Short, efficient workouts using only body weight is your solution for getting jacked.
Jack LaLanne figured it out when he launched The Jack LaLanne Show in 1953. That show, filmed on a minimal set, encouraged viewers to use basic household objects such as chairs and tables to perform exercises with him as he demonstrated in a black jumpsuit.
His show was the longest-running, nationally syndicated fitness television program, airing from 1951 to 1985.
Think about that.
Guy in a black jumpsuit. Yelling “Your waistline is your lifeline!” and “It’s never too late to get in shape!”
The man is a legend.
While his show became impetuous for the fitness craze, he opened the first health and fitness clubs in 1936, giving birth to the fitness club revolution.
He was spot-on about using household objects as your gym — and that concept would later morph into TRX straps and fitness routines that used only body weight.
I have a Gym Membership…I Never Use
Yep, it’s true. 67% of aspiring gym rats never use their gym membership.
Never.
Except January and February when goals for the New Year burn brighter than a nuclear blast (then become one).
And lo and behold, most gyms spin their business model to parlay the notion that most people will stay home (this was increasingly true during the pandemic).
Today, 56% of Americans work out online, and 16% exercise more than they used to before COVID-19. And this is a good thing. Jack would approve.
While gyms offer a social aspect of community, the logic of why it’s challenging to maintain is clear.
The Legend
People often stop going because of time constraints (driving to the gym) and the hectic schedules of chaotic lives.
Of course, there are other reasons.
Me? I have not been to a gym in over ten years. My last visit at a local YMCA included ancient, rotund, men sitting naked on locker room benches — with no towels between their asses and the bench — discussing politics.
I cannot unsee that.
I’ll get to my point. You don’t need a gym to get jacked.
Dump the Gym and Grab a Chair
Micro workouts are a thing lately seen in health magazines and news programs. And it’s a concept I’ve followed since my college days. For years now this is how I work out.
Micro routines are a way to condense your fitness workout into smaller units. Instead of an hour at the gym, micro workouts consist of short bursts of exercise done throughout the day or in particular sets.
While many fitness experts say ten-minute routines are best, there are no rules. I prefer five-minute routines that I perform three-six times a day, or every other day.
Micro-workouts have proven to have many positive benefits. In one study, a 10-minute workout three times per week increased endurance by nearly 20 percent and participants had increased insulin resistance at the end of the study. –Maria Misiura, PhD, Georgia State University
These short routines can be anything — and this is what I love about them — from cardio to strength training to martial arts or yoga. Since I spend my days writing and use a standing desk, I take breaks and do five minutes of burpees or pushups, then return to the typewriter.
On other days, I’ll perform deep breathing, shaking the body, or jump drills. I mix it up so it never gets tedious.
I try and mix my routines for a mind-body workout and one that also includes cardio to get my heart jamming.
Health Benefits
Many studies show that micro workouts are good for the body and mind. One study featured in the European Heart Journal showed 15–20 minutes of intense exercise per week lowered the risk of mortality, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Yet the health benefits go beyond what studies show. Micro workouts break up your day — and because you move more often, the mind stays more focused and the body more relaxed.
The medical community has poo-pooed a sedentary lifestyle for decades and micro workouts put an end to sitting (or standing) at your desk all day. Instead of getting up to drive to a gym, you are taking small breaks infused with activity.
I Can’t Find A Parking Space Near the Door
Implementing short bursts of exercise goes beyond your home or office. Have you noticed how people circle or sit idly waiting for that golden parking space near the door?
That’s not you.
Micro routines include out-of-the-house activities like parking — in the farthest space you can find. Doing so adds some walking into the day.
The same goes for stairs. Skip the elevator and take the stairs. This is perhaps one of the most rigorous workouts you can add to your day — especially if the stairs are more than three stories up.
How to Incorporate a Micro Routine Into Your Life
So, how do you do it? For one thing, if you’re accustomed to the gym (or maybe you no longer go), you’ve got to adjust to home workouts.
At first, you might miss the fancy machines and all the damn noise and the guy that stands in front of you so he can look in the mirror. Try a few days of your new home routine and go from there.
Starting out, plan one or two days of micro workouts. Keep it simple. Consider targeting arms, legs, and core on the same days — it’s easier than breaking things up because then it becomes a chore.
If working out is new to you and you don’t know what exercises to do, there are plenty of videos on YouTube to show you the way. (The video links included in this article are examples, and not exactly how I perform my exercises.)
In those two days, include a little cardio — burpees will do it — and exercises for your mind. Meditation. Yoga poses. Watching a spider make her web.
If your two days work, consider adding another with different exercises. Get creative. Chairs and TRX straps allow you to perform hundreds of different exercises. Remember, it’s all about body weight, so use furniture and the floor to create resistance.
My Daily Routine
To give you some ideas, I’ll share my morning routine because I work out every day. I mix it up, never doing the same exercise on any day, except for my morning prep routine.
If some of these exercises don’t make sense, do some research and create your own.
Ready? Here goes:
5:30–6 AM Prep Routine
Opening the body. This consists of stretching, tapping, and shaking. Opening the body is the most important component for starting your day. After all, you’ve been sleeping (hopefully) for seven hours.
6:00–6:30 AM
Wim Hof Breathing. This is a form of deep breathing and I highly recommend it. Warning: there are tons of breathing videos out there made by inexperienced people. Stick with someone who has trained with Wim Hof. Breathwork is serious and should be treated delicately.
I perform 220 focused breaths. For more information on breathing read my piece here.
6:30–7:30 AM
Forest Bathing (a brisk hike in the woods), a run, or a bike ride.
Micro Routine Examples
9:00–9:05 AM
Fifty floor push-ups (remember, always train the opposite group. If you push, you must pull, so I do that on my next break).
10:00–10:05 AM
Pulling. Lat pulls (TRX), or dumbbell lat pulls, or floor-lying prone pulls.
10:45–11 AM
Jump bursts (this is stationary and performed by completely relaxing and then exploding into a jump twenty times).
Sumo stance holds (holding a lunged position).
11:45–12 PM
Meditation. You can use music, guided voice mantras, or just silence.
And that’s it.
What? Not enough?
I hope this motivates you to try a new micro-training routine. It has huge paybacks for the entire body, but you must stick with it.
In the words of Jack, “Anything in life is possible, if you make it happen.”
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