Simplify Your Training to Increase Your Results
By: Ben Greene, CSCS, CPT, YMCA of Parkersburg
Last month, I broke down tips on how to adapt to an at-home workout routine. This month I’m going to break it down even further for those who may have struggled with starting or maintaining their training at home thus far. The best thing to do right now is to simplify your training as much as possible. The simpler your training, the more repeatable it is, and the more consistent you’ll be.
To do this, choose one exercise, a set number of reps, and then complete those reps over the course of the day. For example, if you chose 100 bodyweight squats, you can do 10 reps every hour on the hour throughout the day, 5 sets of 20 reps, 1 set of 100 reps for the more advanced, or in whatever set and rep scheme you like. In whatever way you can get it done, as long as you’ve completed your chosen number of reps by the end of the day, you’ve successfully finished your training for the day.
If you need something less monotonous you can either alternate exercises every other day or choose a new exercise each day. Here is a brief list of basic bodyweight exercises most people should be able to perform. Please feel free to contact me at ben.greene.cpt@gmail.com if you have any questions about how to perform these exercises, or require help finding a more appropriate variation for your skill level.
Squats
Push-Ups
Bridges
Bird Dogs
Superman
Planks
Crunches
Reverse Crunches
Standing Wall Angels
Reverse Snow Angels
Interested in personal training or group fitness classes? Contact Crystal Leonard, Health & Fitness Coordinator at (304) 485-5585 ext. 213 or crystal.leonard@parkersburgymca.org to schedule an appointment.