The easiest way I’ve found to stay in shape whilst fulfilling my commitments at home and to my kids is by doing body weight exercises around the house . They probably won’t bulk you up as quickly as lifting weights, but if pushups, situps, and pullups are good enough for army commandos, then they’re good enough for me.
Here are some reasons why you should be doing body weight exercises if you’re a busy dad…
Effectiveness – If you’re wondering how effective body weight exercises are, just ask the firemen, police officers, and elite fighters who live and die by these exercises. They won’t be the biggest guys you’ll ever come across, but they’re all about getting the job done. And that’s the only thing that matters. If you feel like you’re starting to plateau, you can add weights, increase the reps, do variations, etc. You can use weighted vests to add more resistance to your pushups, dips, etc.
Efficiency – What could be better than free? Body weight exercises are effective and incredibly economical. Just think, you can finally start saving for that pony your daughter has always wanted! Not only are body weight exercises and isometrics financially efficient, they are time efficient too. In certain styles of martial arts there is a strong emphasis on “economy of movement”, meaning you shouldn’t exert a lot of energy on something if it’s not necessary to do so. Focus on the task at hand and complete it with the least amount of effort.
Mobility – Body weight exercises can be done anywhere. We all have cell phones and laptops, so we know how important it is to be able to move around. Why should we rely on gyms and exercise equipment? It’s a lot easier to do situps and pushups in the basement or living room than it is to drive to the gym and wait around for equipment to be free.
Speed – Body weight and isometric exercises are fast. Some say that an isometric contraction needs to last just 7 seconds for you to start benefiting from it. Isometrics, when done properly, recruit more muscle fibers than more isolated exercises, leading to more strength. If you stay focused, your workout can be done in just half an hour.
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