Fitness Made Simple: A Brief Overview of Your New
Healthy Lifestyle
Thanks for downloading this ebook! If you find the information useful, be
sure to share it with a friend, spouse, or coworker who is ready to get fit!
-Will
Table of Contents
About the Author .......................................................................................................................................3
Introduction................................................................................................................................................3
Statistics ....................................................................................................................................................4
Adults ...............................................................................................................................................4
Children............................................................................................................................................4
Costs .................................................................................................................................................4
Are We In Control of Our Own Destiny? ..................................................................................................5
What can I do for my fitness? ...................................................................................................................5
Fitting in Exercise ......................................................................................................................................6
What can I do for my child's fitness?.........................................................................................................6
The Fit Family............................................................................................................................................7
Nutrition Basics..........................................................................................................................................7
Calorie basics & macro breakdown..................................................................................................7
Reading a label properly ..................................................................................................................8
Calories are Energy ..........................................................................................................................9
Basic Calorie Breakdown ................................................................................................................9
Basic food choices .........................................................................................................................10
Having an eating system ................................................................................................................10
Calorie Counting ........................................................................................................................... 11
Meal Preparation ........................................................................................................................... 11
Packing Your Meals ....................................................................................................................... 11
Fad diets .........................................................................................................................................12
The 90% Rule.................................................................................................................................12
Supplements & post-workout........................................................................................................12
Protein Powder ..................................................................................................................... 13
Fish Oil ................................................................................................................................. 13
Vitamin D ............................................................................................................................. 13
Above and Beyond ............................................................................................................... 14
The Miracle Supplement ..................................................................................................... 14
Basic bodyweight resistance routine........................................................................................................14
Warm Up ........................................................................................................................................14
Commitment to the Plan.................................................................................................................14
Training Split..................................................................................................................................15
Sets and Reps .................................................................................................................................15
The Overload Principle ..................................................................................................................15
Routine ...........................................................................................................................................16
Stretching/Mobility .......................................................................................................................26
Mindset ...................................................................................................................................................26
Self-talk ..........................................................................................................................................26
Goal Setting....................................................................................................................................27
Dealing With Setbacks ...................................................................................................................28
“There Isn't Enough Time!” ...........................................................................................................28
Solutions for a Lack of Time..........................................................................................................29
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................................30
About the Author
With over 10 years of experience and dedicated training, Will has added
over 50 lbs of lean mass to his body. Starting off a skinny guy and total
fitness newb, he has learned a lot through trial and error as well as
spending countless hours reading and researching the best ways of
accomplishing fitness goals.
One error Will made early on was overeating and eventually putting himself
in a position where he had 25 lbs of fat that needed to go. He was able to
drop this weight with practical exercise programming and changing his
eating habits to focus on not only becoming more fit, but also more
healthy.
Over the years, Will has had some great mentors and training partners that
have helped him achieve the results he wanted for himself physically which
in turn, improved his self-image and overall quality of life.
Now he is paying it forward by helping people reach their fitness goals, and
working with members of the Kyle, TX community who are ready to make a
change. Will knows from his own experience, and from seeing it in clients,
that when you make fitness a priority you don't JUST look better - you also
feel better, perform better, and have a better outlook toward the future.
Will thinks that although some parts of living a fitness lifestyle are difficult
and at times tedious, it is important for new trainees to keep the wise
words of the late Zig Ziglar in mind, “If you will be hard on yourself, life will
be easy on you. But if you insist upon being easy on yourself, life is going
to be very hard on you.” To find out more about how Will can continue to
help you, see the last section of this manual.
Introduction
This Manual has been written as a starting point for a person interested in
taking control of their personal fitness with the goal of being fit for life.
Included is an overview of:
 statistics
 nutrition basics
 a sample bodyweight workout performed at home with minimal
equipment
 a look at programming and its importance
 the impact our mindset has on fitness
 goal setting
 and more!
When reading this guide, a point has been made to leave out “you, your,
yours” and has been replaced the more general term of “trainee” to
describe the person starting their fitness lifestyle. This has been done
because I might not know YOU- or your specific situation well enough to
give specific advice. So, in general, these are the steps and lifestyle tips
that are widely used by fit people, but your mileage may vary depending on
your specific situation.
Statistics
Adults
More than one out of every three (35%) American adults are obese1.
This is generally due to a sedentary lifestyle and food choices.
Researchers have found that obesity can reduce life expectancy by 310 years.
Children
Obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents
in the past 30 years. In 2010, more than one third of children and
adolescents were overweight or obese2.
Obesity is a major issue though with nearly 18% of children ages 6–
11. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents (ages 12–19) is sightly
over 18% obese.
Research indicates that being overweight increases the risk of being
bullied by 63%.
