Working with how humans evolved is always going to give the best results. Short daily activities was probably more normal in the past, chopping wood carrying water etc.The body adapts to whatever stress it is put under.Daily exercise makes more sense than long intense injury prone infrequent exercise.It's better to do something daily than in long bouts such as learning an instument.
From 1970-2010 I trained in gyms. Now I work out at home. 10 minutes of stretches (ba duan jin) when I get up in the morning. 15-20 minutes of isometrics (planks, etc) once a day. 15-60 minutes of standing meditation (zhan zhuang, also isometric) once or twice a day. 15 minutes of sitting meditation (also isometric) once a day. walk 1-3 miles most days. It works pretty well most days. Even though I am retired there is never enough time to do all the things I want to do in a day.
I hear ya Robert, time is the one thing there just never seems to be enough of, but it sure sounds like you're making the most of the time you've got. salute!
@@BluBlu111 You missed the 'etc' in '(planks,etc)'. I do 1-2 minutes of a plank. Used to also do pikes, wall sits, bridges but now just high plank daily, occasionally side plank or low plank. Mostly qi gong now - tai chi, zhan zhuang (aka standing meditation), ba duan jin for about an hour a day. Quality not quantity, especially when older (75 now)
I ike this quote from your book - "Saying most people should adopt a fitness lifestyle to stay in shape is like saying that everyone needs to buy a high-end sports car to get aroundtown."
Thanks! It really puts my whole approach to fitness into perspective. Dedicating one's life to diet and exercise is certainly the best way to maximize results, which is important to those who need that, but it's simply not practical or even worth it for most people.
Intuitively I always thought about doing push ups trough the day in the free time, as a way to make the body always active and working instead of the modern chronic sedentarism. Never did because I thought I'd be more efficient separate an hour in the day and working out in full intensity. All of this make sense.
The IMPORTANT words here are : Intuitively ...and free time !! (Funny how this sounds EXACTLY what jacked prison inmates have plenty of .... ;-) ) I've had more compliment on my physique now that I ditched weights...and doing a Push/Pull ...25 minutes Bodyweight/Rings workout ....( and Micro-workout when I feel "lazy")...then when I was Bodybuilding in my twenties !! ( I'm 58 ) STOP the 1 hour workout !!! ...and have FUN training !!!
Pavel Tsatsouline teaches "greasing the groove" which is great for pushing through plateaus or just getting better at something like pullups by doing sub max reps throughout the day so you are giving yourself time to recover between sets, never going to fatigue, & getting a ton of volume in over the course of a day.
Dude, this exact plan allowed me to dig myself out of an early grave and eventually get off of opiates. I even applied the micro strategy with tapering opiates, I used 1/10th of my methadone dose whenever I started feeling withdrawal. Microdosing. Worked amazingly well.
yeah I am reducing my subs by 1/400th each day... 1 tablet is 400 mg... I bought a digital scale and i decrease it by 1mg each day... i never notice it at all.
It can be. GtG is like the high volume low intensity approach to micro workouts. However you can also have high intensity workouts that are quick and not spread out with long rest times.
True Dat. I've worked in big gyms for years and you learn a whole lot about the reality of fitness and physical change when you spend 10+ hours in a gym every day. The sad reality i that very few people ever make a very noticeable amount of progress, and that's even the few who don't quit after the first month or two. And yet, we see incredible physiques and people working out on social media and think "yea that's totally within reach". It's just like when people play the lottery. We only think it's possible due to the survivor bias we hear about the winners. Okay, now you've got me rambling. Good topic for the podcast next week :)
@@RedDeltaProject @broskyification Guess most of these people are training hard not smart. To truly make progress you have to learn to connect to your body and track your workouts, allowing you to push when needed and focus on your strengths and weaknesses with the correct balance.
@@gospaironija2762 He works (or has worked) in gyms. He was working in the gym for 10 hrs or so, not working out in the gym himself for 10 hrs. Red Delta project is no BS artist. This guy is very genuine.
This works guys especially if your goal is just to keep fit. I used to do push-ups , pull ups , dips , squats and skipping ropes . The whole circuit takes 15 minutes at most . But gaining serious muscle mass might involve better techniques and perhaps more discipline , diet etc.
