Simple is Best - A Case Study
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
Last Christmas, I wrote my parents a workout program. They CRUMPLED it up, and threw it right in my face.
Okay, it wasn’t that dramatic. They didn’t throw a crumpled up piece of paper at my face, and they did intend to follow my plan that I had spent a great deal of time putting together. I had made my parents a 12-week workout program; a deluxe, detailed masterpiece including strength, cardio, and mobility training as well as rep and set prescriptions, rest periods, and progressions.
Mom excitedly taped it to the fridge on Jan 1st, and she and Dad were ready to follow their roadmap to a healthier future. 1 year later, though, the program remained tacked to the fridge by now dusty tape - untouched. I don’t blame them, it was all my fault.
You, like my parents, are a busy, hard working person. You probably rush around all day and return from work exhausted. If you do make the time and summon the energy for a quick workout, you shouldn’t need to struggle to decipher a program that looks like hieroglyphics! I had intended to make it easier for my parents to work out, but instead I had just created another barrier.
The solution? Simplify! For my parents, this meant throwing away (for real this time) the program I had written last year and replacing it with one much less complicated. Sure, their new program is less comprehensive - but it still prioritizes the most important principles and will help my parents improve their health. Above all else, it is:
Convenient
Effective
One they will actually do
A piece of their old program:
Compared to their new program:
Resistance Training
Single arm farmer’s carries
Squats to a chair/bench
Push up plank hold (including getting on and off the ground)
Band pull aparts
Perform 3 sets of every exercise, go until you reach about a 7-8/10 difficulty. Repeat 2-3x/week.
Cardio
3 ten minute walks throughout the day, or 1 30-45 minute walk. Repeat most days of the week.
That’s IT! If my parents had followed the more complex program, they would have achieved better results and faster progress. Along the same lines, if I study enough I’ll become a rocket scientist and become the first man on Mars. Neither are going to happen!
With fitness, it is important to meet yourself where you are:
Only have 30 minutes per day to workout? Don’t start a workout program that takes 90 min per day to complete.
Don’t know how to do a bodyweight squat? Don’t load the barbell with 300 lbs.
Eat at Chick-Fil-A for every meal? Don’t start a keto-vegan-paleo diet!
Start slow by making realistic changes that you will stick to over the long term. Simpler is better - especially if the alternative is confusion, frustration, and despair. There will always be time to progress down the road! If you’re looking to start a simple fitness routine in the new year, you can’t go wrong with using the following basic template:
Don’t understand any of those movement patterns? Here are some examples -
Push: push up, bench press, dumbbell press, overhead press, handstand hold
Pull: band pull apart, row, pull up, YWT, face pull, upright row
Squat/Lunge: squat (to chair or independent, bodyweight or with weights), single leg squat, split squat / forward lunge, reverse lunge, lateral lunge
Hinge: deadlift, Russian deadlift, stiff leg deadlift, hip thrust, single leg hip thrust
Core/Accessory: plank, side plank, farmer’s carries, V up / curls, pushdowns, side raise, front raise, flys
And here are some ideas for cardio -
Walking
Biking
Swimming
Jogging
Dancing
Elliptical
Bodyweight Circuit
Most importantly - whatever you enjoy!
Just because starting a new workout routine can be simple does not mean it is easy. Starting any new habit, let alone one that involves moderate to high levels of self inflicted pain and discomfort is tough enough! To set yourself up for success in 2021 - make the healthy choice the easy choice, set realistic goals, and simplify.
