Time to hit it hard!

Good afternoon folks. Morning broke, the tube strikes infuriated and I'm sure it is one of those days where you would like to do nothing more than go straight for the sofa and a glass of something fermented, brewed or distilled. Of course, if you take a 5 km run to the sofa and drink some water before sipping a glass of wine I have no objection.

On the other hand, there is a certain satisfaction and an obvious reward to be had from steeling your mind and making your way to the gym or out for some exercise... even if just for 30 minutes of intense training.
So ask yourself what it is you want. I'm not going to patronise you by asking silly questions, instead here is a pretty good reason to go to the gym even when your day has been hard, long and laborious...

You could live longer... Now, if that carrot ain't big enough for ya I think I've lost you. Exercise works all of the systems of the body - cardiopulmonary, skeletal, muscular, nervous and all in between. Have you found that your car tends to have trouble starting when it has been left sitting for a while... well, I'll let you consider that analogy. Our ancestors didn't do too much sitting around. From Stone Age through to Victorian they were a bunch of hard as nails workers who thought very little of using their backsides as cushions. Now I'm not saying we should all be down a pit, up a tree or scavenging for berries all day, but the least we can do is give 30 to 60 minutes a day over to doing what our bodies were built for. 

The Hunter-Gatherer lifestyle had certain advantages

So how could we emulate a hunter-gatherer style workout in the gym?

Well here's my tip for a great workout on the days you don't have the energy to fully blast one body part!

Warm Up - 12 minutes on the CV machine of your choice. Start slow and slowly build up to high intensity for the last 2 minutes.

Stretch your muscles dynamically by emulating the movements you are going to use in the workout!

1. Squat and Curl... hold an appropriate dumbbell in each hand. As you come up from the squat, bicep curl the weights. 3x12
2. Lunge and Reach... take a light medicine ball in both hands. As you lunge forward and drop the hips reach forward and down with the ball. Then push off the front leg with power and back to the start position.
3. 3 x 2 minutes running on the treadmill... keep the speed high enough that the one minute break between bursts is necessary.
4. One legged curl and press. Standing on one leg, hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand. Curl the weight and shoulder press it above your head whilst bracing your abdominal muscles. 3x10 per side.
5. Press Up>Burpee>Curl and Press. Place 2 dumbbells on the floor, assume a press up position with your hands on the dumbbell handles. Press up, then power off the ground by using a squat thrust and jumping off both feet, being careful to maintain balance. When landed, perform a bicep curl and shoulder press with both hands simultaneously. 3x8
6. 3 x 2 minute bursts on the treadmill again.
7. The plank. To emulate a hunter waiting in the brush, assume a press up position but lean on your elbows rather than hands. Hold for 1 minute. Repeat once more.
8. Static stretch all body parts.

So, a short and sweet workout for today. This can be grueling if the intensity is maintained so give it a go!

Over and out.