Costs
The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147
billion in 2008 U.S. dollars; the medical costs for people who are
1
Adult Obesity Statistics
2
Youth Obesity Statistics
obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight3.
Are We In Control of Our Own Destiny?
Statistics don't appeal to everyone, but they are a good way to reach the
pragmatist. Exercise and healthy living don't need to be emotional
decisions. Maybe a future trainee is content with their lifestyle and
appearance. Improving their fitness could simply be a rational and costeffective decision. If it costs an extra $1,429 per year on average, that is
roughly $71,000 over 50 years in 2008 dollars. What if we factor in the
extra cost to insure someone who is deemed “high risk?”
It could be a case of pay me now or pay me later considering the cost of
gym memberships, healthier foods, personal training, etc. But if it cost the
same to be fit for life as it did to be out of shape and paying for medical
attention, it would be worth staying fit if only for quality-of-life reasons.
These statistics aren't being presented to shame anyone, but instead to
illustrate a point. If the future trainee is needing to make a change for
themselves or their family, they are not alone and nearly 1 in 3 of their
peers is in the same position.
What can I do for my fitness?
So what can a potential trainee do to get the ball rolling? Getting started
today is the most important first step to make in achieving health and
fitness goals. That seems almost a little too simple - and it is. Health and
fitness doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, trainees probably already
know the changes they’d like to make in their body; why not start making
them? Usually the problem isn’t laziness, it’s the desire to have a perfect
plan in place before getting started. Keep in mind there is no perfect plan
and the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.
We are in an interesting spot in the internet age with information at our
fingertips. There is more information available on what to eat and how to
workout than ever before - and it’s messing everything up! “Paralysis by
analysis” is the biggest stumbling block new trainees face when attempting
to make lifestyle changes. Don’t make the mistake of getting caught up
looking for the BEST way. There is no best - only better or worse than
yesterday.
If a trainee starts stringing together enough “better days”, results will
follow. By starting today, you will have taken the first step to success and
3
Expense of Obesity
will begin to lay a foundation of health and exercise that you can build on in
the future.
An important rule to accompany getting started today is to make sure
trainees set themselves up for success tomorrow. To be clear: Overdoing it
is as bad as not doing it at all! Trainees need to ease in. If they haven’t
exercised in five years, trying to run a half-marathon this afternoon is not a
good idea. If a trainee can't remember the last time they ate breakfast,
waking up an extra hour early to make an omelet and fresh squeezed juice
before work should be avoided. Do something easy. Walk around the block
for exercise, and eat a piece of fruit with yogurt for breakfast.
After a few weeks, these routines will become habit and all a new trainee
will have to do is start making small improvements to what they're already
doing.
Fitting in Exercise
Getting fit is less of a commitment than most trainees would expect. When
a trainee takes the time to assess their schedule they usually realize they
can at least meet the CDC recommendations1:
2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic
activity (i.e., brisk walking) every week and muscle-strengthening
activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups
(legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).
or
1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity
(i.e., jogging or running) every week and muscle-strengthening activities
on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips,
back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).
With two to three hours a week of training spread out over four or five
days, dramatic changes can occur in new trainees. With proper planning,
anyone could dedicate thirty minutes a day to exercise and usually begin to
see meaningful results within six weeks.
1
CDC Exercise Recommendations
What can I do for my child's fitness?
Kids don't know what is best for themselves. They haven't been around
long enough to know what areas of life are worthy of their time investment.
It is the responsibility of the parents, and the community as a whole, to
raise children in a manner that is going to set them up for success in the
future. Occasionally that can mean doing some things they don't want to do
in the near-term. Unfortunately, there is usually some unpleasantness and
discomfort that goes into obtaining a worthwhile objective - and kids rarely
have the self-motivation to “gut it out” and stick with something that isn't
enjoyable in the near-term even if it could benefit them for the rest of their
lives. This is where parents and coaches come in and can try to make
health and fitness as enjoyable as possible, but at the same time have the
firmness to make sure objectives are met and kids stay on target.
The Fit Family
If health and fitness are not yet a priority in the family, it is important for
parents to lead from the front and start living in a manner they'd like their
kids to follow. If children are resistant to this change, don't worry. That is
the natural response.
A common issue for parents in changing their own eating habits is the
concern that the kids aren't going to go along with it and they'll be fixing
two dinners every night. Meal planning with kids and discussing healthy
alternatives will allow them to be part of the process. In general, a meal
will always taste better to someone if they've had input.
If necessary, consider sitting down as a family and discussing why health
and fitness are important. For the most part, kids trust that their parents
have their best interests in mind. If a parent is coming from a place of love
and explains to their child that life will be better if they're healthy and fit,
they will (sometimes begrudgingly at first) go along with it.
