re through with this article – you’ll be well on your way to achieving what it is you set out to do. It’s part of your life’s journey. 

Rule #1: We have to DO the workouts. 

Do we brush our teeth everyday? I sure hope so. We get up, go to the bathroom, set up the tooth brush, and do the deed. Working out – at home, during quarantine, in general – is the same thing. 

See it doesn’t matter what workouts we do during quarantine – yet – because if we don’t do any of them, they won’t work. 

Realize this point. You’re the X factor. This workout and healthy living stuff only works if YOU DO SOMETHING. 

To see if you can even DO the workouts, pick a 30 day challenge – it only takes a total of 5 minutes a day and I can guarantee you’ll see the effects in just one month. ONLY PICK ONE. you can do the other next month. 

Challenge 1: Hang from a bar for a total of 5 minutes throughout each day for 30 days. 

Challenge 2: sit in a deep squat for a total of 5 minutes throughout each day for 30 days. 

It’s not straight – a few seconds or minutes here, a few there, and modify these to your level, maybe heels on a block while squatting or feet on the ground while hanging. 

And to help you decide which one to start: 

• The hanging is great if you have shoulder or back problems

• Squatting is great if you have digestion, knee, or hip and even back problems. 

Everyday for 30 days straight and swing back our way with your results. 

You know how the butterflies’ wings flapping caused that hurricane to form? 

That’s what the hang or squat challenge will do for you if you give it the next 60 days. 

BUT do you want to turn that hurricane into a full blown mother freakin tsunami? 

That’s going to require at least another 30 minutes of time and some different types of movements. 

Have you ever seen a radar graph? The point of them is for us to be able to see data that has different variables.

It shows different categories and how strong or weak we are in correlation to other areas. 

Fitness has variables too, 

Here’s what I believe to be the core 4 of fitness:

1. Strength – this has to do with every one of our body’s muscles. Can’t lift up anything besides your phone to text or that pringle to eat? 
2. Cardio – this has to do with our heart. Get out of breath walking up steps? 
3. Flexibility – this has to do with how far each muscle can stretch. Constant lower back pain? Knee issues? It isn’t because “bone on bone” either. 
4. Mobility – this has to do with how much movement each joint can access. Are you hunched forward right now with your neck all sticking out?

We can get into these different areas of fitness towards the end but let’s assume all these are equal in living a quality, pain free, healthy life. – agreed? 

Rule #2: Plan tomorrow’s workout today 

Remember when we first started going to our job? We had everything planned the night before, all the way down to what time we gots to leave, right? 

Now getting to work is routine, it’s automatic – we don’t even think about it. 

Workouts are the same way. 

At first, we gotta plan what we’re going to do and when. 

Then once we get that habit, it’s going to be routine and we don’t even have to think about it. It’ll be your new normal. 

So what time and day is it at this exact moment for you? 

This is now your “workout planning time.” (it only takes a few minutes each week, plus you’re reading this article aint ya?) 

And do you remember rule number 1? We have to DO the workouts. 

No workout plan is going to cut that waistline, build that muscle, fix that ache or pain unless we do something 

So just below is actually my current weekly workout plan copy and pasted from my google keep. (notice the core 4: strength, cardio, flexibility, mobility) 

You can write your plan down on a piece of paper and hang it in your bathroom, on your phone, anywhere. How are you going to make sure you do what you say you’re going to do? 

Side note: I’ve had the habit of working out for quite some time. It’s 1000% a lifestyle for me. I don’t have kids, etc –  I love it, so I make time for it. 

• Daily 
  • 10 minutes after waking up: Flexibility and Mobility 
  • 10 minutes before going to sleep: Flexibility and Mobility 
  • 30 additional minutes of flexibility and mobility. 
• Weekly

• Monday: Strength – push/ pull for 45 minutes 
• Tuesday: Cardio for 45 minutes 
• Wednesday: Strength – push/ pull for 45 minutes 
• Thursday: Cardio for 45 minutes 
• Friday: Strength – push/ pull for 45 minutes 
• Saturday: Cardio for 2 hours 
• Sunday: Cardio for 2 hours 

Here’s a simple weekly workout template you can follow to promote a healthy sexy body: 

• Daily
  • 5 minutes after waking up: Flexibility and Mobility 
  • 5 minutes before going to sleep: Flexibility and Mobility 
• Weekly 

• Monday: Strength – push/ pull for 20 minutes 
• Tuesday: Cardio for 20 minutes 
• Wednesday: Strength – push/ pull for 20 minutes 
• Thursday: Cardio for 20 minutes 
• Friday: Strength – push/ pull for 20 minutes 
• Saturday: Cardio for 20 minutes 
• Sunday: Flexibility and mobility for 20 minutes. 

tweak this template for you.

My workout routine is specific to building strength and long runs 

Got a tight back or knee? You’ll want to do more flexibility and mobility. Especially the hamstrings and IT band, deep squatting too. 

Want to lose weight? Cardio and strength are going to be your friend.

