Time & Exercise

Welcome to this edition of the Fit Tip Friday newsletter!Not having time is one of the top reasons people don't exercise.  

"When do you make time to workout?"  is by far the number one question, challenge, and concern I've heard from other men when it comes to exercise. 

There is not a "one-size fits all" answer to this question, as each of us has been given different roles, responsibilities, and skills from the Lord that we need to be faithful to. However, since this has been such a regular question and salient challenge, I want to offer a few thoughts and ideas by sharing what has worked for me. My approach is by no means an "arrived" system, and I do not pretend to preach perfection here. But this system has helped me manage my responsibilities within my roles as a husband, father, worker, church member, etc... while still having the time to commit to body stewardship. What Works for MeFor years, I had jobs that required me to be onsite every day. I was spending on average 9 hours a day at work, not including my 30-minute commute (~10 hours door to door each day). With a growing family (two kids 4 and under) and other responsibilities (church, music, etc...), using time to exercise was a perpetual challenge. The introduction of remote work has been an absolute game-changer for me, and I plan on sharing time tactics with flexible work schedules in future newsletters. But for years I used the following approach and schedule (and still do to some degree even with a flexible work schedule), which allowed me to use time to regularly and consistently exercise.  #1: Exercise 3-4x a weekEach week I target 3-4 exercise sessions. I've found that 5 is too much with my other responsibilities, and 2 is not enough to provide my body with ample time during the week for focused movement. On days that I don't have a workout planned, I rest. On these rest days, I typically incorporate "active rest" activities like family walks, family bike rides, etc...#2: Workout in the MorningWorking out in the morning accomplishes two things for me.Firstly, I finish my workout right away. I've found that the longer I wait to complete a workout, the more time other responsibilities (family, work, church, relationships, etc...) have to fill in that void throughout the day.  It's very easy to let a workout slip away amongst the unannounced but important activities and needs that arise during the day. Secondly, working out in the morning takes away the tension I've felt about using my time towards exercise and not my family. I try to exercise in the morning when my wife and kids are asleep. This allows me to be more present and engaged with them during the afternoons and evenings when I'm home from work and they are awake.Practically, the time I wake up is set based on the time I need to leave for work. When I factor in the time also spent in the mornings on scripture reading, prayer, and family, I've found that I need to wake up 2-2.5 hours before I leave for work.  #3: Target 30-45 minute sessionsI used to think spending 60+ minutes in the gym exercising is what my body needed to be strong. However, if you have a well-designed program and are efficient with your time spent exercising, you don't need to spend 60+ minutes a session exercising. 30-45 minute sessions at 3-4x a week are all you need, especially if your goal is body stewardship. #4: Utilize a Home GymA home gym does not have to look like your local Planet Fitness. You just need to have the basics. If you exercise with just your bodyweight, you don't need much equipment at all! If you are looking for some ideas to get you started, you can read this post that I wrote about the home gym. Having a home gym saves me a massive amount of time, which is time I can invest back into exercise. This time savings clicked several years ago when I added up the minutes I spent commuting to my local gym.Let's say you exercise at a local gym, and it's 15 minutes away. If you exercise 3x a week at your local gym, you will spend:

• 90 minutes commuting to the gym per week (that's 3, 30-minute workout sessions)

• 360 minutes commuting to the gym per month (that's 12, 30-minute workout sessions)

• 1,080 minutes commuting to the gym per quarter (that's 36, 30-minute workout sessions)

• 4,320 minutes commuting to the gym each year (that's 144, 30-minute workout sessions)

If you are struggling with finding time to exercise each week, having a home gym can help alleviate the time burden. What it Looks LikeAll that being said, here's what my weekly schedule looks like, depending on how many times I am exercising. 

Week Schedule

Day

3x a week

4x a week

Monday

Rest

Exercise

Tuesday

Exercise

Rest

Wednesday

Rest

Exercise

Thursday

Exercise

Rest

Friday

Rest

Exercise

Saturday

Exercise

Exercise

Sunday

Rest

Rest

Here's what my morning routine looks like for days I am exercising. I set my alarm 2-2.5 hours before me having to leave for work.  

Morning Routine (Mon. - Fri.)

Time

Workout Day

Rest Day 

4:45a - 5:00a

Wake Up (drink water, start 1st cup of coffee)

Wake Up (drink water, start 1st cup of coffee)

5:00a - 5:30a

Bible/Prayer Time

Bible/Prayer Time

5:30a - 6/6:15a

Workout

Side Hustles/Reading/Etc...

6/6:15a - 6:45a

Time with my wife

Time with my wife

6:45a - 7:15a

Get Ready for Work/Kids (if awake)

Get Ready for Work/Kids (if awake)

7:15a 

Leave for Work

Leave for Work

I try to wake up at the same time each day during the week (Monday - Friday), which helps maintain consistency and routine. I also try going to bed at the same time each day during the week, which tends to fall between 9:00p - 9:30p each day. On Saturdays, I do not follow this routine, but I sleep in, and my wife and I find time Saturday mornings to exercise together. Like I said before, I am not preaching perfection. There are days and weeks where I do not follow this to a T. But the slow, steady, and diligent commitment to this routine has helped me use time for exercise over years.If you are looking for a well-designed exercise program that can help you get started with a consistent workout routine, I put together a 12-week workout program. This program will have you exercising 3x a week, for 30-45 minutes, only using bodyweight, which allows you the opportunity to exercise either at home or your local park. 

The Secret of Samson's Strength

Two weeks ago, I reviewed the story of Samson and the secret of his strength.This can now be read in a blog post.  

Quick Overview:Samson is the iconic figure of strength in the Old Testament. His story is both heroic and tragic, and to guide our path through his story, we will ask the same question that haunted the Philistines:Where does this guy get his strength? 

Blessed Beats - Playlist #2 

If you missed it, there's a new Layman's Fitness workout playlist on Spotify, LF Workout Playlist 2. You visit the playlist by clicking the hyperlinks or by clicking the Spotify icon at the bottom of this email.  

• Art of Drifting - KB

• Art of Hope - KB

• Mr. Pretender - KB

• Legendary - Skillet 

• Clarity - Andy Mineo

• Startling Mystery - Shai Linne

• Gotta Know - Lecrae

• Prove It - Crowder/KB

• Killa - Lecrae

• JOY - Kings Kaleidoscope

• Change - Lecrae

This is a 11 song playlist that takes ~42 minutes. Enjoy!