4 workout strategies for employed parents

I got this message the next week and I felt that way. Fearless. Relevant.

Parents of young children are a particularly challenging period of time. There is a lot of variability in your routine, a great demand for your time and attention, not a lot of energy to save.

Whether you are a parent, viewer or just go through an incredibly busy season of life, trying to add a fitness routine on top of everything else, it may feel like Jim Gafigan’s joke: « Do you know what it is like to have five children? Imagine drowning. And then someone hands you a baby. »

We hear this mood all the time with clients in our coaching program.

So today I want to translate you exactly how I help them navigate this intense period, while I still find time to work on their health and fitness in ways that feel resilient to them.

And continuing the experiment « Matt stands in front of a whiteboard in his office and records a video », I have an accompanying video with notes so you can learn this in every format it works best for you. На (Bonus points to anyone who recognizes where my T -shirt is from!))

And if you are someone who is struggling to find consistency with your workouts, answer this email! I would like to see how I can help. 💪

The key challenges

If you tell me you are a parent, then I can immediately predict a few things:

• Highly variable schedule
• High demands in time and attention
• Lack of predictable routine.
• (Periods of) low energy

I still remember talking to Mike (hosting ​The pursuit of pursuit of zero​), and how he continued to say, « This week is crazy, but next week, things will finally return to their normal state. »

After a few weeks of that, I stopped him and said something in the order of, « I think unpredictability is the only predictable thing. »

Our mantra has become “no normally« And this is crucial for his success in receiving 148 workouts so far this year (and count!)

Strategies

Dialing mode

If we know that every day is highly variable, then our plan must take this into account.

Start by creating a short and simple body weight workout that you can do in 5-15 minutes. (S)​Like doing 1 round of this workout​.) It becomes a key puzzle that you can fit into a crazy day.

When I worked at Force Fitness, I remember that I came in after a long night with the kids, I felt absolutely dead to the world. In these days, ​my boss​ And I would look at each other and I will say: « ​Turkish cabins​ and ​Farmer’s wearing​? « Two movements to get us up and move in a few minutes, then make money for the day.

Accumulation

Training does not need to happen at once. You can break the mini-session workout during the day of the day or even a week!

The more important factor is to do the job, not in time. 💪

This is exactly the strategy I use with new parents. We write a list of exercises and the target number of repetitions to get done during the week. They are then pressed as they can. If you want an example of what this looks, shoot with me and an email and I will be glad to share some!

I

Sometimes it is really important to try to take the time in your schedule to focus only on you. This may mean asking a partner for help or to make some difficult compromise decisions. It’s not always possible, but it’s still worth considering.

We did this with my client Michelle. She was hard to fit into training, so we went through some compromises she could do. She asked her partner for support and managed to carve 20 minutes after work. She would park out and do a workout in the garage. She was not at home until she walked through the garage door.

I’m going, you’re going

If you can’t beat them, join them! ​Invite children to participate with you​S

Switch your focus to more skill-based or game-based workouts that may be more engaged to them. Instead of optimizing for « results », optimize for fun and connection.

This is the option that was most thoughtful in my own life. Part of my ​Great why​ connects with others and model healthy behavior for my own children. Although I still like to train alone, finding more ways to include my family made the trip even more rewarding. Не

For more game ideas you can meet your children, see ​this article​ and ​this article​S

Do you want to try your hand in Parkour (in a safe and effective way?) ​I took you​! 🙌

–

And there you have it! If you were my client I would have translated you through these similar steps

1. We would set out your current schedule and many real challenges.
2. We would understand which strategy fits the best for you.
3. Then I will write workouts and provide accountability to take down the thinking of your plate and help you stay on the road. 💪

Whether you are an busy parent or just someone who goes through the hectic period of life right now, try these strategies and let me know how it goes!

– coach Matt

PS is interested in ​Nerd Fitness Coaching​? ​Book a call this week​ And mention the rebel for $ 50 since his first coaching month. We have no contracts, no hidden fees and you can cancel at any time. We just want to stay if it actually works for you!