With bullying becoming more and more of an issue, martial arts can be a
great way for a child to exercise as well as learn the valuable life skill of
self-defense. The self-image developed during the juvenile years will have a
lasting impact on the rest of a person's life. That is why it is so important
for youth to be involved in character-building activities.
For the sake of full disclosure, the author is biased towards martial arts
because he is a youth martial arts instructor at Dojo Kyle Jiu-Jitsu and has
seen the positive impact a well designed program can have on a youth's
level of fitness and self-image.
Nutrition Basics
Calorie basics & macro breakdown
A calorie is a unit of energy given by food. Fit people usually focus on their
macronutrient profile instead of strictly monitoring calories. So what is a
macronutrient? It's a substance (such as protein, fat, or carbohydrate)
essential in large amounts to the growth and health of a human.
Macronutrients are measured in grams but they can be broken down into
calories.
The basics:
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories
1 gram of protein = 4 calories
When reading a label keep in mind that the calorie total is just the sum of
it's macronutrient profile.
Reading a label properly
Understanding how to read a label properly
can help a trainee make more informed
decision on what they're putting into their
body.
With this egg...
fat: 9 x 4.5 = 40.5 calories
protein: 4 x 6 = 24 calories
carbs 4 x ~1 = ~4 calories
Rounded up to 70 total calories on this label.
Extra credit:
Trans fats do not occur in nature. That's
weird, right? Don't put them in your body!
Read more about trans fats.
Calories are Energy
Everyone's body requires a certain amount of calories (energy) to function
properly. This is usually a lower level than the amount of calories required
for a person to maintain their current weight. If a trainee eats more than
their body's maintenance level of calories, the excess will be stored and the
trainee will gain weight. Sometimes these extra calories will be used to
build muscle if a fitness routine is being followed, but more commonly they
are stored as body fat on a sedentary individual. If a trainee eats less than
their maintenance level of calories, their body will begin to use itself for
fuel and they will lose weight.
Ideally, a trainee will maintain (or gain) muscle while losing excess body
fat. Without proper eating habits and macronutrient percentages, new
trainees will often lose fat and lean body mass by solely restricting their
calories. We will go into more detail as this manual progresses.
Basic Calorie Breakdown
The typical fitness diet will be broken down by macronutrients and
displayed as 30% protein/40% carbohydrate/30% fat or something
generally near this range. Depending on a trainees goals, these numbers
can be adjusted. But for the sake of this example, the above percentages
will be used.
With 2000 calories as an example (find your daily required calories here)
30% protein= 600cal (150g)
40% carbs= 800cal (200g)
30% fat= 600cal (66.6g)
Where most trainees fall short is protein intake. The typical American diet
doesn't usually require much effort to reach carb or fat requirements, but
getting these calories from healthy sources can be challenging.
Protein should be consumed with every meal and spread out over the day.
Our bodies aren't as efficient at storing protein as they are with carbs and
fat, so a steady stream throughout the day is recommended. To read more
about how your body uses macronutrients CLICK HERE.
Basic food choices
In general, a guideline for new trainees is that the less processed a food is,
the more acceptable it is as a food choice. We all understand how fruits,
vegetables, meats, seeds, nuts, legumes, and (for occasional use) dairy are
produced, and they are also generally safe bets as healthy choices. While
bread, pasta, TV dinners, sugary beverages, and sweets, are more
complicated to produce and in general also considered more unhealthy.
A basic rule of thumb is if a trainee can't pronounce the ingredients on the
product, it shouldn't be a staple of their long-term diet.
Having an eating system
The eating system that has given me the most success was developed by
John Berardi, PhD, of Precision Nutrition. Berardi offers sensible advice that
not only focuses on improving body composition, but also achieving the
results in a healthy manner. Just because a trainee is losing weight doesn't
necessarily mean they are improving their health.
The following section regarding healthy eating habits is based on my
experience following the Precision Nutrition system since 2006. The
information can be found freely on the internet, but the reader should
consider purchasing Berardi's products for two reasons: one, they're very
good and take human nature into account; and two, when a person pays
for something, they are more likely to follow the advice and work at it
because they have some “skin in the game.”
The general guidelines Berardi lays out for healthy eating habits are:
1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8
meals per day.
2. Eat complete (containing all the essential amino acids), lean protein
with each meal.
3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.
4. Ensure that your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and
vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.
5. Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your
fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat),
monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil,
salmon oil).
6. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being
water and green tea.
7. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks).
Read the whole article here
Calorie Counting
The dreaded calorie counting. Maybe there are a few people out there who
can get into it, but for most trainees, it's just a means to an end.
