Quick Workouts 2021!!!

Hi everyone!!! Long time not talk. Today I’m going to show you guys my *quick* workout routine that I’ve recently gotten into.

If you're familiar, fitness and working out has been something I've been doing off and on since I was in 8th grade, when I was playing football. In high school and college, I would go to the gym 2-3 times a week and lift weights. In grad school, since I danced so often, my workouts would usually either be in between major dance projects, or right before a performance (gotta look good, right? 😎) .

But now, with after COVID begun more than a year ago (what??? has it really been a year??), all the gyms and facilities have been shut down for that time... and so my muscles went from "Nice!" to "🤔🤔 you work out..?" (aka not there). And also, since I'm getting OLD my body is breaking down, and working out and exercising regularly is the best way to stave off degeneration.

Bodyguard PakSil led by supermodel kid Fayyad, circa the #BeforeTimes 

And so, once my apartment pool opened, I decided I would make good use of it!!!

My Routine Overview

I have gotten in the rhythm of starting my workout routine first thing in the morning (okay, maybe after using the bathroom first >_> ). 

Here is the overview:

Wasil's Basic 2021 Routine™

- Ab workouts (4 types, 25 repetitions each)

- Dynamic stretch and warm-up

- Resistance training in the pool (1 lap warmup, 2x forward, 2x backward)

Because I'm old, that means my back is weak. So the "resistance training" in the pool is me trying to strengthen my back and shoulders, so I can sit up properly when playing video games.

My Routine in Action

First, I wake up (without an alarm hu hu hu). Then, I go straight to ab workouts!

I got this yoga mat from a close friend of mine who just left LA in summer (thank you Sissi). 

*** IMPORTANT ***

Before you do the ab workouts, you NEED to put on HYPE music. What is HYPE music??? Music that gets your blood rushing. Like Pokemon Theme Song. Like Final Fantasy Boss Music. Like "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton. You know what I mean.

ANYway.

I do a circuit of 4 ab workouts:

Cherry pickers:

Instructions: Keep your torso and your thighs at a V-angle (basically keeping your legs afloat) while you simulate "picking cherries" and placing them from buckets on your side. This is good for your main & side abs.

Bicycle

Instructions: Pretend you are riding a bicycle (more like a unicycle) with your hands behind your head. You will basically cycle between two positions, one with your leg straightened, the other leg bent with the knee touching your other elbow. And alternate to the same thing on the other side (mirrored of course). Engage your core muscles when doing this, and keep your leg off the ground!

V-sits

Instructions: Start from flat, with your legs 6 inches off the ground. Simultaneously move your torso (including your arms that are straight out) and your legs to meet each other in the middle above you, in a scissor-like V. Ideally your torso and legs will always be at equivalent angles from the center line (which is super super hard! I can't do it 100% properly!)

Crunches

Instructions: Lift your legs with knees bent so that the angles of your torso-thighs and your thighs-calves are 90 degrees. Keep your hands behind your head. Then, compress your abs to lift up your torso -- while maintaining the 90 degrees of your legs! This is also harder than it looks. Also, be careful about straining your neck. Your arms are just behind your head as a placeholder, so *do not* use your arms to PULL your head up, because that is very bad for you.

Why

The ab workouts have 2 purposes. (1) To warm my body up for the swimming part, and (2) to get WASHBOARD abs. For all you kids and millenials out there who don't know, washboards are tools people used to use to wash and clean their clothes before laundry machines were invented. So, if I can accomplish (2) then I don't ever need to wash my shirt!!! A-m-a-z-i-n-g.

Jake Drake agrees.

Warming up

To be ready for my resistance training, I need to make sure my shoulders and back muscles have adequate warming up before going. 

The plus side is, because the pool is cold (haha me go brrrrr) then being super warmed-up when going in makes things a lot more tolerable!

Pool Resistance Training!!!

My pool is open from 8am to 10pm, and is "heated". Meaning it's not freezing when it's only 60 degrees Fahreinheit, but still chilly. I usually go between 8:30am and 10:30am, but if I'm feeling cold that day I might delay to around noon so that I can catch the sun and not be so cold. Usually there is nobody there because no sane person goes swimming when it's 60F.

Below is a training montage!!! (I'm not cool enough to use the Rocky training theme yet but maybe after 2 more weeks of steady workouts ._. )

All in all my routine takes about 40 minutes (5 minutes prep, 10 minute abs, 5 minutes warm-up, 20 minutes in the pool) so it's a good start to my day. Soon I will incorporate actual swimming once it is warm enough (I bought a swim cap and goggles just for that) to keep up my dynamic strength. I also bought resistance bands for indoor exercises as small 2 minute breaks between tasks (or if it's too cold outside to go swimming). I am currently on Day 15 so hopefully I can keep up the trend!! 

me after day 60

Thanks for reading, and make sure you stay active!!! (That's right I'm talking 'bout you)

-Wasil