Either way – don’t neglect the core 4 or you’ll pay for it!   

Rule 3: Something is better than nothing, but quality over quantity. 

What do we do during these workouts? Here’s the answer: the basics

And here’s an explanation to follow:

Look, something is better than nothing, 

but doing them correctly is more important than doing the most or the longest, everytime. 

A slow 20 minute stroll is better than nothing – but a 10 minute walk is better done correctly then a 20 minute stroll where we’re all hunched over and out of alignment (aka doing more harm than good) 

The workouts don’t always have to be long, or intense. Consistency is what matters and form is everything, for effectiveness AND for safety.

Michael Phelps swam everyday 5 hours a day for over 10 years. It’s no wonder why he has more gold medals than some countries. 

Do you know what the difference between a black belt and a white belt is? 

The black belt simply mastered the basics compared to the white belt. 

And I love the basics when it comes to workouts.

Why? Because consistency is what matters. 

I’d propose that working out at home is BETTER then working out at the gym 

Because if you can’t get to the gym you have an excuse not to workout 

At home you don’t have that excuse. 

(at home could mean outside, at the park, outback, etc) 

It’s a “Do or Do not, there is no try” type of thing. 

So to answer the question: what should we do during the workouts? Stick to the basics. 

Let’s get a little deeper into the Core 4 

So something is better than nothing, and stick to the basics, got it 

Where does this all start? It starts with the goal, what do we want to accomplish? Our answers will be different, but the core 4 will be a part of them all – some areas will be focused on more than others, make sense? 

So what do ya want? 

Really think about this question, maybe take a stroll through the park, sip some tea, or even chat with your partner about this. 

And after you answer, come back to the question.

It’s like getting from point A to point B – if we both start at point A, but our point B’s are different, it’ll require us to take a different path to get there (no shit – thanks) 

But really it starts here, this is point A – where do you want to go? Because – after all – if you don’t know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter where you go.

And how’s that been working out? 

This may help you figure out where you want to go too, some deeper thoughts on the core 4: 

A strong muscular body? That’ll require a strength based focus. I’d do body weight movements over machines any day. The main reason is because we live in our bodies, I’d prefer to master my body through movement then being able to lift x amount of weight or look x amount of way. Different point B then some people i get it, but it works for me. I definitely do both, I’m not saying that either. I love the deadlift and squat, some pull downs, etc – but if I had to pick one to do for the rest of my life, body weight movements take the cake. 

To not have pain or tightness in your lower back, shin, butt, neck, etc?  Start with flexibility and mobility. Some people call yoga “performing jiu jitsu on yourself” – it’ll change your life. I’d recommend these as daily regimenes. The sooner the better, but better late than never. Believe it or not: the amount of stress release and other benefits a small flexibility and mobility practice brings will give you the best bang for your buck out of all of these categories. No matter what, we can always perform some type of stretch, that’s not true for the other categories. 

Want to be able to run that marathon? Or bike 100 miles? Cardio is taking the win. This will require some time but is well worth the journey. I’ve run a marathon, a few ultra marathons. The art of running has taught me to slow down to speed up and that I can always give more, to be in the present moment and how important breathing is to my mental state. Another thing, I sometimes have a bad workout when it comes to strength based movements, it happens. But with running – miles are miles no matter how good or bad they are, there’s a different kind of satisfaction and mental boost that comes from that. The most vital organs: our brains, hearts, kidneys, liver, and lungs all benefit from this practice too. 

Here are basic types of movements for each category: do these a little bit each week and that tsunami we talked about is going to be here before you know it. 

• Strength: Pull ups, rows, push ups, dips, squats, planks, situps. 
• Cardio: walk, jog, run, bike, stairs 
• Flexibility: ANY type of stretch. No need to bounce, that’s different, something called ballistic stretching and it can be really beneficial if used correctly. This flexibility/ mobility practiced could be considered yoga, stretching, movement – whatever you’d like to call it. Touch toes, hold leg back, forward pigeon, frog, downward dog, etc. A few specific stretches on a sore area can go a lonnnng way- let me know some issues and I’ll get some stretches for you. 
• Mobility: hanging from a bar, deep squatting, spinal wave. 

Fun Facts:

These two small things done daily will improve your life beyond your wildest dreams. 

• If I had to do one thing for health at home – it’d be eating healthy foods. The more fruits and vegetables the better. Then it’d be to drink more water. A gallon a day is a great goal. 
• If i had to do one thing for fitness at home – it’d be mobility, specifically squatting or hanging. It’s about time we stop looking like a question mark. Then it’d be a flexibility routine as these practices are extremely parallel and I feel like this is where I would get the most back for my buck if I only had time for one thing. 

Wrapping it up:

Maybe this article is what you needed, if so – run with it 

If it’s not what you expected? throw it out. If you could let me know anything to improve so I can make changes I’d appreciate it – anytime someone can offer a different perspective is a chance to learn and grow, which I am all about. 

Healthy living isn’t something you do once in a while, it’s a little bit everyday.