Unfortunately in the early stages of a trainee's fitness lifestyle, it is
necessary. After a few months of measuring and weighing portions,
trainees can graduate to “eyeballing it,” because they will have spent the
time initially learning what serving sizes look like. A phone app such as My
Fitness Pal can make life a lot easier, but the trainee has to be committed to
keeping accurate track of their calories - including the 2,000 calorie meal
they consumed with one drive-thru meal at Burger King.
Meal Preparation
A little planning can go a long way to insure a trainee is able to follow the
healthy eating habits above. The idea is planning and preparing all of the
meals for the week in a couple of hours. It could be any day of the week,
but Sunday is usually people's lazy day when they're around the house and
can knock this out. If Tuesday night is a trainee's preferred time, it is fine
as long as they stick with it.
The basic idea of meal prep is to plan out 2-3 big meals (6-10 servings),
break them down into individual containers, and take the individual meals
to work with you.
Packing Your Meals
A lunch box is a little embarrassing to carry around at first, but as a
trainee's body begins to improve, the embarrassment of the lunch box is
offset by the confidence that comes from being in shape. With proper
packing, up to 5 healthy meals can be kept ready to go throughout the day.
One of the hardest parts of eating correctly for new trainees is managing
portions. At a restaurant, a plate of food could be up to 2,000 calories.
Most people don't have the self-control to eat ¼ of their meal and take the
other ¾ to go- and even if it is taken to go, can it be properly stored once
back at the office?
With a lunchbox and tupperware, it is easy to pack the correct portion size
and it is easy to stop eating once the entire portion has been finished.
Fad diets
This has been covered probably a million times so there is no need to go
into too much detail concerning fad diets. People who lead fit lifestyles
rarely diet. They do make healthy decisions with food, might lower their
calories, or make some other adjustments to their eating habits, but in
general they know investing their time and money in achieving long-term
success is a more sensible approach. A term often used in the fitness
community is “delayed gratification;” sacrifice today's short-term success
with dieting for sustained long-term success by following the advice in this
manual. It will end up being easier to just do it right the first time.
The 90% Rule
For any trainee, perfection with their diet shouldn't be the goal. If they are
eating correctly 90% of the time, results will still be impressive and mental
sanity will be spared.
The 90% rule allows for you to make some mistakes during the week as
well. If a trainee misses breakfast, that is going to count as part of the
10% that makes up their “anything meals”. It is recommended that
trainees not waste their 10% on missing meals or eating lunch out of the
vending machine. Ideally, these meals will be planned. They should be
favorite meals of the trainee that don't fit the healthy eating habits but are
enjoyable. Friday night could be a scheduled pizza night if a trainee has
been compliant for the week.
With the 90% rule, a trainee can maintain a healthy lifestyle without having
to give anything up forever.
Supplements & post-workout
Supplements, in general, should be kept fairly basic. It's important to
realize that supplements are a multibillion dollar industry and claims aren't
verified by the FDA or another watchdog group, which results in the
marketing being over the top and occasionally misleading.
Protein Powder
Purchasing a protein powder is a great choice for basic supplementation.
Whey is the most common, but you could also do rice, pea, or hemp. I
would buy a small (1 lb) whey first and only switch to a plant based protein
if you have some digestion issues. Buying a month's supply online on a
subscription is a convenient way to insure a trainee will always have their
protein and the deals online are usually much better than brick and mortar
stores.
Protein should be taken post-workout to aid in recovery. The typical
guidelines given are a 2:1 ratio of carbs and protein. So, 40g carbs and 20g
protein. If weight loss is desired, consider a 1:1 ratio. The most often
recommended carb source is a combination of maltodextrin and dextrose.
For convenience, I just uses Gatorade mixed with protein. Although it
probably isn't the ideal solution (and the taste isn't great), it gets the job
done.
Post-workout nutrition is important for recovery and should not be
neglected. With that being said, it is often a topic overanalyzed by trainees.
They'll spend so much time reading about the ideal post-workout recovery
drink, they forget to work out.
Fish Oil
The benefits of fish oil are too well researched for trainees to ignore. The
short list of benefits include: aiding in treatment of heart diseases, high
cholesterol, depression, anxiety, AHDH, inflammation, arthritis, Alzheimer’s
disease; fish oil has also been shown to help reduce body fat. A common
fish oil problem is that it will make you burp, and when you do... you taste
fish... Ugh... Luckily, they sell pills with a enteric coating that eliminates the
burps and fish aftertaste.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is also worth consideration as part of a daily supplement routine.
Unfortunately, a lot of us spend too much time indoors to get the Vitamin D
benefits of being in the sun, like increased bone density and improved
mood. Vitamin D is very inexpensive and at the least, worthy of further
research by trainees.
Above and Beyond
Past these basics listed, it is a very short list of products worth the
investment. It is important to not be susceptible to the marketing hype or
“research” done by the supplement companies themselves. Be sure to
verify the effectiveness of main ingredients with an outside source. If a
trainee is seeking a specific result like fat loss for example, they will be
better off spending the $50-60 they would've spent on a fat burner buying
higher quality food, hiring a babysitter so they can get to the gym, or
purchasing exercise equipment for a home gym.
