1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.
Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations.
At the end of each week, I’ve been sharing an idea from Tynan’s book Superhuman by Habit about how to install specific, positive habits into your life.
So far, we’ve covered:
Today, we’re talking about working out.
“Working out is one of those habits that can be annoying to do at the time,” Tynan writes in his book Superhuman by Habit, “but you quickly become so acclimatized to its benefits that you become very reluctant to ever quit it.”
Regular exercise has many benefits, including living longer, sleeping better, feeling more confident, building strength, and improving your overall fitness.
2: Tynan does not consider himself an expert at working out, so he recommends working with someone who is.
Having the right trainer can really help. That’s exactly what he did.
Tynan says, “In the past I had tried a variety of methods to try to gain lean mass, and had little or no success.”
Tynan’s goal is simple: spend less time in the gym but get the most out of each workout.
“In two months I gained fifteen pounds of lean mass,” he shares. The program he uses works for both men and women.
“This is a general formula that will get good results for anyone,” he notes. “You can customize it and pair it with an effective diet to get even more out of your time.”
- Work out three times a week, doing three exercises each day.
- Focus primarily on basic strength exercises like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, rows, and presses.
- Keep the workouts short and intense.
- Gradually increase the weight as you get stronger.
- Monday is deadlifts, pull-ups, and rows.
- Wednesday is bench press, incline bench press, and curls.
- Friday is squat or leg press, straight-leg deadlift, and cable crunches.
For more technical lifts, working with a knowledgeable trainer can also help you learn proper form.
3: A bit of patience is required. Especially at first.
“In my experience,” he shares, “it takes three to four weeks to notice anything, and 8 weeks to notice a profound difference.
“Whatever you do, don’t jump from plan to plan, without giving any one the time it needs to get results.”
In other words: Pick a plan. Stick with it long enough to see if it works.
Tynan also notes that if your goal is to gain or lose weight, what you eat matters, too. Exercise and nutrition work together.
The key isn’t finding the perfect workout. It’s finding a good one and doing it consistently enough that exercise becomes part of who you are.
More next week!
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Reflection: What is the biggest obstacle keeping you from making exercise a consistent part of your life?
Action: Choose three days next week to exercise and put them on your calendar. Don’t worry about creating the perfect workout. Start by building the habit of showing up.