Here we are half way through January, and I am curious if you have been sticking to your New Year's resolution in regards to your strength and health. Many times, people let their workout routines go by the wayside due to 2 common reasons: boredom and no results. Below is a list that you can apply today that will bring new life back into your training. Apply them and you won't be sorry.
1. Dy-No-Mite!
No matter who you are, there is an athlete within you. Strength is imperative, but we must also apply this strength quickly and explosively. Academic nerds like to call this power. When you improve your rate of force development, you learn to contract your muscles more efficiently, and ultimately become more athletic and move better.
To become more explosive, we must incorporate some plyometric and explosive type movements into our training. These include such exercises as jumps, hops, explosive pushups, or medicine ball throws. Performing Olympic lifts is another way of becoming more explosive. Integrating some kettlebell swings and snatches while trying to move the bell as quickly as possible will help get you there as well.
2. Be a Little Odd
Most of us are pretty familiar with lifting barbells, dumbbells, or workout machines. These are great tools; but including some odd object lifting has added benefits to the trainee. Not only does it have the fun factor, but it also allows you to train certain stabilizer muscles along with developing a stronger core due to its uneven characteristics. Also, grip strength is improved due to the difficulty associated with holding odd objects.
Nothing brings out the mental toughness like lifting up a sandbag from the ground and walking 50 meters with it. Pick up a barrel, keg, or some other large liquid container and fill it up approximately 3/4 full. Next, knock out some clean and presses. Fighting the resistance of water sloshing around is like something you probably never have experienced.
3. Run, Forest, Run
There is nothing more primal and health building than picking up the pace and sprinting. Short, intense sprints have a way of building strength and muscle, burning fat, and increasing your energy levels. Mark Sisson, in his new book PB: 21 Day Total Body Transformation states, "These occasional sprint workouts can have a more profound effect on your overall fitness and health than Chronic Cardio" (82).
I know there is often some hating out there on marathon running. Obviously, an excessive amount of anything can lead to injury or decrease health, but I know some avid runners who are strong and healthy. If running is your thing, don't forget to follow proper program design, change the speed and distance often, and always have fun.
4. Roll the Dice
Now I have to admit, I don't really gamble (especially when I heard how much my buddy lost last weekend), but I have recently implemented some dice rolling in my workouts. I learned this from Pavel Tstasouline in his game changing book Enter the Kettlebelll Here is how it works.
To get stronger, our bodies need to practice movements as often as possible, and as fresh as possible. This is why I am huge fan of strength coaches like Chad Waterbury's high frequency training and the RKC's strength training principles. However, in order to work the same muscles 3-5 times a week, there needs to be some same, but different principles occurring.
Let me explain. Let's say you want to perform 3 full body workouts a week. On Monday, you roll a pair of dice and you get a 6. Then what I would do is perform 3 exercises (an upper body push, upper body pull, and a leg movement) all at 6 sets each. Because I am performing 6 sets, I would pick a more difficult exercise that I could only do lower rep range (say 4-6 reps).
Here is an example:
Upper Body Push
- On Monday: Roll a 4--> 4 sets of x 10 reps of regular Pushups (easier exercise)
- On Wednesday: Roll a 10--> 10 sets of 3 reps of one arm pushup variation (harder exercise)
- On Friday: Roll a 6--> 6 sets of 5 reps of ring pushups (medium exercise)
It is also great to set your minutes. Roll a 7. Then perform 7 minutes of burpees and sprints (trust me, you will be praying for the snake eyes).
The dice are just a great way to change the set scheme and get out of that rut of 3 x10 you have been doing since you were a sophomore in high school.
5. Remember Your Childhood
Sarah and I have 3 young boys that love to play. My older 2 (although I know it won't be long for the little one to be right there in the mix) love to teach us about the principles of effective movement. They run, jump, and crawl. They play chase, jump off dressers, and climb anything that is vertical. They have perfect squatting form, seem to never get tired, and even have an occasional wrestling match.
If our workouts looked like that, our strength and vitality would be off the charts. Training would not be a drag, and energy and strength would be a natural byproduct. You ever look at some of the bodies of indigenous folks, they are ripped and muscular.
Oh, and here is another lesson learned. While performing a workout (aka play), their minds are not somewhere else. You won't find a 5 year old in a full game of chase, thinking about what he is going to eat for dinner or if he forgot to pay the light bill. Go out and have fun with your workouts.
6. Be an Outsider
The final component to making your workout not suck, is to take your training outside. I spoke on this on a previous post here. I really can't say enough about how exercising in the outdoors can truly change your workout experience. We were made to be outside, not sitting in the A/C staring a computers and TVs.
Implement some bodyweight workouts while hiking through the woods. Pick up some heavy rocks (odd object, anyone?) and throw into a nearby lake. Cruise up to your local park and bust out some pullups while your kids are swinging. The choices are only limited to your imagination.
Working out can be effective and fun. We have the knowledge, let's take some action.
See you outside.
Get Strong Anywhere!
C.J.