I only do micro workouts during the week, and then have two longer workouts near to the end of the week. Its a recent switch. But i feel loads better, less tired, more energy.
I agree, breaking up activity throughout the day feels right as opposed to going hard for an hour or so but sitting and being sedentary the rest of the day.
Love it, I do minimalist workout every other day but small 1 sets of exercises Everyday, like push ups, rows with chest expander, Squats etc. I can do these things between working or when cooking or something
Thank you! You explained everything very clearly. No mumbo-jumbo. I never have time for the gym and I'm also lazy af so it surely is a great news, kinda obvious thought that even a bit of exercise is better than nothing. Also I've come up with an idea of creating a stimulus in form of always wearing less clothes than necessary or/and lowering my room temperature at home. Then, every time I got cold I just do a few push ups, squats or whatever. Cold is good for longevity too anyway, so it's a double win!
Very interesting. And everything in my gut says “that can’t be!” Tells me the current ideas about muscle and fitness are hard wired in pretty hard. But at the same time, I have been trying to consistently incorporate smaller workouts into my day. Like 5-10 rows every time I enter the kitchen
I know just what you mean Zach, I feel much the same way. one thing I've discovered is that these micro workouts can be a good gate way workout. Something simple and easy to start with. Today I started with one, but it blew into a much bigger workout on it's own. But if I didn't have time or energy then that would have been fine too.
Been snatching 3-5 minutes here and there throughout the day to do sets of dips, pushups and squats. I thought I was being a lazy fraud, but you made it alright. I have definitely put on a fair bit of muscle recently. Cheers!
Damn bro...just found you randomly on this topic...and one of THE BEST FITNESS VIDEOS I've come across because of how you hit so many angles that not many people ever discuss. Appreciate your work!
This explains why I struggled gaining even 1 lb of muscle until now! I saw the *Effort vs Consistency* and it blew my whole mind. Because of your strategy, I was able to get bigger and leaner then back then. I am going to continue applying this method! *Forever Grateful, Great Guru Matt.*
@@Hsa008 I call it Full Body Nucleus Overload w/ Grind Style Calisthenics. I do bodyweight rows ( I plan to do pull ups once I can pay for the gym again ), T Push ups combined with Hindu and Dive Bomber Pushups as one exercise For abs I do Starfish Crunches with Oblique twists on the ground Legs: I do Calve Raises (high contraction on the top of movement), Table Bridges for Hamstrings and Calves.( I plan to replace calve raises with bodyweight hamstring curls. ) For Quads I do Shrimp Squats. Lastly face (optional) and Neck (A MUST): I perform Neck curls using hands as the plate to apply force to train front and back of the neck. For face, I use Jawzrsize (yes it works theoretically).
I hate exercise, I can't stick at one workout for 30 minutes and I don't go back to it the next day. I prefer 2 or 3 15 minute workouts and I stay focused and will want to go back to it the next day. I get very bored quickly so I find short but often workouts way better for me
For me its hard too, after 12-18 hours of work. I try to workout before work, when I am still fresh. But after 12+ hours I normaly dont train longer than 30 minutes.
This makes sense, farmers, brick layers, etc. build muscle based on doing their jobs over the course of a day and needing to increase their output over time, not by carrying hay or laying bricks really fast over short durations.
Awesome Matt! I've been doing micro workouts for a while now and have been explaining to my trainees the benefits. Now they'll get to hear your take! Thanks so much bro and keep on rockin'!
I’ve been working long days recently so I’ve been doing a full body circuit on Saturdays but for the rest of the week I’ve been doing one exercise each day: three sets, one minute rests between each set, I keep the reps the same for all three sets, and I try to set the reps so the first set is about 70-75% max effort and the last set is basically one or two reps shy of failure. Seems to be working for me so far.
i was at 215lbs 2.5 years ago. i am now at 180 and am keeping it off with the workouts you are describing. i have a 3 larger workout routines that i do during the week depending on how my body feels. the rest of the time i do micro workouts throughout the day. i like use the micro workouts to try new exercises and or odd/different exercises (i like to explore old school exercises with focus on body weight) and i target lacking areas. also for the micro workout exercises i often do rehabilitive exercises as preventative exercises.