The Miracle Supplement
There aren't usually any shortcuts in the fitness lifestyle and a trainee will
be better served embracing the grind. Working hard in the gym and kitchen
and avoiding flushing their disposable income down the drain on marginally
effective, over-hyped supplements.
Basic bodyweight resistance routine
Warm Up
Warm ups can be done many different ways. The common opinion these days
is to focus on dynamic warmups, and save the static stretching for after a
trainee's workout has been completed.
Five minutes on an Airdyne is a great warm up - and something borrowed
from Dojo Kyle's jiu-jitsu program that works well for warming up - is
animal movements. Most trainees are familiar with the bear crawl, crab
walk, inch worm, frog hop, etc. from PE, and they still work well for adults.
My main focus while warming up is to break a light sweat, but not be overly
tired. This indicates that the body is ready to work and after a couple of
minutes should be fully recovered from the warm up.
Commitment to the Plan
New trainees have an advantage that even the most experienced lifters in
the world envy - beginner gains. Beginner gains are very real and should
be taken advantage of in resistance training. There is an optimal way to
train for a new trainee to reach their specific goals, but in the beginner
phase optimal isn't necessary to have great results.
The important thing is a commitment to the plan. Most new trainees run
into problems by changing programs too frequently and not giving any one
plan enough time to have a positive impact on their body. This is especially
common with new trainees who subscribe to fitness magazines or follow an
online magazine that releases new workouts every month with catchy
names. New trainees will get motivated to follow the “6 weeks to a 6-pack”
workout, but then after week two when they realize that the 6-pack is
much further away than 4 more weeks, they decide the routine isn't
working and give up until next month when the “8 Weeks to A New You”
routine comes out and the cycle continues.
A new trainee should make an effort to research an effective beginner's
plan or hire someone who could help them get started off on the right foot,
stick with it for a minimum of 8 straight weeks, and then begin to make
minor adjustments based on individual goals.
Training Split
The routine in this manual is set up to do three times a week with days off
in between. Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday are
examples of how this split will be structured. There are also two, four, and
five day splits. With trainees putting in 6 days a week, that's getting out of
the realm of splits and into having an “off day.” For our purposes we will
only be focusing on the three day split.
Sets and Reps
When reading a workout plan, a new trainee can often be confused by the
sets and repetition terms and how they are expressed when written.
Repetition (reps) - the number of times you preform an exercise in a set.
Set - the number of times you repeat an exercise in a workout.
If a trainee is told they will be doing two sets of 20 reps with push ups,
they will do 20 pushups, rest for a planned amount of time, and then begin
their second set of 20.
When reading a workout, sets and reps are represented as “sets X reps” so
when a trainee reads 4x6, they know they'll be doing four sets of six reps
each. Five sets of three is a less common set and rep scheme, but as an
example, it would be expressed 5x3.
The Overload Principle
The sun tan analogy is a great way of explaining why increases need to
keep being made to improve your results in a fitness routine. To read more
throughly on the topic visit this link, But to paraphrase:
To continually get a darker sun tan, the tanner has to spend more and
more time in the sun because the pigments only adapt as much as needed
to protect us from being harmed by the sun.
It is the same with an exercise routine. If a trainee does 20 push ups
everyday, eventually their body will adapt to the workload and they will
stop making progress. For gains to continue, the workload must change by
adding repetitions, increasing the load (adding weight), or substituting a
new movement.
Routine
The routine that has been put together for this manual is designed to be
extremely fundamental and should be looked at as a starting point for a
trainee who hasn't done resistance training for months or years prior. If a
trainee as never done resistance training, please contact me or find a
trainer in your area to make sure your form is correct.
If a trainee has previous injuries (for current injuries see your doctor!) that
prevent them from doing the movements displayed, contact me by email at
[email protected] and I can help determine suitable alternatives. Obviously
this manual is written assuming trainees are healthy in general, and just
not in tip top shape. If you have chronic injuries that would potentially be
irritated by following resistance training similar to what is listed below,
please contact your physician and use the program at your own risk.
Bodyweight exercises are a great place to begin for previously inactive
trainees. They allow trainees to ease in and it is usually easy to increase
the training load week after week. Since we are not going to be adding
weight to these movements, the reps will continue to increase until the a
plateau occurs or the workouts are taking too long.
The starting point of this routine depends on the trainee. Don't work to
failure and instead stop with 1-2 reps still left in the tank. If that means
doing 2x3, that's what needs to be done. Don't let ego get in the way of
progress- 2x3 is just the starting point. Where a trainee ends up is what is
important.
