This is Part 2 in a 4-part series about creating strength training for your Right Now Today Body. In it, I’m sharing a variety of resources that have helped me build my own strength training program. You can read Part 1 in the series here.
I’m not a personal trainer or a strength coach. I am most definitely not your doctor or your PT. I’m not telling you how to do this but rather giving you a basket full of ideas and moves to explore on your own so you can create something that works for and evolves with you.
In this post, I begin the outline of the slow, progressive approach that I’ve used over the past few years that you can jump into from wherever you are. As always, listen to your body, trust your experience and self-knowledge, rely on the guidance of people who are research-centered, and always check with your health team recommendations that are best for you.
"Use what you already know. People are so busy searching for a shortcut — or hoping an easier path will reveal itself — they let numerous moments slip by when they could get results simply by doing what is right in front of them." ~ James Clear
A couple of years ago, I understood that strength training is an incredibly good thing to do for your physical health, mental health and longevity. I could feel that even though I regularly move in lots of ways, I was losing strength.
So I started super simple: every morning, I did some squats and some push ups (on the edge of my desk, not the floor!).
I felt good. I kept doing it. Just a little. Every day.
After a while, I tracked how many squats and push ups I did and increased that number a little at a time. Then I added a wall sit. And then a plank.
This went on for months and months: adding moves, increasing the difficulty, and when there were too many moves to do in one session, doing them on alternate days. I started thinking about what body parts I was working and how I was working them. I learned a ton both through research and my own experimentation. Even now, though I’ve progressed to using external resistance, I come back to these body weight moves often when I’m traveling or don’t have access to my gear.
Now I offer you a short video to share some ideas and ways to think about using your body weight for strength training. You can watch the whole video in 30 minutes or click on any of the time stamps to jump to those moves.
VIDEO ~ Strength Your Way: Body Weight Moves
Strength Your Way: Body Weight Moves Video Time Stamps
0:00 ~ Introduction
2:00 ~ Plus Sides and Down Sides of Body Weight Moves
3:35 ~ What to Consider When Choosing What Moves to Do
4:20 ~ How Many Reps & Sets
5:52 ~ Legs/Hips
6:39 ~ Chair Squat
7:30 ~ Stool Squat
8:10 ~ Air Squat (Including Ass to Grass)
9:00 ~ Air Deadlift
10:27 ~ Bridge w toes up; variation on one leg
12:40 ~ Chest/Back
13:30 ~ Press Up on Wall / Table / Counter / Chair / Knees on Floor
15:10 ~ Pull on Railing
15:48 ~ Bent Over Wings
16:45 ~ Arms
17:16 ~ Biceps – Self Resistance
17:53 ~ Triceps – Self Resistance
18:44 ~ Triceps -- on Chair
19:30 ~ Shoulders/Lunges for Balance
19:50 ~ Lunge – body weight
21:00 ~ Lunge -- body weight with switch and optional balance
21:46 ~ Overhead press – Self Resistance
22:28 ~ Deltoid fly - Self Resistance
23:43 ~ Core/Impact
24:00 ~ Heel bumps
25:27 ~ Plank on knees with variations to progress
27:22 ~ V-Sit twist with feet on floor
28:46 ~ Side Plank knees
29:28 ~ Side Plank knees with twist
30:00 ~ Super Person with variations
31:16 ~ Outro
Ultimately, you want to build a habit of strengthening your body. To do that:
Start small. Pick a couple of moves that you like and do them for a while, then add on as you get stronger.
Make it easy. Have your list of moves on your dresser. Have workout clothes laid out (although I did these in my pajaymas for a long long time.)
Stack it. Add your strength training to something you already do (squat while flossing! Do a plank while figuring out Wordle!) or add it to something you love to do (Do your routine while listening to your favorite podcast, music or audio book! Even better if you ONLY listen to those things while strength training.)
Play around for yourself and your Right Now Today Body and see what works for you. If one approach doesn’t work or you stop doing it, it’s OK! Just begin again and notice how to adjust it so it works better.
What makes an impact are the things you do – for better or for worse – consistently. Always ask yourself, can I sustain doing this not just for a week but for the foreseeable future?
James Clear, author of the great book Atomic Habits, asks it this way:
“Bad things are always happening loudly: the injury, the flat tire, the mistake that gets you criticized. Everybody talks about the moments that make things a hassle.
“Good things are always happening quietly: the completed workout, the healthy meal, the ten minutes of writing. Nobody talks about the little moments that add up.
“What good things have you done quietly today?”
Resources
Full Body Home Workout For Beginner or Out-of-Shape - No Equipment - Easy to Do with Bob & Brad (h/t Jill Schneider)
I’m trying out some somatic strength training classes with Peter Appel (h/t Cecilia Mills). I’ll report back!