This sounds pretty interesting for a guy like me whose main focus isn't entirely bodybuilding. I have other things and sports that are important for me. I think of giving this a try, thanks for the video :)
I know what you mean. Long workouts are great when the gym is your primary source of physical activity, but for athletes and very active individuals, shorter and more focused workouts may be more practical .
@@RedDeltaProject Yes I agree, maybe I'll start with some short workouts consisting of pull ups and push ups additionally to my current 'normal' workouts. Let's see how it works for me and maybe I will reduce the amount of longer workouts per week. I don't want to stop completely doing them, because (when I have time) I actually like doing them and I think some movements, as the deadlift for example, are better suited for longer workouts with an adequate time for warming up etc.
Lol micro machines But seriously, this has been key for me lately using micro workouts spread throughout the day. It's awesome because nothing can get in the way!
@Afro Samurai I might try your routine since I'm a beginner and love high volume training. I read and heard that high frequency is good since you will elevate your protein synthesis multiple times a day everyday and you will gain less fat.
mazing video!!! The stimulus is the key! Sometimes people think they don't progress with their training, however they don't think about what they are avoiding, that's what it is, move and stimulate the body, functional training! Greetings from Uruguay.
This can work for everything: studying, music, health, martial arts, sex (lol), everything is better when you do less more frequently and focus on quality
Sure, because it is easier to tell yourself to concentrate for 10 minutes on a particular task than an hour and as you get used to it you can increase it! Both your body and your mind need rest in order to operate at maximum!
For me microworkours are great as I usually work 12 hour shifts, & can get my training in during downtime at work saving my time at home for my family, sleep, as well as BJJ & Muay Thai training. For me the great thing about this modality is regardless as sore as I am I can commit to even 10 minutes, & usually by the 2nd or 3rd round /set I'm feeling good heart is starting to pump, & now I want to get the 10-15 rounds in, & maybe more if Im.after that or even get 2, 3, or 4 sessions in over the course of my shift. I wohld rather train 7 days a week as I feel good after my training then only 3 sessions a week and often dealing with being to fatigued or sore to train the next day. Also in my line of work I need to leave gas in the tank & be ready to respond in case things go sideways.
This was such good video that I think we all need to take what you said to the bank. When you look at people who gain muscle and don't try they are usually working doing daily task and not stressing themselves out. They are look good, healthy and injury free.
Dear Matt, glad to see a video from you again. You were one of the people I follow since 2016 when I started my calisthenics journey. This is actually fantastic only for the simple fact that I started a 150 days "challenge"doing 150 pull, 150 push, 150 legs, 150 abs every day. Ok, doesn't sound micro (takes maybe around 30 mins) but at least I am sure I am capable to do it and change it considering if I am more, or less energised wherever in the world I will be (these days, my room is my gym with the elastic band as a pull assistance). Keep up! Seriously, very happy to check on this video and your channel again.
Great to hear from ya again Antonio and I'm excited about your new workout routine. Keep me/ and the RDP community updated on your progress and the lessons you learn.
This is great timing as I sit here aching quite nastily. Moved place and lost my pull up bar setup - started grinding out the gym like I used to (with the time it takes to get there I feel I gotta make it big). I'm gonna order an even better bar rig so I can pump out whenever I feel again!
Genius Brother. Been doing HIT style bodyweight for a while. Definitely been much more motivated to stick with exercise. Always dreaded the long form workouts. Can you show us some ways to program these micro workouts?
How does this work practically though? - Three 10 min workouts a day? (4, 5, 6 days per week?) - Lower intensity and volume so you can perform the day after? (sets/reps?) - Do you change clothes and shower 3 times daily? - Do you not need as much "external" weight training like this? (would a 25lb adjustable dumbbell, your own bodyweight, and manipulating TUT suffice?) Intrigued to learn more.
samsar0125 I've been doing these for a while, especially when I'm not very motivated. I find these work awesome with kettlebell circuits. I keep a couple at work and take a few minutes here and there to do a circuit. So 4-5 times a day I'm getting my HR near it's max.
Matt this is great and is a technique I have adopted, but hadn't given it much thought. I particularly use this when trying to improve tension or learn a new skill. Keep it coming!
