QUA-ROUTINE! (also great for after quarantine is over)
The goal is doing it. We won’t get strong if we don’t actually do the exercises. We wouldn’t do the exercises if they require a lot of equipment, or a lot of time. But if we have a simple plan we can squeeze consistency into our unpredictable lives.
Goal: do the exercises
Are you stuck at home in quarantine, and don’t have any equipment for a workout? Or in the past think of a work trip for a week, out of state. Will you be able to do your workout routine in the hotel room?
Here’s a counter example of a workout from Men’s Journal that requires a lot of equipment. Would you be able to do this at base camp in the Himalayas?
Think about a super busy week at work, or a week full of chores or commitments. Will you have time to squeeze in your workout? Will you be able to remember the workout if you don’t have it written down?
Make it easy on yourself. Memorize one routine that doesn’t require special equipment, takes less than 30 minutes, and doesn’t force you to follow new routines each week. It should be simple enough to remember and do anywhere. Just make it simple, and do it often.
Build a Strong Core
A huge percentage of one’s strength and ability to move come from the core. Pulling, pushing, running, balancing; all of these draw from the core, via the lines that connect your limbs to your center of mass. The stronger these connections are, and the more powerful your core is, the better your whole body movement will be.
You can use your own body weight and minimal additional gear to get the best workout, period. This type of exercise is often called calisthenics. In general, it’s harder to hurt yourself with your own body weight because it’s the weight you are already used, you can’t accidentally add too much. It’s also a good way to stay proportional as you change your body.
This workout targets all major muscle groups, and focuses on building a strong core, using only your body weight. The idea behind this routine is to make it so convenient that you never have an excuse to skip it. Imagine you are traveling, perhaps staying at a hotel with none of your exercise equipment, weights, or anything. All you have is a hotel towel and some floor space.
NOW YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES
This routine has high emphasis on core, but also includes other exercises. You will build abs, a strong core, and also strengthen your whole body. The reasons are many: muscles burn calories, make you strong, keep your body in balance and they look great too.
I do 3 sets of 5 different types of exercises. I adjust the number of reps (repetitions of an exercise) as I get stronger. Each set has one exercise each of these types: core/abs, back, push ups, legs, and obliques/arms. These types of exercises each target a different major muscle group. The variations in each set aims to provide diversity and round out your muscle strength, avoiding over strengthening one muscle and under training another, which can lead to imbalance and injury when one muscle starts pulling harder against another weaker one. Imbalance can also cause improper posture leading to back pain, or other aches
Stay in balance and start at your own level
Feel free to swap out other exercises in the same muscle category to diversify the routine more, while still keeping everything in balance. You might need to do this to adjust the routine to your current level of strength, making it easier at the start and harder later.
I do these workouts about 2 times per week, but you can do them as often as 3 or more times a week depending on the other exercise you are doing. Aim for about 24-48 hours between workouts though, to maximize your recovery. This will help to maintain good form in your next workout, which will allow you to get the most out of it, as well as allow you muscles to rebuild stronger, ready for the next battle.
Here is my routine (2-3 times per week):
If you can’t do 30 reps of an exercise, start at 20 or 10, and after several workouts, when that starts feeling easy, start bumping up the number. These are just suggestions based on what I do now. When I started this routine, the number of reps was half of each of these listed.
- 30 supine leg raises
- 30 superman back exercises
- 20 push ups
- 30 squats
- or 10 each side, pistol squats
- 20 each side, oblique crunches
1 minute rest
- 30 boat crunches
- 30 each side, alternating limbs ‘swim’ back exercises
- 20 narrow grip push ups
- 20 each position, calf raises, in 3 positions
- toes pointing straight OR 10 each side, single leg calf raises
- toes angled outward
- toes angled inward
- 10 each direction, windshield wipers (straight legs)
1 minute rest
- 30 each side, alternating side crunches
- 30 superman back exercises
- 20 wide grip push ups
- 10 each position, leg raises, in 3 positions
- front
- middle
- back
- 30 dips
1 minute rest
Bonus round!
If you have access to a pull up bar, a tree branch, or even a table, I HIGHLY recommend adding in some pull ups and chin ups. Obviously these do require some gear, but if you have it you can either swap out the last exercise in each set, or just add one in at the end of each set.
- 10 pull ups (use a tree branch!) or do Table Bodyweight Rows
- 10 chin ups, hands in chin up position
- 10 hanging leg raise
Remember: the goal is to get STRONGER, not simply to get in more reps! Don’t let your ego get in the way of having good form. After all, if you are doing these exercises in your hotel room, no one is watching or counting.
More Tips
Make sure to balance abs with back exercises because an imbalance between front and back muscle development will lead to back pain.
Stretch!
The best way to prevent injury is to stretch. If your muscles are too tight and stiff, a slight over extension could cause an injury. But if your muscles and joints are supple and used to being stretched already, it will take a lot more to injure them!
Another common problem, especially when climbing a lot, is slouching. A good way to combat this is to straighten up every time you notice that you are slouching. Also make sure to stretch your pectoral muscles by doing chest opening exercises and shoulder mobility stretches.
Side Stretches are often overlooked, but they are important too. It will improve your range of motion and help you reach further than you might previously have though! Stretching your sides also prevents developing boxy movements and a rigid, robotic style.
Other resources:
Beginner’s Guide to 6 PACK ABS (What to Eat & How to Train!)
Uphill Athlete Training Plans
Scott’s Killer Core Routine
You can start right now! Go get ’em tiger!
