Finding Movement Freedom in Simplicity: Start with Just 3 Exercises

How's your movement practice going? Are you struggling to stay consistent or even get started in a regular routine? You're not alone. If you want to be different, read on. 🤔👇

Our EGO is a powerful part of us that often tries to get us to START well beyond our means and capabilities right NOW. The ego often starts us closer to "where we WANT to be" or "where we THINK we 'should' be". NONE of that will equate to long-term sustainable change in your health practices, including your physical activity.

Keep it Simple

Yes, it's a common theme here on the Zen Blog, but that's because IT WORKS. Those who find sustainability, progress and enjoyment in their health practices have this foundational principle in play. A large part of that is because (whether by accident or design), they keep things simple. They work with where they're at NOW, taking into account lifestyle, responsibilities, likes and dislikes, can do's and won't do's and ability level. A routine/practice is created that is TOTALLY do-able and feels good!

Start with up to 3 Exercises

I can hear the conversation already (because they've happened in real life and are not uncommon)... 👇

Client: "Uh Coach?? Just three exercises?? Seems a little silly eh? I want to do more."

Coach: " You've shared with me that right now you're doing nothing"

Client: "That's right"

Coach: "Well, if you do these 3 exercises every day over the next couple weeks, you've just upped your movement practice 100% AND it'll feel easy!

3 exercises IS more than no exercises right? Once you do this consistently over the next couple weeks, we can certainly look at adding more if you like"

The Overlooked Part of Keeping Things Simple

If you are currently trying to get into a movement practice of some kind, start by doing 1-3 exercises ONLY. Do 1-2 sets. 8-12 reps. Then go home (if you're not already home). Seriously! Even if you bought a gym membership!

1) This approach will help get you into the habit of GOING to the gym or GOING into your exercise space at home, while sorting out the timing, planning, shift in your daily routines, clothing that you like to wear and is comfortable, maybe realizing you want a different water bottle next time etc... minus the burden of a session that "kicked your ass" because you did too much too soon.

2) You progress gradually, which allows you to find your 'sweet spot'. When we work with simplicity and ease in building our habits, we take gradual progressive steps. This can help us realize that we may not even need all we thought we'd need in our routines! Which THEN means - it's easier to maintain for the long-haul! For example: If you've been slowly adding ONE exercise to your routine once or twice, and are now at a handful of exercises that take you about 30 minutes or so to complete, and you feel really good... You're going to most likely say "Hey! I'm happy with this!! I'm going to stick to this routine for a while". But if you go from no routine, to a full on 1-2hr exercise regimen, you can't possibly discover that you actually feel great with LESS! 😯

3) You'll more naturally lean towards efficiency and "bang for you buck" type movements/exercises. If you're working toward general health goals such as energy, mobility, strength, longevity etc by approaching things more simply and starting small, you're more likely to not spend your time doing isolation exercises (isolating a single muscle group with an exercise) (eg: bicep curls, crunches, leg extensions). Instead, you'll be more likely to work more compound / full body movements that work your body from head to toe (and that tend to be more functional with real life movements, such as squatting, hinging, carrying, pulling, pushing ...). Why? Because you're only doing a few exercises and you want to work as much as you can in that time you're doing them. 💪

4) You'll discover TIME in an easier way as well. Less exercises mean not only less time, but more likely a consistent time frame. You'll quickly discover you can do your 3 exercises for 'x' sets and 'x' reps in say 15min. This helps you more quickly adapt this into your daily routines and responsibilities because you have a good idea of exactly how long you need. The bigger the routine, the more moving parts (see what I did there? 😉) the more time can be taken up and the tougher it is to create consistency in that duration.

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This 'Zen Quickie' is sponsored by:

"Simplicity; The most amazing and powerful tool in our human toolbox."

Modern society often leads us AWAY from this and it's not our fault. If you need help, guidance and/or conversations surrounding your habits and lifestyle practices and how you can better simplify them to work for you long term, connect with 'Coach D' and let's get you started!