Thank you so much for the awesome video! Your content never fails to amaze me. But I am curious if this training strategy would apply to powerlifting workouts as well.
I’ve begun experimenting with this idea asking the question: what are my goals, really? My current venture is the trap bar. I’m curious to see if it can replace squats and deadlifts for general health, as well as using it for rows. Squats and deadlifts are more technical and draining, but is all that really necessary to have balanced leg and lower back strength? If a trap bar can do 90% of that while saving time in the gym, it might be good enough.
@@PJ-hi1gz With the lock downs, I’ve been working from home, so my time constraints from commuting disappeared. Due to this, I decided to drop the trap bar in favor of doing both squats and deadlifts with a traditional bar. As for rows, I’ve mainly been focused on calisthenics movements lately. I still plan on using the trap bar for heavy rows later on, but for now, I’m having more fun with a mixture of barbell lifts and calisthenics.
Great video. I wrote up a program similar to what you describe for a family member who is very short on time. He wants to get back in shape but can't make it to the gym so I put him on an upper lower split that takes less than 10 minutes a day at home with minimal equipment. It's not ideal but it's better than nothing!
Matt, since you're a martial artist, maybe you could do some micro workouts on incorporating your MA skills as a micro workout? As I work from home now, I have been thinking about practicing some MMA solo drills (sprawls, shots, footwork, shadow boxing etc) just as a fun way to get some activity throughout the day, in addition to the current calisthenics/isos/micro workouts.
Good idea Andre, it helps to think of MA training just like regular strength training. Each technique you have is an exercise, and you practice it for reps. So you can actually apply any MA drill or exercise with any of these micro workouts in the MW playlist. Circuits, Iso-dynamic etc. Just swap push-ups for side kicks, or ab work for jump kicks.
I have done this for years but as a ADHD tool. A few minutes of pushups or anything like that tells your brain to produce a little bit of the same neurotransmitters Adderall and Prozac create.
Thanks for the links 👍. Also, much YES! It's a matter of building on to sustainable habits and staying consistent with being active and upping the stimulus(I think im understanding the meaning of it's use xD) I'm finding that going for those high effort type of workouts the majority of the time is setting the bar a little too high too early on to be sustainable. Taking a step back and working off of something more manageable seems to be a much better approach
You've got it very well understood there Seilber, and remember that being flexible is the key. it's not about going long or short, easy or hard, but rather matching the workout to your current circumstances.
Hey Matt what do you think about GTG regarding muscle building ? I do around the world calisthenic routine...last night I worked out for 2 1/2 hours...I completed 170 different pull up variations...170 parallel dips...300 pushups and 300 squats all with a weighted vest.I struggle with depression and anxiety so training really helps me,but I would love a happy medium rather then killing myself and feeling completely exhausted.Please could you offer me some advice with being able to train daily but a routine that I can manage or a routine that I could break down throughout the day.Lets say morning,afternoon and early evening.I am 45 years old now.Kind regards Matt.
This is interesting, I am actually doing the opposite at the moment. A bigger workout with lots of rest day's in between, current doing full body about twice a week but with life and work getting increasingly busy this style seems fitting!
Well done Joshua, keep on doing what you're doing if you're enjoying it and getting results with it. These micro workout certainly are not the only way to go, just another tool to use when needed.
Cool! I set up some acrobat rings in my living room, and I just go there and hang and do 1 or 2 pull ups whenever I'm bored. It helped tremendously at keeping my shoulders intact during my time working from home.
I find it effective as I age and am so busy that an early morning 20 minute strength or flexibility works and then a walk/jog or bicycle ride in the evening for 1/2 hour works. Weekends are for longer activities like hikes or bike tours. I am finding bodyweight strength training and flexibility yoga type training is the safest way for me to train as I age because of some medical issues I have had.
Much thanks and appreciation Zach! I've been totally absorbing your emails during this whole Corona thing. Super thankful for everything you're putting out these days.
