Alternative Workouts When I'm not “Feelin’” The Gym

[WillBrink]

Alternative Workouts When I'm not Feelin’ The Gym

This is New England, you take nice days and use them when you can get one as you don’t know when there will be another. On those days I’m just not “feelin’ it” for being in the gym ’cause it’s too damn nice out or some other reason – but I’m in need of some exercise – I will use an “alternative workout” to my typical program. My personal training program revolves around resistance training (weight training baby!) mainly, a GPP/conditioning day, and LISS.

My general set up, involves specific structured resistance training a GPP/Conditioning/HIIT day approx once every 7-10 days and some LISS. When, I say LISS (low intensity steady state aerobics) I mean 30 minute walk, or maybe a 40-60 minute bike ride at an easy pace done as much for relaxation and piece of mind, as for exercise.

However, some days, when I’m just not feelin’ the gym, I will do something else that fits my need for a GPP/conditioning type day. For example:

I took the Prowler and 50lb sand bag to a hill by a local park and did Prowler pushes (using “easy” handles going up and “hard” handles going down hill) using my GymBoss interval timer for 10 minutes, and followed with one leg st leg dead lifts super set with lunges using the sand bag. I like the one leg straight leg dead lift with the sand bag as it’s just about the most unbalanced darn thing you can do, and you feel it in much more then just the hamstrings, as so many muscles adjust to keep you from falling over. My legs are always sore after that workout!

Yesterday, I had another “I’m not feelin’ the gym but want to get some exercise” kinda day (it was 70 and sunny out!) so back to the park I went. This time, I took the drag sled and 75lb sand bag to the park close to my house. I had my interval timer set to 1:30 and did a circuit of:

forward drag sled (30 sec)
1 min rest
(reverse drag sled (30 sec)
1 min rest
push ups (30 sec)
one min rest
one leg st leg dead (30 sec per leg)
rest

Repeat ’till Dead

Did as many cycles of that as I could stand, took 5 minute rest, then reversed the rest/work intervals of 1 min work, 30 secs rest, and did the above for as many cycles as I could stand, which was not many I have to admit!

Back home for a post workout drink!

Point is, be inventive and creative with your workouts, but within that, should be a structure and a purpose to it which fits into a larger program that ultimately fits your particular goals.

[VMI-MO]

When I have the option I include range fitness once to twice a week. This falls into my normal workout routine, but it involves shooting

Another alternative workout is chopping wood. I found doing this for a while is a great workout and relaxing.

Finally is hiking or rucking. During the summer I use these as a good test of where I am at.


PJ

[WillBrink]

Similar to above workout of sled drags forward and backward, with lunges, one leg straight leg deads, and planks, which didn't get filmed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juk4Y0LqvJ8

Low tech, highly effective "functional" training for legs, butt, and general conditioning.

[Fyrhazzrd]

Any suggestions for workouts that doesn't trash the knees. I have arthritis in both of my knees. I can barely climb stairs. There is no way possible I could do lunges or dead lifts. That is the main reason my main source of exercise is a treadmill. It's very low impact on my knees. I also on occasion do pushups and situps. But man that gets boring after a while.

[WillBrink]

Any suggestions for workouts that doesn't trash the knees. I have arthritis in both of my knees. I can barely climb stairs. There is no way possible I could do lunges or dead lifts. That is the main reason my main source of exercise is a treadmill. It's very low impact on my knees. I also on occasion do pushups and situps. But man that gets boring after a while.

I highly recommend you get yourself a TRX Suspension Trainer. You will find I mention this gizmo several places on the forums here. A treadmill, a TRX, and a few other things is all you need for a highly effective workout at home. See this thread and linked URL:

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread...ension+trainer

[Alex F]

If the weather sucks too much for me to go to the gym, I do cardio on my exercise bike in front of the tv, followed by crunches and pushups. Heart rate = elevated and decent ab/upper body workout.

[chuckman]

I have not stepped inside a gym in years. I do whatever I 'feel' like doing...burpees, long runs, sprints, pull-ups, dips, bear crawls. I stop when I get over-winded or tired. I found that when I did belong to a gym, I became a slave to whichever routine I was doing, and I didn't enjoy it. Now the ad hoc, spontaneous exercise ("hmmmm....today I think I will do arms") is a good fit.

[Fyrhazzrd]

I have not stepped inside a gym in years. I do whatever I 'feel' like doing...burpees, long runs, sprints, pull-ups, dips, bear crawls. I stop when I get over-winded or tired. I found that when I did belong to a gym, I became a slave to whichever routine I was doing, and I didn't enjoy it. Now the ad hoc, spontaneous exercise ("hmmmm....today I think I will do arms") is a good fit.

I know what you mean. The last time I was a member of a gym, I spent more time waiting on machines than I did actually working out. I will never join another gym again.

I actually joined that particular gym for racquetball, since they had some nice courts. But come to find out it is almost impossible to even secure a court. They were always having tournaments, and the only way to actually get to play casually was to go during the day. which is unfortunate since I work all day.

[azidpa]

When I have the option I include range fitness once to twice a week. This falls into my normal workout routine, but it involves shooting

Another alternative workout is chopping wood. I found doing this for a while is a great workout and relaxing.

Finally is hiking or rucking. During the summer I use these as a good test of where I am at.


PJ

Same here. Mainly as an effort to make the shooting problem difficult.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFIlTh40IKU

there are follow-up vids in the side bar.

Mark

[WillBrink]

Same here. Mainly as an effort to make the shooting problem difficult.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFIlTh40IKU

there are follow-up vids in the side bar.

Mark

If you and crew are looking for additional concepts of training + shooting = stress shooting, there's a bunch of training vids at my site in sig below.