Keeping a training log will insure that the trainee will be able to correctly
monitor their progress and continue to beat last weeks rep numbers.
Eventually, I would like to see trainees work up to 3x20 on the movements
below. If a trainee is able to meet this criteria in their first workout, buy a
gym membership and start using barbells or kettlebells to keep increasing
the training load.
I am personally a fan of barbell training and believe it is the best way to
improve strength and physique. Barbell training can be done safely and at
any age. For the doubters, click here to watch an 80 year old man deadlifting
400 lbs. Most trainees are still youngsters compared to this guy and it's
never to late to start barbell training. If a trainee would rather ease in to
resistance training the routine in this manual is for them.
---------------------------------Workout A
push-up, lunge, row, toe touch
Workout B
dip, squat, chin up, leg lift
Workouts will take place M/W/F and trainees will alternate A/B/A/B/A/B/etc
---------------------------------For basic bodyweight routines like this, I prefer to do the movements in a
circuit. If we are doing 3x20 with workout A, I would:
Warm up for 5 minutes
Do push-ups, rest 30-60 seconds, lunges, rest 30-60 seconds, row, rest
30-60 seconds, toe touch, and then rest for 1-2 minutes. Repeat two more
times.
Cool down with some static stretching, and call it a day!
Push Up:
The pushup is a fundamental bodyweight exercise that will strengthen your
triceps, pecs and front deltoids. A common error trainees make while doing
pushups is flaring elbows out instead of keeping them tucked. Knee
pushups are an acceptable alternative for trainees that cannot keep strict
form with the traditional pushup.
Dips:
Dips focus on similar muscles to the push up and can be done at home
using a chair for support. Ideally my fingers would be facing the same
direction as my knees and I would be dipping slightly below 90 degrees,
but because of previous injuries and chronic elbow pain I have needed to
modify this exercise.
Lunge:
Lunges are being incorporated into this routine for the sake of variety. In
my opinion the squat is the superior movement for developing a trainees
lower body, and as trainees continue to progress continuing to add
resistance to the squat is easier.
I am starting standing, one leg is stepping forward, and I am bending
slowly at the knees until my rear knee touches the floor. I'll hold this
position for a second and then push off with my front foot to return to the
standing position. After completing the movement on both legs, I will have
finished one rep.
Squat:
Squatting is a fundamental human movement. It is interesting to observe
the errors trainees make when they are consciously squatting, but then do
the movement correctly when they unconsciously sit down in a chair.
The most common squatting error is bending the knees first, when trainees
need to break at the hips first and lead with their rear-end. My knees
should be pushing out, and my depth should be parallel to the floor or
slightly below parallel. Knees should be even with the tips of the trainees
toes. If knees are past the toes, the trainee needs to practice leading the
movement with their hips.
To practice the squat, trainees can use a chair or box that will allow them to
sit slightly below parallel. Go down slowly, sit for a second and then stand
back up.
Rows:
The most neglected area of most trainees is their upper back and rear
deltoids. Unlike pushing exercises that allow trainees to use solely their
bodyweight and gravity, pulling movements require some minor equipment.
A common flaw of the bodyweight home workouts or exercising in a
bootcamp setting is that the back can be neglected which will lead to
muscular imbalances and eventually injury.
Using the rings, I am hanging and basically doing a reverse pushup. Keeping tight and keeping the
elbows slightly tucked insure that my lats are doing the majority of the work in this movement.
Chin ups:
Chin ups and pull ups are probably the most challenging bodyweight
exercises for new trainees. Chins are the exception to the 3x20 goal for
trainees mentioned above. If a trainee can do 20 strict pull ups they are
generally considered to be in the exceptional category. If a trainee goes
from 1 pull up to 5 though, that is a 500% improvement and should be
considered a great achievement. If a trainee cannot currently do pull ups or
chin ups, substitute rows.
I am starting from a dead hang and then pulling my chin over the bar. I
prefer chin ups because of a previously mentioned elbow issue, but pull ups
are usually considered the superior movement.The only difference in setup
between the two is with a chin up my palm is facing towards me, and with
a pull up my palm is facing away.
Toe Touch:
Ab work is usually popular with new trainees because abs and flat stomachs
are currently in fashion right now. The thing a lot of new trainees don't take
into account though is that they already have abs- they're just covered up
with body fat. Doing 1,000 crunches everyday isn't going to give you the
midsection of your dreams. There's a saying that “Abs are made in the
kitchen,” and that is 100% true.
I used to neglect my abs because I assumed they were getting plenty of
work supporting heavy squats and deadlifts. I have since revised this
opinion though and now take ab work seriously; using added resistance
and building my midsection to support my other lifts.
The toe touch is an easy exercise use and as reps continue to increase,
weight can be held in the hands to add resistance.