Kettlebells,jumprope,some adjustable dumbells,ab roller,foam.roller,dip station,pullup bar,maybe adjustable bench,all u need to be in shape honestly..short intense workouts,basic stretching,progress with more heavy load as u getin more fit and its adjust nutrition to your goals,cut/gain and thats all philosophy u need
Stoked you're enjoying the book Bob! one of my best for sure and I'll be going into more of the "smart" aspect f this in the next episode of the RDP podcast
I'm all about stimulus, i never got into the crawl out of the gym on leg day hype. I'll admit I try not to think about it instead of focusing, especially when the muscle fatigue starts. Living in that moment is tough
I really love the idea of MW's! I'm still not sure on how to approach the warmup on these sessions, though. I'm coming out of a double shoulder tendonitis and I'm afraid I could injure myself again by taking this idea "too lightly". Thanks in advance for your time!
best of luck in your recovery there Stehano, tendonitis is a real bear and hard to overcome so by all means take it easy. Although, i think the low-fatigue micro workouts that just get the blood flowing and refresh the body may be good for that. Getting some light blood flow to an injured area with tendonitis may help recovery.
Honestly, I expected some "here do this to blitz some stimulus, for example" moments, but I kept jumping forward in the vid. Way too much explanation of what and why, and no how to get this done. A missed opportunity. I think I do a version of this and am seeing results. I do arms and back one day and legs and abs the next... then a day off... repeat. 3 diff exercises max which are one full set (biceps/pullups/rows for example) then rest pause 3 times typically for each. Ring pushups, dumbell press, skull crushers. Done in 30 minutes. I also do some pullup, air squats, and lift kids (mostly bicep targeted) at work. This methods gets me to keep the habit at home since its over so quick and my evening continues. So far works great.
Loken1983 I do simple and sinister too, but one which I quite like is 30 seconds swings, 30 seconds cleans ( one handed), 30 seconds squat thrusters, rest 90 seconds then repeat for as many rounds as you like. Just make sure you switch hands each round in the cleans and squat thrusters to work both sides equally
First time I see you, very interesting theory and perfectly explained, I been trainnig high volume for a long time but I don´t see a significant progress, maybe micro workouts are the key, looking forward to see some exercises and routines about it.
Welcome Alejando. I've got a ton of sample workouts coming out this week. Check out this new one I just posted for back & biceps training: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NR0D2yKLA4I.html
Not surprising, GTG isn't about building muscle. If anything I would say the classic GTG format would be a good way to go about it to prevent muscle growth. while getting stronger.
This channel has solved my fitness/workout problem that has kept me starting from zero for the past 12 years. With micro workouts I am 1)looking forward to every workout, 2)feeling fresher, 3)growing, 4) able to spend more time with my family (wife and three kids) Plus I have yet to be injured. I'm never going back to hours long grind sessions.
so can this replace doing regular workouts by making workouts as practice or training per say? will this give u the same strength and muscle, and endurance gains?
Pull ups and chin ups benefit greatly from this, one day you do 20 pull ups, the next you do 21. It does not matter if you do them within 4 hours or 14 hours, the end goal for the day is 21 pull ups. The next day you do the same thing, BUT try to do 22 pull ups. Progress baby!
I see there's someone on RU-vid showing 5 minute workouts. I feel the short version you mention are great for me being 75. I feel if it's not fun or enjoyable, like your skiing, at my age why do it. When you are young you might think that is fun or more goal motivated but I say get a life other than extreme vanity.. again great video and unlike others ahead of times
This type of training is very similar to "greasing the groove", which is highly utilized by advanced athletes when they are trying to learn a skill by doing it multiple sets throughout the day but never go to failure in any of the set. There are advantages and drawbacks for this type of training, the main advantage is the ability to learn the skill very quickly, the disadvantages are: multiple sets = multiple warm-ups in order to prevent yourself from being injured, while it might provide a stimulus for muscle building but it is not that effective if your goal is for bodybuilding or gaining as much mass as possible since it does not provide enough intensity.
I think you'll be interested in the next edition of the RDP podcast where I talk about programming and some of the differences I'm discovering here between GTG and MW. There are some similarities but also some significant differences. very interesting stuff coming down the pipe.
Glad you like D S. I have a full playlist on Micro Workouts to help give you some ideas and get started as well on the channel. Plus I've since written a whole book on this approach as well: amzn.to/37YrzEi
