For the past month I started doing 7 minutes of cardio every morning with a ridiculous YouTube video[1]. Just 7 minutes! It improves my mood level, energy for the whole day, I have better core strength, makes me want to move more overall.
I wanted to share this because to me it always looked like "doing sports" was to invest multiple 1-2h sessions per week and going all hardcore. Which is quite demotivating frankly speaking.
So if you are a couch potato like me then know that a bit of cardio is already showing good results. The best thing is that I am not exhausted afterwards so it can be done every day.
For strength training, I can only recommend the "minimalist routine" from the bodyweightfitness subreddit[1]. Basically, push-ups, rows, lunges and planks. Works all major muscle groups, needs very little to no material, and will not take more than a few minutes, every other day. A good example of the 80/20 law: that and a few cardio training (can be as simple as walking everytime you are given the opportunity) does not seem to be a lot, but it's way better than nothing.
I think you should add bodyweight squats or get creative with heavy objects you have around for extra weight. And if you can get a pullup bar, there is nothing replacing pullups for upper back strength. They help with everything including rounded shoulders( and you can do jump negatives to begin with).
> there is nothing replacing pullups for upper back strength
From a theoretical biomechanical perspective I would agree. My own subjective data, though, suggests that deadlifts cover approximately all of those muscles, and more. Also a barbell and some weights might be cheaper than a pullup bar -- at least if you plan on periodically repairing the door frame the pullup bar attaches to.
I've had a good experience with this type of pullup bar that pinches the wall (http://a.co/d/fL4oSCV). It's only left some very minor dimples in the dry-wall.
I picked up a pair of dumbbells recently. They take up almost no room, enable a ton of extra exercises, and can add resistance to bodyweight exercises you might already be doing. I highly recommend getting a pair to anyone looking to add a little extra to their routine.
I used to get injured a lot, now never. I swear by mobility exercises[1] -- they constitute the only change of habit I can pin that result on. They are distinct from both stretches and warming up (neither of which seem very necessary to me any more, except to the extent that I "warm up" by starting at a lower weight than what I'm eventually lifting.)
I've always really disliked gyms and I'm the opposite of a morning person, but a few months ago I needed to train for a very ambitious hiking trip with some fitter-than-me friends, so I got into the habit of going to the gym every day before work.
It turns out it's an incredible way to start the day, even for a night owl...the lasting effect throughout the rest of the day is very real. Also, as someone who is basically a zombie in the mornings, I essentially replaced the time in the morning when I'd be awake but sluggishly waiting for the coffee to kick in with a quick but intense stop at the gym, so I didn't need to totally rearrange my schedule.
I'm very much the same. I don't have the time or motivation to go full hardcore. Joining a gym, team, etc. Just can't do it. But I needed to do something. When my son was born I started dancing with him in my arms to this song [1]. I was so full of joy and that song is pure joy. I then added a song or two more until I have this completely unchoreographed 10-15 minutes of dancing. I do 3 or 4 times a week now. My son (now 20 months old) stands with me and dances like a complete goofball.
I have no clue if I'm doing it right or am going to get any meaningful exercise. But it makes me happy and has brought me a wonderful routine.
Yeah, as somebody who now does distance running, I understand why people develop a "no pain, no gain" mentality. To really excel, that can be very helpful. But it's entirely possible to get basic gains without having to grind it out.
Also, 'no pain no gain' only really applies once you've blown out all the beginner cobwebs and have a solid base of athleticism. Until you're comfortable cranking out a 5-k without stopping and without feeling spent (or whatever the rough equivalent in your sport is), you're going to make way more progress by taking it easy but just getting out there and doing it regularly. Basically, if going hard doesn't feel rewarding when you're first starting out, you're probably right.
The 30-20-10 intervals sound very much like the strides[1] many runners do at the end of an easy run or to warm up for a race/tempo run. It's interesting to me that the study found people enjoy them so much, because they are always the most tedious part of my easy runs which I often forget to do (whereas full interval sessions or tempo runs, while much more grueling, never feel boring).
Whichever works for you. Some people feel sick working out first thing in the morning if they don't eat something first. Some people feel sick working out first thing in the morning but only if they ate something.
> Some people feel sick working out first thing in the morning
I am and have always been one of those people. Even as an athlete in college (I rowed crew for a while) I absolutely had to eat something semi-substantial before morning practices. Which could be tough when we had to be on the water before sunrise.
I wanted to share this because to me it always looked like "doing sports" was to invest multiple 1-2h sessions per week and going all hardcore. Which is quite demotivating frankly speaking.
So if you are a couch potato like me then know that a bit of cardio is already showing good results. The best thing is that I am not exhausted afterwards so it can be done every day.
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL_dE81O_mw