I'm lying on my back with my legs up in the air. I crunch up using my abs
to almost touch my toes. Actually touching the toes isn't as important as
getting a good crunch.
Leg Lift
The leg lift is a great movement for the abs and hip flexors. I am lying flat
with my hand tucked under my tail. I'm keeping my feet off of the ground
for the entire set, bringing them close to the floor and then raising them
back up.
Stretching/Mobility
For an active individual, the goal of their fitness routine is rarely mobility.
As training progresses though, it becomes important to correct and avoid
factors that could limit future improvements.
Joint Mobility is defined by the American Council of Evercise as: the degree to
which an articulation (where two bones meet) is allowed to move before
being restricted by surrounding tissues (ligaments/tendons/muscles etc.)…
otherwise known as the range of uninhibited movement around a joint.
Training consistently will lead to tightness around the joints. A trainee who
squats a couple of times a week will begin to notice a limited range of
motion in their hips that could potentially lead to injury, or at the very least
reduce the trainee's quality of life due to constant tightness.
Whether training for a sport, or just exercising to improve quality of life,
keep in mind that there is no need to become an expert in mobility.
Instead, focus on becoming competent and follow the advice of experts.
Joe DeFranco trains high level athletes that follow a simple mobility
protocol he's developed called “The Limber 11 (Video Here)”
Following a routine like this requires little equipment, is simple to
implement, will greatly improve your mobility, and have you ready to
perform at your next training session.
If a trainee has a more specific mobility issue - for example, internal
rotation in the shoulders – they should consider purchasing a more
thorough overview of mobility movements and explanations with Becoming
a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett.
By taking 10 minutes to make mobility a focus of a daily routine, trainees
will have an easier time getting out of bed in the mornings and will feel
more limber for their workouts. It's the little things that add up to big
successes.
Mindset
Self-talk
Not to sound too hippie here... but the way we talk to ourselves has a big
impact on our decisions in life- especially related to personal fitness. If a
future trainee thinks of himself as someone who is out of shape,
unconcerned with food choices, and feels it will be easier to stay the same
than to make the effort to change, he is going to struggle greatly with
achieving a more fit lifestyle. Coaches and mentors can be a big help in
keeping trainees motivated in a gym setting, but they can't force anyone to
attend classes regularly. Motivation from a coach is important, but
eventually the trainee will need to become self-motivated. This usually
happens after trainees begin to see results and their self-image improves.
Even if trainees are out of shape, they can begin to change their lifestyle by
talking to themselves (hopefully in their heads, but out loud is cool too), as
a fit person. “I AM fit,” “I DO exercise,” “I eat Healthy” - even if a trainee
isn't or doesn't, they eventually begin to believe their own hype, and it is
reflected in their decisions. Would a fit person do that? Would a fit person
eat this? Would a fit person exercise today even if it means adjusting their
schedule? Would a fit person be hard on themselves about their routine not
going perfectly or would they make adjustments? In the same way eating
healthy food will begin to reflect in a trainee's physique, putting healthy
thoughts into our minds begin to reflect in our decisions.
Goal Setting
The biggest mistake new trainees make is either not setting goals or being
too general with what they want to accomplish. If the goal is to lose
weight, that general goal can be achieved in the first week if the client
loses a pound - so is the objective complete? For most trainees, the answer
is no.
The importance of having a specific goal cannot be overstated. Having a proper goal can be the
difference between being a new year's resolution exerciser and someone who makes fitness a part of
their lifestyle. A good rule of thumb is to make sure a new trainees goal meets the SMART Criteria:
“Losing weight” is a general goal, “losing 50 lbs” is specific. Keeping a
training log and potentially a food journal or my fitness pal will insure
progress can be measured. A good goal must be worth achieving and at the
end of the day, the trainee is responsible for their results. A realistic goal
can still be big and seem far away, but it can't enter the realm of
impossible. If a trainee is 50, setting a goal to make the starting lineup of
the Spurs would not be realistic. Having a time frame will allow the trainee
to do the little things everyday that lead to big results.
“A goal without a plan is a wish,” so when a trainee decides the time has
come to begin the fitness lifestyle, it's important to remember to do it the
SMART way.
Dealing With Setbacks
It's unavoidable, setbacks are going to happen. The most common problem
trainees run into is overcommitting themselves in the beginning. If they are
excited and ready to make a change, that's awesome! They're going from a
sedentary life, eating 2-3 times a day to exercising 5 times a week and
eating 6 times a day. Everything is going great and then, the setback
occurs. Their car breaks down on the way to the gym, their kid gets sick,
they get sick, they go out of town over the weekend and get off of their
eating plan. They feel overwhelmed and think if they can't do it perfectly,
why do it at all? Why not just quit and start fresh again in a few months?
