The JUST DO IT Yourself workout

The ‘Just Do It‘ slogan was very popular when I was growing up.  Maybe I’m dating myself but it was simple and effective.  Something getting in your way?  Had a bad day and don’t feel like getting in your training or shred session? Just Do It was the answer.

Somewhere along the way in a very short time we seem to have changed that to, “well maybe I could do it”? or “why don’t you do it okay”? In that time the health of our nation (and many others) has seemingly fallen apart. We have somehow become sloth like and are a nation of “Delegate Authority” instead of “QUESTION AUTHORITY”!  Which was another very popular saying when i was even younger.

What is stopping us from being physically active? And what is causing even the already active to be getting hurt so much more? What is standing in our way?

Well there aren’t any real easy answers I guess, but there are answers and that is one of the reasons why we started, The Mocean Project.  To find out what is going on with physical movement and unfortunately un-movement.

As a long time trainer and movement advocate believe me the list of excuses people come up with is staggering and if that weren’t the case then I would have to do far more odd jobs to support myself because my services wouldn’t be needed. There are several common excuses though that we will try and address in ongoing posts here. We will start with a couple for you right now and get this party started.

No time – This is a doozy and the “fitness industry” is partly to blame for this. Many trainers  and training organizations themselves say you need to work out a minimum of one hour a day for 6 days a week etc etc. Well mostly so they can justify the industry.  And of course on the other hand, you have ridiculously too short workouts like 6 min abs and all of that.  Just remember it is better TO MOVE then to get frustrated that “I don’t have enough time to dedicate so screw the whole thing”.  There are several options for you to get movement in with a limited time frame

• Try intervals such as Tabata style intervals-work periods of 20 seconds on then brief 10 second rest for 8 rounds is the standard Tabata interval which equals 4 minutes per movement. Try picking 1-4 of them when your time is limited, maybe one upper body dominated movement and one lower or 2 and 2 for a total of 32 minutes.
• Move for 5 minutes at the top of every hour – If you work at home, are in school or studying or have to work in an office, this can make a big difference in your conditioning vs. not moving at all.  If you did this for a full 8 hour day, this would be 40 minutes of movement at the end of a day, not bad.
• Move anyway possible – Somehow shoveling, splitting firewood, gardening, landscaping, moving furniture etc., got lost in the mix.  That’s not “exercise (god I hate that word) right?  WRONG!  Lets examine the act of splitting firewood vs. going to the gym and working on “the machines”.  With the splitting you are moving your body dynamically in multi-planes of movement. You are building grip strength, agility, power, working on your timing and overall skill.   Add an element of danger (the ax could split you) and you are working on a primal, cellular level within your body. You are going deep into your ancestry, deeper than just anatomy…Your brain is really ramping things up here and your CNS (central nervous system) and your muscles and EVERYTHING are working synergistic-ally.  I won’t waste time drawing a picture:  “meanwhile at the gym, Bill is doing 12 reps on the Chest press machine while watching CNN out of the corner of his eye and checking out the blond next to him”.  You get the point!

No Money – Getting “fit” requires lots of money right? Gym memberships and sneakers  and workout pants and headbands and headphones. Or boot camp classes or DVD’s or even stuff to build your own home gym requires you to to trudge into the nearest Dick’s (less) Sporting Goods right?  Again WRONG!  When you commit yourself to moving, the world becomes your gym.  Imagine the scene in Rocky that has him using all natural stuff, trudging through the snow and lifting rocks and logs etc., while his counterpart, Drago is using all the tech stuff.  And if you are ready to move then it doesn’t matter what you wear or whether you have a medicine ball or kettlebell. Get creative, be a sponge for information.

• Stay tuned here for info, search Youtube for ideas, look around.
• Trees, rocks, logs, walls, picnic tables, soup cans, old tires..its all fair game
• Remember BODYWEIGHT training is really your best resource which doesn’t cost a thing! It has always surprised me that trainers add load (resistance) to newbies so flippantly before the person is even ready.  If you haven’t mastered your own bodyweight then why add load?
• Grab a buddy, co worker or your significant other (“play together, stay together”) and set out on a journey of movement
• Hike, walk, ride a bike.  Some of the most basic forms of movement and a great start.  Keep it simple if your just starting!

So there is a primer for upcoming ideas coming to you from your source of movement adventure at The Mocean Project.

So now JUST DO IT!