Work Out Like a 4 Year Old podcast on PaleoJays Smoothie Cafe

Most people work out all wrong!  They get in their car, and drive to a gym to exercise.  Or, if they have wised up over time- they skip all of that, and have a home gym setup at home, in their garage or basement.  That is fine, and what I have done for many years; the idea of driving to a gym and working out is fine in high school or college, and is how I exercised throughout my early 20’s.  It’s a good way to learn…

Then, you work out on a regular schedule in your home gym.  Weights in the basement, with a sturdy power rack are great.  You can get big and strong in this manner, which is great in your youth!  But as you age, what is the best way to stay fit?

Well, I maintain that working out in your living room or TV room if you have one is ideal!  Not only for you, but for your 4 year old grandson as well, and he can show you how:

Approach your workout like pure play, for that is what it ideally is.  All you really need is a space in front of the television, a yoga mat (to protect your carpet and cushion you a bit), a rebounder, and an Exergenie (ideally)  for isometrics.  I also recommend the Perfect Pushup, but get the pro or heavy duty model- high volume pushups will wear out a standard model quickly, while my heavy duty model has lasted more than a decade with no signs of wearing out!  The other thing I like to have is an ab roller, which is a wonderful exercise, but this is optional- straight-legged setups are just as good- I just like to do both.

When my 4 year old grandson is over, as he has been lately a lot, and we can’t go outside because it is so cold, I turn on the TV for him, and just observe.  He sets down my rebounder, and starts- jumping!  

If the TV is on for an hour, he jumps the whole time!  Sometimes, he may run into an adjacent room to get a toy to hold while jumping (Batman is a favorite), or to crouch down by his giant Batman cave toy, but he quickly resumes his jumping again.  I notice that when the action is exciting- (fast cartoon chase scenes and the like)- he jumps much higher and faster!  He gauges his intensity by how he feels at the moment in time, and this is the essence of intuitional training.  His endurance is off the charts!  I feel he should avoid strength training until he is at least 40 pounds or so…

He doesn’t do it for health, or because he should. He just does it naturally, out of joyful movement that is part of our humanness.  It feels good, and so he does it with gusto!  

We should do the same.  Now that I am in my 60’s, I have no desire to be big.  Strong is something else, something we should all aspire to improve, always!  Maintenance of musculature is one of the most important aspects of health, lifelong- but especially as we age.  So, isometrics are ideal, as they vastly increase strength, without huge additions of bulk!  No, just lean, corded muscle (and tendon improvements as well), that shapes and is the engine of your body.

I have a book I wrote a few years back that outlines my workouts, called Perfectly Paleo Exercise.  The ebook version is better, and cheaper, but the gist is here- I do virtual resistance exercise first, (after turning on the TV of course), and flex my muscles throughout their entire range of motion. Here is my basic outline right here, on YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI65LRENdKo

This is the perfect core series of exercises for anyone, for all time!  Years ago they were called Tiger Moves, which I think is king of hokey- I like Virtual Exercise better.  But whatever- this type of weightless exercise, where the resistance is generated by you, yourself within the muscle is the safest, most productive way to maintain and improve all aspects of muscular fitness!  So start with that…

Then, get on the floor mat, and start stretching.  Start off with a long Asian squat, where you squat deeply with bare feet flat on the mat, and just relax in that position- this is the most beneficial, needed stretch that Westerners can do.  It takes the load off of your back, and is the basic ‘resting posture’ of human beings that don’t have chairs, worldwide.  Then, lie down on your back and stretch, get on all fours and stretch and move, and wind up in a back bridge if you can do so- I have daily for many years, and find it to be a total body stretch, and isometric hold that is invaluable!

Then, just as my grandson runs off to grab his Batman toy, I go to the wicker basket I keep all my minimal exercise gear in and grab my Exergenie.  Mine is an old one from the 1960’s that I got on Ebay years ago, and it is wonderful for isometrics- but, you can use a long strap just as effectively for the same purpose.  There is a product called the forearm forklift that works perfectly for this, although it is meant to move furniture without straining your back.  It is two nylon straps with built in handles, and it is great for isometrics, and also for moving heavy furniture!

Use your Exergenie or nylon straps to do presses, and curls, upright rows, bent rows, deadlifts and squats, and shoulder extensions.  I like to do 3 isometric stops for a hold of about 5 seconds at the beginning, middle, and end of each movement.  Very intense, really as intense as you’d like, depending on the TV action at the moment, and very effective for maximum strength!  Really, in 10 minutes you can cover the whole body very well indeed.

Then, I grab my rebounder just like my grandson, and start in to bouncing away!  This is wonderful for your lymph system, and also your cardio.  I like to do two more sets of Virtual resistance on the rebounder as I bounce, and find it to be wonderful for balance as well.  

You may want to wind up with manually resisted neck exercises, and bouncing while seated on the rebounder for a wonderful ab workout.  

I really can’t imagine waking up, and not doing this first thing every day, as I have for years.  Instantly energizing, and it covers all the bases.  Of course, I also do sets of pushups, straight legged situps, and ab wheels two times a week, then I usually omit the last rebounder sets.  And, I still go down to my basement gym a couple of times per week, mainly to do pushups on my gymnastic rings, pull-ups and ab curls, pistol squats with the rings, and isometrics on the power rack…

But that’s just me.  Those last are optional, just because I have my gym, and like using it.  All you really need are a mat, a TV, and a couple of straps.  And a rebounder, for total fitness and health!  For your whole life long.

And, a batman toy for the grandson!