Life will always get in the way. It needs to be accepted and the trainees
need to focus on making healthy decisions their default, while getting off
track becomes a rare occurrence instead of vice versa.
When setbacks occur, it's important for trainees to remind themselves that
they are going to get back on track. If Thanksgiving is spent eating half of
a pie, the trainee should enjoy the pie; but remind themselves that on
Saturday it's back to the gym or they're going to be extra strict with their
eating the following week. All is not lost because a trainee has an off-day. If
goals have been properly set, they will be able to handle a setback by
adjusting and getting on track again.
“There Isn't Enough Time!”
The most common objection given by potential trainees is a legitimate
issue - a lack of time. It's true there really aren't enough hours in the day
to do it all. If we break down a typical week, most people are going to
spend 50-60 hours on work-related tasks including commuting, 50-60
hours sleeping (hopefully), leaving us with 48-68 hours a week of “free
time.” Free time belongs in quotes because we all know it's not really free
time. There is laundry to do, dishes to clean, groceries to buy, meals to
prepare, kids to care for, hopefully some time to have some fun, and the
list goes on.
With so much on their plate, how do potential trainees have time to brush
their teeth? By making it a priority. There will never be enough time to do it
all no matter how hard a person tries, but there will always be enough time
to take care of top priorities.
Wrestling great Dan Gable lost one match in his competitive career. He won
the 1972 Olympics without an opponent scoring a single point on him. After
his own athletic career, he went on to be the winningest coach in the
history of the sport taking home conference titles 23 times and the national
title 15 times. When asked about his almost unbelievable amount of
success as a competitor and then a coach, Gable gave us a time
management secret for the ages, “If it’s important, do it everyday. If
it’s not important, don’t do it all.”
Gable still had to attend meetings that he probably deemed unimportant,
and he had paperwork that needed to be completed - but his top priority
was practice. If he had a pile of paperwork sitting on his desk, did he skip
practice or did he leave the paperwork sitting until later in the week? New
trainees need to adopt a similar mindset. That load of laundry can wait.
Those dishes have been piling up all weekend, so why is NOW the critical
time to get them clean? If Gable was trying set a goal for himself to get in
shape, would he train today or would he skip because cutting the grass
couldn't wait another day?
What is really important in life? Our relationships with family and friends,
peace of mind, careers, and our health. We need to be sure to not major in
the minor stuff, and instead focus on these area's of live that will bring the
most long-term satisfaction.
Solutions for a Lack of Time
One solution for the hectic schedule is the “first things first” workout. Get it
done while the rest of the world is sleeping. This takes a certain type of
individual to be successful. If a trainee is not naturally an early riser it can
be a challenge, but if that is the only way to get a daily workout, it has to
be done.
If the morning workout isn't an option, consider actually doing it at work.
Bodyweight exercise is a great option for this but another thing to think
about is purchasing a kettlebell, keeping it at the office, and dedicating 1525 minutes to getting in a workout. Kettlebell workouts have been found to
burn on average 20 calories a minute, which is the equivalent of running at a
6 minute mile pace. There is also the added benefit of strengthening the
entire body, while jogging- even at a 6 minute pace- will not strengthen the
back, arms, shoulders or chest of the trainee.
If a trainee is on the road often, a 50 lb kettlebell could be a pain to lug
around. For this situation a suspension trainer like the TRX or Jungle Gym
would be a great investment. They attach to a hotel room door and allow
the trainees to incorporate much more variety in their workout than just
strictly doing bodyweight movements. A suspension trainer is also much
easier to pack. Nylon straps and handles can easily fit into a suitcase
without adding a noticeable difference in weight or bulk. See the resource
section at the end of the manual.
Conclusion
I wanted to write this manual in as straight-forward a manner as possible. I
don't believe there is a 6 week solution to a perfect body, and instead
trainees need to make a commitment to their longterm health and
wellbeing by eating correctly and exercising. Instead of looking for the
quick fix, embrace the grind, and when results come, revel in your success.
You will have earned it!
If reading this has been overwhelming or you felt like your specific issues
weren't addressed, I am making myself available for a free 30 minute
consultation to help you get on track with your new fitness lifestyle. I work
with clients on program design, implementation, working around
limitations, and make sure they get started on the right foot. If you would
like to fast track your progress, contact me at [email protected] to set up a
time to discuss your goals or unique situation in more detail.
My goal for every trainee is for them to eventually become self-motivated
to be fit, but that can take time. If the trainee desires a jump start, I can
help. I am able to take on a few personal clients as well as refer to other
trainers affiliated with my facility. Group fitness classes are also offered at
Dojo Kyle on weekday mornings.
Thanks for downloading this ebook! If you find the information useful, be
sure to share it with a friend, spouse, or coworker who is ready to get fit!
Will Caldwell